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This paper presents a new method for improving the performance of trend-following trading strategies. This new approach improves the inherent problem of trend-following strategies, which is their lagging signals. We simulate alternative price paths of financial assets using a modification of a distribution-free, semi-parametric approach that combines a GARCH-type process with historical simulation. These simulated price paths are used to construct and optimize trend-following trading strategies. The study is conducted in a multi-asset environment. Our empirical results demonstrate the superior performance for multiple assets on a large set of performance metrics compared to widely applied trend-following trading strategies. The results are robust to variations in input specifications, such as tested time and lookback period, number of simulated price paths, and price steps per simulation, but also in terms of trading strategy calibration and market positioning (long-only, long–short, short-only). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of modern innovative economy requires greater use of potential of non-technical (institutional) innovations, especially promotional ones. Commercialization of market innovations is one of the most important conditions for sustainable economic development. Such development requires the active use of innovative marketing. As essentially defining task of marketing innovation, as well the source and means of its development is considered commercialization of market innovations -- of goods and marketing approaches. Commercialization presupposes existence of inconsistent («nonlinear») links between tools of the innovative marketing: development of innovation, marketing researches, segmentation, and positioning and management lifecycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of congruence among desired, actual, and perceptual positioning strategies of four Indian car brands (WagonR, Santro, Spark, and Figo) is examined. The triangulation research methodology (pilot survey, secondary data, and content analysis) is applied to examine the three populations (expert views, advertising strategies, and consumer perceptions) considered in the study. The results reveal the popularity of two positioning strategies (“visual artistic” and “basic features”) for three car brands, whereas Figo stands on the positioning of “cost and finance.” Regarding the congruence among experts' presumed strategies and the communication tactics used by selected car brands, it is observed that not all the communicated strategies are presumed and thus ambiguities prevail in the process. This report also calls corporate attention to the fact that even positioning strategies perceived by the customers are not presumed by experts, and hence there is need to reassess the brand positioning strategies to curtail these ambiguities. However, the positioning activities highlighted in communications are successfully recognized by the target customers to some extent. The author concludes with a discussion on managerial implications and limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the marketing journey of a professional baseball team in South Korea (the SK Wyverns), from the conception of a new "green" campaign to the resulting environmental, social and economic gains of the local community and of Korean baseball in general. Design/methodology/approach - The investigator interviewed 12 constituents of the SK's green marketing campaign, participated as an observer at seven separate field trips to the SK stadium and meetings, and collected and analyzed corporate documentation and physical artifacts. The role of the researcher as an advisor to the Wyvern's green marketing initiative from the onset provided rare access to these multiple and different sources of evidence, which helped to establish the trustworthiness of the results (Yin, 2003). Findings - By taking unconventional steps to find new funding opportunities, the team managed to achieve a triple benefit-of environmental, social and economic gains from green marketing. In the big picture, one will recognize that the SK Wyverns' story is less about the opportune timing of its funding strategy, and more about its capacity for innovative thinking to address the big issue of meeting up-front costs. Originality/value - The significance of the SK Wyverns' green marketing program is that it shows how even a team in a non-major baseball market like South Korea can accept a big challenge and deliver the desired results by solving the cost issue in a proactive, creative way. The hope is that other sport franchises around Asia, in other regions faced with growing environmental concerns, may regard this case as a benchmark and find inspiration for their own creative solutions in going green. