Culture, intercultural communication competence and buyer-seller relationships in international sales | |
| Author | Sunanta Chaisrakeo |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.SM-04-05 |
| Subject(s) | Sales management Relationships Export sales contracts |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | There has been a shift in thinking about how companies enhance their competitiveness, away from an orientation toward individual transactions toward long-term, mutually supportive relationships between businesses and their customers. Most companies must focus on their salespeople as the main implementers of such relationships, as sales reps act as the interface between companies and customers. Negotiation is an important part of relationship development, but, salespeople's negotiating styles are influenced by culture and the ability to adapt to cultures of specific markets and specific customers. This study aims to investigate how culture, ability to deal with culture, and salespeople's negotiating styles influence buyer-seller relationship development. It examines three main relationships: 1) the effects of the salesperson's problem-solving orientation, intercultural communication competency, and the organizational culture of the rep's firm on the salesperson's problem-solving approach; 2) the antecedent influence of high/low context national culture on the two sales rep characteristics and organizational culture; and 3) the effects of the salesperson's problem-solving approach and cultural differences on buyer-seller relationship development. Initially, qualitative in-depth interviews were employed to explore the impact of national culture, organizational culture, and individual sales rep competence in dealing with culture on salespeople's negotiating styles. Results indicated that the model implied in these three sets of relationships was feasible. Sales reps themselves recognize the cultural impacts on how they think about sales negotiations and how they interact with their customers. They believe that individual level competence and experience in cross-cultural negotiations can offset any negative impact from national or organizational culture. Then, survey research was further conducted in three different industries --- information technology, petroleum, and retail --- to explore on this issue by focusing buyer-seller relationship development as a preferable outcome. Data from 210 buyer-seller dyads, 46 with same culture, 81 with same context, and 83 with different context of cultural background, produce interesting results. The findings suggest scholars and practitioners for awareness and implications. |
| Year | 2004 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Management (SOM) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Publication code=SM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Speece, Mark W |
| Examination Committee(s) | Swierezek, Fredric W.;Panapa Herabat |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Sripatum University |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2004 |