bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empowerment for the year 2000 and beyond
Authors: Nykodym Nick , Ariss Sonny S. , Simonetti Jack L. , Plotner Jean
Published: July 2002

Analyzes recent thought relating to the forced restructuring of
businesses. In general, businesses are unable to compete in the new
global environment in their present state because of worldwide
competition; national changes involving mergers, bank failures and
company takeovers. Companies which can incorporate a team philosophy
into their organizations will have a better chance of surviving in the
year 2000. Details the new and more stringent requirements that are
placed on leadership and the empowerment of teams through leadership.
Focuses on information as to how to choose the right leadership and
teams. Uses significant examples of businesses which have successfully
restructured to illustrate the importance of fostering a leadership
style which will advocate teamwork.
Implementing empowerment through subunit clusters: a Western Australian case study
Authors: Pearson C.A.L. , Chatterjee S.R.
Published: July 2002

Suggests that in spite of significant development in the area of empowerment in management, the implemental aspects of it have remained largely unexplored. Presents a model for the implementation of the empowering concepts and focusses on an empirical study of the introduction of empowerment in a large regulated work environment. Contends that empowerment is much more than an individualized concept and its relevance can only be fully understood through contextual synergy. Centres on the perspective that the key to empowerment lies in the degree of contextual preparedness of the organizational subunits or clusters. Takes an incremental approach which gradually spreads from the most prepared subunit to the one that is least prepared.
The impact of next generation XML
Authors: Lim Billy B.L. , Wen H. Joseph
Published: July 2002

Over the past few years, business‐to‐business (B2B) e‐commerce has grown exponentially. To conduct B2B e‐commerce, companies need a common language. HTML is not suited for this task, because it defines only the information’s format instead of its meaning. XML has been shown to not only be the most natural evolution of Web technologies to support modern applications such as e‐commerce, but also be the preferred means of making legacy data available to users via the Internet. Since XML is still in its infancy, early versions of XML do not include the fundamental feature of specifying and enforcing integrity constraints, which is critical to making XML a viable and long‐term approach for representing data over the Web. In other words, XML provides little support to make sure the data being represented satisfy the business rules specified. Reviews the trends in B2B e‐commerce and discusses the critical needs to support constraints and the integrity of data, which are very important to the success of B2B e‐commerce. Also presents the next generation of XML technology for representing constraints. Concludes with a summary of the impact of the new XML on B2B e‐commerce and its future challenges.
Ambiguity, ruth and propitiation
Authors: Prestoungrange Gordon
Published: July 2002

Argues that leadership in a learning organization is only accorded to those who situationally articulate its cultural beliefs. Normative attitudes are not a mainstay, yet the more abundant the learning potential the more scope there is for ambiguity which frequently militates against effective organization. In addressing this there is no scope for ruthless leadership because it drives away innovation, but in the inevitable demand for focus some learners surely suffer and the leader must merit propitiation for decisions engineered. The argument is illustrated from the author’s own workplace role with a myriad innovative ideas which have blossomed.
Action learning and leadership
Authors: Marquardt Michael J.
Published: July 2002

To be successful in the new global environment, twenty‐first century leaders must increase their ability to function in seven key roles, namely, as a systems thinker, change agent, innovator, servant, polychronic co‐ordinator, teacher‐mentor and visionary. Action learning has quickly emerged as one of the most effective and powerful tools in developing the necessary competencies and experiences to carry out these roles. In this article, the author describes how the elements of action learning (i.e. real problems, fellow leaders in the action learning team, a reflective inquiry process, commitment to action, and focusing on learning) contribute to the building of each of these critical leadership skills.
Creating an organizational space for learning
Authors: Englehardt Charles S. , Simmons Peter R.
Published: July 2002

Individual and group development is an essential element of achieving competitive advantage through people. The building and transfer of knowledge is widely discussed in the literature with respect to explicit knowledge, and some authors have gone on to address environments for learning and even building tacit knowledge. Separately, complexity theory suggests a process of self‐organization and adaptation that, in some respects, parallels an environment of learning. Extensive interaction, learning by doing, and experimenting seem to be not only the foundation for individual development, but also a fundamental part of the natural adaptive process for organizations as complex adaptive systems. One problem noted, however, is that the current literature has done little to highlight the parallels between individual development and complex adaptive organizational systems. Drawing on the apparent similarities in these processes, describes self‐organizing activities and the natural emergence of new systems as a model for a new type of learning environment. Explores the idea of facilitating self‐organizing learning activities in a separate organizational space within existing organizations, and outlines the theoretical elements for making such a space successful.
The learning organisation – myth or reality? Examples from the UK retail banking industry
Authors: Harris Lisa
Published: July 2002

