Juha T. Mattsson, Mirva Peltoniemi and Petri M.T. Parvinen
The purpose of the paper is to conceptually elaborate two important mechanisms, authenticity and fuzziness, that affect how audiences react to deviations from existing genres by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to conceptually elaborate two important mechanisms, authenticity and fuzziness, that affect how audiences react to deviations from existing genres by artists that are making their first entry. In cultural industries such as music, social categorization systems play an important role in the success of actors. Audience members evaluate entering artists vis‐à‐vis the existing, collective system of categories and related normative social codes, and may or may not impose penalties for code violations.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper and the conceptual framework is built on recent theorization regarding social categories in organizational fields. A key premise is that such categories, including musical genres, are fuzzy with blurred boundaries and partial membership. Such fuzziness is likely to affect organizational viability and dynamics.
Findings
Based on the conceptualization, the baseline proposition is that artists making their first entry are likely to face higher penalties by audiences if they deviate from existing genres. However, the higher the idiosyncratic authenticity of an artist, the smaller such penalties are. Moreover, we expect penalties to be smaller when genre fuzziness increases.
Practical implications
Besides contributions to theory, the propositions that are stated in the paper should have relevance to record companies and artists when they are making strategic decisions regarding artist identity upon first entry.
Originality/value
The paper offers a novel perspective to extant research in music regarding genres, categories, and organizational identities. Furthermore, the paper contributes to recently emerged sociological theory on fuzzy categories and authenticity.
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Henrikki Tikkanen and Petri M.T. Parvinen
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the emergence of the network society from the perspective of planned and spontaneous order.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the emergence of the network society from the perspective of planned and spontaneous order.
Design/methodology/approach
Conceptual analysis based on extensive familiarization with literature.
Findings
The network society does not increase either planned or spontaneous ordering of economic activity, but their interplay.
Research limitations/implications
The paper produces a number of research implications at global, industry, relationship and firms levels of analysis.
Practical implications
Businesses should craft practical strategies and policies on the assumption of constant change, build networking capabilities and be reactive to discontinuities in technologies and business models.
Originality/value
The paper is a unique multi‐level account of the impact of the network society on the type of economic ordering it creates.
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Maurits Kaptein, Richard McFarland and Petri Parvinen
This paper aims to develop and test a method of automating, for online retailers, the practice of adaptive selling, which is typically used by salespeople in face-to-face…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop and test a method of automating, for online retailers, the practice of adaptive selling, which is typically used by salespeople in face-to-face interactions. This method customizes persuasive messages for individual customers as they navigate a retailer’s website.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper demonstrates a method for the online implementation of automated adaptive selling using sales influence tactics. Automated adaptive selling is compared to nonadaptive selling in three e-commerce field studies.
Findings
The results reveal that adaptive selling is more effective than nonadaptive selling. The click-through rates increased significantly when adaptive selling was used.
Research limitations/implications
This paper highlights the effectiveness of existing theories concerning adaptive human-to-human selling and their utility to online selling. The authors demonstrate the added value of adaptive selling in e-commerce, thereby opening up a novel area of research into adaptive selling online. While the paper focuses on the adjustment of sales influence tactics, other factors could be investigated for adjustment in future research (e.g. prices).
Practical implications
The methods, described in detail, are readily available for implementation by online retailers. The implementations are timely and increasingly valuable as e-commerce expands into interpersonal channels (e.g. instant messengers and social media).
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to formally implement automated adaptive selling as described in the ISTEA model in an e-commerce setting.
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Minna Matikainen, Leena Olkkonen, Nina Katajavuori, Petri Parvinen and Anne Juppo
This study aims to examine the attitudes of physicians towards the pharmaceutical industry and investigates how these are reflected when a new drug is introduced.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the attitudes of physicians towards the pharmaceutical industry and investigates how these are reflected when a new drug is introduced.
Design/methodology/approach
The qualitative theme-interview study adopts the innovation diffusion perspective and is conducted with 22 general practitioners and specialists.
Findings
Physicians’ positive relationship orientation and active interaction can result in early adoption of new drugs with product advantage. In comparison, negatively oriented and passively interacting physicians will adopt a new drug later based on research evidence- and experience-based reasoning and opinions of their colleagues.
Research limitations/implications
The objective was to obtain a deeper understanding of the research themes. Further qualitative studies in different countries and health care environments with a larger sample size would improve generalizability of results.
Practical implications
It’s necessary to find an optimal win – win situation that fulfils both parties’ needs, while decreasing unnecessary and time-consuming marketing activities and avoiding waste of limited resources and allowing physicians to participate in activities that better serve their primary needs. Managers in pharmaceutical companies should ensure their sales representatives act in appropriate and professional ways, interact openly and reciprocally and provide accurate and objective information.
Originality/value
The study demonstrates that the physician–pharmaceutical industry relationship has developed from being ethically precarious and having non-professional related personal benefits, towards becoming a more sustainable collaboration. The mutually beneficial collaboration supports physicians’ professional development, enabling better patient care and relieving strain on limited resources.
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In mature global business-to-business (B2B) product markets, management of external sales channels, governed by contractual relationships, is a key determinant of business…
Abstract
Purpose
In mature global business-to-business (B2B) product markets, management of external sales channels, governed by contractual relationships, is a key determinant of business performance. However, existing sales channel management literature lacks focus on contractual governance and reseller management success. The purpose of the study is to systematically review different governance theories in relation to sales channel management and to show which factors are the most influential in making or keeping external sales channels effective.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study on a large B2B information and communication technology (ICT) company is used to reflect on the way the different theoretical governance perspectives explain sales channel management success. Interviews and mini-questionnaires were used to collect data.
