Uta Juettner, Katharina Windler, André Podleisek, Maya Gander and Sandrina Meldau
In a time where stakeholders increasingly demand social, environmental, and economic sustainability, mismanaging suppliers can impose substantial sustainability risks for a…
Abstract
Purpose
In a time where stakeholders increasingly demand social, environmental, and economic sustainability, mismanaging suppliers can impose substantial sustainability risks for a company and harm its reputation and business severely. This research explores the implementation of a corporate sustainable supplier strategy designed to cope with such risks from an agency theory perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of a multinational enterprise, a provider of leading mobility solutions in the realm of escalators, moving walkways and elevators, is conducted. Data is collected from multiple sources of evidence, including strategy documents, a focus group and semi-structured interviews.
Findings
The study identifies several implementation challenges and coping mechanisms in firstly, the agency relationships between the headquarter and the regional subsidiary units and secondly, the relationships between the regional subsidiary units and their suppliers.
Research limitations/implications
A framework conceptualising the implementation of sustainable supplier strategies is proposed. The framework positions the topic at the interface between supply chain sustainability risk, supplier quality management as well as agency relationships and identifies avenues for further research. The key limitations refer to the single case study methodology and the exclusion of suppliers in the data collection approach.
Practical implications
The proposed framework can support multinational enterprises in developing corporate sustainability strategies and in implementing them in the supplier network.
Originality/value
The originality of the framework lies in the integrated approach combining supply chain sustainability risk, supplier quality management and triadic agency relationships.
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Dorothea Schaffner, Sascha Demarmels and Uta Juettner
The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ responses to emotional and normative communication in comparison with traditional informational campaigns promoting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ responses to emotional and normative communication in comparison with traditional informational campaigns promoting pro-environmental behavior in the context of biodiversity. By adopting the approach of likeability of the communication, the paper identifies which type of communication strategy is liked by consumers’ and which dimensions define likeability in the context of biodiversity. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of communication messages delivered by social marketers or public policy makers through a better understanding of consumers’ responses to different communication strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
To investigate which communications strategies are perceived as likeable in the context of promoting biodiversity and to explore the dimensions that underlie likeability of the communication a qualitative study was conducted. First, the information design with the different communication strategies has been developed. Second, focused interviews with 25 individuals have been conducted.
Findings
Results indicate that communication strategies using positive emotions led to most favorable responses. Further, findings suggest that informational strategies seem to result in positive attitudes when they tap on procedural knowledge. Favorable judgments are linked with communication strategies that create awareness or which are relevant and informative.
Research limitations/implications
Further empirical research is suggested exploring consumers’ responses to communication strategies that combine emotions and facts.
Practical implications
Based on the findings of this study, social marketers and public policy makers are recommended to use a combination of communication strategies that evoke positive emotions and provide consumers with the facts necessary to take action.
Originality/value
The paper allows for an integrated view and contributes to an increased understanding of responses to communication strategies and provides valuable practical implications for social marketers and public policy makers.
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Uta Jüttner, Dorothea Schaffner, Katharina Windler and Stan Maklan
The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply the sequential incident laddering technique as a novel approach for measuring customer service experiences. The proposed approach…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply the sequential incident laddering technique as a novel approach for measuring customer service experiences. The proposed approach aims to correspond with the concept's theoretical foundation in the extant literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies the sequential incident laddering technique to measure customer service experiences. The technique integrates two well‐established methods in service marketing: sequential incident and laddering techniques. The data collected from 41 customers in a hotel and restaurant experience context illustrate that the method corresponds with the key themes of the proposed experience concept and experience formation process.
Findings
Applying the proposed technique reveals first, the customer's cognitive and emotional responses to company stimuli. Second, the salient customer cognitions and emotions across several episodes of the service interaction process are identified. Third, the personal values which drive the customer's service experience are disclosed.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical study is a first illustration of the proposed measurement approach in only one company based on a limited sample size. The methodological contributions and development opportunities for further applications are set out for different contexts and in combination with other methods.
