scholarly journals The drivers influencing the relationship between sales representatives and customers and the impact this relationship has on sales volume within Coca-Cola’s Western Cape region

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Herbst ◽  
C. L. Forrest
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Relationship Marketing ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Sales Representative ◽  
Final Conclusion ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Sales Representatives ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Companies within the FMCG sector are continually trying to create value from their brands by increasing their margins and/or selling more of their products. Taking cost out of the value chain gives the company a competitive advantage, but this advantage is short lived as competitors also reduce costs. Differentiating a product through enhanced features and benefits also provides a competitive advantage, but is also subject to imitation by rivals. As competition increases, companies are looking for new avenues to differentiate themselves. Relationship marketing has, as a result, increased its prevalence as a competitive tool to provide that point of difference.This research investigated the factors that influence the relationships between a Coca-Cola sales representative and his/her customers within the Cape Town region.This article was developed after studying literature as it pertained to customer relationship marketing. From the literature the foundation blocks in developing buyer-seller relationships were studied. The research methodology tested the impact of certain factors on the ability to build a relationship between buyer and seller and then tested the validity of those answers using underlying determinants of a relationship. These determinants included the ability to communicate, the ability to trust, the degree of loyalty and the ability to influence a customer.The response to the questionnaires was extremely high (over 95%) and provided for a robust evaluation of data. The research showed that there was a positive correlation between the profile of a sales representative and a customer. It is easier for a sales representative to build a relationship with a customer who is a similar age. It is however easier for the sales representative to influence a younger customer. Gender plays no role in a sales representative’s ability to build a relationship. With respect to education, a stronger relationship exists between a customer and sales representative of a similar education. Again it is easier for a representative to influence a customer who has a lower level of education. Race does have an impact on the ability to build relationships. The research showed that an African sales representative should service an African customer. There was a positive link between matching sales representatives and customers who come from similar areas and have the same religion. There was no correlation between the degree of the relationship that a Coca-Cola sales representative in the Western Cape region has with a customer and the sales growth within the outlets. This final conclusion must be read in the context of the relative high market share that the Coca-Cola Company has in the Western Cape.

scholarly journals How Value Network-Based Co-Inovation Contribute in Competitive Advantage

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-90
Author(s):  
Maryono Maryono ◽  
Imam Ghozali ◽  
Amie Kusumawardhani ◽  
Mahelan Prabantariksa
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Value Network ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
A Value ◽  
Relational Capabilities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This study aims to develop a comprehensive integrated model which helps in explaining the impact of value chain integration’s (VCI)’s and relational capability impact on co-innovation in a network and competitive advantage. It also explores the role of value network-based co-innovation as a mediator in the relationship between supply chain integration and competitive advantage, and in the relationship between relational capabilities and competitive advantage of a housing bank sector. The study suggests that firm gains competitive advantage by utilizing value chain integration and relational capability. It is argued here that co-innovation based on value network has mediating role to create competitive advantage. The paper provides a discussion and implication on where value lies and how value is co-created in network of interdependent relationship and illustrate this by sketching a value map in network relationship and possible innovations that can be co-created in housing bank ecosystem. The study involved a single government owned bank located in different cities, therefore the results should be generalized cautiously. This paper constitutes an attempt to stimulate efforts and provide directions on the further conceptual development of value network-based co-innovation (VNBC). The newly developed measure of VNBC and CA exempt from past conceptual streams of the determinant of CA, could be used for valid measurements in future empirical studies in the field of strategic management. The paper provides a practical implications for managers to identify value and utilize new way of analyzing value-chain to create co-innovation within housing bank ecosystem. It also allows manager to practicing relational capability which gives the most impact to competitive advantage..

scholarly journals The Effects of External and Internal Factors on Competitive Advantage—Moderation of Market Dynamism and Mediation of Customer Relationship Building

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 4066
Author(s):  
Romina Cheraghalizadeh ◽  
Hossein Olya ◽  
Mustafa Tumer
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Capabilities Approach ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Organizational Capabilities ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Internal And External Factors ◽  
The Relationship

Using a resource-based view and dynamic capabilities approach, this study investigates both the internal and external factors influencing competitive advantage in the hotel industry. For this purpose, we examine how organizational capabilities may lead to customer relationship building and in turn to competitive advantage. We further test the moderation role of market dynamism on the relationship between organizational capabilities and customer relationship building, and also investigate the mediation effect of customer relationship building on the association between organizational capabilities and competitive advantage. A questionnaire-based study was conducted among hotel employees in Northern Cyprus to test the conceptual model. A set of approaches was applied to detect common method bias and test the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationships between the variables, and bootstrapping analysis was applied to assess the mediation and moderation effects. The results revealed that organizational capabilities enhance customer relationship building and competitive advantage. Market dynamism as an external factor moderates the relationship between organizational capabilities and customer relationship building. There is also an indirect association between organizational capabilities and competitive advantage through the mediation of customer relationship building. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The impact of Guanxi on Chinese managers' transactional decisions: A study of Taiwanese SMEs

