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This chapter evaluates the proliferation of supermarkets in developing countries using data collected between May 2005 and June 2006 in Citlalicalli, Mexico. Contrary to the experience of most developed countries, this study revealed that supermarkets and small retailers can coexist by catering to different income groups and product categories. Consumer choices are driven by the desire to reduce transaction costs in terms of time and money. In striking a balance between the two, consumers look for retail outlets that offer them the best value for their money with the least amount of time spent in shopping trips. Location of the store plays a critical role in buying choices that consumers make. In developing countries, generally, only high-income consumers can afford to own cars and choose to buy most products in supermarkets. Consumers without cars buy frequently purchased goods (foods) in small stores and infrequently purchased goods (consumer durables) in supermarkets.

This paper proposes a framework that considers some key concepts to design and manage supply chains in both national and international contexts. For a better understanding, it is intended to illustrate this framework with the case of Carrefour in both Spain and China.

In the form of a case study the paper explains global strategies in both countries. The paper also discusses similarities and differences in the supply chain management in both contexts.

The paper found application of core SCM concepts to a leader distribution firm. “Thinking global and acting local” is also pertinent to application in the management of supply chains.

Managers may identify key processes and consider the possible contributions of each to the efficiency of their own chains. This case study could be also used as an example of the successful management of the supply chain of a company leader in its sector.

The present paper illustrates a leader company based on real data.

The purpose of this paper is to test the direct effect of B2B sellers' skills on relative and absolute sales performance.

Based on a questionnaire survey and deductive approach. A total of 236 useable questionnaires out of 315 are returned, generating a response rate of 74.9%.

Only one out of twelve hypothesized relationships in the research model of the direct effect of B2B sellers' skills on relative and absolute sales performance turned out to be significant.

Indicate that the researchers’ current understanding of the effect of sales performance indicators on sales performance, based on B2B sellers' skills, is narrow and simplistic.

Results indicate that there are skills other than the tested ones (i.e. interpersonal, adaptiveness and selling-related knowledge), that can have direct effects on B2B sellers' relative and absolute sales performance.

Sheds light on the ambiguous direct effect of B2B sellers' skills on sales performance and the almost non-existent direct effect on B2B sellers' relative and absolute sales performance.

This study aims to examine the role of salespeople’s skills in relative and absolute SP in business-to-business (B2B) settings of services firms. This conceptual logic reported in meta-analytical works, that salespeople’s skills relate directly to their sales performance (SP), is questioned.

his research relies on existing theory and previous studies on SP drivers and SP measures. The literature identifies a set of common denominators on the role of salespeople’s skills regarding their SP, all of which are tested in this study. Based on a deductive approach and questionnaire survey, 732 service firms in Norway were targeted. A total of 389 questionnaires were returned, generating a response rate of 53.1%.

A total of 10 out of 12 hypothesized relationships in the research model dealing with the relationship between SP drivers and SP turn out to be non-significant. The hypothesized relationship in the research model between relative and absolute SP is also supported.

The results reported in this study, based on a large sample of service firms, empirically confirm that the direct effect is generally overestimated. Empirical evidence is provided that sheds additional light on the role of salespeople’s skills in relative and absolute SP in B2B settings of services firms.

This study offers meaningful and relevant insights into the monitoring of SP drivers to practitioners in B2B sales settings of services firms. Salespeople need to learn about gathering knowledge in training programs about each customer and their specific situation. Firms should strive to recruit salespeople who possess the appropriate skills, taking into consideration their customers and specific situations related to them, such as experiences from competitors. Salespeople may be organized around similar customers and similar customer situations, rather than geographical assignments.

Overall, this research contributes insights into the role played by salespeople’s skills in relative and absolute SP in B2B settings of services firms. In particular, the research contributes additional insights into the non-existent role of interpersonal presentation and communication skills, adaptiveness of sales approach and sales behavior skills and product/technology-related knowledge skills in salespeople’s relative and absolute SP in B2B settings of services firms.

The purpose of the study was to benchmark meta-analytical conceptualizations of business-to-business (B2B) seller skills against empirical evidence in services firms.

The study is based on a deductive approach and questionnaire survey focusing on a range of services firms from different industries and corporate sizes. A total of 389 questionnaires out of 732 were returned, generating a response rate of 53.1%.

The study aims to provide empirical evidence and structures relating to B2B sellers' capabilities in a seven-dimensional conceptualization, all of which can be used in services firms to improve their seller efficiency. Each seller skill dimension performs a different function in the sales services process.

The authors conclude that the verified meta-analytical conceptualizations of B2B seller skills seem valid and reliable in services firms. Nevertheless, further research needs to be carried out, based on other company characteristics as well as industries.

It reduces the risk perceived by customers in B2B services settings through cultivating the sellers' capabilities, based on the seven-dimensional evidence of seller skills to enhance sales performance.

The study contributes to existing theory and previous studies by offering a foundation on which to structure sales performance indicators in services firms. Specifically, it contributes to structuring B2B seller skills across a selection of principal dimensions in B2B services settings.

This paper aims to study the mixed after-sales service which simultaneously offers return and replacement services. The authors develop a model to propose what kind of after-sales service the firm should choose and how to make the after-sales service policy to improve the profit. The study aims to extend the literature on the mixed after-sales service and give some support to the managers to make decisions.

In this paper, the authors use the optimization modeling method to describe the situations of a firm offering two exclusive after-sales service policies and a mixed after-sales service policy, respectively. They compare the results in different cases and analyze the impact of different parameters on the boundary values and other results. Finally, the authors include three numerical examples to illustrate the major results.

The authors find that the mixed after-sales service can successfully segment the market, meet various customers’ distinct needs and differentiate the service prices to improve the total profit. Moreover, the authors find the boundary values which indicate the optimal interval for each service. Then, for a certain situation, they can clearly tell which after-sales service dominates and provides the optimal selling price, order quantity and total profit. Besides, the authors show the impact of different parameters on the boundary values and other results.

This paper combines after-sales service into traditional models and provides a new mixed service to segment the market and improve total revenue. It provides some managerial implications for the decision-makers.