Explore the vast range of titles available.

Effective relationship marketing (RM) in a firm's global operations necessitates that the underlying aspect of reciprocity operate consistently across markets. Unfortunately, few studies have empirically examined the role of reciprocity in RM, let alone whether the effects of reciprocity in RM are universal across national cultures. To address these limitations, the authors examine reciprocity as a multidimensional norm whose dimensions of equivalence (what is exchanged) and immediacy (when the exchange occurs) influence relationship quality and satisfaction with performance in cross-border U.S.-Japanese interfirm relationships. The results indicate that the effects of reciprocity on relationship quality are conditional on national culture. Specifically, uncertainty avoidance positively moderates the positive effect of equivalence on relationship quality, while individualism and short-term orientation positively moderate the negative effect of immediacy on relationship quality. Moreover, a supplemental analysis indicates that the key mediating variable RM model may not hold across all cultures when predicting satisfaction with performance. These findings underscore the importance of adapting RM strategies across national cultures and provide managers with recommendations for developing high-quality cross-border buyer-seller relationships.

Research in collaborative interorganizational relationships has typically focused on the value of these relationships to a specific supply chain partner. Furthermore, the phenomenon has rarely been explored in a global setting. Using primary data from 126 cross-border dyads, we investigate the influence of relational learning on the relationship performance of both the buyer and the supplier, testing the contention that both members (1) benefit from relational learning efforts and (2) enjoy equal pieces of the benefits pie. We find that three specific types of relational learning (information sharing, joint sensemaking, and knowledge integration) influence relationship performance, and that these dimensions of relational learning affect supply chain partners in different ways. We draw conclusions regarding the relative value of relational learning for both buyers and suppliers.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain the impact of relationship capital (trust and commitment) and the exchange climate (communication, conflict resolution and cooperation) on performance satisfaction in the context of buyer–supplier relationships. The study also examines the influence of national culture on the proposed relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model and accompanying research hypotheses are tested on data from a survey of 169 US and 110 Brazilian buyers. Structural equation modeling (AMOS 18.0) is used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Results suggest that performance satisfaction is highly dependent on the level of relationship capital and climate of information exchange between buyer and supplier. Quality communication and conflict resolution have the greatest impact on performance satisfaction while trust’s influence is both direct and mediated by the exchange climate. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to a two-country sample in a business-to-business (B2B) context. Also, this study examines only the impact of socio-psychological behaviors on performance outcomes; economic variables are not considered. Practical implications – Results provide insight into what behavioral attributes are most influential in increasing a buyer’s satisfaction with a supplier’s performance in distinct countries. Based on the findings, suppliers can better formulate strategies to enter overseas markets. Originality/value – This study extends the strategic alliance literature on performance-relevant behaviors to the context of buyer–supplier relationships. In addition, the study contributes to the extant literature by including a sample from an emerging market.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight the value of university social responsibility (USR) by investigating its impact on student-university identification and student loyalty. It also examines the mediating effect of student-university identification and the moderating effect of the perceived importance of USR. A comparative study is also conducted between students from two diverse cultural backgrounds. Design/methodology/approach: An online questionnaire was administered to students of universities in two different emerging markets economies (Lebanon and Colombia). The collected data were tested by applying descriptive techniques, cluster analysis and partial least square structural equation modeling with multi-group analysis using SmartPLS3.0 software. Findings: The findings revealed that USR affects student loyalty both directly and indirectly through student-university identification. Research limitations/implications: Assessing the model through a more varied sample population from different cultural backgrounds would entail more universal results and the ability to generalize the causality relationship between USR and student identification and loyalty. Originality/value: This study is a valuable addition to the scarce literature on USR and its interplay with student-university identification. It presents USR as a vital marketing tool to achieve student identification and loyalty, being key factors that impact student enrollment and retention. It also translates into a competitive advantage for higher education institutions to overcome the fierce competition in the educational market. Additionally, this research can be considered a laboratory for theory testing and theory building due to its unique context and original primary data.

This article explores the changing character and consequences of state authorities' evolving relationships with universities in the United States, Germany, and Norway-typical cases for different national worlds of higher education. It argues that across the three OECD countries, welfare states have strengthened market principles in university governance, yet shaped competition in different ways. This conceptualization of institutional changes makes two seemingly conflicting perspectives compatible: one diagnosing national convergence on academic capitalism and one arguing for lasting divergence across national political economic regimes. Upon proposing ideal-typical trajectories of market-making institutional liberalization, the article explores path-dependent movement toward varieties of academic capitalism in the three countries. The findings on the socio-economic effects of this transformation suggest the need to moderate expectations on the ability of reformed higher education systems to contain contemporary societies' centrifugal forces. (HRK / Abstract übernommen).

