bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of key account programs, trust, and brand strength on resource allocation in the channel of distribution
Authors: Verbeke Willem , Bagozzi Richard P. , Farris Paul 
Published: July 2006

PurposeSeeks to better understand whether a retailer's trust in a manufacturer is a key concept in their motivation to allocate resources to those manufacturers with whom they have a long‐term relationship compared with economical motivations.Design/methodology/approachA survey research method is used to study all customers from three large manufacturers in The Netherlands. These retailers had to answer questions about their trust in a manufacturer, the manufacturer's investments in the relationship, and their marketing efforts. Questions were also asked about the allocation of their own scarce resources for the manufacturer, specifically their adoption of in‐store marketing campaigns initiated by the manufacturer. Structural equation models and regression analyses were employed.FindingsTrust is not that important, but the manufacturer's investments in the brand are the most important predictors. However, interaction effects were also found: trust interacts with investments in the brand to influence resource allocations. It was also found that personal contact of salespeople of the manufacturer with managers at store as well as their contact with headquarters had an effect on resource allocation. This is conceived to be an indication that people at headquarters take into consideration how people at the floor level evaluate the brands and their effects on customers when making resource allocation decisions. In other words, retailer chains have complex buying centers.Research limitations/implicationsA large set of customers was analyzed from three different manufacturers, but customers could have been investigated from many manufacturers.Practical implicationsRetailers respond to manufacturers mainly with economic motivations (e.g. what is the value of this brand for my own firm?). However, trust at times interacts with these economic motivations. This means that manufacturers should invest both in the relationship with the retailer and in their brands, if they want to motivate the retailer to allocate scarce resources (e.g. time).Originality/valueThis paper identifies important factors that influence retailer behavior that have not been studied within a fast‐moving retail context.
The relationship between resource dependence and market orientation
Authors: Macedo Isabel Maria , Carlos Pinho José 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis article sets out to examine the market orientation construct within the context of the non‐profit sector. Given the specificity of non‐profit organisations and the increasingly demanding resource environments in which these organisations operate, the adoption of the concept of marketing is viewed as an adaptive strategy for ensuring that organisations receive the necessary resources for accomplishing their missions and carrying out their activities. In line with this, the present article aims to investigate the extent to which the type of revenue strategy is related to the organisation's market orientation, towards donors and/or users.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from a resource dependence conceptual framework, the article reports findings from a quantitative study of a representative sample of Portuguese non‐profit organisations (NPOs). This approach was complemented by qualitative research methods. Combining these two approaches has given access to different levels of reality and provided a more holistic understanding of the phenomena under study.FindingsThe results from the present study demonstrate that Portuguese NPOs favour a market orientation towards users/beneficiaries, revealing a less proactive behaviour in relation to their donors. In the present study, the resource dependence theory has proved to be an important theoretical tool for understanding market orientation strategies within the non‐profit sector. The link between the type of resource strategy and the organisation's market orientation stands out as an important finding derived from the present study and is particularly visible in relation to donor market orientation. In addition, empirical data partially support the conclusion that diversification of revenue sources is likely to favour a higher degree of market orientation. Further refinement of the adequacy of the MARKOR scale within the context of the non‐profit sector stands out as an avenue for further research.Research limitations/implicationsAs the sample used for analysis was drawn from Portugal, the generalisability of the results to other countries remains to be tested.Practical implicationsThe findings of the present study may assist public policy‐makers in the design of more adequate policies in the allocation of resources to non‐profit organisations.Originality/valueThe study contributes to a better understanding of market orientation in the specific context of the non‐profit sector. Moreover, this is done through applying the market orientation scale to two different stakeholders (i.e. donors and users/beneficiaries) in the evaluation of market orientation and in its relationship with resource strategies.
