This study examines the extent to which behavioral commitment and communication mediate

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of relational competences, such as open-mindedness and the ability to adapt business style, in developing trustworthy relationships through communication in the export markets in different cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is performed on survey-based data from a sample consisting of 39.9 percent of the total population of Norwegian seafood companies involved in exporting, including 108 business relationships. Findings The findings reveal that adaptive business style and communication mediate the overall effect of open-mindedness on trust building between partners in the export markets. The adaptive business style fully explains the effect of open-mindedness on communication. Open-minded persons are better prepared to achieve communication on a high level because they are more likely to adapt to a new business style. Performing adaptive business style improves communication, particularly when the importer belongs to a dissimilar culture. For trust building, communication is equally important, irrespective of cultural differences. Practical implications Exporter should aim at recruiting open-minded people because they have the advantage that they are capable of performing a variety of negotiation styles and business approaches, depending on the situation. Originality/value This paper develops a model that integrates key constructs from the relational paradigm with constructs rooted in different research streams, extending our knowledge regarding salespeople competences that are important in order to develop business relationships in export markets.

Making the multinational companies’ (MNCs) products attractive among the low- and the high-income consumers is challenging in an emerging market. This study uses the 4As framework (affordability, accessibility, acceptability and awareness) to investigate the marketing activities that three Western companies from the industries such as telecoms, brewery and decorative paint implemented to match the needs in the Indian market. By proposing to split affordability into three categories, the study extends the 4As framework. Three general strategies emerged, each one composed of six 4As marketing activities. The strategies, one for each industry, show different approaches to how companies could develop the demand for their products. Each strategy is linked to one of the three categories of affordability: (a) Serving consumers across economic classes (affordable to everyone). (b) Serving consumers looking for an international lifestyle (affordable to the mainstream and the premium segments). (c) Serving consumers seeking a higher level of materialism (affordable to the premium segment). The study presents theoretical and managerial implications, and suggestions for future research.

Synkron digital undervisning (DigiPS-undervisning) i faget kontraktsforhandlinger er ikke gjennomført tidligere ved UiT. Undervisningen høsten 2020 var dermed første mulighet ved UiT for å samle erfaring og kunnskap om planlegging av undervisning og bruk av simulering og rollespill med DigiPS som ramme. Det juridiske fakultet og Handelshøgskolen i Tromsø har siden 2011 samarbeidet om felles undervisning over to dager hvor studentene blandes og praktiserer kontraktsforhandlinger. Fellesundervisningen har frem til 2020 vært gjennomført ved fysisk oppmøte. Coronasituasjonen trigget planleggingen og gjennomføringen av forhandlingene som heldigitale løsninger hvor vi kombinerte fire ulike plattformer. Utviklingen av prosjektet Digitale kontraktsforhandlinger startet i april 2020 med jevnlige møter og teknisk bistand frem til gjennomføringen av prosjektet i perioden 29 oktober til 4 november. Rapporten deler vår erfaring fra planleggingsfasen og gjennomføringen, samt deler våre refleksjoner når det gjelder bruk av digitale plattformer i undervisningen.