Failure to relaunch? The United States, nuclear North Korea, and the future of the six-party talks

During the past twenty years, Washington has oscillated between tentative engagement with Pyongyang under the Clinton administration and isolation and multilateralism under the Bush administration. With the Obama administration almost nearing its four-year tenure, the Six-Party Talks have stalled and North Korea's multiple attacks on the South in 2010 have created new instabilities. Why so little results despite promises of a radical departure away from the Axis of Evil rhetoric and hard-line politics? This paper suggests that the Obama administration has utilized approaches that no longer fit current circumstances and hence failed to create an original, coherent and effective foreign policy. © 2012 McFarland & Company, Inc.

The effects of experience in loyalty card adoption on the importance of the attributes of loyalty schemes

The popularity of loyalty programs worldwide shows that this is one of the most efficient marketing tools in highly competitive markets to retain customers. The saturation of loyalty schemes themselves can lead to a fierce competition between firms to gain wider penetration for their cards. The experience of the customers regarding adoption of loyalty programs can affect their attitude towards the different attributes of the programs. We found that more experienced customers evaluate the importance of the soft attributes of the loyalty schemes higher.

Investigation of factors influencing loyalty – The role of involvement, perceived risk and knowledge

Our research aimed to reveal the effects that can be observed during the buying process of food products and can influence the decisions of customers. We focused on the role of enduring involvement in customers’ behavioural loyalty, that is, the repurchase of food brands. To understand this relationship in a more sophisticated way, we involved two mediating constructs in our conceptual model: perceived risk and perceived knowledge of food products. The data collection was carried out among undergraduate students in frame of an online survey, and we used SPSS/AMOS software to test the model. The results only partly supported our hypothesis, although the involvement effects on loyalty and the two mediating constructs were strong enough, loyalty couldn’t be explained well by perceived risk and knowledge. The roles of further mediating/moderating variables should be determined and investigated in the next section of the research series.

A fogyasztói lojalitás előzményei a magyar mobiltelefonos szolgáltatási piacon – A bizalom szerepe (Antecedents of the consumer loyalty in the Hungarian telecommunication market – the role of trust)

A fogyasztói lojalitás kritikus versenyelőnynek számít a szolgáltatóknak a telekommunikációs szektorban, ahol a piac növekedésének lassulásával és az erősödő piaci verseny folytán a vállalatoknak inkább a fogyasztók megtartására kell fókuszálniuk. Egyre fontosabbá vált és válik a piaci részesedés, illetve a már meglévő ügyfelek megtartása, mivel az új ügyfelek megszerzésének költsége és nehézsége is megnőtt. Az ügyfelek megtartásához ki kell vívni a hosszú távú kapcsolat fenntartását, vagyis a fogyasztók lojalitását. A korábbi marketing-irodalomban a fogyasztók elégedettségének szerepe a lojalitás kialakításában vitathatatlan, azonban felmerül a kérdés, hogy mennyire közvetlen ez a hatás. Így érdemes megvizsgálni, mint közvetítő változónak az elégedettség és lojalitás között, a fogyasztói bizalom szerepét is a fogyasztói lojalitás formálódásában. A szerző empirikus kutatásának eredményei azt támasztják alá, hogy a fogyasztói elégedettség hatása a fogyasztói lojalitásra nem feltétlenül közvetlen, hanem a fogyasztói bizalom játszik közvetítő szerepet, és a bizalom a fogyasztói lojalitás erősebb indikátorának bizonyult, mint egyedül az elégedettség. / === / The consumer loyalty is a crucial competitive advantage in the telecommunication sector, which has a decreasing growth rate and increasing market competition, so the companies should focus on the consumer retention. The market share and the retention of present consumers become more and more important, because both the cost and the difficulty of the acquisition of new consumers are increased. The previous marketing literature states that the role of satisfaction in loyalty is evident, but the effect is not necessary a direct one. Worth to examine the role of consumer trust in loyalty creation, where trust is a mediator variable between satisfaction and loyalty. The author’s empirical results suggest the direct effect of satisfaction on loyalty is not necessary direct, but indirect, where the consumer trust is the link. The effect of trust on loyalty is higher than the satisfaction alone.

