Jari Salo

ABSTRACT The role of attachment as a driver of industrial brand loyalty has largely been investigated at the inter-organizational level, while there is a notable lack of studies on industrial buyers' attachment to industrial brands and products. By researching an empirical setting in which buyers have first-person experience of product use, this study proposes the existence of brand attachment and product attachment in an industrial context and tests their influence on brand loyalty based on the results of a survey of 317 owner-operators of heavy trucks. Findings suggest that while brand attachment positively and directly influences brand loyalty, product attachment indirectly drives brand loyalty through the mediating effects of brand attachment. Product irreplaceability, however, was found to be a direct driver of brand loyalty. The current research also proposes tests to measure the relationship between the constructs of brand attachment and product attachment. This research has several managerial and theoretical implications indicating that paying attention to the emotional meanings of industrial brands and products is warranted, as are further studies on the application of attachment in industrial marketing.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Advances in information technology (IT) have made communication and transactions in business markets more effective than ever before. In spite of the increased popularity of studying buyer–seller relationships, IT influences on business relationships remain an underresearched area. The purpose of the current research is to illustrate how a digital bond emerges in a relationship in terms of the digital bonding process and its influence on other bonds in buyer–seller relationships. Methodology: A literature ...

ABSTRACT Purpose: Advances in information technology (IT) have made communication and transactions in business markets more effective than ever before. In spite of the increased popularity of studying buyer–seller relationships, IT influences on business relationships remain an underresearched area. The purpose of the current research is to illustrate how a digital bond emerges in a relationship in terms of the digital bonding process and its influence on other bonds in buyer–seller relationships. Methodology: A literature ...

ABSTRACT Communication of a value proposition for an industrial asset efficiency service (AES) as a part of the sales process is a relevant topic both for researchers and practitioners. Research on the area acknowledges the importance of forming value propositions in intensive interaction with customers, but how that is actually done during an industrial sales process, is not thoroughly understood. In addition, in case of services which value for each customer is highly different and difficult to measure, communication becomes even more challenging. However, firms need to succeed in that so that customers are not only convinced of the value of the service but also finally are able to realize the value. This paper presents a framework that combines the value elements for AES and their formation and communication through the phases of the value-based sales process. The results contribute to the increasing discussion on value proposition communication for services and for value-based sales and pricing.

ABSTRACT Communication of a value proposition for an industrial asset efficiency service (AES) as a part of the sales process is a relevant topic both for researchers and practitioners. Research on the area acknowledges the importance of forming value propositions in intensive interaction with customers, but how that is actually done during an industrial sales process, is not thoroughly understood. In addition, in case of services which value for each customer is highly different and difficult to measure, communication becomes even more challenging. However, firms need to succeed in that so that customers are not only convinced of the value of the service but also finally are able to realize the value. This paper presents a framework that combines the value elements for AES and their formation and communication through the phases of the value-based sales process. The results contribute to the increasing discussion on value proposition communication for services and for value-based sales and pricing.

Abstract: Co-innovation has been found to be difficult to control, but especially in industrial context, where the potential partners for co-innovation are often important long-term customers, the co-innovation process needs careful management. Previous literature provides insights into the innovation process and customer integration in it, but combined understanding of these in order to understand the co-innovation process within long-term industrial customer relationships is still developing. Through a qualitative six-case study, ...

This research addresses the question of why consumers use social media especially in relation to music consumption and how music industry companies could improve their social media efforts by matching company strategies with consumer motives. Four case studies and four focus groups with 28 participants were conducted. As a result, this study found five motives for social media participation: (1) access to content, (2) sense of affinity, (3) participation, (4) interaction, and (5) social identity, in decreasing order of effect. For managers this study set out a detailed social media strategy that corresponds with components of consumer motives for participation at decreasing levels of effect.

Abstract A new model for investigating consumers' behavioral intention in mobile advertising is developed and related to mobile marketing theory and practice. Hypotheses are tested about the hierarchical structure and the effects of the factors that precede consumers' acceptance of mobile advertisement. The results suggest that attractive content and trust in advertisers are key predictors of mobile device users' behavioral intention towards mobile advertising. The findings lead to a modification and extension of Fishbein's behavioral ...

Abstract The role of learning is central in the innovation discourse. Specifically, in this study we examine how different sources of learning affect incremental and radical product launch outcomes in an emerging industry. In this research, sources of learning are divided into two categories, namely learning from utilizing market information and learning from collaborating in business networks. Through a multiple case study of the emerging digital content publishing industry in Finland, our research highlights the importance of experiential ...

Monetizing the users base is a major business challenge in social media, online social networking and online entertainment. Many of these services employ the freemium business model i.e. offer a free access to the service and try to generate revenue from selling premium user accounts with exclusive features or selling virtual items. However, the value users create by virtual purchasing is not well understood. Furthermore, young people constitute an important user segment for online social networking services that has not received proportionate attention in the literature. This study draws on Theory of Consumption Values and developmental psychology to elucidate the value teenage users create by spending money in a social virtual world (SVW) that employs the freemium business model in parallel with selling virtual items. The benefits of the premium user account, decoration, status, and boosted enjoyment of the user experience were the most common reasons for teenagers’ purchasing within an SVW. From teenagers’ developmental standpoint, virtual purchasing facilitates identity experiments and membership of peer groups. The results also reveal social hierarchies and discrimination among the users.

ABSTRACT This research explores and investigates the conceptualization of eselling. A review and 42 in-depth interviews with industry experts show that e-selling is seen as an activity distinct from ecommerce, e-marketing and e-retailing-digital human-like interaction directed at increasing customer value by securing a business exchange. The article discovers 16 different interactivity cues that do not fit the traditional concepts of e-commerce and emarketing.

ABSTRACT Research on online consumer information search behavior has typically concentrated on search-type information instead of experience information. This article focuses on electronic wordof-mouth (eWOM) as a source of experience information, and we study the relationships between the antecedents, amount and utilization of eWOM searched.

ABSTRACT This research deals with business relationship coordination during extended project supply process in service intensive project business. The focus of the research is to describe and explain problems faced in relationship coordination between project buyer and seller along different stages of the project supply process.

Abstract The role of learning is central in the innovation discourse. Specifically, in this study we examine how different sources of learning affect incremental and radical product launch outcomes in an emerging industry. In this research, sources of learning are divided into two categories, namely learning from utilizing market information and learning from collaborating in business networks.

Abstract This paper explores co-innovation, a phenomenon, in which supplier and customer actively work on a new solution. Previous studies have highlighted the benefits of co-innovation but less emphasis has been directed towards the shifting roles of the supplier and the customer in different stages of co-innovation. This paper focuses on revealing these roles, which are discussed through the goals and the involvement of the actors in different stages of the coinnovation process.