This article considers the issue of learning in the context of new technology projects that have recently been implemented in the UK retail banking industry. Continual changes in the business environment have focused attention upon the need for organisations to “learn” if they are to retain their market positions. Interviews were conducted with 42 bank managers and industry consultants over an 18 month period. Five case studies of major new projects are drawn upon which provide evidence that learning from past mistakes, or even building upon past successes, continues to be the exception rather than the rule. As a result, even successful projects had a limited impact upon the activities of the organisations as a whole. It is concluded that reluctance to disseminate lessons learned throughout the organisation means the full potential offered by new technologies will continue to elude banks until their apparently complacent attitude towards learning is addressed.
The concept of action research
Authors: Altrichter Herbert , Kemmis Stephen , McTaggart Robin , Zuber‐Skerritt Ortrun
Published: July 2002

Action research has been recognised for its breadth as a field of research practice and its depth as a discourse of theoretical insight. It does not have one neat, widely accepted definition. Points to some reasons for the difficulty of formulating a generally accepted definition of action research, and argues why action research should not be confined but should be both clarified for communication and open for development. The discussion stems from a working definition developed with participants in an international symposium that serves as a classic definition of action research. Presents several alternative approaches to resolution and argues for a judicious mix of pragmatism and flexibility in approaching the definition issue.
Enhancing organizational performance by strengthening diversity and
unity
Authors: Harung Harald S. , Martens Harung Lise
Published: July 2002

Asserts that the opposite of a rule may be true, particularly with
regard to the creation of “unity in diversity” – the
simultaneous strengthening of the two seemingly contradictory factors of
integration and multiplicity – which will fundamentally enhance
organizational performance. Common experience shows that there are
plenty of diverse world views around. This multiplicity has many
sources. Suggests that, in order to reap the benefits of this diversity,
we need first to understand and indeed encourage it through empowerment,
decentralization and self‐management. Second, we need to integrate the
differences and ensure that everyone is working towards a common good
under the influence of a unified company vision and a shared set of
values. Argues that such a mature state of “unity in
diversity” can only be realized through higher stages of
individual and organizational development.
A learning process model to achieve continuous improvement and innovation
Authors: Buckler Bill
Published: July 2002

According to Revans, for an organization to be successful in today’s rapidly changing environment, its capacity to learn must exceed the rate of change imposed on it. Through an examination of the processes by which individuals in organizations learn, develops a learning process model to facilitate continuous improvement and innovation in business processes. Draws on relevant theories which provide an understanding of how and why people learn, barriers which prevent learning, and the role managers need to play in the learning process. Provides a vision of what may be achieved by the systematic implementation of the learning process model. Deming’s system of profound knowledge provides a focus for learning activity. The model has been developed in a way which will be of practical use to managers working in organizations.
The nature of data, information and knowledge exchanges in business processes: implications for process improvement and organizational learning
Authors: Kock Nereu F. , McQueen Robert J. , Corner James L.
Published: July 2002

Suggests that a number of assumptions in the past have been made about how business process improvement, re‐engineering and organizational learning should take place in organizations. Points out that, although a number of these assumptions have been framed on theoretical models, few have been based on the empirical analysis of the nature of actual business processes. Tries to fill this gap with an analysis of data, information and knowledge exchanges in 22 business processes from three organizations. Points to a number of characteristics that appear to be contradictory to some current organizational practices, and that can be helpful to inform future developments in the fields of business process improvement, re‐engineering and organizational learning. Two relevant characteristics are a much higher proportion of data over material exchanges in business processes, and a higher proportion of knowledge exchanges in improvement over core and support processes.
A methodology for generating feedback in the construction industry
Authors: Scott Steve , Harris Richard
Published: July 2002

Project‐based industries, like the construction industry, are probably the most in need of a learning culture and yet may be least open to such philosophies. The paper gives a brief overview of the UK construction industry and then reports on a survey of attempts to engender learning which shows a clear recognition of a wish to learn from experience of the construction organisations studied, but also shows that the systems already in place are mostly informal and unstructured. A systematic procedure which will allow designers to gain effective feedback on their work is described which it is argued could be adopted for most project‐based industries.
The learning university
Authors: Patterson Glenys
Published: July 2002

