A number of researchers suggest that the development of Internet technologies, especially the World Wide Web, provides new opportunities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), because the Internet has the ability to assist SMEs to extend their activities into customer base in international markets. Although there is extensive research focusing on business-to consumer marketing, no significant studies have looked at business-to-business marketing, especially the manufacturing SMEs sector. This thesis examines how the Internet relates to manufacturing SMEs and reviews how manufacturing SMEs internationalise. In particular, this thesis concerns how industrial networks/relationships impact on the use of the Internet for manufacturing SMEs and their international operations. This thesis reviews relevant areas of literature in industrial network perspectives, internationalisation, capabilities and the Internet. A conceptual framework derived from the literature review is also presented. The conceptual development provides a framework for the subsequent research strategies. The empirical data consists of ten in-depth case studies from different types of manufacturing SMEs and industries within the UK. A cross-case analysis was then carried out which leads to the finalised framework. One of the key contributions of this thesis is the development of the SCIM (SME Capability for the Internationalisation of Manufacturing) framework. The framework provides an overview of an industrial network in relation to the manufacturing SMEs' capability development, and factors such as the Internet and industrial environment that need to be considered for their international business decisions. The findings reveal key components that have direct impact upon manufacturing SMEs when engaging in network business activities. Moreover, the findings elaborate the influence of the Internet for manufacturing SMEs for their international business operations and internationalisation strategies. Finally, the implications for practice and directions for future research are highlighted.

This study, which seeks to conceptualise client behaviours within the professional service relationship is located within the academic literature associated with relationship marketing. However, this study differs from the main characteristics of that literature in two ways. First, that literature focuses on the organisational benefits of retaining customers and empirical work to explore the benefits customer's receive is limited. This study, among clients of a professional service, provides a better understanding of why clients maintain relationships with solicitors and how their motives influence their behaviours within that relationship. Secondly, empirical studies are primarily focused within the business-to-business context and attempts to extend theory generated from that context into consumer markets have been criticised. The focus of this study is the private client perspective. Consequently, this thesis draws heavily on construct and theory development within the social exchange literature to explain the empirical findings and highlight limitations with the conceptual development and measurement of constructs with the relationship marketing literature. This thesis provides empirical support for the propositions that the presence of particular interaction variables will generate trust in the solicitor among private clients and that the presence of trust in the solicitor will result in private-client commitment to that relationship. Specific behaviours, exhibited by clients committed to the private client-solicitor relationship, are identified and suggestions made regarding client behaviours that emerge when private clients are not committed to the relationship. The thesis also critiques the way in which the trust and commitment constructs have been conceptualised and measured within the marketing discipline. An agenda is identified for future research to extend knowledge in four broad areas: the appropriateness of relationship marketing theory for the professional service context; conceptual and measurement scale development of constructs that underpin relationship marketing theory; differentiation of antecedents generating trust in, or reliance upon, professional services providers; and further understanding of private client behaviours within the professional services relationship.

L’étiquetage social est une technique de persuasion qui consiste à attribuer à un individu une étiquette (sous forme de trait de personnalité ou de valeur) dans le but de le voir se conformer à celle-ci. Cette approche, qui est par essence positive pour l’individu cible car elle est basée sur un étiquetage de valeurs socialement valorisées, permet d’obtenir de bons résultats sur les changements de comportements. Ce travail de thèse se propose spécifiquement d’interroger l’efficacité de l’étiquetage social dans une démarche de marketing social. A l’aide de quatre études expérimentales, nous testons la pertinence de la méthode dans les domaines de la citoyenneté et des impôts (études 1.1 & 1.2), de la consommation étudiante de drogue et d’alcool (étude 2), et de la sensibilisation à l’écologie d’enfants (étude 3). Nous montrons que la technique peut être efficace dans une démarche de communication sociale, mais nécessite pour cela un effort préalable de compréhension des spécificités du contexte d’application. / Social labeling is a persuasion technique which consists of assigning a label to an individual (i.e. personality trait or value) in order to see him/her comply with it. This approach, which is positive for the target individual because it is based on labeling socially valued qualities, provides good results on behavioral changes. This work intends to question the effectiveness of social labeling in a social marketing approach. Using four experimental studies, we test the relevance of the method in the areas of citizenship and taxes (studies 1.1 & 1.2), students drug and alcohol use (study 2), and children environmental awareness (study 3). We show that the technique can be effective in a social communications approach, but requires an appropriate understanding of the application context.

