Marketing resources of actively involved exporters

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of the market orientation and market based resources of actively involved exporters and their distributors on export venture performance. Previous literature in marketing channels has examined the effect of the market orientation of suppliers and their distributors on supplier-distributor relationships, mainly in a domestic context, as well as the impact of the quality of their relationship on business performance in domestic and international contexts. Little or no research focuses on the interplay between the relevant marketing resources, such as market orientation, proactive market orientation, selling, pricing reputation, and market innovation, of an export venture and their distributor, and consequently on export venture performance. This dissertation is mainly a quantitative study using a mail survey among Greek exporting firms in various industries. The final sample comprised 190 exporting ventures. The survey was enhanced through open interviews with export venture managers and their respective distributors and was pre-tested with a small-scale dyadic survey. Survey data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The main research objective was to assess the impact of marketing support resources, namely market orientation and proactive market orientation, and market-based resources of an export venture and its distributor on export performance. In addition, the relationship of marketing support resources of the export venture and those of the distributor was examined. Some of the relationships examined are a migration of traditional domestic theory (Hooley et al. 2005), to an exporting context, testing whether there are differences in the relationships in a different context. This study contributes to the resource-based view, marketing, and export business literature, as findings indicate that high levels of export venture proactive market orientation lead to distributors with high levels of market orientation. In line with findings of domestic context research, the proactive market orientation of the venture renders its market orientation statistically not significant.

"Marketing and flexibility":debates past present and future

Special issue editorial: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the articles presented in the Special Issue on the topic of “Marketing and flexibility”, and to discuss key issues associated with major debates relating to flexibility in order to position the articles within a wider context and highlight some key issues for further research. Design/methodology/approach – Themes in prior research relating to “Marketing and flexibility” are documented and the growth of research interest into strategic flexibility is tabulated. The contributions of each article are briefly discussed. Findings – There has been a steady growth of research interest into flexibility. To provide an example of this growth, the increase in the number of articles published on the topic of strategic flexibility in scholarly journals is highlighted over a 20-year period. Key issues in prior research such as alternative definitions and the different postulated relationships between market orientation and strategic flexibility are revealed, as are issues for future research. Originality/value – Key issues relating to research into flexibility for marketing scholars are revealed.

Strategic marketing and business performance:a study in three European 'engineering countries'

In spite of its relevance, the effects of strategic marketing on business performance are sparingly studied, especially in particular business contexts. We address this gap in two ways. First, we examine the influence of four key strategic marketing concepts—market orientation, innovation orientation, and two marketing capability categories (outside-in and inside-out capabilities)—on company performance. Second, these relationships are studied in three European “engineering countries:” Austria, Finland and Germany. Their relative homogeneity enables testing the generality versus context-specificity of strategic marketing's performance impact. Using SEM analysis, surprisingly weak relationships between market orientation and outside-in capabilities, and business performance are identified, as opposed to the strong role of inside-out capabilities and innovation orientation. These results can be understood through the “engineering country” characteristics. Moreover, clear differences in results are identified among these relatively homogenous countries. This is a major finding as it challenges the widely assumed generality of the strategic marketing–performance relationship. Country-specific results have also considerable managerial relevance.

E-government strategy in Turkey:a case for m-government

Market orientation strategies are now expected to be integrated and enacted by firms and governments alike. While private services will surely continue to take the lead in mobile strategy orientation, others such as government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are also becoming prominent Mobile Players (m-Players). Enhanced data services through smart phones are raising expectations that governments will finally deliver services that are in line with a consumer ICT lifestyle. To date, it is not certain which form of technological standards will take the lead, e.g. enhanced m-services or traditional Internet-based applications. Yet, with the introduction of interactive applications and fully transactional services via 3G smart phones, the currently untapped segment of the population (without computers) have the potential to gain access to government services at a low cost.

A cross-national investigation into the marketing department's influence within the firm:toward initial empirical generalizations

