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The study here examines how business actors adapt to changes in networks by analyzing their perceptions or their network pictures. The study is exploratory or iterative in the sense that revisions occur to the research question, method, theory, and context as an integral part of the research process.

Changes within networks receive less research attention, although considerable research exists on explaining business network structures in different research traditions. This study analyzes changes in networks in terms of the industrial network approach. This approach sees networks as connected relationships between actors, where interdependent companies interact based on their sensemaking of their relevant network environment. The study develops a concept of network change as well as an operationalization for comparing perceptions of change, where the study introduces a template model of dottograms to systematically analyze differences in perceptions. The study then applies the model to analyze findings from a case study of Norwegian/Japanese seafood distribution, and the chapter provides a rich description of a complex system facing considerable pressure to change. In-depth personal interviews and cognitive mapping techniques are the main research tools applied, in addition to tracer studies and personal observation.

The dottogram method represents a valuable contribution to case study research as it enables systematic within-case and across-case analyses. A further theoretical contribution of the study is the suggestion that network change is about actors seeking to change their network position to gain access to resources. Thereby, the study also implies a close relationship between the concepts network position and the network change that has not been discussed within the network approach in great detail.

Another major contribution of the study is the analysis of the role that network pictures play in actors' efforts to change their network position. The study develops seven propositions in an attempt to describe the role of network pictures in network change. So far, the relevant literature discusses network pictures mainly as a theoretical concept. Finally, the chapter concludes with important implications for management practice.

While organization theories acknowledge the influence of specific assets on dependence and increasingly represent the latter as a structure of mutual dependence (dependence of A on B and dependence of B on A), there is, to the best of our knowledge, no empirical test concerning the impact of specific assets on a structure of dependence. Our chapter aims to fill this gap. It is all the more original in that it considers a case study where dependence changes sides according to the characteristics of the transaction. We examine the dependence between Chilean exporters and European importers when trading fresh produce. Such dependence originates with the need for just-in-time coordination and compliance with a compelling demand in a context of high price uncertainty.

Using a unique dataset from international trade in fresh produce between Chile and the rest of the world, we justify the use of a concentration sales ratio as a proxy for dependence and test the influence of a variety of specific assets on the side of dependence by using both categorical and dimensional approaches. Original findings show that certain transaction attributes have a strong influence on the side of dependence. In particular, the higher the frequency and the level of specific assets such as volume, niche varieties, and joint sales with other products, in the transaction, the greater the likelihood of a higher ratio of dependence for the importer rather than the exporter. Conversely, in the event of low levels of specific assets and less frequent operations, dependence tends to be greater on the side of the exporter.

This paper aims to explore the feature and mechanism of a new type of documentary credit fraud that victimizes banks’ issuing letters of credit (L/C), harming neither the importer nor the exporter and seeks to suggest possible measures to tackle it.

This study analyzed 30 cases of documentary credit fraud against banks that were detected by the Korea Customs Service (KCS) and interviewed three key customs investigators to interpret the case reports more accurately and gain a deeper understanding into the mechanisms governing the fraud. This study draws on routine activity theory and crime pattern theory to analyze the opportunity structures of this fraud.

This study found that the importer that engaged in the fraud cases had established a solid business relationship with the exporter and had established trust with the victimized banks; the banks, despite the fact that they had their own risk management systems to screen out unqualified L/C applicants, were defrauded by the offending importers and exporters. Unlike ordinary documentary credit fraud, fraud against banks can be tackled by customs because the offender and the victim typically operate in the same jurisdiction, and this type of fraud often results in trade-based capital flight and money laundering, which is the target of customs enforcement.

As this paper is based on case reports of the KCS, it is inappropriate to generalize the findings or to apply the findings to other contexts. Nevertheless, the opportunity structure elaborated upon in the course of this paper may prove useful in devising measures to tackle this type of fraud elsewhere.

Documentary credit fraud against banks is relatively unexplored, in particular from criminological perspective. This study can contribute to a refinement of the application of opportunity perspective to white-collar crime.

The purpose of this paper is to test the impact of manifest conflict on performance outcomes. In particular, this paper aims to examine the moderating effect of the supplier’s customer orientation (CO) as perceived by the buyer on the conflict-performance outcomes relationships in international channel relationships.

A survey of 162 Australian importers was conducted to elucidate the associations among manifest conflict, CO and performance outcomes.

Manifest conflict was found to be negatively related to the importer’s evaluation of the exporter’s overall performance, which is consistent with previous work. However, CO was found to moderate the negative direct effect of manifest conflict on two outcome measures, “satisfaction with business outcomes” and the “evaluation of the exporter’s overall performance”. Moreover, it actually changed the effect from dysfunctional to functional for “evaluation of the exporter’s overall performance”. That is, CO changes the nature of the manifest conflict–outcome relationship by turning it from negative to positive.

This research helps answer the appeal for research on the conditions in which conflict causes dysfunctional and functional outcomes. From a practical standpoint, providing the importer views the exporter as being customer-oriented, conflict should not be avoided if it stems from disagreements that arise due to the exporter acting in the best interests of the importer. The power of CO in affecting the functionality of outcomes resulting from conflict should be highlighted.

