Luận văn thạc sĩ UEH channel perormance enablers, channel conflict and channel member performance,

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY

International School of Business

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NGUYEN THI TUYET OANH

CHANNEL PERFORMANCE

ENABLERS, CHANNEL CONFLICT AND

CHANNEL MEMBER PERFORMANCE:

AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAM

AIRLINES’ AGENCIES

MASTER OF BUSINESS (Honours)

Ho Chi Minh City – 2014

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UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY

International School of Business

------------------------------

NGUYEN THI TUYET OANH

CHANNEL PERFORMANCE

ENABLERS, CHANNEL CONFLICT AND

CHANNEL MEMBER PERFORMANCE:

AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAM

AIRLINES’ AGENCIES

ID: 21110014

MASTER OF BUSINESS (Honours)

SUPERVISOR: LUU TRONG TUAN PH.D

Ho Chi Minh City – 2014

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This thesis could not have been possible without the help of many people.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Dr.

Luu Trong Tuan for his clear and careful direction, his guidance and his

corrections of my thesis. I especially appreciate his continual and on-going

enthusiasm in responding, reminding, and assisting in all aspects of this endeavor.

Secondly, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my company, Thien Hai

Services Travel Trading Corporation, as well as my managers and supervisors for

their patience, understanding and support of my thesis.

Thirdly, I would like to thank my dear colleagues, friends and classmates for their

valuable encouragement during the many months that I was working on this

thesis. Special thanks are also sent to those individuals working for the Vietnam

Airlines’ agencies who have volunteered their valuable time in meeting, speaking

with and responding to my thesis survey.

Last, but not least, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my family for

their support, their encouragement, and their faith while completing my thesis.

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ABSTRACT

This study investigates the relationships between channel performance enablers

which include trust, commitment and cooperation, as well as channel conflict, and

channel member performance in service industries, especially in the area of

logistics as found in the airlines industry. The objective of this study is to

determine the influence that both channel performance enablers and channel

conflict has on channel member performance. Our research questions were: “Are

there positive relationships between channel performance enablers and channel

member performance?” “Is there a negative relationship between channel conflict

and channel member performance?”

To test the hypotheses, we studied 208 respondents working in 18 various

Vietnam Airlines’ agencies. The data collection was based on the questionnaire

adapted from previous studies and modified for the service industry as well as for

the Vietnam context. (Dwyer and Oh, 1987; Kumar et al,. 1995; Lumineau and

Oxley, 2007; Sezen and Yilmaz, 2007).

As expected, the results of the study show the existence of positive relationships

between channel performance enablers and channel member performance. In

these relationships, cooperation has the strongest positive relationship with

channel member performance (ß = 0.284, p<0.001). It shows that to achieve high

channel member performance, agencies should increase the cooperation in the

channel. Next, commitment has the second strongest positive relationship with

channel member performance (ß = 0.237, p<0.05). And last, trust has the least

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strongest positive relationship with channel member performance (ß = 0.214,

p<0.05).

However, the findings did not state the negative relationship that exists between

channel conflict and channel member performance (ß = 0.099, p=0.124).

Past and previous research focused on the relationships between channel

performance enablers and channel member performance primarily in the

manufacturing sector. This study here contributes to the practical theory between

channel performance enablers and channel member performance in a different

industry: the service industry.

Key words: Trust, commitment, cooperation, channel conflict, channel member

performance, Vietnam Airlines’ agencies.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................i

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................ii

LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................vii

LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................viii

CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1

1.1 Problem statement.................................................................................................1

1.2 Research Aims ......................................................................................................3

1.3 Research scope ......................................................................................................3

1.4 Research contribution............................................................................................4

1.5 Research structure .................................................................................................4

CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................6

LITERATURE REVIEW...............................................................................................6

2.1 Channel member performance ..............................................................................6

2.2 Trust and channel member performance...............................................................8

2.3 Commitment and channel member performance ................................................10

2.4 Co-operation and channel member performance ................................................12

2.5 Channel conflict and channel member performance...........................................14

2.6 Research Model...................................................................................................16

CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................18

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................18

3.1 Research process.................................................................................................18

3.1.1 Step 1: Item generation step .........................................................................19

3.1.2 Step 2: Pilot study.........................................................................................21

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3.1.3 Step 3: Main study ........................................................................................21

3.2 Data collection ....................................................................................................22

3.2.1 Sample size ...................................................................................................22

3.2.2 Sampling method ..........................................................................................23

3.3 Data source..........................................................................................................23

3.4 Measurement of variables...................................................................................24

3.5 Methods of data analysis....................................................................................27

3.5.1 Reliability analysis measured by Cronbach’s Alpha. ...................................27

3.5.2 Validity measured by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) ..........................27

3.5.3 Multiple regression analysis .........................................................................29

CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................32

DATA ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................32

4.1 Preparation data...................................................................................................32

4.2 Descriptive statistics............................................................................................32

4.3 Cronbach’s Alpha analysis..................................................................................33

4.4 Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) ....................................................................36

4.5 Regression analysis.............................................................................................40

4.5.1 Testing of the fit level of model ...................................................................41

4.5.2 Results of regression analysis.......................................................................47

CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................53

CONCLUSIONS ..........................................................................................................53

5.1 Conclusions.........................................................................................................53

5.2 Manegerial implications......................................................................................53

5.3 Limitations and further research .........................................................................55

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................59

APPENDIX 1 : QUESTIONNAIRE – ENGLISH VERSION ....................................67

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APPENDIX 2 : QUESTIONNAIRE – VIETNAMESE VERSION............................71

APPENDIX 3 : DATA ANALYSIS RESULTS..........................................................75

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Conceptual Framework.............................................................................16

Figure 3.1: Research Process.......................................................................................19

Figure 4.1: Scatter plot ................................................................................................43

Figure 4.2: Regression Standardized Residual............................................................46

Figure 4.3: Normal P-P plot of Regression Standardized Residual ............................47

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