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Effective university-industry technology transfer requires universities to maintain and strengthen research and technology capabilities on the one hand, but also to develop and strengthen management capabilities to build and manage relationships with external partners on the other hand. This research seeks to advance the knowledge on university-industry collaboration by examining how managerial routines that in sum reflect the concept of alliance management capability influence success of outward university technology transfer. The results of an empirical study with academics from different universities in Germany offer insights into net effects and configurational effects of routines to manage interorganizational collaboration on technology transfer success. The findings indicate that academic units’ alliance management capability has a significant positive effect on technology transfer success. In addition, the findings indicate different configurations of alliance management routines, reflecting alternative, consistently sufficient pathways to technology transfer success. This knowledge contributes to current debates by disclosing important predictors of successful university-industry collaboration. In addition, it informs decision makers in universities about how to configure management systems to govern outward technology transfer activity.

PurposeThis paper's aim is to provide a conceptual framework explaining drivers of service brand equity. It refers to the trade show industry as an example for an international, highly competitive environment, where service providers face the challenge to differentiate themselves from competing brands. Based on a comprehensive literature review, the paper develops a conceptual model of service brand equity. The paper concludes with directions for further research and managerial implications.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a conceptual work, which derives research propositions from an extended literature review.FindingsIt is proposed that a service provider's competence relates positively to a service customer's purchasing value which, in turn, leads to customer service satisfaction and service brand equity. The paper further posits that the provider's service concept, service processes, and service system are constituents of service competence, thus representing crucial determinants of service brand equity.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has limitations that are due to the exploratory nature of the work. The paper suggests opportunities for further research, particularly an empirical test of the model in various B2B service industries.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that the value attendees derive from using trade show services is strongly related to the support they receive in establishing and nurturing customer relationships or in engaging in market and competitor analysis. Considering service brand equity, trade show organizations should therefore develop innovative concepts for trade shows that accommodate their clients' needs, including an appropriate physical environment, customer‐oriented service processes, and high‐quality interactions between service employees and customers.Originality/valueThe paper sheds light on a phenomenon that, despite its increasing acceptance among practitioners, remains unexplored by marketing research. By providing a better understanding of B2B service brand equity in a trade show context, the paper enriches research on trade fair issues.

While the service literature repeatedly emphasizes the role of empathy in service interactions, studies on empathy in customer–employee interactions are nearly absent. This study defines and conceptualizes employee and customer empathy as multidimensional constructs and empirically investigates their impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. A quantitative study based on dyadic data and a multilevel modeling approach finds support for two effects of empathy in service interactions. The study reveals that customer empathy strengthens the positive effect of employee empathy on customer satisfaction, leading to more “symbiotic interactions.” The findings also indicate that empathic customers are more likely to respond to a dissatisfying encounter with “forgiveness,” in the sense that customer empathy is able to mitigate negative effects of customer dissatisfaction on customer loyalty. From these empirical results, the authors derive several implications for service research and the management of service encounters. In particular, the present study provides a valuable basis for strategies of “interaction routing,” that is, matching customers and employees on the basis of their psychological profiles to create smooth and satisfying service interactions. The authors elaborate on approaches to implement this strategy in service organizations.

Ob bei der Stahlherstellung oder Stromerzeugung: Hochleistungskeramiken sind in Industrieanlagen unverzichtbar. Materialforscher arbeiten schon an der nachsten Generation der Werkstoffe. Sie soll nicht nur effizienter sein, sondern auch noch umweltschonender. Weniger Kohlendioxid-Ausstos und bessere Energienutzung lautet das ehrgeizige Doppelziel.

PurposeThis paper seeks to provide a framework for understanding the role and contributions of virtual trade fairs in developing relationships. Using a relationship communication model, the paper aims to explore the determinants of value creation through virtual trade fairs, emphasising the impact of advanced information and communication technologies on contemporary marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a conceptual work which derives research propositions from an extended literature review.FindingsThe paper provides a rationale for factors that determine value creation through virtual trade fairs. The exhibitor firm's understanding of the importance of information, network orientation, capability of customer integration, and relationship attributes are proposed as influences on the effectiveness of virtual trade fairs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has limitations that are due to the exploratory nature of the work. The paper suggests opportunities for further research, particularly approaches to developing measures of effectiveness for virtual trade fairs and for developing integration and interdependencies with other communication instruments.Practical implicationsReferring to existing arguments about the pros and cons of virtual trade fairs, the paper provides a deeper understanding of the content and effectiveness of virtual trade fairs.Originality/valueThe paper sheds light on a phenomenon that, despite its increasing acceptance among practitioners, remains unexplored by marketing research. By providing a better understanding of virtual trade fairs, the paper enriches research on trade fair issues.