During initial business-to-business encounters, salespeople try to enhance buyers’ future interaction intentions. A common belief is that increasing buyers’ similarity perceptions increases the chances of future interaction. This study assesses the impact of the similarity-attraction effect on future interaction. By synthesising social psychology and marketing literature, a conceptual framework is proposed, in which perceived similarity influences salesperson trust. This relationship is mediated by task-related and social assessments of buyers. Task-related assessments comprise willingness (benevolence and integrity) and competence (power and expertise). Social attraction is conceptualised as likeability. Salesperson trust drives anticipated future interaction, together with organisational trust and anticipated added value. The conceptual framework was empirically tested through a cross-sectional survey. Dutch professional buyers assessed recent initial sales encounters. A sample of 162 dyads was analysed, using PLS-SEM, including FIMIX segmentation. This study demonstrates support for a third willingness construct: willingness behaviour. This construct implies that buyers are more influenced by expectations regarding behaviour, than assessments of salespeople’s attitudes. A homogeneous analysis supports the influence of perceived similarity on salesperson trust, both directly and through willingness behaviour. However, model-based segmentation uncovers a segment of cost-oriented dyads and a segment of more profit-oriented dyads. In cost-oriented dyads, there is no significant direct effect between perceived similarity and salesperson trust, and willingness behaviour nearly fully mediates this relationship. In more profit-oriented dyads, the similarity-attraction effect is not present. Theoretical and methodological contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

Research on Voluntary Information Disclosure (VID) has been of interest in several disciplines including, but not limited to, entrepreneurship, accounting, finance, law, and marketing. Although there has been extensive research on VID aimed at financial market investors, scant research in marketing exists on VID targeted at prospective business partners that can influence firm future performance significantly. Financial and marketing disclosures have been advocated for by investors and public policymakers as they mitigate the adverse selection problems between the firm and its stakeholders (e.g., investors, customers, and prospective channel partners). Managers are, however somewhat skeptical about its outcomes because of the cost of disclosures (i.e., ex-ante costs of collecting, processing and disseminating the information, ex-post costs of conflicts and litigations, competitive position and proprietary costs). My dissertation consists of three essays on voluntary disclosure of performance metrics in marketing channels and aims to enhance our understanding of the antecedents and consequences of such VIDs. The first essay examines the antecedents of ex-ante VID for standardized contracts in marketing channels. Prior literature in accounting, entrepreneurship, and marketing has investigated drivers of information disclosures to analysts, investors, and customers. Nonetheless, this study bridges the gap in examining why some firms disclose information to prospective channel partners when it cost them to do so and makes the firms vulnerable to competitors. If the disclosure is a signal of quality, we are also interested in knowing whether it is a substitute for other signals of quality or a complement. I draw on signaling and institutional theories to develop a theoretical framework and empirically test it through econometric analyses of multi-sector panel data for the U.S. franchising industry. The results suggest that firms (e.g., franchisors) make such disclosures to prospective business partners (e.g., franchisees) in order to signal profitability of partnering, to attract financial and managerial resources, and develop their entrepreneurial networks. This study contributes to signaling theory literature by investigating organizational quality signaling, providing empirical evidence for drivers of multiple signaling and shedding light on the conflicting views on substitutability or complementarity of multiple quality signals. The study has implications for managers who wish to attract potential business partners through signaling profitability of their business. Furthermore, there are some insights for regulators on the debate on making voluntary disclosures mandatory. The second essay examines the performance consequences of i) signaling through ex-ante voluntary disclosure of performance metrics and ii) screening through selection standards, in the formation stage of new partnerships in marketing channels. It is essential for many entrepreneurial business networks to expand their channel by attracting business partners while still preventing low-quality partners from joining the network. However, information asymmetry between the two parties introduces a double-sided adverse selection problem to the relationship. In other words, the heterogeneous quality - the ability to perform the job - of each party (i.e., the focal firm or the prospective partner) is unknown to the other party. To date, most of the empirical studies have addressed the issue from only one side, either from the perspective of the buyer or the supplier, and have assumed that the other side is open to the relationship. However, in a selective inter-firm relationship that both parties have the option to select the other party, adverse selection problems should be resolved for both of them to enhance the performance of the partnership. To bridge this gap in the literature (i.e., to mitigate double-sided adverse selection