bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Physically Attractive Models on Advertising Evaluations
Authors: Baker Michael J. , Churchill Gilbert A.
Published: December 2018

A considerable amount of social science research suggests an individual's initial perception of and reaction to another individual are affected by the physical attractiveness of the other person. The authors attempt to assess whether this general finding applies to people's perceptions of advertisements. Specifically, they assess the impact of attractiveness of male and female models on subjects’ evaluations of ads, and seek to determine whether the reactions depend on the sex of the ad reader or on the type of product being advertised.
Parameter Estimation in Marketing Models in the Presence of Multicollinearity: An Application of Ridge Regression
Authors: Mahajan Vijay , Jain Arun K. , Bergier Michel
Published: December 2018

In the presence of multicollinearity in data, the estimation of parameters or regression coefficients in marketing models by means of ordinary least squares may give inflated estimates with a high variance and wrong signs. The authors demonstrate the potential usefulness of the ridge regression analysis to handle multicollinearity in marketing data.
Anonymity and Response by Salespeople to a Mail Questionnaire
Authors: Futrell Charles M. , Swan John E.
Published: December 2018

Response rates, item omissions, response patterns, personality characteristics, and job performance were tested for relationships to anonymity on questionnaires mailed to the salesmen of a national organization. No significant differences were found between the identified group and the anonymous group.
Pre-Test-Market Evaluation of New Packaged Goods: A Model and Measurement Methodology
Authors: Silk Alvin J. , Urban Glen L.
Published: December 2018

The substantial failure rate of new packaged goods in test markets has stimulated firms to seek improved methods of pre-test-market evaluation. A set of measurement procedures and models designed to produce estimates of the sales potential of a new packaged good before test marketing is presented. A case application of the system also is discussed.
Tracker: An Early Test Market Forecasting and Diagnostic Model for New Product Planning
Authors: Blattberg Robert , Golanty John
Published: December 2018

A new product forecasting model is described which uses survey data (not panel data) to predict year-end test market sales from early test market results (usually three months). In addition to offering a sales forecast, the model is designed to provide diagnostic information about a new product's strengths and weaknesses. By relating advertising expenditures, price, and perceptions of performance/acceptability of the product to sales, the model indicates how an unsuccessful product can be redesigned or the marketing mix changed to make possible a successful introduction. The model also can be used for new product planning. Given a media plan, price, sampling level, couponing, and some estimate of repeat usage, a pre-test market forecast of year-end sales can be made which allows management to evaluate different marketing plans to see which best meets profit or sales goals.
The Number of Estimators: A Critical Decision for Marketing under Competitive Bidding
Authors: Simmonds Kenneth , Slatter Stuart
Published: December 2018

The almost exclusive concern for deciding bid prices has obscured the importance to bidding firms of adjusting other marketing variables. Taking the capacity to prepare bids as one example of these variables, the authors develop a procedure for calculating an optimum number of estimators. A new method is used for computing probabilities of success in bidding, based on the past dispersion of competitor prices. The dispersion is interpreted as reflecting different assessments of the best way to carry out the work required and not, as commonly assumed, a combination of errors in estimating one “true cost” plus differences in competitors’ markups. Applied to a sample of firms, the procedure indicates that additional estimators would increase the expected profits for each firm.
Causal Complexity: A Measure of Consumer Causal Attribution
Authors: Mizerski Richard W.
Published: December 2018

A proposed measure of consumer causal attribution based on the stochastic assumptions of information theory is examined. Given the same product information, subjects who had simple and those who had complex causal arrays were found to be significantly different in terms of their causal attributions, beliefs, and affect toward the stimulus products.
Determinants of Scale Response: Label versus Position
Authors: Wildt Albert R. , Mazis Michael B.
Published: December 2018

Two determinants of scale response—the denotative meaning of the adjective labels used and the location of the labels in relation to scale endpoints—were investigated. On the basis of the procedures used, both label and location were found to have an impact on subject response. Estimation of a mixing parameter for the two factors permits comparison of their relative effects across different scales.
Questionnaire Returns: Stamps versus Business Reply Envelopes Revisited
Authors: Harris James R. , Guffey Hugh J.
Published: December 2018

Testing the effect of business reply permits versus stamped envelopes on the return rate for mail surveys shows that even though stamps still produce a significantly higher response, the differential between the two options appears to be diminishing. The dramatic effect of recent changes in business reply permit rates on the cost effectiveness between the two alternative return mail forms is demonstrated.
Robustness of Conjoint Analysis: Some Monté Carlo Results
Authors: Carmone Frank J. , Green Paul E. , Jain Arun K.
Published: December 2018

