Marketing Commons^™

Gift Cards And Gift Giving, Melek Meral Anitsal, Ismet Anitsal, Amanda Brown

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Gift cards are frequently located at premium points inside the retail space where stores sell not only their own cards but also other retailers’ cards for almost every occasion. Media encouraged practitioners to promote these cards. However, this emerging phenomenon of consumers’ preference of gift cards has not been explored thoroughly yet. The objective of the current study is to understand consumer reactions to gift cards in terms of their impact in gift giving and gift receiving relationships. Specifically, this qualitative research seeks to investigate the following research objectives: (1) How gift givers and receivers perceive gift cards; (2) What …

The Novelty And Nostalgia Effects Of A New Major League Baseball Stadium As Measured By Its Impact On Attendance, The Corresponding Costs Of Attending, And Ticket Revenue, Sam Fullerton, Carol Bruneau

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Using secondary data, the novelty effect of the opening of 15 new Major League Baseball stadiums was determined. Using a seven-year period looking both before and after each stadium’s inaugural season, a meaningful novelty effect was documented. There were significant increases in attendance and the average ticket price for each of the 15 teams under scrutiny. As a consequence, there was a significant increase in the revenue generated through ticket sales. While the anticipated spike was in evidence for the year a new stadium opened, meaningful increases were also documented for the years subsequent to the opening of the new …

Comments From The Editors, Rick Mathisen, Michael Mccall, Mike Musante

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Welcome to Volume 4 Issue 1 of the Journal of Applied Marketing Theory. With this edition we present some interesting articles that we think offer research in the true spirit of the Journal of Applied Marketing Theory. We are particularly pleased to present to you a practitioner driven article. As we move forward, we see the opportunity to present to you, research that is academically rigorous and practically relevant. Our goal is to present articles that have actionable managerial relevance and we encourage you to submit your best work to the Journal. We present to you the following articles and …

Passion Transfer In Sports Advertising: Sports Passion And Attitude Toward Advertising, Brandon Brown, Larry Degaris

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

In order to retain advertising clients, media companies are in search of viable strategies that can justify the high costs of advertising fees within the sports setting. In acknowledging the significance of advertising during sport programs, the current study seeks to investigate the value of sports advertising by introducing the concept of ‘passion transfer’ (i.e., the transference of high likability levels of sport programs to the sport programs’ advertisements). We examine this concept by analyzing the relationship between viewer passion towards programming and advertising effectiveness. In doing so, the study also lends support to the notion of incorporating emotional measures …

The Marketing And Economic Implications Of Select Bankruptcies In North American Professional Sports Since The Start Of The Global Economic Crisis, Eric C. Schwarz, Patrick Ryan Murphy, Barbara Caldwell

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

The purpose of this paper is to look at the effects of the global economic crisis on the North American professional sports industry, and more specifically some of the examples of how the significant change in the global economic landscape has had a direct effect on the sport business industry. The most interesting of these effects is the increase in the number of bankruptcies that have occurred over the past five years. An analysis of these bankruptcies in professional sports over the recent past will be described, including their causes and results. Specific analysis will focus on the marketing implications …

Carving A Wheel Or Assembling A Widget? Insights Into The Management Of Advanced Analytics, Michael Mccrary

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Medieval guilds and assembly plants are unlikely metaphors in an information-based economy. My experience with advanced analytics suggests that such descriptions are nevertheless apt. This paper explores two distinct situations within a single firm. In one department, predictive models were generated through adopting a craft style approach. In another department, a production type of approach was deployed. The reasons for their adoption are explored, followed by their consequences for job satisfaction, performance, staffing, change-management, and more. Craft and production approaches have implications not just for modeling analysts and their managers but also for senior leaders, business partners, and human resources …

A Calculated Model Of Linkedin Feature Usage Across Organizational Types: Large, Small, And Non-Profits, Joe Spencer, Lisa Witzig, Marcella Gallegos

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Intensity of LinkedIn usage is examined by business type: Fortune 200, INC 200, and Fortune 200 Non-profit. The study of approximately 600 organizations finds, contrary to expectations, that non-profits and small businesses utilize the features of LinkedIn significantly less in intensity than large businesses. An eleven factor intensity model is presented and tested to evaluate intensity of usage among the three study groups. This study concludes that SMBs and non-profits need to better utilize the features of LinkedIn to better enable their organizational goals.

