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This paper seeks to provide an exploratory empirical study of the variables that are part of the return on trade show information (RTSI) concept, which is based on the use and value of information gathered at a trade show.

The research is designed to explore relationships and identify those variables that are a particularly important part of the RTSI concept. The paper provides an exploratory test of the relationship between a series of variables that are related to the value of information gathered at trade shows. Data were collected from trade show attendees approximately 60 days after the trade show. A multiple regression model was developed that explores the relationship between the dependent variable that focuses on information value and the independent variables on various aspects of information acquisition, information dissemination, and information use.

The final multiple regression model found a significant relationship for several variables and has an adjusted R² value of 0.552. Four significant independent variables were identified – one each in the information use and the shared information categories and two in the information acquisition category. These findings present an interesting picture of how information is used within an organization after it is acquired at a trade show.

The research is limited by the multiple regression model used to explore the relationships in the data. Also, data from only one trade show were used in the model.

This paper focuses on the intangible, longer‐term benefits as important considerations when determining the value of new trade show information to the firm. The evaluation of trade show information also should include these intangible benefits, such as improved interdepartmental relations or interactions as well as discussions with other trade show participants in finding new uses for information that impacts the company's future success, as well as shorter‐term benefits such as booth activity.

The paper offers a unique approach for determining the value of information acquired at trade shows. Though information gathering has been included as an outcome variable in previous trade show studies, no other research has studied the value of this new trade show information to the company.

The term customer intimacy has been used both in academia and business, albeit lacking clear definition and empirical validation. The authors in this paper aim to develop a measure of customer intimacy in business‐to‐business contexts and to assess its reliability and validity, as well as its relevance, within a nomological relationship marketing network.

A multi‐method (qualitative/exploratory and quantitative/confirmatory structural modelling), multi‐staged (test, re‐test) research approach is used and applied in the UK and Germany.

The results show that customer intimacy is a second order construct reflected by the three formative dimensions of mutual understanding, closeness, and value perception. The results also show that customer intimacy is a relevant relationship indicator, distinct from the central relationship indicators of trust and commitment. It impacts relationship commitment levels, customer induced word‐of‐mouth, repurchase intentions, information disclosure, customer availability, and leads to an advisor status with the customer. Moreover, customer intimacy mediates relationship marketing's central trust commitment link.

The main limitations that should be addressed by future studies are: reliance on the key informant technique on one side of the supplier‐buyer dyad; cross‐sectional design.

This study shows that achieving and managing customer intimacy is a relevant managerial goal and task for firms and shows managers how it can be measured and managed.

This study, for the first time, presents a measure for customer intimacy and assesses its quality and impact empirically. The measure will be of significant value in making customer‐centric, relationship management approaches more accountable.

This paper aims to focus on the perceived role of clusters in inter‐firm cooperation and social networks.

The study was carried out in a region of Latin America where limited research has been conducted in terms of inter‐firm relationships. Managers from three key natural resources‐based industries in Chile participated in the survey; one of these industries constituted a well‐defined cluster whereas the other two did not. The survey assessed managers' perceptions of the benefits and opportunities of inter‐firm cooperation in strategic marketing activities.

Results support the advantages of clusters. Managers of firms which are part of clustered industries tend to perceive more benefits and opportunities for inter‐firm co‐operation in marketing activities. Additionally, significant differences between clustered and non‐clustered industries in terms of their co‐operation behavior and objectives were found.

The findings shed light on strategies for the enhancement of inter‐firm cooperation in marketing, of particular value for marketers in small‐and‐medium sized enterprises. The paper suggests establishing new clusters and promoting more regional clusters policies since clustering seems to provide better and positive inter‐firm interaction leading to cooperation.

There are lessons to be learned at national and regional levels for Latin American and emerging economies fostering new industry cluster policies.

Clustered firms and industries may result in more innovative marketing strategies at both local and international levels than non‐clustered firms. The authors encourage regional development bodies to foster more cooperation among firms and trade associations.

Salespeople are frequently required to manage a wide range of complex internal relationships. This paper seeks to explore one aspect of the key account manager's internal selling role which has not been addressed before, specifically how the key account manager handles multiple incidents of simultaneous conflict while carrying out their internal selling duties.

