In the present market place situation, a consumer's main contact with manufacturing (i.e., the production process) is through retailers or other middlemen, such as mail order catalog companies. Consumers rarely complain, but when they do, consumers complain to or request information from retailers about products (Kincade, Redwine, & Hancock, 1992). Manufacturers rarely receive information directly from consumers. Instead, they get second-hand reports from retailers or they get no information at all. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between manufacturers and consumers during the relationship process using a mixed design of preexperimental research and panel analysis with in-depth interview. The major research question is: What will happen in the Relationship Spiral Model when the consumer becomes a part of the manufacturer /consumer relationship? Twenty female participants, out of 35 who answered the screening questionnaire, were selected from students and acquaintances of the researcher in Blacksburg, VA. For the experiment, a simulated web site was used by a consumer (i.e., participant) to order two pair of customized shoes based on each consumer's needs. In the preexperimental design for this study, a longitudinal case study with a panel study technique, as described by Babbie (1999) and Creswell (1994), was utilized to investigate consumer characteristics (i.e., demographics, shopping orientation, expectation, and experience), goods and service in encounter, and direct communication over time. The following procedure was conducted: (a) interviewing the subjects, (b) transcribing tapes and field notes, (c) segmenting data, (d) de-contextualizing data, (e) coding data, and (f) re-contextualizing data. Interpretational qualitative analysis was utilized for data analysis in this study. As a result of recontextualization of the interview scripts, the Relationship Spiral Model emerged from the data. Four sub-models for four groups were refined according to the data from the Relationship Spiral Model. Further analysis was conducted on sub-models. Consumers are constantly changing and have multiple selection criteria. These criteria are constantly changing based on expectations, experiences and other situational variables. / Ph. D.

Purpose: To describe the Relationship Marketing and Guanxi practices of a western company in China, and to create an understanding regarding the interconnection of Guanxi and Relationship Marketing as the foundation of such practices. Method: The research is qualitative with an inductive relation between theory and the empirical findings. With the research design of a case study of the western business-to-business service company ChinaNetCloud. The empirical material was collected through five semi-structured interviews done in China, with influencing persons of the case study organization ChinaNetCloud. Conclusion: Guanxi should be used to facilitate things and should not be established with anyone. To establish relationships are taking more time and will require many activities to maintain them. Relationship Marketing should be used to target other targets than the bases for Guanxi. The relationship are in China based on already existing connections and it is important that the western company is aware of that the relationship are in some cases of more importance than the product or service.  Face-to-face meeting should be used in order to establish relationships in the best way. Trust and commitment are also important dimensions in the relationships. A western company should use Guanxi and Relationship Marketing since it is important for both survival and success in China.

The objective of this study is to investigate the concept of trustworthiness and then examine its effect within the venue of the hotel sector. Given trustworthiness accepted importance to relationship marketing, there appears to be a failure to develop a coherent framework to indicate trustworthiness. This is a gap that this thesis addresses and by doing so, it will extend the body of knowledge by contributing to our understanding of the construct and its determinants. The main hypothesis in this thesis is identifying the determinants of trustworthiness with an outcome as part of a causal model. Within the proposed model, the determinants; consistency, competence, integrity, benevolence, value alignment and communication are assumed to have a positive impact on trustworthiness. In turn, trustworthiness has a positive impact on both attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty, the two types of loyalty are proposed as the model outcome, whereas the previous six determinants are proposed as antecedents of trustworthiness. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, a new measurement scale was developed in order to evaluate trustworthiness with its determinants and outcome, the model was tested within the hotel sector in Jordan where over 526 respondents took part in the main survey collection, 60 respondents participated in the pilot study along with 11 interviewees. The results from the empirical study revealed that the hypothesised model is valid and significant, in which all the antecedents of trustworthiness had a significant loading as well as the model corollaries. These loadings vary in its significance and strength; this created a clearer picture on the expected impact of each of these determinants once the model being applied within service organisations.

