Purchasing Wine as a Gift; Influencing Factors and Preferences:An Empirical Qualitative Approach

A number of research studies have looked into consumer buying behaviour as regards wine. However, as yet no-one has focussed specifically on the factors which pertain to consumers buying wine to offer as gifts. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to identify which factors affect the decision of the wine buyer in this context. A further aim is to develop a number of hypotheses which will form the basis of a future quantitative study. The research methodology begins with a review of the relevant literature. From this a research design using projective methods in the interviews was considered as being the most appropriate way to proceed. After a pre-test, the methodology was refined and then conducted using a research group of twelve persons. This group was selected according to gender, age and whether they were considered to be ‘connoisseurs’ or ‘laypeople’ as regards purchasing and consuming wine. A total of nineteen hypotheses were then developed which will form the basis of future avenues of research. The findings suggest that a good portion of the factors which influence buyers when purchasing wine as a gift are exogenous and can be found in existing literature. The influence of these factors in the context varies, however, depending on the knowledge of the purchaser, the perceived risk, as well as the relation to and social status of the recipient. A further important factor is the specific requirement of the gift situation e.g. as a birthday or retirement present. The existing study highlights the fact that the purpose of an acquisition is of overriding importance when buying wine as a gift – dominating all other influencing factors which are subsequently only subject to it. Extrinsic or intrinsic cues vary strongly in importance as a function of the specific purchasing context the buyer faces

Trust between Boundary-Spanning Agents: The Role of Relational Competencies

Against the background of principal-agent and transaction-cost theoretical considerations, this study addresses the question whether relational competencies relate to trust within cooperative relationships, taking into account also situational and personal factors. In its conclusion, the study presents an experimentally confirmed model (n = 282) that shows the strong causal relationship between relational competencies and trust allowing boundary-spanning agents to exert influence on the development and maintenance of complex cooperative relationships characterized by long-term objectives

Problematizing socioemotional wealth in family firms: a systems-theoretical reframing

The concept of socioemotional wealth (SEW) seeks to present an independent paradigmatic basis for family-firm research, and in doing so aims to establish a sound basis for the scientific legitimacy of family-firm research. Establishing that legitimacy requires scholars to demonstrate that SEW is based on coherent assumptions on several theoretical levels. This paper uses the problematization methodology to challenge the coherence of the theoretical assumptions underpinning SEW and to advance theory development. The results of this problematization show that SEW is built on a theoretical level close to the object of research (in-house assumptions), but that more deeply-rooted theoretical levels (e.g. paradigmatic assumptions) are not sufficiently elaborated. Moreover, the original conceptualization is based on a positivist-mechanistic view, which hinders SEW reflecting the complex reality of family firms. Based on the results of this problematization, new systems theory is applied to reframe SEW's theoretical grounding. Thereby the main contribution of the paper is a critical reflection on the theoretical underpinnings of SEW (in particular root-metaphor and paradigmatic assumptions), serving as the basis for advancing a coherent theoretical understanding of this important concept in family business research

Kompetenz, Vertrauen und Kooperation

Dieses Buch beschäftigt sich mit Kompetenz als Vertrauensdeterminante. Ziel ist, die unterschiedlichen Kompetenzarten und ihren Einfluss auf den Vertrauensentstehungsprozess vor dem theoretischen Hintergrund der Neuen Institutionenökonomie zu untersuchen. Das Ergebnis ist ein experimentell geprüftes Modell, das die Kausalbeziehung zwischen unterschiedlichen Kompetenzarten und Vertrauen unter Berücksichtigung personen- und situationsbedingter Faktoren abbildet. Das Wissen um diese Kausalbeziehung erlaubt kooperationswilligen Unternehmen, Einfluss auf die Entstehung, Entwicklung und Aufrechterhaltung von Kooperationsbeziehungen zu nehmen

Innovation in Entrepreneurship Education in Europe. An Analysis of New Initiatives, Implementation Processes and Associated Success Factors

Series: Research Reports / RIC