An ongoing strong debate within the marketing discipline concerns the role of marketing within the firm. It has been frequently reported that the marketing function is in a deep decline. Marketing executives and academics alike are interested in the antecedents of this decline and potential performance consequences of this decline. Recent academic research have started investigations on this important topic. Using studies in single countries innovativeness and accountability of the marketing department has been reported as major antecedents of the influence of the marketing department within the organization. Academic research, however, does not provide convincing evidence for a direct link between this influence and business performance. Instead it shows that market orientation is a crucial intervening variable, as marketing department influence is positively related market orientation, which subsequently positively related to business performance. As noted prior research, however, studies firms in single countries. In this article we execute a cross-national study on the antecedents and performance consequences of marketing department influence in order to derive initial empirical generalizations. This study is executed in seven Western-oriented countries, including USA, UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Israel and Australia. The study heavily builds on the framework developed in the 2009 Journal of Marketing article of Verhoef and Leeflang. This framework is tested per country and subsequently meta-analytic tests are used to derive initial empirical generalizations. An important empirical generalization is that innovativeness, the customer-connecting capabilities, and accountability of the marketing department are positively related to marketing department influence. Interestingly, a second initial generalization is that creativity of the marketing negative induces less influence. Our results also show a third empirical generalization in that firms having a CEO with a marketing background tend to have more influential marketing departments. Confirming prior research a fourth initial empirical generalization is that MD influence measures and market orientation are positively related. Market orientation is subsequently positively related to business performance. Our most important generalization is, however, that MD influence is positively related to business performance. Hence, beyond striving to become market oriented, firms should also aim to have strong marketing departments. These departments can create a stronger focus on the customer and can also coordinate marketing efforts. In order to become more influential marketing departments should: (1) acquire innovative capabilities, (2) be more connected to customers, (3) invest in accountability, and (4) be careful with be careful being too creative.

Understanding marketing department's influence within the firm

Increasing debate centers on the decreasing influence of the marketing department within firms. This study investigates such influence and assesses its determinants and consequences. The results show that the accountability and innovativeness of the marketing department represent the two major drivers of its influence. However, the results do not indicate that the customer-connecting role of the marketing department increases its influence, though this role is important for shaping the firm's market orientation. A marketing department's influence is related positively to market orientation, which in turn is related positively to firm performance. This study also suggests a dual relationship between the marketing department's influence and market orientation. A key implication of this study is that marketers should become more accountable and innovative to gain more influence.

Getting marketing back in the boardroom:understanding the drivers of marketing's influence within the firm

As many strategically important aspects of marketing are addressed by other functions in the organization, the decreased influence of the marketing department within companies is a topic of growing debate. In this study, the authors investigate this diminished influence and assess its determinants and consequences. They interviewed 25 marketing and finance executives from leading Dutch firms. They also conducted a large-scale Internet-based survey of several hundred marketing, finance, and general managers. Their results show that accountability and the innovativeness of the marketing department are the major drivers of the marketing department’s influence. They also demonstrate that a firm’s short-term orientation is negatively related to the influence of the marketing department. Marketing influence is positively related to market orientation, which is positively related to firm performance. Their results do not support prior findings of a direct positive link between marketing influence and firm performance, which might suggest that there is no need for a strong marketing department. The study suggests that an influential marketing department is relevant primarily when the firm is not market oriented. When firms are market oriented, a less influential marketing department does not lower their performance. Hence, it appears that they can choose to have an influential or noninfluential marketing department without any repercussions for their performance. Marketing activities could move to other functions. The authors suggest that marketing departments should aim to retain their influence. Dispersing marketing decision making among many functions can cause a lack of coordination; customers also lose their advocate within the firm. How can marketing departments regain their influence? The authors suggest two general solutions. First, marketing departments should become more accountable by linking marketing actions and policies with financial results. Marketers should become capable in analytics and finance. Second, they should become more innovative by increasing their share in new product or service concepts. They can do so by using their knowledge of the market and customers to contribute to new product or service development.

The economics of copyright

The copyright industries — such as music, film, software and publishing — occupy a significant and growing share of economic activity. Current copyright law protects the creator for up to 70 years after their death, significantly longer than patent protection (20 years after invention). Copyright law aims to balance the incentive to create new work against the costs associated with high prices and restricted access to this work. This paper reviews the economic issues behind copyright and how these are challenged by changes in technology and market structure. While economics provides a powerful conceptual framework for understanding the trade-offs involved, the paper argues that our empirical knowledge base is very weak. Much more empirical analysis is needed to understand the impacts of changes to copyright legislation. Without such analysis, policy and legal debates will continue to be based largely on anecdote and rhetoric.

Learning and change in interorganizational networks:the case for network learning and network change

