Industrial Marketing Management最新文献

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Inbound sales management: Exploring the substitutability of autonomous AI sales agents in advancing B2B relationships 入站销售管理：探索自主AI销售代理在推进B2B关系中的可替代性

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.007

Christopher A. Nelson , Lana Waschka , Gary K. Hunter

Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping how B2B buyer-seller relationships are initiated and developed, raising new theoretical questions about the nature of relationship-building in digitally mediated exchanges. In particular, when a prospective buyer initiates contact through digital channels—creating inbound leads—sales managers must determine whether to assign key relationship-forging tasks to an AI agent or a human. This research investigates how these choices affect buyer relationships and sales outcomes. Using traditional relationship phases (Dwyer, Schurr, & Oh, 1987), we conceptualize and test the effectiveness of AI in the exploration and expansion phases, where sharing market expertise and proposing integrative solutions are critical. We provide evidence that human salespeople are more effective in vital relationship-building tasks, demonstrating that psychological distance provides an explanatory mediating mechanism. On the other hand, buyers with higher technological proficiency tend to prefer AI agents, suggesting that using bots can lead to improved sales outcomes for this segment of buyers. Thus, these findings offer insights into when to deploy human salespeople versus AI agents in the lead nurturing process, such as sharing market expertise and proposing integrative solutions.

生成式人工智能从根本上重塑了B2B买卖关系的启动和发展方式，提出了关于数字媒介交换中关系建立本质的新理论问题。特别是，当潜在买家通过数字渠道发起联系时，销售经理必须决定是将关键的关系建立任务分配给人工智能代理还是人类。本研究探讨了这些选择如何影响买家关系和销售结果。利用传统的关系阶段（Dwyer, Schurr, & Oh, 1987），我们概念化并测试了人工智能在探索和扩展阶段的有效性，在这些阶段，分享市场专业知识和提出综合解决方案至关重要。我们提供的证据表明，人类销售人员在重要的关系建立任务中更有效，表明心理距离提供了一个解释性的中介机制。另一方面，技术熟练程度较高的买家往往更喜欢人工智能代理，这表明使用机器人可以改善这部分买家的销售结果。因此，这些发现为在潜在客户培养过程中何时部署人类销售人员和人工智能代理提供了见解，例如分享市场专业知识和提出综合解决方案。

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引用次数: 0

Understanding paradoxical tensions and coping strategies in platform-based servitization 理解基于平台的服务化中的矛盾张力和应对策略

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.008

Guilherme Sales Smania , Néstor Fabián Ayala , Wim Coreynen , Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos Gomes , Glauco H.S. Mendes

Platformization represents a powerful means to advance digital servitization. However, it also gives rise to inherent contradictions that generate tensions. The present study explores such tensions through a paradox lens, drawing on two case studies of agricultural machinery manufacturers that implemented B2B platforms to support their servitization initiatives. The findings uncover paradoxical tensions in both platform design and governance—specifically, the platform orientation and affiliation paradoxes in platform design, and the innovation and transparency paradoxes in platform governance. To address these tensions, the study identifies four coping strategies: flexible architecture, selective exclusivity, modular governance, and customer empowerment. These insights can support managers in diagnosing the paradoxical tensions they may encounter in their companies' platform-based servitization initiatives and in adopting appropriate coping strategies.

平台化是推进数字化服务化的有力手段。但是，它也产生了内在矛盾，从而产生紧张局势。本研究通过一个悖论的视角探讨了这种紧张关系，借鉴了农业机械制造商实施B2B平台以支持其服务化计划的两个案例研究。研究结果揭示了平台设计和治理中矛盾的紧张关系，特别是平台设计中的平台导向和隶属关系悖论，以及平台治理中的创新和透明度悖论。为了解决这些矛盾，该研究确定了四种应对策略：灵活的架构、选择性排他性、模块化治理和客户授权。这些见解可以帮助管理人员诊断他们在公司基于平台的服务化计划中可能遇到的矛盾紧张关系，并采取适当的应对策略。

引用次数: 0

Effects of environmental and organizational factors on relationship performance: A comparison between component and OEM suppliers 环境与组织因素对关系绩效的影响：零配件供应商与OEM供应商之比较

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.001

Tun-Chih Kou

Studies have used the resource-based view (RBV) to examine firms' internal assets and explain the formation of business-to-business (B2B) relationships. However, the RBV does not distinguish between the different types of resources shared in B2B relationships. This study extended the RBV in the B2B context by using the “capability, knowledge, and resource” framework to classify organizational resources into three categories: capabilities, knowledge, and resources. It then employed this extended framework to empirically examine how suppliers leverage three types of organizational resources—innovativeness (capability), knowledge protection (knowledge), and relationship-specific investments (resource)—to enhance their B2B relationships with industrial customers under technological environmental uncertainty. Innovativeness helps suppliers gain a competitive advantage in the technology market, knowledge protection prevents the leakage of sensitive technological information, and relationship-specific investments allow suppliers to maintain and improve their relationships with industrial customers under evolving technology trends. The results provide evidence that technological environmental uncertainty can drive innovativeness and relationship-specific investments, which can lead to superior relationship performance. However, the direct effect of knowledge protection on relationship performance is nonsignificant. Furthermore, comparative analysis revealed that, in response to technological uncertainty, component suppliers have stronger preferences for innovativeness and knowledge protection than OEM suppliers do.