In many industrial applications of conjoint analysis the use of nonmetric algorithms to analyze respondent ranks of products described by more than eight or 10 attributes is time consuming and very expensive for large samples of consumers. The authors compare the results using nonmetric analysis, full factorial designs, and rank data with quicker and less expensive methods of metric analysis, orthogonal arrays and stimulus ratings. In addition, two types of models and levels of error are investigated. The results indicate that metric analysis using ratings data and orthogonal arrays is very robust.
Effects of Scaling on the Correlation Coefficient: Additional Considerations
Authors: Martin Warren S.
Published: December 2018

Distortion in the Pearson product moment correlation due to a restricted number of scale points is evaluated in two ways. First, a simulation of the bivariate normal distribution is used to estimate the effects of varying the number of scale points on the product moment correlation. This procedure demonstrates a substantial amount of information loss. Second, other correlation coefficients and some methods to correct for this loss are discussed and related to the simulation data.
Salesforce Performance and Satisfaction as a Function of Individual Difference, Interpersonal, and Situational Factors
Authors: Bagozzi Richard P.
Published: December 2018

The author presents a model designed to explain the performance, job satisfaction, and other behavioral outcomes experienced by salespeople. By building on the model of man proposed by Lewin and modern interactionist and social learning theories of personality, the behavior of salespeople is shown to be a function of the person, the interactions the person has with significant others in his or her role set, and forces in the situation. Hypotheses are tested on data gathered on industrial salespeople.
A Behavioral Process Approach to Information Acquisition in Nondurable Purchasing
Authors: Jacoby Jacob , Chestnut Robert W. , Fisher William A.
Published: December 2018

A behavioral process method was used to explore the relationship of individual difference factors to consumer information acquisition behavior. Findings included: (1) the mean proportion of available information actually acquired was 2%, and (2) information search was concentrated on six of the 35 available information dimensions; increased information acquisition was related (3) positively to the product's importance for the individual, (4) positively to being an optimizer rather than a satisficer, (5) positively to high amounts of past purchasing experience with the product, and (6) negatively to attitudinal brand loyalty.
Beyond Attitude Structure: Toward the Informational Determinants of Attitude
Authors: Holbrook Morris B.
Published: December 2018

The author argues that marketing research has focused too narrowly on the static structure of attitude at the expense of its informational determinants. An experimental study investigates the effects of one fundamental dimension of advertising content on the components of attitude structure. Specifically, the results suggest that the factualness/evaluativeness of a persuasive message exerts a positive effect on those beliefs considered most important; that these beliefs in turn determine affect; and that these effects of communication on attitude components are mediated by a set of intervening cognitive reactions, such as perceived message credibility. These findings suggest implications for marketing decisions, public policy, and the future course of attitude research in marketing.
Market Segmentation Based on Consumer Ratings of Proposed Product Designs
Authors: Sewall Murphy A.
Published: December 2018

Many products compete on the basis of aesthetic appeal as well as price and brand image. Analysis of consumer reactions to attributes not directly related to a product's functional utility is essential to intelligent decisions about proposed additions to the product line. The author describes a method of deriving market segmentation information from consumer intention to purchase evaluations of a selection of product designs.
The Choice Process for Graduate Business Schools
Authors: Punj Girish N. , Staelin Richard
Published: December 2018

The college choice behavior of graduate business school applicants is studied. A stochastic utility model is proposed and estimated by use of a sample of students admitted to Carnegie-Mellon University. The specific formulation used is the conditional logit model. Results indicate that such factors as net cost, quality, and distance of applicant's home from school are important determinants of college choice. Specific probability computations are used to illustrate the results for a typical decision maker.
A New Method of Increasing Mail Survey Responses: Contributions to Charity
Authors: Robertson Dan H. , Bellenger Danny N.
Published: December 2018

The authors investigated the effectiveness of two types of promised incentives in producing responses to a mail survey: a personal cash payment versus an identical (one dollar) contribution to a charity of the respondent's choice. The charity incentive resulted in an increased response rate (41% response with charity incentive, 26% with equal cash incentive, 23% with no incentive). In effect, charitable contributions reduced nonresponse bias, reduced the cost per respondent, and also provided a benefit to charitable organizations.
Multiattribute Approaches for Product Concept Evaluation and Generation: A Critical Review
Authors: Shocker Allan D. , Srinivasan V.
Published: December 2018

