Search results

1 – 10 of over 77000
Book part
Publication date: 8 April 2005

Ricardo Madureira

This paper illuminates the distinction between individual and organizational actors in business-to-business markets as well as the coexistence of formal and informal mechanisms of…

Abstract

This paper illuminates the distinction between individual and organizational actors in business-to-business markets as well as the coexistence of formal and informal mechanisms of coordination in multinational corporations. The main questions addressed include the following. (1) What factors influence the occurrence of personal contacts of foreign subsidiary managers in industrial multinational corporations? (2) How such personal contacts enable coordination in industrial markets and within multinational firms? The theoretical context of the paper is based on: (1) the interaction approach to industrial markets, (2) the network approach to industrial markets, and (3) the process approach to multinational management. The unit of analysis is the foreign subsidiary manager as the focal actor of a contact network. The paper is empirically focused on Portuguese sales subsidiaries of Finnish multinational corporations, which are managed by either a parent country national (Finnish), a host country national (Portuguese) or a third country national. The paper suggests eight scenarios of individual dependence and uncertainty, which are determined by individual, organizational, and/or market factors. Such scenarios are, in turn, thought to require personal contacts with specific functions. The paper suggests eight interpersonal roles of foreign subsidiary managers, by which the functions of their personal contacts enable inter-firm coordination in industrial markets. In addition, the paper suggests eight propositions on how the functions of their personal contacts enable centralization, formalization, socialization and horizontal communication in multinational corporations.

Details

Managing Product Innovation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-311-2

Book part
Publication date: 17 February 2015

Noelle Chesley and Britta E. Johnson

To assess: (1) the prevalence of specific work practices that incorporate use of information and communication technology (ICT), (2) whether these practices are connected to…

Abstract

Purpose

To assess: (1) the prevalence of specific work practices that incorporate use of information and communication technology (ICT), (2) whether these practices are connected to employee distress or productivity via work extension or social network processes; (3) the implications of ICT-based work practices for the work/family interface.

Design/methodology/approach

We draw on the 2008 Pew Networked Workers data collected from a nationally representative sample of workers and use logistic regression methods to investigate links among use of specific ICT-based practices and increases in distress or productivity.

Findings

(1) Use of e-mail, instant messaging, texts, and social networking sites at work varies by demographic, organization, and job characteristics, and (2) ICT-based work extension, social network expansion, and connectivity to work colleagues are linked to increases in distress and productivity. Connecting with family or friends while at work can reduce the likelihood that an employee reports an increase in work stress.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include a cross-sectional design, age of the data, missing data, and measurement issues. Even with these limitations, there are few investigations drawing from national samples of employees that can assess work-related ICT use with this level of depth.

Originality/value

Findings point to technological innovation as an important factor influencing work extension and social network processes and connect this to changes in employee distress and productivity. The focus on productivity is especially important given the emphasis that previous research has placed on linking ICT use and employee distress.

Details

Work and Family in the New Economy
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-630-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Gina Santos, Carla Susana Marques and Vanessa Ratten

The purpose of this paper is to assess women winemakers’ motivations for and objectives in creating a formal, horizontal, and inter-organizational network in Portugal. To this…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess women winemakers’ motivations for and objectives in creating a formal, horizontal, and inter-organizational network in Portugal. To this end, an analysis was carried out of the practical case of a network of women wine producers from some of the main wine regions of Portugal (i.e. D’Uva – Portugal Wine Girls).

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data analysis was carried out of in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven wine producers and the network manager. The content analysis of interviews was done with QSR International’s NVivo Version 11 software.

Findings

The results support the conclusion that the D’Uva – Portugal Wine Girls network promotes the creativity and innovation fundamental to communicating unique features to consumers. These are narrated in a feminine, cohesive, and united voice and supported by a passion for winemaking. The network is open to adding other women producers, which could contribute to its growth and further sharing of knowledge, contacts, and experiences.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide a better understanding of the processes of internationalization and networking among women winemakers in Portugal.

Practical implications

The benefits of this network in terms of relationships were examined, showing that the stimulation of better performance and the effects of antecedents were important in the creation and formalization of the network.

