Cross-channel cooperation: on the collaborative integration of online and offline business models of e-entrepreneurs and traditional SMEs

Owing to the rapid growth of the internet, the corresponding Net Economy has evolved into an established trade level. It is characterised by numerous entrepreneurial firms equipped with innovative online business models. Also, traditional firms increasingly utilise the internet in order to optimise business processes and reach customer segments. Technological advances and changes in customer behaviour imply that the physical and the electronic trade levels are increasingly used complementarily. In order to be successful on both trade levels, Real and Net Economy firms inevitably need to approach each other. In this article, we argue that for e-entrepreneurs and traditional SMEs, collaborative concepts represent an ideal way of meeting the resulting requirements. Cross-channel cooperation enables firms to integrate online and offline business models without extending themselves beyond their means or competencies. Drawing on market- and resource-based considerations, we examine the rationale behind collaborative cross-channel strategies, propose a classification of cooperation forms and give implications for e-entrepreneurs and managers of traditional SMEs.

[1]  P. Schoemaker,et al.  Strategic assets and organizational rent , 1993 .

[2]  Y. Doz.  The evolution of cooperation in strategic alliances: Initial conditions or learning processes? , 2007 .

[3]  Kathleen M. Eisenhardt,et al.  DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES, WHAT ARE THEY? , 2000 .

[4]  D. Teece,et al.  DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT , 1997 .

[5]  Christine Volkmann,et al.  Growth strategies for young e-ventures through structured collaboration , 2006, Int. J. Serv. Technol. Manag..

[6]  David Ernst,et al.  A future for e-alliances , 2001 .

[7]  J. Barney.  Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage , 1991 .

[8]  C. Prahalad,et al.  The core competence of the corporation’, Harvard Business Review, Vol. pp. . , 1990 .

[9]  Klaus-Peter Wiedmann,et al.  Customer profiling in e-commerce: Methodological aspects and challenges , 2002 .

[10]  Efraim Turban,et al.  Electronic commerce 2006: a managerial perspective , 2006 .

[11]  Frances Brassington,et al.  Principles of Marketing , 1999 .

[12]  Tobias Kollmann,et al.  What is e-entrepreneurship? - fundamentals of company founding in the net economy , 2006, Int. J. Technol. Manag..

[13]  Robert E. Smith,et al.  Using Advertising Alliances for New Product Introduction: Interactions between Product Complementarity and Promotional Strategies , 1999 .

[14]  H Rubinstein,et al.  Branding matters more on the Internet , 2001 .

[15]  Sanjit Sengupta,et al.  Effectiveness of horizontal strategic alliances in technologically uncertain environments: are trust and commitment enough? , 2004 .

[16]  H. Kruger,et al.  An investigation into the uniformity and non-uniformity of online/offline retail brand building in South Africa , 2003 .

[17]  Cristina Ziliani,et al.  From loyalty cards to micro-marketing strategies: Where is Europe's retail industry heading? , 2003 .

[18]  David L. Mothersbaugh,et al.  Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy , 1997 .

[19]  Detlef Schoder,et al.  Impact of electronic commerce customer relationship management on corporate success - results from an empirical investigation , 2003, 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2003. Proceedings of the.

[20]  Kevin L. Webb.  Managing channels of distribution in the age of electronic commerce , 2002 .

[21]  Tobias Kollmann,et al.  Reverse Auctions in the Service Sector: The Case of LetsWorkIt.de , 2007, Int. J. E Bus. Res..

[22]  A. Bhide.  The Origin and Evolution of New Businesses , 2000 .

[23]  Henry Adobor,et al.  Strategic partnering in e-commerce: Guidelines for managing alliances , 2002 .

[24]  S. Leitch,et al.  Corporate branding in the new economy , 2003 .

[25]  B. J. Pine,et al.  Do You Want to Keep Your Customers Forever , 2010 .

[26]  John J. Sviokla,et al.  Managing in the Marketspace , 1994 .

[27]  C. Prahalad,et al.  The Core Competence of the Corporation , 1990 .

[28]  R. Amit,et al.  Value creation in E‐business , 2001 .

[29]  E. Turban,et al.  Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective , 1999 .

[30]  Tobias Kollmann,et al.  Competitive advantages in virtual markets ‐ perspectives of “information‐based marketing” in cyberspace , 1998 .

[31]  Aron M. Levin,et al.  Product Category Dependent Consumer Preferences for Online and Offline Shopping Features and Their Influence on Multi-Channel Retail Alliances , 2003, J. Electron. Commer. Res..

[32]  Joel A. C. Baum,et al.  Don't go it alone: alliance network composition and startups' performance in Canadian biotechnology , 2000 .

[33]  R. Gulati,et al.  Get the right mix of bricks & clicks. , 2000, Harvard business review.

[34]  K. Seltman.  Marketing for management. , 2004, Marketing health services.

[35]  Harry Matlay,et al.  Virtual Teams and the Rise of e-Entrepreneurship in Europe , 2005 .

[36]  B. Wernerfelt,et al.  The resource‐based view of the firm: Ten years after , 1995 .

[37]  Barton A. Weitz,et al.  The Use of Pledges to Build and Sustain Commitment in , 1992 .

[38]  James A. Narus,et al.  A Model of Distributor Firm and Manufacturer Firm Working Partnerships , 1990 .

[39]  M. Porter.  Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance , 1985 .

[40]  S. Sengupta,et al.  Organizing Successful Co-Marketing Alliances , 1993 .

[41]  R. Grant.  The Resource-Based Theory of Competitive Advantage: Implications for Strategy Formulation , 1991 .

[42]  Tobias Kollmann,et al.  Cross-channel cooperation: A collaborative approach of integrating online and offline business models , 2006, AIM Conference.

[43]  G. T. Lumpkin,et al.  E-Business strategies and internet business models: How the internet adds value , 2004 .

[44]  E. P. Michael.  Strategy and the Internet. , 2001 .

[45]  T. Das,et al.  A Resource-Based Theory of Strategic Alliances , 2000 .

[46]  P. Drucker.  Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices , 1974 .

[47]  George S. Day,et al.  Assessing Advantage: A Framework for Diagnosing Competitive Superiority , 1988 .