Multiattribute research in marketing seeks an understanding of the structure of customer decisions with respect to the market offerings of a firm and its competitors. Through such understanding the firm trys to evaluate and/or design its offerings for greater customer satisfaction and profitability. Recent applications of such research to new product evaluation and to concept generation are reviewed and critiqued, relevant methodologies are contrasted, and the import of this research thrust for management is assessed.
Predicting Brand Purchase Behavior: Marketing Application of the Schönemann and Wang Unfolding Model
Authors: Moore William L. , Pessemier Edgar A. , Little Taylor E.
Published: December 2018

The predictive power of the Schönemann-Wang joint space model is examined across three product classes. These results are compared with unfolding analyses performed by the KYST algorithm. The Schönemann-Wang model appears to be a strong candidate for predictive studies of brand purchases and related types of market behavior.
Testing Micropreference Structures
Authors: Bechtel Gordon G. , O'connor P. J.
Published: December 2018

An analysis of variance method for scaling brand preference within a single consumer or market segment of consumers is described. This framework is used in developing a test for the accountability of preference in terms of mediating perceptual attributes. Unlike previous approaches, the method provides an F-test for a particular multiattribute structure individual by individual or segment by segment. These microtests are illustrated in two data analyses: intraindividual tests on an exogenous perceptual structure and intrasegment assessment of structures that are endogenous to each of the several segments.
The Effect of Self-Confidence and Anxiety on Information Seeking in Consumer Risk Reduction
Authors: Locander William B. , Hermann Peter W.
Published: December 2018

The authors examine the effect of generalized self-confidence, anxiety, and specific self-confidence on consumers’ tendency to seek information sources as a means of reducing purchasing uncertainty. Consumers were asked to rate their tendency to seek six information sources for each of five products. The products differed in their degree of performance and social risk. The findings suggest that specific self-confidence about the product decision is significantly related to information seeking.
The Synthesis of Predictive Models in Marketing Research
Authors: Bunn Derek W.
Published: December 2018

A formal procedure for synthesizing the variety of predictive models usually available to the market research analyst is presented as a practical method. Two case studies indicate its feasibility. The method is Bayesian, involving the assignment of subjective probabilities to the various predictive models and the revision of these prior model probabilities according to a Dirichlet process if a set of performance data is available.
The Effectiveness of Industrial Print Advertisements across Product Categories
Authors: Hanssens Dominique M. , Weitz Barton A.
Published: December 2018

The relationships between 24 print ad characteristics and recall, readership, and inquiry-generation measures of effectiveness are examined for 1160 industrial ads. Both recall and readership are strongly related to format and content characteristics of industrial ads. The relationship between inquiry-generation and ad characteristics is significant but weaker. Some characteristics, such as ad size and position in the magazine, are consistently related to effectiveness across product categories and effectiveness measures. The effects of other characteristics, such as the use of four colors and attention-getting techniques, are specific to the product category and effectiveness measure. In addition to these substantive findings, methodological issues in model development and testing are presented.
Contextual Influences on Consumer Price Responses: An Experimental Analysis
Authors: Berkowitz Eric N. , Walton John R.
Published: December 2018

Presentation of price is a common form of retail advertising. The authors examine the influences of semantic, comparison, and store name cues on consumer price perceptions. The research, unlike earlier student-based pricing studies, involved 562 consumers from a major metropolitan area who were each exposed to one of 16 treatment conditions. Results indicate comparison cues produce positive results, whereas the effect of semantic cues depends on the particular stimulus. Findings underscore the necessity for broader price research beyond traditional quality implications and wider representation of product types.
A Reassessment of the Effects of Appeals on Response to Mail Surveys
Authors: Childers Terry L. , Pride William M. , Ferrell O. C.
Published: December 2018

Two mail surveys were conducted to test experimentally the effect of using appeals and postscripts to stimulate response to mail surveys. The results indicate that use of appeals presented as postscripts does not improve survey response. In one study, differences in response rates between treatment groups were observed, but in comparison with a control group the overall effect was to depress survey response. In the second study, treatment effects were equivalent to control group response. In both studies, response bias was unaffected and the completeness of survey response was not improved. The potential negative impact of these survey techniques supports the authors’ recommendation that control groups be more widely integrated into mail survey research designs if both the magnitude and direction of inducement effects are to be fully assessed.
Scoring Frequency Data for Discriminant Analysis: Perhaps Discrete Procedures can be Avoided
Authors: Dillon William R. , Westin Stuart
Published: December 2018

