Business Commons^™

Swift Neighbors And Persistent Strangers: A Cross-Cultural Investigation Of Trust And Reciprocity In Social Exchange, Nancy R. Buchan, Rachel T.A. Croson, Robin M. Dawes

Faculty Publications

In four countries, levels of trust and reciprocity in direct-reciprocal exchange are compared with those in network-generalized exchanges among experimentally manipulated groups’ members (neighbors) or random experimental participants (strangers). Results show that cooperation decreases as social distance increases; and, that identical network-generalized exchanges generate different amounts of trusting behavior due solely to manipulated social identity between the actors.

This study demonstrates the interaction of culture and social identity on the propensity to trust and reciprocate and also reveals differing relationships between trust and reciprocation in each of the four countries, bringing into question the theoretical relationship between these cooperative behaviors.

A Methodology Towards Measuring The Strategic Profile Of First-Mover Firms In Industrial Markets, Larry P. Pleshko, Richard A. Heiens, Leanne C. Mcgrath

Faculty Publications

This study goes beyond most previous research on first-mover advantages by examining the broader concept of strategic marketing initiative. Specifically, a measurement scale was developed to assess the full extent of a firm's first-mover efforts. A total of 1200 firms were surveyed, with a response rate of 12.2%. The Strategic Marketing Initiative Scale developed exhibited high reliability, and has application in assisting management in recognizing marketing areas for first mover advantages. This can result in better timing of decisions about the strategy of when to act, contributing to the ability to create a competitive advantage around marketing initiatives.