5. Pilot Study

To move into the field, a pilot study is conducted. The results confirm the high relevance of VCM in the coating industry, especially in the OEM finishing as well as the textile and packaging coating. In these value chains, the coating is of great importance for the final product. Furthermore, there is a clear power structure, i.e. the applicator represents the center of power. This study further provides an insight into the structure of different application value chains and levels up the understanding of the general VCM process. The nature of this process depends on the timing of integrating the immediate customer. Suppliers pursuing VCM either integrate the manufacturer at the beginning or at a later stage of the process. Based on the results of the pilot study, the field of research is expanded by the sealant industry, and two research propositions referring to VCM and its marketing effectiveness are posed: The design and marketing effectiveness of a VCM process depends on (1) the newness of supplier innovation and (2) the overlap between the knowledge bases of the actors.