Partner selection in B2B information service markets

This study investigates the impact of selection criteria associated with interpersonal interaction (good personal relationships; enriching the service offering with interpretation and advice) on supplier consideration. More specifically, it examines how the importance of these criteria is contingent upon service-related dimensions. An experimental study among client firms in the market research industry that combines a conjoint and a between-subjects design leads to several new insights. First, while good personal relationships play an important role in the selection of a service provider, its impact is increased if the service offering is subjective in nature and decreased if it is strategically important. Second, enriching the service offering with interpretation and advice is more important for subjective as well as for strategically important service offerings. Third, as to other selection criteria, the study results show some interesting differences between consideration and choice. Price has a substantive impact only on choice, while a strong brand name is helpful for the service provider only in the consideration stage.

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