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Socio-environmental marketing practices have increased drastically in the last decade following the rising environmental consciousness worldwide. This research examines landscaping adoption by organizations in two developing countries in Asia and Africa (namely Malaysia and Nigeria), and the key dimensions of facilitators of adoption. Factor and discriminant analyses were conducted on the data collected from these organizations. The findings of the research are that economic climate, governmental intervention, competitive development, public scrutiny, favourable management attitude and intention, relative advantage, compatibility and ease of use are important factors of socio-environmental marketing adoption by the participating firms.

The current work demonstrates how relationship marketing (RM) application in cultures of low power distance, collectivism, femininity, high uncertainty avoidance, and long‐term orientation, can bring about customer's repeat purchase, customer retention and sustained loyalty via superior customer value delivery. The paper also shows the moderation and mediation effects of trust, equity, empathy, and commitment, which are the underpinnings of a relationship as well as important values in the above cultures. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

PurposeIn the current customer‐centred business environment, organisations are adopting market‐oriented behaviour in an effort to enhance their value creation and delivery capabilities. This study seeks to investigate whether supplier market orientation leads to the creation of superior supplier perceived value and organisational performance. It is contended that supplier perceived value creation mediates the relationship between market orientation and business performance.Design/methodology/approachA model was developed that places supplier perceived value creation as a mediator of the relationship between market orientation and business performance. The model was tested using structural equation modelling on 244 fresh produce suppliers interviewed in face‐to‐face interviews.FindingsThe results indicate that, whilst customer orientation enhances supplier perceived value creation, competitor orientation and interfunctional coordination were negatively associated with it. Supplier perceived value creation had a mediating effect on the link between market orientation and business performance. Additionally, supplier perceived value creation had a negative effect on financial performance, but was positively related to marketing performance.Practical implicationsThe study indicates that not all market orientation components lead to positive effects on business performance. For some organisations market orientation can actually reduce business performance. Thus managers should specifically be careful to implement customer orientation as a way of enhancing business performance as the costs may outweigh the benefits.Originality/valueLimited work has investigated the role of supplier perceived value creation and research has called for empirical work on mediators of the market orientation‐business performance link. The paper adds to existing knowledge by unveiling how supplier market orientation influences their ability to conceptualise supplier delivered value.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of government assistance programmes on internationalization of SMEs from an Asian developing nation.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data from a sample of 203 SMEs in three export‐oriented industries in Bangladesh were analyzed using structural equations model to examine both direct and indirect causal effects of government assistance on their internationalization.FindingsResults suggest that the usage of market development‐related government assistance significantly influence internationalization directly as well as indirectly via other determinants, whereas finance‐ and guarantee‐related assistance has only indirect effect.Practical implicationsGovernment export assistance programmes play an important role in the SMEs' internationalization process by contributing to a number of firm‐ and management‐related factors that determine international marketing performance of a firm. The study provides a guideline for SME managers as to how they can benefit from both categories of export assistance programmes in improving their positive attitudes towards the export market environment, building their knowledge and enhancing commitment to exporting for better success in their international operations.Originality/valueThe importance of export assistance programmes is well recognized in the literature but its causal effect on internationalization of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is low. The paper tries to fill this gap by reporting the results of an empirical study examining effects of government assistance programmes on internationalization of SMEs from an Asian developing nation, where there is a gross dearth of research.

PurposeThis research aims to investigate the extent and pattern of information and communication technology (ICT) usage by women entrepreneurs in Malaysia, as well as the impact of personal traits on usage.Design/methodology/approachAll the members of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Malaysia (NAWEM) were surveyed, out of which a 62 percent usable response rate was achieved.FindingsThe results of the analysis show that slightly above 50 percent of the respondents are using seven out of the eight varieties of systems presented. Seven out of the ten job tasks listed were done using computer technology by more than 60 percent of the respondents. A total of 78 percent of the respondents use basic systems and 48 percent use advanced systems. A total of 92 percent of respondents use systems for administrative purposes, 42 percent for planning, and 52 percent for control purposes. Mean usage differs among racial groups, educational levels, industry type, computer experience, and size of organization (measured by number of employees). Personal traits such as innovativeness and risk‐taking propensity are significantly correlated with usage.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the marketing and other implications of the findings as well as suggesting some marketing approaches.