Findings
Expressions of interdependence and equality alongside persevered personal relationships are important in managing daily business activities and in avoiding bad will at the reseller’s grass-root level. Future-oriented planning, long-term-oriented support and jointly set incentive systems are important for reseller management. Degree of professional management sets resellers apart through shifts in power balance.
Research limitations/implications
A multi-theory governance perspective offers a holistic view over reseller management and provides a comprehensive view over different sales channel management issues and their relative importance.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of long-term orientation and cooperation in setting up a reseller management system to gain and nurture distributors’ trust and commitment towards the manufacturer.
Originality/value
The study is the first to comprehensively use governance perspective in studying reseller management.
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This paper aims to present a commentary and reflection on Nenonen et al.’s paper on theorizing with managers.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a commentary and reflection on Nenonen et al.’s paper on theorizing with managers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a conceptual reflection.
Findings
The author finds much to agree with Nenonen et al.’s work, but finds some aspects where greater breadth could be added to further strengthen it. The author further suggest that the alleged gap should be critically examined.
Originality/value
This paper extends Nenonen et al. by proposing a broader framework for viewing the relevance and implementability of academic marketing research.
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Minna Matikainen, Harri Terho, Petri Parvinen and Anne Juppo
This study examines the role and relative impact of market orientation, product orientation and relationship orientation on new product launch performance, investigating product…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the role and relative impact of market orientation, product orientation and relationship orientation on new product launch performance, investigating product advantage and market-based assets as alternative mediating mechanisms, which link these strategic orientations to launch performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data from the pharmaceutical industry are used to test hypotheses in the research model using partial least squares modeling.
Findings
Findings show that while each examined strategic orientation relates positively to launch performance, their performance effects and related mechanisms vary significantly. Results demonstrate a firm’s relationship orientation is the strongest predictor of launch performance, and accumulated market-based assets represent an alternative relational mediator besides product advantage linking firms’ orientations and launch performance.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical study is based on cross-sectional data collected in one specific industry sector. The authors encourage researchers to confirm the key findings in different industry and other contextual settings.
Practical implications
New product launch can be effectively managed as a relational activity. Firms benefit from paying explicit attention to strategic orientations and relationships. Especially, top management should foster a relationship-oriented organizational culture, develop relational competences and fully use the firm’s accumulated market-based assets for increased launch performance.
Originality/value
The study extends knowledge on the role of strategic orientations in launch performance by highlighting the significance of relationship orientations and providing novel knowledge on the key mediating mechanisms between strategic orientations and launch performance.
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Juha‐Antti Lamberg, Kalle Pajunen, Petri Parvinen and Grant T. Savage
The purpose of this paper is to offer an explanatory process model of stakeholder management. The model shows how and why path dependence is manifested in stakeholder management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an explanatory process model of stakeholder management. The model shows how and why path dependence is manifested in stakeholder management issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper integrates stakeholder theory with key ideas from path dependence literature. The resulting propositions are examined in the context of a longitudinal case study of the United Airlines and US Airways abandoned merger in 2000‐2001
Findings
The paper's analysis demonstrates that initial conditions are accentuated by the sequence of actions, offering a plausible explanation for process outcomes.
Practical implications
On the practical side, the paper provides a problem‐solving tool for stakeholder management to analyze the stakeholder linkages during strategic initiatives.
Originality/value
The paper addresses an important research gap, exploring how stakeholder‐related path dependencies influence the process of conflict escalation.
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Petri Parvinen and Grant T. Savage
A common observation is that both single- and multi-payer health care systems will achieve lower overall costs if they use primary care gatekeeping. Questioning this common…
Abstract
A common observation is that both single- and multi-payer health care systems will achieve lower overall costs if they use primary care gatekeeping. Questioning this common wisdom, we focus on the health care access system, that is, the way in which patients gain access to health care. Gatekeeping, the use of primary care providers to control access to more specialized physician and hospital services, has come under intense scrutiny in the United States and in Europe. The few international comparative studies that have focused on the issues of quality of care, cost containment, and patient satisfaction find weak or no support for common assumptions about gatekeeping. Hence, we examine the institutional environments in seven countries in order to: (a) define and categorize health care access systems; (b) identify the components of a health care access system; (c) explore the notion of a strategic fit between health care financing systems and access system configurations; and (d) propose that the health care access system is a key determinant of process-level cost efficiency. Drawing upon institutional and governance theories, we posit that the structure and organization of an access system is determined by how it addresses six essential questions: Who is covered? Which services are included? What are the points of access? How much time elapses before access? What are the ways of selecting among points of access? and Are services and their quality the same for everyone? This analytical framework reveals that national health care access systems vary the most in their points of access, access times, and selection mechanisms. These findings and our explanations imply that access systems are one of the only tools for demand management, that any lasting change to an access system typically is implemented over an extended time period, and that managers of health care organizations often have limited freedom to define governance structures and shape health care service production systems.
Petri Ahokangas, Marko Juntunen and Jenni Myllykoski
This paper explores the transformation of international business models in the context of international ICT businesses where cloud computing has triggered a major paradigm change…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores the transformation of international business models in the context of international ICT businesses where cloud computing has triggered a major paradigm change in the way software and hardware related services are offered to international customers.
Methodology/approach
Through comparative analysis of two cases, this paper examines the business model transformation processes in the cloud computing context.
Findings
The key challenges of the case companies were related to business model transformation as cloud computing was triggering a change in most of the business model elements.
Research implications
There is a need to define the concept of business model in a way that suits the cloud and internationalization.