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Purpose – Consumer ethnocentrism and consumer animosity provide marketing management with two useful concepts to understand the reasons behind consumers’ purchase decisions concerning domestic vs imported products. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of animosity and ethnocentrism within a single model, and respondents’ evaluations of a specific product category are solicited. Design/methodology/approach – The study is conducted within an ideal context for the study of consumer animosity: data were collected in Belgrade shortly after the US-led NATO bombings of 1999. The surveys were carried out in person at the interviewees’ home. The sample was part of a regular omnibus panel composed of 270 adult respondents, of which 92.2 percent agreed to participate. Findings – The findings indicate that animosity and consumer ethnocentrism are distinct constructs. Also consistent with previous research, results obtained confirm that each construct has unique antecedents and consequences. Practical implications – Once consumer animosity and ethnocentrism levels have been measured, managers can then make decisions about whether to promote their country of origin or, alternatively, create more powerful local connections for their products. Thus, the consideration of animosity and ethnocentrism can be part of a firm’s international strategies. Originality/value – Previous studies on consumer animosity have demonstrated through structural equation modeling that the two constructs are distinct and have distinct antecedents, but research has not examined both the antecedents and the consequences of animosity and ethnocentrism in the same study. Thus, this study investigates the antecedents and consequences of animosity and ethnocentrism within a single model.

ResumenEste trabajo pretende un mayor conocimiento de la relación entre la antigüedad en el puesto de los directivos de una muestra de empresas innovadoras españolas y sus comportamientos en relación a los procesos de resolución de problemas, de información y cognitivos. Los resultados obtenidos a partir de las respuestas de 136 directivos de distintos departamentos son consistentes con investigaciones y planteamientos previos y advierten de los efectos a largo plazo de la antigüedad en el puesto sobre la capacidad de respuesta de los directivos ante los cambios en el entorno, así como la tendencia a ignorar los problemas o conflictos antes que afrontarlos de manera cooperativa. Además, a medida que la antigüedad en el puesto aumenta, los directivos observan: a)menores cambios en las preferencias de los consumidores; b)menores oportunidades derivadas de cambios en la tecnología, y c)mayor dificultad para predecir los cambios que los competidores realizarán en los productos.AbstractThis research paper is intended to provide a greater insight into the relationship between the length of service of managers from a sample of innovative Spanish companies and their behaviour towards problem solving, information and cognitive processes. The results obtained from 136 managers from various departments are in line with prior studies and warn of the long-term effects of length of service on managerial ability to respond to change and tendency to overlook problems or conflict as opposed to attentively dealing with them. Specifically, as length of service increases, managers notice: (i)less changes in customer preferences; (ii)less opportunities arising from advances in technology; and (iii)more difficulties in predicting their competitors’ upcoming product improvements.

Research into self-monitoring (SM) confirms that people differ when it comes to how much they observe, regulate, and control themselves in certain social settings and interpersonal relationships. Research also shows that high self-monitors, as opposed to low self-monitors, perform better in boundary-spanning positions that require good communication skills. Therefore, it is a matter of interest to analyze the effects of SM on salespeople's behavior, and on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in particular. It has been proven that this behavior affects the performance of organizations and influences supervisors' evaluations of subordinates. Although a number of studies examine the antecedents of OCB, certain relationships have yet to be looked at. This study proposes and tests a model stating that salespersons' OCB is determined by salespersons' SM, with this relationship being mediated by salespersons' person–organization (PO) fit and job satisfaction. This study also analyzes the moderating effect of salespersons' SM on PO fit to job satisfaction relationships, as well as on job satisfaction to OCB relationships. Data collected from 122 supervisor–salesperson dyads in 35 companies across 9 different sectors confirm the proposed model. In fact, the results show that SM, both directly and indirectly, has a positive effect on OCB due to the way in which it influences salespersons' PO fit and job satisfaction. The results also confirm the moderating role of SM in the relationships between job satisfaction and OCB, and between PO fit and job satisfaction. Certain implications of this study, as well as directions for future research, are also addressed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Despite the extensive work carried out by sales researchers regarding the influence of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) on significant individual and organizational outcomes, it is still of interest to address new research questions and support previous results with samples from different organizational settings and other countries. Researchers have also identified the need to thoroughly investigate relationships between different antecedents of extra-role behaviors. In this study, we intend to test a two-part model. The first part of the model assumes that a salesperson's OCB is determined by Person–Organization fit and that this relationship is mediated by the salesperson's job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The second part examines the impact that such behavior may have on the supervisor's rating of the salesperson's performance. Data collected from 122 salesperson–supervisor dyads from 35 firms confirmed that Person–Organization fit has a positive effect on OCB due to the effect it has on the salesperson's job satisfaction. The results also verified the positive effect of OCB on the supervisor's evaluation of the sales agent's performance, both directly and indirectly, through the impact OCB had on the supervisor's fondness of the salesperson. Certain implications of this study, as well as directions for future research, are also addressed.

PurposeDespite the recognition that the subordinate's influence is a particularly noteworthy feature of the social context with considerable potential to affect the performance evaluation process, there are almost no studies that consider this influence in a selling context. Attempting to contribute to address these needs, the model presented here depicts a number of social and situational factors influencing supervisor's rating of salesperson's performance, primarily operating through affective processes.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 122 salespeople and their immediate managers from 35 firms pertaining to nine different industries.FindingsSEM results indicated that supervisor‐focused impression management was positively related to the supervisor's liking of the salesperson. Consistent as well with prior research is the positive influence of supervisor's affect towards salesperson on the supervisor's ratings of sales performance, both directly and indirectly, through the effect on salesperson's perceived interpersonal skills. Finally, a salesperson's physical attractiveness demonstrated significant positive effects on performance ratings, through the influence on supervisor's liking and salesperson's interpersonal skills.Practical implicationsThese results have important managerial implications: sales managers should be aware that salespeople might be using impression management tactics and that the use of these behaviours might influence the way that they evaluate their employee's performance. Managers should also remain vigilant to the potential bias based on physical appearance in hiring and supervising salespeople.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the knowledge of the social and affective variables that influence the sales performance appraisal process, an area of research that is almost unexplored.

In the previous chapter (Part I), we proposed a model relating the composition and external communication activities of NPD teams to the performance of NPD programmes. In this chapter (Part II), through the use of structural equations analysis, we compare the model to a sample of 136 managers from different functional areas at 121 innovative Spanish firms. The results indicate that the impact of explanatory variables on new product programme performance differs according to the measure of performance considered. The cross-functional nature of NPD teams, the presence of product champions in NPD teams and the gathering of information by all NPD team members were all shown to positively influence new product performance. Firms should be aware of the importance of the aforementioned variables.

La situación actual de crisis internacional está provocando la ralentización de la toma de las decisiones de carácter estratégico que configurarán el futuro entorno internacional en sus aspectos económico y social. En este trabajo se reflexiona sobre ellas y sobre sus efectos potenciales. Se parte de las propuestas de la Estrategia de Lisboa para evaluar la situación relativa de Galicia en el primer mundo y los elementos que pueden mejorarla en el futuro próximo.