Marketing
Our research in marketing focuses both on dynamics in B2B and B2C relationships.
Our long tradition of research on B2B relationships goes back to Jan Johanson’s thesis (1966) and his finding that relationships between suppliers and customers are long-term. This was the starting-point that resulted in the development of the fundamental theoretical ideas that lie as the basis for the now internationally well-established industrial marketing and purchasing perspective (IMP), as well as the business network approach.
Our current research in marketing continues the research on different aspects related to dynamics of B2B relationships and business networks. Our research in marketing has also taken on a new challenge in projects with focus on sustainability in B2C relationships.
Ongoing research projects within the field of B2B relationships
Understanding Recurring in the Business Landscape (project start in 2021)
This research project focuses on restarting of business activities after a break caused by the present pandemic. The aim is to contribute to research on business dynamics, and especially on radical type of change processes caused by events, or actions beyond the control of individual companies. The research project is financed by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.
For more information, please contact Virpi Havila (Virpi.Havila@fek.uu.se), or León Poblete (Leon.Poblete@fek.uu.se).
Value co-creation between actors in a science megaproject (project start in 2019)
The research project focuses on the value that is co-created between (business, science and political) actors during the founding and construction of ESS (the European Spallation Source) in the south of Sweden. The project aims at contributing to research on business network dynamics, with a specific focus on interaction processes between different business and non-business actors.
For more information, please contact Susanne Åberg (Susanne.Aberg@fek.uu.se), or Anna Bengtson (Anna.Bengtson@fek.uu.se).
Ongoing research projects within the field of B2C relationships
Digital innovation for sustainable consumption (project start in 2021)
Retailers have previously used consumer's actual choices and attitude measurements to predict consumers´ sustainable shopping behaviour. However, it has been shown that more tangible strategies and equipment are needed to maintain consumers' sustainable behaviour when buying groceries. Digital systems can be a way to help consumers make sustainable decisions regarding the consumption of groceries. In this project, the aim is to examine how digital system designed for the consumer's use can help the consumer to be more sustainable in their purchase decisions. The project is financed by the Graduate School of sustainable development, Campus Gotland.
For more information, please contact Anna-Carin Nordvall (Anna-Carin.Nordvall@fek.uu.se).
Sustainable tourism (project start in 2021)
With an amplified understanding of tourists’ interests and behavior patterns, the project aims at contributing to research on sustainable tourist behavior in rural areas. This project seeks to identify different segments and analyse the factors in marketing that influence tourists´ choice of different attractions and behavior. The project is financed by EU Horizon 2020 and is part of the European research project Visiting the Margins. INnovative CULtural ToUrisM in European peripheries (INCULTUM), which consists of researchers from 15 different European universities.
For more information, please contact Sabine Gebert-Persson (Sabine.Gebert-Persson@fek.uu.se).