研究使用资源基础观点（RBV）来检验企业的内部资产，并解释企业对企业（B2B）关系的形成。然而，RBV并不区分B2B关系中共享的不同类型的资源。本研究运用“能力、知识和资源”的框架，将组织资源分为能力、知识和资源三类，在B2B背景下对RBV进行了扩展。然后运用这一扩展框架实证检验了供应商如何利用三种类型的组织资源——创新（能力）、知识保护（知识）和关系特定投资（资源）——在技术环境不确定性下加强与工业客户的B2B关系。创新有助于供应商在技术市场中获得竞争优势，知识保护可以防止敏感技术信息的泄露，关系特定投资可以使供应商在不断发展的技术趋势下保持和改善与工业客户的关系。研究结果表明，技术环境的不确定性可以驱动创新和关系特定投资，从而导致更优的关系绩效。而知识保护对关系绩效的直接影响不显著。此外，对比分析发现，面对技术不确定性，零部件供应商对创新和知识保护的偏好高于OEM供应商。

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引用次数: 0

AI strategy for global brand identity 全球品牌识别的人工智能战略

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.10.007

S. Gupta, T.C. Melewar, P. Foroudi

Artificial intelligence can shape how a brand will behave, perceived and recognised by its stakeholders. A brand strategy when fed by an algorithm integrated into business processes combined with use of AI applications, can deliver personalised experiences that reflect on value brand offers and build its credibility that encourages stakeholders to trust the brand. The transparency in actions of the brand with a clear and consistent narrative establishes the foundation stones of its identity at the local, national and global level. The analysis of brand narratives offered by stakeholders strengthen its identity required by the B2B segment that needs reduced errors and operational time required for growth across national boundaries.

人工智能可以塑造一个品牌的行为、被利益相关者感知和认可的方式。通过将算法集成到业务流程中，并结合人工智能应用程序的使用，品牌战略可以提供个性化的体验，反映品牌提供的价值，并建立其可信度，鼓励利益相关者信任品牌。品牌行动的透明度与清晰一致的叙事建立了其在地方，国家和全球层面的身份基石。利益相关者提供的品牌叙事分析加强了B2B细分市场所需的品牌身份，B2B细分市场需要减少错误和跨国界增长所需的运营时间。

引用次数: 0

Interaction and networking for adaptation in a complex and challenging environment: Special issue editorial 在复杂和具有挑战性的环境中促进适应的互动和网络：特刊社论

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.006

Simone Guercini, Matilde Milanesi

引用次数: 0

Leveraging digital capabilities for ESG performance: The mediating roles of innovativeness and resilience in the UK healthcare sector 利用数字化能力提高ESG绩效：英国医疗保健行业创新和弹性的中介作用

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.004

Pantea Foroudi , Outi Blackburn , Nektarios Tzempelikos , Farbod Fakhreddin

This study examines the extent to which digital business capabilities (DBCs) influence B2B firms' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, and explores the mediating roles of business model innovativeness (BMI) and organisational resilience (OR) in this relationship. In addition, it investigates the moderating effects of absorptive capacity (AC) and market dynamism (MD), offering insights into how internal and external conditions shape the DBC–ESG performance linkage. Drawing on empirical data from managers in the UK healthcare sector, the study finds that while DBCs may not directly impact ESG outcomes, they play a crucial enabling role by positively influencing internal capabilities such as innovativeness and resilience. The direct DBC–ESG link is not significant in the pooled sample, but does emerge in the B2B healthcare context, while the most consistent pathway is the indirect effect through resilience. Furthermore, firms with higher levels of AC are better positioned to leverage digital capabilities for innovation. However, the positive effect of resilience on ESG performance is weakened under conditions of high MD. This study contributes to the literature on the drivers of ESG performance by elucidating how firms can manage ESG practices through the interplay of digital capabilities, innovation, and resilience.

