Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the main drivers of change in the relational approaches adopted in business-to-business (B2B) companies as an effect of the digital transformation processes boosted by COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology includes a qualitative study based on an abductive approach. Twenty-eight semistructured interviews and two focus groups have been carried out with sales and marketing professionals from different industries.

Findings

The research defines a conceptual framework that describes what the main changes of B2B relational approach are in a context affected by the pandemic, as well as its effects. The framework is constituted by three dimensions, namely, efficiency of the interaction, coordination and digital trust, and seven subdimensions.

Practical implications

This research also contributes to managerial practice, defining some directions to be fulfilled in a business context affected by the COVID-19 emergency to improve efficiency, coordination and trust.

Originality/value

Academic literature has greatly analyzed the transformation of the B2B scenario; less studies have explored how the relational approach is changing due to the digital acceleration caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 的数字化转型如何影响 B2B 中的关系方法

目的

本文的目的是了解企业对企业 (B2B) 公司采用的关系方法发生变化的主要驱动因素，这是 COVID-19 大流行推动的数字化转型过程的影响。

设计/方法/方法

该方法包括基于溯因方法的定性研究。对来自不同行业的销售和营销专业人士进行了 28 次半结构化访谈和两个焦点小组。

发现

该研究定义了一个概念框架，该框架描述了在受大流行影响的背景下，B2B 关系方法的主要变化及其影响。该框架由交互效率、协调效率和数字信任三个维度和七个子维度构成。

实际影响

这项研究还有助于管理实践，确定在受 COVID-19 紧急情况影响的商业环境中要实现的一些方向，以提高效率、协调和信任。

原创性/价值

学术文献对 B2B 场景的转型进行了大量分析；较少的研究探讨了由于 COVID-19 大流行引起的数字加速，关系方法如何发生变化。