Charting the course: a framework for networking across the selling ecosystem

• Published in: European journal of marketing 2024-03, Vol.58 (3), p.733-755
• Main Authors: Burchett, Molly R., Epler, Rhett T., Pappas, Alec, Butler, Timothy D., Rouziou, Maria, Bolander, Willy, Lussier, Bruno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Competitive advantage; Customer services; Ecosystems; Eigenvectors; Influence; Salespeople; Social capital; Social networks
• ISSN: 0309-0566; 1758-7123; 0309-0566
• DOI: 10.1108/EJM-04-2023-0223

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the notion of thin crossing points from a social network perspective and to outline the concrete networking strategies that enable salespeople to foster mutually valuable resource exchange (i.e. to thin crossing points) across a selling ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach The authors integrate extant theoretical perspectives to advance a conceptual framework of sales-related networking across three key actors in a selling ecosystem: intraorganizational selling actors and actors in customers and external partner organizations. Findings Thin crossing points are defined as figurative transaction points at the boundary between organizations or organizational subunits at which actors engage in mutually valuable resource exchange in the process of value cocreation. To thin crossing points with key ecosystem actors, salespeople must adapt networking strategies considering the time and trust constraints inherent in a network relationship. Such constraints inform the most advantageous network centralities (degree, eigenvector and betweenness) and actions to impact key network properties (tie strength, contact diversity) that enable salespeople to efficiently develop social capital and thus to optimally thin crossing points across a selling ecosystem. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first social network-based exploration of salespeople’s role in thinning crossing points with key ecosystem actors. It advances a novel conceptual framework of sales-related networking strategies that foster social capital development and optimally thin crossing points across a selling ecosystem.