A Relationship Marketing Perspective on Business Relations in Cross-border Contexts: An Empirical Investigation of Norwegian Seafood Exporters

To have the ability to deal with customers such as distributors, retailers and agents in different cultural settings is viewed to be essential to build and maintain business relationships in competitive international markets. Thus, managing business relationships might be viewed as a key area where competitive advantage can be developed considering the fact that increasing commoditization of products is a general trend. The objective of the study is to investigate the following two questions:

1. To what extent are firm characteristics such as export-oriented resources, customer-oriented culture, how the exporter is organized, to mention some factors, important for a firm's personnel to manage business relationships in international markets successfully?

2. Are relational aspects such as trust and exchange of information important for ongoing and rewarding seller-buyer business relationships?

Findings will contribute to the literature dealing with inter-organisational relationship management in cross-border channel contexts. The study intends to advance knowledge as regards to which firm characteristics facilitate long-term and rewarding business relationships. The study also intends to bring light on which characteristics predominate rewarding seller-buyer business relationships.

Findings may provide guidance on which areas management in Norwegian firms exporting seafood products may work on to improve the quality of business relationships in international distribution channels.