Browsing by Author "Lemke, Fred"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Customer experience quality: an exploration in business and consumer contexts using repertory grid technique
    (Springer Science Business Media, 2011-09-08T00:00:00Z) Lemke, Fred; Clark, Moira; Wilson, Hugh
    This study proposes a conceptual model for customer experience quality and its impact on customer relationship outcomes. Customer experience is conceptualized as the customer's subjective response to the holistic direct and indirect encounter with the firm, and customer experience quality as its perceived excellence or superiority. Using the repertory grid technique in 40 interviews in B2B and B2C contexts, the authors find that customer experience quality is judged with respect to its contribution to value-in-use, and hence propose that value-in-use mediates between experience quality and relationship outcomes. Experience quality includes evaluations not just of the firm's products and services but also of peer-to-peer and complementary supplier encounters. In assessing experience quality in B2B contexts, customers place a greater emphasis on firm practices that focus on understanding and delivering value-in-use than is generally the case in B2C contexts. Implications for practitioners' customer insight processes and future research directions are suggested.
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    An exploratory study of close supplier-manufacturer relationships
    (Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam., 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z) Goffin, Keith; Lemke, Fred; Szwejczewski, Marek
    Close relationships with selected suppliers can enable manufacturers to reduce costs, improve quality and enhance new product development. Although the advantages of close co-operation are widely acknowledged in the literature, the specific attributes of such relationships are not well understood. To address this gap, 39 managers responsible for purchasing were interviewed using a technique from psychology, which is particularly effective at uncovering the characteristics of relationships. This approach is innovative in the context of supplier management research and gave insights into how manufacturers expect more from their suppliers than just reliable deliveries of high-quality, well- priced parts and components. The results of the empirical research enhance our knowledge of the attributes of manufacturer–supplier relationships and also indicate how manufacturers can establish close relationships with selected suppliers. Overall, the study has established the viability of a new approach for understanding the complex topic of manufacturer–supplier partnersh
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    Exploring the link between relationship quality and loyalty: Gaining Insights into Manufacturer-Supplier Relationships
    (Cranfield University, 2003-02) Lemke, Fred; Christopher, Martin
    Manufacturers across industry sectors are gradually reducing their supplier base. Consequently, suppliers need an appropriate strategy to ensure preferred supplier status. It is argued, that `softer' - or more intangible - relationship factors potentially have the power to distinguish suppliers. But what are the intangible factors? How does a customer value them? Do they have an impact on the supplier selection process at all? Questions like these describe an area that has become a topic of considerable debate. Surprisingly, the relationship quality idea, although recognised as an important concept, has hardly received any empirical attention. Therefore, the research question of the present PhD project is stated as follows: In commercial customer-supplier relationships, what is relationship quality (RQ) from the customer's standpoint and how does it relate to the customer's loyalty? The researcher explored the question in three German industry sectors: 1) Engineering, 2) Electronics, and 3) Process. Studies concerned with softer aspects of business-to-business relationships as well as research dealing with supplier selection processes are typically based on preconceived views. Condensing the understanding of relationship quality to a narrow and ambiguous definition, however, would simplify a complex issue. This thesis represents the first study that has explored in-depth the relationship quality concept and its influence on the customer's loyalty. The research comprised three stages. The first stage was a telephone survey of German managers involved in supplier management. The aim was to explore key issues of supplier management such as determining the way suppliers are selected and capturing views on supplier relationships. The second stage was concerned with the exploration of the quality of supplier relationships in detail and the case study approach was the chosen research strategy. The researcher conducted plant visits that included analysis of company documents and in-depth interviews. These were guided by the repertory grid technique. It was found that manufacturers rely on three tangible measures alone when selecting suppliers - price, product quality, and delivery performance. Furthermore, manufacturers have a clear view as to what high-quality supplier relationships are made of. The third stage determined the link between the quality of relationships and the manufacturer's loyalty. The researcher employed an experimental research strategy in the form of a conjoint analysis. Participants evaluated suppliers based on the three tangible and a selection of intangible relationship quality criteria. The study uncovered to what extent the softer relationship quality factors come (unconsciously) into play in the process of selecting long-term supplier relationships.
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    Investigating the meaning of supplier-manufacturer partnerships : An exploratory study
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z) Lemke, Fred; Goffin, Keith; Szwejczewski, Marek
    Supplier partnerships can be the key in enhancing the performance of manufacturing companies. Consequently, partnership has been strongly recommended by academics and practitioners alike. Surprisingly, the concept of partnership is only poorly understood. Many authors have identified the advantages that it can bring but far less has been published on the attributes of partnership itself. What is known is that partnerships are “close” relationships and thus, the level of relationship closeness is an appropriate angle for exploring supplier partnerships. Research was conducted using the repertory grid technique with an exploratory sample of ten managers from four German engineering companies. It revealed that supplier partnerships are very different from other forms of relationship and identified five distinct attributes of partnerships. These findings have a number of implications for both practitioners and research
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    Manufacturer-supplier relationships : An empirical study of German manufacturing companies
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z) Szwejczewski, Marek; Lemke, Fred; Goffin, Keith
    Effective management of suppliers is one of the ways manufacturing companies can improve their performance. Typically, it has been argued in the literature that close relationships with suppliers should be developed, in contrast to the traditional price-driven transactional relationships. However, there has been relatively little empirical research on how supplier management is applied.
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    Supplier Base Management: Experiences from the UK and Germany
    (Mcb, 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z) Lemke, Fred; Goffin, Keith; Szwejczewski, Marek; Pfeiffer, Rolf; Lohmüller, Bertram
    Streamlining the supplier base is a common approach in many US and UK manufacturing companies. However, is this approach being adopted in Germany as fast as it has in the UK? This paper describes research that answers this question and investigates how German companies are managing contacts with their suppliers. The research was conducted in two stages. First, a postal survey of German and UK manufacturers identified the supplier base trends. Second, a follow-up telephone survey of a random sample of German plants investigated supplier management processes. The findings show that German manufacturers have not reduced their supplier base by as much as their UK counterparts. However, German manufacturers that have reduced their supplier base perceive significant benefits. Currently, many companies appear to have failed to recognize the potential of working with a reduced supplier base.
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    Supplier management in German manufacturing companies : An empirical investigation
    (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z) Szwejczewski, Marek; Goffin, Keith; Lemke, Fred; Pfeiffer, Rolf; Lohmüller, Bertram
    A key issue for manufacturers is supplier management, i.e. organising the optimal flow of high quality, value-for-money materials or components from appropriate innovative suppliers. Many companies now recognise the central role that supplier management plays in achieving long-term competitive advantage. This paper presents the results of a study of supplier management practices in Germany, contrasted against those in the UK. It identifies a key difference – German manufacturers have not reduced their supplier base as much as the companies in the UK. However, it appears that German manufacturers will be reducing their supplier base in the near future, although they are likely to follow a policy of multiple sourcing rather than single-sourcing from suppliers. The results of the research have strong implications for German companies as they clearly indicate the potential for performance improvement through the adoption of best practices in the field of supplier managemen
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    Uncovering your customer's hidden needs
    (2004-01-01T00:00:00Z) Goffin, Keith; Lemke, Fred
    Capturing the ‘voice of the customer’ is an essential stage of any new product development. However, the way companies ‘listen’ to their customers is changing as managers realise end users are often unable to articulate their needs and focus groups seldom lead to breakthrough product ideas. The SONY Walkman is a clear example of a new product that resulted from insights into customers’ hidden needs rather than from market research. It is not that market research is bad per se, rather that it is in need of a complete overhaul in many orga