The research uses the critical incident technique together with an interpretive framework for data coding in order to explore the complex behavioural sequences adopted by key account managers while managing the many incidents of conflict which they frequently encounter within the organisation. Twenty‐nine key account managers from seven participating FMCG, Blue Chip organisations in the UK and USA participated in the research describing 112 incidents of conflict.

The research provides further insight into the complexity perspective of conflict management, suggesting that conflict episodes do not occur as discrete, isolated, incidents, rather incidents occur simultaneously requiring a combination of behaviours in their management.

The implications for a complex role such as selling are that, while carrying out their internal selling duties, rather than adopting a single managerial style or single combination of styles, key account managers are able to adapt and use a combination of management behaviours which can be modified throughout and across conflict episodes.

In contrast to the majority of research into personal selling, this research takes an interpretive approach through the analysis of transcripts from a series of CIT interviews with key account managers in the field.

This paper aims to examine the driving factors of salespeople's relational behaviors in the business to business marketing context.

The hypotheses were tested through a quantitative study via an online survey. Data were collected from 224 salespeople dealing with business customers in manufacturing as well as service industries in China.

The results showed that perceived consequences, affect‐based judgment and salespeople's communal or exchange orientation influenced their relational behaviors. In particular, communal orientation, perceived reciprocity from the customer, and a liking for the customer positively affected relational behaviors, whilst exchange orientation had a negative impact on those behaviors.

This paper provides a framework of the antecedents to salespeople's relational behaviors in the business to business marketing context, filling in the gaps found in previous research by studying the driving factors, not the outcomes, of individual salespeople's relational behaviors.

Interactions and on‐going relationships are crucial for organizations to create satisfactory value propositions for customers and meet their evolving needs. Understanding the behavioural and temporal aspects of value creation from a customer's perspective is crucial as customer perceived value (CPV) is dynamic and contextual, and evolves over time. This enables firms to develop value laden offerings and bind customers through interdependent relationships. This paper aims to focus on these issues.

Extant literature review on CPV and relationship marketing (RM) reveals the behavioural and temporal aspects of relationship building and the role of CPV in generating desirable relationship outcomes.

A conceptual model explains how components of CPV, episodal value can be transformed into total relationship value mediated by satisfaction, value added services, loyalty, commitment, trust and relationship quality.

The model describes changing customer expectations and how sellers can create value as exchanges mature into relations, but it does not include empirical testing of the model, which would validate the effectiveness of the proposed model.

Meeting customer needs through relation specific investments by suppliers creates value for customers and develops interdependent relationships. Such relationships are long lasting and benefit both parties.

Based on extant literature review and combining emerging paradigms enables theory generation centred on customer's perspective. This not only ensures organization profitability, but also provides higher returns on customer equity.

Relationship is based on the idea of creating a win‐win situation for parties involved in a business engagement. The purpose of the article is to develop a model of mutual value creation and reciprocal return on relationships (ROR_R) assessment, which enables calculation of joint and separate gains from a relational business engagement.

The approach takes the form of a conceptual analysis, which is tested empirically through a real‐life case. The empirical part is based on a longitudinal empirical study including several empirical cases.

Following a practice matching process, resulting in mutual innovation and aligning of their processes, resources and competencies, the parties in a business engagement make investments in the relationship. This enables the creation of joint productivity gains. Valuation of joint productivity gains produces an incremental value, which can be shared between the parties through a price mechanism. Finally, based on this shared value and costs of investments in the relationship by the parties, a reciprocal return on the relationship can be assessed and split between the business parties.

The study addresses dyadic business engagements only. The findings enable calculation of reciprocal return on relationships (ROR_R) and form a basis of further development of marketing metrics and financial contribution of marketing, and of developing financial measures of intangible assets called for by the finance and investor communities.

Using the conceptual model and corresponding metrics, the financial outcome of the development of customer relationships as well as an assessment of the return on relationships with customers can be established.

The approach to assess the value of customer relationships as a two‐sided endeavor is novel, as well as the joint productivity construct and the value sharing approach, and the way of assessing ROR as a reciprocal measure that can be split between the business parties.