Digitalization is a prevailing force in the marketplace and unquestionably a key topic on the strategic agenda of many firms (e.g., Balsmeier & Woerter, 2019). Alongside, research into managing digitalization has also strongly increased in recent years (Svahn, Matthiasen, & Lindgren, 2017; Ritter & Pedersen, 2020). Hofacker, Pillai, Golgeci & Gligor (2020, p. 1162) claim “Artificial intelligence, blockchain, data security/integrity, Internet of Things, and big data analytics are just some possible digital trends that can shape how B2B relationships are understood and managed”. Despite this increasing interest, the number of works within the scope of business-to-business (B2B) exchanges is still limited (Obal & Lancioni, 2013; Pagani & Pardo, 2017; Gomes et al., 2022; Matt, Pedrini, Bonfanti & Orzes, 2023) and there any many unexplored or underexplored phenomena.

This paper investigates the adaptation of suppliers’ business models to the changing customers relationships, with a focus on the fashion industry. The analysis of business models represents an understudied topic in business to business marketing research (Ehret, Kashyap and Wirtz, 2013; La Rocca and Snehota, 2017). In this regard, the paper tries to propose an original contribution by addressing the issue of how suppliers adapt their business models to cope with the needs of their fast fashion customers. It is well known that the fast fashion formula has represented an innovative business model which has generated huge changes within the fashion industry (Barnes and Lea-Greenwood, 2006). While, the business models of global brands, such as those of Zara or H&M, have been deeply studied, minor attention has been given to the business models of the suppliers that interact with this kind of players. Consequently, the paper addresses a research gap that regards the suppliers' business model changes due to the interaction with fast fashion clients. The paper has an exploratory nature. Methodologically, it proposes two qualitative case studies of suppliers in interaction with fast fashion suppliers, pointing out the main features of the adaptation of their business models in the relationship with these clients. The paper contributes to theory and managerial practice pointing out some drivers of change for suppliers with respect to the most evident characteristics of the business model of the buyers. It describes these drivers and proposes some relevant evidences to support the study of business models in business markets.

Based on survey data from 160 importing firms from 33 countries/regions, this study examines the effects of firm-owned versus sales rep-owned commitment on firm performance across varying degrees of economic distance between import and export countries. Results reveal both firm- and rep-owned commitment have positive effects on the export firm’s financial outcomes including the current and predicted future purchase share. Moreover, findings show that the larger the economic distance, the stronger the effect of rep-owned commitment but the weaker the effect of firm-owned commitment on sales performance. We also find two important antecedents to rep-owned commitment: economic-based instruments and relationship-based instruments, whereas only economic-based instruments have positive effect on firm-owned commitment.

이 연구는 미용실 직원의 개인적 특성과 관련하여 조직 성과로서 직무 만족에 대한 조직 의사 소통의 효과를 결정하려고 연구했다. 실증 분석을 위해 경남의 뷰티 살롱 종사자들에 대한 설문 조사를 실시하여 수집된 자료를 분석 하였다. 결과는 다음과 같았다. 첫째, 조직의 의사 소통은 직무 만족에 영향을 미쳤다. 실제로 다른 요인에 비해 의사 소통 능력이 직업 만족에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났습니다. 특히 40 세 이상과 고졸 이하와 결혼 한 그룹에서 조직 간 의사 전달이 직업 만족에 미치는 영향은 높았다. 연구 결과에 따르면, 미용 산업에서 직원의 직업 만족도를 높이는 등 비즈니스 성과를 향상시키는 데는 개인의 특성과 조직 의사 소통을 종합적으로 고려한 인적 자원 관리가 필수적이다.