Originality/value

This research sought to contribute to the literature on female entrepreneurship and, more specifically, networks of entrepreneurial women. The findings stress that, through the formalization of networks, women can gain more advantages, namely, sharing knowledge and experiences, increasing their level of internationalization, and expanding their networks.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2021

Yan Qu, Adam J. Saffer and Daniel Riffe

Consumer engagement has become a critical component to many brands' relationship and promotional efforts. Empirical studies have documented the psychological elements that can…

1092

Abstract

Purpose

Consumer engagement has become a critical component to many brands' relationship and promotional efforts. Empirical studies have documented the psychological elements that can drive consumers to engage with brands. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how consumer engagement is influenced by the social environment consumers are embedded in. Taking an egocentric network approach, this study explores the social network factors that affect different dimensions of consumers' online engagement behaviors with a brand.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey with an egocentric network design was employed, and 263 completed responses were collected from college students in US. The dimensionality of consumer engagement was validated using exploratory factor analysis. The hypotheses were tested through three sets of hierarchical regression models.

Findings

The results suggest that consumer engagement with a brand was partially shaped by the attributes of consumers' brand discussion networks that emerge from their conversations about a brand with others in everyday life. Specifically, the size, heterogeneity, and density to consumers' discussion networks were associated with certain engagement behaviors.

Originality/value

This study introduces a novel type of network method known as egocentric network analysis to explore and investigate the social network antecedents to consumer engagement behavior. It advances the conception of consumer engagement as a dynamic process influencing and is influenced by consumers' social interactions rather than merely a product of their psychological mechanisms. The study contributes to a social network approach to examining and conceptualizing consumer engagement.

Details

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1356-3289

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 February 2012

James W. Peltier and G.M. Naidu

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how social networks evolve as small business enterprises transition across the organizational lifecycle. It aims to give attention to…

3502

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how social networks evolve as small business enterprises transition across the organizational lifecycle. It aims to give attention to how social identities of small business owners impact social networks and whether social networks improve organizational performance in small firms.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) owners employing less than 500 employees was drawn from the local directory of businesses in two Indian cities. A total of 297 SME owners participated in the study, for a response rate of 85.6 percent.

Findings

The findings show that social networks for small businesses change as firms transition from startup to growth and beyond. Personal networks were most important during startup, with other social networks growing in contact frequency and importance over time. The findings also show that small business owners can be classified along network preferences and that social networks lead superior performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused on a limited set of performance indices. Future research should assess a wider set of organizational metrics and should investigate granular aspects of transitional networks.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that small business owners cannot adhere to the status quo and must instead be willing to change business practices as their organizations evolve across the organizational lifecycle.

Originality/value

The study provides evidence that small business owners use different types of social networks and that the range and value of the strategic advice that they receive differ as their organization unfolds over time. The research contributes to the literature by showing that social networks and entrepreneurial learning practices are not static, and instead must be viewed in terms of dynamic decision making needs and processes.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2004

Christina Grundström and Ian F. Wilkinson

Industry standards affect the diffusion and adoption of new technology and the competitiveness of individual players but their development is not under the direct control of…

2397

Abstract

Industry standards affect the diffusion and adoption of new technology and the competitiveness of individual players but their development is not under the direct control of individual actors. Examines the role and importance of personal networks in the development of industry standards on the basis of a case study of Ericsson’s involvement in the development of standards for 3G mobile telephony. Notes how relations among parties and many types of forums stemming from previous development and marketing involvement affect the complex set of interactions shape the bottom‐up self‐organizing way in which standards emerge. The case study has implications for our understanding of the way standards develop and for managers attempting to influence the outcomes.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 October 2007

B. McCarthy, C. Edwards and M. Dunmore

This paper aims to discuss network transparency in a mountain rescue domain and aims to introduce the relatively new research concept of MANEMO (MANET + NEMO) and the mountain…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss network transparency in a mountain rescue domain and aims to introduce the relatively new research concept of MANEMO (MANET + NEMO) and the mountain rescue IP network model developed at Lancaster University.