A kivonulás-tiltakozás-hűség fogalomhármas közgazdaságtani relevanciája a 21. században = The relevance of "exit, voice and loyalty" theory in 21st-century economics

A dolgozat a politikatudomány és közgazdaság-tudomány határán álló kivonulás-tiltakozás-hűség modell lényegét járja körbe. Az Albert O. Hirschman által felépített gondolati keret szemléleti frissessége és sajátos megközelítési módja rendkívül termékenyítően hatott az elmúlt évtizedekben a társadalomtudományok fejlődésére. Mégis viszonylag periferikus helyet foglal el a közgazdaság-tudományon belül, miközben például a rendszerváltás és az azt követő társadalmi feszültségek megjelenése szempontjából is sokoldalúan használható fogalmi keretről van szó. A válság indukálta turbulens környezet még inkább rávilágít arra, hogy ma is időszerű perspektívát kínál a hanyatlás politikai gazdaságtana, azaz hasznos elemzési kapaszkodó nyújt az úgynevezett Hirschman-trilemma a társadalmi és gazdasági folyamatok értelmezéséhez. ________ The article concerns the "exit, voice, and loyalty" concept, which straddles the border of political science and economics. This theoretical framework, invented by Albert O. Hirschman, has exercised a fruitful influence in the social sciences in the last few decades, through its fresh features and original approach. However, it holds a peripheral position in economics and plays an undervalued role in eco-nomic education in Hungary, even though it can be flexibly applied in analyses of such phenomena as the economic transition and the ensuing social tensions. Moreover the very turbulence of the conditions brought about by the crisis show that the political economy of decline offers a relevant perspective, so that the Hirschman trilemma is a practical analytical tool for understanding social and economic processes.

Hirschman meets Williamson: Relationship-specific investment and loyalty

In Albert Hirschman’s theory, loyalty plays a key role in the equilibrium between exit and voice. This article extends economic (rational choice) analysis to the emergence of loyalty, which Hirschman considers an exogenous factor. This is accomplished by linking Williamson’s theory of specific investment to Hirschman’s model. Three cases are distinguished: (1) loyalty is due to specific investment; (2) loyalty is due to (intermediate) factors influenced by specific investment; and, (3) loyalty is independent of specific investment. A simple model formalizes the first case. A paradoxical dynamic of loyalty is identified: a lower degree of specificity may lead to a weakening of loyalty in the short run but astrengthening of loyalty in the long run. An application to the process of European integration is sketched.

Az ügyfélszerzési mód hatásának vizsgálata a vevőelégedettségre és a lojalitásra a szervezeti piacon (Analyzing the impact of the customer acquisition mode to the customer satisfaction and loyalty on the corporate market – assessing the effect of recommendation with applying structural equation modelling)

A kutatás célja a marketingeszközök hosszú távú hatásának pontosabb megértése szervezetközi viszonylatban a vevőértékelési modellek egyik nehezen számszerűsíthető tényezője, az ajánlás hatásának vizsgálata által. A hatások elemzésére a strukturális egyenlőségek módszerét (Structural Equation Modelling) alkalmazta a szerző. Rámutatott, hogy az ajánlással szerzett ügyfelek elégedettebbek, lojálisabbak és gyakrabban ajánlják a vállalatot a más módon szerzett ügyfeleknél. Az összefüggések feltárása és bizonyítása különösen az ajánlás kumulatív hatása miatt jelentős. Az eredmények gyakorlati alkalmazásával lehetőség nyílik az ügyfélkör differenciáltabb, értékalapú szegmentációjára, amely pontosabb célcsoport-meghatározást lesz lehetővé, és hosszú távon hozzájárul a vállalat optimális ügyfélportfóliójának kialakításához. ______ The research is aimed at more precise understanding of longterm effects of marketing tools in business to business relations by analysing the impacts of recommendation potential, one of the hardly measurable factors of customer value concept. Structural Equation Modelling is applied for conducting effect analysis. The results show that customers acquired with recommendation are more satisfied, more loyal, and make more recommendation that other customer. These results are more interesting if we take the cumulative effect of recommendation in account. They provide bases for a more differentiated segmentation of customers, which results in a more accurate identification of target groups. In the long-run, the application of the customer-value concept considerably contributes to creating an optimal customer portfolio for companies.

