To read this content please select one of the options below:

Role of B2B reliance and brand image in reducing risk perceptions: a serial mediation model

Prathamesh Kittur (Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India)
Swagato Chatterjee (Queen Mary University of London, London, UK)

European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Article publication date: 7 March 2023

Issue publication date: 30 March 2023

658

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to explore the role of reliance and brand image (goods-based and service-based) in risk perceptions related to business-to-business (B2B) purchases. In particular, time risk (TR), performance risk (PR) and financial risk (FR) has been explored in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey data has been collected from 152 respondents from different industries, and the model was validated using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The study highlights the importance of reliance and brand image for reducing the effects of perceived risk. While reliance is negatively related to all the risk dimensions, the relationship between reliance and FR is serially mediated by service-based brand image (SBBI) and TR. The same is also mediated by PR. Furthermore, PR and TR are positively related to FR.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study highlight the importance of reliance and brand image for reducing the effects of risk dimensions. Reliance plays an important role in reducing all risk perceptions. Findings also highlight the importance of SBBI in reducing TR.

Practical implications

The findings provide managers with key insights for reducing risk perceptions by creating a strong reliance and B2B brand image, leading to long-term relationship strategies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the few papers in B2B marketing that focuses on the importance of reliance and brand image in reducing the effects of perceived risk.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the reviewers and the editor, whose guidance and valuable comments have helped improve the paper’s quality. The research was not funded by any organizations.

Citation

Kittur, P. and Chatterjee, S. (2023), "Role of B2B reliance and brand image in reducing risk perceptions: a serial mediation model", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57 No. 4, pp. 1068-1098. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-05-2022-0362

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles