Explaining retail offer adaptation through psychic distance

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine empirically the relationship between psychic distance and adaptation of the retail offer across a range of countries.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a mail survey of randomly selected non-food retailers that operated stores in at least three foreign countries.

Findings – Findings of this study suggest that a substantial proportion of retail offer adaptation is explained by psychic distance. In particular, differences in market structure, business practices and language between the home and foreign market significantly increase the extent to which retailers adapt their offer.

Research limitations/implications – The research findings may be limited in terms of their generalisability across retail sectors, as the study focused on non-food retailers only.

Practical implications – These results have implications for researchers and managers in suggesting that we need to go beyond consumer behaviour differences to explain fully the degree to which international firms standardise or adapt their strategies in foreign markets.

Originality/value – Much of the existing research into standardisation and adaptation is limited in terms of geographic scope and a focus on the marketing strategies of manufacturing and export firms. Thus, this paper addresses a substantial gap in existing research by empirically examining the relationship between psychic distance and adaptation in a retail context and across a range of countries.

Lessons from arts experiences for service-dominant logic

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider whether art experiences can inform service-dominant logic (SDL) discourse through an exploration of the co-production and co-creation processes of art experiences.

Design/methodology/approach – Empirical knowledge gained about art experiences is analysed to identify emergent themes about co-production and co-creation. Four modes of qualitative data collection are employed: research participant diaries, photo elicitation, in depth interviews and focus groups.

Findings – Key findings are there are three stakeholders involved in the co-creation of art experiences, which all have critical and different roles; co-creation and co-production are both temporally based and evolving and there are points where they interact and intersect; and high levels of engagement in co-production enhance individuals' contribution to the co-creation of positive value and make their participation in future co-production opportunities more likely.

Research limitations/implications – The paper is exploratory and not a general population study. The methodology and sample of participants employed do not allow for the generalisation of the findings to the broader population.

Practical implications – Organisations may benefit from devising strategies to encourage greater dialogue and connection between all stakeholders involved in co-production and co-creation. The higher the level of individuals' co-production of art experiences the greater likelihood of positive value being co-created. Furthermore, the greater the possibility of individuals engaging in other co-production experiences in the future. While individuals are attracted to co-production possibilities, there are factors that are external to an experience that can act as either barriers to or facilitators of co-production, and that consequently impact on co-creation.

Originality/value – There is little extant research that explores the applicability of art experiences to SDL. This paper is significant in that it employs empirical research methods to develop knowledge on the topic. Furthermore, this paper is innovative in that it seeks to see whether the art experiences can inform generic marketing models, rather than whether generic marketing models can inform arts marketing.

Social change models in social marketing

'This is essential reading for social marketing practitioners, researchers and students. the book describes a comprehensive range of behavior change theories of relevance to social marketing and is complemented with illustrative case ...

A model of web use in direct and online marketing strategy

There has been less than a decade of rapid diffusion of the Internet and related technologies into the commercial world, with resultant changes in business processes, business structure and financial valuations of adopting businesses. Advocates and critics of new online business models are still addressing the relationship between online or electronic marketing using the Internet (Net) and marketing and financial outcomes. There remains a need for empirical research into specific aspects of online marketing strategy beyond click-through analysis, Web audience analysis and scrutiny of website properties to mention the most widely examined elements. This paper discusses conceptualizations underpinning development of a model of Web use in marketing strategy. The aim of the paper is to aid both business practitioner and academician alike in connecting direct and online marketing using the Web with performance outcomes

A conceptual model for sport services marketing research : integrating quality, value and satisfaction

This paper advances our understanding of the relationship between quality, value and satisfaction in the context of spectator sport services. This is achieved through an analysis and examination of relevant secondary data culminating in a conceptual model Although extensive research has been conducted in the three separate areas of quality, value and satisfaction, to date no work has been reported attempting to develop macro models that capture the concepts and their potential interrelationships. Such macro models could enhance the communication and stimulate further research for sport marketing scholars. This paper proposes a model apposite for further research and in the process leads to the potential confirmation, rejection or, indeed, adaptation of the conceplualization of sport services.

The relevance of role models to older aged generation Y consumers

This study assesses the relevance of role models, specifically sports role models, and the related concepts of anti-heroes and gender to Generation Y consumers in the older age group of 18-29 year olds. A qualitative study, following a post-positivist inquiry paradigm was conducted. The specific research strategy used was grounded theory, utilising deductive thought processes coupled with the process of constant comparison. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out. Results suggest that direct relevance to the subject under investigation is a key determinant of role model choice. Gender is also found to have significant effect, as is media, both in the creation of role models and anti-heroes.

Experimentation and self learning in continuous database marketing

We present a method for continuous database marketing that identifies target customers for a number of marketing offers using predictive models. The algorithm then selects the appropriate offer for the customer. Experimental design principles are encapsulated to capture more information that will be used to monitor and refine the predictive models. The updated predictive models are then used for the next round of marketing offers.

