Md Abu Saleh, M. Yunus Ali, Ali Quazi and Deborah Blackman
The purpose of this paper is to explore international buyer–supplier relationships in an emerging developing country context. The study examines a number of factors derived from…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore international buyer–supplier relationships in an emerging developing country context. The study examines a number of factors derived from internationalization process (IP) theory and their impacts in a novel research setting. The relational variables of trust and commitment, and their drivers, are integrated into a model examining importers’ perspectives of their supplier relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied a sequential methodological approach. Initially, a conceptual framework was developed from qualitative research and then quantitatively validated using structural equation modeling (SEM). The data for this study were collected conducting in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires. For empirical validation, the SEM technique was applied to assess the proposed model.
Findings
Importing firm managers perceived that the commitment of their suppliers bolstered their trust in the relationship, this contrasts with the conventional contention of a reverse relationship. The findings confirm cultural similarity facilitates communication, leading to increased knowledge and experience of importers, thereby contributing to an enhanced commitment to build trust in the relationship.
Practical implications
The conceptual framework developed in this study provides a direction to manage and enhance understanding of IP and relationship outcome. The findings have strategic implications for practicing managers in developing and supporting their importer–foreign supplier relationships.
Originality/value
This study is unique in assessing as well as validating key constructs of IP theory in an international exchange (importer–supplier) relationship. The study offers completely a new insight in relation to applying IP theory’s relational perspectives.
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Empirically examines the managerial perception of consumerism with reference to the very different macro environments of two countries – Australia and Bangladesh. Consumerism is…
Abstract
Empirically examines the managerial perception of consumerism with reference to the very different macro environments of two countries – Australia and Bangladesh. Consumerism is defined as a social movement seeking to augment the rights and powers of buyers in relation to sellers. The attitudes of a sample of CEOs towards various aspects of consumerism are analyzed. The results of ANOVA indicate that there are statistically significant differences between the two groups of managers in terms of their commitment to consumerism on such issues as government regulation, advertising to children, the role of consumer organization and industry self‐regulation. Interestingly, Bangladeshi managers perceived most of the consumerism issues at a higher level than their Australian counterparts. There are interesting interpretations and implications of these findings for firms operating at the international level. These are explored here. Also explores the potential of future research in this area.
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Explores the determinants of perceived social obligations of corporate managers focusing on managerial and personal demographics. A survey of Australian corporate managers…
Abstract
Explores the determinants of perceived social obligations of corporate managers focusing on managerial and personal demographics. A survey of Australian corporate managers revealed that there is a significant relationship between the level of education, training status and religiosity of managers and their perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The findings indicate that managerial commitment to CSR is linked with the acquired qualities (education and training) rather than their inherent physical maturity (age). Furthermore, modernity reflected in achievement via hard work, rather than mere belief in luck, determines the pattern of managerial perception of CSR. Religious metaphors seem to influence managers’ perception of social commitment suggesting that theology is also an important determinant of the ethical perceptions of Australian corporate managers. These findings have important implications for personnel policies of socially responsive corporations. Addresses the limitations of the study and explores potential areas of further research.
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Syed Saad Andaleeb, Md. Abu Saleh and Md. Yunus Ali
This study aims to examine whether and how cultural (dis) similarity between business entities enhances or impairs the development of commitment in the trust building process in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether and how cultural (dis) similarity between business entities enhances or impairs the development of commitment in the trust building process in industrial importer-foreign supplier relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on theoretical lenses of transaction cost economics, resource-based view and dynamic capability view, this study investigates how cultural (dis)similarity moderates the effects of opportunism, transaction-specific investment (TSI), the relative advantage of importing and communication on commitment, leading to building trust in business relationships. Using structural equation modeling and moderated regression analysis, the study tested several predicted effects using a sample of 154 industrial importers drawn from a developing country in Asia.
Findings
A key finding of the study suggests that supplier opportunism comes into play and is negatively associated with industrial importer commitment as cultural dissimilarity increases. For culturally similar countries, opportunism does not affect commitment. Conversely, TSI has a positive effect on commitment for culturally similar countries; for dissimilar countries, TSI has no effect. The study also corroborates several additional hypotheses prevalent in the literature.