Discusses the idea of learning organisations and applies it to universities, suggesting that as they adapt to the changing environment they are becoming learning universities. Identifies developments in national politics, increases in student numbers and demands for increased efficiency as factors necessitating change. Outlines the ideas that universities are making cross‐sectoral alliances, lessening the distinction between university and non‐university sectors. Discusses a range of models and modes of integrating post secondary education into university education, using case examples for each of the model types. Concludes that the emerging comprehensive universities developed from strategic alliances are organisations that both learn and foster learning.
Collaboration between a technological university library and tenant firms in a technology park in Thailand
Authors: Premkamolnetr Nongyao
Published: July 2002

Discusses research related to the establish‐ment of technology parks in general, and in particular the technology park of King Mongkut’s University of Technology in Thailand. Uniquely in Thailand, this involved the university library, which gave rise to a number of key questions addressed in the project: Is there any role for the library in such a collaboration? What are the information needs and the information‐seeking behaviour of tenant staff members? What kind of information services could be offered to them? The main objective of the research was to develop a suitable model for a Thai university library in information provision to tenant firms in the first Thai technology park. This model, based on Australian data, was fine‐tuned to meet local Thai social and economic conditions.
A theory of successful product breakthrough management: learning from success
Authors: Coskun Samli A. , Weber Julie Ann E.
Published: July 2002

Posits that developing breakthroughs is much more costly and risky than introducing simple product line extensions. Therefore, breakthroughs need to be managed differently. After developing a model to manage breakthroughs, generates a series of hypotheses and tests them against the information obtained from 30 major companies. The companies were chosen on the basis of one successful product that lasted over a decade in the marketplace. They were chosen from 143 product‐companies and only 30 of the products in question had survived. Provides important information regarding the management of breakthroughs.
Organizational learning: a critical component to new product development
Authors: Saban Kenneth , Lanasa John , Lackman Conway , Peace Graham
Published: July 2002

Investigates the functional relationship between organizational learning and the new product development process. The two major learning styles studied included Duetero and Non‐Duetero. After surveying key employees involved in new product development from 212 diversified businesses, the results showed that businesses employing Duetero learning were more: knowledgeable about the factors that drive successful and failed products; inclined to establish business goals and employ balanced measures when benchmarking new product performance. All of which suggests that organizational learning does impact new product performance, and should be considered a critical component to the NPD process.
Consumer product evaluation: the interactive effect of message framing, presentation order, and source credibility
Authors: Buda Richard , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2002

Subjects (n = 200) received a detailed description of a product and were asked to rate their attitudes about this product. Presentation order, source credibility and message framing were manipulated in a 2× 2× 2 completely crossed factorial design. Subjects who received a positively framed message rated product attitudes significantly greater than those subjects who received a negatively framed message. Also, significant differences in message framing effects were found for those subjects who received the framed message first in the nonexpert condition (credibility) and those subjects who received the framed message last in the expert condition. Findings are then discussed.
Charity affiliation as a determinant of product purchase decisions
Authors: Bennett Roger , Gabriel Helen
Published: July 2002

A number of large UK charities have extended their product sales into areas not traditionally associated with non‐profit organisations. Examines the connection between a person’s assessment of the quality and value for money of conventional charity goods (T‐shirts or coffee mugs for example) and their evaluation of the likely merits of new and unfamiliar charity products (such as package holidays or household insurance). Emerges that the former variable exerted a strong and statistically significant impact on the latter, but that the form of the relationship was moderated by individual perceptions of the degree of similarity between the old and new products. “Similarity” was defined in terms of the skills and resources that consumers considered necessary in order to supply various items and the charity’s perceived capacity to employ these skills and abilities in ways which generate fresh products of the same calibre as existing goods.
Price‐tier competition: an integrative review
Authors: Sivakumar K.
Published: July 2002

The nature of competition between different tiers (e.g. high‐tier vs low‐tier brands) has become an important research domain for academic researchers and marketing managers. Although research on inter‐tier competition is growing at an increasing rate, there has not been a comprehensive attempt to summarize the research in this stream. The objective of this article is to synthesize the research on inter‐tier competition, extract the key findings, discuss managerial implications, and offer future research directions.
Sales promotions as strategic communication: the case of Singapore
Authors: Wah Lee Chun
Published: July 2002

Although an integral component of many marketing communications strategies, relatively little has been written about the management of consumer sales promotions. Explores a framework that examines the relative importance of key factors on managers’ use of two consumer promotional tools: coupons and lucky draws. The results show that brand managers use trade and consumer sales promotions more extensively than media advertising, but do not consider sales promotions to be more effective in meeting objectives. The current sample of Singaporean supermarket managers heavily favors price‐oriented over non‐price promotions. Concludes that managerial use of sales promotions is influenced primarily by competition and short‐term pressures. The findings provide tentative support for the proposed framework.
Options theory and options thinking in valuing returns on brand investments and brand extensions
Authors: Dias Sam , Ryals Lynette
Published: July 2002

