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Purpose As an emerging visualization technology, virtual reality (VR) falls into the dilemma of having great potential but a low adoption degree in the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. However, few studies paid attention to studying barriers affecting VR’s adoption and their inner mechanisms. This makes AEC users hard to catch the key points for VR’s implementations. This study aims to get a clear structure of these barriers and provide insights for the improvement.Design/methodology/approach First, 12 major VR-AEC adoption barriers were identified by a systematic literature review and expert interviews (EI). Second, EI and similarity aggregation method were conducted to achieve reliable barrier relationships. Third, interpretive structural modeling was used to establish a multi-level model for barriers. Finally, ten crucial barriers were targeted with a comprehensive strategy framework.Findings The findings help AEC stakeholders get a thorough understanding of the VR-AEC adoption barriers. Besides, the inner mechanism among barriers is revealed and analyzed, followed by a systematic strategy framework. It is anticipated that users could conduct more effective VR-AEC promotions in the future.Originality/value This paper is the first to propose a comprehensive literature review on the VR-AEC adoption barriers. In addition, this paper is novel in building a hierarchy model that explores barriers’ inner mechanism, where structural strategies are proposed.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an investigation of market orientation of retailers in China, an emerging economy. Several predictors of Chinese retailers' market orientation are examined.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data collected from 99 retailers in China, the paper tests the hypothesized relationships using a multiple regression model.FindingsThe paper finds that perceived supplier market orientation (SMO), firm size, and ownership are predictors of retailer market orientation (RMO). The results of this paper suggest that market orientation is perceived as important and is being adopted by retailers with varying ownerships and structures across China.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has several limitations including sample, sample size, and single‐respondent design. Nevertheless, the paper depicts a contemporary picture of Chinese retailers' adoption of market orientation.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide both retailers and suppliers strategies for improving market orientation and insights for effective channel management.Originality/valueThe paper focuses on retailer perspectives with the goal of determining the value of assessing the SMO; results from this study provide support for a link between the extent of RMO and how market‐oriented behavior coincides with perceived SMO.

China’s economy is transforming at a brisk pace. A partially dismantled command economy and introduction of competition have fueled consumer demand for a greater selection of innovative new products in the retail market. The challenge for retail buyers is to adjust their procurement processes to respond to consumer needs in an efficient and effective manner. This study examines factors influencing buyer‐supplier relationships in a transition economy. We present a model to explain the factors driving retail buyer dependence on suppliers. We find that retailer evaluation of supplier credibility mediates the relationship between retailer perceptions of a supplier ability to add value to its business and the ability to achieve its desired goals. In part, this is due to the supplier’s market orientation. Interestingly, guanxi ties have no impact on the retailer perceptions of the supplier credibility, but have a positive affect on retailer dependence on its supplier partners.

PurposeSeeks to summarize relevant literature reporting on western research and to use a grounded theory approach to form the model. Also to develop a Chinese retailer new product decision process model. And consider unique aspects of Chinese culture and the ongoing economic transitions.Design/methodology/approachForeign producers have little knowledge about the internal operations of China's chain stores. As China's markets open to the world, an understanding of the ways in which retailers and suppliers interact in China – especially the ways in which they make product selection decisions – will be crucial to companies expanding into this area of the world.FindingsResults are presented from in‐depth interviews with retail food buyers in China. Interviews were conducted during 1999‐2000 in Shanghai and Beijing. The interview data are used to develop a model of buyer‐seller relationships that lends itself to a better understanding of the complexities – cultural and market‐related – of retailer‐supplier relationships in China.Research limitations/implicationsSince, China is a vast country this study forms a small part of the process in understanding its buyer‐seller interactions.Practical implicationsThe literature, including grounded theory and the research undertaken with the sample of respondents highlight the potential gains from understanding the nature of Guanxi and the culture of China. Managerial implications are discussed.Originality/valueThe study investigated buyer‐seller relationships within the Chinese market. When Chinese food retailers make decisions on new product acceptance, their criteria are similar to those of food retailers reported in research focused on western society. Supplier role performance, price, trade assistance, and relationship with supplier are primary considerations; these criteria support results from western literature.