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Most research about relationships and networks concentrates on social bonds such as trust and commitment. Little research considers technical bonds and how they interact with social bonds within a relationship. Thus this research investigates how technical bonds of information technology link with social bonds in the relationship between two organisations in a business system, in particular, between a franchisor and franchisees within a franchise system. First, a framework of the structure of a relationship between business alliance partners was synthesised from the business‐to‐business literature. Then Australian franchisors were surveyed about the effects of their investments in information technology upon their franchisor‐franchisee relationship. Structural equation modelling techniques were used to analyse the survey data. The results provided support for the framework, with the franchisor’s increased technical competence from information technology improving the social bonds in a relationship but those bonds being secondary to further technical investment. An implication for managers is that investments in information technology operate through the social bonds within their business.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective process to market high-rise luxury condominiums in a middle-income country in Asia like Sri Lanka, based on empirical evidence.

The case research methodology used to address the four research issues used multiple sources of data. In stage 1, qualitative data were collected in interviews with managers and salespersons of six condominium developments that ranged from successful to failure. In stage 2, quantitative data were collected in a survey of the buyers of the six cases.

The authors contributions to knowledge include the first evidence-based findings about what influences the success and failure of high-rise luxury condominium developments in a country like Sri Lanka. In addition, a comprehensive marketing model of an effective marketing process is developed for forward-thinking professionals in the field to use to successfully market their luxury high-rise condominiums projects in the future.

Detailed steps for successful marketing are outlined, from the Board of Management down to salespersons.

This is the first academic research paper to examine the effective marketing of high-rise luxury condominiums in a middle-income country like Sri Lanka.

Firms have only just begun to use the Internet to obtain customer information in their database marketing processes to enhance customer relationship management. This research uses an action research approach to develop a new framework about how they can do this. The action research project was carried out in a large Australian database company because no other sources of empirical information about the topic were available and it could provide rich findings about an under‐researched, practical area. Results showed that integration of the Internet and database marketing enhances the effectiveness of customer relationship management practices. For example, the Internet offers benefits such as increased consumer data collection accuracy and speed, cost savings, greater interaction and better relationships with customers. This research also identifies that organizational culture, top management support and collaboration between marketing and IT teams need to be in place to provide a supportive environment that is critical for the success of the integration.

Relationship marketing (RM) has emerged as a new marketing idea for many firms in Western countries. The aim of this paper is to review the evolution of RM ideas. Definitional difficulties are sorted out, a typology of many of the relationships is developed, structural and social bonds are identified and whether RM is a paradigm shift for marketing theorists and practitioners is debated. This paper argues that RM is not a paradigm shift, but rather an appropriate marketing approach when management considers product/service, customer, and organization factors. The paper’s contribution is its comprehensiveness and up‐to‐date review of the evolution of core RM ideas.

This paper examines the dynamics of business networks, that is, how these inter‐organisational networks grow and decline. Three rival theories are investigated: predetermined sequence of stages, evolution of unpredictable states and joinings theory which focus on positioning, repositioning and exit. A case study methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Data were collected from in‐depth interviews with network managers/owners of firms networking with other overseas firms entering into Australian and Asian markets. The findings revealed that inter‐firm network development is an evolution of unpredictable states rather than a predetermined sequence of irreversible stages. In turn, a six “states” model of inter‐firm network development was formulated from data. Implications for managerial practices and further research are advanced.

Japan has the world’s second largest food service sector and its food market is three times greater than all other Asian food markets combined. Thus, exports of fresh fruit to Japan have potential for growth, but little research has been done about Japanese fresh fruit markets. Examines exports of fresh fruit from Australia to Japan, using fresh mangoes as a case study to explore the issues involved. A literature review of the fresh fruit market in Japan and Japanese consumer preferences for fruit formulates three research issues: (1) How do Japanese consumers view the taste and other characteristics of a new and foreign fruit such as mangoes?; (2) What are the factors affecting the popularisation of new and foreign fruit such as mangoes, in Japan?; (3) What are the possible bases for segmentation of the market for new and foreign fruit such as mangoes, in Japan? Next, the focus group methodology used to explore these issues is described and justified. Findings about each of the issues are compared with theory, and a model of fresh fruit opportunities in Japan is developed. Finally, implications for management about the promotion of a fresh fruit like mangoes are addressed and implications for further research are noted.

Focuses on how national travel and tourism authorities can market a country as a tourist destination, with particular reference to the marketing of Australia and New Zealand to target markets in Germany and the United Kingdom. These two nations in Europe are by far the most important tourist generating countries for Australia and New Zealand and there has been a recent substantial increase in the value of international travel and tourism revenues and promising future prospects. However, there is little research emphasising specific marketing and distribution strategies that may be applied by travel and tourism organisations, airlines and intermediaries to market a tourist destination successfully in overseas markets. This research collected data using in‐depth interviews with 41 experienced practitioners in Germany, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and analysed the data with a rigorous case study methodology. The results of this research assist in clarifying the conceptual issues provided in the literature, linking theoretical marketing knowledge about strategies in the discipline of international travel and tourism marketing.

The purpose of this research is to answer the question: how can a new service development (NSD) program in the financial services industry be managed? More specifically, this research has two objectives: to explore the stages in the NSD process; and to explore how customer input may be obtained in the various stages of the development process. After a review of the new product development literature, the case study methodology involving in‐depth interviews with managers and their customers is described. Analysis of the data showed that there were ten stages in the NSD process, and whether those stages were managed linearly or sequentially was a function of the size of the firm. In addition, how NSD managers obtained customer input in each stage, was uncovered. Implications for NSD managers include which stages to concentrate on, and how to capture customer input.