Overview of the literature contributions
| Topic | Literature background | Literature contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Unpredictable and blurred phases of buyer-seller relationship initiation process | Batonda and Perry (2003) Edvardsson et al. (2008) Ford et al. (2011) Hastings et al. (2016) Ferreira et al. (2017) Hussain et al. (2020) Klimas et al. (2023) | The study confirms that the buyer-seller relationship process unfolds unpredictively, where phases are blurred and recursive Hence, the study highlights that buyer-seller relationship development as a progression of stages is only one of the possible trajectories of relationship evolution, and it is mainly used so far to depict and simplify a more complex process unfolding over time |
| Expectation development phase in buyer-seller relationship initiation | Dwyer et al. (1987) | The study provides a new perspective on the phases of buyer-seller relationships, suggesting a new order in the case of small wineries and starred restaurants. In relation to the Dwyer et al. (1987) framework, the study suggests that the “expectation development stage” could precede the “communication and bargaining stage.” |
| The bilateral role interpreted by the third actor in buyer-seller relationship initiation | Aarikka-Stenroos and Halinen (2007) Mandják et al. (2015) Gargiulo and Sosa (2016) Aaboen and Aarikka-Stenroos (2017) Aarikka-Stenroos et al. (2018) Pemartín et al. (2019) | The study describes the bilateral role played by the sommelier, both toward the small wineries and the starred restaurants, in the beginning of business relationships |
| Sommelier roles | Manske and Cordua (2005) Aarikka-Stenroos and Halinen (2007) Ruiz-Molina et al. (2010) Festa et al. (2016) Aarikka-Stenroos et al. (2018) | The sommelier performs relevant roles not only in the b2c context but also in the b2b context. In line with the literature, the study pinpoints that in the small winery and starred restaurant relationship initiation, the sommelier could play the following roles: scouter, need creator, access provider, match maker, evaluation assistant, expectation builder, risk reducer and provider of concrete evidence |
| The sommelier’s “power balancer” role | Aarikka-Stenroos and Halinen (2007) Reynolds et al. (2009) Alonso (2010) Kähkönen and Tenkanen (2010) Aaboen and Aarikka-Stenroos (2017) Aarikka-Stenroos et al. (2018) Siemieniako et al. (2023) | The power balancer is a new role for the third actor in buyer-seller relationship initiation. This role could be performed by the third actor when there is significant power and information asymmetry between the parties during the buyer-seller relationship initiation process |
| Trigger in buyer-seller relationship initiation | Edvardsson et al. (2008) Mandják et al. (2015) Aarikka-Stenroos et al. (2018) | The wine steward is depicted as the trigger that fosters the buyer-seller relationship initiation between the small winery and the starred restaurant |
| Third actor roles | Walter and Gemünden (2000) Aarikka-Stenroos and Halinen (2007) Aarikka-Stenroos et al. (2018) Pemartín et al. (2019) | The study provides evidence that the sommelier, as a third actor, could simultaneously perform multiple roles in the business relationships between the small winery and the starred restaurant, according to the specific subphases of the buyer-seller relationship initiation described in the framework developed in the study |
| Trust building due to third actor activities | Aarikka-Stenroos and Halinen (2007) Mandják et al. (2015) Valtakoski (2015) | The trust builder role ascribed to the third actor could be the result of other roles performed by the third actor. Hence, it could not be considered a third-actor role in itself |
| Topic | Literature background | Literature contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Unpredictable and blurred phases of buyer-seller relationship initiation process | The study confirms that the buyer-seller relationship process unfolds unpredictively, where phases are blurred and recursive | |
| Expectation development phase in buyer-seller relationship initiation | The study provides a new perspective on the phases of buyer-seller relationships, suggesting a new order in the case of small wineries and starred restaurants. In relation to the | |
| The bilateral role interpreted by the third actor in buyer-seller relationship initiation | The study describes the bilateral role played by the sommelier, both toward the small wineries and the starred restaurants, in the beginning of business relationships | |
| Sommelier roles | The sommelier performs relevant roles not only in the b2c context but also in the b2b context. In line with the literature, the study pinpoints that in the small winery and starred restaurant relationship initiation, the sommelier could play the following roles: scouter, need creator, access provider, match maker, evaluation assistant, expectation builder, risk reducer and provider of concrete evidence | |
| The sommelier’s “power balancer” role | The power balancer is a new role for the third actor in buyer-seller relationship initiation. This role could be performed by the third actor when there is significant power and information asymmetry between the parties during the buyer-seller relationship initiation process | |
| Trigger in buyer-seller relationship initiation | The wine steward is depicted as the trigger that fosters the buyer-seller relationship initiation between the small winery and the starred restaurant | |
| Third actor roles | The study provides evidence that the sommelier, as a third actor, could simultaneously perform multiple roles in the business relationships between the small winery and the starred restaurant, according to the specific subphases of the buyer-seller relationship initiation described in the framework developed in the study | |
| Trust building due to third actor activities | The trust builder role ascribed to the third actor could be the result of other roles performed by the third actor. Hence, it could not be considered a third-actor role in itself |
Source(s): Authors’ elaboration