Marketing Commons^™

Embracing Globalization: A Study Of Factors Shaping Consumer Acceptance Of Imported Products, Srinivas Durvasula, Steven Lysonski

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Free trade as embraced by globalization is altering the world's economies at an unprecedented pace. Yet, this inertia may be stymied by consumers who feel threatened by the changes in their domestic economies and by imported products. This study examines factors shaping consumer acceptance of imported products. With samples derived from Singapore and New Zealand, we explore the impact of consumer ethnocentrism, domestic product quality, the necessity of a product, and cultural openness on acceptance of imports. The findings reveal that only consumer ethnocentrism has a strong association with opposition to imports. The other factors show some impact but in …

An Ethical Basis For Relationship Marketing: A Virtue Ethics Perspective, Patrick Murphy, Gene R. Laczniak, Graham Wood

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an ethical foundation for relationship marketing using a virtue ethics approach.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach is a conceptual one providing a background on relationship marketing from both American and European perspectives. Earlier studies published in EJM on relationship marketing are featured in a table.

Findings – The proposed ethical relationship marketing approach has three stages (establishing, sustaining and reinforcing) that are paired with specific virtues (trust, commitment and diligence). These and other facilitating virtues are shown in a figure.

Research limitations/implications – The model and its components have yet to …

Globalization, Expectations Model Of Economic Nationalism, And Consumer Behavior, Syed H. Akhter

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose – The goals of the paper are to propose, measure, and empirically test the expectations model of economic nationalism. The model posits that economic nationalism is reflected in people’s expectations of their government, domestic firms, and the general public, in terms of restricting the activities of foreign firms.

Design/methodology/approach – A confirmatory factor analysis is conducted to test the model, using the LISREL procedure.

Findings – Results show acceptable fit for the proposed model. Reliability of each of the three dimensions of economic nationalism is in the acceptable range. A nomological validity test showed that economic nationalism is related …

Normative Perspectives For Ethical And Socially Responsible Marketing, Gene R. Laczniak, Patrick Murphy

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This article presents a normative set of recommendations for elevating the practice of marketing ethics. The approach is grounded in seven essential perspectives involving multiple aspirational dimensions implicit in ethical marketing. More important, each basic perspective (BP), while singularly useful, is also integrated with the other observations as well as grounded in the extant ethics literature. This combination of BPs, adhering to the tenets of normative theory postulation, generates a connective, holistic approach that addresses some of the major factors marketing managers should consider if they desire to conduct their marketing campaigns with the highest levels of ethics and social …

Tests Of Graphic Visuals And Cigarette Package Warning Combinations: Implications For The Framework Convention On Tobacco Control, Jeremy Kees, Scot Burton, J. Craig Andrews, John Kozup

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The World Health Organization recently adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a groundbreaking public health treaty that will require that warning information in the form of text, pictures, or a combination of these two forms cover at least 30% of the front and back of cigarette packages. In three studies using smokers from the United States and Canada, the authors examine the effects of specific graphic visuals in the context of current U.S. verbal warnings. The findings indicate that including both graphic visual warnings, such as those used in Canada, and warning statements currently used in the United States …

Marketing, Consumers And Technology: Perspectives For Enhancing Ethical Transactions, Gene R. Laczniak, Patrick Murphy

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The advance of technology has influenced marketing in a number of ways that have ethical implications. Growth in use of the Internet and e-commerce has placed electronic "cookies," spyware, spam, RFIDs, and data mining at the forefront of the ethical debate. Some marketers have minimized the significance of these trends. This overview paper examines these issues and introduces the two articles that follow. It is hoped that these entries will further the important "marketing and technology" ethical debate.

Debiasing Omission Neglect, Frank Kardes, Steven Posavac, David Silvera, Maria Cronley, David Sanbonmatsu, Susan Schertzer, Felicia Miller, Paul Herr, Murali Chandrashekaran

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Two experiments investigated the effectiveness of two new procedures for improving judgment by increasing sensitivity to missing information. When consumers are insensitive to important missing information, overly extreme product evaluations are formed. However, when consumers are sensitive to important missing information, they form more moderate and appropriate evaluations. Sensitivity to missing information was increased by encouraging consumers to consider their criteria for judgment before receiving product information (Experiment 1) and by asking consumers to rate presented and missing product attributes before providing overall product evaluations (Experiment 2). Both procedures were effective for improving judgment by reducing omission neglect.