Supplier development practices: an exploratory study
Authors: Wagner Stephan M. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeSeeks to provide a more differentiated view of supplier development activities currently applied by European firms.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory empirical study was conducted based on a review of previously published research on supplier development and case studies with 12 industrial firms. The survey responses from 173 firms were factor‐analyzed to explore various dimensions of supplier development and their interrelationships. Furthermore, an industry‐level analysis was performed.FindingsFirms are reluctant to develop suppliers. Two dimensions of direct and four dimensions of indirect supplier development were observed. Providing human and capital support to suppliers (i.e. two dimensions of direct supplier development) is strongly related to formal supplier evaluation, structures and processes for evaluating suppliers as well as communication (i.e. three dimensions of indirect supplier development).Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies should incorporate the perspective of the supplier firm, include small and medium‐sized enterprises, and approach pressing questions related to performance implications for the buying firm and sharing of the benefits achieved in supplier development activities.Practical implicationsFirms can compare their approach towards various supplier development practices with the approach taken by a representative sample and their industry as a whole.Originality/valueThe paper conducts new research in a European setting. Furthermore, a novel industry‐level view is presented.
Emerging markets in black South African townships
Authors: Klemz Bruce R. , Boshoff Christo , Mazibuko Noxolo‐Eileen 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess differences between the guidance offered by cultural studies in the services literature and the retailing literature for emerging markets. To research these differences, the role that the contact person has towards South African township residents' willingness to buy is to be assessed.Design/methodology/approachA services quality survey of black (ethnic Xhosa) township residents was performed for two different retail types: new, small, independently owned grocery retailers located within the townships, and established, large, national chains located within the city centres. The influence of these services quality measures on willingness to buy was assessed using the partial least squares method for each of the two retail types. Differences between the model parameters for these two retail types were assessed using ANOVA.FindingsThe results show that, consistent with the retailing literature, the contact people in these new, small, local and independently owned retailers focus extensively on empathy to influence willingness to buy, while the contact people in the large, traditionally white‐owned national retailers jointly focus on assurance and responsiveness to influence willingness to buy, and spend very little effort on empathy.Research limitations/implicationsResearch implications are based on the usefulness of supporting theory, namely that the guidance offered by the cultural studies in the retailing literature is more predictive than that in the services literature for the emerging South African retailing market.Practical implicationsIt is found that core elements in relationship marketing are well ingrained in collectivist Xhosa cultural norms. The results suggest that these cultural norms can, and should, be leveraged by the new independently owned grocery retailers.Originality/valueThe research addresses a key concern within emerging markets and offers practical help for retail development within this dynamic economic setting.
Internal brand factors driving successful financial services brands
Authors: de Chernatony Leslie , Cottam Susan 
Published: July 2006

PurposeHaving a successful brand that is integrated and coherent can provide a sustainable competitive advantage. The aim of this paper is to identify internal factors contributing to financial services brand success and ultimately to facilitate better‐informed branding activities, thereby growing brand equity.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory approach is adopted and indepth interviews were carried out with 68 respondents amongst six financial services organisations.FindingsThe organisations with more successful brands were characterised by the following factors: a holistic, consistent and integrated approach to branding, a focus on excellent and personalised customer service, an ethos which challenges the norm, a responsiveness to change, a high degree of brand literacy, and a synergy between the brand and organisational culture.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was bound by the availability of respondents' time. The focus was to examine a relatively small sample of organisations in considerable depth. Moving forward, it is intended that a quantitative study will be undertaken to generalise and expand on these findings within the financial services market.Practical implicationsA number of significant managerial implications are drawn from this work, for example using the brand ethos model to enable employees to internalise their brand and the use of “brand jigsaw” workshops to facilitate brand consistency.Originality/valueThe results provide valuable insights into financial services brand management, encouraging the employment of more effective branding techniques within a sector that has traditionally had little interest in branding.
Exploring salesperson learning in the client relationship nexus
Authors: Turley Darach , Geiger Susi 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the characteristics and parameters of salesperson learning within client relationships, thereby filling a noticeable gap in the knowledge of individual learning in a sales context. It also aims at advancing the discussion on the nature of learning and knowledge in sales and marketing.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory approach is used to investigate salesperson learning in a relational context. Data collection methods include interviews with 36 business‐to‐business sales personnel, reflexive exercises and field observations.FindingsThe investigation shows that salesperson relational learning is personal, that it occurs in action, that it is contextual, natural, open‐ended, and often unconscious. Antecedents of learning are personal dispositions such as openness to changing contexts and situated learning mechanisms; consequences of relational learning are personal methods of knowledge transfer as well as the transformation of the learner and the client relationship. Thus, a framework of salesperson relational learning is proposed.Practical implicationsSales managers should emphasise the continuity of learning, train peoplein situand minimise turnover of sales personnel. They might also do well to acknowledge how these alternative modes can complement traditional, more formal sales management methods.Originality/valueThis paper presents a grounded model that aids both researchers and practitioners in understanding salesperson learning in client relationships, thus advancing a new theoretical perspective on learning in sales and marketing.