Traditional methods of marketing evaluation may underestimate the true benefits from brand marketing, unless opportunities for brand extension are included in the evaluation. However, valuing brand extension opportunities is not without difficulties. Traditional discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis may underestimate the value of brand extension, in particular the value of flexibility, such as the ability to increase or decrease brand extension investment depending on future circumstances. An approach based on real options theory is recommended and it is demonstrated how this can be used both formally, to evaluate the contribution of marketing to the success of a brand extension, and informally, to influence the thinking of brand managers.
Evaluating the Brand Extension Decision Using a Model of Reputation
Building
Authors: Milewicz John , Herbig Paul
Published: July 2002

Can a brand′s reputation be transferred successfully to other products?
What is the importance of a firm′s reputation to the success or failure
of its brands? What is the effect on the firm′s brands when a firm′s
reputation, through either acquisition or restructuring, decays. How
important is it for a firm to maintain or enhance its reputation?
Describe a model of reputation creation and destruction and shows how
the brand extension decision can be addressed using the model.
Commentary: permissive marketing – the effects of the AIDS
crisis on marketing practices and messages
Authors: Wilson Aubrey , West Christopher
Published: July 2002

Discusses the link between AIDS and marketing for companies, and
the effect this has had on conventional and unconventional products.
Defines three levels of marketing “unmentionables”: taste,
ethical and legal. Owing to the subject‐matter, language and images used
in anti‐AIDS campaigns, marketing has new freedom and can use its power
to shock the public. Concludes that, although some topics which were
previously unmentionable are now acceptable, society continues to
produce new taboos.
The influence of store aesthetics on evaluation of private label brands
Authors: Richardson Paul , Jain Arun K. , Dick Alan
Published: July 2002

Points out that, although blind tests have generally revealed that consumers can detect little difference between store brand and national brand products, private brands still only have a small market share (14.9 percent). Using an environmental psychology model as the study framework, which postulates a stimulus‐response process, examines the effects of store atmosphere on consumer evaluations of private brand grocery products. Analyzes the results which show that store aesthetics do influence consumer perceptions of store brand quality. Discusses the managerial implications of the findings and the limitations of the study, and makes suggestions for future research.
Rediscovering performance‐importance analysis of products
Authors: Duke Charles R. , Mount Andrew S.
Published: July 2002

Claims that, as an addition to the product manager’s set of tools, performance‐importance analysis can provide insight into customer perceptions. Managers can use a combination of performance perceptions along with importance ratings to understand the relative success of product features. Plots importances for product features of an analytical instrument against the product’s pre‐introduction expectations and post‐product‐test satisfactions. Considers product design issues as well as positioning strategy. Changes in evaluations (“expectations” to “satisfactions”) as well as competitive positioning demonstrated the flexibility of the method.
How to delight your customers
Authors: Matzler Kurt , Hinterhuber Hans H. , Bailom Franz , Sauerwein Elmar
Published: July 2002

Asks which product qualities are decisive for the satisfaction of the customer and which features merely prevent dissatisfaction. Proposes Kano’s model of customer satisfaction for answering these questions and for drawing conclusions for the management of product development. In his model, Kano distinguishes between three types of product requirement which influence customer satisfaction in different ways when met: must‐be requirements, which are basic criteria of a product ‐ if these requirements are not fulfilled, the customer will be extremely dissatisfied; one‐dimensional requirements, where customer satisfaction is proportional to the level of fulfillment, the higher the customer’s satisfaction and vice versa; and attractive requirements, which are the product criteria which have the greatest influence on how satisfied a customer will be with a given product. Attractive requirements are neither explicitly expressed nor expected by the customer.
How should product managers’ job performance be evaluated in emerging product management systems?
Authors: Prevel Katsanis Lea , Laurin Jean‐Paul G. , Pitta Dennis A.
Published: July 2002

Examines the types and characteristics of the new forms of the brand management system in marketing organizations as identified in previous research and previous existing research on performance appraisal systems. Draws linkages between the two systems to provide a framework for maximizing individual product manager’s performance, thereby maximizing overall organizational performance. Sets out a number of managerial implications and suggests areas for future research.
Corporate reputation: concept and measurement
Authors: Caruana Albert
Published: July 2002

