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The current study provides empirical insight into the nature of creating relational rents when managing business relationships in the context of the emerging Russian economy. Addressing both formal and social business network relationships, the study aims to understand the role of a systematic and purposeful approach to building and managing business relationships in order to generate superior relational advantage. The study explores the effects on both subjectively and objectively measured relational rents. Additionally, the role of institutional context in both shaping relationships and obtaining relational rents is considered through the inclusion of dysfunctional competition and institutional support. The results of a survey on a sample of 148 business-to-business firms demonstrate the leading role of the business relationship portfolio in generating relational rents, as well as the supporting role of relational capabilities in building this relationship portfolio. These effects are significantly affected by institutional moderators, demonstrating multidirectional effects on the mechanisms behind building relationships and obtaining the associated relational advantage.

E-commerce market development depends on the configuration of factors which both enable its further development, but might as well hinder its adoption by consumers. In particular, emerging markets provide numerous opportunities for e-commerce; however, they are also associated with specific barriers, limiting the potential for fully exploiting these opportunities. With an Internet audience of 93 mln people, the Russian emerging market represents the largest online audience in Europe, stimulating substantial e-commerce growth over the last decade. The main objective of this paper is to explore consumer perception of e-commerce adoption factors on two levels — the first are the macro-level factors, associated with the overall environment, institutional factors and trust; the second one is store-level factors, or factors associated with real consumer experiences. This multi-level approach reflects the complexity of consumer thinking about the market — both in terms of the evolving environment, offering opportunities to make decisions and make purchases; and real experience, where the factors are influencing particular consumer decisions and are weighted by consumers as pros and cons. Our study is based on a survey, using a sample of 3 387 respondents representing the consumer perspective. The findings reveal the structure of the driving and limiting factors, highlighting the core role of the trustworthiness and transparency of the e-commerce market players, delivery conditions and store-related risks.

Extant research argues that innovation collaboration (IC) has strong potential to create relational rents, but few scholars have investigated what capabilities can drive and enhance IC. This paper considers relational learning (RL) as a dynamic capability that strengthens IC and its contribution to firm performance through a better understanding of a firm's past collaboration and its future potential. By focusing on the timing of collaboration, the paper explains how IC is embedded in a firm's innovation activities by investigating the extent to which external partners are involved at various stages of the innovation process. The results of the study, which are based on a quantitative survey of 155 Russian firms, confirm the positive role of RL in innovation collaboration. They also highlight that the extent of the collaboration payoff varies according to its timing. The inclusion of the IC timing perspective indicates that firms should account for both the direct and indirect effects of RL on IC, and IC on firm performance when preparing for and managing their IC efforts with external partners.

This study revisits one of the most widely used concepts in marketing - customer orientation (CO) - in the context of the Russian emerging market. Analysis of three sets of survey data, combined with insights from in-depth interviews with industry experts, suggest that customer orientation in the Russian market consists of two distinct dimensions: customer-centric strategy and customer service delivery. Both dimensions contribute to firms' ability to serve their customers, adapt to their market environment, and optimize growth and profitability. However, the relative impact of the two dimensions of CO does differ across diverse types of performance outcomes, suggesting that both are critical in a firm's quest to improve its overall business performance.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore whether dyadic operationalization within business relationships is feasible and sensible in a rigorous way. It aims to introduce quantitative operationalizations of business relationship characteristics from both monadic and dyadic datasets, and to introduce aggregation techniques for utilizing the richness of dyadic data. It compares and contrasts the effectiveness of different techniques in terms of explaining business relationship phenomena, using an empirical exemplification. Methodology/Approach: The paper reviews the relevant literature and summarizes various dyadic operationalization and aggregation approaches. It furthermore illustrates such operationalization and aggregation by utilizing an empirical example. A nomological model of marketing-purchasing collaboration is developed and tested based upon internal dyadic data. Using alternative model comparisons, we contrast several different ways of operationalizing dyadic data (combined, dyadic, and dyadic with asymmetry), and compare the outcomes utilizing structural equation modeling. Findings: The study of business relationships typically makes use of a variety of data types, ranging from simple monadic to perceived dyadic, through to rigorous dyadic data. The various aggregation methods include value, asymmetry, and directional asymmetry approaches. Pertinent sub-constructs are developed based on these aggregation methods and relevant hypotheses incorporating and reflecting on the role of the sub-constructs are suggested to develop a more meaningful and rich quantitative analysis of business relationship phenomena. Research Implications: This paper explores the different ways in which data assessing the relationship between two interacting parties can be operationalized. Dyadic operationalization within the context of business relationships is sensible and recommended. Researchers can adopt approaches to conduct dyadic data operationalization including data collection methods such as perceived dyadic and rigorous dyadic. They should benefit from rich dyadic aggregation approaches such as value, asymmetry, and directional asymmetry, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each approach discussed in this paper. Practical Implications: Businesses are recommended to increase customer orientation and marketing-purchasing interaction to improve collaboration between marketing and purchasing departments and thus their overall performance. Businesses should also develop an alignment between the collaboration perceptions of the involved departments, and note that perceptual symmetry improves collaboration. Perception matching in a dyadic relationship plays a role in enhancing the overall firm performance. Managers should note that all involved parties’ perspectives are to be included to ensure a positive and collaborative liaison. An all-encompassing attitude and perspective (as opposed to an asymmetric, unbalanced one) ensures an effective relationship. Originality/Value/Contribution of the paper: The contribution of the research lies in outlining different ways to accomplish more insightful analytics regarding data operationalization, and their different strengths and weaknesses in terms of explaining relationship characteristics, and therefore enriches research on business relationships by making better sense of quantitative dyadic data.