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual culture is the name of a now well-established academic field, the disciplinary and symbolic status of which nevertheless remains uncertain. Structured around the notion of the ‘pictorial turn’, visual culture has encountered various critiques, which impose on the field to state of permanent revision and repositioning. This article attempts to give an overview of some recent theoretical debates and sketches some perspectives for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the highly economic development over the past decades, the national income has largely increased in Taiwan. Moreover, the citizens have focused on the facilities and functions of leisure activities after the implementation of two-day weekend. With the emphasis on leisure tours and the increase of recreational time, tourism has become popular. In terms of supply, the provision of public facilities and services, the promotion of local economic development, the enhancement of social interaction, and the solution to leisure problems are the common affairs and challenges for both local government and local people. Based on Marketing Strategies, this study utilizes Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to construct the hierarchic model of Market Definition, Environmental Analysis, Marketing Mix Strategy, and Internal Marketing to stratify, structuralize, and quantify the indices of Marketing Strategies. Having the supervisors in the top ten travel agencies, announced by Consumers' Foundation, as the research subjects, the indices and weight system for Marketing Strategies in tourism industry are established, and the research outcomes are concluded as below. (1) Market Definition in Marketing Strategies appears the best importance, where Market Information Collection is better emphasized. (2) Environmental Analysis in Marketing Strategies shows the second importance, where Industry Analysis is better emphasized. (3) Marketing Mix Strategy in Marketing Strategies is the following importance, where Product Strategy is better emphasized. (4) Internal Marketing in Marketing Strategies reveals the least importance, where Customer Management is better emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to present an assessment framework which captures the essential characteristics and holistic success factors for disruptive innovation based on the original theory of Christensen, a number of clarifications as reported in the literature and a study of known, successful cases in the literature.Design/methodology/approach – The framework was designed based on the improved understanding of disruptive innovation challenges and on the holistic consideration of innovation as a dynamic process. It consists of structured questions which could be used to guide detailed data collection and analysis needed to answer the key questions which constitute the assessment framework. They are grouped under market positioning, technology and other favourable drivers.Findings – A simple yet comprehensive assessment framework for disruptive innovation has been developed. Two of the known successful cases, namely the steel minimill of Nucor and the 3.5 inch disk drive of Conner/Seagate, were presented in more detail to illustrate the use of this systematic framework in assessing the success potential of these cases of disruptive innovations in either the low-end or new markets. A third and fairly new example, that of the limited mobile phone system/product of UTStarcom, was then presented to illustrate a case where the framework revealed reasons for potential failure. A fourth example of Google's web-based office applications then illustrated how the framework might be used to study the disruptive potential of a new product.Originality/value – This paper enables a more accurate and systematic assessment of disruptive innovation. The framework also has the potential to be further developed into a systematic tool for answering the question of whether the disruptive innovation theory could indeed be used to provide ex ante prediction of the success of a new disruptive innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. maintains a market leadership in Canada for its food processing and export business and sustains its relatively high growth. MLF has an innovative approach to strategy as it reduces head-to-head competition with other major pork exporters in Japan and raises its premium image with an innovative food safety program. MLF is creating a new market segment in Japan's pork market by positioning itself between the domestic premium segment and the import commoditized segment and attracting consumers who are interested in both brand and price. This article illustrates how MLF innovates value in a competitive marketplace, using Kim and Mauborgne's blue ocean strategy framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates place marketing and strategic planning processes in the case of Malta Island as a competitive tourist destination. The article focuses on the main ingredients that compose the marketing and strategic planning performance and presents the repositioning process of Malta's image in the international tourism market. The article concludes that place marketing is a strategic process with particular phases of development that leads to the creation of a competitive and attractive destination. Finally, the article supports that strategic planning and place marketing could not operate by themselves, but they need to be built on partnerships among local actors and decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the difficulties that come with marketing an intangible product such as higher education and proposes that the practice of branding is crucial to image construction. It says that the basic marketing goal for colleges and universities is to make the intangible tangible and to find areas of market differentiation. Moreover, it discusses many characteristics that shape and influence institutional image for higher education and these include perceived academic reputation, one's familiarity with the institution, cost, alumni employability, and athletics. It also considers various components of branding among colleges and universities.

