Linking SMEs’ customer strategy to firm growth: the case of manufacturing suppliers in South Korea

IF 3.9 4区 管理学 Q2 BUSINESS
Eunjeong Seo, Euehun Lee
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the customer strategies for small- and medium-sized manufacturing suppliers (SMMSs) in customer dominance markets, particularly regarding power asymmetry. It has two key objectives: (1) to identify factors impacting SMMSs' customer strategies, including technological and marketing capabilities and the importance of the main customer and (2) to examine the impact of these strategies on firm growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the survey data on 279 Korean manufacturing suppliers in B2B markets, nine hypotheses were verified through a structural equation model (SEM). It involved capturing the varied influence of organizational capabilities on the two types of customer strategies and the link between customer strategy and firm growth.

Findings

Technology and marketing capabilities affect new customer acquisition directly, while in the case of main customer retention, marketing capability affects main customer retention through the overall satisfaction about the existing relationship. Although the importance of the main customer suppresses new customer acquisition strategies, SMMSs should actively pursue both customer acquisition and retention to promote firm growth.

Originality/value

The findings reveal how SMMSs, leveraging technological and marketing capabilities, can concurrently pursue new customer acquisition and main customer retention. Additionally, it empirically demonstrates the impact of the main customer’s importance on these customer strategies and underscores the positive impact of both strategies on firm growth. This provides a blueprint for a value-creation process linking capabilities, customer strategies and firm performance.

将中小企业的客户战略与企业成长联系起来:韩国制造业供应商的案例
目的 本研究探讨了中小型制造供应商(SMMSs)在客户主导市场中的客户战略,尤其是在权力不对称方面。它有两个主要目标:(1)确定影响中小型制造供应商客户战略的因素,包括技术和营销能力以及主要客户的重要性;(2)研究这些战略对企业成长的影响。设计/方法/途径利用对 279 家韩国 B2B 市场制造供应商的调查数据,通过结构方程模型(SEM)验证了九个假设。研究结果技术和营销能力直接影响新客户的获取,而在主要客户保留方面,营销能力通过对现有关系的整体满意度影响主要客户的保留。虽然主客户的重要性抑制了新客户获取战略,但 SMMS 应积极追求客户获取和客户保留,以促进公司发展。 研究结果揭示了 SMMS 如何利用技术和营销能力,同时追求新客户获取和主客户保留。此外,研究还通过经验证明了主顾的重要性对这些客户战略的影响,并强调了这两种战略对企业增长的积极影响。这为将能力、客户战略和企业绩效联系起来的价值创造过程提供了蓝图。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
7.90
自引率
18.90%
发文量
96
期刊介绍: The Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (APJML) provides a unique focus on marketing and logistics in the Asia Pacific region. It publishes research which focus on marketing and logistics problems, new procedures and practical approaches, systematic and critical reviews of changes in marketing and logistics and cross-national and cross-cultural comparisons of theory into practice. APJML is to publish articles including empirical research, conceptual papers, in-depth literature review and testing of alternative methodologies and theories that have significant contributions to the knowledge of marketing and logistics in the Asia Pacific region. The journal strives to bridge the gap between academia and practice, hence it also publishes viewpoints from practitioners, case studies and research notes of emerging trends. Book reviews of cutting edge topics are also welcome. Readers will benefit from reports on the latest findings, new initiatives and cutting edge methodologies. Readers outside the region will have a greater understanding of the cultural orientation of business in the Asia Pacific and will be kept up to date with new insights of upcoming trends. The journal recognizes the dynamic impact of Asian Pacific marketing and logistics to the international arena. An in-depth understanding of the latest trends and developments in Asia Pacific region is imperative for firms and organizations to arm themselves with competitive advantages in the 21st century. APJML includes, but is not restricted to: -Marketing strategy -Relationship marketing -Cross-cultural issues -Consumer markets and buying behaviour -Managing marketing channels -Logistics specialists -Branding issues in Asia Pacific markets -Segmentation -Marketing theory -New product development -Marketing research -Integrated marketing communications -Legal and public policy -Cross national and cross cultural studies
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