The e-commerce market has been developing rapidly in recent years. The number of consumers making online purchases is increasing. In conditions of increasing competition in the market, a large selection of products and brands, increasing consumer power and ability to switch to competitor’s products through the internet, research on consumer loyalty factors in e-commerce market becomes relevant. This paper is devoted to the study of consumer loyalty factors in the Russian e-commerce market. The findings are based on the results of an empirical research implemented in the form of an online survey of 601 consumers in the Russian e-commerce market. The main attributes and factors of consumer loyalty are highlighted in the study. As a result of factor analysis, 9 factors are identified. Based on the results of factor analysis three clusters of customers are defined. The paper contributes to studies on customer loyalty factors in Russian e-commerce market and may be used as a base for future research.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relevance of individual, product and situational determinants of organic food buying behavior in three industrialized (USA, Canada, and Germany) and two transition societies (Russia and Ukraine). In total 967 consumers were interviewed. In a review of extant literature on organic buying behavior, three categories of influencing factors were discovered and integrated in the theory of planned behavior: person-specific, situation-specific and product-specific factors. To test the model empirically multi-group structural equation modeling is applied. Results of this study provide evidence of universal and country-specific factors. Positive attitudes toward organic food and social norms are important drivers of organic food consumption across all nations. However, marketers should distinguish between attitudinally (e.g., USA) and normatively controlled target markets (e.g., Ukraine). Price tolerance fosters intentions and behaviors throughout all samples. Availability, image of packaging and trust in eco-labels are country-specific determinants. The study provides valuable insights on how to market organic products in different countries. Especially transition societies in Eastern Europe have been neglected in research on organic food consumption so far. This paper is the first to test a variety of factors using a multi-national research sample including two emerging markets.

The paper suggests a measurement of consumer animosity that is applicable to respondents from different home countries and to different target countries of animosity. The multidimensional scale is based on the distinction of three universal drivers that mediate the influence of specific causes on general animosity: perceived threat, antithetical political attitudes, and negative personal experiences. By means of partial least squares, two studies validate the scale demonstrating (1) cross-national stability, (2) criterion validity (animosity influences product-specific country-of-origin images, boycotting, and purchase intention), and (3) construct validity (animosity is embedded in a nomological network of ethnocentrism, patriotism, and cosmopolitanism).

article i nfo The article investigates the role of market orientation as an antecedent for the development of relational capabilities and performance in Russian industrial firms. We test the direct role of different aspects of market orientation on business performance in comparison to an indirect and mediated influence via improving a firm's ability to become embedded in relational structures. The results of an empirical study demonstrate the differential impact of components of market orientation - customer orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination - as direct and indirect antecedents of relational capabilities and thus subsequently of overall firm performance. It can be shown that in Russian industrial markets competitor orientation directly and positively impacts on performance, while the other two components of market orientation have only a mediated effect on performance via the development of relational capabilities.

article i nfo This study aims to investigate the role of interfunctional collaboration between marketing and purchasing functions in industrial companies. Interfunctional collaboration is considered as a measure of the internal alignment and partnership between departments in the firm, which in turn contributes to the creation of sustainable advantages via improved external partnerships and facilitating demand chain integration. We test the impact of customer orientation as well as the interactions between departments (specifically marketing and purchasing) as collaboration antecedents, and analyze the direct impact of marketing-purchasing collaboration on business performance. The model is tested on a sample of 148 industrial companies in Russia with two key respondents in each firm, incorporating the purchasing as well as the marketing perspective. The results show that marketing-purchasing collaboration mediates the effects of interfunctional interaction as well as customer orientation on business performance. Alternative model testing shows that the direct effects of these antecedent constructs on performance are non-significant in the context of Russian industrial companies.

