{"title":"Acquiring Professional Service Customers: Do Agile Project Methods Increase the Intention to Choose an Out-supplier?","authors":"Silke Bambauer-Sachse, Thomas Helbling","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2022.2039477","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose The study investigates how different constellations of agile and plan-driven project management methods used by in- and out-suppliers, out-supplier reputation, and satisfaction with the in-supplier affect intentions to choose the out-supplier for a new professional service, and whether these effects are mediated by perceived switching costs. Methodology This is a survey-based study with 971 participants in Switzerland using scenarios about a new digital business solution. The data were analyzed using path analysis and analysis of variance. Findings The intention to choose the out-supplier is highest when the out-supplier uses agile methods while the in-supplier uses plan-driven methods. Higher out-supplier reputation leads to lower perceived switching costs and higher intentions to choose the out-supplier. Higher satisfaction with the in-supplier leads to higher perceived switching costs and lower intentions to choose the out-supplier. Research implications The results extend previous research by showing that the constellation of project management methods has stronger effects on perceived switching costs and intentions to choose the out-supplier than have out-supplier reputation and satisfaction with the in-supplier. While perceived switching costs depend more strongly on out-supplier reputation, intentions to choose the out-supplier depend more strongly on satisfaction with the in-supplier. Practical implications Out-suppliers can increase their acquisition rate by using agile methods when competing with an in-supplier using a plan-driven approach. Out-suppliers should proactively communicate the benefits of agile approaches in the business initiation stage, invest in proactive reputation management, and carefully analyze the existing business relationship between the target customer and the in-supplier. If the target customer is satisfied with the in-supplier using an agile approach, it is less likely that the out-supplier will successfully outcompete them. Originality This study is the first to examine the effects of different constellations of project management methods in addition to out-supplier reputation and satisfaction with the in-supplier on perceived procedural switching costs and the intention to choose the out-supplier.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2022.2039477","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
ABSTRACT Purpose The study investigates how different constellations of agile and plan-driven project management methods used by in- and out-suppliers, out-supplier reputation, and satisfaction with the in-supplier affect intentions to choose the out-supplier for a new professional service, and whether these effects are mediated by perceived switching costs. Methodology This is a survey-based study with 971 participants in Switzerland using scenarios about a new digital business solution. The data were analyzed using path analysis and analysis of variance. Findings The intention to choose the out-supplier is highest when the out-supplier uses agile methods while the in-supplier uses plan-driven methods. Higher out-supplier reputation leads to lower perceived switching costs and higher intentions to choose the out-supplier. Higher satisfaction with the in-supplier leads to higher perceived switching costs and lower intentions to choose the out-supplier. Research implications The results extend previous research by showing that the constellation of project management methods has stronger effects on perceived switching costs and intentions to choose the out-supplier than have out-supplier reputation and satisfaction with the in-supplier. While perceived switching costs depend more strongly on out-supplier reputation, intentions to choose the out-supplier depend more strongly on satisfaction with the in-supplier. Practical implications Out-suppliers can increase their acquisition rate by using agile methods when competing with an in-supplier using a plan-driven approach. Out-suppliers should proactively communicate the benefits of agile approaches in the business initiation stage, invest in proactive reputation management, and carefully analyze the existing business relationship between the target customer and the in-supplier. If the target customer is satisfied with the in-supplier using an agile approach, it is less likely that the out-supplier will successfully outcompete them. Originality This study is the first to examine the effects of different constellations of project management methods in addition to out-supplier reputation and satisfaction with the in-supplier on perceived procedural switching costs and the intention to choose the out-supplier.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing® encourages diversity in approaches to business marketing theory development, research methods, and managerial problem solving. An editorial board comprised of outstanding, internationally recognized scholars and practitioners ensures that the journal maintains impeccable standards of relevance and rigorous scholarship. The Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing features: •basic and applied research that reflects current business marketing theory, methodology, and practice •articles from leading researchers covering topics of mutual interest for the business and academic communities