Research and practitioners alike have underscored the importance of customer value creation in marketing. For any marketing practice to be successful, it must first create value for customers. This is also true for the practice of relationship marketing, which is enjoying popularity among organizational marketers. However, there has been a lack of research done on the predictive effects of relationship marketing constructs in relation to buyer perceived value in organizational marketing. In other words, we still know little about the mechanism through which a good relationship enhances customer perceived value. The primary purpose of this study is to conceptually develop and empirically test a model that explains how the quality of a buyer-supplier relationship affects the buyer's value judgment in an organizational purchasing context. In the study, relationship quality is defined as comprising three different but mutually reinforcing dimensions: mutual trust, mutual commitment, and interdependence. Perceived value is conceptualized as an overall assessment of the utility of an offering based on the benefits and costs of accepting an offering. The conceptual model specifies the several routes through which relationship quality impacts buyer perceived value. First, a good relationship increases relationship benefits and reduces relationship costs, which in turn influences customer value perception - the higher the relationship benefits (and lower relationship costs), the higher the customer perceived value. Second, a good relationship reduces decision-making uncertainty. Lower decision-making uncertainty is hypothesized to increase the effects of perceived purchase episode benefits and perceived purchase episode costs on perceived value. The model was generally confirmed by an empirical test based on data collected from a national sample of purchasing managers in the United States. / Ph. D.

The concepts of risk transfer and price discovery are well developed roles for futures markets. The interaction between traders in futures markets in the transferring and acceptance of price risk contributes to the discovery of price. Interaction of traders in the risk transfer and price discovery processes is examined in this dissertation. Data employed were for live cattle futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange developed from the confidential daily records of reporting trader positions maintained by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The analysis was for the period February 1983 through September 1987. The nearby futures contract price, volume, and open interest series supplement the daily trader position data base. / Ph. D.

This thesis analyzes the effects on the price impacts of the Commodity Procurement Program when canned peaches are purchased. The main objective is to assess the effects of canned peaches purchases on the farm-level price of canning peaches. Interviews of the industries that participate in the Commodity Procurement Program are used to understand how the industry interacts with commodity procurements and to evaluate if the industry feels that commodity procurements have a significant effect on procured fruits' and vegetables' prices to help better judge the overall effectiveness of the commodity procurement program. A theoretical model of the Commodity Procurement Program's effects on the vertically related markets is constructed. Data are collected for the processor-level and farm-level peach markets. The results provide evidence that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements for canned peaches has a statistically significant negative effect on both the partial and final processor-level price. Also the results indicate that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements for canned peaches does not have a statistically significant effect on the final farm-level price. The results from the Breusch-Pagan tests for the processor-level partial reduced form price equation, the processor-level final reduced form price equation and the farm-level final reduced form price equation indicate that there is no significant evidence that the quantity demanded of commodity procurements stabilizes or destabilizes the farm-level or processor-level price. / Master of Science

Master of Science

Yes / Whilst many studies consider labelling as means of aggregated communication of environmental product features, the presentation of detailed product information seems a promising alternative. However, the mechanisms through which detailed product information takes effect on consumers requires better understanding. This study empirically develops a framework that focuses on consumers’ perceived usefulness of, and trust in, detailed product information, whilst also considering the role of environmental self-identity. This understanding will help businesses to further stimulate eco-friendly consumption. Structural equation modelling and conditional process analysis are utilised to test hypotheses based on a sample of 279 respondents to a German online survey. Findings: Results show that the perceived usefulness of product information has a positive effect on purchase intention, and this effect is intensified by an individual’s environmental self-identity. Furthermore, for consumers with high environmental self-identity, the effect of perceived usefulness of product information on purchase intention is mediated in turn by trust in detailed product information and resistance to negative information. This study contributes to the debate on the role of product information in ethical consumption by showing how detailed product information gives rise to favourable behavioural outcomes. When detailed information is perceived as being useful, it can affect purchase intention through greater trust and an increased resistance to negative information. Further, detailed product information appears beneficial for both, the mass market and specific segments with high environmental self-identity. Hence, this study empirically establishes the effects of detailed product information on consumer decision-making, thus informing sustainability-related marketing theory and practice.