problems), I propose a novel framework based on signaling and transaction cost theories. This study suggests and empirically examines a complementary effect of the simultaneous use of signaling and screening on the firm performance. I integrate secondary data from various sources to shape a unique multi-sector panel data set that allows for assessment of the effects of these predictors on firm performance over time through a rigorous econometric model. Contrary to some claims in the extant literature, the results demonstrate that rigorous screening process hurts the firm performance unless it is combined with a proper quality signaling mechanism. This study contributes to the B2B marketing literature and provides implications for practitioners by shedding light on the performance implications of channel governance mechanisms such as signaling and screening. Further, it provides empirical support for the effects of B2B marketing strategies on firm sales revenue growth. The third essay looks closely into the voluntary disclosure of performance metrics. In the previous studies, the decision to disclose is operationalized as a binary variable of whether a firm discloses or not. In the absence of comprehensive regulation, disclosure strategies are subject to significant variation amongst firms, but can also vary over time within an individual firm. Through a content analysis of disclosure documents and scrutiny of the different components that comprise them, I explore the impact of disclosure content on firm performance. This study attempts to reconcile conflicting views of managers, investors, analysts, and regulators. On the one hand, VID should positively impact firm performance through mitigating information asymmetry. On the other hand, skeptical managers make the argument that VID negatively impacts a firm’s performance through costs of preparation, dissemination, potential litigation, and competition. Using a sample of publicly traded restaurant chains in the U.S., I empirically assess firm performance as a function of the disclosure strategy and its interactions with the firm’s characteristics and governance mechanisms. I collect independent variables from the firms’ disclosures through content analysis of public documents and obtain performance metrics of the firms in the stock market from Compustat. This study provides a novel context within which to investigate whether and how financial markets look at the firm’s disclosure behavior in dealing with its prospective channel partners, and it contributes to marketing-finance interface literature. My dissertation is positioned in the marketing strategy-entrepreneurship interface domain and is a multi-faceted study that looks at the phenomenon of VID from different angles and provides implications for several stakeholders. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Distribution channel strategy has a long-term effect on firm performance, is associated with considerable irreversible costs, and can constitute a sustainable asset and competitive advantage for firms. Information asymmetry among the distribution channel members has been known as the basis of opportunistic actions in such exchange relationships. My dissertation research investigates drivers and consequences of information disclosure strategies and is focused on the firms’ voluntary disclosure of performance metrics at the inter-firm relationship formation stage of developing marketing channels. This dissertation consists of three inter-related essays. In the first one, I study drivers of voluntary information disclosures to prospective channel partners. Then, I investigate the performance consequences of such disclosures and their interactions with channel governance mechanisms such as screening, in the second study. Since firms are heterogeneous in the content of their disclosures, in the third study, I conduct a content analysis of the firm’s disclosures to understand its influence on firm performance. Based on Organizational Economics theories and Institutional Theory, I develop my theoretical frameworks and test them empirically using archival data. The empirical context for my work is the franchising industry because it is the most common type of partner-based retail system and is a significant component of the US economy as well as other developed countries and emerging economies. The research findings offer both theoretical and practical implications for researchers and practitioners and contribute to the literatures on signaling and transaction cost theories as well as information disclosure and franchising.

As social media platforms are increasingly becoming more popular and a part of everyday life, Business-to-Business (B2B) marketers from different industries are realizing social media’s potential for achieving marketing purposes. However, scientific literature regarding social media usage in B2B contexts is still filled with gaps in knowledge; especially when compared to literature about social media usage in Business-to-Customer (B2C) contexts. One of these research gaps is the lack of niched information about each effect of using social media. This paper aims at contributing to filling this research gap by presenting an extensive literature review about social media marketing in B2B; followed by an analysis of empirical data gathered from 11 different cases of B2B companies engaged in social media marketing. Moreover, this is to answer the research questions; how are B2B companies using social media to increase brand awareness? Which types of content inspire the most customer engagement? And how can B2B companies amplify their chances of succeeding in increasing brand awareness through social media? This paper will further contribute to this research topic, by identifying further research gaps and present suggestions for future research.