Consumer‐based brand equity and country‐of‐origin relationships
Authors: Pappu Ravi , Quester Pascale G. , Cooksey Ray W. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe objective of the present research is to examine the impact of the country of origin of a brand on its consumer‐based equity.Design/methodology/approachBrand equity was conceptualized in this paper as a combination of brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and attitudinal brand loyalty. A doubly multivariate design was incorporated in a structured questionnaire to collect data via mall intercepts in an Australian capital city.FindingsMultivariate analysis of variance of the data indicated that consumer‐based brand equity varied according to the country of origin of the brand and product category. This impact of country of origin on brand equity occurred where consumers perceived substantive differences between the countries in terms of their product category‐country associations.Research limitations/implicationsAn important direction for future research would be to examine how the consumer‐based equity of a brand would be affected, if the country of origin were changed from a country with weaker association with the product category to a country with strong association with the product category. The results would be useful to MNCs contemplating international manufacturing.Practical implicationsMarketing managers operating in the international context must identify the sources of brand equity, and understand the importance of incorporating country of origin into their brand equity measurement. Further, the results suggest that, when a brand offers a variety of product categories, brand managers should monitor and track the brand's consumer‐based equity for each product category.Originality/valueThe present study is one of the first to empirically examine and confirm the impact of country of origin on the consumer‐based equity of a brand.
The work roles and development needs of vocational lifelong learning professionals in British higher education
Authors: Chivers Geoff 
Published: July 2006

PurposeConsiderable research has been conducted into the outcomes of vocational lifelong learning (VLL) funding in terms of courses offered and their effectiveness, but much less into the work, professional development needs and careers of staff organising and delivering VLL programmes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the career management and development needs of such university staff.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted of VLL professionals in higher education to establish the position and their future prospects.FindingsA survey revealed that experienced VLL staff are being required, in some cases unwillingly, to move away from activities concerned with external training to take on work in areas such as technology transfer and general student recruitment. This development is likely to be to the detriment of VLL provision by universities.Practical implicationsVLL staff identify further knowledge of new developments in the field, stronger IT skills, and competence in conducting research as their major development needs.Originality/valueThe paper puts forward some concrete suggestions for improvements.
Understanding networking in China and the Arab World
Authors: Hutchings Kate , Weir David 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo explore the implications of internationalisation forguanxiandwastaand the role of trust, family and favours in underpinning these traditional models of networking. The paper also draws some implications for management development professionals and trainers.Design/methodology/approachThe argument is based on relevant literature and cases, and the authors' own knowledge acquired through research in China over 8 years and the Arab World over 25 years. The Chinese research involved analysis of company reports, informal conversations and semi‐structured interviews conducted with almost 100 interviewees including Western expatriate managers and local Chinese managers between 1998 and 2005 in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and Wuxi. The Arab research also involved analysis of company reports and informal conversations, as well as interviews and surveys conducted throughout the Middle Eastern region, including the GCC states, Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Palestine and Yemen.FindingsThe research finds differences in the continuing relevance ofguanxiandwastaand suggests that whileguanxiis adapting to internationalisation,wastaremains traditional in its influence on business and social life.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests the need for increased training of international managers to adjust to culture‐specific networking in China and the Arab World and provides some practical guidelines to managers to assist their intercultural effectiveness in these two regions of the world.Originality/valueThe research is important in that it extends knowledge of traditional networking practices in exploring the Arab World which is hitherto under‐researched and in undertaking comparative examination of China and the Arab World which is also a new area of research.