Research limitations/implications
Cross-sectional data rather than longitudinal data, single country rather than multi-country perspectives and data from the importer’s side rather than from both importer and exporter may affect generalizability. Future research ought to address these issues to provide further insights.
Originality/value
The paper enriches the literature and extends the nomological network for international business theory by introducing the moderating effect of business cultural similarity in building commitment. Managerial perspectives are also gleaned from the findings.
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M.S. Balaji, Sanjit Kumar Roy and Ali Quazi
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to determine the role of emotions in customer evaluation of service failures; and second, to examine how customers’ emotion regulation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to determine the role of emotions in customer evaluation of service failures; and second, to examine how customers’ emotion regulation impacts customer satisfaction and behavioural responses (e.g. repurchase intentions and negative word-of-mouth).
Design/methodology/approach
A scenario-based survey was used to elicit responses in a hospitality setting. Structural equation modelling and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
Results show that both positive and negative emotions mediate the relationship between perceived injustice and customer satisfaction. The emotion regulation of customers through suppression and reappraisal influences the effects of satisfaction on both negative word-of-mouth and repurchase intentions.
Practical implications
This study advances service managers’ understanding of customer experience during service failure by demonstrating how emotion regulation influences customer response behaviours. With a better understanding of customers’ emotion regulation strategies, managers and frontline employees can more effectively develop and execute recovery strategies which adapt to customer emotions while eliciting more satisfying outcomes.
Originality/value
This research is one of the first to examine the moderating role of customers’ emotion regulation strategies in determining their behavioural responses. Conducted in the hospitality services context, this study provides support for relationships among perceived injustice, customer emotions, emotion regulation, customer satisfaction, negative word-of-mouth and repurchase intentions.
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Taposh Kumar Roy, Ahmed Al-Abdin and Ali Quazi
The paper aims to explore and analyze how multinational companies (MNCs) in Bangladesh define corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how CSR is used by these companies as a…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore and analyze how multinational companies (MNCs) in Bangladesh define corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how CSR is used by these companies as a strategic tool to improve business and social performances.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors choose a qualitative case study approach for this study, using multiple semi-structured interviews with 15 CSR managers and secondary data from websites and annual reports. Both primary and secondary data were collected from ten leading MNCs that operate in Bangladesh.
Findings
The findings indicate that most of the MNCs in Bangladesh are moving toward strategic CSR and away from the conventional altruistic (philanthropic) CSR. It also appears that stakeholder prioritization and one-way communication are key for managing stakeholders.
Research limitations/implications
The most unavoidable limitation of this research lies in sample selection. A total of ten companies were selected because of lack of accessibility to additional MNCs. To overcome this limitation and increase the credibility of findings, the authors triangulate interview and secondary data from annual reports and websites.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that MNCs are increasingly recognizing the importance of using their core competencies to generate social benefits. The idea of adopting strategic CSR is predominantly steered by business benefits, which also provide the necessary resources for social and environmental activities
Social implications
The findings suggest that the shift from philanthropy to strategic postures leads to creating and fostering social benefits such as developing an entrepreneurial spirit and empowering women.
Originality/value
MNCs operating in Bangladesh are gradually departing from philanthropy and moving toward strategic CSR by aligning business strategies with CSR. Transition from philanthropy to strategic CSR also reflects on MNCs’ CSR definitions, which include various dimensions such as social, stakeholders and sustainability, except philanthropy. In Bangladesh, where CSR was previously viewed as philanthropic activity, the findings make important contributions to the extant literature, particularly international CSR strategic literature, and can be useful for future research in other developing countries.
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Sanjit Kumar Roy, Vaibhav Shekhar, Ali Quazi and Mohammed Quaddus
The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of service convenience in the relationship between organizational characteristics (such as brand equity, store ambiance, store…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of service convenience in the relationship between organizational characteristics (such as brand equity, store ambiance, store layout, customer information and employee responsiveness) on customer engagement behaviors (CEBs), including service improvement, customer cooperation, positive word-of-mouth and customer helping customers. It examines two research models, with service convenience as a separate antecedent of CEBs (model A) and as a mediating variable between organizational characteristics and CEBs (model B).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a positivist paradigm, data were collected from 384 respondents representing the existing customers of grocery retailers based in India via a survey instrument. Data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling.