Background: The concept of relationship marketing is a continuously growing research area in the field of academic research. A topic being widely discussed is which factors builds trust and the importance of having trust in business-to-business (B2B) relationships. However, there is a lack of research in the field of which factors have a negative effect on the level of trust in business relationships. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain which factors are crucial to maintain trust in a B2B relationship. Focus: The focus in this study is on trust in B2B relationships. Particularly how it is negatively affected by lacking the building blocks needed in order to have trust in such a relationship. Method: This study made use of a deductive, quantitative approach. By using a survey, the data was gathered through an online questionnaire sent out via e-mail to 700 Swedish B2B companies. Results: In total, answers from 141 were reliable. In SPSS analyses for regression, reliability, and validity were conducted. Out of the five stated hypotheses, three were accepted and two rejected. Conflict handling was shown to have the largest influence on the level of trust together with communication and competence. Commitment and contracts were rejected in the hypotheses testing. Conclusion: A new model is presented where the accepted hypotheses act as influencers on trust. The conclusion of this study is that if there is a lack of conflict handling, communication, and competence it will have a negative effect on trust in a B2B relationship. Due to limitations of the study, other research opportunities derive. It is suggested that future research should explore the differentiation between different industries and/or different kind of actors within the B2B-relation or countries.

Arguably, two conflicting norms may have been activated simultaneously for communal consumers in a service failure. The first norm focuses on self-obligation, that is, because s/he is my good friend, I have to tolerate his/her mistakes. The second norm focuses on other-obligation, that is, because s/he is my good friend, s/he has to provide me with good services. The relative salience of these two conflicting norms may influence communal consumers' dissatisfaction level to be different from exchange consumers. Building on the psychological contract theory (Rousseau 1989), it is proposed that promise breach type would reconcile the original prediction and the reverse finding in study 1. Specifically, communal (vs. exchange) consumers would be less dissatisfied in an implicit promise breach, but the reverse pattern would occur in an explicit promise breach. Moreover, self-construal would moderate the interactive relationship between relationship type and promise breach type on consumer dissatisfaction. In particular, the discrepancy in dissatisfaction between communal and exchange consumers would be larger for interdependents (vs. independents) in both implicit and explicit promise breach conditions. Two additional experimental studies with different consumption contexts provide convergent evidence of the proposed hypotheses. These results have broad implications for theory and practice, and point to fruitful opportunities for future research. / This dissertation examines the impact of relationship type on consumer dissatisfaction in service failures. According to the communal-exchange relationship framework (Clark and Mills 1979), whereas the central norm of communal relationships is to demonstrate a concern for others, that of exchange relationships is to give benefits to others with an expectation of immediate return. It follows that communal (vs. exchange) consumers would be less dissatisfied in service failures because enduring mistakes made by a service provider is more compatible with the communal (vs. exchange) central norm. Surprisingly, this argument was not supported and a reverse result was found in study 1. / Wan, Chun Ying. / Adviser: Hui King Man. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-09, Section: A, page: . / Thesis submitted in: December 2008. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-144). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

The perspective that asymmetrical power relationship on vertical channel would lead to dominating partner exploitation with the use of coercive power is examined within the context of horizontal channel exchange relationship between department stores and tenant retailers. A power structure-action-outcome framework is offered to study casual links between dependence (structural aspects of power), use of coercive and noncoercive power (action), and three aspects of outcome - economic and social satisfaction, commitment and strategic performance. Data was collected through personal interview with 302 small, medium size retail tenants of department stores in PR China. Analysis of findings provided support to the model and the hypotheses. Results confirmed that dependence and use of power were only weakly related. The findings demonstrate the contextual influence of Chinese collectivistic culture on coercive power which involves the use of punishment or penalty. To further explore the relationship between dependence and power, investigation was carried out to examine if dependence moderates the effect of coercive power on economic satisfaction, with a positive result. On the other hand, use of non-coercive power showed positive results for economic and social satisfaction, which are positively related to commitment and strategic performance. It can be concluded that use of non-coercive power is strongly recommended for store-tenant relationship in the retail sector of China. Once again, the importance of channel context must not be ignored in the study of distribution channel issues. / This research project contributes to the channel literature by adding to the contemporary state of knowledge on the use of power in horizontal channel relationships with power asymmetry, and constructs were brought together that have not been empirically investigated within a single study. It is unique in that the model was tested in non-American setting, namely PR China.

