A Dialogue between Relationship Marketing and Business Performance - A Proposed Model of Networking Efforts and the Consequence

Abstract

Through out the existing literature in relation to relationship marketing, much efforts have been devoted to the customer retention and cultivation, none of works is relevant to the prospecting nature during the relational exchange (Chien 1996). Voices have been raised that service management overemphasises the defensive approach (Gronroos 1994). It is in a hidden assumption that existing customer base is of viable size to result in outcome of continuous profitability. Such premises rule out the role of market opportunity and also has been brought up to the concerns of whether relationship marketing increase profitability or, in contrast, add cost. Productivity and profitability issues may suffer from this alleged myopic view (Storbacka 1993). This study, synthesising several stream of thoughts, is in an endeavour to bring up the proactive dimension to the notion of relationship marketing.