طراحی و اعتبارسنجی مدل ارتباطات بلندمدت خریدار-فروشنده در منطقه های آزاد تجاری (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
درجه علمی: نشریه علمی (وزارت علوم)
آرشیو
چکیده
پژوهش حاضر با هدف طراحی و اعتبارسنجی مدل ارتباطات بلندمدت خریدار-فروشنده در منطقه های آزاد تجاری انجام شده است. این مطالعه از منظر هدف یک پژوهش کاربردی-توسعه ای و از منظر روش گردآوری داده ها یک پژوهش پیمایش مقطعی است. برای دستیابی به هدف از طرح پژوهش آمیخته اکتشافی استفاده شده است. جامعه مشارکت کنندگان بخش کیفی شامل 17 نفر از خبرگان و مدیران عالی منطقه های آزاد تجاری و استادان بازاریابی است. نمونه گیری در بخش کیفی با روش هدفمند انجام شده و تا دستیابی به اشباع نظری ادامه یافته است. در بخش کمّی نیز از دیدگاه 288 نفر از کارشناسان منطقه های آزاد تجاری استفاده شده است. حجم نمونه با روش اندازه اثر و توان آزمون تعیین و برای نمونه گیری از روش خوشه ای-تصادفی بهره گرفته شده است. ابزار گردآوری داده ها مصاحبه نیمه ساختاریافته و پرسشنامه محقق ساخته است. برای تحلیل داده ها از روش تحلیل مضمون با نرم افزار Maxqda، مدل سازی ساختاری-تفسیری با نرم افزار Micmac و حداقل مربعات جزئی با نرم افزار Smart PLS استفاده شده است. نتایج نشان داده است که عوامل دولتی، مدیریتی، محیطی و ساختاری بر بازاریابی رابطه ای و راهبرد بازاریابی در منطقه های آزاد تجاری تأثیر می گذارند. بازاریابی رابطه ای و راهبرد بازاریابی نیز بر مشتری گرایی، شخصی سازی روابط و هم آفرینی ارزش تأثیر می گذارد و در نهایت، به ارتباطات بلندمدت خریدار-فروشنده در منطقه های آزاد تجاری منجر می شوند.Designing and Validating a Long-Term Buyer-Seller Communication Model in Free Trade Zones
This research aimed to design and validate a model of long-term buyer-seller relationships in free trade zones. From an applied and developmental perspective, this was a cross-sectional survey study. To achieve the objective, an exploratory mixed method was utilized. The qualitative phase involved interviews with 17 experts and senior managers from free trade zones, as well as marketing professors. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation. In the quantitative phase, the survey data were collected from 288 free-trade-zone experts with the sample size determined by effect size and statistical power considerations. A cluster random sampling approach was employed as well. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and a researcher-developed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), and Partial Least Squares (PLS) techniques. The results indicated that governmental, managerial, environmental, and structural factors influenced Relationship Marketing (RM) and Marketing Strategy (MS) in free trade zones. In turn, RM and MS affected Customer Orientation (CO), Relationship Personalization (RP), and Co-Creation Value (CCV), ultimately leading to long-term buyer-seller relationships.
Introduction
Free trade zones play a crucial role in a country's regional and national economic prosperity and growth. While there is significant potential for developing thriving commercial hubs, actual achievements often fall short. Despite numerous studies on free trade zones, the marketing perspective has been largely overlooked. Establishing long-term buyer-seller relationships within these zones could help optimize their potential. By developing strong relationships with buyers and market participants, the revenues generated throughout the customer lifecycle can be maximized. However, to achieve this, a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that drive long-term relationships between buyers and sellers in these areas is needed. From a strategic standpoint, insufficient attention to cultivating long-term relationships with customers in free trade zones may jeopardize the country's long-term interests and allow competitors to attract current customers. The costs, time, and marketing efforts required to acquire new customers and business partners are typically much greater than retaining the existing ones. The present study aimed to address this gap by employing an exploratory design to develop a comprehensive and inclusive model of long-term buyer-seller relationships in free trade zones. This research sought to answer the following key question: What does the long-term buyer-seller relationship model in free trade zones look like?
Methodology
The aim of this research was to design and validate a model of long-term buyer-seller relationships in free trade zones. This study adopted a pragmatist philosophical approach and employed an applied, developmental, and cross-sectional survey research. To achieve the research objective, an exploratory strategy of mixed (qualitative-quantitative) methods was employed.
The qualitative phase involved interviews with theoretical experts (marketing management professors) and practical experts (free-trade-zone managers). Purposive sampling was applied and theoretical saturation was reached after 17 interviews.