Most contemporary South African businesses are facing tough times. This is the result of emerging trends such as intense global competition which requires businesses to be quick, agile and flexible; new technology available to any business willing to adopt it; more advanced customer expectations and the implementation of new strategic, proactive management approaches. In fact, many of them (including wholesalers) will succeed only if they can successfully integrate strategy, processes, business arrangement, resources, systems and empowered workforces to render their core business effectively. Choosing suppliers and purchasing products are critical wholesaling activities and often determine the success of wholesalers. Wholesaling institutions, however, vary considerably in size, activity, style of business, types of products provided and services rendered. These variables imply that the complexity of wholesaling activities differs. It therefore stands to reason that the level of sophistication with which these wholesalers manage their purchasing, sourcing and supply activities may differ. The level of sophistication with which wholesalers manage their purchasing, sourcing and supply function may vary from traditional management approaches to advanced integrated management approaches. The use of the new management approaches by businesses is a vital instrument in facilitating change. This leads to the development of more focused, specialised and high-performance organisations. Manufacturers are not geared to deal directly with the thousands of small retailers and therefore use wholesalers for this function. Wholesalers provide a vital link between manufacturers and retailers, and play a pivotal role in efficiency of the whole supply chain. Adapting to the supply chain management approach may thus mean the difference between success, failure and the continued existence of the wholesaler in supply chains. This research study was undertaken to determine to what extent wholesalers in South Africa have adapted to new demands and developments in their purchasing, sourcing and supply functions. Secondary to this objective was the need to (1) investigate the scope of wholesaling, with reference to the global and South African context; (2) investigate the concepts of and the evolution of purchasing to strategic sourcing as part of the broader supply chain management approach; (3) analyse the scope and concept of supply chain management; and (4) determine the purchasing, sourcing and supply management approaches used by the wholesale sector in South Africa. The study was conducted in several phases. Firstly, a literature research was conducted to gather and integrate secondary data in order to (1) expound the definitions, importance, types, activities and trends of wholesalers; and (2) investigate the development of purchasing to strategic sourcing and evolution of supply chain management, and to give an overview of purchasing, strategic sourcing and supply chain management. Secondly, a questionnaire was compiled containing all the relevant issues identified in the literature research to enable the researcher to establish how far South African wholesalers have advanced in adopting new approaches to managing the purchasing, sourcing and supply function. This questionnaire was pretested on two respondents to verify its validity, before proceeding to the next step. Thirdly, a letter and the refined and tested questionnaire were mailed to all the wholesalers identified to be involved in the survey, informing them of the research study and soliciting their cooperation. The letter requested the participants to return the questionnaire via facsimile. Fourthly, to improve the response rate, after the date for returning the questionnaire had lapsed, additional questionnaires were faxed to all the respondents who had not completed the initial questionnaire. The literature research established that the new demands and developments facing wholesalers in managing their purchasing, sourcing and supply function are a reality. Wholesalers are confronted with a variety of challenges concerning these demands and developments which is jeopardising their vital role in the supply chain, and they need to adopt a more sophisticated method of managing these activities, not only to ensure their own survival, but also to lower the costs of the wholesale operation, and ultimately allow an increase in shareholders' wealth. The empirical study, however, clearly indicated that South African wholesalers are still significantly focused on the tactical aspects of purchasing, incorporating only a few aspects of strategic sourcing and supply chain management. The position of South African wholesalers regarding the level of sophistication in their management approach to the purchasing, sourcing and supply chain management approach can be regarded as a mechanical approach, with proactive tendencies. It is therefore clear that South African wholesalers have not adapted to the strategic sourcing and supply chain management approaches, and need to prepare themselves for this change - or risk failure. / Business Management / M. Comm.