Design/methodology/approach

An analysis of IP mobility techniques that have been designed for use in the Internet today is provided as background, as well as an overview of the whole MANEMO domain. Highlights the importance of the MANEMO concept by working with real scenarios and developing practical implementations (as opposed to simulation).

Findings

During the research it was found that combining the localised multi‐hop behaviour of MANET techniques and the global reachability of NEMO can be a mutually beneficial process. The benefits afforded by using MANET techniques can bring advantages to NEMO scenarios and vice‐versa. Identifying this fact has given rise to the development of two distinct MANEMO scenarios, MANET‐Centric and NEMO‐Centric MANEMO. Finally, the Unified MANEMO Architecture (UMA) implementation, which attempts to support both of these scenarios in an efficient and feasible manner.

Research limitations/implications

Regarding UMA, research continues into addressing the security implications of this approach and the benefits that multi‐homing can provide.

Originality/value

The paper illustrates how MANEMO can conceivably provide powerful solutions to many important scenarios.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 July 2007

Gunilla Widén-Wulff

It is clear that a lot of information acquisition happens through networks and therefore the focus in this article will lie in the relationships that bind a network together. The…

Abstract

It is clear that a lot of information acquisition happens through networks and therefore the focus in this article will lie in the relationships that bind a network together. The attempt is to map the motives as well as the group identity factors as means of exploring the reasons for sharing. The theoretical framework is brought from the social capital and group identity literature combined with the theories on information sharing in context. The aim is to see how information-sharing practices are developed in two different organisations and these theories are mirrored in the information sharing practices in an insurance company and in a biotechnology firm. The analysis of the cases shows how the group identity and the local context affect information sharing practices. The human and social processes underpin the formal structures enabling information interactions.

Details

Advances in Library Administration and Organization
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-484-3

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2008

Lynda Andrews and Maree V. Boyle

The purpose of this paper is to extend marketing knowledge into perceived risk in online transactions beyond the current positivistic, hypotheses‐driven research by providing…

3844

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend marketing knowledge into perceived risk in online transactions beyond the current positivistic, hypotheses‐driven research by providing qualitative insights into how individuals construct their accounts of perceived risk online. Additionally, the study reported in this paper aims to explore how communication sources influence both these subjective constructions and individuals' behavioural experiences with transaction activity on the web.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was developed within a grounded theory method. Ten in‐depth interviews were conducted which were analysed using constant comparison of incidents procedures to provide rich descriptions of the interviewees' subjective perceptions and lived experiences with online transaction activity.

Findings

The findings provide insights into how the human element is present in individuals' perceptions and constructions of their accounts of the risk involved online. The findings also identify the influence of mass communication sources on the construction of these accounts. The study provides insights into whether change agent communication sources, such as marketers or web designers, influence consumers' behaviours towards online transaction activity through mediating their perceptions of the risks involved. The study also reveals how social communication networks influence the interviewees' decisions to use the web for transaction activities, in particular online purchasing, and how the group in this study might act as a communication source to influence others.

Research limitations/implications

While the findings cannot be generalised to the internet population overall, the sample used was able to provide relevant information regarding the phenomenon of interest. Future research should continue to examine perceived risk and the influence of communications sources, such as e‐mail, discussion groups and virtual communities.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in permitting the participants to account for perceived risk for themselves. The findings explore what this means at increasing levels of personal relevance and the influence of communication sources to create, sustain or mediate perceptions of this phenomenon.

Details

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-2752

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1991

R. Morgan

Discusses the various mobile communication systems made availableby modern technology. Examines the nature and potential of varioussystems: paging, cellular radio, CT2/Telepoint…

Abstract

Discusses the various mobile communication systems made available by modern technology. Examines the nature and potential of various systems: paging, cellular radio, CT2/Telepoint, and Personal Communications Networks. Concludes that successful mobile communication depends on recognition of its importance in business, market awareness, requirements, compatibility, choosing reputable suppliers, and monitoring future developments.

Details

Work Study, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0043-8022

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 77000