Academic Research
Propensity Score Modeling for Business Marketing Research
Propensity score modeling (PSM) is a powerful statistical technique that, in the appropriate data contexts, addresses biases from confounding and selection, which can otherwise distort results and lead to erroneous inferences. However, while the number of PSM applications in business marketing research is growing, many studies mistakenly assume that PSM is a universal solution for all endogeneity issues. Often, studies lack sufficient detail about the specific endogeneity problem they aim to address, which is a critical issue, as PSM is appropriate only for certain types of endogeneity. Additionally, essential tests to confirm the validity and robustness of PSM results are frequently overlooked or insufficiently reported, raising concerns about the reliability of findings. This article aims to enhance the rigor of PSM applications in business marketing research by offering updated practical guidance on its appropriate use, key aspects to report, and common misconceptions and errors to avoid. A practical example of PSM implementation in Stata is included, along with a comprehensive checklist of justifications and best practices to guide business marketing researchers in their future PSM-based studies.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.03.006
Authors: Peter Guenther, Miriam Guenther, Shekhar Misra, Mariia Koval, Ghasem Zaefarian
ABSTRACT
Propensity score modeling (PSM) is a powerful statistical technique that, in the appropriate data contexts, addresses biases from confounding and selection, which can otherwise distort results and lead to erroneous inferences. However, while the number of PSM applications in business marketing research is growing, many studies mistakenly assume that PSM is a universal solution for all endogeneity issues. Often, studies lack sufficient detail about the specific endogeneity problem they aim to address, which is a critical issue, as PSM is appropriate only for certain types of endogeneity. Additionally, essential tests to confirm the validity and robustness of PSM results are frequently overlooked or insufficiently reported, raising concerns about the reliability of findings. This article aims to enhance the rigor of PSM applications in business marketing research by offering updated practical guidance on its appropriate use, key aspects to report, and common misconceptions and errors to avoid. A practical example of PSM implementation in Stata is included, along with a comprehensive checklist of justifications and best practices to guide business marketing researchers in their future PSM-based studies.
When Being Green is Not Enough – an Experimental Study of the Effects of Sustainable Value Propositions on B2b Green Buying Decisions
Despite the increased importance of environmental sustainability in B2B buying, insights on the marketing mechanisms that influence B2B green buying behavior and green value perceptions at the individual level are still limited. Drawing upon signaling theory and the literature on sustainable value propositions in B2B markets, we first examine the effect of vendors' sustainable value propositions on individual B2B buyers' purchasing decisions for green technology offerings. In a second step, we further investigate the role of buyers' market turbulence as a contingent factor in this relationship. Our findings from a scenario-based experiment provide empirical evidence that a risk-based strategy is more effective under conditions of high buyer market turbulence, while a certification-based strategy, counter to the literature, is more impactful in less turbulent markets. We thus advance the knowledge on the factors that drive B2B green buying at the individual level and contribute to the literature on sustainability value and sustainable value propositions in business markets. Our results further provide guidance for vendors designing value propositions for green offerings and for buyers seeking to purchase environmentally-friendly technologies.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.02.017
Authors: Marcel Aksoy, Benedikt Schnellbächer
ABSTRACT
Despite the increased importance of environmental sustainability in B2B buying, insights on the marketing mechanisms that influence B2B green buying behavior and green value perceptions at the individual level are still limited. Drawing upon signaling theory and the literature on sustainable value propositions in B2B markets, we first examine the effect of vendors' sustainable value propositions on individual B2B buyers' purchasing decisions for green technology offerings. In a second step, we further investigate the role of buyers' market turbulence as a contingent factor in this relationship. Our findings from a scenario-based experiment provide empirical evidence that a risk-based strategy is more effective under conditions of high buyer market turbulence, while a certification-based strategy, counter to the literature, is more impactful in less turbulent markets. We thus advance the knowledge on the factors that drive B2B green buying at the individual level and contribute to the literature on sustainability value and sustainable value propositions in business markets. Our results further provide guidance for vendors designing value propositions for green offerings and for buyers seeking to purchase environmentally-friendly technologies.
Coopetition: Stepping in and Out of Contextual Spaces
Research interest in coopetition has gained currency in the recent literature where achieving balance between competition and cooperation is key. In this paper we explore how the concept of coopetition can be developed to explain the evolving movement of entrepreneurial accessing and re-positioning in business networks. We introduce the term contextual spaces, a ‘potential interaction space’ within a network horizon where external opportunities and resources may reside. Adopting a process ontology we seek to understand how entrepreneurs' step ‘in’ an ‘out’ of relationships within contextual spaces. We ground our exploration in a case study of craft beer entrepreneurs in Ireland and Denmark and develop a framework to further understand entrepreneurs' collaborative interactions from stepping into, within, and out of relationships within contextual spaces to develop and chase new and evolving opportunities over time. Implications for theory and practice are presented in addition to avenues for future research.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850125000331?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Helen McGrath, Poul H. Andersen, Christopher J. Medlin
ABSTRACT
Research interest in coopetition has gained currency in the recent literature where achieving balance between competition and cooperation is key. In this paper we explore how the concept of coopetition can be developed to explain the evolving movement of entrepreneurial accessing and re-positioning in business networks. We introduce the term contextual spaces, a ‘potential interaction space’ within a network horizon where external opportunities and resources may reside. Adopting a process ontology we seek to understand how entrepreneurs' step ‘in’ an ‘out’ of relationships within contextual spaces. We ground our exploration in a case study of craft beer entrepreneurs in Ireland and Denmark and develop a framework to further understand entrepreneurs' collaborative interactions from stepping into, within, and out of relationships within contextual spaces to develop and chase new and evolving opportunities over time. Implications for theory and practice are presented in addition to avenues for future research.