本研究考察了数字业务能力（DBCs）对B2B企业环境、社会和治理（ESG）绩效的影响程度，并探讨了商业模式创新性（BMI）和组织弹性（OR）在这种关系中的中介作用。此外，本文还研究了吸收能力（AC）和市场活力（MD）的调节作用，为内部和外部条件如何塑造DBC-ESG绩效联系提供了见解。根据英国医疗保健行业管理者的经验数据，该研究发现，尽管dbc可能不会直接影响ESG结果，但它们通过积极影响创新和弹性等内部能力，发挥了至关重要的推动作用。直接的DBC-ESG联系在汇总样本中并不显著，但确实出现在B2B医疗保健环境中，而最一致的途径是通过弹性产生的间接影响。此外，AC水平较高的公司更有能力利用数字能力进行创新。然而，在高MD条件下，弹性对ESG绩效的积极影响被削弱。本研究通过阐明企业如何通过数字能力、创新和弹性的相互作用来管理ESG实践，为ESG绩效驱动因素的文献做出了贡献。

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引用次数: 0

How do different organizational functions contribute to customer value proposition development 不同的组织职能如何促进客户价值主张的发展

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.09.008

Joona Keränen , Simon Kelly , Paul Johnston

Different organizational functions contribute unique insights into customer value proposition development (CVPD). However, current research has predominantly focused on exploring how firms can co-create value propositions with external stakeholders, such as customers and broader network actors, while paying less attention to the contributions of internal stakeholders. To address this gap, this study explores how different organizational functions drive or hinder CVPD. By adopting a critical realist approach and qualitative research design, we draw empirical insights from interviews with 24 senior managers across marketing, sales, R&D, and product management functions in a wide range of firms in different industries. Our findings reveal the unique contributions and expertise that marketing, sales, R&D, and product management bring to CVPD. In addition, we also shed light on the perceived frictions that each function might cause in the cross-functional collaboration, thus hindering effective CVPD. Overall, this study advances contemporary value proposition research by offering a functional-level analysis and demonstrating that CVPD is not solely a top-down organizational or strategic activity but also a bottom-up and cross-functional process where the contributions of different functions are needed to create a customer value proposition that resonates with customers and other stakeholders.

不同的组织功能对客户价值主张开发（CVPD）有独特的见解。然而，目前的研究主要集中在探索企业如何与外部利益相关者（如客户和更广泛的网络参与者）共同创造价值主张，而较少关注内部利益相关者的贡献。为了解决这一差距，本研究探讨了不同的组织功能如何推动或阻碍CVPD。通过采用批判性现实主义方法和定性研究设计，我们从不同行业的众多公司的24位高级管理人员的访谈中得出实证见解，这些高级管理人员涉及市场营销、销售、研发和产品管理职能。我们的研究结果揭示了市场营销、销售、研发和产品管理为CVPD带来的独特贡献和专业知识。此外，我们还阐明了每个功能在跨功能协作中可能引起的感知摩擦，从而阻碍了有效的CVPD。总体而言，本研究通过提供功能层面的分析，并证明CVPD不仅是自上而下的组织或战略活动，而且是自下而上和跨职能的过程，需要不同职能的贡献来创造与客户和其他利益相关者产生共鸣的客户价值主张，从而推进了当代价值主张研究。

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引用次数: 0

The liability of in-outsidership 内外关系的责任

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.10.010

Aswo Safari

This paper examines firm internationalization in a politically fragmented market, where informal institutions dominate formal ones. This market has two competing zones, each governed by a rival political party. More specifically, this paper aims to address the following question: How does a firm navigate two competing zones in the same market? Drawing on a longitudinal case study of a Swedish SME entering the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The study introduces the concept of in-outsidership, a paradox whereby achieving network insidership in one political zone creates network outsidership in another. The firm's experience reveals how informal institutions, political rivalries, and embedded distributor relationships shape access to local business networks. By extending business network theory to highly politicized, institutionally divided contexts, this study challenges the assumption that network insidership is universally advantageous or transferable. The paper contributes to the B2B marketing and international marketing literature by conceptualizing in-outsidership as a context-dependent liability that complicates market access and strategic relationship building. Managerial implications underscore the importance of selecting politically aware partners and developing effective network strategies when entering contested institutional territories.