In B2B organizations, the adoption of digital marketing strategies has increased, leading to the collection of large amounts of data, big data. This has enabled the use of big data analytics, BDA, to uncover valuable insights for digital marketing purpose. Yet, there is limited research on how the B2B organizations integrate and utilize BDA in their digital marketing strategies, especially in the international context. This study aimed to address this research gap by examining how international B2B organizations integrate and utilize BDA in their digital marketing strategy, employing a dynamic capabilities perspective. The methodology of qualitative case study was applied, focusing on two established Swedish B2B organizations with an international presence. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews and complemented with document analysis. Through abductive approach and hermeneutic interpretation, the findings show that despite the need for internal structural improvements, international B2B organizations are actively integrating BDA into their digital marketing strategies. By developing new routines and skills, these organizations can navigate the challenges posed by BDA while harnessing its benefits. Additionally, a framework comprising 10 practices in which international B2B organizations leverage BDA is proposed.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) holds great potential for fostering innovation across various industries. This study explores the role of boundary resources (BR) in catalyzing this potential, specifically focusing on the experiences and challenges faced by data scientists within IIoT platforms. In a qualitative research approach, semi- structured interviews were conducted with eight data scientists that uncovered how specific BR related to metadata management, tool integration, business models, and API design might impact their work and the innovative environment. The analysis reveals that these BR are essential in shaping the effectiveness of IIoT platforms but often fall short in meeting the unique needs of data scientists, thereby inhibiting innovation. The findings suggest that an actor-centric redesign of BR, emphasizing the specialized workflows and technical demands of data scientists, might enhance the flexibility and functionality of IIoT platforms. Platform owners are encouraged to adopt adaptable and dynamic BR designs to leverage data scientists' diverse capabilities and insights, especially in business-to-business (B2B) environments.

Dans le domaine du droit de la vente, on peut trouver beaucoup de règles qui sont limitées dans leur champ d’application ratione personae (par exemple aux seuls contrats Business to Consumer, B2C, ou aux contrats B2B). Ces différenciations sont souvent dues à des raisons historiques (par exemple la transposition de directives européennes en matière de droit de la consommation). Cependant, ces différenciations, qui compliquent les dispositions en matière du droit de la vente pour la jurisprudence ainsi que pour les utilisateurs et praticiens du droit, ne sont souvent pas justifiées par des raisons matérielles. La présente étude a l’objectif de trouver une réponse à la question quelles différenciations sont réellement utiles et dans quelles dispositions il est souhaitable de prévoir davantage une règle uniforme pour toutes les hypothèses ratione personae. A cette fin, le travail examine le droit de la vente français et allemand ainsi que des réglementations et principes européennes et internationaux (CVIM, DCEV, Principes UNIDROIT, CCR) et les analyse en se référant, outre que l’argumentation juridique, à la méthode fonctionnelle du droit comparé et à l’analyse économique du droit. / In sales law, there are many provisions that have limited personal scope of application, for instance special rules for so-called B2C (Business-to-Consumer) or B2B (Business-to-Business) contracts. Those personal differentiations, that make the application for judges, contracting parties as well as legal practitioners very complicated, are often due to historical reasons (for example the transposition of European Directives in the field of consumer law), but not justified by substantial arguments like differences between those personal categories.The present comparative study aims at finding out where these differentiations are useful and justified by substantial reasons and at what point it is preferable to provide a uniform rule for all personal configurations. In order to answer this question, this work examines the German and French sales law as well as European and international regulations and principles of soft law (CISG, CESL, UNIDROIT Principles, CFR) and analysis the rules using, apart from legal argumentation, the functional method of comparative law as well as the law and economics approach. / Insbesondere im Kaufrecht findet man immer wieder einzelne Vorschriften, Gesetzesabschnitte oder ganze Gesetzbücher mit eingeschränkten personalen Anwendungsbereichen (z.B. beschränkt auf Business to Consumer Verträge, B2C, oder auch auf B2B-Verträge. Jedoch scheint dieses komplizierte Netz aus personalen Differenzierungen keiner bestimmten Logik zu folgen und basiert häufig auf rein historischen Gründen (z.B. der Umsetzung von europäischen Verbraucherrichtlinien) oder auf beschränkter legislativer Kompetenz.Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht daher, an welcher Stelle derartige personal differenzierende Vorschriften tatsächlich durch materielle Gründe gerechtfertigt sind und wo es besser wäre, die Differenzierung zu beseitigen, um das Kaufrecht zu vereinfachen und für dessen Adressaten und Anwender zugänglicher zu machen. Somit richtet sich die Arbeit nicht nur an die Gesetzgeber, um die existierenden Regelungen zu vereinfachen, sondern auch an die Rechtsprechung und die Praxis. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen untersucht die Arbeit das deutsche und französische Kaufrecht sowie internationale und europäische Regelwerke (CISG, CESL, UNIDROIT-Principles, CFR). Dabei werden außer der juristischen Argumentation die funktionale Methode der Rechtsvergleichung und die Ökonomische Analyse des Rechts verwendet.

