اثربخشی بازاریابی جهانی از طریق اتحاد و تجارت الکترونیک در بازار B to B

Numerous changes in the global business climate have intensified global competition through new forms of competition as well as the addition of new competitors. As a result, domestic and international firms have to develop and implement marketing strategies that are aligned with the current global competitive realities. This study explores the influence of three overarching developments that stand out as having a dominating role in the shifting international competitive landscape: (1) the rapid growth of global business activities by existing firms and new entrants, for example, through increased international outsourcing (i.e., the intensification of importing activities); (2) the transition to managing supply chain systems through greater coordination of entire distribution channels, alliances, and relational exchanges; and (3) the emergence and increased strategic deployment of electronic forms of exchange, particularly with respect to information access, storage, and retrieval, as means of more efficient management of domestic and global network of operations and market intelligence. Managerial and research implications of these trends are discussed.

Unprecedented shifts in the business climate around the world have created new forms of competition as well as new competitors in the global business landscape, thus forcing firms to rethink their marketing strategies. Three developments in the global business environment stand out as having a dominating role in this shift. The objective of this article is to highlight and explore these changes. The first shift has to do with the rapid growth and greater involvement of firms' in global business activities. In particular, the tremendous growth in outsourcing activities has necessarily engaged new entrants in global business-to-business (B2B) activities (i.e., importers) to which much greater attention should be paid. The second change agent is the transition to a more holistic approach to managing supply chain systems through greater coordination of entire distribution channels, alliances, and relational exchanges. To address the needs of their customers, firms require harmony and continuity in their supply chain systems and as supply sources are increasingly global, for example, through increased outsourcing, relational exchanges and alliances have become much more important. The third development fostering a major change in how firms conduct business and compete is the transition to electronic forms of exchange, particularly with respect to information access, storage, and retrieval. In the sections that follow, these environmental shifts are explored and linked to the studies presented in this Special Issue.