The ALBA 2002 Call for Papers asks the question ‘How do organizational learning and knowledge management contribute to organizational innovation and change?’. Intuitively, we would argue, the answer should be relatively straightforward as links between learning and change, and knowledge management and innovation, have long been commonly assumed to exist. On the basis of this assumption, theories of learning tend to focus ‘within organizations’, and assume a transfer of learning from individual to organization which in turn leads to change. However, empirically, we find these links are more difficult to articulate. Organizations exist in complex embedded economic, political, social and institutional systems, hence organizational change (or innovation) may be influenced by learning in this wider context. Based on our research in this wider interorganizational setting, we first make the case for the notion of network learning that we then explore to develop our appreciation of change in interorganizational networks, and how it may be facilitated. The paper begins with a brief review of lite rature on learning in the organizational and interorganizational context which locates our stance on organizational learning versus the learning organization, and social, distributed versus technical, centred views of organizational learning and knowledge. Developing from the view that organizational learning is “a normal, if problematic, process in every organization” (Easterby-Smith, 1997: 1109), we introduce the notion of network learning: learning by a group of organizations as a group. We argue this is also a normal, if problematic, process in organizational relationships (as distinct from interorganizational learning), which has particular implications for network change. Part two of the paper develops our analysis, drawing on empirical data from two studies of learning. The first study addresses the issue of learning to collaborate between industrial customers and suppliers, leading to the case for network learning. The second, larger scale study goes on to develop this theme, examining learning around several major change issues in a healthcare service provider network. The learning processes and outcomes around the introduction of a particularly controversial and expensive technology are described, providing a rich and contrasting case with the first study. In part three, we then discuss the implications of this work for change, and for facilitating change. Conclusions from the first study identify potential interventions designed to facilitate individual and organizational learning within the customer organization to develop individual and organizational ‘capacity to collaborate’. Translated to the network example, we observe that network change entails learning at all levels – network, organization, group and individual. However, presenting findings in terms of interventions is less meaningful in an interorganizational network setting given: the differences in authority structures; the less formalised nature of the network setting; and the importance of evaluating performance at the network rather than organizational level. Academics challenge both the idea of managing change and of managing networks. Nevertheless practitioners are faced with the issue of understanding and in fluencing change in the network setting. Thus we conclude that a network learning perspective is an important development in our understanding of organizational learning, capability and change, locating this in the wider context in which organizations are embedded. This in turn helps to develop our appreciation of facilitating change in interorganizational networks, both in terms of change issues (such as introducing a new technology), and change orientation and capability.

Marketing performance assessment systems and the business context

Purpose ‐ This study provides empirical evidence for the contextuality of marketing performance assessment (MPA) systems. It aims to introduce a taxonomical classification of MPA profiles based on the relative emphasis placed on different dimensions of marketing performance in different companies and business contexts. Design/methodology/approach ‐ The data used in this study (n=1,157) were collected using a web-based questionnaire, targeted to top managers in Finnish companies. Two multivariate data analysis techniques were used to address the research questions. First, dimensions of marketing performance underlying the current MPA systems were identified through factor analysis. Second, a taxonomy of different profiles of marketing performance measurement was created by clustering respondents based on the relative emphasis placed on the dimensions and characterizing them vis-á-vis contextual factors. Findings ‐ The study identifies nine broad dimensions of marketing performance that underlie the MPA systems in use and five MPA profiles typical of companies of varying sizes in varying industries, market life cycle stages, and competitive positions associated with varying levels of market orientation and business performance. The findings support the previously conceptual notion of contextuality in MPA and provide empirical evidence for the factors that affect MPA systems in practice. Originality/value ‐ The paper presents the first field study of current MPA systems focusing on combinations of metrics in use. The findings of the study provide empirical support for the contextuality of MPA and form a classification of existing contextual systems suitable for benchmarking purposes. Limited evidence for performance differences between MPA profiles is also provided.

Monetáris hatásosság közösségi szinten (The community level efficiency of monetary policy)

A monetáris integráció központi szereplője a Közösség jegybankja. A közös valuta értékállóságának közvetlenül fő meghatározója a jegybank. Mozgásterét azonban több tényező alakítja. E tanulmány az intézményi és stratégiai, a tagállami (decentralizált fiskális) és a pénzpiaci környezet függvényében vizsgálja az Európai Központi Bank (ECB) lehetőségeit és monetáris politikájának hatásosságát. / === / The efficiency of the European Economic and Monetary Union is a big dilemma of European applied economics. The first part introduces the monetary policy made by ECB. Rates and objectives are the framework of efficiency analysis. The second part details the common pool resource problem in the community of EMU countries, and describes the prisoner's dilemma of indebting in a currency community. The EMU practice shows free riding behavior of many member states what generally causes higher default risks. The increasing indebtedness shows dysfunction too, as the ECB must adjust the interest rate to the higher default risk which means cost premiums for fiscally disciplined countries as well. The third part analyses the efficiency of the ECB through the standards of monetary transmission. The updated criteria can explain any success or failure of the ECB in a not perfectly homogeneous community. The measures of transmission used in the study are the way of financing (banks vs. market), terms of financing, structure of the banking sector, private sector indebtedness, structure of savings and wealth, price elasticity, interest rate elasticity, wage elasticity. They show that the single monetary policy can create tension in the community not only because of the fiscal differences but also due to money market discrepancies.