The Face Of Fakes: U.S. Consumers And Counterfeit Fashion Products, Karen Edwards, Jason Carpenter

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Counterfeit products pose a serious threat to fashion product brand owners and to the world economy. While research on the demand side of counterfeiting has grown over the past two decades, few extant studies have been conducted among non-student consumers outside Asia and Europe and few studies have focused on product categories other than consumer electronic-related items. Using a sample of U.S. consumers (N=305), the current research investigates consumer attitudes in the context of fashion products. Findings suggest that gender and education are the two variables most frequently related to purchase intention for counterfeits, beliefs about counterfeit products, and ethicality. …

Customer Service Employees In Logistics, Dave Mcmahon, Stephen A. Lemay, Jeff Periatt, Rose Opengart

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This article provides a description of the changing needs and role of customer service employees, their competencies, job requirements, and training needs. Four key findings for developing effective training options are discussed. The data comes from an original research project funded by the Council of Logistics Management (CSCMP).

An Examination Of The Segmentation Typologies Articulated In The Spectator And Participation Sports Marketing Literature, Sam Fullerton, Tammy Mccullough, Carol L. Bruneau

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

With the emergence of sports marketing as an important business discipline, a number of segmentation studies have focused on either the spectator sports market or the participation sports market. Regarding spectator sports, most of the previous studies have focused on individual sports entities such as a team, a league, a sport, or an event. The majority of the segmentation studies on participation sports have also assumed a narrow perspective by developing typologies for a specific activity such as golf. The current research assesses the efforts designed to segment the aggregate spectator sports market irrespective of the sport being watched and …

Social Media In The Business Curriculum Panel, Pauline Ash Ray, Jenny Swearingen, Paul Wilkens

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Social Media has grown from an auxiliary chapter in a marketing text to an entire course in the curriculum, an undergraduate major, or a MBA specialty. The controversy now appears to be the extent of the coverage of the Social Media area. The challenge in examining social media’s role in the business curriculum is that there is a lack of empirical research on this subject. The purpose of this panel is to undertake an exploratory review of how social media has been utilized in the business curriculum of participants’ schools in response to the demands of the changing business landscape. …

Model Size In Magazine Advertising And Body Esteem Among Female College Students: The Moderating Role Of Bmi, James A. Roberts, Chloe' A. Roberts

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Weight and body concerns have reached epidemic proportions among female college students. Such high levels of body dissatisfaction can lead to disastrous results. Since the mass media is considered an important purveyor of the thin ideal, the present study investigated the impact model size in magazine advertising has on the body esteem of female college students. Because it is unlikely that all women will respond similarly to the models depicted in such ads, the present study tested the potentially moderating role of Body Mass Index (BMI) on the model size – body esteem relationship. As hypothesized, subject BMI did moderate …

The Effects Of A Disaster’S Onset On The Humanitarian Aid Supply Chain, Micheal J. P. Dwyer

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Through the development of an illustrative model, this conceptual paper argues that the relative timeframe of the onset of a disaster – whether slow or sudden - is related to the form of the supply chain response of the humanitarian aid organization. Further, a proposed method for researching the interrelationship between the nature of a disaster and how it affects the formulation of the humanitarian aid supply chain is offered. Several contributing characteristics of humanitarian aid supply chains are identified and described within the context of the model. Finally, several potential avenues for future research are described including the efficiencies …

Identifying Key Factors Influencing Internet Shopping Behavior For E-Satisfaction, Chris A. Meyers

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

With Internet shopping gaining more attention and momentum, a better understanding of the online consumer is now in the forefront of most retail strategies. The growth of online retailing or Internet shopping has provided the apparel industry with additional avenues to reach the consumer. Previous research has shown that consumers’ intent to purchase online is highly driven by their satisfaction. Studies have touted the growth of on-line shopping and the growing purchases of those with Internet access (Lin & Sun, 2009). In fact, apparel products have been consistently ranked as one of the most frequently purchased items through the Internet …

Ethnicity’S Effect On Brand Loyalty Among American Consumers, Neelen Leslie, Felipe Korzenny

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The United States has one of the largest multicultural populations in the world. It is home to millions of people from varying countries, ethnicities and cultures. International migration over the years has established a foundation for what is now a cultural mosaic, comprised mainly of several generations of Americans born to people of varied ethnicities and cultures. This diversity presents a challenge for US marketers. The heterogeneity of this nation requires marketers to do more research and to cultivate an understanding of the various cultures at play in order to connect with their target consumers.