Because of the availability of easy-to-use canned computer software packages such as SPSS and BMDP, the marketing practitioner is likely to continue to rely on the linear discriminant function (LDF) when faced with a discrimination problem. However, results of prior simulation studies suggest that when categorical predictors are used in the LDF its performance can be adversely affected. The authors extend previous work on LDF performance in nonoptimal settings by considering situations in which the categorical predictors can take on more than two levels. First, they examine whether a “scoring” of the raw frequency data can improve LDF performance in situations where it is known to perform poorly. Second, as the effect of using such data in an LDF analysis is not clear, they study LDF performance as the number of levels of a categorical variable is increased to determine whether the relative gains from using discrete discriminant procedures disappear. The results of Monté Carlo sampling experiments suggest that as the number of levels a variable can take on is increased, a simple dummy variable coding of the raw frequency data followed by an LDF analysis does as well as the discrete discriminant procedure.
Measuring Influence in Organizational Purchase Decisions
Authors: Silk Alvin J. , Kalwani Manohar U.
Published: December 2018

The authors report findings bearing on the reliability of measures used in industrial marketing research surveys to identify the structure of buying groups. Results obtained in a pilot study of the purchase of lithographic plates by small printing firms reveal a lack of consensus about purchase influence between pairs of informants from the same organizations. Further, the ratings appear to differentiate among roles but not stages in the decision process.
Predictive Testing of Consumer Choice Models Not Subject to Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives
Authors: Currim Imran S.
Published: December 2018

The probabilistic modeling of the relationship between objective or perceived characteristics of multiattribute alternatives and consumer choice is receiving increased attention in marketing and other disciplines. Many marketing applications use the Luce choice axiom, the LOGIT model, and the independent PROBIT model. All these formulations involve the “independence of irrelevant alternatives” assumption, which is not realistic in many consumer behavior contexts. The author suggests new product introduction situations in which the consequences of the assumption are not intuitively appealing. Models recently developed by transportation researchers and one extension developed by the author, all of which are not constrained by the independence restriction and may be applicable in modeling consumer choice, are described. In an empirical application, cross-sectional data on consumers’ perceptions of transportation modes on several characteristics and their choices of modes in the San Francisco Bay area are used to compare models with and without the independence property on diagnostic and predictive criteria.
The Persuasive Effects of Source Credibility in Buy and Lease Situations
Authors: Harmon Robert R. , Coney Kenneth A.
Published: December 2018

The persuasive impact of source credibility is examined in two situations. A highly credible source was more effective than a moderately credible source when the communication recommended buying a product, an advocacy which message recipients viewed unfavorably. The moderately credible source was more persuasive when the message advocated leasing the product, a position subjects generally supported. These findings are interpreted in terms of cognitive response theory. Practical implications of the research are suggested.
Exploiting Rank Ordered Choice Set Data within the Stochastic Utility Model
Authors: Chapaaan Randall G. , Staelin Richard
Published: December 2018

The authors report on a procedure for exploiting the information content of rank ordered choice sets to estimate efficiently the parameters of the multinomial logit model formulation of the stochastic utility model of choice behavior. The availability of rank ordered choice set data leads to an “explosion” or decomposition procedure for exploiting such extra information. This “explosion” process involves the decomposition of a ranked choice set into a series of unranked and statistically independent choice sets. In relation to explosion strategies, several heuristics and an analytical procedure for determining the “optimal” explosion depth are discussed in detail. The results of a Monté Carlo study of the small sample properties of the conditional logit estimation procedure (the maximum likelihood estimation procedure used to develop parameter estimates of the multinomial logit model formulation of the stochastic utility model) are reported and interpreted. A college choice empirical application illustrates the procedures developed.
International Comparison of Growth in Demand for a New Durable Consumer Product
Authors: Lindberg Bertil C.
Published: December 2018

The author introduces relative demand, defined as the proportion of a country's personal consumption expenditure spent on a good, and describes relative demand as a function of the level of saturation of the good. He compares parameters of these functions among countries and discusses their use in predicting demand.
Distribution-Free Methods of Approximating Nonlinear Marketing Relationships
Authors: Rust Roland T. , Bornman Elizabeth O.
Published: December 2018

Many, if not most, of the important functional relationships in marketing are inherently nonlinear. Fitting a nonlinear function to data involves first the specification of a model, and then the estimation of the model's parameters. Where theory gives insufficient guidance for the specification of a model, specification based on observation of the scatterplot may be required. In many instances it is difficult to specify a model accurately solely on the basis of scatterplot observation. In those instances the researcher's power of observation can be enhanced by use of a distribution-free method of approximating the underlying function. The authors discuss alternative distribution-free methods, and demonstrate how the implicit model specification process of exhaustive trial and error curve-fitting can be replaced by an explicit model specification process based on observing an approximation of the underlying function.
A Note on the Importance of Layout in Self-Administered Questionnaires
Authors: Mayer Charles S. , Piper Cindy
Published: December 2018