The current research investigates the impact of persona‐system characteristics, technical backing, and computing skill on information systems (IS) usage by Malaysian small and medium firms (SMF) using the TAM. The study hypothesizes that persona‐system characteristics (such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) and usage of systems will be greater when there is greater computing skill and strong technical backing. A total of 177 firms responded to the survey and the results show that there is a positive relationship between computing skill and technical backing on one hand and IS usage directly, and indirectly via perceived usefulness and ease of use on the other. Usage is influenced directly by usefulness and indirectly (via usefulness) by ease of use. These findings are particularly crucial to system designers and vendors targeting SMF, as well as, to information systems management in SMF. Important theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

PurposeThe rapid changing internet environment has created a competitive business landscape, which provides opportunities and challenges for a variety of businesses. One of these opportunities includes conducting businesses online. Online transaction systems enable users to buy and make payment for products and services using the internet platform. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that may affect consumers' intentions to repurchase products and services online.Design/methodology/approachThe research framework is grounded in extended technology acceptance model (TAM). The authors used survey questionnaire to collect 102 valid responses from participants in Malaysia who must have made, at least, one previous online purchase. The snowball approach was used to select the participants, to ensure that participants had previously purchased online.FindingsData collected were analysed using regression model to determine the significance of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The emerging results provide significant evidence in support of the eight hypotheses proposed.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of this research is the relatively small sample size. Future research may use larger responses, as well as applying other relevant information system (IS) models/theories. Nonetheless, the paper provides a synthesis of extant literature relevant to the subject area, which is critical in addressing theoretical development in online‐related purchase research. In addition, the empirical results corroborate some of the existing literature, as well as contribute to the advancement of the frontier of knowledge in the field.Practical implicationsThis paper provides useful information for managing online businesses, especially in developing key responses to consumers' needs and in building critical capabilities to enhance competitive position in the online marketplace.Originality/valueThis is one of the few studies on online repurchase intentions in Malaysia that uses data from Malaysian consumers as well as an extended IS model. The extension of the well‐established TAM model by integrating additional variables provides researchers with a fuller model, and more theoretical options in developing frameworks, which are relevant to the specific context of the study – Malaysia.

This research evaluates the impact of sales promotional tools, namely coupon, price discount, free sample, bonus pack, and in‐store display, on product trial and repurchase behaviour of consumers. In addition, the moderation role of fear of losing face (or embarrassment) on the relationship between the sales promotional tools and product trial was examined. The sample points for the research were supermarkets in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. A total of 420 randomly selected customers were surveyed using structured questionnaire, out of which, 312 usable responses were received. The results of data analysis show that price discounts, free samples, bonus packs, and in‐store display are associated with product trial. Coupon does not have any significant effect on product trial. Trial determines repurchase behaviour and also mediates in the relationship between sales promotions and repurchase. Fear of losing face significantly moderates the relationship between in‐store display and product trial. Details of the findings and their implications are discussed.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to introduce a special issue on entrepreneurship and service innovation, and to conceptualize the link between entrepreneurial orientation, innovation and entrepreneurship or new entry.Design/methodology/approach– Analysis of secondary data.Findings– Entrepreneurial orientation (EO), innovation (IN) and entrepreneurship are in a vital "triadic connect", where EO supports innovation in organizations and innovation promotes new entry or new venture creation – a vehicle for commercialization of innovations.Research limitations/implications– There is a need for empirical validation of the linkages proposed in this conceptual paper.Practical implications– This "triadic connect" between EO, IN and entrepreneurship or new entry is a source of or key driver of organizational performance (OP) and competitive advantage (CA).Originality/value– The theorization and schematization of the "triadic connect" (i.e. EO–IN–NE link) and outcomes (namely, OP and CA) is presented.

PurposeAdopting an evidenced‐based approach, this paper seeks to examine the usage of external business services by small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in China.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data are based on the first large‐scale survey of small businesses (around 500 in each city) and service providers (90‐200 in each city) designed and organised by the authors in Chengdu, Lanzhou and Shenzhen between November 2005 and March 2006, as part of a DFID project. The three cities were selected to enable the market conditions to be assessed in cities that are at different levels of economic development.FindingsThere is a variety of business services market in China. Using logistic models it is found that firm size, sector, exporter and growth‐intention appear to be important factors influencing demand side of services. It is also indicated that professional staff, referral via local SME bureau and networking appear to be the main variables influencing supply‐side behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to specify the nature of business service market, it is important to understand the needs of (small) firms and how these are currently being addressed. This will enable policy measures to be designed that meet the needs of businesses.Originality/valueThis is an empirical study that utilises the logistic model to examine the relationship of service usage with demand variables and supply variables. In this context, the value of the research is to assess the supply‐demand gap in a developing country.