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Extant literature on business-to-business (B2B) has largely ignored studying multi-homing through a psychological lens. This paper aims to outline the results of three constituent studies, which were designed to reveal potential differences in multi-homers’ versus single-homers’ loyalty behaviors in a B2B and supply chain management (SCM) setting; identify factors that differentiate single-homers and multi-homers in these settings; and examine the relevance and effect of perceived risk on multi-homing behaviors.

In Studies 1 and 2, the authors used a questionnaire-based survey to capture the perceptions of 503 and 458 SCM experts, respectively. They then deployed AMOS v.21 to perform structural equation modeling. In Study 3, the authors used a mixed-methods approach to interview 18 SCM experts and then applied these insights to a survey with 242 SCM experts.

Study 1 reveals that multi-homers’ loyalty toward their preferred SP has a weaker effect on willingness to pay premium prices and share-of-wallet than single-homers’ loyalty. Study 2 establishes that several attitudinal factors distinguish multi-homers from single-homers in a loyalty framework. Study 3 concludes that perceived risk dimensions promote multi-homing intention, which in turn promotes multi-homing behavior.

Through empirical investigation, the present research succeeds in establishing that multi-homing is a concern for SPs, deciphering the attitudinal factors that distinguish multi-homers and single-homers in a loyalty framework, and confirming the influence of perceived risk dimensions on multi-homing. Thus, the study has several theoretical and practical implications for B2B services in emerging economies.

Information systems (ISs) are at the heart of any responsive organisation. However current tools and techniques of evaluation and design of ISs are not well suited to the needs of small and medium sized companies, and the achievement of their strategic, commercial and operational goals, and perhaps not even to those of larger organisations. The failure rate in the use of many computer‐based systems is very high especially in manufacturing organisations. This suggests that a new and simpler technique is required to lay down the foundation for an IS at an early stage in the development of a company. This system must be capable of being applied by non‐specialist managers but nevertheless be one that incorporates all of the elements of information, in circumstances which may be a mix of technology‐based and manual systems. This paper proposes the design of a simple audit tool that may be used in any area of a company’s organisation to aid in the evaluation, planning and design of holistic ISs in SMEs.

The purpose of this paper is to decipher the levels of three strategic orientations – learning orientation, entrepreneurial orientation (proactiveness and risk taking) and marketing orientation (responsiveness to customers, responsiveness to competitors, responsiveness to the macro-environment and business relationship quality) – that are necessary for firm innovativeness.

Data were collected from a sample of 316 firms in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) was employed to examine the net effects of seven factors (learning orientation, proactiveness, risk taking, responsiveness to customers, responsiveness to competitors, responsiveness to changes in the macro-environment and business relationship quality) on firm innovativeness. Necessary condition analysis (NCA) was then employed to discover the level of these factors as necessary conditions for firm innovativeness.

The results produced by MRA show that learning orientation, proactiveness, responsiveness to customers and responsiveness to competitors have positive effects on firm innovativeness. The results from the NCA reveal that six out of seven conditions exhibit varying necessary levels for firm innovativeness.

The findings are relevant to senior managers and suggest that the levels of strategic orientations necessary for firm innovativeness vary. Firms therefore should pay attention not only to the net effects (beta weights) but also to their necessary levels. Based on their resources and capabilities, firms should take into account the necessary level of each strategic orientation in order to achieve their innovativeness goal.

This study is among the first to decipher the levels of three strategic orientations (learning orientation, entrepreneurial orientation and marketing orientation) that are necessary for firm innovativeness.

Although multi-brand loyalty (MBL) in consumer markets has been identified in previous brand loyalty research, empirical studies have not yet explored the facets of its different types. This paper aims to have a deeper understanding of MBL by investigating its different types and facets.

This study uses a sequential, qualitatively driven mixed-method design consisting of in-depth interviews and supplementary survey research.

The findings of this study suggest that mood congruence, identity enhancement, unavailability risk reduction and market competition are the most important facets that explains the two types of MBL (complementary-based and product substitutes). Furthermore, the findings show that the family factor can motivate consumers to be multi-brand loyal by adding brands to an initially family-endorsed brand.

This study advances the conceptual foundations of MBL and extends previous research on brand loyalty. Some of the findings may be limited to the economic and cultural context of relatively affluent countries with an abundance of market offers.

Marketing managers gain insights into how to manage brand loyalty and how to transition from MBL to single-brand loyalty.

The study generates novel insights into the facets of different types of MBL.

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between the dimensions of intellectual capital (IC) and sustainability practices (SP) within the context of manufacturing medium and large (ML) firms in Uganda. The study aims to shed light on whether and how different dimensions of IC contribute to the adoption and implementation of SP by these firms.

This study utilized a cross-sectional and quantitative approach, collecting data through a questionnaire survey from a sample of manufacturing ML firms. The collected data underwent analysis to identify patterns and relationships using the SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.

The findings demonstrated that the three categories of IC (human, structural and relational capital) influence the SP of ML manufacturing enterprises in Uganda. This suggests that IC is a critical component of SP.