In the business market, prices are typically subject to negotiation between exchange partners and buyers’ perceptions of the relationships with suppliers have a central role for supplier success and for establishing profitable prices (Hinterhuber & Liozu, 2015). Suppliers that seek to achieve price levels above the average market prices of offerings need to convince buyers of a favorable price/quality ratio (Töytäri, Rajala, & Alejandro, 2015). To date, however, research on absolute prices paid by buyers to suppliers, relative prices paid as compared to the average price level in a product category, or exchange partners’ perceptions of prices charged in business relationships remains limited. Extant work on buyer-supplier relationships has most commonly focused on costs rather than prices as economic outcomes of interest (e.g., Cannon & Homburg, 2001; Kalwani & Narayandas, 1995). The purpose of this research is to deepen the understanding of buyers’ price assessments in business relationships. Specifically, this research seeks to further illuminate how relationship inputs provided by suppliers influence buyers’ assessments of the price level charged and their satisfaction with the price/quality ratio provided by the suppliers. The relationship inputs examined include buyers’ perceptions of supplier relationship-specific investments, long-term orientation, and relationship planning. In addition, this research considers two relationship parameters, that is, buyers’ commitment to the supplier and dependence from the supplier. Based on a sample of executives of different buyer firms, this research examines net effects and combinatory effects of the relationship factors on buyers’ evaluations of economic outlay. While the study of net effects offers insights into the effects of single antecedents on the outcomes across a sample of cases, the analysis of combinatory effects delineates (configurations of) antecedents sufficient for bringing about the outcomes of interest (e.g., Leischnig, Henneberg, & Thornton, 2016). Knowledge of these effects helps assess what relationship inputs and what combinations thereof may act as potential remedies for buyers’ price-related resentment in business The findings of this research show alternative configurations of relationship inputs and relationship characteristics sufficient for the two outcomes of interest. In addition, this research shows that individual relationship inputs and characteristics can have opposite effects on the outcomes, depending on how they combine with other antecedent conditions. Moreover, the results of this research reveal that specific antecedent factors differ in terms of causal coreness for the two outcomes of interest. In summary, these findings add to the net effect analysis and provide a more detailed and nuanced understanding of how relationship attributes impact buyers’ price assessments in business relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of customer perception about service physical evidence and process quality by liquor wholesaler on customer satisfaction and maintaining business relationship. Also this paper tries to find out the moderating effect of relational duration on those service qualities and deal satisfaction. Based on the responses from 53 stores, the result of multiple regression analysis appears as follow that (1) the perception of intangible service quality is positively related to deal satisfaction, (2) deal satisfaction is positively related to maintaining business, and (3) the interaction of relational duration and each perception of service qualities is significant.

The manuscript examines Guanxi’s direct influence on reducing opportunism and conflicts, and its indirect influence on increasing buyers’ satisfaction, relationship performance and long-term orientation. The findings based on data collected from 273 Chinese firms reveal that Chinese buyers’ guanxi with US suppliers could significantly reduce buyers’ perception in suppliers’ opportunistic behaviour and the perceived levels of conflicts in Sino-US relationships, hence increasing their satisfaction, relationship performance and long-term orientation. The results broaden existing understanding of guanxi literature by empirically examining Guanxi’s influence on supplier opportunism and conflicts. The research implications suggest guanxi could be employed as a management mechanism in reducing supplier opportunism and conflicts, hence positively increasing satisfaction, performance and long-term orientation.

Although the relationship marketing literature acknowledges the importance of switching costs for increasing customer retention in general, little is known about its relevance in industrial markets. In particular, it is unclear whether switching costs and its dimensions impact relevant behavioral outcomes of buyer-seller relationships in business-to-business (B2B) markets. Against this background, our research intends to make two main contributions: Since we assume differential effects for different types of switching costs, our research first explores the dimensions of switching costs for the B2B domain. Second, it tests the relative impact of the dimensions of switching costs on business customers’ actual purchase behavior. Results suggest that switching costs in B2B settings are a multi-faceted construct, including (i) procedural, (ii) financial, and (iii) relational switching costs. Moreover, we find relational switching costs to be most important for securing B2B buyer-seller relationships since they impact a customer’s (a) share-of-wallet, (b) cross buying behavior, and (c) actual switching behavior. While procedural switching costs only influence share-of-wallet, financial switching costs solely impact customer’s cross-buying behavior across a firm’s product and services categories. These findings contribute to a better understanding about how to secure B2B buyer-seller relationships.

The purpose of this study is to investigate what factors make the relationships between Korean firms and their Canadian counterparts good or bad, particularly within the context of international trade. This study suggests that the factors affecting the quality of business relationship and relationship performance include relational norms, formalization, and market uncertainty. It also proposes that relational norms are determined by trust, relationship investment, and continuity experience. Data was collected through a mail survey of 412 Korean exporting firms which have transaction relationships with Canadian companies. Data strongly supports the research hypotheses. As hypothesized, the results of data analysis show that relational norms and formalization tend to enhance relationship quality and relationship performance. The impact of formalization is only moderate, however. In addition, we notice that relationship quality and relationship performance seem to decrease as market uncertainty increases. Data also supports the hypotheses regarding the determinants of relational norms. Trust, relationship investment, and continuity experience tend to induce the development of relational norms.