UUProblem Members of the Singapore Heavy Equipment Spare Parts Industry face a multitude of challenges in developing their pricing strategy and practice, and in establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relational exchanges. They are unable to obtain any guidance from the pricing or relationship marketing literature. These works are either too complex or too general to be of any use to industry members. Consequently, much of industry strategy and practice occurs without the benefit of theory. UUThe Method An extensive review of existing literature was conducted in the major subject areas of pricing and relationship marketing. Literature on other subjects of channels, marketing mix, strategy, value, commitment, trust, cooperation, and satisfaction were also reviewed. A survey instrument was developed and field research was administered to 35 channel members of the industry. The results were analysed using SPSS 11. The results were used to construct a model of the role of pricing in relationship marketing. The model was constructed using Factor Analysis, Correlation Analysis and Regression Analysis. UUThe Findings The findings are all based on the perception of the channel members. Nine factors were extracted. These non-trivial factors to the Singapore Heavy Equipment Spare Parts Industry are: - Downstream supply considerations; - Product/Stock allocations; - Price gap resolution; - Perception of value/profitability; - Business volume; - Intermediate business relationships; - Leads and referrals; - Favourable pricing; and - Long-run relationships. At 5% significance (2-tailed), 4 construct paths were supported. These are: - Support gap correlates with actual price; - Support gap correlates with value; - Support gap correlates with price gap; and - Price gap correlates with value. At 5% significance (2-tailed), 8 hypotheses were supported. These are: - Price gap resolution correlates with commitment; - Price gap resolution correlates with cooperation; - Price gap resolution correlates with satisfaction; - Importance of constructive acts correlates with improved business volume; - Expression of intention to increase business correlates with increased business; - Importance of value correlates with increased business; - Value (through profitability) correlates with increased business; and - Importance of value correlates with improvements in: - Trust; - Commitment; - Cooperation; - Satisfaction; and - Increased business. UUConclusion Pricing has a profound and multi-faceted role in relationship marketing. It is a powerful tool. It has a role as a market tool with new relationships, as a development tool in the growth phase of relationships, and as a control tool in the mature phase of bilateral relationships between first and second echelon distributors. The study recommended that channel members utilise this tool concept and the management of value, price, and support gap in relational exchanges. / thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Consumer trust research has principally developed from established psychological-based research. This conception of consumer trust largely draws from research pertaining to interpersonal trust. This study combined existing theories from both sociological and psychological research in developing a consumer trust model specifically for banks. Partly because of their historical position in society and also because of their government-protected position, banks, bank branches and bank managers have traditionally held a respected, and trusted position in Australian communities. Because of this reputation and position in communities, banks were seen to display institutional attributes. These attributes were defined in this study as local community focus, local availability and visibility, relationship power symmetry and social obligation fulfilment. This study explored the notion of institution-based trust in an Australian retail banking context. Institution-based trust was a measure of the levels of consumer trust in various defined institutional attributes. It was contended that through the diminishment and divestment of its institutional attributes banks were impairing their institutional cachet. The process was termed 'deinstitutionalisation' and was postulated to have a negative impact on consumer trust. The hypothetico-deductive methodological framework was employed throughout the study, with a mail-based consumer survey used as the main means of primary data collection. 468 useable questionnaires from adult bank customers were yielded and the data analysed. These data were analysed and used to test twenty-three research hypotheses of which nineteen were supported. From the results, it was concluded that perceived local community focus, perceived social obligation fulfilment and perceived relationship power symmetry were antecedents to consumer trust in banks. Also, reasonable availability of conventional bank branch services was found to be an important component of perceived community focus of their banks, thus having an indirect relationship to institution-based consumer trust in banks. Community Banks were found to be exhibiting and promoting many of these institutional attributes. Consumers were found to be less likely to need bank branches for transactional or functional purposes, but branches were seen to be symbolically important. Also, consumers were found to be more likely to identify with intangible elements of their bank, principally bank brand, than with tangible attributes such as the bank branch. Importantly, consumers were found to be trusting of their banks, however they were more likely to believe that banks were less trustworthy now than they were in the past.