This note adds further evidence of the importance of questionnaire layout, particularly for self-administered questionnaires.
Causal Analysis and Latent Class Models: An Application to a Communication Hierarchy of Effects Model
Authors: Madden Thomas J. , Dillon William R.
Published: December 2018

The authors illustrate the use of latent structure analysis to test, in a confirmatory sense, causal hypotheses in an experimental design setting. Two latent factors conceptualized as arousal and yielding are hypothesized to explain the linkages in a communication hierarchy of effects model. A stagewise analysis is proposed which can help in the analysis of multiway tables characterized by cell sparseness. In addition, the analysis addresses the case of polytomous latent factors and polytomous manifest variables.
Validation of an S-O-R Model for Situation, Enduring, and Response Components of Involvement
Authors: Arora Raj
Published: December 2018

Despite the importance of the concept of involvement, it remains misunderstood. No attempt has been made to establish the reliability and validity of the concept. To resolve apparently conflicting research findings, Houston and Rothschild posit a paradigm which classifies involvement as situational, enduring, and response. The author assesses the reliability and validity of this tripartite classification of involvement by using a multitrait-multimethod matrix approach and a linear structural relations analysis approach. Subsequently, the S-O-R formulation and causality are also tested.
An Examination of the Convergent, Discriminant, and Predictive Validity of Fishbein's Behavioral Intention Model
Authors: Burnkrant Robert E. , Page Thomas J.
Published: December 2018

In this research, multiple measures are obtained for variables said to constitute the normative and attitudinal components of Fishbein's behavioral intention model. The convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the model is assessed by use of structural equation models with latent variables. This approach has several advantages over past approaches in which single measures and regression or path analysis have been used to assess the model's validity. In general the results support a model in which a single attitude construct and a single normative construct are antecedents of intention.
A Field Investigation of Causal Relations among Cognitions, Affect, Intentions, and Behavior
Authors: Bagozzi Richard P.
Published: December 2018

A new method for representing attitudinal reactions is developed and related to current information integration approaches. Hypotheses are tested about the effects of expectancy-value measures and affect toward the act on intentions and subsequent behavior. The findings lead to a modification and extension of current attitudinal models and their relation to intentions and behavior.
On the Econometric Measurement of the Duration of Advertising Effect on Sales
Authors: Weinberg Charles B. , Weiss Doyle L.
Published: December 2018

The authors analyze the impact of data collection period on the coefficient of the lagged dependent variable in 69 econometric studies of the sales-advertising relationship. The null hypothesis that the coefficient is independent of data collection period is not rejected. Reasons for this result are offered and discussed.
A Reply to Weinberg and Weiss
Authors: Clarke Darral G.
Published: December 2018

Weinberg and Weiss observe that the coefficients of the lagged dependent variable in Clarke's survey are similar regardless of data interval. In this note Clarke demonstrates that the similarity of these coefficients substantiates rather than contradicts his conclusion that there is data interval bias in his survey results. A different test for data interval bias than the one in the survey is presented which further substantiates the presence of data interval bias in the survey results.
Efficient Screening Methods for the Sampling of Geographically Clustered Special Populations
Authors: Sudman Seymour
Published: December 2018

Special populations for which no complete lists exist require screening, and screening costs may be large if the population is rare. If the population is geographically clustered, costs can be reduced substantially by identifying zero segments quickly. Optimum procedures for screening under alternative data collection methods are discussed.
The Threats to Marketing Research: An Empirical Reappraisal
Authors: Mcdaniel Stephen W. , Verille Perry , Madden Charles S.
Published: December 2018

Excessive interviewing, lack of consideration and abuse of respondents, and the use of marketing research as a sales ploy have been identified as serious threats to marketing research. The authors investigate the extent of these practices, analyze apparent trends over an eight-year period, and make recommendations for marketing research practitioners.
A Measurement Model to Assess Measure-Specific Factors in Multiple-Informant Research
Authors: Anderson James C.
Published: December 2018

In research employing multiple informants to assess the construct validity of properties of marketing organizations, both convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs may be overstated if measure-specific factors are not taken into account. The author presents a second-order confirmatory measurement model which explicitly models the organizational constructs of interest and measure-specific factors, as well as informant bias factors and random measurement errors. A comparative illustration is given and some implications for research on marketing organizations are discussed.
The Determinants of Salesperson Performance: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Churchill Gilbert A. , Ford Neil M. , Hartley Steven W. , Walker Orville C.
Published: December 2018

