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The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of social and contractual enforcement on the performance of business-to-business relationship. The research also tests the mediating role of perceived inequity and coordination.

A survey methodology was used to obtain responses from 224 decision-makers at reseller organizations. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

It was found that both social and contractual enforcement impact relationship performance. Perceived inequity and coordination are important moderators of those relationships, as social enforcement increases coordination and reduces perceived inequity, while contractual enforcement increases perceived inequity.

While previous studies examined enforcement impact on coordination and conflict, this study links it to relationship performance. Importantly, enforcement’s relationship with perceived inequity is also examined in the context of B2B relationship.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how different network members utilize and use network‐level performance measurement information. This is an important approach when discussing the management and development of a network by utilizing a performance measurement system.

The study is a single‐case study, where a collaborative network forms the case. The data of the study have been gathered from an action research process of network performance measurement system design and its implementation phase in 2009, interviews in 2010, and discussions with the interviewees in 2012 to re‐evaluate the results.

The results of the study reveal that the use of the network‐level performance measurement system increased communication, trust, and commitment in the whole network, as well as in a single reselling unit. The performance measurement information also helped the companies create better alignment with their network partners.

The paper presents the main uses, utilizations and benefits of network‐level performance measurement and management from the perspectives of the different network members.

The case study contributes to the literature of performance measurement and management in a network environment. It presents the main uses and utilization of network‐level performance management and measurement.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate how context influences the quality of business relationships. This theoretical question is studied from the point of view of trust, one of the important components of business relationship quality. The authors study how trust is related to the dynamics and management of the business relationship in the context of an emerging market.

This paper is based on qualitative interviews with 15 spare-parts resellers in the Tunisian automotive industry. The authors take a monadic view, interviewing resellers about their relationships with their wholesalers-importers. The decision to undertake the research in Tunisia is based on three factors. First, Tunisia is an emerging country and there is very little published research based in the Maghreb countries. Second, the Tunisian automotive parts market structure is relatively simple and, hence, easily understood, with most spare-parts being imported because of the low level of local production. Third, the actors in the study are all Tunisian companies, so research allows us to explore relationships between local companies in an emerging country.

The authors find that different kinds of trust play different roles over the dynamics of the relationship. Perceived trust is more important at the emergent stage of a relationship, and as the two parties learn from each other, experienced trust becomes more important in the established relationships. The initial perceived trust creates the possibility of building trust, and when mutual trust exists between the parties, it motivates them to maintain the relationship, but there is always the threat of the degradation of the quality of the relationship because of the violation or destruction of the trust.

This paper shows that more care should be taken when using trust as the variable under scrutiny. Different aspects of trust manifest themselves at various stages of the relationship building cycle.

The results emphasize that when initiating a business relationship, managers first need to create perceived trust. Thereafter, once trust is built up, it is the trust that may “manage” or act to control the on-going relationship as long as the partners’ behavior or network changes do not violate the trust.

The results of this paper show that there is a mutual but not necessarily symmetrical or balanced influence of trust on the behavior of the partners involved. The influence of the different parties is dependent on the power architecture, the history of the relationship and the network position of the actors.

Advances in interactive communication will dramatically alter the structure of distribution. Will end users' direct access to on‐line product and purchasing data eliminate the need for many specialty resellers? Will large distributors become more like public warehouses? What is the long‐term potential of “electronic commerce”?

The purpose of this paper is to explore how brand managers can motivate resellers who are not directly associated with the brand and know the brand through a local or a national level distributor. Findings of this study provide insights into factors that can lead a brand manager motivate resellers through a reseller motivation pyramid.

Using qualitative data collected from brand managers, different themes of reseller motivations were evaluated.

An overlap between organizational goals, resource-related needs and capabilities of resellers are indicative of modification required in reseller management strategy to keep resellers motivated.

This research suffers from lack of quantitative data that could enable the researcher to establish the linkages discussed.

This research extends current understanding about intrinsic motivations of resellers to promote a brand in competitive markets.

This study aims to examine the roles of business partners in co-creating a corporate brand image.

The study adopts different business partners’ perspectives to analyse corporate brand co-creative actions through a case study within a business-to-business company (B2B SME) context. Interviews with the case company’s manager and key business partners were used as the primary source of empirical data.

The study suggests a typology of seven roles which business partners adopt in corporate brand image co-creation: co-innovator, co-marketer, brand specialist, knowledge provider, referee, intermediary and advocate. The study also highlights the management of co-creative relationships in corporate brand image co-creation in the context of business partners.

This study increases the understanding of the complexities and dynamics related to corporate brand image construction and helps managers size the potential of business partner relationships in corporate branding and manage co-creative brand partner relationships.