Unite and Conquer – End-To-End Value Creation Through Intra-Organizational Purchasing-Sales Integration
An effective value chain depends on the seamless flow of goods, services, and information between chain partners. A rich literature describes how a firm's purchasing function may develop effective co-creation relationships with upstream suppliers, while its sales function co-creates value with downstream customers. However, effective end-to-end (E2E) value creation is often hampered by the missing relationship between a firm's purchasing and sales functions. Especially in industrial manufacturing firms, purchasing and sales often operate independently from each other resulting in lost opportunities and inefficient supply chains. Although buying and selling are often treated as separate disciplines, academics increasingly emphasize the need for effective purchasing-sales integration (PSI).
Inspired by two Special Issues of Industrial Marketing Management on the purchasing-sales interface, we contribute to this emerging literature with an integrated academic-practitioner perspective. Based on extensive practical and academic experience, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates the scope and intensity of PSI, illustrate it with numerous practical examples, and formulate guidelines for management to strengthen their organizations' PSI. In addition, we present several theoretical propositions and suggestions for both future research and for business schools to connect purchasing and sales in terms of their curriculum, degrees, course materials, research projects, and collaboration with practitioners.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850125000471?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Jürgen Scherer, Wim G. Biemans
ABSTRACT
An effective value chain depends on the seamless flow of goods, services, and information between chain partners. A rich literature describes how a firm's purchasing function may develop effective co-creation relationships with upstream suppliers, while its sales function co-creates value with downstream customers. However, effective end-to-end (E2E) value creation is often hampered by the missing relationship between a firm's purchasing and sales functions. Especially in industrial manufacturing firms, purchasing and sales often operate independently from each other resulting in lost opportunities and inefficient supply chains. Although buying and selling are often treated as separate disciplines, academics increasingly emphasize the need for effective purchasing-sales integration (PSI).
Inspired by two Special Issues of Industrial Marketing Management on the purchasing-sales interface, we contribute to this emerging literature with an integrated academic-practitioner perspective. Based on extensive practical and academic experience, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates the scope and intensity of PSI, illustrate it with numerous practical examples, and formulate guidelines for management to strengthen their organizations' PSI. In addition, we present several theoretical propositions and suggestions for both future research and for business schools to connect purchasing and sales in terms of their curriculum, degrees, course materials, research projects, and collaboration with practitioners.
Operationalizing Ad Creativity and Its Effects in B2B Advertising
While creative advertising is considered to be the key to breaking through media clutter, academics have been slow to research ad creativity, particularly in B2B settings. Ad creativity's conceptualization has been nebulous and its measurement inconsistent. Nevertheless, business managers realize its potential to influence consumers and organizational buyers, and ultimately affect brand outcomes. The current research focuses on ad creativity by presenting a concise conceptualization of the ad creativity construct. Further, it details the development of an ad creativity measure set in a business market setting. The ad creativity measure is employed in an empirical study where it was found that the combination of novelty and relevance in ad creativity executions influence attitude towards the brand, information-seeking intentions and likelihood to recommend behaviors. An eye tracking experiment found that B2B buyers fixated on the novel elements of an ad and subsequently had greater recall. The ad creativity measure appears to be a comprehensive tool for operationalizing ad creativity. Importantly, it is also a simple and useful tool for advertising practitioners and managers who seek to design and test the appropriate level of ad creativity in their advertising campaigns.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.02.011
Authors: Jodie L. Ferguson, Brian P. Brown, Kunal Swani, Naveen Donthu
ABSTRACT
While creative advertising is considered to be the key to breaking through media clutter, academics have been slow to research ad creativity, particularly in B2B settings. Ad creativity's conceptualization has been nebulous and its measurement inconsistent. Nevertheless, business managers realize its potential to influence consumers and organizational buyers, and ultimately affect brand outcomes. The current research focuses on ad creativity by presenting a concise conceptualization of the ad creativity construct. Further, it details the development of an ad creativity measure set in a business market setting. The ad creativity measure is employed in an empirical study where it was found that the combination of novelty and relevance in ad creativity executions influence attitude towards the brand, information-seeking intentions and likelihood to recommend behaviors. An eye tracking experiment found that B2B buyers fixated on the novel elements of an ad and subsequently had greater recall. The ad creativity measure appears to be a comprehensive tool for operationalizing ad creativity. Importantly, it is also a simple and useful tool for advertising practitioners and managers who seek to design and test the appropriate level of ad creativity in their advertising campaigns.