参展商的个体网络及其对参展绩效的影响

An Empirical Study of the Exhibitor's Ego-network and Its Influence on the Exhibitor's Performance

企业的参展行为不是孤立存在的,而是嵌入在其所处的社会网络之中。研究对参展商的个体网络进行识别,并将构成它的社会连带分为三类:观众类连带、组织者连带和参展商连带。而后,用问卷调查来探查各条连带的紧密程度,并检验它们对企业参展绩效的影响。研究结果显示:(1)5条观众类连带的紧密程度,皆能导致参展商在参展绩效方面的显著差异,且影响方向基本一致,即联系越紧密,则参展绩效愈佳;(2)5条组织者连带对参展绩效的影响较弱,且影响方向不太一致;(3)参展商连带确实存在,且其紧密程度能够导致参展商在非销售绩效方面的显著差异,尤其是体现在形象展示和提振员工士气两个方面。

Trade shows, also known as trade fairs, are periodic events that bring manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors from a particular industry or related industries to a single location to exhibit products and services as well as provide information for both visitors and exhibitors. Exhibitors are participants who occupy display booths at the trade show, while visitors are trade show attendees who do not occupy a display booth. Trade shows are important promotional tools for marketing products and services. About 10% of the marketing budget of US firms and more than 20% of the budget of many European firms are allocated for trade show participation. Trade Shows are not only a selling tool, but also an interactive business network. This paper explores the exhibitor＇ s ego-network and its influence on the exhibitor＇ s performance during the trade show. This research identifies the social ties directly connected with one exhibitor and divides them into three groups： visitor ties, organizer ties and exhibitor ties. Furthermore, based on empirical data, it analyzes the strength of each tie and its relationship with the exhibitor＇ s performance. Empirical data were collected at a B2B trade show in March 2013 in China. A total of 320 questionnaires were sent to the exhibitors, and 268 were returned. After excluding 32 spoiled questionnaires including no responses, the final 236 fully answered questionnaires were used for this study. Then, the authors used SPSS 19.0 to analyze the data, both ANOVA analysis and LSD contrast were employed for the comparison of different strength levels of each tie. Based on the results of the data analysis, three important findings were found： Visitor ties are all positively related to the exhibitor＇ s performance. Therefore, standing personnel should interact actively with all the visitors, and they shouldn＇ t care about the visitors who are interested in buying products from them exclusively. Organizer ties don＇ t have a strong impact on the exhibitor＇ s performance, while each tie impacts the exhibitor performance differently. Exhibitors should treat each tie differently and rationally maintain them. Ties among the exhibitors are positively related to the non-sales performance of the exhibitor. In particular, the ties have a significant effect on image building and in boosting motivation. Previous studies have attributed superior trade show performance to a firm＇ s internal resource conditions, like sizable tradeshow budgets, big pre-show promotion expenditure, spacious booth size, many booth personnel as well as cost-effective tradeshow budgeting activities. However, this study explores the exhibitor＇ s trade show performance from a social network view and focuses on the relationships among the exhibitor and its customers, suppliers, competitors and other related organizations. The findings of this research not only provide new insights into the effects of different social ties upon the performance of the exhibiting company, but also provide practical implications for managers in the MICE industry.