This article revises the concept and positioning strategies according to the proposals of different authors. Positioning is related to variables in the marketing mix, and, specifically, to the main subject of this research study-packaging. The theories of different authors with respect to the functions of packaging and its constituent elements are revised and then attention is focused on four of its graphic elements: Color, shape, typography, and image. Within this framework, designer and consumer opinions are presented with the ultimate aim of identifying the associations between different positioning strategies and the different graphic design variables used to define an orange juice packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a multi-level approach to the analysis of Budapest as a capital city and tourism destination, focusing on the international, European, regional and national elements used in image construction. Drawing on perception studies undertaken by the Hungarian National Tourist Office (2002) and on visitor profiles of budget airline passengers by the Tourist Office of Budapest (2005), the authors will examine the factors that distinguish the city from other national capitals, especially in the CEE region and 'new' EU. An analysis will be made of the promotional strategies that are employed at both a national and city level by the HNTO and the TOB in order to position and brand Budapest in an international, European and regional context. Much of the analysis will attempt to ascertain the extent to which Budapest is being promoted as a quintessentially Hungarian city as opposed to a European or global city. The final part of the paper will make recommendations for image creation, branding, and product development. doi:10.1300/J073v22n03_03 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In principal, drug discovery approaches can be grouped into target- and function-based, with the respective aims of developing either a target-selective drug or a drug that produces a specific biological effect irrespective of its mode of action. Most analyses of drug discovery approaches focus on productivity, whereas the strategic implications of the choice of drug discovery approach on market position and ability to maintain market exclusivity are rarely considered. However, a comparison of approaches from the perspective of market position indicates that the functional approach is superior for the development of novel, innovative treatments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We performed a systematic quantitative meta-analysis of international marketing/advertising research with regard to standardization versus localization or similar versus dissimilar marketing approach across national markets. The analysis used nine estimated moderators from 1268 statistical models in 152 studies published in 10 major marketing, advertising, and international business journals during the period 1960-2004. The study was framed in an extended conceptual model which utilized 10 advertising and marketing moderators. The study findings provided support for standardization approaches with regard to marketing mix (e.g., product, price distribution, promotion) and organization factors. There was slight or little support for localization approaches with target market, market position, environmental factors, and information ad appeals. The conceptual advertising moderators, which include sender (agency/ company), affective ad appeals and ad executions, and receiver (attitudes toward advertising and beliefs, values/custom/psychographics) are strongly influenced by the localization approach. Regional differences are also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the repositioning of the film "The Maid" into a Westernized genre, as far as its stylization of characters, storylines, and effects are concerned, while, at the same time, retaining its Asian culture flavor. This production is the first significant international commercial success for the country's film industry. In addition, it also took the local horror film out of the jungles and into the city by suggesting the genre is also moving away from its local roots towards more universal cinema conventions.

The article discusses how sales promotion influences several important marketing activities in the printing industry. The author provides some innovative approaches in market research, analysis, segmentation and positioning, particularly in the digital side of the market. In addition, several examples are cited to illustrate the consequences when promotion dominates other marketing activities. However, the author makes it clear that these examples should not be viewed as a litany of marketing mistakes but rather as more comprehensive and balanced approach to marketing.

Electronic marketplaces (EMPs) are widely assumed to increase price transparency and hence lower product prices. Results of empirical studies have been mixed, with several studies showing that product prices have not decreased and others showing that prices have increased in some cases. One explanation is that sellers prefer not to join EMPs with high price transparency, leading highly price transparent EMPs to fail. Therefore, in order to be successful, EMPs might be expected to avoid high price transparency. But that strategy creates a catch-22 for EMPs on the buy side: Why would buyers want to join EMPs in the absence of price transparency and the benefit of lower prices? We argue that successful EMPs must provide compensatory benefits for sellers in the case of high price transparency and for buyers in the case of low price transparency. To understand how EMPs could succeed, regardless of price transparency, we examined the relationships among EMP strategy, price transparency, and performance by analyzing all 19 EMPs that compete by selling a broad range of standard electronics components. We found that all EMPs pursuing a low cost strategy had high price transparency and performed poorly. All EMPs that performed well pursued strategies of differentiation, but, interestingly, not all successful EMPs avoided price transparency: Some EMPs succeeded despite enabling high price transparency. We therefore examined two differentiated EMPs in greater depth--one with high price transparency, the other with low price transparency--to show how they achieved strategic alignment of activities and resources and provided compensatory benefits for their customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intense competitiveness of the global tourism industry increasingly demands the most effective possible marketing for individual destinations. The strategic management