A „kivonulás, tiltakozás, hűség” koncepció és a „kapitalizmus változatai” elmélet közti kapcsolat (The connection between the ‘Exit, Voice, and Loyalty’ conception and the ‘Varieties of Capitalism’ theory)

Tanulmányunkban az Albert 0. Hirschman által kialakított „kivonulás, tiltakozás, hűség” koncepció metaelméleti felhasználásával a „kapitalizmus változatai” elméletet vesszük bírálat alá. Egyrészt arra mutatunk rá, hogy már a különböző piacgazdasági modellek tipologizálásához használt vállalatelméleti dimenziójú elemzések is építkeznek a Hirschman-trilemmából, másrészt arra hívjuk fel a figyelmet, hogy olyan sajátos eszközről van szó, amely a tőke- és munkaerő-piaci folyamatok elemzésére támaszkodva új perspektívát is kínál a kapitalista gazdaságok komparatív vizsgálatához. A dolgozat terjedelmi okokból az empirikus kutatásokat megalapozó elméleti alapozásra szorítkozik. ____ In our study we deal with the critical analysis of the “varieties of capitalism” theory by using the “exit, voice, and loyalty” meta-theory invented by Albert O. Hirschman. The paper emphasizes that on the one hand the analyses of the theory of the firm and business used for the classification of distinct market models are also building upon the “Hirschman trilemma”, and on the other hand, it draws attention to the fact that the Hirschmanian method based on labor market and capital market offers a new perspective for the comparative analysis of capitalist economies. The focus of the article is only the theoretical foundation of empirical studies as a result of limitation of scope.

A lojalitásprogramok menedzselése (Managing of loyalty programs)

A lojalitásprogramok egyre népszerűbbek hazánkban is, ahogy a növekedési lehetőségek bezárultak, és a menedzserek figyelme a vevők és a piaci pozíciók megtartása felé fordult. A közelmúltban azonban számos nemzetközi példa mutatja, hogy egy ilyen program lehet sikertelen is, amely veszteséget termel, így vagy kivezetésre kényszerül, vagy a vállalat kénytelen átszabni. Tudatos tervezés és reális üzleti modell nélkül tehát nem feltétlenül térül meg az akár milliárdos nagyságrendű befektetés. Jelen cikk során a szerző kísérletet tett arra, hogy összegyűjtse azokat a döntési pontokat, amelyek hatással lehetnek a programok sikerére, és bemutassa a lehetséges választási alternatívák előnyeit, hátrányait. Konklúzióként három olyan elvet emelt ki, amelyek meghatározóak lehetnek. Eszerint a programoknak a vállalati stratégiába és folyamatokba történő integrációja, a megfelelő megtérülési indikátorok felállítása és azok szisztematikus nyomon követése, valamint a program megkülönböztető, többnyire emocionális és élményszerű jellege, amely kiemelkedő szerepet játszhat az eredményesség szempontjából. _____ As the opportunity of market growth seemed to be limited and managers started to pay more attention to customer retention and market defence, loyalty programs became more and more popular marketing tool in Hungary. Many international cases proved, however, that the implementation of this activity can also lead to failure realizing considerable losses and by necessity companies can end up or reposition the program. Without a deliberate design and realistic business model it is not easy to guarantee the return of investment that can be even billion in size. In the current article the author attempts to collect all the relevant issues that can have effect on the success of loyalty programs and determine the consequences of potential options. As a conclusion, the author emphasized three critical principles. The integration of loyalty programs into the company’s strategy and processes, the appropriate measure of returns with systematic tracking and the unique, mostly emotional and entertaining characteristics of the program can be crucial.

