مفهوم سازی و بهره برداری از زنجیره ارزش کسب بنگاه به بنگاه

The value chain has been the subject of considerable discussion in the literature. Most of that dialogue has centered on the value chain itself, rather than providing a more comprehensive view of the business-to-business (b-to-b) value chain. This article examines the b-to-b value chain from two vantage points. First, the paper presents a holistic model of the b-to-b value chain. This model incorporates goals, the value chain (and value delivery chain), the total delivered product, and perceived outputs (which may result in value gaps and delivery chain breakdowns). The paper then suggests techniques for operationalizing the value chain. These include a value-driven marketing checklist, a flow chart for enacting a value-driven strategy, and an approach for measuring perceived value and for making necessary strategic revisions.

The vital nature of value, the value chain, and the value delivery chain for business-to-business (b-to-b) marketing have been discussed for decades. In 1980, Levitt [1] said, “There is no such thing as a commodity. All goods and services can be differentiated and usually are. Though the usual presumption is that this is true more of consumer goods than of industrial goods and services, the opposite is the actual case.” More recently, Keep, Hollander, and Dickinson [2] have examined the historical relationships in four b-to-b scenarios in order to review how value chain activities and relationships are performed and maintained (or broken off). They show that relationship marketing is not a recent phenomenon. Sheth [3] identifies three emerging b-to-b research streams, involving buyer–seller interaction and relationships, partnering with suppliers to produce better product quality and customer satisfaction, and supply chain partnering and the use of information technology. Anderson and Narus [4] state that a “small but growing number of suppliers in business markets draw on their knowledge of what customers value, and would value, to gain marketplace advantages over their less knowledgeable competitors… Understanding value in business markets and doing business based on value delivered gives suppliers the means to get an equitable return for their efforts. The essence of customer value management is to deliver superior value and get an equitable return for it, both of which depend on value assessment.” Lambert, Cooper, and Pagh [5] say that “One of the most significant changes in the paradigm of modern business management is that individual businesses no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains.” The purpose of this article is to present a more holistic model of the b-to-b value chain than has typically been taken in the literature, and indicate how this model may be applied. The first part of the article introduces the b-to-b value chain model. The second part puts the principles into practice.

For firms along a b-to-b value delivery chain to maximize the performance of the overall value chain and their own performance within it, they must understand, from multiple perspectives, each element in Figure 1: goals, value chain, total delivered product, and perceived outputs. The companies in a particular value delivery chain need to recognize customer needs and each other's position in the distribution channel, the principle drivers of the value chain, channel relationships and partnering possibilities, total customer value and total customer costs, and the importance of perceived value. A properly executed, coordinated, collaborative value delivery chain is usually greater than the sum of its individual parts. A delivery chain has a greater chance of failing if there is a weak link in the chain. A firm located at any point in a given b-to-b value delivery chain may benefit by applying the tools described in this article to enhance value chain effectiveness and channel relations: a value-driven marketing checklist, the six-step process for devising a value-driven marketing strategy, and techniques for measuring and optimizing perceived value. Gap analysis and a critical incidents approach to delivery chain breakdowns are introduced. When utilizing the tools, a company should pay special attention to: • Assuring that the value delivery chain provides the value sought by the customer at a price it is willing to pay. • Enhancing its data sharing and communication with other delivery chain parties. • Distinguishing between expected and augmented strategies. • Allocating responsibilities among delivery chain members in a manner that recognizes each member's strengths and weaknesses—and assures that all elements of the value chain are covered well. • Continuously monitoring value chain gaps and customer satisfaction—especially given the difference in loyalty between “satisfied” and “very satisfied” customers. • Periodically and systematically reviewing the performance of the firm and the other parties in the delivery chain—with corrective action taken as necessary.