Of the Significance of Business Relationships (original) (raw)
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The Strategic Relevance of Business Relationships: A Preliminary Assessment
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000
The ubiquitous contention within the Industrial Networks literature -that business relationships are one of the firm´s most important resources -has not been, in our viewpoint, thoroughly explored. Hence we argue that the 'Resource-based View of the Firm' ('RBV') may complement the network-based reasoning on the strategic relevance of business relationships. A theoretical framework is proposed -a competence-based view of the firmwhich solves RBV´s terminological and inconsistency problems and, more importantly, assures compatibility with the network perspective´s assumptions. The possibility of crossfertilizing the Industrial Networks and RBV theories seems not only real, but also conceptually profitable for both theoretical fields.
Industrial Marketing Management, 2020
The industrial network literature contains underlying assumptions about the nature of business relationships. We use change as a vehicle to unearth these assumptions and conduct a systematic review of change in business relationships in the industrial network literature. We identify three approaches to business relationships: agency, structure and practice. Our research contributes to the industrial network literature by explicating how change in business relationships is derived implicitly from what people do, the surrounding structures, or the logic underlying their action. This research helps provide construct clarity by elaborating the key assumptions and key constructs of the three approaches as well their implications for business relationships research.
1 the Strategic Relevance of Business Relationships: A Preliminary Assessment*
2014
, see www.impgroup.org. It is hereby gratefully acknowledged that in that Consortium, the paper and its presentation by its first author were bestowed the 1 st Prize (in ex aequo with three other participants), granted by SAS TM and awarded by the tutors, as the best among the 20 PhD papers therein presented, following blind refereeing. The paper´s original title was "Inter-organizational relationships as firm´s strategic resources: the case of Madeira´s business and Innovation Centre".
Systemic View of Interorganisational Relationships: An Analysis of Business Networks
Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2006
Business networks are formed by organisations with common interests. Inter-firm relations can bring to the companies involved an important contribution in the innovation processes: stimulating the division and sharing of scientific and technical information. This union between companies seems to be an appropriate alternative to promote the organisation's effectiveness. Considering the relevance of inter-organisation networks, their consolidation and the need to understand their essence as a mechanism of competitive advantage, this study is a theoretical reflection on the development of business networks and their proliferation. Using multiple perspectives, the paper discusses the classic authors, as well as contemporary references. It also analyzes the concept of networks and their importance, from a system's perspective. The systemic analysis emphasizes a holistic interpretation, considers the environment, the interdependence of the parts and the business inter-organisation actions. More than a theory, the systemic view can be understood as a model of empirical analysis, used to better understand complex phenomena. Considering inter-organisational relations, the systemic approach consists of the mechanism to understand the dynamics of business networks, their interface, especially considering their role in gaining a competitive advantage. The results discussed in this paper can bring a rich understanding of the role of networks for companies that participate in this initiative.
Business Relationships and the Impact of Political, Competitive and Intermediary Connections
2008
In further developing the notion of business actors in the distributive channel, the study integrates competitors, political and intermediary units to investigate if and how they have their impacts on focal businesses. In this construction, business relationship function is exposed to be interrelated to connected business and other actors which are directly or indirectly interdependent. The argument is driven by the notion that actors, like competitors, intermediaries and political units, can generate uncertainty for the core business relationships. In order to achieve a deeper understanding, the study develops a conceptual view which contains the two key relationship concepts of commitment and trust (Morgan and Hunt, 1994). Stressing on business network theory, the paper contends to study the influence of different type business and non-business connections on focal business. The empirical study is based on a survey which contains extensive interviews with 354 firms' relationships. To reach this the paper constructs a LISREL model to test the hypothesis. Knowledge on the impact of these units can aid business firms when developing strategies towards these units. Including uncertainties sources like intermediary and political relationship may provide a more reliable picture of the firms' behavior in business network.
(2013) Business ties selection in the analysis of organizations. Experimental and empirical results.
The paper wants to discuss and implement the researches in practice management regarding the continuity of business ties that enterprises manage with customers and suppliers. The continuity of ties is analysed using a renewal model that allows to reproduce the empirical results of a sample of cases and the experimental data obtained by a laboratory of practice management. Particularly the hypothesis tested is concerning the appropriateness of the proposed model, based on the selection of business ties, to reproduce the empirical and the experimental data. The research question is if the selection of ties could be an affordable parameter to reproduce, from an organizational point of view, the renewal of business ties. refers to the terms "selection" and "selection rate" that are considered in a positive meaning as regarding the business ties that survive to the yearly process of renewal.
Interorganizational relationships and networks
Journal of Business Research, 2003
Relationships and networks have been analyzed with different theoretical backgrounds and methods, at different levels, and with different results and conclusions. This diversity promotes a better understanding of the antecedents, dynamics, and effects of relationships and networks. However, this diversity also creates problems to compare and integrate results and to develop a general theory based on cumulative evidence. Therefore, we want to offer a framework, which gives some overview and orientation by classifying and describing the different levels of analysis, the different theoretical and managerial perspectives, and the different objects of analysis, which have been used. This could guide the process of bringing together the different pieces of the research jigsaw called research in business-to-business markets. D