Mohammad Tayeenul Hoque, Mohammad Faisal Ahammad, Nikolaos Tzokas, Shlomo Tarba and Prithwiraj Nath
Drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm (KBV) and Dynamic Marketing Capabilities (DMC), this paper examines the role of key internationalization knowledge absorption…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the knowledge-based view of the firm (KBV) and Dynamic Marketing Capabilities (DMC), this paper examines the role of key internationalization knowledge absorption processes as learning strategies, namely market exploitation and market exploration in enabling internationalization knowledge absorption in export-oriented firms involved in manufacturing goods or producing electrical/engineering products.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered via a cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire (i.e. n = 315) on a sample of Bangladeshi manufacturing firms exporting in US and European markets.
Findings
The findings suggest that an export firm's internationalization absorption strategies are positively associated with export performance. The authors also found that the mediator, DMC, strengthened the relationship between knowledge absorption and export performance. Moreover, the findings of moderated mediation model revealed that the direct and indirect effects of market exploitation on export performance are more prevalent when competitive intensity is low. While competitive intensity is high, the direct and indirect effects of market exploration on export performance are more prevalent.
Practical implications
By introducing a higher-level dynamic marketing capability approach and linking it to ambidexterity constructs (learning though exploration and exploitation), export business professionals should appreciate the full spectrum of mid-level marketing capabilities they need to develop alongside their exploration and exploitation strategies to improve their export performance. This study directs attention to the competitive intensity conditions the exporting firm is facing. When export business professionals are faced with high-level of competitive intensity in the market, they should establish a clear focus on their exploration learning strategies if they wish to enhance their export performance.
Originality/value
The authors contribute to two broad domains of literature: organizational learning and DMC strategy. The study results show that how the two components of international ambidexterity as organizational learning constructs (i.e. market exploration and exploitation) influence knowledge management processes within firms through a firm's possession of a fine configuration of higher-level marketing capability. This study also theoretically and empirically examines how higher-level DMC strategy can mediate the consequence of international knowledge absorption mechanism on firm export performance. From a practical perspective, this study provides useful lessons for exporting firms wishing to enhance their performance.
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Avinandan Mukherjee and Prithwiraj Nath
Trust and commitment are the central tenets in building successful long‐term relationships in the online retailing context. In the absence of physical interaction between the…
Abstract
Purpose
Trust and commitment are the central tenets in building successful long‐term relationships in the online retailing context. In the absence of physical interaction between the buyer and the seller, how websites can gain the trust of the buyers and deliver on the promises made have become central issues in online customer relationship management. This paper aims to re‐examine the commitment‐trust theory (CTT) of relationship marketing in the online retailing context. It seeks to theorize the antecedents and consequences of commitment and trust in the online context and identify how CTT can be adapted in a digitized business environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Modified constructs and their measures are developed to understand the antecedents and the outcomes of commitment and trust. Survey data from British online customers (n=651) are used to test CTT hypotheses with structural equation modelling.
Findings
The study suggests a significant modification to the traditional CTT model in the online environment. Privacy and security features of the website along with shared values are the key antecedents of trust, which in turn positively influences relationship commitment. Behavioural intentions of customers are consequences of both trust and commitment. The relationship termination cost has a negative impact on customer commitment.
Research limitations/implications
The paper identifies interesting differences between the original work by Morgan and Hunt and the findings presented, but basically concludes that the commitment‐trust theory applies to online retailing.
Originality/value
Contributions of this study in re‐examining the CTT model of relationship marketing in an online context are manifold. This paper proposes a modified model to understand the role of consumer trust and commitment in a digitized environment. The modified constructs and measures truly reflect the dynamism of online business. The extended CTT model can provide better insight into managing customer relationships in online retailing.
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Avinandan Mukherjee, Prithwiraj Nath and Manabendra Nath Pal
Explores the linkage between performance benchmarking and strategic homogeneity of Indian commercial banks. Devises a method of benchmarking performance of Indian commercial banks…
Abstract
Explores the linkage between performance benchmarking and strategic homogeneity of Indian commercial banks. Devises a method of benchmarking performance of Indian commercial banks using their published financial information. Defines performance by how a bank is able to utilize its resources to generate business transactions and is measured by their ratio, which is then called the efficiency. The concept of efficiency is critical from a marketing perspective. Methodologically, in order to overcome some of the shortcomings of simple efficiencies obtained through self‐appraisal of individual banks, a more “democratic” concept of cross‐efficiency evaluated with the process of peer‐appraisal has been brought in to benchmark the banks. Clusters banks based on similarity in business policy which offers a framework for competitive positioning in the target market and serves as a basis for long‐term strategic focus. Finds that the public sector banks generally outperform the private and foreign banks in this rapidly evolving and liberalizing sector.
