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The emergence of the customer relationship portfolio of a new venture: a networking process

Antonella La Rocca (Department of Marketing, Rennes School of Business, Rennes, France)
Andrea Perna (Department of Management, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy and Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)
Andrea Sabatini (Department of Management, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy)
Enrico Baraldi (Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden)

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing

ISSN: 0885-8624

Article publication date: 8 January 2019

Issue publication date: 26 June 2019

673

Abstract

Purpose

While several studies have focused on the initial phases of new ventures and their first customer and supplier relationships, we have a limited understanding of how the new venture’s portfolio of customer relationships emerges. This paper aims to explore the emergence of the customer relationship portfolio of a new venture and to investigate the effects of early relationships on subsequent ones.

Design/methodology/approach

Methodologically, the authors rely on a longitudinal single case study of a new venture which develops, implements and sells customized cost-management software. The study is exploratory and based on 24 in-depth interviews.

Findings

The findings show that the development of a customer portfolio depends on the cumulative effect of heterogeneous elements and network connections. These include the initial link between the new venture and the first customer and a subsequent series of interconnections that develop with the emerging network capability of the new venture.

Originality/value

As one of the few studies that explore the emergence of new ventures’ customer relationship portfolio, this study demonstrates the value of applying a relational/network approach for studying relationship portfolio dynamics.

Keywords

Citation

La Rocca, A., Perna, A., Sabatini, A. and Baraldi, E. (2019), "The emergence of the customer relationship portfolio of a new venture: a networking process", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 1066-1078. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-10-2018-0300

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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