Construction of meanings in business relationships and networks

IMP Journal ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella La Rocca ◽  
Ivan Snehota ◽  
Carlotta Trabattoni
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Cognitive Perspective ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Business Markets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interaction Processes ◽  
Communication Processes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address an issue related to the role of interaction processes in the development of customer-supplier relationships in business markets. Design/methodology/approach – Focusing on the role of cognition in interaction behaviours in business relationships, the authors examine two research streams that offer perspectives on interaction processes akin to the IMP – the socio-cognitive perspective and the practice-based approach to markets and marketing. Findings – The two research streams analysed contribute to understanding the link between cognition and interaction behaviours by pointing to the construction of meanings as an important factor in interaction behaviours and indicating storytelling as a tool to construct meanings among the actors. Originality/value – This paper is among the few studies that focus the attention on communication processes in business relationships and networks.

Purchasing behaviour and supplier base evolution – a longitudinal case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Dubois ◽  
Lars-Erik Gadde ◽  
Lars-Gunnar Mattsson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Purchasing Behaviour ◽  
Time Periods

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to describe and analyse the evolution of the supplier base of a buying firm and the reasons behind these changes. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a case study of the changes over 52 years in a sub-set of the supplier base of a firm manufacturing fork-lifts. Findings The study shows that some relationships feature substantial longevity. However, the duration of one-third of the total relationships is shorter than five years. There was considerable variation over time in the dynamics of the supplier base in terms of entries and exits of suppliers. Owing to this variation, research findings and conclusions in short-term studies are heavily dependent on the specific conditions at the time of the study. Finally, no less than one-fourth of the terminated supplier relationships were reactivated later. Research limitations/implications The study was designed in a time when purchasing was considered entirely from the perspective of the buying firm. Further studies, therefore, must increasingly emphasise the role of suppliers and the interaction in the buyer–supplier relationships, as well as the embeddedness in networks. Originality/value The findings of the study are unique in two ways. First, they are based on systematic observations over more than 50 years. Second, the study involves the purchases of 11 components representing different technical and economic features. The (few) previous studies are based on much shorter time periods and involves fewer suppliers/components. Moreover, the findings regarding re-activation of terminated relationships represent unique contributions.

scholarly journals Open-mindedness and adaptive business style

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-390
Author(s):  
Gro Alteren ◽  
Ana Alina Tudoran
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Trust Building ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Export Markets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Business ◽  
High Level ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of relational competences, such as open-mindedness and the ability to adapt business style, in developing trustworthy relationships through communication in the export markets in different cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is performed on survey-based data from a sample consisting of 39.9 percent of the total population of Norwegian seafood companies involved in exporting, including 108 business relationships. Findings The findings reveal that adaptive business style and communication mediate the overall effect of open-mindedness on trust building between partners in the export markets. The adaptive business style fully explains the effect of open-mindedness on communication. Open-minded persons are better prepared to achieve communication on a high level because they are more likely to adapt to a new business style. Performing adaptive business style improves communication, particularly when the importer belongs to a dissimilar culture. For trust building, communication is equally important, irrespective of cultural differences. Practical implications Exporter should aim at recruiting open-minded people because they have the advantage that they are capable of performing a variety of negotiation styles and business approaches, depending on the situation. Originality/value This paper develops a model that integrates key constructs from the relational paradigm with constructs rooted in different research streams, extending our knowledge regarding salespeople competences that are important in order to develop business relationships in export markets.

The consumption of management ideas: a cognitive perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 2356-2376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annick Van Rossem ◽  
Stefan Heusinkveld ◽  
Marc Buelens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Models ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Cognitive Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adoption And Implementation ◽  
Grid Approach

Purpose – Building on recent research that emphasizes the role of managers as central in the adoption and implementation of management ideas, the purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons why managers may vary in their responses toward these ideas. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on a cognitive perspective, the research uses a repertory grid approach to analyze survey data from 189 managers. Findings – Rather than stressing only the role of organizational context, the paper indicates the likelihood that more invariant mental models shaped by especially position and disposition play an important role in explaining the way managers view and eventually implement management ideas. Originality/value – The findings indicate the significance of cognitive factors in explaining managers’ attitudes toward ideas, and advance the understanding of the variety in managers’ responses toward these ideas, particularly in implementation trajectories.

scholarly journals Early steps in learning about organizational learning in customization settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Engström ◽  
Nikolas Käkelä
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Communication Processes ◽  
Day To Day Operations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Empirical Material

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigate the role of learning for suppliers of individualized customizations from a communication perspective. Design/methodology/approach Five companies providing individualized customizations are investigated through an in-depth qualitative approach. The empirical material is based on data from five presentations in one workshop and seven interviews. Findings Four important categories of communication processes between suppliers and customers that stimulate learning were identified: the identification and confirmation of existing knowledge, the identification of knowledge gaps and the creation of new knowledge, the definition of relations and procedures and evaluation and learning. Practical implications These findings can help suppliers of individualized customizations become aware of the important role of organizational learning in their day-to-day operations and the value of improving as a learning organization. Originality/value This cross-disciplinary study brings together organizational learning and customization research. It is a study that focuses on communication in customization tasks as a base for learning.

