Search results

1 – 5 of 5
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 6 July 2015

Hanna Keinänen and Olli Kuivalainen

The purpose of this study is to clarify business-to-business (B2B) customers’ behavior regarding their social media use for B2B purposes and the antecedents of this behavior in…

9984

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to clarify business-to-business (B2B) customers’ behavior regarding their social media use for B2B purposes and the antecedents of this behavior in the industrial marketing setting. It explores the influence of corporate culture, colleagues’ support and personal and psychological factors on customer behavior toward social media business use.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an online questionnaire survey among key customer accounts of an information technology service company (N = 82). Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling was utilized to analyze the relationship between the dependent variable (social media business use) and the independent variables.

Findings

Results show that private social media usage has the most significant relationship with the social media business use. Colleagues at work are also supporting B2B social media use and personal characteristics are also of importance. Surprisingly, perception of usability of social media for B2B use did not explain social media business use within our sample.

Research limitations/implications

The chosen methodology, sampling frame and sample size may limit generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed hypothesis in other settings, particularly as the diffusion of B2B social media increases.

Practical implications

The paper provides insights into how marketing managers can make an impact with their social media marketing. For example, when planning social media activities, companies need to consider which social media services could serve their marketing and communication targets and would reach the customers.

Originality/value

Studies related to social media in B2B, especially from a customer’s perspective, are still limited, and the authors do not know how customer firms value industrial marketing activities in social media. This novel paper provides insights into managers’ reasons for using social media and gives guidelines for B2B marketers on how to conduct social media marketing in the future.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 6 July 2015

Heikki Karjaluoto and Pauliina Ulkuniemi

10116

Abstract

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 22 July 2019

Hoda Diba, Joseph M. Vella and Russell Abratt

This study aims to explore if and how business-to-business (B2B) companies can use social media to influence the buying process.

8157

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore if and how business-to-business (B2B) companies can use social media to influence the buying process.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses an exploratory approach into the existing literature related to the B2B buying process and its relationship with social media.

Findings

The study shows that companies in a B2B context can use social media as a means of influencing the stages of the buying process by means of using one or more of the seven functional blocks of social media.

Research limitations/implications

The findings demonstrate the relation that exists between each stage of the buyer process in a B2B organization and the functional blocks of social media. This study opens the door for further research into the influence of each of these blocks on the buying process stages and the roles involved.

Practical implications

This study identifies how social media’s blocks influence the different stages and how organizations can use that to their benefit.

Originality/value

Few studies have investigated the use of social media in a B2B context. However, not many have looked into the influence of social media in the B2B buying process and buying center. This study looks into the relationship between the buying process stages and social media’s functional blocks as related to the different roles of the buying center.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 34 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 14 May 2020

Susana C. Silva, Paulo Alexandre Oliveira Duarte and Sara Resende Almeida

The purpose of this study is to understand and compare how business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies evaluate the return on investment (ROI) on their…

6721

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand and compare how business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies evaluate the return on investment (ROI) on their social media marketing (SMM) programmes and how the investment is handled in these type of marketing programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods approach involving multiple cases and a survey was used. Data were collected from personal interviews with eight professionals responsible for SMM management, from four B2B and four B2C companies, complemented with responses to a web-based survey by the other 28 companies’ marketing managers.

Findings

The results show that there are some differences between B2B and B2C companies regarding SMM evaluation and investment but in general marketing managers for both types of firms use simple metrics to evaluate their SMM programmes. The main measures used relate to awareness, engagement and reach and most of the metrics identified are interaction-related.

Research limitations/implications

Given the complex and sensitive nature of the subject, more research is needed focussed on providing additional evidence from a larger sample of B2B and B2C organizations to allow the extension of the finding to the population as the non-probabilistic nature and size of the current sample impose that the findings should be interpreted carefully. Future research should focus on understanding what the firm’s characteristics predict the importance and level of effort placed in SMM and the barriers to ROI measurement in SMM programmes, especially in B2B firms.

Practical implications

The current findings confirm that the topic of SMM ROI evaluation is not a priority for B2C or B2B companies. There is a need for an update of their online marketing strategy, namely, on budget definition and allocation. Furthermore, companies should increase the autonomy of SM managers, as they are dependent from marketing managers and hire specialized professionals devoted to SMM in both B2C and B2B companies.

Originality/value

The findings of this study contribute to improve the understanding of the evaluation of SMM and to extend the literature on the subject. It also provides a relevant advance into the assessment and understanding on the measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of SMM programmes by offering a comparison on how B2B and B2C use metrics and allocate resources to the SMM management.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 35 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 5 June 2017

Roberta Bocconcelli, Marco Cioppi and Alessandro Pagano

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of social media (SM) adoption in upgrading and innovating selling processes by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing…

5942

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of social media (SM) adoption in upgrading and innovating selling processes by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing complex and rapidly changing market scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this goal, the paper undertakes an exploratory case study of Gamma, a mechanical company, by actively using SM to start and open a new market. The case-study is analyzed through the industrial marketing and purchasing (IMP) approach, which emphasizes the role of interaction and the interdependencies of resources.

Findings

The adoption of SM resources helped Gamma to tap into new markets and thus survive and face the downturn of its original market. SM displayed its effects in combination with other resources: a simple and not expensive machinery, capable human resources, effective production and logistical resources. SM represented a strategic resource to implement an effective business networking effort.

Originality/value

This paper provides novel empirical evidence and conceptual development over the role of SM as a resource in SMEs’ sales processes, using the IMP perspective on combination and development of resources.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

1 – 5 of 5
Per page
102050