To compensate for loss of business during the COVID-19 crisis, wineries in the tourism industry had to apply new strategies. In order to collect and compare these newly developed sustainable strategies, a cross-cultural study has been conducted in 2021. This study is based on a qualitative survey using purposeful sampling with key decision-makers of 70 wineries from the U.S., Australia, Germany, Hungary, and Romania covering wine growing countries both from the Old and New World. The aim was to identify new and sustainable initiatives and resilience strategies implemented to deal with the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting any cultural differences in each country’s response and to analyse the perspectives of wine tourism in the future. The findings highlight the wineries’ impressive focus on creativity and flexibility while also bringing attention to cultural differences. The insights form a preliminary suggestion for best practice strategies that businesses within wine tourism may consider helpful in their future business planning.

Cultural sensitivity is assumed to be important in international business, yet little empirical work explores how cultural sensitivity actually develops. In-depth interviews with buyers from the Asian Pacific Rim were conducted, and support was found for a four-stage model of cross-cultural sensitivity in which buyers move through the stages of romantic sojourner, foreign worker, skilled worker, and partner. This paper explores the development and evolution of cultural sensitivity as it interacts with trust and development of international business relationships.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of store-level attributes, relationship investment, culture and religiosity on relationship quality.Design/methodology/approachTo attain the above objective, data were collected from 350 customers from India and Nigeria. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS.FindingsIn the present study, empirical evidence was found for the impact of most of the store’s positioning attributes on perceived relationship investment and relationship quality, in India and Nigeria. Factors like personalization and their impact on relationship investment and quality were not supported in Nigeria. Additionally, religiosity was found to impact relationship quality only in case of Nigerian customers. Cultural differences were also found between consumers of both these countries.Originality/valueThe present study contributes to the theory of consumer behavior and cross-cultural studies by examining the effect of the relationship between various cultural dimensions and religiosity on customer’s commitment with a store, which to the author’s best knowledge is not done before. The present study makes important contribution to the existing literature of relationship quality in three ways: first, by specifying important store-level attributes that impact customer’s perception about relationship investment. By applying these practices, retailers can guide customer’s perception of relationship investment, second, this study confirmed the impact of relationship investment on relationship quality, thus demonstrating the retailers as to why should they invest time and effort in building positive perception about relationship investment, third, this study is first of its kind to have investigated the impact of culture and religiosity on the perception of relationship investment and relationship quality.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance of culture generally, and Arab culture in particular, for the development of trust in business-to-business (B2B) banking relationships. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative fieldwork was employed, gathering in-depth interview data from bankers and their business clients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In total, 80 relationships between bankers and business clients were investigated. Findings The development of trusting relationships between bankers and clients is affected by the cultural origins of the relationship partners. Strongly held religious beliefs, and loyalty to family, tribe and nation, lead to strong affect-based trust between bankers and clients from Arab culture. Cognitive-based trust is more characteristic of UAE banker/client relationships that involve partners from outside the Arab world. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted in the UAE. Additional tests in other Arab countries would be valuable. The qualitative nature of the study means that statistical generalizations cannot be drawn. Practical implications The cultural origins of banking relationship managers are of considerable importance when seeking to develop relationships of trust with business banking clients in the Arab world. Originality/value This substantial, qualitative study of banker relationships with business clients throws considerable light on the importance of culture as an antecedent to trust in B2B banking relationships.

The increasing globalization of business has heightened the importance of understanding national cultural influences in interorganizational relationships from both a cross-cultural and an intercultural perspective. The authors use Hofstede's (2001) multidimensional national cultural framework to theorize differences in the relationships between key firm resources. Specifically, they explore relationship resources (i.e., the influence of trust on commitment), knowledge resources (i.e., the influence of information sharing on problem resolution), and their linkage (i.e., the influence of commitment on information sharing) both cross-culturally and interculturally from the perspective of Japanese and U.S. firms. The authors use a sample of Japanese and U.S. firms that report on their primary intra- and intercultural business partners to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that national culture influences relationship resources (i.e., the relationship between trust and commitment) and the linkage of relationship resources to knowledge resources (i.e., the relationship between commitment and information sharing). The authors address implications for both academics and practitioners.