Practical implications
The proposed method integrates customer and company‐related constructs. Therefore, the data collected can provide managers with guidelines for customer service experience design based on detailed customer feedback.
Originality/value
The paper proposes an innovative measurement approach to customer service experiences which can support knowledge development in an important marketing area.
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Uta Jüttner, Martin Christopher and Janet Godsell
The purpose of this paper is to review and structure the literature on the integration between marketing and supply chain management (SCM) and to contribute to the body of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review and structure the literature on the integration between marketing and supply chain management (SCM) and to contribute to the body of knowledge by developing a framework for integrating marketing and supply chain strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws its insights and conclusions from a review of the literature in both fields, marketing and SCM, followed by an interaction research approach which helped to refine and validate the theory‐derived framework from the perspective of practitioners.
Findings
In the existing body of literature on marketing and SCM integration, three perspectives can be differentiated: the interfunctional perspective, the process perspective and the perspective of integrated business concepts. The proposed framework builds on these perspectives and moves them onto a strategic level. Integrating marketing and supply chain strategies involves the management of four integration levels: corporate integration; strategic customer integration; strategic supplier integration and marketing and supply pipeline strategy integration.
Practical implications
The proposed framework points managers at the managerial issues of marketing and supply chain strategy integration and illustrates the need for an interaction approach which challenges the traditional view of marketing in the demand creation and SCM in the demand fulfilment role.
Originality/value
Marketing and SCM integration is a topic which has received considerable interest in both fields for the last 30 years. Despite the notion that a close integration can contribute to the company and even supply chain success, no contribution to date addresses the integration from a strategy perspective. This paper leverages existing knowledge and advances our understanding of the strategic integration issues companies are facing in today's supply chain network‐based competition.
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The objective of this paper is to conceptualise supply chain resilience (SCRES) and to identify and explore empirically its relationship with the related concepts of supply chain…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this paper is to conceptualise supply chain resilience (SCRES) and to identify and explore empirically its relationship with the related concepts of supply chain vulnerability (SCV) and supply chain risk management (SCRM).
Design/methodology/approach
From a review of the literature the conceptual domain of SCRES is defined and the proposed relationships with SCRM and SCV are derived. Data from a longitudinal case study with three supply chains are presented to explore the relationship between the concepts in the context of the global financial crisis.
Findings
The empirical data provide support for a positive impact of supply chain risk (SCR) effect and knowledge management on SCRES and from SCRES on SCV. SCR effect and knowledge management seem to enhance the SCRES by improving the flexibility, visibility, velocity and collaboration capabilities of the supply chain. Thereby, they decrease the SCV in a disruptive risk event. The positive effects manifest themselves in upstream supplier networks of supply chains as well as in distribution channels to the customers.
Research limitations/implications
The recession caused by the financial crisis has illustrated the importance of SCRES in today's interdependent global economy vividly. However, the concept is still in its infancy and has not received the same attention as its counterparts SCRM and SCV. The study confirms the benefit of resilient supply chains and outlines future research needs.
Practical implications
The paper identifies which supply chain capabilities can support the containment of disruptions and how these capabilities can be supported by effective SCRM.
Originality/value
To date, there has been no empirical study which has investigated supply chain resilience in a disruptive global event.
Details
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This paper seeks to understand business requirements for supply chain risk management (SCRM) from a practitioner perspective.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to understand business requirements for supply chain risk management (SCRM) from a practitioner perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the findings from an exploratory quantitative survey and qualitative focus group discussions with supply chain managers, some issues of SCRM are derived and structured along the three conceptual levels of “philosophy”, “principles” and “processes”.
Findings
The survey showed that 44 per cent of all eight responding companies expect the vulnerability of their supply chains to increase in the next five years. However, the concept of SCRM is still in its infancy.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to our knowledge on SCRM by presenting the business requirements from a practitioner perspective and by deriving a structure for an integrated approach to SCRM which can guide further research.