PurposeOne of the causes of change in business relationships comes from incidents that deviate in a positive or negative way from the expected and normal relationship pattern. This introduces the concept of stress that captures the effect of negatively deviating incidents in business relationships.Design/methodology/approachPresents a technique, the negative critical incident mapping (NCIM), for measuring this kind of stress. The technique is used in an industrial service and a business service setting to measure stress in a dyadic manner.FindingsThe results show that not only were all studied relationships burdened with stress to a varying extent but there were also substantial differences in the degree and content of stress. The relationships showed significant differences when seller‐buyer pairs of stress perceptions were matched. Operator‐level perceptions of stress in the relationships corresponded better than manager‐level perceptions. Research and management implications from the new relationship stress concept conclude the paper.Originality/valueThe new relationship‐stress concept is useful for relationship‐dissolution and relationship‐strength researchers since it reveals a hidden risk factor to a business relationship that complements current understanding. For managers the value lies in being able to diagnose relationships at risk of being lost or to detect fundamental relationship problems.
Purpose -Explores internet-related needs and wants of older adults and identifies internet user segments among them. Design/methodology/approach -The internet, primarily designed for the young, has been at the centre of research and business attention for a number of years, whereas so far older age groups have received surprisingly little attention. A survey in the Greater Helsinki area in Finland was undertaken. Findings -The survey showed that every 55 þ respondent was acquainted with the internet and that one-third of the respondents were non-users, while the majority were frequent web visitors using and purchasing internet services to an extent fairly similar to younger counterparts. Two segments in line with the life-stage model, labelled healthy indulging and ailing outgoing internet users, were found and show that there is heterogeneity among this age group. Research limitations/implications -A limitation common to surveys also concerns this study, namely that the sample was quite small -127 respondents -and strictly defined. Therefore in future studies it would be justified to expand the number and type of studied 55 þ respondents, and also to conduct studies that reveal their real internet behaviour such as observation and participatory studies. Implications for web designers, service providers, and politicians are presented which are based on the respondents' own practical development ideas and suggestions. Originality/value -The study is valuable because it sheds light on a rapidly increasing market segment on which there currently are very limited empirical findings, in particular outside the USA and concerning internet values and behaviour.
Store brands have grown in popularity in virtually all countries. Despite a considerable body of research, findings on how consumers perceive and buy store brands have been rather inconclusive. While most store-brand studies have examined various grocery products, the current study focuses on confectionery, specifically chocolate bars. A survey in Finland shows that the middle aged and more educated are more store-brand prone than others, that nearly all had bought store brands, including retailers' own chocolate bars. Three buyer types of store brand buyers with differing perceptions of chocolate bars are identified and analysed: heavy users, sometimes and seldom. Some implications of the findings for retailers and manufacturers are discussed.
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