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyze the CDP-method in order to develop and refine the method. The method is developed and presented in Bäckstrand (2012), with the aim to strengthen the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. Someone outside of the development context has never, until now and to the researchers knowledge, refined the method. Methodology: A multiple case study with four companies where used. The empirical data collected within the study where used to evaluate the CDP-method and to refine the method. The presented improvement is based on the empirical data and conceptual models developed from theory. Findings: Three improvements were developed. The first of them changed step 8 of the method, the second can´t be tied to a single step and is therefore an overall suggestion, whereas the third provides a new type of analysis within step 6 of the method. Research limitations: The research was conducted at companies where the CDP-method was already implemented. An implementation at a new company could possibly reveal another type of empirical data, which could be interpreted in a different way. The researchers have also detected areas that couldn’t be investigated within this research, these are identified and left for further research. Theoretical implications: Results from this thesis connect the classification of supply risk by Kraljic (1983) with supply chain strategy by Fisher (1997) to enable a new type of analysis. Furthermore, theory within the standardization and over-specification (e.g. Burt, Petcavage & Pinkerton, 2010; Geldeman & van Weele, 2002) is introduced and incorporated in the CDP-method. A third implication is a reinforced focus on strategy in combination with the CDP-method, which is based on theory regarding strategic alignment (e.g. Gattorna & Walter, 1996; Hines, 2004). Managerial implications: The new analysis should, together with the CDP-method as a whole, strengthen adopting companies supply chain and improve internal and external communication. Originality/value: This thesis provides a new set of analysis in the CDP-method that could benefit practitioners.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / The purpose of this study was to evaluate Chinese parents' buying behaviour towards baby milk powder in the context of China's One-Child policy. The study examined the Chinese culture, social trends, the influence of product attributes among urban Chinese parents and parents' product knowledge of baby milk powder. This study is an exploratory study. A questionnaire was used to collect the data from 400 respondents at Shangdong University, China. There are 312 respondents' questionnaires used to analyse the results. The results were discovered through the use of four research objectives. Firstly, the results reflect that family and friends do have an influence on buying decisions on baby milk powder. There parents rely more on word-of-mouth communication and shop assistants play a negative role in parents' buying decision. Secondly, mothers need to opt for baby milk powder for their babies due to the flood of women into the job market and incomes from dual earners. Thirdly, parents perceive high price with good quality; the preferred brand by the parents have a significant impact on their brand loyalty and parents generally hold positive views of foreign-made baby milk powder. Fourthly, parents have a high level of subjective and objective knowledge of baby milk powder. This study was limited to the sample size and the geographic area. Consequently, results of this study can not be regarded as representative of the entire Chinese population. The results may help marketers develop more effective marketing programmes to affect consumers' buying decision. In addition, this study is one of a few studies that apply the theory of buying behaviour in the context of China's One-Child policy in the marketing field. / M

Abstract Problem: Food consumption represents the largest contributor to climate change in Sweden, with activities that contribute to excess waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Although studies indicate positive attitudes towards green purchasing behavior among young Swedish consumers, inconsistency between green purchasing intent and actual behavior have been noticed.   Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative research paper was to understand and identify underlying enablers and inhibitor to green purchasing behavior amongst young Swedish adults. Furthermore, the authors sought to understand the inconsistency between purchasing intent and actual purchasing behavior, of young Swedish consumers.   Method: To answer the research question a qualitative research was conducted with a deductive approach. Focus groups with semi-open interview questions were used to collect empirical data. The target group for this research were young Swedish adults between the ages of 20-26.   Conclusion: This research identified knowledge as the main inhibitor and enhancer of green purchasing behavior, as well as other factors that can be traced back to the amount and accessibility of knowledge. It was also concluded that companies have failed in delivering their green marketing strategies, as young consumers display confusion and mistrust towards green products.