Entertainment Industry Ratings Disclosures And The Clear And Conspicuous Standard, Mariea Grubbs Hoy, J. Craig Andrews

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined entertainment ratings disclosures against the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC’s) Clear and Conspicuous Standard (CCS). In their investigation of marketing of violent entertainment to youth, the FTC advocated that the motion picture, music recording, and electronic games industries focus on “ensuring that the rating … and the reasons for the rating … are effectively and clearly communicated to parents” (p. 31). An investigation of a week of prime-time television commercials across six networks revealed that with the exception of dual modality presentation of the letter rating, ratings disclosure information is often incomplete and falls far short of meeting …

Finding The Sweet Spot: A Two Industry Study Using The Zone Of Tolerance To Identify Determinant Service Quality Attributes, Srinivas Durvasula, Antonio Lobo, Steven Lysonski, Subhash Mehta

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This paper makes a detailed comparison of two major financial services in Singapore: life insurance and stockbrokerage. Relationships of perceptions and expectations of service quality, mean service adequacy (MSA) and mean service superiority (MSS) with service satisfaction and loyalty are examined. Results indicate that the reliability aspect of service quality is strongly related to satisfaction and loyalty in the stockbrokerage industry, while the assurance aspect of service quality enjoyed a similar status in the life insurance industry. Results also confirm that while MSA and MSS both drive satisfaction and loyalty, perceptions of actual service have the strongest correlations with those …

Ethical Marketing: A Look On The Bright Side, Thomas A. Klein, Gene R. Laczniak, Patrick E. Murphy

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This article offers an alternative to conventional approaches to ethical analysis in business and marketing. We submit that studying companies with exemplary records of ethical conduct and social responsibility offers useful and compelling guidance to marketing students and managers. It provides another needed perspective beyond simply examining examples of misconduct or offering normative advice that may not reflect the specifics of corporate situations. Based on examples presented in a recent text by the authors and Better Business Bureau Torch Awardees, we present information on thirteen companies of varying size and from several different industries. That information includes ethics policies, management …

Leveraging Internal Competency And Managing Environmental Uncertainty: Propensity To Collaborate In International Markets, Syed H. Akhter, Fernando Robles

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose – The choice of an international market entry mode involves two critical considerations, leveraging internal competencies and managing environmental uncertainties in host countries. The purpose of the paper is to explicate how these two considerations affect the propensity to collaborate in international markets. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds on existing theories and develops hypotheses showing relations between competencies and uncertainty and collaboration in international markets. Findings – Conceptual relations show that the goals of leveraging competencies and managing environmental uncertainty in host countries have varying effects on the level of international collaboration. Originality/value – The effects are shown through …

Examining The Cross-National Applicability Of Multi-Item, Multidimensional Measures Using Generalizability Theory, Srinivas Durvasula, Richard G. Netemeyer, J. Craig Andrews, Steven Lysonski

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Establishing the applicability of multi-item measures is important for making valid inferences when testing theories cross-nationally. Typically, researchers have relied upon the tenets of classical measurement theory (CT) using confirmatory factor model invariance testing to conclude that a unidimensional measure is applicable across countries. However, two important issues remain unresolved via CT techniques: (1) if the measure is found not to be invariant, CT tells us little as to why the measure varies across countries; and (2) if the measure is multi-dimensional, what factors affect its cross-national applicability? Our research seeks to address these issues and the cross-national measurement applicability …

Service Encounters: The Missing Link Between Service Quality Perceptions And Satisfaction, Srinivas Durvasula, Steven Lysonski, Subhash Mehta

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Relationship marketing emphasizes that for a firm to be profitable, it must be attentive to those factors that affect service satisfaction. Extant research in the service sector reveals two important determinants of service satisfaction. One is service quality, and the other is the service encounter, representing the interaction between the customer and the service provider. Further, it has been demonstrated that service quality is also related to customer perceptions of the service encounter. However, a question that a remains unanswered is about the precise nature of the relationship between service quality and service encounter on one hand, and service satisfaction …

Effects Of Antismoking Advertising-Based Beliefs On Adult Smokers’ Consideration Of Quitting, Richard G. Netemeyer, J. Craig Andrews, Scot Burton

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives. We examined whether specific antismoking advertising–based beliefs regarding the addictiveness of smoking, the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke, and the tobacco industry’s use of deceptive advertising practices are associated with adult smokers’ consideration of quitting. We also assessed whether interactions between such beliefs and having children living in the home were associated with consideration of quitting. Methods. We used analyses of smokers’ responses to a telephone survey conducted after completion of the Wisconsin Anti-Tobacco Media Campaign to test hypotheses associated with our study objectives. Results. Results indicated that advertising-based beliefs regarding smoking addictiveness and the dangers of environmental …

