Do Givers Really Gain? A study of relationship benefits and sacrifices in BNI a referral network organisation
(2009)Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- The purpose of this study is to explore how relationship benefits and sacrifices matter in relation to members of referral networks and how these aspects affect overall member satisfaction. This study has an explanatory research approach since it aims to, by testing hypotheses; explain the impact relationship benefits and sacrifices have on satisfaction. It is based on both qualitative and quantitative data, where the qualitative material acts as preparation for the quantitative data collection in order to structure reliable and relevant hypothesis and survey questions. The study is based on previous existing literature and theories on relationship marketing as well as referral networking. Relationship benefits and sacrifices have also... (More)
- The purpose of this study is to explore how relationship benefits and sacrifices matter in relation to members of referral networks and how these aspects affect overall member satisfaction. This study has an explanatory research approach since it aims to, by testing hypotheses; explain the impact relationship benefits and sacrifices have on satisfaction. It is based on both qualitative and quantitative data, where the qualitative material acts as preparation for the quantitative data collection in order to structure reliable and relevant hypothesis and survey questions. The study is based on previous existing literature and theories on relationship marketing as well as referral networking. Relationship benefits and sacrifices have also been studies as well as the Relationship Profitability Model. The study builds upon a case study about BNI- Business Network International, in Sweden and Denmark. The study has three explorative parts; firstly face-to-face interviews were performed in order to develop relevant hypotheses. Surveys were conducted based on the qualitative data as well as on previous research with the purpose to identify the referral network member’s opinions on relationship benefits and sacrifices. Observations during the BNI meetings further assisted in understanding the structure of BNI. Results show that all benefits (functional, social and psychological) have an impact on the BNI members’ overall CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) and all benefits have a positive correlation with the members CSI. All sacrifices except one have an impact on BNI members’ CSI. Functional benefits have the greatest impact on members overall satisfaction, both when analyzing the aspects individually and in totality. ‘Business opportunities’ is the benefit that impact member CSI the most. Psychological benefits have in totality the second highest impact on members overall satisfaction, where ‘trust’ is the benefit which has the highest impact among these. This leaves social benefits with the least impact on members overall satisfaction. Functional benefits are also considered most important to the BNI members. This study contributes to the relationship marketing field since it applies mentioned previous theories regarding B2C and B2B to a relationship network context where power is more equal than in a buyer-seller relationship. The theoretical contribution of this study is therefore that referral marketing is studied in a network context as well as at member level. In summary this study contributes to an overall understanding of impact and importance of relationship benefits and sacrifices in a referral network. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1437385
- author
- Andersson, Annika ; Ornstein, Tina and Wlosinska, Susanna
- supervisor
- organization
- year
- 2009
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Referral networks, Relationship Marketing, BNI, Customer Satisfaction Index, (CSI), Management of enterprises, Företagsledning, management
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 1437385
- date added to LUP
- 2009-06-04 00:00:00
- date last changed
- 2012-04-02 17:27:56
@misc{1437385,
abstract = {{The purpose of this study is to explore how relationship benefits and sacrifices matter in relation to members of referral networks and how these aspects affect overall member satisfaction. This study has an explanatory research approach since it aims to, by testing hypotheses; explain the impact relationship benefits and sacrifices have on satisfaction. It is based on both qualitative and quantitative data, where the qualitative material acts as preparation for the quantitative data collection in order to structure reliable and relevant hypothesis and survey questions. The study is based on previous existing literature and theories on relationship marketing as well as referral networking. Relationship benefits and sacrifices have also been studies as well as the Relationship Profitability Model. The study builds upon a case study about BNI- Business Network International, in Sweden and Denmark. The study has three explorative parts; firstly face-to-face interviews were performed in order to develop relevant hypotheses. Surveys were conducted based on the qualitative data as well as on previous research with the purpose to identify the referral network member’s opinions on relationship benefits and sacrifices. Observations during the BNI meetings further assisted in understanding the structure of BNI. Results show that all benefits (functional, social and psychological) have an impact on the BNI members’ overall CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) and all benefits have a positive correlation with the members CSI. All sacrifices except one have an impact on BNI members’ CSI. Functional benefits have the greatest impact on members overall satisfaction, both when analyzing the aspects individually and in totality. ‘Business opportunities’ is the benefit that impact member CSI the most. Psychological benefits have in totality the second highest impact on members overall satisfaction, where ‘trust’ is the benefit which has the highest impact among these. This leaves social benefits with the least impact on members overall satisfaction. Functional benefits are also considered most important to the BNI members. This study contributes to the relationship marketing field since it applies mentioned previous theories regarding B2C and B2B to a relationship network context where power is more equal than in a buyer-seller relationship. The theoretical contribution of this study is therefore that referral marketing is studied in a network context as well as at member level. In summary this study contributes to an overall understanding of impact and importance of relationship benefits and sacrifices in a referral network.}},
author = {{Andersson, Annika and Ornstein, Tina and Wlosinska, Susanna}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Do Givers Really Gain? A study of relationship benefits and sacrifices in BNI a referral network organisation}},
year = {{2009}},
}