This research is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that adopts PRISMA (Preferred Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) to investigate business-to-business (B2B) marketing communication ...strategies in increasing sales. Data were obtained from Scopus, Emerald, Wiley, Taylor and Francis. A total of 96 journals were initially identified, but through the application of strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, the number was reduced to 10 journals that served as the focus of the comprehensive review. The results show that B2B marketing through social media is becoming an integral and connected part of organisations, as it not only helps during the sales process but also during the buying process. Social media has the potential to assist B2B organisations in improving their communication capabilities by facilitating knowledge promotion and encouraging engagement through advanced technology.
This paper examines the impact of digitalization - the adoption of Internet-connected digital technologies and applications by companies - on B2B exchanges. While B2C exchanges are the subject of ...numerous studies on the transformations brought by the digital technologies, B2B exchanges are far less analyzed. Building on a conceptualization of exchanges between companies as made of activity links, resource ties, and actor bonds, this paper offers to identify three types of “digitalization” according to the nature of the most deeply impacted link. Five cases of digitization in different industrial sectors and five companies providing digital solutions for businesses illustrate these three types. This typology provides an alternative to analyses based on the nature of digital systems used by B2B companies.
•3 main types of the impact of “digitalization” on B2B actors, resources and activities are proposed.•Activity-links-centred digitalization when the digital resource optimizes existing activities•Resource-ties-centred digitalization when the digital resource supports the creation of new activities•Actor-bonds-centred digitalization when the digital resource supports new bonds between actors
Just be there Karampela, Maria; Lacka, Ewelina; McLean, Graeme
European journal of marketing,
06/2020, Letnik:
54, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Purpose
In business-to-business (B2B) settings, research on social media sites (SMS) has primarily examined the benefits and challenges relating to their use, as well as factors driving their ...adoption. Recently, attention has turned to the consequences of using SMS in B2B markets. The purpose of this paper is to extend this line of research by investigating the impact of B2B brands’ social media presence, interactivity and responsiveness on customers’ perceptions of four indicators of brand relationship strength (commitment, intimacy, satisfaction and partner quality).
Design/methodology/approach
Data from an online survey (
N
= 200) with customers of UK-based B2B firms were analysed using structural equation modelling.
Findings
The study reveals that a supplier’s presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook has a positive impact on all four brand relationship strength indicators; interactivity enhances perceived partner quality, while responsiveness positively influences commitment. Differences across the three SMS are also observed.
Research limitations/implications
The research was conducted on a sample of UK-based firms with varying degrees of SMS use that may influence the impact on B2B brand relationship strength.
Practical implications
This study indicates that B2B brands ought to focus primarily on presence on SMS, given its positive impact on brand relationship strength. At the same time, however, B2B brands should be active in responding to customers’ queries on SMS, as well as interacting with them to enhance commitment and perceived partner quality, respectively.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the digital marketing and B2B relationships interface and is the first to examine the role of B2B brands’ presence, interactivity and responsiveness on SMS in enhancing relationships with customers.
Vendor relationship management (VRM) is a software tool that helps to provide seamless connectivity between buyer and supplier. With the rapid development of information and communication technology ...(ICT) most firms have migrated to electronic VRM (EVRM) capability. Only a few studies have examined how EVRM can impact the dynamic B2B capability of firms that combine technological and social innovation in support of transitions and the achievement of business goals. There are also very few interdisciplinary studies using a range of performance matrices to explore the relationship between firms' dynamic B2B capabilities and their sustainability performance, mediated through their various sustainable growth opportunities. In this context, this study aims to develop an integrative model for B2B EVRM capability and firm sustainability. With the help of dynamic capability view (DCV) theory and related literature, a theoretical model is proposed. This model was later validated using the covariance-based structural equation modeling technique (CB-SEM), in considering 378 responses from Indian firms. The study has three main findings. First, EVRM capability significantly and positively impacts B2B dynamic relationship capability between the firm and the vendors. Second, B2B dynamic relationship management capability has a significant and positive impact on firms' sustainability performance mediated through the financial, environmental, and operational performance of the firm. And third, Environmental dynamism (ED) plays a significant role as a moderator, influencing B2B dynamic relationship management capability.
•Develop an integrative model for B2B Electronic Vendor relationship management (EVRM) capability.•The study proves that EVRM capability positively impacts B2B dynamic relationship capability.•Environmental dynamism (ED) plays a significant role, influencing B2B dynamic relationship management capability.
Manufacturers invest in customer solutions to differentiate their offerings and sustain profitability despite declining margins from goods sales. Notwithstanding strong managerial and academic ...interest, an examination of
whether
and explanations for
when
and
why
solutions translate into superior performance are lacking. We test hypotheses developed from the resource-based theory and transaction cost economics, supplemented with in-depth theory-in-use interviews, on primary and secondary data collected from 175 manufacturers. From a model that corrects for endogeneity, the findings suggest that, compared with other service offerings, solutions are associated with increased return on sales. This positive profitability effect is enhanced in firms with greater sales capabilities; it is stronger in industries with greater buyer power but weaker in technology-intensive industries. These results caution against the simplistic view of solutions as a universal route to gaining competitive advantage and aid in better identifying the role of solutions in a manufacturer’s offering portfolio.
