Many manufacturers of high‐involvement products who sell to other businesses know that relationship building is important to the success of the firm. However, these same companies…
Abstract
Many manufacturers of high‐involvement products who sell to other businesses know that relationship building is important to the success of the firm. However, these same companies may not know how to go about building a relationship with a client, or they may have tried and failed to build relationships with customers in the past. This paper provides an eight‐step, expanded process of business‐to‐business relationship building. The process begins inside the organization and ends outside the organization with a commitment between buyer and seller to maintain a relationship over time. The process includes such activities as determining the congruence between the vendor’s culture and strategy; activating a service‐oriented culture that emphasizes internal, external and interactive marketing; bonding socially with the customer; and adding value to the relationship. Examples from focus group interviews conducted with mainframe computer buyers are provided.
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Cynthia Leung, Matthew Sanders, Francis Ip and Joseph Lau
This study examined the effectiveness of the Triple P‐Positive Parenting Program in a government child health service delivery context with Chinese parents in Hong Kong…
Abstract
This study examined the effectiveness of the Triple P‐Positive Parenting Program in a government child health service delivery context with Chinese parents in Hong Kong. Specifically, the study sought to identify pre‐intervention variables that might predict programme outcomes such as level of clinical improvement and programme completion. Participants were 661 parents of pre‐school and primary aged children participating in a group version of the Triple P‐Positive Parenting Program. There were significant decreases in disruptive child behaviours, levels of parenting stress, general stress and anxiety and an increase in parenting sense of competence. Greater change in reports of child behaviour problems was related to lower levels of family income, new immigrant family status, and higher pre‐intervention levels of parenting stress. The present study provides a profile of parents who are most likely to benefit from parent training programmes.
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THE end of October saw the return of most of our overseas visitors, continental and otherwise, to their homes, leaving with us pleasant memories of a mutually successful visit…
Abstract
THE end of October saw the return of most of our overseas visitors, continental and otherwise, to their homes, leaving with us pleasant memories of a mutually successful visit. The Englishman's proverbial difficulties with foreign tongues, even of neighbouring France, did not complicate matters unduly or reduce too much those interchanges which conference and school afforded. We can repeat our frequently‐expressed hope that there will be an ever increasing series of visits, both of the foreigner to England and of ourselves as foreigners to other countries. We would welcome longer stays in both cases. Nothing but good can come from them.
VINE is produced at least four times a year with the object of providing up‐to‐date news of work being done in the automation of housekeeping processes, principally in the UK…
Abstract
VINE is produced at least four times a year with the object of providing up‐to‐date news of work being done in the automation of housekeeping processes, principally in the UK. Ittis edited and substantially written by the Information Officer for Library Automation based, from June 1st 1984, at the Polytechnic of Central London and supported by a grant from the British Library Research and Development Department. Copyright for the articles rests with the British Library Board and opinions expressed in VINE do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the British Library. The subscription for 1984 to VINE is: £23 for UK subscribers, £26 to overseas subscribers (including airmail delivery). Second and subsequent copies to the same address are charged at £14 for UK and £16 for overseas. VINE is available in either paper or microfiche copy and all back issues are available on microfiche.
Pinghao Ye, Liqiong Liu and Joseph Tan
This paper aims to address the question of what can significantly impact employees' IB and how employees' IB may be effectively stimulated by investigating key factors such as…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to address the question of what can significantly impact employees' IB and how employees' IB may be effectively stimulated by investigating key factors such as employees' knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking behaviour on workplace innovation. The moderating role of risk-taking behaviour on the link between absorptive capacity and innovation behaviour is also investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the principles of social exchange theory, the study design explores the complex relationship among knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking vis-à-vis employees' innovation behaviour within a unified analysis framework. Methodologically, employees in the information technology industry in China were surveyed via a questionnaire instrument, with a total of 318 valid questionnaires being collected online. Following a reliability and validity test of the questionnaire, the Smart PLS was used to verify the research model.
Findings
Statistically significant results reported were as follows: (1) employees' innovation behaviour is positively impacted by knowledge sharing, innovation passion and absorptive capacity; (2) employees' innovation behaviour is negatively impacted by risk-taking behaviour; (3) knowledge sharing is positively impacted by innovation passion; (4) absorptive capacity is positively impacted by innovation passion; and (5) risk-taking behaviour regulates the relationship between absorptive capacity and innovation behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to limited research resources, 318 front-line employees were surveyed via an online questionnaire vis-à-vis the sampling method only, specifically taking knowledge sharing, innovation passion, absorptive capacity and risk-taking behaviour as antecedent variables with implications on how employees' innovation behaviour may be stimulated.
Originality/value
The mechanism of augmenting employees' innovation behaviour is chiefly explained from the perspective of innovation passion and risk-taking behaviour, which are conducive towards promoting employees' willingness to improve knowledge sharing and innovation behaviour. The social exchange theory is used as a basis to form an integrated model for the research, contributing to a cumulative theoretical perspective for future work on the impact of innovation passion and risk-taking behaviour on innovation.