Strategic role of HRM in Turkey: a three‐country comparative analysis
Authors: Oya Özçelik Ayşe , Aydınlı Fulya 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo explore the strategic role of human resource management (HRM) in Turkey by comparing Turkish companies to Spanish and German companies.Design/methodology/approachThe questionnaire form of the Cranet‐G 1999‐2000 Survey (Cranfield Network on Strategic International Human Resource Management) has been used to collect the data. The indicators of the strategic role of HRM for this study are the existence of an HR department and manager, representation of HR on the board of directors, the existence of an HR strategy, measurement of the HR department's performance, and the existence of several HR policies.FindingsThe variables indicating the strategic role of HRM are evaluated for the companies in the three countries via correspondence analysis. Overall, a broad conclusion can be drawn that a strategic role for HRM is widespread in Turkish companies. Moreover, there are signs of convergence between the companies in Turkey, Germany, and Spain on the strategic role of HRM.Research limitations/implicationsThis research, designed to explore the strategic role of HRM in Turkish companies, is limited to the variables in the Cranet‐G questionnaire.Originality/valueThis paper is about the strategic role of HRM in Turkey as a developing country and as a European Union candidate country where published research on HRM is relatively limited. It contributes to the growing literature on the changing role of HRM in Turkey by reporting an empirical study of the strategic role for HRM in Turkish companies.
Developing and testing student oriented case studies
Authors: Ó Cinnéide Barra 
Published: July 2006

PurposeTo provide insights into approaches for conceptualising and producing case studies that will be appropriate for inclusion in educational and training programmes.Design/methodology/approachThe efficacy of a new process adopted in case writing, through “front loading” production of the teaching note, is described. An analogy is derived with crossword puzzle compilation and an approach to developing “entertaining” cases from the creative industries sector is provided. Experiences are recounted on production and use in classroom/examination sessions of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance studies.FindingsConclusions are drawn from primary research undertaken with nine cohorts, totalling over 320 students, (undergraduate/graduate, spread over three university campuses), in relation to the effectiveness of the case assessment process in end‐of‐term examinations.Research limitations/implicationsThe existing academic literature provides a limited information base on topics concerned with case writing and experiences in regard to student performances in case study discussion sessions/assessment procedures. The implication is that further original research is called for in the area.Practical implicationsEducators and trainers must be more immediately concerned with establishing the particular roles that case studies can play within their programmes. They should also ensure that the cost effectiveness of case production systems is optimised.Originality/valueThe paper fulfils a number of identified needs, including development of a more efficient method of case writing and supplementation of the limited knowledge base within the current literature on the topics covered. This is particularly so in regard to the efficacy of the case method in terms of student learning and assessment processes.
Learning institution to learning organization
Authors: Yeo Roland K. 
Published: July 2006

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to explore if reflective inquiry and action learning have an influence on job and organizational effectiveness. A reflective‐action learning framework will be used as a prior theory to illustrate its link to organizational learning.Design/methodology/approachThe case organization is a Singapore higher learning institution. In‐depth interviewing with 50 faculty members and the Deputy Director of academic affairs was employed to find out more about the practice of reflective‐action learning group (RALG) that had been established for over three years. Additionally, ethnographic observation was used to support and strengthen empirical evidence.FindingsKey findings reveal that RALG is closely aligned to Kolb's experiential learning cycle where a series of learning dynamics is involved. For instance, the role of reflection motivates individuals to shift from single‐ to double‐loop learning, increasing their competence and capacity to undertake greater challenges. In addition, transferring new knowledge to a modified action increases the interaction of the learning loops. This way, triple‐loop learning may be engaged to enhance the competitive advantage of individuals and subsequently, the organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has shed light on two underlying principles that govern the RALG framework: cognitive and behavioral perspectives. These perspectives are closely linked to the nature of organizational learning, an area that has gained prominence in organizational research.Practical implicationsThe linkage between RALG and organizational effectiveness has led to a gamut of practical implications. For instance, the role of purposeful communication encourages the divergence of individual learning issues and the convergence of shared thinking. In addition, the concretization of abstract generalization derived from reflection provides opportunities for greater team dynamics with a focus on innovation.Originality/valueThis paper offers an international perspective illustrating the progressiveness of an Asian higher learning institution with a global mindset. The study is a unique example of the success of RALG with specific implications for organizational learning practices in a wider array of professional contexts. It is believed that the findings will be of value to international researchers and practitioners in the fields of organizational and human resource development.