In this research, we attempted …

The Role Of Empathy In The Benefits Sought From Volunteering, David J. Burns

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Increasing needs for volunteers have led many nonprofit organizations to seek to understand the benefits sought by individuals from volunteering. This study examines empathy. Empathy is believed to be one of the causes of individuals engaging in helping or prosocial behavior, an activity which includes volunteering. What role does empathy play in the benefits sought by individuals from volunteering? The objective of this study is to examine this question. The relationship between empathy and benefits sought by collegiate business students from volunteering are explored. Individuals who possess relatively higher levels of empathy appear to be more likely to participate in …

Digital Word-Of-Mouth And The Gender Implications, Deborah H. Lester, Andrew M. Forman, Dolly D. Loyd, Tyra A. Burton

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Consumers can now easily access data and exchange sentiments regarding products and services on an unprecedented scale, and often in real time, through digital connections. The Internet and mobile technologies have made sharing of information and opinions among consumers easier than ever. The capacity of online participants to inspire and transform perspectives has been touted to surpass the radical potency of television when it entered the consumer’s province during the 50’s. Men and women use social media sites to learn about new products, to become smarter shoppers and to feel good about a purchase they might have already made. College …

Transforming The Simple Moving Average Forecasting Technique Into A Judgmental Bootstrapping Approach, Usama A. Saleh, Gamal Haikal

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The simple moving average forecasting technique (SMAFT) uses a naïve arithmetic measurement for smoothing time-series data for various situations purposes, such as sales prediction. This paper attempts to rectify the contextual procedure of SMAFT by transforming the method into a judgmental bootstrapping approach, combining the statistical techniques of the X - chart (x-bar) and the Hurwicz's Criterion. The proposed modeling approach generates a dual forecasting value, presented by the grand mean, x , of the x-bar chart and the expected weighted payoff of the Hurwicz's Criterion, which is used to improve the accuracy of the final forecast. This model will …

Online Learning: Best Practices And Online Technologies, Anita H. Whiting

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This session seeks to provide a forum for discussing online technologies and best practices in online learning. Session seeks to provide an opportunity for faculty to discuss what strategies have worked well in their online classes and what obstacles they have encountered while teaching online. Session will also foster discussion about online technologies that faculty prefer to use and the benefits they gain from these technologies. Overall, session will help faculty learn more about how to be successful in the online classroom.

Differentiating Financial Service Brands Through The Multilayered Service Strategy (Mss): Some Insights Insights From The Resource Based View Of The Firm, Olutayo Otubanjo

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This paper examines how financial service organizations operating in the Nigerian banking industry can be effectively managed to achieve brand differentiation. In order to achieve this objective, a service brand model was reviewed and critiqued and a Multilayered Service Strategy (MSS) model was put forward as an effective model for service brand differentiation. Consequently, sixteen leading-edge marketing and communication practitioners were engaged to examine the effectiveness of the model through in-depth interviews. Findings from the analysis of data indicate that an effective differentiation of a service brand cannot be achieved through the adoption of a single business or organizational factor. …

Using Client Based Projects (Cbss) In Mba Marketing Programs To Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Lynn C. Dailey

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The ability to apply marketing knowledge is a key skill needed by marketing graduates. This is especially true in MBA education. Historically, academics have stressed theory while practitioners have stressed practice. Experiential learning can bridge the gap between theory and practice. One important form of experiential learning is having students participate in client based projects (CBP). Many professors are hesitant to take on CBPs because they appear to be time intensive and riskier to manage as opposed to traditional case studies; however, this paper shows a step by step process for implementing CBPs in the classroom that has been successfully …

Relationship Of Demographic Traits And Situational Factor Determinants With The Tech Readiness Of Self-Service Consumers, Jon M. Martin

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Over the past 20 years, self-service technology (SST) has become prevalent as a service delivery option. To ensure that SST options reach full potential, firms need to understand what customer traits and situational factors are related to the propensity to use SSTs. From a subset of data and independent determinants from an original dissertation model on SST adoption, this study uses linear regression to examine: H1) the relationship between: H1) consumers’ tech readiness (TR) and the consumer demographics of age (AG), gender (GN), income (IN), education (ED), and ethnicity (ET) (H1), and H2) the relationship between consumer’s tech readiness and …

Putting On A Happy Face: How Emotional Labor Impacts Frontline Service Employees, Anita H. Whiting

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This study investigates emotional labor and its impact on frontline service employees (FSE). Emotional labor is defined as the stress of regulating one’s emotional displays in response to display rules (Diefendorff and Gosserand 2003). FSE experience emotional labor as they regulate their inner or felt emotions in order to display the appropriate emotions to the customer. Displaying appropriate emotions to customers is very important to service organizations because it affects customer affect and evaluation of service quality (Pugh 2001). Unlike previous research which focuses mostly on the customer’s experience during a service encounter, this paper focuses on FSE and their …

