Investigating Product Sustainability and B2B Relationships for creating Customer Value : A multiple case study within the building & construction industry in Sweden & the Netherlands

This study explores how retention options to achieve a circular economy applied in entrance door products together with CSR strategies from a supplier can create customer-perceived value in a B2B market setting. It focuses on the relationship between buyers and suppliers in the construction and building industry in the Swedish and Dutch market. To explore this phenomenon, a qualitative multiple case study was employed using semi-structured interviews as method for main data collection. Facility management, real estate and construction companies from the respective markets were subjects to this... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Eriksson, Casper
Cammerer, Quirin
Dokumenttyp: Student thesis
Erscheinungsdatum: 2024
Verlag/Hrsg.: Uppsala universitet
Industriell teknik
Schlagwörter: Circular Economy / Circularity / Customer Value / Customer- Perceived value / Sustainability / Sustainable Product Development / CSR / Construction Industry / Building Industry / Entrance / B2B Marketing / S-D logic / 10-R Framework / B2B Relationships / Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified / Övrig annan teknik
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-28793864
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-531630

This study explores how retention options to achieve a circular economy applied in entrance door products together with CSR strategies from a supplier can create customer-perceived value in a B2B market setting. It focuses on the relationship between buyers and suppliers in the construction and building industry in the Swedish and Dutch market. To explore this phenomenon, a qualitative multiple case study was employed using semi-structured interviews as method for main data collection. Facility management, real estate and construction companies from the respective markets were subjects to this study to gather valuable insights. The data was analyzed and presented according to four main value dimensions perceived by customers. Sustainable products can mainly create indirect economic value for customers by enabling higher revenue or reducing tax load. In terms of functional value, customers ask for products with low carbon footprint that supports them to reach their sustainability goals for the supply chain or to reach building certifications. In the transition phase towards a circular economy customers value a closer and mutual beneficial relationship to their supplier. This entails a holistic aftersales support and caretaking of products after the use phase to bring products and resources back into the circle. A supplying company can create symbolic customer-perceived value by engaging in comprehensive and credible CSR activities, since several business customers want to show that they are working with sustainable companies. This study also reveals that most customers do not yet have any measures in place to assess the sustainability of a product or the quality of a suppliers CSR activities, however, it is a future requirement. Practical, the findings of this study undermine the importance for supplying companies to begin developing sustainable offerings and to engage in relationships with their business customers to create profitable business cases from sustainable offerings. Academically, the study highlights ...