Public Perceptions Of The Midwest’S Pavements: Policies And Tradeoffs In Pavement Improvement, Richard Robinson, David Kuemmel

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

With the budget crisis plaguing so many states, pavement management will compete more vigorously for limited funds. Findings reported from a tri-state pooled-fund research project provide insights and guidelines for pavement improvement derived from the perceptions of the driving public. The Phase II responses from statewide surveys in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin address the topics of perceptions of the State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), pavement repair tradeoffs, and pavement evaluation. The results disclose specific public perceptions of priorities for spending limited highway funds. Implications for pavement management, policy, planning, as well as for marketing to garner additional funds are explored.

Adherence Of Prime-Time Television Advertising Disclosures To The “Clear And Conspicuous" Standard: 1990 Vs. 2002, Mariea Grubbs Hoy, J. Craig Andrews

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

In 1990, one-fourth of all national television commercials contained disclosures, yet none of the disclosures adhered to all of the Federal Trade Commission's "clear and conspicuous" standard (CCS). As a result of marketplace changes and a 2001 Federal Trade Commission and National Advertising Division joint workshop, the authors anticipate an increase in the number of disclosures and greater adherence to the CCS. The authors find a significant increase in disclosure incidence; however, adherence declines or remains unchanged for most individual guidelines. Finally, the authors provide public policy implications and offer suggestions to increase adherence to the CCS.

Is Globalization What It’S Cracked Up To Be? Economic Freedom, Corruption, And Human Development, Syed H. Akhter

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This paper examines the effect of economic globalization on human development and argues that the relation between economic globalization and human development is mediated by economic freedom and corruption. Findings suggest that economic globalization affects economic freedom positively and corruption negatively. In turn, economic freedom has a positive effect and corruption has a negative effect on human development. All relations are in the hypothesized directions and significant. Research, business, and public policy implications as well as directions for future research are presented.

Understanding Adolescent Intentions To Smoke: An Examination Of Relationships Among Social Influence, Prior Trial Behavior, And Antitobacco Campaign Advertising, J. Craig Andrews, Richard G. Netemeyer, Scot Burton, David Paul Moberg, Ann Christiansen

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Telephone interviews were conducted with more than 900 adolescents aged 12 to 18 as part of a multimillion dollar, statewide, antitobacco advertising campaign. The interviews addressed two primary questions: (1) Do counter-advertising campaign attitudes directly affect antismoking beliefs and intent in a manner similar to those of conventional advertisements? and (2) Can advertising campaign attitudes have a stronger effect on beliefs and intent for adolescents with prior smoking behavior and for adolescents exposed to social influence (i.e., friends, siblings, or adult smoker in the home)? The authors' findings show that advertising campaign attitudes, prior trial behavior, and social influence all …

Developing The Brand Equity Of Jesuit Higher Education, Gene R. Laczniak

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Forging Relationships With Services: The Antecedents That Have An Impact On Behavioural Outcomes In The Life Insurance Industry, Srinivas Durvasula, Steven Lysonski, Subhash Mehta, Buck Peng Tang

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The extent to which service quality is linked to satisfaction, value and behavioural outcomes continues to be debated in the literature. This research investigated two models involving the linkages between service quality, satisfaction, perceived value, repurchase intention and willingness to recommend to others. The life insurance industry was chosen as the industry for investigation since it is virtually a pure service with little tangibility and high credence properties. Data were collected in Singapore in response to concerns about broadening understanding of these variables cross-culturally. Results of path analysis indicate that service quality has an indirect relationship with behavioural outcome measures …

The Power Of Interfacing Departments In Shaping B2b Customer Satisfaction, Srinivas Durvasula, Steven Lysonski, Subhash C. Mehta

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Extant research identifies service quality and service encounter perceptions as the key determinants of satisfaction. However, no study in a business-to-business environment has examined the simultaneous effect of these two determinants on overall satisfaction. Hence, we do not know which of these two determinants has a stronger impact on service satisfaction. We investigated this issue by collecting data from shipping managers of several firms in Singapore that used the services of ocean freight shipping companies. Results of path analysis indicate that perceptions of service encounters have a relatively stronger impact compared to service quality. Implications of these results are discussed.