The authors use meta-analysis techniques to investigate the evidence that has been gathered on the determinants of salespeople's performance. A search of the published and unpublished literature uncovered 116 articles (the list of which is available upon request) that yielded 1653 reported associations between performance and determinants of that performance. The results indicate the determinants can be ordered in the following way in terms of the average size of their association with performance: (1) role variables, (2) skill, (3) motivation, (4) personal factors, (5) aptitude, and (6) organizational/environmental factors. When ordered according to the amount of the observed variation in correlations across studies that is real variation (i.e., not attributable to sampling error), the determinants rank as follows: (1) personal factors, (2) skill, (3) role variables, (4) aptitude, (5) motivation, and (6) organizational/environmental factors. To investigate whether the associations between each of the categories of predictors and performance could be partially accounted for by the presence of moderator variables, the results were broken out by customer type, product type, and type of dependent measure used. The results indicate that the strength of the relationship between the major determinants and salespeople's performance is affected by the type of products salespeople sell. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for sales managers and researchers.
The Differential Effects of Exercised and Unexercised Power Sources in a Marketing Channel
Authors: Gaski John F. , Nevin John R.
Published: December 2018

Though considerable research has been reported on the effects of coercive and noncoercive power sources in marketing channels, the particular effects of power sources that have been exercised, as opposed to those that remain unexercised, have not been identified. The authors summarize the findings of a research project examining these differential effects on selected variables of interest to channel managers, including power, conflict, dealer satisfaction, and channel performance.
Structural Information Factors which Stimulate the use of Nutrition Information: A Field Experiment
Authors: Muller Thomas E.
Published: December 2018

Four structural information factors were tested in an in-store experiment. Nutrition information was presented on point-of-purchase signs and changes in brand sales were monitored. The sales data reveal that changes in purchase behavior are a function of two structural properties of the information, its presentation format and the extent of variation in brand ratings on a sign.
Improving the Predictive Power of Conjoint Analysis: The use of Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis
Authors: Hagerty Michael R.
Published: December 2018

A method is derived to improve the predictive accuracy of conjoint analysis by grouping respondents with similar preferences. The often-used model of cluster analysis is shown to be inadequate because real respondents do not form densely packed clusters in preference space. The author then derives the best method of weighting respondents in the sense of maximizing predictive accuracy in conjoint analysis. This method turns out to be a form of Q-type factor analysis. This “optimal weighting” method is shown to perform better than cluster analysis and individual-level analysis in Monté Carlo examples and in real data. Optimal weighting is contrasted with other methods for improving conjoint analysis, and recommendations on their use are made.
Case Research in Marketing: Opportunities, Problems, and a Process
Authors: Bonoma Thomas V.
Published: December 2018

The author discusses methods used in other social sciences and in marketing in terms of two key criteria defining “good research.” It is argued that the simultaneous research desiderata of data integrity and high currency or generalizability often place conflicting operational demands on researchers. Thus, tradeoffs must be made in employing any method to investigate a research problem. As a consequence of these inevitable tradeoffs, a broader rather than narrower method set becomes appropriate for marketing investigations. Case research is explored as one useful alternative research method for marketers. The nature of case research in contrast to case teaching or prescientific case culling is discussed, the appropriateness of case-based versus more conventional deductive methods is considered by researcher objective and type of problem investigated, and a four-stage case research process is described. General guidelines and caveats for the conduct of marketing case research are given. The author concludes that case research may be viewed as a metaphor for the general utility of the varied inductive research methods in expanding our perspectives on marketing research problems.
A Model of Advertising Competition
Authors: Erickson Gary M.
Published: December 2018

Using a dynamic model of advertising rivalry between competitors in a duopoly, the author obtains analytical results for the case of pure market share rivalry in a mature market. A more general model, allowing for market expansion as well as market share rivalry, is analyzed numerically. An empirical illustration indicates that the advertising behavior of the two leading national brewers, Anheuser-Busch and Miller, is consistent with theoretical conclusions that competitors dynamically increase advertising expenditures to take advantage of a growing market for both.
Sources of Market Pioneer Advantages in Consumer Goods Industries
Authors: Robinson William T. , Fornell Claes
Published: December 2018

In a broad cross section of consumer goods businesses, market pioneers generally have substantially higher market shares than late entrants. In fact, the empirical association between order of entry and market share is almost as strong as the association between market share and return on investment. The authors examine theoretical sources behind this relationship. The empirical results suggest that the higher pioneer shares are derived from firm-based superiority as well as from consumer information advantages. Nine hypotheses are developed and tested empirically. The results also indicate that order of market entry is a major determinant of market share.
Effects of Context and Part-Category Cues on Recall of Competing Brands
Authors: Alba Joseph W. , Chattopadhyay Amitava
Published: December 2018

