Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, 1714. / Filmed from copy at Harvard Law School Library; copy imperfect: loss of print on t.p. due to mutilation. Reproduction of original from Harvard Law Library. Goldsmiths'-Kress no. 05185.6.

Inaug. diss.--Universitas Dorpatensis. / Contains many marginal notes in manuscript, possibly the author's. Reproduction of original from Kress Library of Business and Economics, Harvard University. Goldsmiths'-Kress no. 30317.102. Includes bibliographical references.

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Both marketing researchers and practitioners realise that having customer relationships that enhance a firm's competitive advantage is an important strategic issue and that there is a need for relationship value measurement. But the research on relationship value measurement is limited, especially from a seller's perspective, despite numerous calls for it. The reason for the limited research might be that the nature of customer relationships is complex, largely intangible, and long-term oriented. Baxter and Matear's (2004) study directly addresses the issue of the measurement of the intangible part of the value of a business-to-business relationship from a seller's perspective. Synthesising an intellectual capital model into the relationship marketing literature, Baxter and Matear (2004) propose an intangible relationship value (IRV) model for assessing the value of the intangible part of the resources that sellers gain through their relationships with their business buyers. The IRV model has been empirically tested and supported in New Zealand's manufacturing industry. The current study replicated Baxter and Matear's (2004) study in order to further assess the validity of the IRV model and its scales. Exploratory factor analysis was used first to identify the dimensionality of the IRV. Then the four aspects of construct validity - reliability, and convergent, discriminant, and nomological validities - were examined. The exploratory factor analysis of the focal relationship value items in the questionnaire found six first-order dimensions of the IRV. As expected, these six first-order value dimensions are the same as in the Baxter and Matear (2004) study: competence, attitude, intellectual agility, relationships, organisation, and renewal and development. Further exploratory factor analysis of the summated scales of these six first-order values found two higher-order value dimensions: the human intangible value dimension and the structural intangible value dimension. Thus the dimensionality of the IRV model is supported in the current study. The exploratory factor analysis retained 36 out of the initial 42 measures developed by Baxter and Matear (2004). These 36 retained measures include 20 of the 22 measures in Baxter and Matear's (2004) final purified scales. The validity of these 36 measures was then further investigated. The reliability examination found that the measurements of the six first-order IRV constructs are reliable in the current study. Evidence was also found for the convergent and discriminant validities in the measurements of the human and structural intangible value, the convergent validity in the measurement of the IRV, and the nomological validity of the IRV construct. Thus, the 36 measures retained in the final results of the current study are valid for the respondents in the current study. The findings suggest that Baxter and Matear's (2004) intellectual capital approach to measuring IRV is appropriate. It has potentially provided a way to assess intangible value in relationships. Based on the dimensions and the measures provided by the IRV model, sellers can systematically assess the potential IRV of their current and potential customer relationships, and make their strategic decisions on how to manage these customer relationships accordingly.

Both marketing researchers and practitioners realise that having customer relationships that enhance a firm's competitive advantage is an important strategic issue and that there is a need for relationship value measurement. But the research on relationship value measurement is limited, especially from a seller's perspective, despite numerous calls for it. The reason for the limited research might be that the nature of customer relationships is complex, largely intangible, and long-term oriented. Baxter and Matear's (2004) study directly addresses the issue of the measurement of the intangible part of the value of a business-to-business relationship from a seller's perspective. Synthesising an intellectual capital model into the relationship marketing literature, Baxter and Matear (2004) propose an intangible relationship value (IRV) model for assessing the value of the intangible part of the resources that sellers gain through their relationships with their business buyers. The IRV model has been empirically tested and supported in New Zealand's manufacturing industry. The current study replicated Baxter and Matear's (2004) study in order to further assess the validity of the IRV model and its scales. Exploratory factor analysis was used first to identify the dimensionality of the IRV. Then the four aspects of construct validity - reliability, and convergent, discriminant, and nomological validities - were examined. The exploratory factor analysis of the focal relationship value items in the questionnaire found six first-order dimensions of the IRV. As expected, these six first-order value dimensions are the same as in the Baxter and Matear (2004) study: competence, attitude, intellectual agility, relationships, organisation, and renewal and development. Further exploratory factor analysis of the summated scales of these six first-order values found two higher-order value dimensions: the human intangible value dimension and the structural intangible value dimension. Thus the dimensionality of the IRV model is supported in the current study. The exploratory factor analysis retained 36 out of the initial 42 measures developed by Baxter and Matear (2004). These 36 retained measures include 20 of the 22 measures in Baxter and Matear's (2004) final purified scales. The validity of these 36 measures was then further investigated. The reliability examination found that the measurements of the six first-order IRV constructs are reliable in the current study. Evidence was also found for the convergent and discriminant validities in the measurements of the human and structural intangible value, the convergent validity in the measurement of the IRV, and the nomological validity of the IRV construct. Thus, the 36 measures retained in the final results of the current study are valid for the respondents in the current study. The findings suggest that Baxter and Matear's (2004) intellectual capital approach to measuring IRV is appropriate. It has potentially provided a way to assess intangible value in relationships. Based on the dimensions and the measures provided by the IRV model, sellers can systematically assess the potential IRV of their current and potential customer relationships, and make their strategic decisions on how to manage these customer relationships accordingly.