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-222
Author(s):  
William Li Chang ◽  
Peirchyi Lii
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Chinese Enterprises ◽  
Important Impact ◽  
Guanxi Network ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Chinese Managers

Guanxi is an important source of competitive advantage; managers in Chinese enterprises have especially placed enormous emphasis on it. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between managers' initiative toward a Guanxi formation and their transactional decisions within the network. Findings of this study suggest that managers' initiative in setting up a Guanxi network has important impact on their perceptions toward members in the network; and in turn, the perception has an impact on their transactional decisions within the Guanxi network. More specifically, managers would employ relational mark-down and compensatory mark-up to differentiate Guanxi members from non-Guanxi members in making transactional decisions.

Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM) and Customer Loyalty

2022 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This study examined the impact of E-CRM on customer loyalty with the mediating effect of customer satisfaction in the banking industry. Customer satisfaction is important for loyalty because when the customers are satisfied with the services offered by their service providers, the relationship gets stronger which further leads to positive word-of-mouth. The data was collected using purposive sampling from 836 banks’ customers who were using E-CRM services and the data was analyzed using structural equation model (SEM) through AMOS. The results revealed that E-CRM and customer satisfaction had a significant positive impact on customer loyalty and also customer satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between E-CRM and customer loyalty. This study would offer useful acumen to both academicians and marketers and would help the bank managers to improve the quality of the services provided to their customers.

Salesperson profitability in relationship marketing

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said Echchakoui
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Marketing ◽  
Transaction Cost Economics ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Sales Force ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Critical Duration ◽  
Sales Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This paper aims to answer a prominent question that arises for the manager who wishes to recruit a salesperson to maintain and develop a portfolio–customer relationship: Under which condition is this decision profitable for the firm? Though several authors have underscored the importance of the salesperson's role in the creation of purchaser–salesperson relationships, in the author's knowledge, no study has focused on the salesperson's profitability in the relationship approach. This issue is significant for sales managers because the investment in sales force is greater, and the relationship profitability with customers is not guaranteed. Design/methodology/approach – Econometric model based on transaction cost economics theory and dynamic exchange between firm, salesperson and a customer. Specifically, this model links between customer life value, firm financial value, salesperson cost and relationship time. Findings – Three zones are identified that can characterize the dynamic salesperson profitability. It was shown that only one zone can be profitable to the firm. Research limitations/implications – This result is important because it can solve the equivocal posit between scholars with regard to the success or the failure of relationship marketing. This study also specifies the critical retention rate, the critical duration time in which a salesperson begins to be profitable. Originality/value – In the author's knowledge, this study is the first to use an exchange model to show in which conditions the salesperson will be profitable in relationship marketing.

scholarly journals PENGARUH RELATIONSHIP MARKETING DAN RELATIONSHIP QUALITY TERHADAP LOYALITAS PELANGGAN DENGAN KEPUASAN PELANGGAN SEBAGAI VARIABEL INTERVENING PADA PRODUK PARFUM MULEGH DI PURWOKERTO

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilham Akbar
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Relationship Marketing ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Marketing Relationship ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

The research entitled �The Influence of Relationship Marketing and Relationship Quality Towards Customer Loyalty with Customer Satisfaction as The Intervening Variable on Mulleg Perfume Product in Purwokerto� aims to determine the impact of relationship marketing and relationship quality towards customer satisfaction and customer loyalty and to determine whether customer satisfaction could become the intervening variable. The hypothesis of this research is the relationship marketing has negative effect towards customer satisfaction, the relationship marketing has positive effect towards customer loyalty, the relationship quality has positively effect towards customer satisfaction, the relationship quality has positively effect towards the customer loyalty, and the customer loyalty could be able to mediate the influence of relationship marketing and relationship quality toward customer loyalty.� The analysis method that used on this research is the structural equation modeling.The results show that the relationship marketing has positive and significant effect towards customer satisfaction. It will increase the customer satisfaction of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship quality has positive and significant effect towards customer satisfaction, so it will increase the customer satisfaction of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship marketing has positive and significant effect towards customer loyalt. It will increase the customer loyalty of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The relationship quality has positive and significant effect towards the customer loyalty. The Customer Satisfaction has positive and significant effect towards customer loyalty. The customer satisfaction could mediate the influence of relationship marketing towards the customer loyalty on Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto. The customer satisfaction could mediate the influence of relationship quality towards the customer loyalty of Mulleg Aromatic perfume product in Purwokerto.�Keywords : Relationship Marketing , Relationship Quality , Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty�

scholarly journals The mediating role of customer relationship management between e-supply chain management and competitive advantage