Conflict is a fact of life in channel relationships, but little is known about its functional and dysfunctional effects (Frazier, 1999; Skarmeas, 2006). The empirical evidence largely points to conflict being dysfunctional; however, research also indicates that context can play an important role in moderating the functionality of conflict. In this paper the authors ask: what role does CO play as a determinant of the functionality of manifest conflict in channel relationships? They argue that the exporter’s CO changes the context in which the importer and the exporter interact and, thereby, changes the way in which the importer interprets the supplier’s actions.

Relationship marketing has been playing an important role in the development of marketing theory and practice. Though the concept has been extensively applied in international marketing in understanding the dynamics of exporter-importer relationships, few studies have looked at dyadic data to investigate the impact of mutuality of relational variables on the exporter-importer relationships. The objective of this study is to understand the impact of mutuality of key relational variables on exporter-importer relationship performance. A dyadic model of mutuality is proposed. The model highlights the impact of balance, level and quality of perceptual bi-directionality of relational variables.

The model was tested using dyadic data collected from exporter-importer relationships involving Australian exporters and their Southeast Asian import partners through a cross-sectional, quantitative survey. Mutuality of relationship constructs was measured using the perceptual bi-directionality (PBD) method.

The results support the central hypothesis that mutuality of relational constructs has an impact on relationship performance.

The study is the first to apply the perceptual bi-directionality method to measure mutuality of relational constructs in an exporter-importer setting. The study contributes to the general understanding of international business and exporter-importer relationship performance in particular.

Importer commitment is important to the improvement of exporter performance. More committed importers contribute more to the exporters’ performance than do less committed importers. The purpose of this paper is to examine one of the factors that motivate importers to be committed to their overseas exporters: exporter fairness. Specifically, this study examines the role of exporter fairness in developing importer commitment. Fairness is conceptualized as three dimensions: distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice.

The relationship between the three dimensions of exporter fairness and importer commitment is empirically examined using data collected from 120 Korean importers. Partial least squares technique was employed to test the hypotheses.

It was found that importers’ perceptions of distributive, procedural, and interactional justice contribute to increasing or decreasing importer commitment. Furthermore, when a sample of Korean importers was split into two groups, the three dimensions of justice were positively related to commitment for importers facing a highly volatile business environment, while only interactional justice significantly affected commitment for importers facing a low-volatile environment. These findings indicate that importers facing a highly volatile environment are much more sensitive to exporter fairness than are those facing a low-volatile environment.

The study demonstrates that importer commitment can be developed, particularly in highly volatile environments, if vulnerable importers are treated fairly by their more powerful exporters. Volatile environments offer more opportunity for overseas exporter opportunism than stable environments do, aking importers vulnerable to the opportunistic behaviors of overseas exporters. Such importers are likely to respond sensitively to exporter fairness in the form of increased or decreased importer commitment.

The bulk of research in international exchange has adopted an exporter perspective. In contrast, the work reported here incorporates the importer side of the dyad. The research used an extensive multiple case study design involving 36 exporter‐importer dyads operating across four countries. The main search criteria used by importers are identified along with those areas where the perception and performance of exporters were most at variance with those being used by the importers. Field research also pointed to a marked age‐related cyclical effect in dyad performance. In addition, the best performing dyads were those in which close relationships were maintained among the people on either side, an aspect that could have been more carefully managed by some of the exporters.

This study aims to determine the moderating role of trust on the influence of export incentives over importer role performance. The mediating role of importer role performance and the impact of export incentives on exporter performance have also been investigated.

This study used survey as the main data collection method to obtain data from 105 executives of exporting firms. An official database of export firms was provided to this study by the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand.

Significant partial moderation effect of trust on the impact of export incentives over importer role performance has been seen. Also, this study found a partial mediating role of the importer role performance in mediating the association of export incentives and exporter performance. In addition, export incentives in the form of credible channel policies and price and financial incentives have been found to have a significant positive effect on importer role performance.

This study will be of practical value for practitioners or managers of export firms because it is essential to enhance trust with importers and select the appropriate export incentives for importers. This could enhance competitiveness of the export firms.

This is an original attempt to investigate the role of trust as moderator in influencing the impact of export incentives on importer role performance. Also, this study initially ascertains the mediating effect of importer role performance in mediating the effectiveness of both monetary and non-monetary incentives on exporter performance.

An empirical examination of the perceived differences in offer quality between Western Australian rock lobster exporters and their respective Japanese importers reveals that consistent quality, a willingness to provide market information and a willingness to meet importers” immediate needs were the most important variables influencing an importer's decision to purchase. While both importers and exporters agreed that delivering consistent quality was the most important variable, exporters ranked competitive price much higher than importers. This suggests that Western Australian exporters may benefit from adding greater value to their product offer by providing continuous product support, timely market information and responding better to importers' immediate needs, rather than attempting to compete on price against lower cost producers.

Looks at the experiences and viewpoints of retail buyers, importers and agents in the UK market buying from Israel. Examines the success or failure of Israeli consumer goods companies exporting to the UK. Reveals that market entry and market penetration are two distinct stages, and that success or failure can be attributed to the exporters” attitude to business rather than product attributes or other marketing mix variables.