Digital Divide And Purchase Intention: Why Demographic Psychology Matters, Syed H. Akhter

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The author examines the issue of digital divide from a demographic perspective. The influence of gender, age, education, and income on the likelihood to purchase over the Internet is empirically examined. Hypotheses are framed in the context of psychological correlates of the demographic variables. Findings show that these variables significantly influence the likelihood to purchase over the Internet and can be used to profile, segment, and target markets and develop public policies to bridge the digital divide.

Health Risks, Past Usage, And Intention To Use Weight Loss Products In Normal Weight Women With High And Low Body Dysphoria, B. L. Whisenhunt, D. A. Williamson, Richard G. Netemeyer, J. Craig Andrews

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: There are many health risks involved with the use of weight loss products by normal weight women. The mass media may compound this problem through the promotion of weight loss products and a thin body size. This study tested women's perceptions of different weight loss product ads to determine if body dysphoria (i.e., an over concern with body size and shape in normal weight people) was associated with risk beliefs, past behaviors, and intention toward using weight loss products.

Method: Normal weight women (age range = 18-41 yr), who were classified as either high (n=45) …

Mapping Mutual Fund Investor Characteristics And Modeling Switching Behavior, Mary Jane Lenard, Syed H. Akhter, Pervaiz Alam

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Securing a mutual fund that meets investment goals is an important reason why some investors exclusively stay with a particular mutual fund and others switch funds within their fund family. This paper empirically investigates investor attitudes toward mutual funds. Our model, based on investor responses, develops an investor's "risk profile" variable. Results indicate that regardless of whether the investors invest in nonemployer plans or in both employer and nonemployer plans, they consider their investment risk, fund performance, investment mix, and the capital base of the fund before switching funds. The model developed in this study can also assist in predicting …

Japanese Attitudes Toward American Business Involvement In Japan: An Empirical Investigation Revisited, Syed H. Akhter, Toshikazu Hamada

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Generation Xers in Japan continue to draw increasing attention not only because they constitute a promising segment for many products and services but also because they are expected to play a critical role in shaping their country’s political and economic relations with other countries. This paper examines their attitudes toward US products, businesses, and government. It also examines their behavioral intentions and their expectations of their government in terms of managing American business involvement in Japan. Findings and implications are presented.

Should Marketing Managers Be Concerned About Attitudes Towards Marketing And Consumerism In New Zealand: A Longitudinal View, Steven Lysonski, Srinivas Durvasula, John Watson

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

New Zealand has gone through a radical metamorphosis since free market economics were introduced in the mid-1980s. Marketing managers are particularly interested in the views of consumers about issues dealing with marketing activities. Negative views could signal consumer backlash against free market activities. This study examines the views of consumers from 1986 to 2001 on a range of issues dealing with marketing and consumerism. The results clearly show that consumers are less negative about marketing and consumerism issues since 1986. It seems likely that New Zealand has evolved in terms of the consumerism life cycle over the last 15 years. …

Strategic Planning, Hypercompetition, And Knowledge Management, Syed H. Akhter

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

When both product and
resource markets are turbulent
and disruptive, competitive
advantage has to be continually
renewed. But a firm can do this only
by managing its knowledge. Using two
elements of strategic planning—scenario
building and internal situation analysis—
managers can map and integrate knowledge to
gain a sustainable competitive edge in today’s
hypercompetitive markets.

Cultural Values And Important Possessions: A Cross-Cultural Analysis, John Watson, Steven Lysonski, Tamara Gillan, Leslie Raymore

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The logic behind globalized advertising appeals is based on the premise that cultural value systems are converging. Yet, there is no clear agreement regarding the superiority of standardized campaigns vs. localized ones. One reason for this lack of agreement deals with the extent to which various cultures share similar values. The goal of this study is to apply a relatively new framework dealing with value differences developed by Schwartz [Adv. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 25 (1992) 1.] to New Zealand and the USA by looking at the connection between these values and possessions. The hypotheses received mix support. The results confirm …

Ethical Myopia: The Case Of "Framing" By Framing, Alan E. Singer, Steven Lysonski, Ming Singer, David Hayes

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Interfaces: How Ocean Freight Shipping Lines Can Maximize Satisfaction, Srinivas Durvasula, Steven Lysonski, Subhash Mehta

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Physical distribution services are becoming increasingly important as supply chains strive to become more efficient in the logistical flow of goods to industrial customers. Performance of these services, however, takes place during encounters that customers have with various interfacing departments within the firm. These encounters may ultimately determine the level of satisfaction clients have with the service and the concomitant perceived quality. While previous research in this area has focused on service quality assessment, little attention has been given to determining the pattern of interfacing departments that maximize service satisfaction. This study examines a sample of shipping managers in Singapore …