IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jouret/v85y2009i4p493-501.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

When Do Relationships Pay Off for Small Retailers? Exploring Targets and Contexts to Understand the Value of Relationship Marketing

Author

Listed:
  • Adjei, Mavis T.
  • Griffith, David A.
  • Noble, Stephanie M.

Abstract

Relationship marketing has taken on a significant role in both retail practice and academic study. However, from the introduction of the concept of relationship marketing into the literature scholars have noted that relationship building may not be beneficial to all firms under all conditions. In this study, we investigate this issue attempting to gain a greater understanding of the value of relationship marketing activities across targets (i.e., customers and suppliers) and within contexts (i.e., competitive intensity and three elements of market dynamism) on a retailer's ability to develop the capability of market responsiveness. Our findings, based upon a sample of 172 small retailers, demonstrate that differences do in fact exist in the value delivery to retailers from relationships with different targets and across different contexts in which the retailer operates. As such, the results of this study extend the extant relationship marketing literature, refining our understanding of the value of relationship marketing. Implications for academics and practitioners are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Adjei, Mavis T. & Griffith, David A. & Noble, Stephanie M., 2009. "When Do Relationships Pay Off for Small Retailers? Exploring Targets and Contexts to Understand the Value of Relationship Marketing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 85(4), pages 493-501.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jouret:v:85:y:2009:i:4:p:493-501
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2009.09.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435909000608
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretai.2009.09.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jay B. Barney & Mark H. Hansen, 1994. "Trustworthiness as a Source of Competitive Advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S1), pages 175-190, December.
    2. Lewin, Jeffrey E. & Johnston, Wesley J., 1997. "Relationship marketing theory in practice: A case study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 23-31, May.
    3. Jakki Mohr & Robert Spekman, 1994. "Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 135-152, February.
    4. Martin Gargiulo & Mario Benassi, 2000. "Trapped in Your Own Net? Network Cohesion, Structural Holes, and the Adaptation of Social Capital," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 183-196, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sinha, Piyush Kumar & Mishra, Hari Govind & Koul, Surabhi, 2016. "Small Retailer’s Merchandise Decision Making: A Grounded Theory Approach," IIMA Working Papers WP2016-05-03, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    2. Hsieh, Jung-Kuei & Hsieh, Yi-Ching, 2015. "Dialogic co-creation and service innovation performance in high-tech companies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2266-2271.
    3. Fabien Eymas & Faouzi Bensebaa, 2021. "Competitive strategies of small independent retailers," Post-Print hal-03960130, HAL.
    4. Fabien Eymas & Faouzi Bensebaa, 2021. "Competitive strategies of small independent retailers," Post-Print hal-03179166, HAL.
    5. Ryari, Hanaa & Alavi, Sascha & Wieseke, Jan, 2021. "Drown or Blossom? The Impact of Perceived Chronic Time Pressure on Retail Salespeople's Performance and Customer–Salesperson Relationships," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 217-237.
    6. Ashley S. Otto & David M. Szymanski & Rajan Varadarajan, 2020. "Customer satisfaction and firm performance: insights from over a quarter century of empirical research," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 543-564, May.
    7. Gilboa, Shaked & Seger-Guttmann, Tali & Mimran, Ofir, 2019. "The unique role of relationship marketing in small businesses’ customer experience," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 152-164.
    8. Gilboa, Shaked & Seger-Guttmann, Tali & Partouche-Sebban, Judith, 2022. "Increasing customer loyalty and WOM in an age of terror: Cross-cultural development and validation of the customers’ reactions to terror scale (CRTS)," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    9. Pierre Mostert & Tiaan Naude, 2022. "Exploring the Antecedents and Brand Avoidance as the Outcome, of Identity Incongruity," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 10-18, July.
    10. Tajeddini, Kayhan & Elg, Ulf & Trueman, Myfanwy, 2013. "Efficiency and effectiveness of small retailers: The role of customer and entrepreneurial orientation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 453-462.
    11. Kalanit Efrat & Shaked Gilboa, 2020. "Relationship approach to crowdfunding: how creators and supporters interaction enhances projects’ success," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(4), pages 899-911, December.