對企業而言，Internet和電子商務的興起提供了一個全新的商業交易方式。許多企業企圖融合新的資訊科技與企業流程，讓他們可以跨越企業間的藩籬進而互相分享價值鏈中的決策、工作流與資訊。然而，當企業嘗試著以其內部的資訊系統與交易夥伴溝通時，卻發現到處都是問題。雖然XML 提供了一個多功能的且健全的資料交換格式，但仍然不夠，必須有一個流程整合的標準來進行企業間交易流程的塑模(modeling)、部署(deploying)、執行(executing)以及管理(managing)。在本篇研究中，將探討企業對企業間協同流程的整合，並且發展一個以ebXML為基礎的協同商務企業流程模式。基於UN/CEFACT Modeling Methodology (UMM)此一致性的塑模方法論，本研究以邏輯化且系統化的方式來發現並詳細表達出國際物流業的跨企業交易流程，並以ebXML流程分析表格(ebXML Business Process Analysis Worksheets)為流程塑模輔助工具，進行國際物流業流程分析結果的記錄與表達。 基於此一ebXML為基礎之流程模式，本研究開發了一個企業間流程整合的雛形系統，藉以證明此企業流程模式是可行的，同時提出一個即時有效率的企業間電子商務可行方案。 / Internet technology and electronic commerce (EC) have brought up a complete overhaul on the information and communication technology infrastructure to do business in a new manner where companies try to leverage new technologies to enable a set of complex cross-enterprise business processes allowing entire value chains to share decision-making, workflow, capabilities, and information with each other. However, companies often have problems in making their internal information technology (IT) systems communicate with their partners. Although eXtensible Markup Language (XML) represents the most versatile and robust format for exchanging business information, there is also a need for process integration standard that enables processes to be modeled, deployed, executed, and managed. In this research, business-to-business collaboration process integration issues have been studied and an ebXML-based Collaborative Commerce Business Process Model is developed. According to a consistent modeling methodology, UN/CEFACT Modeling Methodology (UMM), we identify and specify the inter-enterprise business processes of the global logistics industry in a logical and systematical way. The ebXML Business Process Analysis Worksheets is used as modeling aids to record and represent analysis results of global logistics industry. Based on the ebXML-based business process model, we develop a B2B process integration prototype system which shows that the business process model is feasible and suggests a possible solution for real-time and efficient B2B electronic commerce.