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdalrazzaq Aloqool ◽  
Malek Alharafsheh ◽  
Hadeel Abdellatif ◽  
Lana Ahmad Suleiman Alghasawneh ◽  
Jassim Ah-mad Al-Gasawneh
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Customer Relationship Management ◽  
Relationship Management ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Competitive Position ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of implementing e-supply chain management (E-SCM) on the competitive position of companies and whether implementing customer relationship management (CRM) can affect the relationship between E-SCM and competitive advantage. To achieve this objective, a quantitative approach was utilized. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed where 243 questionnaires were returned, with 17 incomplete questionnaires being excluded, leaving 226 usable questionnaires. PLS-SEM software was used to analyze the data. The results of this study demonstrate the imperative role of implementing E-SCM and CRM on creating a competitive advantage for firms. It also shows that CRM mediates the relationship between E-SCM and competitive advantage, suggesting that utilizing different technologies can help firms better communicate with their customers and thus better serve them which in turn will enhance customers’ satisfaction and thus boost the competitive position of the firm.

scholarly journals German–Russian gas relations in face of the energy transition

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-423
Author(s):  
Kirsten Westphal
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Paradigm Shifts ◽  
Address Climate Change ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Russian Economy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Russia is the world’s largest gas exporter and Germany is its most important market. Moreover, natural gas is a centerpiece of the Russian economy and the backbone of its energy supply to the Russian population. In terms of its external gas relations, Germany has always kept a special and strategic position, both in terms of volumes, but also in substance. This contribution explores the impact of the energy transition on the bilateral gas relationship. It argues that the bilateral gas relationship has been subjected to various paradigm shifts in the past, but, until recently, the relationship has been seen as in line with the strategic energy triangle of climate change/sustainability, supply security and economic competitiveness. This perception has come into question over two issues: climate change and supply security. Moreover, Germany’s authority over the conduct and the legal framework of bilateral gas relations has been increasingly contested, by Brussels, but also horizontally by other EU member states. At this stage, it is very uncertain whether both sides will manage to maintain and redefine their close energy partnership to address climate change. Decarbonizing the gas value chain would be a centerpiece. This would require a political shift away from securitization to decarbonization, not only in Germany, but even more so in the EU, and in particular, in Russia.

The Impact of IT Personnel Skills on IS Infrastructure and Competitive IS

2011 ◽  
pp. 63-91
Author(s):  
Terry A. Byrd ◽  
Bruce R. Lewis ◽  
Douglas E. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Canonical Correlation ◽  
Statistical Technique ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Managerial Skills ◽  
Strategic Value ◽  
Value Of It ◽  
The Impact ◽  
It Personnel ◽  
The Relationship

The knowledge and skills of information technology (IT) personnel have become of critical importance as the strategic value of IT in modern organizations has become apparent. In addition to technical skills traditionally expected of IT personnel, organizational, functional, and managerial skills have been increasingly cited as mandatory for these employees. This paper used a well-accepted typology of IT personnel knowledge and skills, and investigated its relationship to desirable technological traits in organizations and to technological variables that have been closely aligned to competitive advantage in organizations. This exploratory examination used the statistical technique of canonical correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between IT personnel knowledge and skills and the flexibility of information systems (IS) infrastructure. Additionally, the same technique was used to test the relationship between the knowledge and skills of these personnel and measures of IT contribution to competitive advantage. In both cases, the relationships were significant and positive. Implications of these findings and a call for further research into the strategic value of IT personnel knowledge and skills are discussed.

The Impact of Sound Relationships on Achieving Alignment

2005 ◽  
pp. 2815-2820
Author(s):  
Awie Leonard
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
Business Partner ◽  
Top Executives ◽  
It Department ◽  
International Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

International Data Corporation (CIO, 1997) surveyed 283 top executives across three vertical industries: finance, manufacturing, and retail/wholesale. They found “a strong correlation between the effectiveness of the IT department (IS organization) and the relationship between the CIO and the CEO”. “We suspect that this relationship, if it is close, permits the CIO to develop the IT department (IS organization) into a service that delivers competitive advantage for the company, thus enhancing the careers of every IT professional in the organization.” In other words, “a certain amount of mutual esteem will help IT (IS) function as a business partner”.

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