literature suggests that competitive advantage can be gained through capitalizing on a destination's unique attributes. In marketing terms, this translates as "competitive positioning." To what extent do the individual destinations of the Caribbean seek to competitively position themselves as unique attractions among their many competitors? This paper returns to the concept of the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) as a practical and straightforward framework for analyzing distinctiveness in tourism marketing. An exploratory analysis of web-based marketing in the Caribbean suggests widespread failure of destinations to market themselves in terms of unique competitive positioning. The analysis also reveals several exemplary models of the USP concept in tourism marketing, suggesting opportunities for greater regional cooperation through stronger individual destination identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been exponential growth in the number of studies of destination image appearing in the tourism literature. However, few have addressed the issues of destination positioning analysis and the role of affective perceptions. This article analyzes the market positions held by a competitive set of destinations through a comparison of cognitive, affective, and conative perceptions. Cognition was identified by trialing a factor analytic adaptation of importance. performance analysis. Affect was measured using an affective response grid, while conation was gauged by stated intent to visit. The alignment of the results from these techniques identified leadership positions held by two quite different destinations on two quite different dimensions of destination attractiveness. It is suggested that this method of Positioning analysis offers a practical means for destination marketers faced with the challenge of identifying the one or few features from their diverse and multiattributed product range that could be developed to differentiate their destination in a meaningful way to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakdown of a company is examined and the concept of its stability is given. A system of indexes for characterizing the market position of an enterprise in the chemical industry and predicting its dynamics is proposed. An integral index can be an effective tool in the hands of managers in making managerial decisions related to effectively reacting to changes in the company's market position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence between online or internet services and television has often been represented by the term ‘Web-TV’. But one must make a distinction between the type of service Web-TV and the company named ‘WebTV Networks’ who pioneered the business in 1996 and is now a subsidiary of Microsoft. There are also important strategic questions when positioning a new product and service category between the existing markets for online services or TV. Furthermore, we argue that one must distinguish between the direction of innovation and the added value through combining both TV and online content, services, and technology. The strategic positioning along this converging value chain will be an important question for the providers of content, service and transmission, software technology and hardware manufacturers from the online service, personal computer, and TV industries. For players in each industry, it seems possible that they can provide incremental extension of core business by creating convergent solutions and coordinating their distinct competencies and several other critical success factors. Finally we look at barriers and enablers that will face an introduction of this service category in Europe and suggest directions for further research. ‘Convergence describes a process change in industry structures that combines markets through technological and economic dimensions to meet merging consumer needs. It occurs either through competitive substitution or through the complementary merging of products or services or both at once.’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the use of war genre in the U.S. motion picture industry since World War II. The movies begun presenting former enemies in a more favorable, even forgiving light. After the war, movies gradually undertook a more realistic portrayal of the ravages wrought by ordinance upon vulnerable flesh. The fortunes of the war film declined after the Cold War. Moreover, a resurgence in the war genre parallels ideological repositioning toward Vietnam and the overall conservative swing in American political life.

The repositioning of urban emergency units is examined analytically using the methodology of Markovian Decision Processes. In practice urban emergency vehicles (e.g., fire engines) are constantly subject to repositioning in order to assure a proper posture for responding quickly to future demands. The analysis assumes that there are q indistinguishable servers on the network located initially at q nodes-"The Home Locations." Depending on the status of other server locations, any available server can be moved to any other vacant location in the network. The states of the system are defined according to the status of each location (occupied or vacant). The policy space consists of decisions on where and when to move service units for any possible state. The objective is to minimize the long term expected cost (in time units) of operating the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers tips on marketing medical writing business. It suggests that medical writers should define their market niche and create their message after they determine the strengths of their business. The author recommends promoting the brand of such business by putting one's company name, message and contact information on electronic mail (e-mail), receipts and flyer. She advises medical writers to include their personal and professional development into their marketing plan.

US-based provider of water and wastewater treatment systems Fluence Corp Ltd reports that between the beginning of the year and March it has received US$8 million in new contracts. These include three NIROBOX TM orders announced on 1 March 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the innovative technology of the Timestrip's unique smart labels. The "blister" or button which activates the Timestrip® has been moved from the back to the front of the label. Timestrip® has the option to manufacture with the blister on the front or the back of the product. The repositioning of the activating blister onto the front of the label will make Timestrip® even more attractive and easy to implement for major brands.