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Online Trading and Platform Capabilities on the Chemical Industry in Germany

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Essentials on Dynamic Capabilities for a Contemporary World

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Abstract

B2B e-marketplaces attained a steep rise in the last decades in various industries, changing the way in which supply meets the demand side’s expectations through a digitalized exchange of physical goods and services. However, some industries, such as the chemical industry, seem unable to exploit the underlying opportunities of B2B platforms. Therefore, this chapter aims to assess the perception of the incumbents among sales departments of the focal industry in Germany and comprehend their perception of these platforms for trade purposes. On a theoretical level, it will identify the fundamental conceptions about platforms and the quest for building platform utilization capabilities (PUC). Data is collected through a qualitative analysis in the form of semi-structured interviews held with sales managers in this industry and the research is geographically limited to Germany as a critical case of global dimension of some of its companies in this sector contrasting with some resistance in the adherence to platform markets. Our findings unveil a dyadic paradigmatic context of refrained adherence to the digital economy, providing further insights into the complexity of elements at interplay impacting the sales strategy decisions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Niels Brock, Copenhagen Business College, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Nina Baumgarten & Bruno F. Abrantes

  2. ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal

    Bruno F. Abrantes

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  1. Nina Baumgarten
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. BRU-ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Bruno F. Abrantes

  2. Copenhagen Business College, Niels Brock, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jesper Lind Madsen

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Baumgarten, N., Abrantes, B.F. (2023). Online Trading and Platform Capabilities on the Chemical Industry in Germany. In: Abrantes, B.F., Madsen, J.L. (eds) Essentials on Dynamic Capabilities for a Contemporary World. Studies on Entrepreneurship, Structural Change and Industrial Dynamics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34814-3_7

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