Search

A study was conducted to examine how action research can provide tools and methods by which market researchers can improve the co-creation process. It is believed that co-creation is will become an important component of innovations as customers use Internet-related technologies. It is concluded that innovation does not stop at new product development refined through testing in today's economy.

The reasons behind the low impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting on business decision making is examined from the study of CSR policy and practices in multinational companies. A framework that links CSR to business and social outcomes is proposed. Based on the framework, recommendations for change in the policy and practice issues are suggested.

Customer relationship management is enabling the implementation of relationship marketing principles. The three main issues that impact the development of customer relationship management in the service sector are discussed.

Research into the high risk buying behaviour of eight senior buyers discovered a number of the findings were very different from a study carried out by Johnston and Lewin in 1996. Companies in the 1990s were more concerned with forming good relationships with suppliers. The price of a purchase was not all important to buyers in the 1990s, but they looked for other factors such as the quality of the relationship between the companies. Comparing the two studies brings into question the validity of basing marketing practice on research carried out in the 1970s.

The ability of consumers to recall brand prices is an important factor which firms should consider in providing accurate pricing research designs. Studies in this field have shown that consumers have a limited ability to provide accurate brand price recall. However, when provided with a reference price, their ability to recall brand prices improves. Market researchers can utilize consumer recall on brand pricing to develop pricing technique schemes.

In the last decade, there has been an explosion in the use of online survey tools. Online data collection tools have lowered the cost of data collection and removed barriers to entry for carrying out research. While a number of questions have been raised about the general reliability of internet survey research, one specific use of the web for survey work has been in reaching niche populations that are difficult to access using traditional survey tools - so-called 'rare samples'. In this paper, we present an approach to accessing such hard-to-reach populations using search engine pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. We carried out a study that makes uses of PPC advertising on search engines as an alternative means of developing sample for a hard-to-reach group of health consumers. Based on a sample of 466 consumer responses, we discuss the effectiveness of this technique for reaching such rare populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In competitive labour markets, the challenge for service-based organisations is to differentiate themselves in order to successfully attract and retain talented staff. Recently, the notion of branding the firm to potential and existing employees has been evoked in the marketing literature. In an empirical study, we measure aspects of this 'employer brand' image among potential recruits and recruiters during the recruitment process. The managerial implications of developing a more consistent employer brand image in the recruitment market are discussed. We conclude the paper by highlighting the contribution of our research, its limitations and areas for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk-adjusted customer lifetime value, or a customer's economic value, is examined as a method for assessing both shareholder value gains and customer profitability.

The erosion in the authority of brands within consumer markets brings into question the orthodoxy of traditional marketing practices across all markets. By adopting an "if-we-were-to-start-again" policy, such elementary questions are currently being addressed in a number of major corporations. Using this approach, the notion of redefining branding policy and practice emerges as a fundamental and, arguably, the dominant core process are delineated as value chain activities. The Integrated Brand, as the core process has been termed here, requires a multi-functional management cohesion if the new doctrine of customer retention is to be realized. Whilst these retention strategies may vary in execution across the stakeholder groups, each serve to reduce replacement costs. By also managing system costs and building primary customer share for revenue, the Integrated Brand organization can emerge with a balanced financial performance and brand equity managed as an asset. Amongst successful re-engineered organizations, price premiums would be an acknowledgment of a superior offer but not a necessity in sustaining this balanced financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out to identify how marketing management can provide the lead in adopting a more creative approach to innovation al the idea generation stage. Both the proactive and reactive approaches to innovation strategy are discussed in the context of change factors and the sourcing of new ideas for innovation. Four loci of idea initiation are identified, which appear to vary in importance according to industry sector. Although evidence is presented to suggest that heuristic techniques are being used increasingly to enhance creativity, their use is limited both by the perception of their function and the strategic mode adopted by the organisation. The concept of the marketing-centred creative circle is introduced to counter these limiting factors. It is argued that the creative circle offers a bridging function in the generation of new ideas for innovation and in extending the existing stock. As well as performing this function, a more creative and entrepreneurial atmosphere will emerge as lateral relationships develop. With the development of successive marketing-centred creative circles within the organisation, a unified approach to creative innovation will evolve as the traditional proactive and reactive strategies merge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]