Purpose The purpose of this study is to add insights into the business-to-business (B2B) branding literature by investigating the mechanism by which brand orientation affects relational performance in the B2B context. Design/methodology/approach A theory-based model is developed and tested using data collected from 201 Chinese B2B companies. Partial least squares analysis is used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results suggest that relationship commitment serves as an important means that translates a firm’s brand orientation into superior relational performance. Moreover, this positive effect is more prominent when the supplier is co-branding with its buyer. In addition, state-owned buyers are more inclined to develop affective commitment than calculative commitment when their suppliers are brand-oriented. Research limitations/implications This study examines the research questions from only the buyer side. In addition, the causal interface of the results might be limited due to the cross-sectional nature of the data. Practical implications While brand orientation generally leads to enhanced relational performance, it depends on the buyer’s involvement in co-branding and its ownership structure. Originality/value This study is among the first to uncover the underlying mechanism by which brand orientation adds value to B2B relationships. The findings provide compelling insights for managers who are interested in promoting a brand orientation to improve relational performance within their organizations.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how perceived vulnerability reduces consumers’ willingness to utilize services offered by nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Design/methodology/approach Three online surveys were conducted across two research contexts to test the proposed model. Hayes’ PROCESS was used to analyze the data. Findings Perceived vulnerability decreases the perception of relational benefits, which in turn decrease consumers’ commitment to NPOs. Reduced commitment lessens consumers’ willingness to cooperate and acquiesce to organizations’ recommendations. Risk aversion and cognitive ability mediate the relationship between perceived vulnerability and perceived relational benefits. Research limitations/implications The findings uncover mechanisms through which perceived vulnerability influences perceived relational benefits, contributing to the understanding of behaviors of consumers that perceive vulnerable. This paper does not manipulate consumers’ perceived vulnerability but only measures their perceived vulnerability, limiting the explanatory power of causal relationships between perceived vulnerability and perceived relational benefits. Practical implications This study can provide some insight for NPOs about how to better serve their target population. To increase willingness to utilize service offerings, NPOs should decrease their perceived risks of new services. Originality/value This paper clarifies why consumers that perceive vulnerability are not willing to deploy the NPOs’ services which could improve their situation by demonstrating that cognitive ability and risk aversion mediate the relationship between perceived vulnerability and perceived relational benefits.

Purpose This study aims to fill three theoretical gaps in previous literature on exploration and exploitation: the relationship between exploration and exploitation is inconclusive; the influences of exploration and exploitation on firm performance are not consistent; and no empirical studies have integrated the antecedents of exploration and exploitation from the different research fields. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize 143 studies with 257 independent samples to understand the relationship between exploration and exploitation and their consequences and antecedents. Findings The results show that exploration and exploitation are positively correlated with each other, and both of them can boost firm performance. Moreover, firm capabilities, firm size, firm age, competitive intensity, market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation positively influence exploration, and firm resources, firm capabilities, firm size, firm age, market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation positively influence exploitation. Competitive intensity negatively influences exploitation. Surprisingly, market turbulence does not significantly influence exploration or exploitation. Originality/value The results not only contribute to the theories by reconciling the inconsistent results but also provide insight for firms with guidance about under what conditions they should use what strategies.

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Purpose This study aims to examine how international small and medium-sized enterprises (ISMEs) improve adaptive marketing capabilities (AMCs) through exploration, exploitation and ambidexterity (EEA) and thereby increase exporting performance. In addition, the present study attempts to examine conditions under which EEA can more effectively improve AMCs. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical model was tested by using survey data collected from 119 ISMEs based in the U.S. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was deployed to analyze the data. Findings The results show that exploration increases ISMEs’ performance through improving AMCs while ambidexterity reduces ISMEs’ performance through weakening AMCs. However, the negative influence of ambidexterity on AMCs attenuates in a dissimilar host country where ISMEs can conveniently learn new information. Finally, when ISMEs pursue exploitation in an either similar or dissimilar host country, their AMCs do not improve. Research limitations/implications We provide empirical evidence of SMEs increasing AMCs and firm performance via EEA within the context of exporting. However, we did not collect objective financial performance of ISMEs. Practical implications Our findings provide guidance for ISMEs’ marketing managers to build AMCs by learning something new. Moreover, the findings help ISMEs effectively identify and select the most appropriate international marketing strategy depending on the similarity between host and home countries. Originality/value Our findings contribute to the literature by explicating how ISMEs can heighten marketing capability to build competitive advantages in global markets through exploration. However, ISMEs should be cautious when pursuing ambidexterity, which may weaken AMCs and finally decrease firm performance. In addition, we identify external factors that influence effectiveness of EEA in building AMCs. By doing so, the findings help ISMEs understand how to increase AMCs so as to improve competencies in fast-changing global markets.