Corporate reputation and B2B inter-firm partnerships

In our networked world today, business-to-business (B2B) inter-firm partnerships are increasingly a feature of the organisation. At the same time, corporate reputation has been strongly identified as a key factor in the success of organisations (Fombrun & Van Riel, 2004; Fryxell & Wang, 1994). However, reputation has most often been looked at from the perspective of a single organisation and how its stakeholders perceive it. By comparison, less attention has been paid to the importance of the reputations of organisations when they form a partnership. This is surprising given that partnerships are to be found in so many walks of life today including business, sport, the arts and the media. B2B partnerships are often the subject of significant investments and it is therefore important to understand the value that can be derived from them. An example of a successful B2B partnership is that of the Boeing Company with Rolls-Royce plc. The reputations of each are synergistic and together they are seen as pioneers in greener air travel with the new Trent 1000 range of multi-fuel (kerosene/biofuel mix), efficient and quiet jet engines used as part of the 787 Dreamliner product family of commercial aircraft. Successful partnerships are those in which close collaboration arises because of synergistic skills and complementary outlooks that result in positive outcomes. These partnerships have reputations, and in some cases create a strong advantage over competitors by broadcasting a jointly fostered sense of identity and culture with employees and a sense of community and loyalty that attracts other stakeholders. If the reputations of such partnerships are important to those within the dyadic exchange (Bennett & Gabriel, 2001; Arend, 2009), then there is merit in assessing the impact of partnership reputation more widely in a network setting. This report discusses the importance of corporate reputation and the characteristics and outcomes that result from such B2B partnership reputations. It is based upon work conducted jointly at Henley Business School and Albers School of Business and Economics at the University of Seattle, and which has been published in the Industrial Marketing Management journal (Money et al, 2010)

The Role of Social Media in Affective Trust Building in Customer-Supplier Relationships

Trust represents a key issue in building successful customer-supplier relationships. In this sense, social software represents a powerful means for fostering trust by establishing a direct, more personal communication channel with customers. Therefore, companies are now investing in so-cial media for building their social digital brand and strengthening relationships with their cus-tomers. In this paper, we presented two experiments by means of which we investigated the role of traditional websites and social media in trust building along the cognitive and affective di-mensions. We hypothesize that traditional websites (content-oriented) and social media (interac-tion-oriented) may have a different effect on trust building in customer-supplier relationships, based on the first impression provided to potential customers. Although additional research is still needed, our findings add to the existing body of evidence that both cognitive and affective trust can be successfully fostered through online presence. Specifically, social media provides companies with tools to communicate benevolence to potential customer and, therefore, foster the affective commitment of customers. Traditional websites, instead, are more appropriate for communicating the competence and reliability of a company, by fostering trust building along the cognitive dimension. The results of our studies provide implications for researchers and practi-tioners, by highlighting the importance of combining the two media for effectively building a trustworthy online company image

Economic and social satisfaction: The antecedents and consequence, and the moderating effect of brand strength in the context of retailer-manufacturer relationship in Yemen

Available literatures have confirmed that there is a complex relationship between food manufacturers and large retailers especially in the growing strength of retail organizations in both the Yemeni and global contexts. To empirically investigate this relationship, the present study employed one single model of manufacturer-retailer relationship based on a review of the literature: (1) the impact of marketing relationship bonds on retailer‟s economic and social satisfaction; (2) the relationship between economic and social satisfaction, and their affect on commitment; and (3) the moderating effect of the manufacturer brands‟ strength on the relationships between retailer‟s economic and social satisfaction, and retailers‟ commitment. This quantitative study presents and discusses empirical findings from a survey of 140 independent large retailers using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings of the study largely supported the hypothesized relationships proposed in the theoretical model. The results revealed that organizational bonds, but not interpersonal bonds, were crucial in affecting retailer‟s economic satisfaction. Meanwhile, interpersonal bonds were crucial in affecting retailer‟s social satisfaction. The results also provided strong evidence of the relationship between retailer‟s economic and social satisfaction, which in turn are necessary determinants of retailer‟s commitment. The study also found that the strength of manufacturer‟s brands enhanced the relationship between economic satisfaction and commitment, but not the relationship between social satisfaction and commitment. This study offers several implications on how managers of national food manufacturers can ensure the long-term success of their mutual business relationship with large retailers in light of the growing power of retailers. Additionally, this study suggests further research to compare the levels of large retailer‟s economic and social satisfaction with national and foreign suppliers, and investigate relational bonds in order to develop and maintain the national manufacturer‟s relationships with their marketing channels to achieve competitive advantage

A qualitative inquiry into customers' perspectives on branding and the role of digital technologies in B2B: A case study of Panasonic

Branding is a well-researched notion in the B2C environment but a concept unexplored in the B2B context. Conceptually, similar to B2C organisations digital communication via digital tools and devices allows B2B organisations experiencing benefits of exposing their brands to a wider audience. In reality questions of whether branding is purposeful in the B2B context and what role digital technologies play in the B2B branding remain open. This study explores branding in the B2B context using Panasonic as a case study, to consider the value of B2B branding from the B2B customer (buyer) perspective. Results indicate that B2B branding is of importance in the B2B context, in particular for an organisation such as Panasonic where reputation is a driving force of attracting new B2B customers and nurturing long-terms relationships with existing B2B customers. Moreover, this study concludes that whilst use of digital technologies enables portraying brand perceptions about Panasonic, digital technologies are yet to be fully embraced for the purpose of branding in the B2B context