In three experiments, the effects of presenting a subset of competing brands on the recall of the remaining brands was studied. The first two experiments showed that using a subset of the brands as cues may either enhance or inhibit recall of the remaining brands, depending on the knowledge level of the consumer. The third experiment showed that presentation of even two brands can inhibit recall of entire categories of competing brands. An explanation of the results and a discussion of their implications are presented.
Environmental Relationships of the Internal Political Economy of Marketing Channels
Authors: Dwyer F. Robert , Welsh M. Ann
Published: December 2018

The political economy framework illuminates interplay between the internal and external sociopolitical and economic forces of marketing channels. Framing the collection and analysis of data from retailer informants on channel environments, configuration, and decision structure, a theoretical model is developed for explaining interorganizational responses to uncertainty and dependence constraints of the channel environment. Heterogeneity is hypothesized to precipitate complex and fluid channel structures as a means of coping with uncertainty. In contrast, high levels of variability in the output environment are expected to foster vertical integration and bureaucratization as a means of reducing dependence. Support for both hypotheses is reported and implications for future research are discussed.
Communication Style in the Salesperson-Customer Dyad
Authors: Williams Kaylene C. , Spiro Rosann L.
Published: December 2018

The authors report a study designed to evaluate the use of communication style by salespeople and their customers. Using a paradigm suggested by Sheth in which the communication styles of customers and salespeople are categorized as task oriented, interaction oriented, or self oriented, they assess whether communication styles are related to sales. They first develop scales to measure these styles and then test whether the styles affect the sales outcome. The results suggest that communication styles are a determinant of the success of the sales interaction.
Measuring Customer Orientation of Salespeople: A Replication with Industrial Buyers
Authors: Michaels Ronald E. , Day Ralph L.
Published: December 2018

A national sample of purchasing professionals was used to replicate the SOCO scale with buyers assessing the customer orientation of salespeople who call on them. The results are almost identical to those obtained when salespeople assessed their own degree of customer orientation, except that buyers’ mean ratings are substantially lower than salespersons’ mean ratings.
Consumer Response to Television Commercials: The Impact of Involvement and Background Music on Brand Attitude Formation
Authors: Park C. Whan , Young S. Mark
Published: December 2018

Past research has examined the effect of level of involvement (high vs. low) on subjects’ reactions to persuasive communications. The authors suggest that high involvement can be differentiated into two types (cognitive vs. affective). By manipulating involvement level and type (low involvement, cognitive involvement, affective involvement), they show that the three different forms of involvement have different effects on how brand attitudes are formed. They also examine how music, as a peripheral persuasion cue, affects the process of brand attitude formation. The results indicate that the effect of music on brand attitude depends on the type and level of involvement. Music had a facilitative effect on brand attitude for subjects in the low involvement condition and a distracting effect for those in the cognitive involvement condition; its effect for those in the affective involvement condition was not clear. Alternative explanations of these results are offered and implications for advertising research are discussed.
“Leveraged” Decision Making in Advertising: The Flat Maximum Principle and Its Implications
Authors: Tull Donald S. , Van Wood R. , Duhan Dale , Gillpatrick Tom , Robertson Kim R. , Helgeson James G.
Published: December 2018

The relationship between advertising and sales revenues has been the focus of numerous empirical and conceptual studies. Guided by past empirical works and using calculated values, the authors examine the implications of three advertising-to-sales response functions. The research findings are discussed in terms of advertising budgeting and future research on advertising effects. Noting four qualifications to their findings, the authors suggest that, within the bounds of the normative models and specific parameters examined, overadvertising could cost very little in foregone profit and may result in appreciable sales gains.
Smarter versus Harder: An Exploratory Attributional Analysis of Salespeople's Motivation
Authors: Sujan Harish
Published: December 2018

Previous research has focused on salespeople's motivation to work harder. An important but neglected aspect of salespeople's motivation is their desire to improve the direction in which they work, termed “working smarter.” Using an attributional perspective, the author examines factors that differentially influence these two components of motivation.
Interrelations among a Channel Entity's Power Sources: Impact of the Exercise of Reward and Coercion on Expert, Referent, and Legitimate Power Sources
Authors: Gaski John F.
Published: December 2018

Several distribution channel studies have examined the effects of various sources of a channel member's power on such phenomena as power, conflict, and satisfaction. However, as causal relationships among these power sources have not been considered, the author investigates some aspects of this issue. Specifically, the effects of reward and coercion on the expert, referent, and legitimate power sources in a marketing channel are identified. Results indicate that (1) a supplier's application of reward and punishment does affect the strength of its other three power sources and (2) these relationships exert a major influence on whatever impact reward and coercion may have on other channel phenomena such as supplier power and dealer satisfaction. The implication of this finding of a compound effect of the use of certain power sources is that channel entities should be even more circumspect about such action than would be advised on the basis of prior research in this area.
Multibrand Transition Probabilities as a Function of Explanatory Variables: Estimation by a Least-Squares-Based Approach
Authors: Zufryden Fred S.
Published: December 2018