本文考察了在一个政治上分散的市场中，非正式机构主导正式机构的企业国际化。这个市场有两个相互竞争的区域，每个区域由一个敌对的政党管理。更具体地说，本文旨在解决以下问题：企业如何在同一市场中的两个竞争区域中导航？借鉴瑞典中小企业进入伊拉克库尔德斯坦地区的纵向案例研究。该研究引入了内外关系的概念，这是一个悖论，即在一个政治区域实现网络内部关系会在另一个政治区域产生网络外部关系。该公司的经验揭示了非正式制度、政治竞争和嵌入式分销商关系如何影响进入当地商业网络的途径。通过将商业网络理论扩展到高度政治化、制度分裂的背景下，本研究挑战了网络内部关系普遍有利或可转移的假设。本文通过将内外关系概念化为一种情境依赖的责任，使市场准入和战略关系建立复杂化，从而为B2B营销和国际营销文献做出了贡献。管理影响强调了在进入有争议的机构领域时选择具有政治意识的合作伙伴和制定有效网络战略的重要性。

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引用次数: 0

Building bridges in B2B sales: The role of one-to-one digital channels in developing social capital 在B2B销售中建立桥梁：一对一数字渠道在发展社会资本中的作用

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.11.002

Sara Bartoloni, Chiara Ancillai, Federica Pascucci, Gian Luca Gregori

Digital technology is transforming B2B relationships, shifting interactions toward one-to-one digital channels like instant messaging, emails, and video conferencing tools. This study investigates the role of these channels in developing social capital in buyer-seller relationships. We conducted a qualitative study involving 33 key informants among B2B salespeople and buyers. Study findings reveal that one-to-one digital channels foster social capital through a four-stage process: structural, cognitive, and relational capital develop sequentially and are later maintained over time. While these channels enhance interaction frequency, shared understanding, and trust, they also introduce risks—such as intrusiveness, channels overload, and path dependency—that may hinder relationship development. This processual framework advances social capital theory in digital B2B contexts and provides actionable guidance for managing one-to-one digital interactions.

数字技术正在改变B2B关系，将互动转向一对一的数字渠道，如即时消息、电子邮件和视频会议工具。本研究探讨了这些渠道在买卖双方关系中发展社会资本的作用。我们进行了一项定性研究，涉及33名B2B销售人员和买家中的关键线人。研究结果表明，一对一的数字渠道通过四个阶段的过程来培育社会资本：结构资本、认知资本和关系资本依次发展，然后随着时间的推移而保持。虽然这些渠道提高了交互频率、共享理解和信任，但它们也带来了风险——如侵入性、渠道过载和路径依赖——这可能会阻碍关系的发展。这一过程框架在数字B2B背景下推进了社会资本理论，并为管理一对一的数字互动提供了可操作的指导。

引用次数: 0

When firm-level connections corrupt the frontline: How political networks drive unethical selling and upselling behavior 当公司层面的关系腐蚀了一线：政治网络如何推动不道德的销售和追加销售行为

IF 7.5 1区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Industrial Marketing Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.10.011

Volkan Yeniaras , Fulya Acikgoz

In business-to-business markets, firms' business and political ties are often treated as strategic resources. Yet little is known about how these macro-level networks shape micro-level behavior, particularly that of frontline salespeople. Drawing on role theory, we argue that business and political ties act as implicit scripts that influence salespeople's role perceptions, ethical boundaries, and selling behaviors. Drawing on evidence from three experimental studies and a qualitative investigation with B2B salespeople, we demonstrate that political ties elevate the propensity for unethical selling, subsequently amplifying upselling behavior. Conversely, business ties foster more restrained selling norms, reducing both unethical conduct and upselling. We further demonstrate that these effects are conditioned by salesperson-specific factors: promotion-focused individuals and those who perceive low relationship continuity are especially responsive to politically embedded cues, whereas prevention-focused salespeople and those anticipating long-term relational continuity exhibit greater restraint. We extend role theory by introducing role ethicality—the salesperson's perception of what constitutes ethically appropriate conduct within their role—as a key mechanism linking firm-level affiliations to individual behavior. Our study demonstrates how a company's external relationship strategies can impact important commercial behaviors in ways that may not be obvious or intended by management.

在企业对企业的市场中，企业的商业和政治关系通常被视为战略资源。然而，对于这些宏观层面的网络如何塑造微观层面的行为，尤其是一线销售人员的行为，我们知之甚少。根据角色理论，我们认为商业和政治关系是影响销售人员角色认知、道德界限和销售行为的隐性脚本。根据三项实验研究和对B2B销售人员的定性调查得出的证据，我们证明了政治关系提高了不道德销售的倾向，随后放大了追加销售行为。相反，商业关系促进了更克制的销售规范，减少了不道德行为和追加销售。我们进一步证明，这些影响受到销售人员特定因素的制约：以晋升为重点的个人和那些认为关系连续性较低的人对政治嵌入的暗示特别敏感，而以预防为重点的销售人员和那些预期长期关系连续性的人表现出更大的克制。我们扩展了角色理论，引入了角色伦理——销售人员对自己角色中合乎道德的行为的认知——作为将公司层面的从属关系与个人行为联系起来的关键机制。我们的研究表明，公司的外部关系策略如何影响重要的商业行为，而这些行为可能不是显而易见的，也不是管理层有意为之。

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