Findings
Results demonstrate service convenience as a motivational driver of CEBs. Results also show that the organizational characteristics significantly influence service convenience which in turn impacts CEBs.
Practical implications
The findings have important implications for store managers in effective management of customers' time and effort in terms of saving customers' time and effort as well as motivating customers to elicit their engagement behaviors.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper lies in identifying the impact of organizational characteristics in helping customers to save time and effort in their shopping activities and thereby elicit various types of CEBs. The paper also adds to knowledge by examining the role of service convenience in the nexus between organizational characteristics and CEB types.
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Sanjit Kumar Roy, Rik Paul, Ali Quazi and Bang Nguyen
The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale for measuring consumers’ perceived service value in the Indian retail banking services. This purpose is rooted in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale for measuring consumers’ perceived service value in the Indian retail banking services. This purpose is rooted in the absence of consensus on what constitutes service value and how to measure such value in the above context.
Design/methodology/approach
The scale development procedure comprised qualitative and quantitative approaches. A list of possible measurement items was compiled based on literature review and expert opinion through focus groups. Data were collected from a sample of 442 respondents representing the Indian retail banking sector using survey instrument and were analyzed using the structural equation modeling.
Findings
The study revealed a seven-dimensional scale for measuring service which includes service equity, service quality, customer intimacy, product leadership, operational effectiveness, customer communication, and perceived sacrifice. Thus, the scale emerging from this study is consistent with established scales and is applicable to the Indian retail services setting. This study contributes to the knowledge gap by confirming that the west-centric service value measurement scale is moderately applicable to the services sector in India.
Originality/value
This research is a direct response to calls from the leading marketing pundits to explore the validity and applicability of the existing marketing constructs and models originated in the west to Indian markets. Keeping in mind the established service value measurement scale, this study develops and validates a seven-dimensional scale for measuring service value in an Indian setting with novel sub-dimensions.
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Raymond Young, Wenxin Chen, Ali Quazi, Warren Parry, Adrian Wong and Simon K. Poon
Project governance has been linked to project success because top management support is necessary for projects to succeed. However, top managers are time poor and it is not clear…
Abstract
Purpose
Project governance has been linked to project success because top management support is necessary for projects to succeed. However, top managers are time poor and it is not clear which project governance mechanisms are effective for project success. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue and identify project governance mechanisms that correlate with success.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a quantitative study. A theoretical model of project governance was developed and tested with secondary industry data gathered from 51 global organisations and 66,817 responses.
Findings
The results found five project governance mechanisms (Vision, Change, Sponsor, KPI and Monitor) significantly correlate with project success and are effective at different stages in the project lifecycle.
Originality/value
Earlier research has found a relationship between project governance and project success but it has not been specific enough to guide top managers in practice. This is the first research to take this next step and identify project governance mechanisms that correlate with project success. One finding of this research that has particular value is the identification of when in the project lifecycle a particular governance mechanism is most effective.
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Johra Kayeser Fatima, Rita Di Mascio, Ali Quazi and Raechel Johns
This study aims to capture the mediation role of customer–frontline employee rapport on customer satisfaction and affective, calculative and normative commitment by using three…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to capture the mediation role of customer–frontline employee rapport on customer satisfaction and affective, calculative and normative commitment by using three alternative models. It also verifies the moderation effect of relationship age on the rapport-satisfaction link in each alternative model.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey data collected from bank customers were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the partial least square (PLS) method.
Findings
Results confirmed rapport as a significant mediator between satisfaction and each of the three types of commitment. Relationship age significantly moderates the links between rapport to affective and normative commitment but not to calculative commitment.
Research limitations/implications
Additional findings from “importance–performance analysis” suggest that satisfaction is more import to customers than rapport for developing commitment, so further investigations can reveal the underlying reasons. Also, complementary mediation shows one or more missing mediators, which calls for future research.
Practical implications
Managers need to use rapport strategically with customers in different relationship ages to build different types of commitment. Specific tactics to build rapport and possible long run implications for developing affective, calculative and normative commitment have been discussed in the “note to practitioner” section.
Originality/value
Using “broaden-and-build” theory, the study extends the literature by confirming the mediation influence of rapport on satisfaction and three types of commitment relationships.