Relationship Marketing Strategies: When Buyer and Supplier Follow Different Strategies to Achieve Performance

Relationship marketing is essential for success in business. The need to understand better the differences in the strategies buyers and suppliers follow is what has motivated this study. We drew on emerging perspectives on inter-firm governance and networks to develop a theoretical framework to understand the success of long-term relationships. We tested the framework using data from 67 merchant distributors (buyers) and 174 suppliers of theirs in the Dutch potted plant and flower industry. While the most successful distributors tend to take the “hard”, tangible strategy using transaction specific investments and fostering joint action, the successful suppliers take the “soft”, social approach by emphasizing trust and the norm of flexibility in the relationship

The Enhancing Impact of Friendship Networks on Sales Managers’ Performance

This paper examines how relationships with friends moderate the impact of professional networks on sales performance. Based on a sample of 204 sales managers in a professional service company, this study presents evidence that friendship networks amplify the effect of sales forces’ professional networks on new product sales as well as on prospecting and converting new deals. Our results offer important insights into the socio-cognitive perspective of sales management literature and suggest that firms should encourage managers to improve their friendships in order to access valuable information that will enhance customer knowledge and support their sales efforts

RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL: O QUE OS FUTUROS ADMINISTRADORES ENTENDEM SOBRE O CONCEITO?

The main purpose of companies nowadays is not only generation of profits for shareholders and investors, of jobs and income or even their own survival and growth. Companies are also responsible for sustainable development and social equity. The objective of this study is to identify the interpretation of undergraduate management students on social responsibility, based on the assumption that these students are the next generation of managers. In addition, this study analyzes the socio demographic antecedents of social responsibility: age, gender, semester in the university, family monthly income, contact with the issue in the university and the impact of social projects on financial performance. In total, 250 structured questionnaires were applied in two different universities in São Paulo State. Results show that the respondents do not have a complete understanding of what social responsibility is. This incomplete perception can influence negatively the commitment of companies to social projects and, consequently, to sustainable development.social responsibility, concept interpretation, undergraduate students, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Industrial Organization,

ELEMENTOS MOTIVADORES DA GESTÃO AMBIENTAL EM UMA UNIDADE PRODUTORA LEITEIRA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO NA HOLANDA

The environmental impact caused not only on agriculture but also for all economic production has changed the development model adopted by society. Several proposals are presented regarding the control of environment impact, which goes worse every day. Thus, some organizations have changed their practices related to the environment, by introducing principles of environmental management and sustainability. However, the purposes of an organization do not always correspond to favorable environmental practices. Motivated by these contradictions this case study was carried out in The Netherlands. The objectives of this study are understanding the incorporation of the environmental variable, finding out the factors that motivate such incorporation, as well as defining the environmental behavior of a Dutch dairy farm. The results showed that this organization will not arouse serious environmental impact, but it was verified that there is a common behavior of “putting out the fire†in the production process when it comes to environmental problems, characterizing its behavior as more reactive than active. In terms of theorical purposes versus actually executed practices the behavior of the organization can be defined as being somewhere between a responsible and a follower organization. The incorporation of the environmental variable by the use of environmentally correct practices was motivated by an external element which is the existence of an environmental legislation instead of an environmental conscience.environmental management, organizational behavior, Dutch dairy farm.,

Entendendo o conceito de sustentabilidade nas organizações

Las empresas encuentran dificultades para asociar discursos y prácticas de gestión con la interpretación completa del concepto de sustentabilidad. El objetivo en este estudio es identificar la interpretación atribuida al término sustentabilidad en las empresas y analizar los factores que influyen en dicha interpretación. Los factores seleccionados en la investigación fueron: escolaridad, tipo de tarea realizada en la empresa, discurso organizacional y prácticas organizacionales. En total, se entrevistaron a setenta empleados de dos empresas líderes regionales en sus sectores, por medio de un cuestionario estructurado. Los resultados de los análisis del modelo estimado demuestran que hay mejor comprensión del concepto de sustentabilidad cuando el nivel de instrucción es más elevado y cuando hay más prácticas sociales de gestión. Se observó que, para los empleados entrevistados, la plena comprensión del término sustentabilidad está perjudicada por las prácticas económicas. Los demás factores del modelo no presentaron coeficientes significativos. El estudio permite concluir que, aunque muy discutido teóricamente, el significado del término sustentabilidad no está claro para la mayor parte de los empleados, lo que impide cambios prácticos y efectivos hacia la sustentabilidad.As empresas encontram dificuldades em associar discursos e práticas gerenciais à interpretação completa da definição de sustentabilidade. O objetivo neste estudo é identificar a interpretação que o indivíduo atribui ao termo sustentabilidade e analisar fatores que influenciam tal interpretação. Os fatores selecionados para a pesquisa foram: escolaridade, tipo de tarefa que desempenha na empresa, discurso organizacional e práticas organizacionais. No total, 70 funcionários de duas empresas líderes regionais em seus setores foram entrevistados por meio de um questionário estruturado. De acordo com os resultados das análises do modelo estimado, o termo sustentabilidade é mais bem compreendido devido aos aumentos da escolaridade e de práticas gerenciais sociais. Constatou-se que as práticas gerenciais econômicas impedem a compreensão plena do termo sustentabilidade pelos funcionários entrevistados. Os outros fatores do modelo não apresentaram coeficientes significativos. A pesquisa permitiu concluir que, embora muito discutido teoricamente, o significado do termo sustentabilidade não é claro para a maioria dos funcionários, o que impede a ocorrência de transformações práticas e efetivas em prol da sustentabilidade.Organization faces difficulties in order to associate speech and practices with the complete definition of sustainability. The objective of this study is to identify what is sustainability for the employees of two organizations and to analyze the factors that influence the interpretation. The factors selected to be tested were: education, task in the organization, organizational speech and organizational practices. In total, seventy employees, of two different organizations, were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. The results show that individuals with high education level in organization with social practices understand sustainability in its completeness. There exists a negative effect of economical practices in the individual interpretation. This study concludes that sustainability is a concept widely discussed, however its meaning encompassing the social, economic and environmental dimensions is not clear for most of the people. The misinterpretation about the concept can impede effective changes towards sustainability in practice