Portés par l’évolution rapide d’Internet, les réseaux sociaux sont devenus de nouveaux moyens d’expression pour émettre et consulter des communications de bouche-à-oreille (BAO). Les marketeurs sont intéressés pour mieux utiliser ce BAO dans une politique de communication. Ils élaborent pour cela des stratégies de « sollicitation » consistant à demander à une personne de recommander une offre à ses proches en vue d’atteindre un but. Si l’utilisation de sollicitations se développe, la question de la réponse d’un individu à une sollicitation de BAO reste en suspens. En se basant sur la théorie du comportement dirigé vers un but (Perugini & Bagozzi, 2001), cette recherche propose un modèle général de la réponse à une sollicitation de BAO qui intègre l’influence de la formulation de la sollicitation (gains vs. pertes), de l’éloignement de l’échéance et du type de projet. Le modèle est testé dans le contexte des campagnes de financement participatif où la sollicitation de BAO est fréquemment utilisée pour augmenter le faible taux de succès des campagnes (20%). Les résultats de six études montrent que (1) les individus répondent plus favorablement à une sollicitation de BAO quand l’échéance est proche et que cet effet dépend de la formulation de la sollicitation. (2) En adaptant la formulation à l’éloignement de l’échéance, une sollicitation est en mesure de rendre l’action de BAO plus désirable et de générer une émotion anticipée de fierté ce qui en retour augmente l’intention de BAO. L’effet modérateur du niveau de risque social est aussi validé dans la réponse à la sollicitation. (3) Finalement, la sollicitation de BAO permet bien de développer la visibilité et d’accroître le succès d’une campagne. / Driven by the rapid evolution of the Internet, online social networks have become new channels of expression to issue and consult Word-of-Mouth (WOM). Marketers are increasingly interested in better using WOM in a communication policy. They develop strategies of “solicitation” for asking a person a recommendation of an offer to his family and acquaintances in order to achieve a goal. If the use of solicited WOM is growing, the question of an individual's response to a WOM solicitation remains unsettled. Drawing on Goal-Directed Behaviour theory (Perugini & Bagozzi, 2001), this research proposes a general model of the response to a WOM solicitation which integrates the influence of the solicitation formulation (gain vs loss), time remaining before the deadline and the type of project. The model is tested in the context of crowdfunding where a WOM solicitation is frequently used to increase the campaigns' low success rate (20%). The results of six studies show that (1) individuals respond more favourably to a WOM solicitation when the deadline is close and that effect depends on the formulation. (2) By adapting the formulation to the deadline, a solicitation is able to make the WOM action more desirable and generate an anticipated emotion of pride which in turn increases the WOM intention. The moderating effect of social risk is also validated in the response to a solicitation. (3) Finally, a WOM solicitation makes it possible to develop the visibility and increases the campaign' success rate.

La réussite du marketing relationnel dépend des préférences individuelles des clients, ceux-ci n'étant pas tous également réceptifs aux approches relationnelles. Il apparaît, à ce titre, nécessaire d'approfondir la connaissance des bénéfices relationnels attendus par les clients. Dans un design mixte séquentiel, des entretiens non-directifs menés auprès de clients en gestion de patrimoine, puis auprès de clients de banques de réseau, montrent et confirment l'existence de trois profils relationnels distincts : transactionnel, relationnel psychologique et relationnel socio-valorisable. Une matrice combinant l'attitude à l'argent et le stéréotype du banquier révèle des profils hybrides souhaitables vs indésirables. L'étude quantitative crée une échelle de mesure du stéréotype du banquier, enrichit l’échelle de l’attitude à l’argent de la dimension tabou, et aménage une échelle des bénéfices relationnels attendus. Le test d'hypothèses dans un modèle d'équations structurelles montre le rôle du stéréotype du banquier, de l'attitude à l'argent du client, de ses valeurs culturelles et des incidents critiques, dans l'explication des bénéfices relationnels attendu. / The success of relationship marketing depends on individual preferences, knowing that clients are not all equally receptive to relational approaches. It appears necessary for this purpose to improve knowledge about client’s expected relational benefits. Within a sequential mixed design, non-directive interviews conducted with wealth management clients, then with retail bank clients, show and confirm the existence of three distinct types of relational profiles : transactional, psychological relational and socio-valuable relational. A matrix combining the money attitude and the banker stereotype reveals desirable vs undesirable hybrid profiles. The quantitative study creates a scale to measure the banker stereotype, enriches the money attitude scale with the taboo dimension, and produces a scale for the expected relational benefits. The test of hypotheses in a structural equations model shows the role of the banker stereotype, the money attitude, the cultural values and critical incidents, in the formation of expected relational benefits