Managing the customer experience has become a top priority for marketing managers and researchers. Research on customer experience management (CEM) has traditionally adopted a customer’s viewpoint. ...Few studies have explicitly embraced an organizational perspective, and existing research focuses mainly on business-to-consumer settings. The present study espouses the utility of CEM in business-to-business (B2B) settings on the grounds that interactions in B2B contexts are also “experienced”. It explains how B2B firms can design and manage the customer experience to influence the customer at different touchpoints. The paper develops a comprehensive framework that characterizes CEM in B2B. The paper articulates key challenges for B2B CEM; relationship expectations (mismatches in customer relationships, siloed customer experiences); actor interaction issues (mismatches across the customer’s journey, lack of touchpoint control); and temporal challenges (dynamics of the customer experience). The paper draws out the theoretical implications and develops managerial implications for B2B firms.
This paper reports how a commercial bank in Asia uses big data analytic as a tool to explore the internal B2B data to improve supply chain finance and the efficiency of marketing tactics and ...campaigns. A case study was conducted by analyzing two types of supply chain relationships: (1) supply chain relationships in the credit reports; (2) e-wiring transactions among supply chain companies. The results show that big data analytics is very useful in terms of improving the commercial banks' marketing and risk management performances. The case study also set a good example for B2B firms seeking to understand how they could leverage big data analytics to differentiate customer solutions, sustain profitability and generate new business values. Theorical and practical implications are also discussed.
•An innovative approach is proposed to identify potential corporate customers by analyzing supply chain relationships.•The initial network identified over 220,000 potential customers from the case study.•The case study showed both response and approval rates were significantly higher than the baseline.•Companies with the highest response rate in the case study were profiled.•Potential applications of Supply Chain Finance for corporate banking marketing were discussed.
Business markets are facing major changes due to an increasing digitalization trend and consequent changes in buying behaviors. Practitioners and academics alike have started to emphasize social ...selling as a novel way to tackle these emerging opportunities and challenges at the sales force level. Since research in this area remains embryonic and fragmented, we adopt a discovery-oriented research approach and conceptualize social selling and its key facets based on a systematic literature review and a field study involving thought leading social selling professionals. The findings indicate a need to extend the research focus from social media usage into a concept which comprehends social selling as a broader application of digital marketing principles at the individual salesperson level. Social selling leverages social and digital channels for understanding, connecting with, and engaging influencers, prospects and existing customers at relevant customer purchasing journey touchpoints for building valuable business relationships. We relate the construct to other close selling approaches and explicate its organizational strategy components as well as performance outcomes. The findings advance current understanding of the role of sales in contemporary business markets and have implications for sales and marketing theory and practice.
•We conceptualize social selling based on a discovery oriented study.•It leverages social and digital channels for building business relationships.•It focuses on understanding, connecting with, and engaging relevant actors.•It reflects implementation of digital marketing principles at personal selling.•We identify its key outcomes and organizational strategy elements.
The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of adopting a artificial intelligence-embedded customer relationship management (CRM) system for business-to-business relationship management. ...After reviewing the literature and considering the theory, a conceptual model was developed. The model was validated using the PLS-SEM technique with 312 responses from 14 firms in the B2B context. The study finds that an AI-embedded CRM system has a significant positive impact towards B2B relationship satisfaction and firm performance. Also, the study highlights that there is a negative impact of the moderator ‘technology turbulence’ on the relations of ‘automated decision making’ and ‘operational efficiency’ with ‘B2B relationship satisfaction’, whereas there is a positive impact of moderator ‘leadership support’ on ‘B2B relationship satisfaction’ and ‘firm performance’. There is presently no study on the impact of AI-CRM in the B2B context. Also, the study contributes to the existing literature by incorporating the moderator impact of ‘technology turbulence’ and ‘leadership support’ in the context of AI-embedded CRM systems for B2B relationship management.
Managing supplier relationships in an environmentally responsible way may prevent risk of adverse publicity and reputational damage to the buying firm. Drawing on the stakeholder approach and the ...environmental management capability framework, the purpose of this paper is to gain further knowledge regarding the impact of strategies oriented to green supply chain management on a firm's corporate reputation. We test a set of hypotheses in a panel data of European manufacturing companies for a period of ten years. Our findings provide strong support for the premise that supplier selection, monitoring and partnership termination based on environmental criteria positively influence corporate reputation. Additionally, evidence suggests that the implementation of those strategies in an integral way as well as progressing towards the adoption of green supply chain management benefit a firm's reputation. This study has implications for theory and practice.
•Environmental supply chain selection positively impacts corporate reputation.•Monitoring suppliers to evaluate their green performance benefits reputation.•Supplier partnership termination based on environmental criteria enhances reputation.•Implementing those strategies in an integral way benefits reputation.•Making progress towards the green supply chain management boosts reputation.
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