Abstract Taiwan has a subtropical climate that is the exceptional advantaged prior requirement for orchid breeding. It also has the most ideal ecological environment and abundant sources of original species. From interest planting in the past, up to the planting and production works for Japan, all the profoundest production skills are accumulated and enhanced as the organization and reproduction skills of breeding genes were largely refined and improved in these recent years. Following large production of orchids and reduction of capitals, orchids are distributed out to markets in the country and internationally with prices at par. Phalaenopsis (butterfly orchid) is the most famous breed of all which has occupied half of the world¡¦s market. With the internationalization and liberalization of international competitive markets, the rapid change of environment is incomparable with the past. Under the pressures of competing over the quality with advanced countries like Holland and contending for prices with the less advanced countries like Mainland China, Taiwan traders have to endure the competitive pressures of both inside and outside Taiwan with specific might and know how to cope with things such as: protection system for breed patents, approval by the environmental protective unit, quarantine system, and other environmental problems that might be confronted. This is a very important topic for the traders on whether the industry would successfully grow or not. In 2004, phalaenopsis has been ranked by the government to be the leader of the flagship agricultural products. It has the potential of effective sales throughout the whole world. This research had made brief description on the development of each stage of the industry and understood the environmental features of the industry in every stage. And through the survey of the entire industrial value chain (breeding, organized cultivation, production, approaches) , the research had also comprehended the challenges confronted by the industry such as: delivery on schedule, link production, quality control, international sales, order taking ability, blight control, etc. Attempts were made in searching out for the core competency (breeding, quantity production skills) from the causes behind the problems (cognitive concept, basic works are not firmed enough, insufficient management ability). Abilities must thoroughly be developed and the faults must be improved, and the environmental changes of the industry must be promptly coped with. Lastly, it was suggested that new performance spaces be developed for uncompetitive new creations with higher values and furthermore, create new professional brand images to seek for a new industrial trend.

The more and more competitive the commercial world is because of the market is opener and globalize. In the traditional age, the core competitive power of the enterprise was the organization of the enterprise, then as the days passing by, the suppliers and partners joined the group. However we should include the customer relationship into the new values network of the business. Due to the e-commerce technology develops the prosperous business world and brings new economic model and competition, the traditional ways to develop the new customers , aggrandize and keep the old customers are not enough to add values to the enterprise , enhance the loyalty of customers and the value of the customers. Therefore the enterprise needs some new models, systems and methods which are suitable for the e-commerce era, in order to run the business in the competitive and variable markets. We have to take different strategies according to the environment and the goals of the enterprise. The objective of this research is to evaluate the customer value of the customer relationship management via e-commerce attributes and the customer relationship management via the case study of using dispatching services of the human resource. In Taiwan, There are not so much related articles found in discussing about what customers value factors affect the business, and how they appear. I try to sketch the outlines of the research way by the value focused thinking method and the customer value way via the local dispatching industry through the method.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Bryn Mawr College, 1909. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-103).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Bryn Mawr College, 1909. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-103).

Thesis (PH. D.)--Cornell university. / "Reprinted from the 'Quarterly journal of economics' for July, 1894."