A model is formulated to express the relationship between first-order Markov transition probabilities for a multibrand market and explanatory variables. The author shows that the parameters of the model can be estimated through a proposed restricted weighted least squares procedure. An empirical implementation of the estimation procedure illustrates the structure, goodness of fit, and predictive validity of the proposed model.
Generalizability Theory: A Comprehensive Method for Assessing and Improving the Dependability of Marketing Measures
Authors: Rentz Joseph O.
Published: December 2018

The author proposes that generalizability theory be adopted by marketing researchers as a means of assessing and improving the dependability (reliability) of marketing measures. Concepts and computational procedures are presented and the comprehensiveness and flexibility of generalizability analysis are illustrated. Classical reliability theory is shown to be inappropriate in many measurement situations in marketing.
The Interaction of Measurement and Structure in Simultaneous Equation Models with Unobservable Variables
Authors: Kumar Ajith , Dillon William R.
Published: December 2018

The authors report the results of some theoretical investigations of interactions that occur in the simultaneous estimation of parameters. Under the assumptions of a perfectly specified model for a set of non-overlapping indicators and no sampling fluctuations, an overall consistency criterion is developed showing that though measurement and structure can be evaluated independently of each other, in general, they should not be. The proposed consistency criterion clearly shows that the internal and external consistency criteria prescribed by Anderson and Gerbing are not sufficient; that is, there are correlation matrices for which the criteria of internal and external consistency both can be satisfied, yet the matrix as a whole is inconsistent. Implications of the interaction between measurement and structure are also discussed.
Advertising Quality in Sales Response Models
Authors: Arnold Stephen J. , Oum Tae H. , Pazderka Bohumir , Snetsinger Douglas W.
Published: December 2018

Hedonic price theory is adapted to advertising. A quality-adjusted advertising spending function is embedded in a sales response model and the parameters of both equations are estimated in one step. The procedure provides an alternative to the judgmental aggregation of attributes of advertising quality into a single value. The results permit comparison of the sales effects of variations in advertising spending with the effects of variations in copy quality, and permit computation of an advertising figure that accounts for both copy quality and actual spending. A pilot study illustrates the procedure.
Commentary on Howell's Observations
Authors: Gaski John F.
Published: December 2018

The author offers some reflections on Howell's critique. He provides clarifications and explanations of the Gaski (1986) article including, in one instance, information not originally reported. Some, but not all, of Howell's criticisms are disputed, some are elaborated upon, and corollary questions are raised about his note in its own right.
A Paired Comparison Nested Logit Model of Individual Preference Structures
Authors: Moore William L. , Lehmann Donald R.
Published: December 2018

Models that rely on the assumption of simple scalability have dominated multiattribute choice and preference modeling for almost 20 years, despite the fact that simple scalability is violated in many instances. Several attempts have been made to construct choice models that do not involve this assumption; however, their application to individual-level analysis has been limited by data requirements and computational problems. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to build similar models of preference structures. The authors present a method for analyzing individual-level hierarchical preference structures that is estimated by a nested logit formulation. The method is very tractable with a large number of brands; it requires only paired comparison data and it provides significantly better fits on calibration data and predictions on holdout data than a Luce model for most respondents in an illustrative application.
The Relationship between Perceived and Objective Price-Quality
Authors: Lichtenstein Donald R. , Burton Scot
Published: December 2018

Four studies were conducted to assess the accuracy with which consumers perceive objective price-quality relationships. Results across four studies indicate that, overall, consumers perceive objective price-quality relationships with only a modest degree of accuracy. However, findings also suggest that the accuracy of consumers’ perceptions is moderated by product type; that is, price-quality perceptions are more accurate for nondurable products than for durable products. The authors conclude that consumers’ price-quality perceptions appear to be a function of general or product-type-specific schemas, rather than independent evaluations of price-quality relationships for individual product categories.
The Effect of Mixed Grammar Chains on Response to Survey Questions
Authors: Barnes James H. , Dotson Michael J.
Published: December 2018

Reports of the use of mixed grammar chains in survey research have become common in the literature. An investigation of the misunderstanding by respondents as the result of such usage suggests that researchers may not fully appreciate the nature and impact of this form of bias introduced into their results.