‘Just be there’:Social media presence, interactivity, and responsiveness, and their impact on B2B relationships

Purpose: In business-to-business (B2B) settings, research on social media sites (SMS) has primarily examined the benefits and challenges relating to their use, as well as factors driving their adoption. Recently, attention has turned to the consequences of using SMS in B2B markets. The purpose of this paper is to extend this line of research by investigating the impact of B2B brands’ social media presence, interactivity and responsiveness on customers’ perceptions of four indicators of brand relationship strength (commitment, intimacy, satisfaction and partner quality). Design/methodology/approach: Data from an online survey (N = 200) with customers of UK-based B2B firms were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings: The study reveals that a supplier’s presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook has a positive impact on all four brand relationship strength indicators; interactivity enhances perceived partner quality, while responsiveness positively influences commitment. Differences across the three SMS are also observed. Research limitations/implications: The research was conducted on a sample of UK-based firms with varying degrees of SMS use that may influence the impact on B2B brand relationship strength. Practical implications: This study indicates that B2B brands ought to focus primarily on presence on SMS, given its positive impact on brand relationship strength. At the same time, however, B2B brands should be active in responding to customers’ queries on SMS, as well as interacting with them to enhance commitment and perceived partner quality, respectively. Originality/value: This study contributes to the digital marketing and B2B relationships interface and is the first to examine the role of B2B brands’ presence, interactivity and responsiveness on SMS in enhancing relationships with customers

Customer experience in the business-to-business context, drivers, measures and consequences

The concept of customer experience (CE) has received increasing attention since the 1990s as researchers in the marketing field have sought to understand its relationship with customers’ behaviour. While there has been a wealth of studies undertaken that have explored CE in relation to business-to-consumer (B2C), there has been limited empirical work carried out on business-to-business (B2B). This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by examining CE within the B2B context. It first attempts to define the concept of CE in B2B by examining the range of existing pertinent literature. Then, through the use of data from customers of B2B professional service providers in the UK, the study identifies the dimensions of CE and their relative drivers. It also explores the influence of time when present customer experience is formed, and perhaps most importantly, the outcomes of CE in relation to the customer’s satisfaction and subsequent reported behaviour towards the professional service provider in terms of repeated purchase and word-of-mouth. To help ensure a comprehensive study with insightful results that would contribute to the CE concept, the research undertook two studies. Study 1 employed a mixed-method approach for the purpose of empirically deriving measures for CE. It also served to confirm the proposed conceptual framework. The purpose of Study 2 was to validate the newly developed measures identified from Study 1 and test the research hypotheses in terms of investigating CE as a multi-dimensional construct, the impact of past experience on present experience as well as assessing the drivers and the reported outcomes of CE. Thus, a panel study of B2B customers was employed and a longitudinal study was completed. Findings from this research provide insights into the CE concept in the context of B2B. They empirically validate the measures of CE, address its drivers including the impact of time, and through longitudinal data, demonstrate how B2B customer loyalty can be attributed to CE management to a considerable extent. Indeed, by sharing these findings, practitioners will better understand what leads to more efficient CE management, enabling them to reap the advantages of providing superior experiences for their customers.The concept of customer experience (CE) has received increasing attention since the 1990s as researchers in the marketing field have sought to understand its relationship with customers’ behaviour. While there has been a wealth of studies undertaken that have explored CE in relation to business-to-consumer (B2C), there has been limited empirical work carried out on business-to-business (B2B). This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by examining CE within the B2B context. It first attempts to define the concept of CE in B2B by examining the range of existing pertinent literature. Then, through the use of data from customers of B2B professional service providers in the UK, the study identifies the dimensions of CE and their relative drivers. It also explores the influence of time when present customer experience is formed, and perhaps most importantly, the outcomes of CE in relation to the customer’s satisfaction and subsequent reported behaviour towards the professional service provider in terms of repeated purchase and word-of-mouth. To help ensure a comprehensive study with insightful results that would contribute to the CE concept, the research undertook two studies. Study 1 employed a mixed-method approach for the purpose of empirically deriving measures for CE. It also served to confirm the proposed conceptual framework. The purpose of Study 2 was to validate the newly developed measures identified from Study 1 and test the research hypotheses in terms of investigating CE as a multi-dimensional construct, the impact of past experience on present experience as well as assessing the drivers and the reported outcomes of CE. Thus, a panel study of B2B customers was employed and a longitudinal study was completed. Findings from this research provide insights into the CE concept in the context of B2B. They empirically validate the measures of CE, address its drivers including the impact of time, and through longitudinal data, demonstrate how B2B customer loyalty can be attributed to CE management to a considerable extent. Indeed, by sharing these findings, practitioners will better understand what leads to more efficient CE management, enabling them to reap the advantages of providing superior experiences for their customers

Quality modeling in electronic healthcare: a study of mHealth Service

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to radically transform health services in developing countries. Among various ICT driven health platforms, mobile health is the most promising one because of its widespread penetration and cost effective services. This paper aims to examine Quality Modeling in Electronic Healthcare by using PLS based SEM