    12. Chi Zhang & Qingjun Zeng & Charles Chen & Stavros Sindakis & Sakshi Aggarwal & Nipun Dhaulta, 2023. "The Strategic Resources and Competitive Performance of Family-Owned and Non-Family-Owned Firms in the Retail Business of Los Angeles," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(1), pages 327-355, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cruz, Luciano Barin & Delgado, Natalia Aguilar & Begnis, Heron Sergio Moreira & Pedrozo, Eugenio Avila, 2006. "Ampliando o Conceito de Rastreabilidade: Em Busca de Sustentabilidade nas Cadeias Produtivas," 44th Congress, July 23-27, 2006, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil 146380, Sociedade Brasileira de Economia, Administracao e Sociologia Rural (SOBER).
    2. Fabio Sorrentino & Francesco Garraffo, 2012. "Explaining performing R&D through alliances: Implications for the business model of Italian dedicated biotech firms," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(3), pages 449-475, August.
    3. Holger Patzelt & Dean A. Shepherd, 2008. "The Decision to Persist with Underperforming Alliances: The Role of Trust and Control," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(7), pages 1217-1243, November.
    4. Sroka Włodzimierz, 2011. "Problem of Trust in Alliance Networks," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 44(4), pages 101-108, July.
    5. Alfred Wong & Dean Tjosvold & Pengzhu Zhang, 2005. "Supply Chain Relationships for Customer Satisfaction in China: Interdependence and Cooperative Goals," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 179-199, June.
    6. Yan, Aimin & Gray, Barbara, 2001. "Negotiating control and achieving performance in international joint ventures: A conceptual model," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 295-315.
    7. Oliver Schilke & Karen S. Cook, 2015. "Sources of alliance partner trustworthiness: Integrating calculative and relational perspectives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 276-297, February.
    8. Gillis, William E. & Combs, James G. & Yin, Xiaoli, 2020. "Franchise management capabilities and franchisor performance under alternative franchise ownership strategies," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    9. Capaldo, Antonio & Giannoccaro, Ilaria, 2015. "How does trust affect performance in the supply chain? The moderating role of interdependence," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 36-49.
    10. Costa e Silva, Susana & Bradley, Frank & Sousa, Carlos M.P., 2012. "Empirical test of the trust–performance link in an international alliances context," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 293-306.
    11. Heribert Gierl, 2000. "Opportunismus in langfristigen Geschäftsbeziehungen," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 107-140, March.
    12. Ivanova, Olga & Castellano, Sylvaine, 2012. "Signalling legitimacy for SMEs transition environments - the case of the Bulgarian IT Sector," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 17(4), pages 398-422.
    13. Sako, Mari & Helper, Susan, 1998. "Determinants of trust in supplier relations: Evidence from the automotive industry in Japan and the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 387-417, March.
    14. Gagalyuk, Taras, 2012. "Goal achievement in supply chain networks: A study of the Ukrainian agri-food business," Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Transition Economies, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), volume 64, number 64.
    15. Oliver, Lance D. & Gow, Hamish R., 2002. "Successful Alliance Establishment And Evolution In A Volatile Business Environment: The Case Of "Cellars Of Canterbury"," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19808, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    16. Kittichok Nithisathian & Lavanchawee Sujarittanonta & John C Walsh, 2016. "The Thick Black and White Ocean among Buddhist Pilgrimage Tourist Operators in Thailand," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 7(3), pages 11-19.
    17. Liu, Chia-Ling (Eunice) & Ghauri, Pervez N. & Sinkovics, Rudolf R., 2010. "Understanding the impact of relational capital and organizational learning on alliance outcomes," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 237-249, July.
    18. Efrat, Kalanit & Øyna, Stine, 2021. "An interaction orientation approach to SME-Intermediaries relationships," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 508-520.
    19. Prommer, Lisa & Tiberius, Victor & Kraus, Sascha, 2020. "Exploring the future of startup leadership development," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    20. Jae Wook Yoo & Richard Reed & Shung Jae Shin & David J. Lemak, 2009. "Strategic Choice and Performance in Late Movers: Influence of the Top Management Team's External Ties," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 308-335, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jouret:v:85:y:2009:i:4:p:493-501. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.