Corporate reputation is formed by the firm’s various publics on the basis of information and experience. Different publics consider different informational cues. Focusses on the cues considered by customers of a beverage firm. Uses focus groups and a survey among consumers to develop an instrument to measure corporate reputation. The instrument can be used to track the evolution of the corporate reputation of a firm over time. Discusses other implications in terms of the role of the “halo” effect on corporate reputation and indicates directions for future research.
Co‐branding in advertising: developing effective associations
Authors: Priluck Grossman Randi
Published: July 2002

Explains how marketers have begun to pair their new brands with existing brands that have powerful images attached to them in the hopes of linking these positive images with their products. Recommends strategies for co‐branding based on classical conditioning, a method for developing associations, and provides examples of firms that have found success when using these techniques.
A study of brand equity in an organizational‐buying context
Authors: Hutton James G.
Published: July 2002

Addresses two basic questions: do organizational buyers exhibit brand‐equity behaviors such as the willingness to pay significant price premiums for certain brands; and under what conditions do those buyers place a premium on well‐known brands? Finds significant brand‐equity behaviors, based on hypothetical buying situations, in the form of organizational buyers’ willingness to pay a significant price premium for their favorite brand, make referrals, and extend their brand preference to other products with the same brand name. The better known their favorite brand was, the more likely buyers were to exhibit the three brand‐equity behaviors.
Developing and managing effective consumer relationships
Authors: Priluck Grossman Randi
Published: July 2002

Research in the area of interpersonal relationships can be employed to assist marketers in developing strong customer relationships to gain competitive advantages or to position themselves in the marketplace. The process of relationship formation, maintenance and dissolution is used as a framework for examining key elements of successful relationships. Three important elements of relationships are discussed and recommendations are made to marketers in handling these aspects of a relationship. Additionally, scales to measure consumer trust and commitment are provided.
The theory of reasoned action applied to brand loyalty
Authors: Lyong Ha Choong
Published: July 2002

The theory of reasoned action is applied to reconceptualize brand loyalty. According to the theory of reasoned action, the antecedents of purchase behaviour are attitudes towards the purchase and subjective norm. If the antecedents of purchase behaviour are integrated to predict and measure brand loyalty, the prediction and measurement of brand loyalty will be more stable over time and accurate. This paper aims to integrate three aspects of brand loyalty, and to investigate the relationships among several antecedents of behavioural brand loyalty by introducing the theory of reasoned action. Eight conditions of unit brand loyalty have different levels of brand loyalty shown by the consumers. When attitude, subjective norm and purchase behaviour are all consistent and favourable, the maximum level of unit brand loyalty will be realized.
Standardization vs globalization: a new perspective of brand strategies
Authors: Medina José F. , Duffy Mike F.
Published: July 2002

This paper argues that meanings given to “standardization” and “globalization” might have created some confusion and precipitated potentially misleading research results in the literature. The paper discusses the basic assumptions underlying the marketing function as a necessary point of departure to build a sounder theory around these concepts. Findings confirm the lack of formal definitions of these concepts in the marketing and management literatures. The authors “redefine” the concepts of globalization, standardization, adaptation and customization with the help of the AMA’s and Webster’s dictionaries. The new conceptualization is applied to a brand strategy framework. Preliminary results show that standardization and globalization may be at opposite ends of an evolutionary brand strategy process, whereas adaptation and customization are intermediary stages. The paper discusses the findings and suggests future research possibilities.
Place‐based marketing strategies, brand equity and vineyard valuation
Authors: Thode Stephen F. , Maskulka James M.
Published: July 2002

Many firms, wine producers among them, have successfully communicated the quality of their products to the market by emphasizing the geographic origin, or location of production of critical ingredient(s) found in the product. The purpose of this article is to: introduce the concept of a “place‐based” marketing strategy, i.e. a marketing strategy that identifies a consumer product with a specific geographic area; explain why it is essential to the wine business; and, why it may be superior to other types of marketing strategies for certain types of agricultural products. Additionally, traditional valuation techniques applied to agricultural land typically assume that agricultural goods are undifferentiable commodities. With the growing trend toward the production of “place‐based” agricultural products, the traditional valuation methods omit an important variable – the potential for the geographical source to help develop a product‘s brand equity. This paper also discusses land valuation techniques and applies the concept of products of place to the trend among Californian wine growers to produce wines with vineyard designations.
Using celebrity endorsers effectively: lessons from associative learning
Authors: Till Brian D.
Published: July 2002

