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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the competitive advantages of the networks of firms forming the supply chain and distribution channels through process integration, outsourcing, and creation of relational capabilities.

A four‐stage methodology is created to redesign the supply chain depending on the creation of relational capabilities: internal analysis to determine the focal company's competence; relational analysis in the outsourcing of activities; process integration; and development of relational capabilities.

The development of relational capabilities is based on two dimensions: company level of competence in performing activities, and strategic contribution of the activities to competitive advantage. Four cases are analyzed from those two dimensions: high competence/low strategic contribution; low competence/high strategic contribution; low competence/low strategic value; and relational and internal capabilities, where relational capabilities strengthen internal capabilities. Finally, it is established what actions are necessary for the activities analyzed from those dimensions to be a source of competitive advantage by means of relational capabilities created through process integration and outsourcing to highly competent firms.

The development of a short self‐evaluation questionnaire that helps firms implement the methodology and creates the basis for its empirical application by researchers.

The paper studies relational capabilities, an aspect omitted from the internal perspective of the resource and capability theory. It also determines four ways in which relational capabilities influence the strengthening of internal capabilities. The theoretical approach is developed in the redesign of the supply chain.

The purpose of this paper is to establish an integrated framework of the antecedents of enforcement after contract violations in construction projects and to examine whether contract provisions (control and coordination provisions) and trust (goodwill and competence trust) affect enforcement mechanisms (contractual enforcement and relational enforcement).

A survey method was employed to test the hypotheses. The authors collected data from the Chinese construction industry, and general contractor respondents were asked to answer a questionnaire about a contract violation by one of their subcontractors.

Control provisions and competence trust are positively related to contractual enforcement, but goodwill trust is negatively related to contractual enforcement. Relational enforcement is influenced by goodwill trust and competence trust.

This study treats contract violations as a given variable, and it focuses on contract violations by subcontractors. The cross-sectional design makes it difficult to confirm the causality of the relationships.

Overly strict contractual enforcement can generate disputes and a vicious cycle of retaliation, and overly severe relational enforcement can damage a potentially profitable long-term relationship. In construction projects, the violating party will benefit from this study to avoid excessively contractual enforcement and relational enforcement, thus developing a more collaborative atmosphere on the current project and even establishing a solid long-term relationship.

This study extends the project management literature by investigating the antecedents of enforcement after contract violations, an area not yet fully researched.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute with innovative knowledge about how lesson study as a method can be used as a tool for increasing in-service teachers' professional development. More specifically, the aim is to test in what way one single lesson study cycle, where teachers' way of perceiving teacher–student interactions was tested before and after, contributes to teachers' increased understanding of relational competence. The study is a pilot preparing for an upcoming main study.

Participants were 19 lead teachers (swe: förstelärare) in a Swedish municipality. The study was based on a relational framework and methodological approach (Aspelin, 2017; Pianta, 1999). Data obtained through web-questionnaires and collaborative group reflections were analysed and compiled to find general patterns.

The majority of the participants (98.5%) considered their understanding of relational competence to be increased (Cohen's d 1.72) during the intervention. Additionally, there was a notable increase in participants' abilities to verbalise their understanding post-intervention.

The lack of revised studies might have impacted the validity of this work. However, as this was a pilot study the result can be considered to fulfil the purpose.

The research suggests that lesson study as a method for in-service teachers as participating students can be used effectively to increase teachers' professional development.

The study aims to investigate how lesson study as a method can be used to develop in-service teacher learning.

This paper aims to investigate the different types of perceived relational benefits in the bank‐retail customer relationship. It further seeks to assess the influence of these benefits on satisfaction with the bank and on three behavioral outcomes, word‐of‐mouth, intention to continue the relationship and cross‐buying.

Three focus groups with retail bank customers were conducted to identify perceived relational benefits. Then exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were run on survey data to confirm the structure of relational benefits. Finally, a structural equation model was estimated in order to test the relationships between relational benefits, satisfaction with the bank and behavioral outcomes. The country of study was Greece.

Five types of perceived relational benefits were identified: two trust‐related (competence and benevolence), special treatment, social and convenience. Only competence and convenience significantly affect satisfaction with the bank. No direct link between relational benefits and behavioral outcomes was found, as satisfaction plays a mediating role between them.

Findings are context specific but extend previous knowledge on the nature of relational benefits and point out the need to study trust benefits in a multidimensional way as well as to further confirm “convenience” relational benefits.

Findings suggest additional leverages to build relationships and help identify priorities for enhancing overall bank satisfaction through relational actions.

This is the first time that two types of trust‐related benefits are distinguished and a convenience benefit is identified. Further, two of these newly identified benefits (convenience and competence) are the ones that build satisfaction.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate funders' decisions in supporting reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF) in the creative industries by providing insights into the role of trust in the decision-making process of funders. In doing so, the authors examine how trust is developed through online interaction.

Data were collected from interviews and participation at short-term immersive events and gatherings. In addition, data were gathered from online discussions and social media platforms related to RBCF campaign. Qualitative analysis was performed to offer a deeper understanding of funder decision-making processes.