Social Media In The Business Curriculum, Pauline Ash Ray, Jenny Swearingen

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Due to the prolific development of Web 2.0 tools and the growing demand for their use in business this study explores the status of their inclusion in the business curriculum. Social media use is valuable, not only to marketing students, but also to all business students as well as the ability to build a personal brand to further their careers. There is a growing consensus to include social media in the curriculum but to what extent: A course, a major or a MBA specialization? A literature review for research of social media inclusion in curriculum is conducted for the current …

From Push To Pull — How Smartphones Are Changing Mobile Marketing, Julie M. Pharr

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

As “smartphones” have displaced traditional cell phones, mobile marketing—marketing via wireless handheld devices—has become increasingly more sophisticated. This paper highlights the dramatic shifts underway in the field of mobile marketing with the advent of mobile technology that simultaneously delivers web access, location information, and social networking capabilities. The paper makes a case for why smartphones may foreshadow the end of traditional push marketing, giving way to a new style of marketing that is location-based, context-specific and superior at initiating consumer pull.

The Factors That Influence Merchants’ Likeliness To Continue Business: A Study Of Georgetown, South Carolina, Monica B. Fine, Paul Clark

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Loss of businesses to surrounding areas has escalated in the past decade, promoting an examination of factors causing business defection from the city of Georgetown, South Carolina. Kotler (1969) warned that customer retention is more important than identifying new prospects. If the customer’s satisfaction levels fall below completely satisfied, there is a risk of customer defection. This issue is important because the “purpose of a business is to create and keep customers” (Kotler 1969, p. 2). Therefore, understanding what dissatisfies a customer is just as important as understanding what satisfies a customer. The degree to which cities are vulnerable to …

A Comparison Of Potential Student Blood Donors To Actual Donors, Harold Ogden, Kelly Campbell Lefort, Matthew Kerr, Matthew Maclellan, Zachary Briggs

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

With a growing need for blood and blood products, managers of blood collection agencies are interested in increasing donation rates. A better understanding of how donors are different from the general public might inform decisions on how to promote to make non-donors more like donors. A sample of 74 student blood donors was surveyed at two university blood donor clinics about their attitudes and beliefs about blood donation. A convenience sample of 134 respondents in a university student population was also surveyed for comparison. The latter was later split by level of commitment to blood donation. Differences among these three …

Relationships Of Brand Awareness, Logo Associations And Prior Shopping Experience: A Pre-Test Study, Tulay Girard, M. Meral Anitsal, Ismet Anitsal, Zhenye Zhang

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Branding is instrumental in achieving success in today’s highly competitive markets. Successful brands are those that differentiate themselves from competition in the minds of consumers even though they satisfy the same needs. Brand name, logos, jingles, slogans, brand personalities/characters, URL of a web site, signs and packages, letterheads, business cards are some of the tools that companies and organizations use as part of their external branding efforts. Companies typically spend considerable sums in their logo design activities. Some of them even try to revive their brands by changing their logos over time. Despite the importance of this research topic, little …

Online Vs. Face-To-Face Learners: An Exploratory Segmentation Of The Student Market, Renée J. Fontenot, Richard Mathisen, Susan Carley, Randy Stuart

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This study compares the characteristics and motivational factors influencing educational decisions of online vs. face-to-face learners. Using a survey of undergraduate marketing students from colleges in the Southeastern U.S., demographic, attitudinal and learning style differences are examined to determine the roles they play in student selection of online vs. traditional classroom modes of educational delivery. Alternative approaches to segmentation of the student market are explored, as are implications for marketing education. Likert scales and open ended questions were used to determine student perspectives on various dimensions of online versus face-to-face courses. A cross section of students were surveyed including those …

Internal Communication As A Tool For Stakeholder-Organization Identification, Ania Izabela Rynarzewska

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Identification has long been considered to be one of the main concepts in organizational behavior. Fortunately, organizational identification has also shifted into marketing and communication literature. Recent streams of marketing literature suggest that organizational identification may be a key to connecting employees and consumers to an organization on much deeper level than any other relationship known before. Due to the possible impact of customerorganizational identification on performance, marketing scholars have become increasingly interested in possible advantages of this relevant construct. Identification with an organization is popular in both management and marketing research as the means of fostering a relationship between …