A systemic approach to the database marketing process

The role of database marketing (DBM) has become increasingly important for organisations that have large databases of information on customers with whom they deal directly. At the same time, DBM models used in practice have increased in sophistication. This paper examines a systemic view of DBM and the role of analytical techniques within DBM. It extends existing process models to develop a systemic model that encompasses the increased complexity of DBM in practice. The systemic model provides a framework to integrate data mining, experimental design and prioritisation decisions. This paper goes on to identify opportunities for research in DBM, including DBM process models used in practice, the use of evolutionary operations techniques in DBM, prioritisation decisions, and the factors that surround the uptake of DBM.

The effects of the social structure of digital networks on viral marketing performance

Viral marketing is a form of peer-to-peer communication in which individuals are encouraged to pass on promotional messages within their social networks. Conventional wisdom holds that the viral marketing process is both random and unmanageable. In this paper, we deconstruct the process and investigate the formation of the activated digital network as distinct from the underlying social network. We then consider the impact of the social structure of digital networks (random, scale free, and small world) and of the transmission behavior of individuals on campaign performance. Specifically, we identify alternative social network models to understand the mediating effects of the social structures of these models on viral marketing campaigns. Next, we analyse an actual viral marketing campaign and use the empirical data to develop and validate a computer simulation model for viral marketing. Finally, we conduct a number of simulation experiments to predict the spread of a viral message within different types of social network structures under different assumptions and scenarios. Our findings confirm that the social structure of digital networks play a critical role in the spread of a viral message. Managers seeking to optimize campaign performance should give consideration to these findings before designing and implementing viral marketing campaigns. We also demonstrate how a simulation model is used to quantify the impact of campaign management inputs and how these learnings can support managerial decision making.

Paradigmatic approach to managing complexity in knowledge-driven marketing

This research develops a measure of Customer Lifetime Value, extending existing measures, that provides organisations having large customer databases the means to place a financial value on customers. Using this measure, new models are developed that provide a framework to use knowledge to drive marketing decisions.

Utilizing and adapting leisure constraints models to enhance 'short-break' vacations : case study of Melbourne, Australia

Short-break tourism is likely to continue as a popular vacation for time-, income- and special interest conscious tourists. With the competition for visitors, destinations need to consider the constraints and facilitators associated with tourist decision-making for short-break vacations. This study presents the application of a leisure model toward better explaining such vacation choices. This study found key constraints, such as time and awareness, inhibited visitors from visiting attractions. The importance and influence of word-of-mouth recommendations plays a key role in gaining the attention of future visitors.

Reigniting the fire : a contemporary research agenda for social, political and nonprofit marketing

The paper reports on the core challenges faced by the nonprofit, political and social marketing disciplinary areas and suggests a series of research agendas to develop theory and practice to meet these challenges.

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Social marketing's research agenda involves the continued adaptation of the new developments in commercial marketing, whilst building a base of social marketing theory and best practice benchmarks that can be used to identify, clarify and classify the boundaries of social marketing against social change techniques.
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Nonprofit marketing is pursuing the dual research agenda of developing the theory and practice of social entrepreneurship whilst seeking deeper consumer-based research to understand motivations for charitable behaviour and gift giving.
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Political Marketing's research agenda looks for an increase in the level of background research, core data and market research to use as a basis for developing more advanced theoretical and practical models. In addition, as political marketing is being transferred internationally between a range of political and electoral systems, there is a need for comparative research into both the relevance and effectiveness of these techniques to isolate nation independent and nation dependent political marketing strategies and campaigns.

A cultural models approach to osteoporosis prevention and treatment

This article identifies cultural models of osteoporosis, as shared by community-dwelling older women in southeastern Australia, and compares these with cultural knowledge conveyed through social marketing. Cultural models are mental constructs about specific domains in everyday life, such as health and illness, which are shared within a community. We applied domain analyses to data obtained from in-depth interviews and stakeholder-identified print materials. The response domains identified from our case studies made up the shared cultural model “Osteoporosis has low salience,” particularly when ranked against other threats to health. The cultural knowledge reflected in the print materials supported a cultural model of low salience. Cultural cues embedded in social marketing messages on osteoporosis may be internalized and motivating in unintended ways. Identifying and understanding cultural models of osteoporosis within a community may provide valuable insights to inform the development of targeted health messages.

Senior marketers’ insights into the challenges of social media implementation in large organisations: assessing generic and electronic orientation models as potential solutions

The unique characteristics of social media (SM) have made it difficult to implement this tool within many large organisations. This paper seeks to identify the implementation challenges and evaluate alternative organisational orientations that may provide solutions. We aimed to reconcile theory with current practice by integrating the extant literature with data from three focus groups involving 27 senior marketing executives. The managerial discussions identified additional challenges to those previously discussed in the literature, which appear to result from SM’s unique characteristics. These include: interactivity, the integration of communication into distribution channels, collaborative media and information collection. Using both broad orientation models (market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation) and a specific digital orientation (e-marketing orientation), guidelines and research propositions for effective implementation are put forward.