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Prithwiraj Nath and Avinandan Mukherjee
The marketing literature theorizes the adoption of the relationship marketing paradigm to foster stronger customer relationships. However, empirical evidence is scarce on how…
Abstract
Purpose
The marketing literature theorizes the adoption of the relationship marketing paradigm to foster stronger customer relationships. However, empirical evidence is scarce on how consumers' ability to judge the service influences such relational exchange. This paper aims to examine how information asymmetry influences a service firm's initiative to build customer relationships. The relationship marketing literature proposes conceptually that relational bonds and their interaction influence relationship outcomes. However, there is no empirical study to verify such an interactive effect. This study aims to provide empirical evidence on how interaction effects between relational bonds can act as buffers in developing customer relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
In the first stage, this study classifies financial services offered by retail banks into search, experience, and credence (SEC) categories. In the second stage, this paper uses survey data from 452 UK retail bank customers to understand the effect of relational bonds on consumer future intentions in information asymmetry context using hierarchical regressions.
Findings
The results show that relational bonds have differential impacts on firms' initiative to develop consumer relationship, and information asymmetry moderates this relationship. A positive synergistic association is present between relational bonds that strengthen their effectiveness in influencing relationships.
Originality/value
This study is the first attempt to demonstrate the moderation role of information asymmetry on relational bonds→relationship quality→relationship outcome framework. The findings provide directions to managers on how to have a balanced approach in their relationship building efforts.
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Avinandan Mukherjee and Prithwiraj Nath
The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically assess three comparative approaches to measuring service quality: modified gap model, TOPSIS and loss function. Aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically assess three comparative approaches to measuring service quality: modified gap model, TOPSIS and loss function. Aims to argue for the use of TOPSIS from decision sciences, and Loss function from operations research and engineering, as alternative approaches to the gap model.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical evidence is provided by large sample consumer data on the service quality for leading Indian commercial banks. The service quality evaluations obtained from these three distinct methods are compared and tested for their mutual agreement.
Findings
Fndings show that the rankings obtained from different methods are statistically in agreement, suggesting that the alternative approaches can provide equally good measurement of service quality. But they should not be used in an interchangeable manner.
Research/limitations/implications
Research shows that a single measure of overall service quality based on gap model is over‐simplistic. It would be more useful to explore a richer profile of customer service quality provided by different measurement approaches. Each methodology has its own advantages and disadvantages, and should be used based on its suitability for a particular application.
Practical implications
This research offers profound practical implications. It offers managers with a framework of service quality improvement that measures service quality gaps, selects an optimal combination of attribute levels to deliver customer satisfaction, and focuses on reducing the future loss caused by poor quality.
Originality/value
Extant marketing literature is replete with gap model applications for measuring service quality. Drawing from interdisciplinary literature, alternatives are provided to the traditional gap model, which show equally good measurement with greater suitability of application under certain conditions.
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Ramakrishnan Ramanathan, Andrew Black, Prithwiraj Nath and Luc Muyldermans
The role of environmental regulations in inducing innovation and improving performance has been studied in the literature. However, there have been no studies in the UK using…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of environmental regulations in inducing innovation and improving performance has been studied in the literature. However, there have been no studies in the UK using statistical data. This paper aims to study the links among regulations, innovation and performance in the UK using sector level data.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used structural equation modelling to study the links among the three variables simultaneously.
Findings
The analysis indicates that environmental regulations in the UK are significant in improving economic performance of the industrial sectors. They also find that, in the short run, environmental regulations negatively influence innovation, and innovation negatively influences economic performance in these sectors.
Practical implications
The results have implications both for policy makers and firms in the UK industrial sector. For policy makers, environmental regulations have generally improved economic performance. For firms, the study shows that sufficient planning in meeting government's environment standards can help improve their economic performance.
Originality/value
This is the first study in the UK to explore simultaneously the links among the three variables: environmental regulations, innovation, and performance, using secondary sector level data.
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Avinandan Mukherjee and Prithwiraj Nath
The role of trust encompasses the exchanges and interactions of a retail bank with its customers on various dimensions of online banking. Specifically lays stress on the…
Abstract
The role of trust encompasses the exchanges and interactions of a retail bank with its customers on various dimensions of online banking. Specifically lays stress on the bank‐to‐customer exchanges taking place through the technological interface. Hypothesizes shared value, communication and opportunistic behaviour as antecedents to trust. Trust and commitment also have a causal relationship. Proposes and empirically tests five hypotheses with a sample of 510 Internet users of various profiles in India. Develops a structural equation model (Lisrel) and establishes all hypotheses. Observes that shared value is most critical to developing trust as well as relationship commitment. Communication has a moderate influence on trust, while opportunistic behaviour has significant negative effect. Also finds higher perceived trust to enhance significantly customers’ commitment in online banking transaction. An important contribution concerns how trust is developed and sustained over different levels of customer relationship in online banking. The future commitment of the customers to online banking depends on perceived trust.