Value Co-Creation in Industrial Buyer-Seller Partnerships ... - Doria

Ô ä á¢×`Ô>Öå Ô ä× Ö ß¢ÙÓÜ × Ö Ó§Ó× Ö ãßÙÓÜ × Ö Ó9Ó|àÖÞ ÒÔ©Ü á¢× ÓâÜ ãÖ ÖÑ`Ò Ó9Ô ÑÕ Ö Ó§Ö×Ô Ø3Ù ÔÙ¢Õ ÖÓ Úh×ÛÜ Ý¢Ü Û¢ÙÒ¢Þ ÓFigure 2.8: A framework for the processual analysis of the focal buyer-seller dyad (adopted fromHalinen and Törnroos 2004)2.4.3 Identification of critical events during the processAccording to Ford (2002) the study of a business relationship involves two levels i.e. theoverall relationship itself and the individual episodes of which the relationship comprise.To be able to grasp the complexity of a buyer-seller relationship one should analyze bothindividual episodes and the overall relationship, and also include the analysis of theinteraction between the two levels of analysis. Throughout the “ story” that I will be tellingwhen describing the empirical case, I will go through different episodes and consistentlymake an effort to relate them to the overall relationship as the story unfolds.Network processes are often discontinuous due to different types of events that mark ortrigger important transition periods either for the evolution or dissolution of networks(Halinen and Törnroos 2004). Events are happenings related to exchange processes, specificinteraction episodes, and phenomena in the macro environment which are decisive for therelationship and function either as driving or checking forces for the development of therelationship. Events can be called “ critical” for a specific relationship if they affect therelationship directly (Liljegren 1998, Halinen 1994).Another term that is close to the “ critical event ” -notion but that should not beconfused with the one used here is “ critical incident” . The term ” critical incident” has beenused in studies on service quality to refer to “ specific interactions between customers andthe service firm’ s employees that are especially satisfying or dissatisfying from thecustomer’ s point of view” (Holmlund, 1997, p 82).42