Previous studies have shown that long-term planning, collaborative supplier relationships and supply management capabilities reflect the strategic role and importance of purchasing and supply management (PSM) in firms, regardless of the nature of the business. This study examines how these elements behave in different business environments, such as in Western countries and emerging economies. Finland and Russia were chosen to represent two extremes in terms of international economic competitiveness and the business environment. A survey was conducted in both countries. Regression analyses were run from both samples to examine the effects of long-term planning, collaborative supplier relationships and supply management capabilities on the status of PSM by using data from 100 Finnish firms and 208 Russian firms. The results showed that these elements positively influence the status of PSM in both countries.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of what constitutes relationship quality in four different countries. The paper shows which attributes are important in assessing relationship quality and how they vary in importance among countries.Design/methodology/approachConjoint analysis was used to derive how managers trade‐off different attributes of relationship quality. These attributes were: the levels of trust in the relationship, the understanding of each others' needs, the integration of systems between the two companies, the use or abuse of power, and the profit resulting from the interactions. Cluster analysis was used to classify the respondents in order to check if the overall results were indicative of a general consensus among the managers concerned, or alternatively if there were different perspectives on what constituted good quality relationship.FindingsWhilst the routes to develop relationships may vary between different countries, the attributes which make up relationships are also likely to be valued differently in various places around the world.Research limitations/implicationsConjoint analysis questions are difficult to answer; making it difficult to have large sample sizes. However, further studies should try to consider increasing the sample size.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that there are indeed differences between what it is that managers seek from the relationships that they have to manage: but while noting certain national traits that seem to dominate within particular cultures, there is still variance in the individual datasets, pointing to the fact that managers have to manage their portfolio of relationships in an individual way.Originality/valueThis is the first study that compares the importance of relationship quality within and between four counties.

By reviewing the most influential works of the last decade, where the concept of brand equity was applied we discuss the different conceptualizations and measures of the construct used by scholars. We return to Feldwick’s 1996 brand equity classification in order to integrate existing research into a single brand equity framework. As a result a systematic view on the brand equity conceptualization is argued, a new approach is introduced as to how brand equity measures should be chosen and insights are presented regarding where brand equity research should go in the future.

This paper addresses the role of R&D cooperation with external partners in companies implementing inbound and outbound open innovation. The results of the survey of 206 companies show that the cooperation with external partners is different in companies implementing inbound, outbound, and coupled open innovation compared to closed companies oriented towards internal R&D. Increased importance, success, and intensity of cooperation with external partners are observed for companies with internal R&D and inbound, outbound, and coupled open innovation compared to other firms. The more a company implements open innovation, the higher the intensity, importance, and success of cooperation with external partners are. The importance and success of cooperation with domestic partners is higher than for cooperation with foreign partners for all types of companies.

Although there is plenty of work, in which co-branding is studied from the point of view of the consumer, there is a lack of empirical studies from a firm (managerial) perspective, which is important for the comprehensive understanding of co-branding. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of what determines the choice of brand allies and whether particular brand characteristics affect that choice. Therefore, the relationship between focal brand characteristics and brand alliance engagement with different types of partners is explored using a sample of 62 Russian and international brands. As a result, the existence of the relationship between focal brand characteristics and brand alliance engagement with different types of partners is revealed, a model, describing the firm’s alliance behavior depending on focal brand characteristic is created and directions for further research and practical implications are presented.

The paper aims to investigate the nature of innovativeness through the lenses of the firm's cooperation with key internal and external stakeholders. The selection of key stakeholders and the measurement of their involvement in the development of innovations contribute to the identification of the main innovativeness profiles, whereas interaction with partners and effective interfunctional collaboration are seen as central differentiation criteria for the firm. The study of stakeholder involvement in innovation-related processes can discover vital sources of long-term competitive advantage and radically change a firm's business model. A company survey is used to analyse the current status of internal and interfirm cooperation within New Product Development (NPD) in Russia's emerging economy. The results provide empirical evidence on the share of firms involving internal and external stakeholders in product innovation activities and the level of success of interaction.