The use of celebrity endorsers in advertising is wide‐spread – as much as 20 percent of all advertising use some type of celebrity endorser. Marketers invest significant dollars in securing the promotional support of well‐known individuals. Associative learning principles are presented as a useful framework for understanding how celebrity endorsers can be used more effectively. Principles such as repetition, overshadowing, blocking, belongingness, CS pre‐exposure, association set size, and extinction are introduced and linked to specific managerial suggestions for improving the use of celebrity endorsers.
Product entry in international markets: the effect of country‐of‐origin on first‐mover advantage
Authors: Chen Hwei‐Chung , Pereira Arun
Published: July 2002

An experimental design is used to examine the effect of products’ country‐of‐origin on first‐mover advantage. Specifically, focuses on the effects of favorable/unfavorable country‐of‐origin on first‐mover advantage, as well as its effects with regard to “early followers” and “late followers”. The results have direct implications for products entering international markets as a first mover, “early” follower, or “late” follower. Results indicate that with increasing number of competitors entering an international market, a product’s favorable country image begins to lose its strategic importance. Consequently, the pursuit of first‐mover advantage may be more relevant than a positive country‐of‐origin effect. Also, the results suggest that for products from countries with a less than favorable image, it may be more useful to be a “follower” than a “first‐mover” because the advantage of being first in a market can be negated by the unfavorable country‐of‐origin effect.
A model for determining price markdowns of seasonal merchandise
Authors: Walker John
Published: July 2002

Retailers of seasonal merchandise often face the problem of selling a fixed inventory over a short selling season. For a small retailer, with a sunk investment in inventory, a major objective is revenue maximisation. This paper is concerned with the provision of decision support for the tactical problem of dynamically marking down the price of seasonal merchandise in order to increase/maintain revenue. A heuristic procedure is developed for quickly identifying, and highlighting for review, items which are “slow selling” and “economically viable for price markdown”. It is shown how a retailer can use such information in determining the timing and magnitude of price markdowns.
A trivial pursuit? Information technology and the tenure track
Authors: Hattendorf Westney Lynn C.
Published: July 2002

The use of technology in teaching and scholarly publishing has become a vital part of the tripartite component (research, teaching, and service) of the promotion and tenure process. Information technology (IT) is new territory in this process. The evaluation of the use of IT as an integral part of mainstream instruction is gathering momentum and generating dialogue within the professional literature of most disciplines. This article addresses the issues now facing faculty who are coming up for promotion and/or tenure and the issues with which their evaluators must grapple in reviewing their promotion and tenure papers.
Creating an integrated periodicals listing using Microsoft Access and ASP scripts
Authors: Pope Robbins Laura
Published: July 2002

In response to the addition of several new aggregators to our database collection, it became necessary to find and implement an efficient way to direct our users to the journals they sought. The Dowling College Library Journal Locator (http://library. dowling.edu/) was created in response to that need. It is a Web‐accessible database that includes the holdings from all of our full‐text aggregators as well as our physical serials collection. This article presents the steps taken to create the database and make it accessible from our homepage or through our OPAC.
A novel Trust Service Provider for Internet based commerce applications
Authors: Siyal M.Y. , Barkat B.
Published: July 2002

In this paper we present a framework for enhancing trust in Internet commerce. Experience shows that efficient cryptographic protocols are not enough to guarantee peoples’ confidence in Internet commerce; the transacting parties must also trust each other. Hence, the main ingredient missing in today’s e‐commerce infrastructures is modeling and implementing trust. Several attempts have been made to provide secure and trusted protocols but few have seen any practical use. This paper shows how trust can be provided through a network of Trust Service Providers (TSp). We have identified a set of services that should be offered by a TSp. We also present a distributed object‐oriented implementation of trust services using CORBA, JAVA and XML.
Assessing community informatics: a review of methodological approaches for evaluating community networks and community technology centers
Authors: O’Neil Dara
Published: July 2002

Community informatics can be defined as a strategy or discipline that focuses on the use of information and communication technologies by territorial communities. This paper analyzes the emerging community informatics evaluation literature to develop an understanding of the indicators used to gauge project impacts in community networks and community technology centers. This study finds that community networks and community technology center assessments fall into five key areas: strong democracy; social capital; individual empowerment; sense of community; and economic development opportunities. The paper concludes by making recommendations for future community informatics evaluations.
Web usage, advertising, and shopping: relationship patterns
Authors: Korgaonkar Pradeep , Wolin Lori D.
Published: July 2002

Web sales reached over 30 billion dollars in the year 2001. This study explores the differences between heavy, medium, and light Web users in terms of their beliefs about Web advertising, attitudes toward Web advertising, purchasing patterns, and demographics. They lead to a more positive attitude toward Web advertising, which likely leads to more frequent Web purchasing and higher dollars spent on these purchases, suggesting marketers should consider consumer Web usage in their targeting efforts.
Why good management ideas fail:
Authors: Schneider William E.
Published: July 2002