Antecedents of loyalty for food products – Investigating the effects of subjective constructs

Our research aimed to reveal the effects that can be observed during the buying process of food products and can influence the decisions of customers. We focused on the role of enduring involvement in customers’ behavioural loyalty, that is, the repurchase of food brands. To understand this relationship in a more sophisticated way, we involved two mediating constructs in our conceptual model: perceived risk and perceived knowledge of food products. The data collection was carried out among undergraduate students in frame of an online survey, and we used SPSS/AMOS software to test the model. The results only partly supported our hypothesis, although the involvement effects on loyalty and the two mediating constructs were strong enough, loyalty couldn’t be explained well by perceived risk and knowledge. The roles of further mediating/moderating variables should be determined and investigated in the next section of the research series. Keywords: involvement brand loyalty, subjective knowledge, perceived risk, food products

Determinants and effects of electoral party coalitions: The case of Brazil

Since the 1985 return to democracy, Brazilian politicians have resorted to vote-pooling arrangements to elect representatives. A puzzle thus presents itself: What drives parties to join these electoral cartels? The dissertation unraveled the incentives party elites have to participate in coalitions under a presidencialist system of government. I also investigated the effect of electoral coalitions on congressional representation. I applied a model of binary outcomes and relied on standard deviations to assess the ideological homogeneity/heterogeneity of electoral coalitions. I also calculated the Index of Disproportionality to measure the gaps between the proportion of votes and seats received by all parties in Brazil with and without electoral coalitions. Finally, I assessed the effects of the electoral formula on proportionality. An unexpected exogenous factor resulted crucial in explaining proportional electoral coalition building: The district's majoritarian election for governor. In each district, political actors often synchronize coalition partners to maximize winning results while minimizing electoral efforts.

Voting with their feet: Migration, partisanship, and party-safe elections in Florida

Political scientists have long noted that Congressional elections are often uncompetitive, often extremely so. Many scholars argue that the cause lies in the partisan redistricting of Congressional districts, or “gerrymandering”. Other scholars emphasize polarization created by a fragmented news media, or the candidate choices made by a more ideological primary electorate. All these explanations identify the cause of party-safe elections in institutions of various kinds. This dissertation, by contrast, presents a structural explanation of uncompetitive elections. My theory is that population composition and patterns of migration are significant causes and predictors of election results in Florida. I test this theory empirically by comparing the predictions from four hypotheses against aggregate data, using the county as the unit of analysis. The first hypothesis is that Florida can be divided into clearly distinguishable, persistent partisan sections. This hypothesis is confirmed. The second hypothesis is that Florida voters have become increasingly partisan over time. This hypothesis is confirmed. The third hypothesis is that the degree of migration into a county predicts how that county will vote. This hypothesis is partially confirmed, for the migration effect appears to have waned over time. The last hypothesis is that the degree of religiosity of a county population is a predictor of how that county will vote. This hypothesis is also supported by the results of statistical analysis. By identifying the structural causes of party-safe elections, this dissertation not only broadens our understanding of elections in Florida, but also sheds light on the current polarization in American politics.

Understanding Golf Country Club Members’ Loyalty: Factors Affecting Membership Renewal Decisions

Many private country clubs across the United States have experienced a declining or flat membership and smaller waitlists of members wanting to join. The objective of this study was to investigate whether member involvement, service quality, and perceived value, influence member satisfaction and intention to renew membership for members of private country clubs. An online survey instrument customized for the country club industry was distributed to members of two country clubs in northeast Ohio. Results indicate that involvement level of members and perceived value impact country club members’ satisfaction and intention to renew their membership. Managerial implications are discussed.