New insights were revealed into funder decision-making processes. Using foraging practices, funders participating in RBCF campaigns build trust before framing their final funding judgments. The paper’s findings highlight the interplay of organizational competency with previously uncharted relational dimensions associated with funder decision-making processes. The authors also revealed how nascent and experienced funders differ in their evaluation of risk.

This study offers an understanding of funder decision-making processes in creative RBCF campaigns. Their support of RBCF campaigns in the creative industries can present some potential risks. Further investigation is still required to reveal the funder's decision-making process. By looking at the roles of trust, the authors provide a conceptualization of competence and the relational dimension of trust, and how trust is developed as a means for mitigating risk.

Mental health practitioners dealing with older adults living in the community are commonly required to form judgements about the decision‐making capacity of someone with dementia. Newer ways of understanding the dementia experience that recognise the importance of relationships and social connections on the functioning of the person with dementia, offer promise for helping to better conceptualise and carry out these assessments of capability. A relational lens recognises that performance and behaviour of persons with dementia are determined not only by neuropathology but also by their personal histories, their interactions with others, and by how they are perceived within their social contexts. This paper will examine how this more ‘relational’ model of understanding can impact the assessment of incapacity.

This paper aims to present an integrated view of the literature published on all aspects and facets of competence in supply chain management (SCM) and furthermore provides a framework for classifying and analyzing literature to facilitate further study, practice and research.

A systematic literature review identified 98 peer-reviewed scientific journal publications on the subject of competence in SCM.

This review identifies and classifies the key content of the subject based on whose competence (level of analysis) and the type of competence (competence element), resulting in a framework that brings together aspects at the individual and organizational level, and of the functional, relational, managerial and behavioral elements of competence from the SCM literature. It furthermore displays the timeliness and wide-ranging character of the subject, as presented by the evolutionary timeline and the main research streams.

Although competence in SCM is a key to business success, the subject is ambiguous and an explicit need exists for more research. This paper provides a foundation for future examination of and theory building in this subject. It also alerts researchers to complementary studies outside of their own “customary” domains.

This paper can support managers in their pursuit to secure competence in SCM and thereby improve outcomes on both individual and organizational level. It can furthermore assist in the development of relevant programs and training sessions.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this work represents the first systematic literature review on the subject of competence in SCM. In addition, it proposes a taxonomy for mapping and evaluating research on this subject.

Do Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) implement managerial strategies oriented towards Sustainable Development (SD) to respond to an essentially marketing issue? The article answers this question by showing that the commitment to SD implies an evolution of the marketing paradigm towards some more responsible marketing. More precisely, this commitment implies a vision of marketing in terms of competences, focusing mainly on the translation of SD values into customer benefits that might bring a lasting competitive advantage. It presupposes a genuine integration into the companies’ marketing strategies and implies that an essential boundary is set, satisfying customers and maintaining and improving the balance of the quality‐price‐services ratio in the commercial offer on the market.

The purpose of the paper is to discover quality dimensions for the health‐and‐fitness industry and to examine the salient aspects of the quality‐management practices of organisations in this industry.

The research in this paper uses a grounded‐theory approach to a multiple case study of 15 companies in the Swedish health‐and‐fitness industry. Qualitative methods in the form of in‐depth interviews and observation are utilised for data collection.

The paper finds that a framework for fitness quality management is developed and presented. The quality dimensions are found to be “pleasure”, “mental change”, and “physical change”. The main enablers are defined as “relational competence” and “technical competence”. Other indirect enablers are also identified and described.

The paper shows that because the framework is based on qualitative data collection, the relationships are not quantified. This could be an objective of further research.

The framework presented in this paper is useful for managers of fitness companies when designing and managing their activities.

The paper presents a novel framework of the salient features of quality in fitness services – an industry that has received little scholarly attention in the past. This research also contributes to the general understanding of service quality, and demonstrates the usefulness of inductive qualitative methodology in this regard.

Self-determination theory was used to conceptualize a type of school climate that has consequences for the social, emotional and cognitive well-being of students. The purpose of this paper is to argue that a need-supportive climate emerges through a general pattern of interactions that students experience as supporting their psychological needs.

A hypothesized model was tested whereby the latent need-supportive climate variable was predicted to work through identification with school to influence student grit. Ex post facto data were collected during the 2015–2016 school year from a random sample of students in either the 5th, 8th, or 11th grades in 71 schools located in a southwestern city in the USA. A total of 3,233 students received surveys. Of these students, the authors received useable responses from 2,587 students for a response rate of 80 percent.

Findings support the hypothesis that autonomy-support, competence-support and relational-support are integrated and combine to shape experiences that align with student psychological needs. Additionally, students who experienced a need-supportive climate were also more likely to identify with school and expressed higher grit toward academic pursuits.

A need-supportive climate adds meaning to more general characterizations of school life (e.g. healthy, supportive, open, etc.) and it affords a theoretically derived explanation for how the social side of schools nurtures the inner determination of students to excel.