The grounded theory alternative in business network research

This paper presents a brief outline of the defining characteristics of grounded theory methodology. Such a focus was motivated by a desire to bring the methodology into clearer focus. Particular attention is paid to the debate grounded theory has engendered. In doing so, a number of misunderstandings, dilemmas and criticisms are highlighted. Thus, while one research strategy should not be emphasised to the exclusion of others, this paper advocates the use of grounded theory methodology as a fresh approach in addressing some of the research challenges associated with network studies

The Unanticipated Promise of Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains

The current focus on sustainability in food production has had the the unintended benefit of solving the biggest problems in the agri-food system. Stretching from input providers through farmers and retailers to the final consumer, the agricultural supply chain throughout time has been plagued by twin problems of information and investment. Information from the market has not flowed from the primary producer due to fragmentation, poor cooperation, and transactional – and often adversarial – relationships between farmers, processors and retailers. Financial incentives and investment capital have also failed to move through the chain as actors compete to reduce costs for retailers, who have sold consumers on the idea that lowest price equals highest value.

Modifications and innovations to research solutions in the lab : a study on the post-adoptive usage behaviors of life scientists

Research solutions in life science are bundles of documented knowledge (i.e., a manual) and materials provided by commercial firms to help scientists with their experiments. This study builds on existing research on post-adoptive usage to understand why some scientists are more likely to make modifications-personalization, customization, invention changes (including making add-ins and using existing functions for novel purposes)-to a research solution after their adoptions. By examining the different modification behaviors of 1908 scientists over a sixteen-year period, the authors find that the likelihood of users in making modifications are positively impacted by their diverse range of usage experience, early usage status, and collaborative support from the scientific community. While expertise can have a positive impact on the personalization and customization modifications, it has an inverted U-shaped relationship with invention changes. Interestingly, the effects from the characteristics of a research solution are mixed. For example, ease of use can negatively impact on a user's likelihood to make personalization and customization modifications or create add-ins, but it is positively linked to the likelihood in applying existing functions for novel purposes. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The Quiet Market’ a Critical Realist Account of C2c Exchange in the West of Ireland

ABSTRACT -This paper presents a single case example of exchange in a C2C setting. This case is drawn from a longitudinal qualitative and quantitative study of a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) group in Westport, County Mayo on the West coast of Ireland known as Meitheal Na Mart (MnM). LETS are a system of economic exchange designed primarily to free members from the labour-wage economy. This paper uses critical realism to illustrate the causal relationship between the focal actors behaviour as well as the causal potentialities and the environment in which she operated. ABSTRACT This paper presents a single case example of exchange in a C2C setting. This case is drawn from a longitudinal qualitative and quantitative study of a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) group in Westport, County Mayo on the West coast of Ireland known as Meitheal Na Mart (MnM). LETS are a system of economic exchange designed primarily to free members from the labour-wage economy. This paper uses critical realism to illustrate the causal relationship between the focal actors behaviour as well as the causal potentialities and the environment in which she operated

Creating new market for industrial services in nascent fields

Purpose – In recent years, industrial firms have been moving from selling pure products to selling smart services. Yet limited empirical evidence exists about how the new markets for these novel services are created. This paper seeks to extend current theory and create new insights by studying the new services market creation process in nascent industrial fields. Design/methodology/approach – The authors' research design is a multiple-case, inductive study that uses in-depth archival and field data to track closely how five industrial firms created new market for new types of services. Findings – The authors find that firms adopt a holistic initiative to address the challenges in new services market creation. In particular, they use three interrelated strategies to create a new market: co-creating with customers, innovating in different ways and exploiting institutional forces. Research limitations/implications – The study focused only on life science research services. Moreover, in-depth field interviews were used only in a small number of firms. Practical implications – To successfully develop a new market for an industrial service innovation, a firm should innovate within and outside the firm, win over customers for adopting, adapting the service innovation and identifying its new uses, and utilize institutional mechanisms to legitimatize, claim and control the emerging market. Originality/value – This paper's central contribution is a holistic framework of the longitudinal processes by which successful firms develop new services and construct new markets

Managing quality and network effects in the high-tech market : the case of research and development tools in life science industry

We seek to extend current theory on research and development (R&D) tools and create new insights by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach and drawing from literatures on quality and network effects in the high-tech market. More specifically, we use a unified framework on quality and network effects, and examine two forms of quality effects (third party quality reviews and company-advertised quality) and two types of network effects (network externalities effect and social network effect) in driving the popularity and success of R&D tools. By tracking two categories of R&D tools in the life science industry for a decade, our research provides a sharper understanding of R&D tools and therefore can help R&D tool producers to accelerate the market acceptance of their new tools, which should promote faster innovation and ultimately benefit the whole R&D community. © Imperial College Press

Strategic Market Management Global Perspectives

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