The quantitative phase targeted experts from free trade zones. The sample size was calculated using Cohen's (1988) power analysis rule with a minimum of 288 participants.
The main data collection tools were semi-structured interviews and questionnaires based on Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), as well as a researcher-developed survey. The qualitative analysis using thematic analysis and MaxQDA software identified the main themes and sub-themes, which were then used to construct the model's constructs and indicators.
The validity result of the interviews was assessed using Holsti's coefficient, which showed an "observed agreement" of 0.662 was thus considered acceptable. The survey's validity was examined through construct validity (outer model), convergent validity (AVE), and discriminant validity. The reliability was assessed using Composite Reliability (CR) and Cronbach's alpha with values exceeding 0.7 for all dimensions.
Thematic analysis using MaxQDA software was employed for data analysis in the qualitative phase. ISM and MicMac software were used to identify the relationships between constructs. The quantitative phase analysis for model validation was conducted using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method and Smart PLS software.
Findings
To design and validate a long-term buyer-seller relationship model in free trade zones, the researchers conducted specialized and semi-structured interviews with managers from the Supreme Council of Free Trade Zones. The interview process began with 5 open-ended questions with the expectation that new questions might arise during the interviews. The researcher thoroughly familiarized themselves with the data by repeatedly reading and actively searching for meanings and patterns. Following the 6-step method outlined by Attride-Stirling (2001), the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The interviews were recorded and transcribed with descriptive details and the researcher wrote down the initial ideas and codes. This iterative process of interviewing, coding, and analyzing continued until data saturation was reached as indicated by repetition of the extracted codes. In the open-coding phase, 311 codes were identified, which were then condensed into 4 overarching themes, 10 organizing themes, and 65 basic themes through axial coding.
To design the initial model of long-term buyer-seller relationships in free trade zones, the researchers employed an ISM method. The relationships between the overarching constructs were indicated using 4 symbols: V (Variable i affects j), A (Variable j affects i), X (bidirectional relationship), and O (no relationship). The resulting model placed long-term buyer-seller relationships at the 1st level with Customer Orientation (CO), Co-Creation Value (CCV), and Relationship Personalization (RP) at the 2nd level and Relationship Marketing (RM) and Marketing Strategy (MS) at the 3rd level. Environmental Factors (EFs), Governmental Factors (GFs), Managerial Factors (MFs), and Structural Factors (SFs) were positioned at the 4th level.
To validate the model, the researchers employed the PLS method. The results showed that the effect sizes of the independent variables were above the moderate threshold of 0.15 and in some cases even exceeded 0.35, indicating strong effects. The coefficient of determination (R2) and the predictive relevance (Q2) index were used to assess the model's predictive power with the structural coefficient of MS estimated at 0.807, suggesting that the independent variables explained 81% of the marketing strategy.
The overall model fit was evaluated using the Goodness of Fit (GOF) index, the RMS_theta index, and the SRMR index. The GOF index was calculated to be 0.653, which was greater than 0.36; the RMS_theta index was 0.094, which was less than 0.12; and the SRMR index was 0.050, which was less than 0.08. These results indicated a satisfactory model fit.
Conclusion
The primary objective of this study was to design and validate a long-term buyer-seller relationship model in the context of free trade zones. The results indicated that environmental, governmental, managerial, and structural factors influenced Relationship Marketing (RM) and Marketing Strategy (MS) within free trade zones. These findings aligned with the studies conducted by Sun and Lei (2023) and Qanbarpour et al. (2021), which emphasized the significance of governmental and managerial factors in this domain.
Furthermore, the research revealed that RM was closely associated with Relationship Personalization (RP) (consistent with the findings of Lin and Lin, 2023), Customer Orientation (CO) (in line with the work of Wongsansukcharoen, 2022), and Co-Creation Value (CCV) (as reported by Haverila et al., 2022). Additionally, the relationship between MS and CCV was confirmed, corroborating the results of the study conducted by Chowdhury et al. (2023). Moreover, MS was found to impact CO, which resonated with the importance of customer orientation highlighted in the study carried out by Lemarquis and Mercanti-Guérin (2022).
The research findings ultimately suggested that these interrelated components – CO, CCV, and RP – were pivotal in fostering long-term buyer-seller relationships within free trade zones. Specifically, CO was identified as a key factor in establishing long-term buyer-seller relationships as evidenced by the study conducted by Guan et al. (2022). Similarly, CCV was recognized as a fundamental element in building and sustaining long-term buyer-seller relationships as reported by Ranjan et al. (2024).
تبلیغات