Consumer Complaints and Company Market Value

Consumer complaints affect company market value and common sense suggests that a negative impact is expected. However, do complaints always negatively impact company market value? We hypothesize in this study that complaints may have a non-linear effect on market value. Positive (e.g. avoiding high costs to solve complaints) and negative (e.g. speedy and intense diffusion) tradeoffs may occur given the level of complaints. To test our non-linear hypothesis, a panel data was collected from cell phone service providers from 2005 to 2013. The results supported our tradeoff rationale. Low levels of complaints allow for companies to increase market value, while high levels of complaints cause increasing harm to market value. The sample, model and period considered in this study, indicates a level of 0.49 complaints per thousand consumers as the threshold for a shift in tradeoffs. The effects on market value become increasingly negative when trying to make reductions to move below this level, due to negative tradeoffs

Sustentabilidade estratégica: existe retorno no longo prazo?

O objetivo neste artigo é avaliar o impacto de longo prazo que os investimentos em práticas ambientais e sociais têm nas empresas que reportam seus desempenhos em sustentabilidade. Duas hipóteses baseadas na literatura são lançadas: empresas que investem em sustentabilidade de forma estratégica apresentam desempenho melhor após um choque externo; empresas praticam e reportam sustentabilidade com sucesso quando o foco dos investimentos é estratégico. De um painel de 252 empresas, aquelas que investiram em sustentabilidade tiveram resultados melhores no período pós-crise financeira de 2008. Adicionalmente, evidências de uma empresa (Brasil Foods) estudada em um contexto histórico expõem a evolução dos investimentos estratégicos em sustentabilidade e a relação deles com as competências e o negócio central da empresa

Strategic sustainability: is there return in the long term performance?

En este artículo el objetivo es evaluar el impacto de largo plazo que tienen las inversiones en prácticas ambientales y sociales en las empresas que informan su desempeño en sostenibilidad. Se presentan dos hipótesis con base en la literatura: empresas que invierten en sostenibilidad en forma estratégica tienen un mejor desempeño tras un choque externo; empresas que practican la sustentabilidad y producen informes lo hacen con éxito cuando el enfoque de la inversión es estratégico. De un conjunto de 252 empresas, aquellas que invirtieron en sostenibilidad tuvieron un mejor resultado en el período posterior a la crisis de 2008. Además, la evidencia ofrecida por el estudio de una empresa (Brasil Foods), en un contexto histórico, expone la evolución de las inversiones estratégicas en materia de sustentabilidad y su relación con las competencias y la actividad principal de la empresa.O objetivo neste artigo é avaliar o impacto de longo prazo que os investimentos em práticas ambientais e sociais têm nas empresas que reportam seus desempenhos em sustentabilidade. Duas hipóteses baseadas na literatura são lançadas: empresas que investem em sustentabilidade de forma estratégica apresentam desempenho melhor após um choque externo; empresas praticam e reportam sustentabilidade com sucesso quando o foco dos investimentos é estratégico. De um painel de 252 empresas, aquelas que investiram em sustentabilidade tiveram resultados melhores no período pós-crise financeira de 2008. Adicionalmente, evidências de uma empresa (Brasil Foods) estudada em um contexto histórico expõem a evolução dos investimentos estratégicos em sustentabilidade e a relação deles com as competências e o negócio central da empresa.The objective of this paper is to assess the long term impact of sustainability investments in the companies' performance. Two hypotheses are developed based on literature. First, companies that strategically invest in social and environmental projects perform better after an exogenous effect. Second, companies that implement and report sustainability have those investments aligned with the core business and competence. From a panel of 252 companies suggests that those companies reporting that invested in sustainability performed better than others that did not in the post-financial crisis of 2008. Additionally, evidence of a company (Brazil Foods) studied in a historical context expose the evolution of strategic investments in sustainability and their relation with the competences and the core business of the company