2008 m. gruodžio 21 d. priimtas Nesąžiningos komercinės veiklos vartotojams draudimo įstatymas, kuris įgyvendino 2005 m. gegužės 11 d. Europos Parlamento ir Tarybos direktyvą 2005/29/EB dėl nesąžiningos įmonių komercinės praktikos vartotojų atžvilgiu vidaus rinkoje. Tokiu būdu mūsų valstybėje pradėta reguliuoti apsauga nuo nesąžiningos komercinės praktikos, kenkiančios vartotojų ekonominiams interesams. Šio instituto teisinio reguliavimo ir taikymo problemos yra nagrinėjamos šiame darbe. Siekiant atskleisti apsaugos nuo nesąžiningos komercinės praktikos instituto itin glaudų ryšį su nesąžiningos konkurencijos teise, darbe pirmiausia pristatoma nesąžiningos komercinės praktikos draudimo teisinio reguliavimo genezė. Šios apžvalga yra itin svarbi, ypač atsižvelgiant į nagrinėjamo instituto naujumą Lietuvos teisinės sistemos kontekste. Darbe taip pat analizuojamos konkrečios nesąžiningos komercinės praktikos draudimo B2C santykiuose teisinio reguliavimo ir taikymo problemos. Kadangi Nesąžiningos komercinės praktikos direktyvai yra būdingas maksimalaus harmonizavimo pobūdis, darbe pakankamai daug dėmesio skiriama šio mechanizmo komplikuotumui, sąlygotam netinkamo jo pritaikymo nūdienos Europai, atskleisti. Direktyvos maksimalaus harmonizavimo pobūdis taip pat lemia poreikį kuo tiksliau apibrėžti direktyvos teisinio reguliavimo apimtį. Dėl šios priežasties darbe įvardijama su pastarosios nustatymu susijusi problematika, daugiau dėmesio skiriant „komercinės praktikos“ termino... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair B2C commercial practices in the internal market was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 11 May 2005 and was implemented in Lithuania on 21 December 2007 as the Law on the Prohibition of Unfair Commercial Practices to Consumers. Thus our country began to regulate the protection against unfair commercial practices harming consumers’ economic interests. This paper deal with the problems of legal regulation and application of this institute. In respect that the area of harmonised law is so closely intertwined with the law of unfair competition, the paper first and foremost presents the genesis of unfair B2C commercial practices regulation in European Union. The novelty of unfair commercial practices institute in Lithuanian legal system makes this aspect much more important. The paper also examines the problems of legal regulation and application of prohibiting unfair commercial practices in B2C relationships. The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive provides for maximum harmonisation. This principle not only raised much concern in the legal literature but also yield a number of difficulties in the interpretation of the directive. For this reason, the paper focuses not only on the maximum harmonization mechanism but also on the scope of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive which is particularly related with the latter. In this section the paper especially emphasizes the concept ‘commercial practices’ which covers a wide... [to full text]

企業的永續經營需要不斷的成長與獲利，近幾年台灣市場成長不易，對於新市場的布局是許多企業面臨的重要課題。因所任職的公司，希望能以資訊代理商的條件，找到一個能開發出新的銷售通路的產品線，同時又能利用到既有已代理的資訊產品的優勢。這幾年雲端運算技術已成熟，儲存成本大幅降低，數位影像壓縮技術、網路頻寬與電腦效能大幅提升及手持裝置及應用程式普及化，從外在環境的趨勢，看到智慧影像監控及應用的成長機會。 本研究以個案公司為案例，探討一個成立30多年的資訊通路代理商，在決定投入智慧影像監控市場後，如何依自己的條件及瞭解競爭環境，用通路代理商的角度來擬定行銷策略。除了傳統類比轉成影像數位化的監控商機，對於雲端科技到物聯網、大數據分析、互動看板廣告行銷、行動科技等在智慧影像上的運用，希望能透過解決方案的整合找出新的市場機會及新的策略合作夥伴，並提出可具體商業化的營運模式。 對於智慧影像監控市場的應用，研究內容將列出現在及未來的主要應用內容，舉凡人流及車流分析、臉部及車牌辨識技術應用、熱感分析、智慧城市、消費者行為分析及互動式數位廣告等等，以資訊配銷商的利基點，找出商業模式，從使用者的不同需求，提供產品垂直整合上的規劃。在現有實體配銷機制，找出應用軟體開發商、資訊及網路監控等相關硬體設備建廠商、工程設計與建置服務等等的團隊合作機制。除了既有相互合作共同承攬生意的方式，也規劃透過B2B網路平台的行銷模式，建立案例行銷讓業主找到所需服務，吸引更多創新應用的公司加入合作的團隊，期能創造更多的互利多贏的營運模式。