Manufacturing enterprises should use their IC to create strategies for sustainable solutions, such as creating new, ecologically and socially responsible products and services and improving current ones to lessen their environmental effect.

This research advances knowledge of SP by revealing if all aspects of IC are significant for the SP of manufacturing enterprises in Uganda.

This study aims to establish an idea on visibility and growth of research publications of select Library and Information Science (LIS) open access journals indexed in Scopus database during the period 2001-2015.

The study covers its scope to the research publications published during the period 2001-2015. All retrieved data were analyzed using bibliometric methods. The data of the select journals were searched in Scopus database using the name of the journal as search term in source of the database.

The results of the study reveal that visibility of LIS research articles in country based, university/ institution based, types of document based, authors based and citation based is significant. Authors from 83 countries and 990 universities/ institutions across the world have published their research in such LIS open access journals. The American and European countries are the leaders among all contributing countries and “Article” is the most popular types of documents with 61.37 per cent publications. The citation impact of publications shows an average 8.08 citations per publication.

The study raises concern on the global visibility of LIS research publications. Authors from underdeveloped countries do not prefer to publish their publications in open channel. Also government and other research bodies of these countries do not give proper weightage to the publications in open access journals. So, the study intends to assess the visibility of LIS research publications and their growth pattern.

This study aims to investigate the effect of acquisition modes on customer behavioral loyalty to enrich our knowledge of the effectiveness of acquisition modes and how to better target customers in the service industry.

Using a data set from a large commercial bank in China, this study conducts a series of empirical analyses to examine the impacts of two types of acquisition modes (i.e. the gift acquisition mode and customer referral) on customer behavioral loyalty.

Gift acquisition has a negative effect on customer behavioral loyalty, as measured by the dropout probability, consumption amount and consumption frequency. Furthermore, this negative relationship could be weakened if the customer is referred by an existing customer.

Although prior studies have investigated the effectiveness of some acquisition modes in terms of customer loyalty, customer acquisition through the provision of gifts, which is widely implemented in marketing practice, has not been well investigated. This study addresses this research gap and identifies the joint influence of acquisition modes on customer behavioral loyalty, further enriching our knowledge of the effectiveness of different acquisition modes.

This study investigated business-to-business (B2B) repeated purchase intent and its relationships with customer value and customer satisfaction. Additionally, it explored the link between willingness to purchase again, switching costs and product returns management. Modern customers are more likely to switch suppliers; however, previous research suggests that this behaviour can be attenuated by a robust returns management experience. The purpose of this study was to provide a revised model of B2B repeated purchase intent that integrates the concept of product returns management and switching costs with existing B2B customer repurchase intent models.

First, a qualitative inquiry based on semi-structured interviews was conducted to test and develop a quantitative survey. Then a survey was then sent to business owners operating in the audiology industry. Finally, there were 317 responses.

The authors reveal the complex relationship between returns management and repeated purchase intent. Specifically, the authors’ results indicate that the effect of product returns on repurchase intent is opposite to the effect of customer value, depending on the value of customer value. The authors’ findings indicate that even when switching costs are low, firms can positively impact the intent to purchase again in the future if they increase the level of customer satisfaction. In addition, the authors’ findings indicate that in the context of B2B a high/low level of customer satisfaction does not trigger a positive effect of managing product returns on repurchase intent.

This study was the first to introduce the concept of product returns management to research on B2B repurchase intent.

SMEs especially those in developing countries face a number of challenges that affect their performance and survival in the long run. One of the challenges that has not been widely explored is that of SME supply chain performance. This study attempts to examine the relationship between collaborative relationships and SME supply chain performance in Uganda. SME supply chain performance is an important area because SMEs account for a large percentage of the private sector. Our study established that collaborative relationships explained 29.5 per cent of the variation in SME supply chain performance. Information sharing and incentive alignment were found to be significant predictors of SME supply chain performance while decision synchronization was not a signification predictor. These findings are important and raise implications for theory and managers of SMEs in Uganda.

Despite the importance of mobile experiences in the food service industry, extant studies do not empirically examine customers' behavior. Thus, the authors examine this issue by using utility theory to understand the role of multidimensional customers' perceived value in the formation of a positive attitude.

Customers' perceived service, process, and relationship values are hypothesized to affect satisfaction, which in turn affects attitudinal loyalty to food delivery applications. Also, the authors explore whether attitudinal loyalty influences customers' behavioral loyalty. Hypotheses are examined using data from US customers of food delivery applications. Partial least squared structural equation modeling is used.

Results show that customers' perceived service, process, and relationship valuation of mobile experiences influence satisfaction, whereas only the process value influences satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. Moreover, customers' behavioral loyalty is positively affected by satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty.

Service, process, and relationship values have been shown as an important indicator of customers' positive attitude toward food delivery service providers. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the relationship between customers' mobile service experience and their behavior will allow service providers to design better mobile services.

The study extends utility theory to mobile the food delivery context. Specifically, this research demonstrates why and how customers decide to use mobile food delivery application.