Unlocking the power of collaborative supply management

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Supply Management ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
A Company ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This research paper concentrates on the role of suppliers when aiming to create value in a company. Developing key supplier relationships by working toward shared success goals builds mutually beneficial value, which can drive long term growth from a win-win foundation. By viewing supply management strategically, new intangible assets can be built into a company’s operational culture, such as trust-based supplier relationship management skills. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

scholarly journals The role of openness in collaborative innovation in industrial networks: historical and contemporary cases

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Laage-Hellman ◽  
Frida Lind ◽  
Andrea Perna
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Networks ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Collaborative Innovation ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Industrial Network

Purpose This paper aims to explore the role and meaning of openness for the purpose of enhancing the understanding of collaborative innovation from an industrial network perspective. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical framework is based on the Industrial Network Approach, and the concepts of activity links, resource ties and actor bonds are used as a starting point for capturing the content and dynamics of the interaction. The empirical part consists of five case studies: two historical and three contemporary cases dealing with collaborative innovation projects. The cases are analyzed with regard to openness in business relationships and their connections in the network. Findings The main contribution is a conceptualization of openness in business relationships and relationship connections. The paper describes various forms and contents of openness – and closeness. It is postulated that the concept of openness can be used as an analytical tool for digging deeper into relationship and network-related issues of relevance to firms’ behavior in the context of collaborative innovation. Openness, as it is defined in this paper, is also put forward as an explanation of why (or why not) collaborative innovation projects become successful. Originality/value The conceptualization of openness differs from openness as it is commonly described in the open innovation literature. There, openness is the opposite of closeness, that is, a pattern where the innovation activities take place internally within the company. In this paper, openness, instead, has to do with how firms interact with other network actors in the context of collaborative innovation.

Interaction through boundary objects: controversy and friction within digitalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Hocine Jean Fremont ◽  
Jens Eklinder Frick ◽  
Lars-Johan Åge ◽  
Aihie Osarenkhoe
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Boundary Objects ◽  
Interaction Process ◽  
The Other ◽  
Boundary Object ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Object Interaction ◽  
Interaction Processes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze friction and controversies with interaction processes and their effects on forming new resource interfaces, through the lens of boundary objects. Design/methodology/approach The empirical setting consists of two organizations that are trying to enhance their competitive advantage through digitalization. During the process of data collection four different boundary objects were identified. The study illustrates how these boundary objects were characterized in terms of their modularity, standardization, abstractness and tangibility. This paper provides an analysis of how respondents perceived that the development of these boundary objects affected the creation of novel resource interfaces, and the resulting friction and controversy between new and old structures. Findings The study concludes that within a producer–user setting a focal boundary object will take on tangible and standardized properties, and the interaction process will expose friction in terms of both power struggles and resource incompatibilities. On the other hand, a boundary object’s modularity gives the actors central to the interaction room to maneuver and avoid resource incompatibilities and the development setting will hence be characterized by controversies. Originality/value The analysis indicates that the way individuals perceive boundary objects is central to interaction processes, answering calls for studies that investigate the role of objects within subject-to-object interaction.

scholarly journals Vulnerable adults in police custody

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8
Author(s):  
Ian Cummins
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Police Custody ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Vulnerable Adults

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the recent National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN) report on the role of the appropriate adult. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on the NAAN report and a review of relevant policy and research literature. Findings There to Help 2 highlights that there are still significant gaps in the provision of appropriate adult schemes across England and Wales. These gaps potentially place vulnerable adults at increased risk. Originality/value This paper is a review of recent research.

Overcoming counter-knowledge through telemedicine communication technologies

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 730-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cegarra-Sanchez ◽  
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro ◽  
Anthony Wensley ◽  
Jose Diaz Manzano
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Regional Hospital ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Exploration And Exploitation ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Knowledge acquired from sources of unverified information such as gossip, partial truths or lies, in this paper it is termed as “counter-knowledge.” The purpose of this paper is to explore this topic through an exploration of the links between a Hospital-in-the-Home Units (HHUs) learning process (LP), counter-knowledge, and the utilization of communication technologies. The following two questions are addressed: Does the reduction of counter-knowledge result in the utilization of communication technologies? Does the development of counter-knowledge hinder the LP? Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the relevance of communication technologies to the exploration and exploitation of knowledge for 252 patients of a (HHU) within a Spanish regional hospital. The data collected was analyzed using the PLS-Graph. Findings To HHU managers, this study offers a set of guidelines to assist in their gaining an understanding of the role of counter-knowledge in organizational LPs and the potential contribution of communication technologies. Our findings support the proposition that the negative effects of counter-knowledge can be mitigated by using communication technologies. Originality/value It is argued in this paper that counter-knowledge may play a variety of different roles in the implementation of LPs. Specifically, the assignment of communication technologies to homecare units has given them the means to filter counter-knowledge and prevent users from any possible problems caused by such counter-knowledge.

Digital forensics and evolving cyber law: case of BIMSTEC countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 744-752
Author(s):  
Sisira Dharmasri Jayasekara ◽  
Iroshini Abeysekara
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Digital Forensics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
Work Done

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of digital forensics in an evolving environment of cyber laws giving attention to Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries, comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, in a dynamic global context. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a case study approach to discuss the digital forensics and cyber laws of BIMSTEC countries. The objective of the study was expected to be achieved by referring to decided cases in different jurisdictions. Cyber laws of BIMSTEC countries were studied for the purpose of this study. Findings The analysis revealed that BIMSTEC countries are required to amend legislation to support the growth of information technology. Most of the legislation are 10-15 years old and have not been amended to resolve issues on cyber jurisdictions. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to the members of the BIMSTEC. Originality/value This paper is an original work done by the authors who have discussed the issues of conducting investigations with respect to digital crimes in a rapidly changing environment of information technology and deficient legal frameworks.

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