Managerial perceptions of relationship marketing effectiveness on perceived business performance in the Hong Kong information and communication technology industry

There is scant literature and a lack of empirical knowledge regarding buyer-seller relationships within technology-based environments, such as the ICT sector in Hong Kong (HKICT). Moreover, the available empirical research on the applicability of RMO in the HKICT industry is both limited and important, since ICT businesses appear to adopt a product-focused orientation. This abundantly justifies the purpose of this research, consisting of an empirical examination of managerial perceptions of the influence of RMO on business performance in the HKICT industry. Following an introductory discussion of the HKICT industry, the strategic foundations of RM are then discussed, leading to the development of a conceptual model linking RMO and business performance. Developed from research by Yau et. al., (1999) and by Sin et. al., (2002), the conceptual model is extended to account for potential moderating effects of organizational factors, namely firm size, product type and perceived relationship proneness. The methodology, results, conclusion and limitations are then presented. The research findings offer empirical evidence that supports a positive, albeit smaller than expected, impact of perceived RMO on business performance in the HKICT industry. The results also indicate that organizational factors do not significantly moderate the relationship between RMO and business performance.