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Date</strong>:                              May 21, 2009</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Program:                                 </strong>International Marketing</p><p> </p><p><strong>Course name:</strong>                  EFO705 Master Thesis</p><p> </p><p><strong>Title:                                         </strong>Foreign Market Exploitation with E-marketing Strategy of Thaiearthtone Company</p><p> </p><p><strong>Authors:</strong>                         Nicha Chienchiranai      851212-T107</p><p>                                      Pharktanat Pattararittisak   820930-T251</p><p> </p><p><strong>Tutor:                                      </strong>Daniel Tolstoy</p><p> </p><p><strong>Problem:</strong>                        How can Thaiearthtone exploit opportunity in foreign market by using e-marketing strategy?</p><p> </p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong>                         To develop an appropriate e-marketing strategy to increase satisfaction of existing customers and simultaneously attraction of new customers.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Method:</strong>                           This research is based on qualitative research, using exploratory research method.  The theoretical framework used in the research is E-Marketing Strategy which is developed by the authors with some adaptation from E-marketing Mix Strategy.  The findings were obtained from an in-dept interview as well as second hand sources including Thaiearthtone's website and others.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Conclusion:                             </strong>With the increased number of e-commerce firm, to be stand out of the crowd is rather difficult for small company like Thaiearthtone especially that the target market are foreigners.  To successfully exploit its opportunity in overseas market, Thaiearthtone could probably take the idea from the authors' own developed E-marketing strategy into consideration, and adapt it to the current situation of the company.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Key words:</strong>                       E-marketing, E-marketing Strategy, E-commerce, Relationship Marketing and Site Usability</p>

<p>The hotel industry is highly competitive and the right knowledge about customer values and demands is essential to differentiate from competitors and gain sustainable competitive advantage. Implementing traditional marketing strategies is often no longer enough to achieve this goal. Relationship marketing has increasingly become more important, as this concept suggests more focus on retaining the customer and creating a win- win situation with a long- term perspective. In traditional marketing there is more focus on acquisition. Most importantly a good balance between acquisition and retention directed to the right segments is essential for future success.</p><p>This thesis is a case- study of a single business in the hospitality industry and the company of interest is the Burke & Wills, a hotel situated in Toowoomba, a regional city in Queensland, Australia. The purpose is to explore how well Burke & Wills markets itself, looking closely at the strategies used and how these are implemented. I also wanted to investigate whether the hotel’s present acquisition- and retention efforts are suitably divided between the various segments. The final objective with this thesis is to identify any opportunities for improvements.</p><p>The case- study consists of both a qualitative- and a quantitative approach. Two staff interviews were carried out and a survey in the form of a questionnaire was handed out to the customers of the hotel. The intention with this was to explore whether present marketing strategies are effective or not.</p><p>I found that the management of Burke & Wills has little knowledge about how to best market the hotel both when it comes to acquisition- and retention efforts and to direct these to suitable segments. The company seems inadequate to identify and attract potential customers during quiet periods which results in a big loss of potential revenue. The survey shows that the company’s awareness of what the customer values as quality service is fairly good but might not be enough to prevent future loss of customers. As a result of this these customers may turn to competition for better service in the future. The majority of returning customers also state that they would value a more personalised approach from Burke & Wills. I draw the conclusion that there is a lack of interest in how to improve the marketing of the company. No surveys have been conducted in the last few years to get customers´ opinions. They take their position on the market for granted and even with new competition they chose to stay inactive. Focus on improvement should be a priority but it is not. I believe it is essential to, at this stage, employ a person with marketing experience to make the company stronger and to maximise the possibilities of the hotel.</p>