This study presents a comprehensive analysis of several integral issues related to customer value analysis in a mature business-to-business market---the Oriented Strandboard (OSB) sheathing product market. Customer value is the tradeoff between quality and price perceptions of a product vis-a-vis alternative offerings in the marketplace. This study was designed to understand the determinants of "perceived value" of OSB wholesale customer firms in the North American OSB sheathing markets. OSB wholesaler and OSB supplier firms were compared in terms of gaps/matches in their perceptions of various sheathing attributes. Perceptual and value maps were developed to identify the relative positions of competing OSB manufacturing firms on attributes that determine value for OSB wholesale buyers. These maps provide valuable information to the OSB firms regarding their strengths and weaknesses for each OSB value attribute. OSB suppliers were then categorized along a continuum of generic business strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, and focus) that they follow to deliver value to their wholesale buyers. In addition, the relationship of favorable value perceptions with higher OSB wholesale customer satisfaction, higher customer loyalty, and higher retention in OSB wholesale sheathing markets was investigated. This entire process was intended to allow a better understanding of the current status of the industry and to identify potential opportunities for product differentiation/development in the OSB structural sheathing product-markets.; The objectives of this study are both theoretical and empirical. On the theoretical level, operationalization of customer perceived value is analyzed by characterizing its determinants and consequences. By doing so, this study addresses several gaps in the customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty literature. Most customer value studies measure value at an absolute level (value from major supplier) and reflect bias in their results. This study examines customer value at a relative level by including competitors into a system of value measurement (value measured for each wholesale customer's top three suppliers). In addition, the study examines the contentious mediating role of perceived satisfaction on the relationship between perceived value and intended loyalty.; On the empirical level, product and service attribute importance, competitive marketing strategies for value delivery, and competitive positioning of OSB supplier's product/brand on key dimensions of value were studied in order to identify strategic tools for improvement. Data for the study was collected via mail survey from OSB manufacturing firms and a sample of OSB wholesale buyers in North America during Fall 2003/Spring 2004.
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