Why do some management ideas take root and remain viable and others wither and die? This article offers four fundamental reasons: all organizations are basically living, social organisms; culture is more powerful than anything else in the organization; system‐focused interventions work, component‐centered interventions usually do not; interventions clearly tied to business strategy work, interventions not clearly tied to business strategy do not. The author describes research that points to four core cultures: control, based on a military system, with power as the primary motive; collaboration, emerging from the family and/or athletic team system, in which the underlying motive is affiliation; competence, derived from the university system, with the fundamental motive of achievement; and cultivation, growing from religious system(s) and motivated by growth or self‐actualization.
Paying the personal price for performance
Authors: Linder Jane
Published: July 2002

No firm can rest on its competitive laurels. Winning companies must know how to change, not just their products and services, but their business models. Changing business models used to be a once‐a‐career challenge. Now it’s the way firms compete. Most organizations have not been terribly successful at changing themselves, even at the old pace. It requires learning, becoming a “learning organization,” and building a culture of learning. But many executives aren’t buying. Many firms still relegate learning activities to the training department and look there first for cost cuts when business hiccups. Perhaps all this makes it clear why learning seems to have hit a glass ceiling. To get the benefits of learning – the management culture that makes an organization agile amidst shape‐changing markets – executives must be willing to face the cost: threatening, gut‐wrenching, personally invasive change, not just for the rest of the firm, but for the leaders themselves.
E‐transformation basics: key to the new economy
Authors: Sharma Panna
Published: July 2002

As the new economy shifts gears, we enter an era when the careful examination of value creation is not enough. By 2003, the portion of the economy driven by the electronic medium will be greater than that driven by industrial companies. In this new stage of the Internet economy, the focus moves away from examination and full throttle toward execution. The author uses a number of case studies to demonstrate the best practices that will lead to organization e‐transformation.
Buying and selling in a digital world
Authors: Harris Randy
Published: July 2002

The emergence of the digital marketplace has changed everything about how products are bought and sold. Over the past decade, US corporations have spent billions of dollars improving the structural integrity of a system designed by the seller to educate customers on the merits of their products and company. But that strategy survives only as long as a seller‐controlled environment dominates. Now customers dictate the future of many selling strategies. The author comments on nine building blocks that constitute the foundation for innovation and prosperity in the digital economy.
How top wholesalers succeed: secrets of a brutal business
Authors: Rovit Sam , Swede Ken , Buchanan Jed
Published: July 2002

Wholesaling is a brutal business. Only 20 percent of all wholesale distributors managed to beat the S&P 500 over the last five years, while more than 50 percent consistently destroyed shareholder value. To understand what drove a 1,000 percent difference in returns between the best and worst distribution performer, the author interviewed the managers of firms that have consistently out performed the market. One counterintuitive insight ‐ distribution must focus on local business. Local, not national, market share drives profitability. The interviewers also learned the ingenious tactics the most successful companies have adopted to capture higher gross margins than their competitors, and how these leading companies have reduced operating expenses. The best distributors share a three‐legged strategy: they focus investments to gain local market share, they select their service offering carefully to pump up gross margins and they slice operating expenses to the bone.
On‐line messages: developing an integrated communications model for biotechnology companies
Authors: Ranchhod Ashok , Gurãu Cãlin , Lace Jonathan
Published: July 2002

The Internet is rapidly changing the way in which information is displayed and accessed on a global level. Taking into consideration the new communication opportunities offered on line, businesses will be forced to alter both their internal and external communication strategies, and be prepared to flow with the changes. One of the sectors that can benefit from the global expansion of Internet communications is biotechnology. In order to understand the on‐line corporate communication model used by biotechnology companies, the Internet sites of 600 firms were accessed and analysed. The data presented highlight the type of on‐line messages, their function (marketing or PR oriented), the targeted audiences, and the level of on‐line interaction provided by the company’s site. Finally, the interpretation of results concludes with an integrated on‐line communication model for biotechnology companies.
Analysing qualitative data: computer software and the market research practitioner
Authors: Maclaran Pauline , Catterall Miriam
Published: July 2002

This paper discusses the ways that software programs can support qualitative market research practitioners in data analysis and interpretation. First it looks at what these programs entail and shows how certain misconceptions have arisen around their use. Then it describes how one particular program, NUD*IST, can be used in the analysis and interpretation process and relates this to its use by market research practitioners.
Participatory group observation – a tool to analyze strategic decision making
Authors: Vallaster Christine , Koll Oliver
Published: July 2002