The roles are examined by applying a conceptual framework built by combining branding research in a novel way with the role theory. The study also provides a multi-stakeholder perspective to brand co-creation.

To understand the impact of the new block exemption regulation on distribution and after‐sales services in the automobile industry in the European Union (EU).

Strategic responses of the key actors are predicted with the aid of a developed theoretical framework using institutional, industrial organization, and resource‐dependence theories. Both the theoretical framework and the predictions are then tested on natural data, which was obtained from a survey commissioned by the European Commission.

Supranational regulatory institutions and current industry structure both influence firm strategy. Firms respond by anticipating how the regulatory change may impact the future industry structure.

As data cover a short period after the new regulation, long‐term impact cannot be observed.

Contributes to the understanding of the changing state of automobile‐distribution and after‐sales services in the EU.

Unveils the complex relationships between supranational regulatory institutions, firm strategy, and industry structure.

The following is an introductory profile of the fastest growing firms over the three-year period of the study listed by corporate reputation ranking order. The business activities in which the firms are engaged are outlined to provide background information for the reader.

It is recommended that students apply the arguments of resource-based theory to analyze the potential strategic partnership that the case focuses on. The resource-based view suggests that strategic partnerships between firms have the potential to create value when resources are pooled together. Scott Crump faces a decision-making situation wherein he analyses the value-creation potential of the original equipment manufacturer partnership with Hewlett-Packard (HP). In addition, contrasting the cultural environments within both organizations would bring in greater complexity and depth to the reflections, analyses and discussions. Often research experts explore these concepts in isolated streams of research. However, in real-world scenarios, these aspects must be integrated for a more comprehensive decision making to take place. It is also recommended for students to analyze how founder characteristics and resources imprint organizations with certain enduring “imprints” that determine strategic outcomes for the firm in unique ways.

For the development of this case, the authors interviewed the top management at Stratasys including Scott Crump, Founder and CEO. The authors also interviewed former and current employees of Stratasys, HP, other experts in the printing industry and existing customers in the 3D printing industry. The company made internal documents available to the authors including financial statements, internal meeting presentations, company forecasts and assessment tools. All interviews were recorded and analyzed to obtain and include multiple perspectives from various stakeholders. The authors also conducted extensive online research on the 3D printing industry and utilized data from news articles, interviews and other relevant press materials.

Scott Crump, Founder of Stratasys, a company that developed and sold 3D printers, had always envisioned a future when it would be commonplace for a 3D printer to be on the desk of every engineer. HP approached him with a proposal that had the potential to make that dream come true. Crump knew that Stratasys did not need to partner with HP for a financial reason, but he loved the idea of the technology becoming a standard method for creating parts universally. The case highlights a true-life account of a firm’s founder considering an important strategic alliance and analyzing the ramifications of taking on or refusing this partnership.

This case has applications in strategic management and small business management courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It also contains critical areas of decision making relevant to an advanced strategic management course that focuses on manufacturing strategy or strategic alliance decision making. This case would be relevant to MBA, Executive MBA or Masters of Science in Accountancy level students as well. Specifically, it is intended for use in courses involving topics such as mergers and strategic partnerships, negotiation and leadership, risk analysis, financial statement analysis, financial modeling and market analysis.

This paper presents the approach of a one‐to‐one relationship for branding in business‐to‐business markets. With qualitative evidence, the paper seeks to clarify the links between branding, relationship marketing and purchase intention of resellers and to discuss the contribution of brand personified as brand representatives to the brand knowledge of resellers. The aim of this paper is to understand how this transfer of knowledge by brand personified as representatives of the brand is reflected in the selection process of brand for resale by resellers.

The theory is used to develop a testable model. Information from the field was gathered through 12 in‐depth interviews of brand managers of international IT brands. These interviews helped to give a deeper insight into the topic and contributed to the categorization of different themes to be developed into constructs. Components that emerged from the interviews were from different disciplines and were useful in making linkages between these disciplines.

Interviewees associated the role of brand personified (as brand representative) as a conduit between brand and resellers. Given the findings, brand when personified as a human can be used to manage reseller relationships in a business‐to‐business network. The brand personified with its metaphorical properties enables the resellers not only to clearly understand brand‐related information but also to make positive evaluations about the brand. Empirical research would be helpful to establish the indicators of brand personification and to enhance the understanding of the concept.

The study will be useful for senior managers of brands operating in competitive and complex business‐to‐business networks. It will enable them to use the categories and components to ensure that their brand is the preferred brand for resellers operating in the network.

The approach will be helpful in linking different functions of the organization to measure the contribution made by employees representing the brand to resellers in competitive markets by imparting knowledge about the brand to resellers.