• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.25-29
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• 2016

Purpose - Finding top K persuaders in consumer network is an important problem in marketing. Recently, a new method of computing persuasion scores, interpreted as fixed point or stable distribution for given persuasion probabilities, was proposed. Top K persuaders are chosen according to the computed scores. This research proposed a new definition of persuasion scores relaxing some conditions on the matrix of probabilities, and a method to identify top K persuaders based on the defined scores. Research design, data, and methodology - A new method of computing top K persuaders is computed by singular value decomposition (SVD) of the matrix which represents persuasion probabilities between entities. Results - By testing a randomly generated instance, it turns out that the proposed method is essentially different from the previous study sharing a similar idea. Conclusions - The proposed method is shown to be valid with respect to both theoretical analysis and empirical test. However, this method is limited to the category of persuasion scores relying on the matrix-form of persuasion probabilities. In addition, the strength of the method should be evaluated via additional experiments, e.g., using real instances, different benchmark methods, efficient numerical methods for SVD, and other decomposition methods such as NMF.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.29-43
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• 2015

Word-of-Mouth (WOM), which is the unpaid spread of a positive marketing message from person to person, has been shown to be even more effective in influencing purchase decisions than traditional advertising channels. The effects of WOM might be different by types of persuaders (purchasers vs. non-purchasers), however, the current body of research has not given attention to the differential effects of WOM. This study focuses on whether or not potential customers are influenced by the WOM from non-purchasers as well as from purchasers, and it investigates if the impacts of WOM from non-purchasers are different with those from purchasers. Based on conjoint analyses, it concludes that potential customers are affected by the communication with non-purchasers as well as with purchasers but the impacts of non-purchasers are not greater than those of purchasers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.15-24
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• 2016

Purpose - Key account management is a supplier company initiated relational approach that has received great attention from both academics and practitioners manifested in the business-to-business relationship literatures. However, there is widespread debate and contention on what should be the underlying theoretical base for defining this vital part of relationship marketing. With the insights from the social exchange theory, present paper explores how social exchange affects the dynamic nature of key account management relationship at the organizational level. Research design, data, and methodology - The paper follows a comprehensive review approach to examine the relationship between social exchange theory and key account management approach. Conceptual arguments and findings are assessed across studies with the main objective of showing how social exchange theory develops the governance mechanism in maintaining the key account relationship. Results - Since relational norm is considered as a glue for the maintenance of buyer-seller relationship in social exchange theory, factors develop the non-contractual governance mechanism 'relationship' in business-to-business relationship and this norm replaces or supplements more formal governance mechanisms such as contracts are explored. Conclusions - This paper advances central relational norm to manage the company's most important key customers and demonstrates how this norm can be developed in buyer-seller key account relationship. Implications from this new perspective are forwarded.