Group decisions have taken a prominent part in strategic decision making but managerial research still lacks techniques to study these interpersonal processes comprehensively. Assuming that efficient decision making depends on shared cognitive structures within groups, an approach to analyze these structures and the affective and communicative dimensions causing convergence/divergence of individual cognitions is introduced. Suitable methods to study these variables are discussed and applied in an actual strategic decision to be made by a management team. The method shows a high degree of realism and preciseness in analyzing strategic group decisions.
Marketing strategies of Greek and foreign firms compared
Authors: Theodorakioglou Fotini , Tiu Wright Len
Published: July 2002

This paper reports on research into the Greek drinks market with the comparison of the marketing strategies of a sample of indigenous Greek and foreign companies, the latter with subsidiaries operating in Greece. The methodology employed was a qualitative one reflected in the design of the research from the purposive sampling of the largest drinks companies in Greece, and the application of the in‐depth interview technique with senior managers to the results of the research. The findings revealed several positive differences in the marketing strategies of competing organisations, with greater willingness by Western companies, compared to their Greek competitors, to implement resource commitments towards enhancing the competitiveness of their marketing strategies. The findings also suggested that the weaknesses in marketing found in the Greek alcoholic and soft drinks companies undermined their marketing performances in comparison with Western multinationals. Consequently, the competitive positions of Greek firms in both the domestic and international markets were weakened.
Synthesis of market research data through a combined effort of QFD, value engineering, and value graph techniques
Authors: Prasad Biren
Published: July 2002

The focus of market research is to capture systematically product information, such as, market competitive analysis data, competitors’ product data, etc. The paper describes an integrated template for product improvement by tactically combining real‐time market research data with quality function deployment (QFD), value engineering, and a value graph. The focus of integrating market research data with QFD previously had been to develop analysis results ‐ customer importance ratings (CIRs) and technical importance ratings (TIRs). The focus of integrating the QFD analysis (TIRs and CIRs vectors) with value engineering and value graphs, proposed in this paper, is to prioritize these ratings, to synthesize market research data, and thereby predict a better set of improvement characteristics. This process template gives the product development teams (PDTs) a synthesis tool to predict what product offerings customers would be interested in ‐ which the company can build and market to make a fair profit.
The use of qualitative methods to research networking in SMEs
Authors: O’Donnell Aodheen , Cummins Darryl
Published: July 2002

Network theory is becoming increasingly popular as a means of describing marketing in SMEs, stemming from the growing recognition that traditional marketing theories are somewhat inappropriate to the small firm. Of the research carried out to date, however, the greater part has employed quantitative methods. Current thought is that the concepts of networks and networking could be better investigated using more qualitative methods, and an appropriate methodology is suggested. This article describes an ongoing qualitative study which aims to discover how small firms use networks to make marketing decisions. The study has taken the form of semi‐structured interviews with owners and senior executives of 60 small companies across a wide array of industries in Northern Ireland. The key findings of the study are discussed together with plans for future research.
A qualitative approach to developing small firm marketing planning competencies
Authors: Hill Jimmy , McGowan Pauric
Published: July 2002

Demonstrates how a single case study/action science methodology was applied by the researchers in assisting the lead entrepreneur and management team in a small firm to develop marketing planning competencies, thereby ensuring company growth and hopefully survival. The research illustrates how the acquisition of these skills enabled the client company to overcome a series of obstacles to strategic growth and thereby maintain a positive entrepreneurial effort.
The role of teams in a new company
Authors: Rea William
Published: July 2002

Examines how NatWest Life is using teamworking to manage for
“excellent performance” amongst its staff. Achieves this by
implementing teambuilding workshops which encourage employees to work
together in planning their own agendas and way of working. Concludes
that it is staff behaviors that strengthen operational efficiencies.
Business innovation through community management
Authors: Kodama Mitsuru
Published: July 2002

For the various cyber businesses of the future based on the Internet, multimedia, and other new electronic fields, business organization styles, management methods and the distribution of management resources must be re‐formed to accommodate the transformation of the business environment. This article examines the case of a virtual education business in Japan, which has recently been garnering attention as a knowledge‐based business that utilizes multimedia, networks, etc. This article will take the position that chains connecting different business and organizations into spiral‐shaped, strategic community arrangements will develop and expand new markets, and that it will attest to the fact that both ends in such a business tie‐up will be able to hitch themselves to yield‐growth businesses.