Submitted by CARLA MARIA GOULART DE MORAES (carlagm) on 2015-05-20T12:37:54Z No. of bitstreams: 1 AlexiaHentges.pdf: 872410 bytes, checksum: e46c7736e872378a9b72ac7365dbe338 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-20T12:37:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AlexiaHentges.pdf: 872410 bytes, checksum: e46c7736e872378a9b72ac7365dbe338 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-13 / BB - Banco do Brasil / Muitos estudos já foram realizados em marketing de relacionamento no intuito de fortalecer os laços entre clientes e empresas. Nesse sentido a relação entre duas empresas (cliente/fornecedor) ou mercado B2B tem recebido atenção na literatura de marketing. Estes consumidores empresas costumam diferenciar-se nesta relação tendo em vista que na maioria das vezes suas aquisições de produtos e serviços são muito mais expressivas, tanto em quantidade quanto em valores. Assim estas relações são objeto deste estudo e foram analisadas no mercado bancário, buscando explicar a influência dos antecedentes da lealdade para as empresas clientes de bancos. Para isto foi proposto um modelo no qual foram estudados como antecedentes da lealdade: satisfação, comprometimento afetivo, valor percebido e confiança; e algumas variáveis moderadoras, como: custos de mudança, relacionamento com o gerente, preferência de canais, crédito, dependência e imagem, que foram avaliadas na relação direta com a lealdade e ainda como moderadoras da relação satisfação - lealdade. Foi utilizada a técnica de regressão linear múltipla para explicar a interação destes antecedentes na relação com a lealdade. A pesquisa se baseia em um survey do tipo transversal, sendo analisada uma amostra de 128 empresas do Rio Grande do Sul, que responderam a um questionário estruturado contendo as escalas dos constructos e as questões sobre o perfil das empresas. Os resultados principais mostraram que as variáveis que mais influenciaram a lealdade das empresas com seu principal banco foram: satisfação, comprometimento afetivo, imagem e dependência. E nos efeitos moderadores foi possível observar a interação dos custos de mudança, do relacionamento com o gerente e da dependência do cliente com a variável satisfação na sua relação com a lealdade, sendo que cada um desses efeitos foram testados de modo independente. Os coeficientes negativos para os termos de interação, representando os efeitos moderadores, revelaram que clientes que possuem altos custos de mudança, alta dependência ou um bom relacionamento com o gerente no seu principal banco não precisam ter uma satisfação tão elevada para manterem-se leais a este banco. / Many studies have been made about relationship marketing with the intention of straightening the bonds between companies and clients. But the relationship between two companies (client/supplier) or market B2B is worth of distinction. These consumer companies usually stand out at this relation, in the sense that most of the time their products and services purchases are greater, in amount and price wise. Therefore, these relationships are the objects of this study and have been analyzed in the banking market, trying to explain the influence of the predecessors of loyalty to companies that are bank clients. For that matter, it was proposed a model in which was studied as predecessors of loyalty: satisfaction, affective commitment, perceived value and trust; and some moderational variables as: switching cost, relationship with managers, channel preference, credit, dependency and image, that were evaluated in the direct relation with the loyalty and as moderators of the satisfaction ? loyalty relationship. It was used the multiple linear regression technique to explain the interaction of these predecessors in the relation with the loyalty. The research was based in a survey of the transversal kind, being analyzed a sample of 128 companies from Rio Grande do Sul, that answered a structured poll containing the constructors scales and the questions about the profile of these companies. The main results showed that the variables that were more influential in the companies loyalty with their main business bank were: satisfacion, affective commitment, image and dependency. And in the moderation effects it was possible to observe the intention of the change costs, the relationship with the manager and the client dependency with the satisfaction variable in the relation with the loyalty, being that each one of these effects were tested in an independent way. The negative coefficient in the interaction terms, representing the moderational effects, revealed that clients that have high change cost, high dependency or a good relationship with the manager at their main bank don't need to have a high satisfaction to keep themselves loyal to that bank.