E-commerce evolution in Hungary: an investigation of critical succes factor

In this paper we highlight how the use of internet has changed from 2004 to 2009 among Hungarian companies, how their expectations about the role of e-commerce as a competitive advantage has evolved and whether perceived benefits of e-commerce show a shift from 2004 to 2009.We investigate the role of environmental factors and market orientation as two relevant types of critical success factors proposed by the management literature and measure their impacts on Internet usage, expectations about e-commerce and perceived benefits of ecommerce. Our findings suggest that market orientation has a positive effect on Internet usage and perceived benefits of e-commerce. Internet usage and expectations are dependent on the vulnerability of the company to its macroeconomic environment. The positive outcomes of joining the EU seem to influence whether a company is able to exploit e-commerce benefits.

Marketing és vállalatközi kapcsolatok - Kutatócsoport zárótanulmány

Tanulmányunkban a Marketing és Vállalatközi kapcsolatok kutatócsoport 2011-ben készült műhelytanulmányainak legfontosabb eredményeit mutatjuk be. Kutatásaink központi témája a vállalati versenyképesség, illetve annak vizsgálata, hogy a vállalatok tevékenységének egyes területei hogyan járulnak hozzá a vállalatok versenyképességének növeléséhez. Elemzéseink a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem Vállalatgazdaságtan Intézete Versenyképesség Kutató Központja által vezetett „Versenyben a világgal” kutatási program nagyszabású kérdőíves felmérésén alapulnak, amely során 300 vállalat vezetőit kérdeztek meg 2009-ben. Eredményeink közül kiemeljük, hogy a piacorientáció szintje a vizsgált vállalati körben az átlagosnál valamivel jobb, azonban a marketingkoncepció jobb megvalósítása érdekében a vállalatoknak a versenytárs-orientációjukat kellene elsősorban erősíteniük. Fontos következtetése a kutatásnak a vezető vállalatok gyakorlatának feltérképezése, e kategóriát egy összetett teljesítménymutató alapján alakítottunk ki. Eredményeink szerint a vezető vállalatok a piacorientáció mértékében, a márkázásban, a disztribúció kiterjedtségében, valamint változatosságában, a marketing erőforrásokban és képességekben és a vállalati hálózatban betöltött pozíció terén erősebbek az átlagosan teljesítőktől és/vagy a lemaradóktól. ----- Abstract: In this research paper we present the most important results of the research papers prepared by the research group „Marketing and Interfirm Relationship” in 2011. The central theme of our research papers is corporate competitiveness. We investigate the ways the different activities of firms contribute to the increase of their competiveness. Our analyses are based on a large scale survey carried out by the Competitiveness Research Center of Corvinus University Of Budapest, in which 300 company executives were surveyed in 2009. Among our results we highlight that market orientation of Hungarian firms is little above the average in our sample, however a better implementation of the marketing concept would require a stronger emphasis on competitor orientation. An important conclusion of our research is the description of the practice of leading companies, a category created in terms of a complex performance measurement. Our results suggest that leading companies show a higher level of market orientation, a more sophisticated branding practice, a more extended distribution system with a higher degree of variablity, stronger marketing resources and capabilities and a stronger position in the firm’s network than companies with average performance and/or laggards.

EU-s források a vállalkozások tőkeellátottságának javítására - A JEREMIE Kockázati Tőkeprogram (EU funds to improve the capitalization of the companies – JEREMIE Venture Capital Program)

A hazai kis- és középvállalkozások (kkv-k) tőkeellátottságának javítása meghatározó szerepet játszik fejlődésük előmozdításában. Jelen tanulmány az Új Széchenyi Terv (ÚSZT) keretében a vállalkozások rendelkezésére álló pénzügyi eszközök közül a kockázati tőke működését mutatja be. A fejlődésük növekedési ciklusában járó cégek mellett a korai életszakaszukban járó, innovatív tevékenységet folytató, gyors növekedésre képes, de forráshiányos vállalkozások finanszírozásában nyújthat segítséget Magyarországon a 2010-ben elindult JEREMIE Kockázati Tőkeprogram. Az állami és a privát tulajdonban levő piaci szereplők hazánkban újnak mondható együttműködése révén megvalósuló program a magyar kockázatitőke-piac kínálati oldalának bővítését szolgálja, abban az alsó (döntően az 1-1,5 millió EUR/tranzakció alatti) szegmensben, ahol a tisztán piaci alapon működő befektetők korlátozottabb szerepvállalása figyelhető meg, és így a piacon hiány jelentkezik. Az EU-s támogatások ezen új típusú felhasználási formája színesíti és kibővíti a vállalkozások számára elérhető pénzügyi eszközök körét és volumenét, fokozottabb mértékben érvényesül a piaci szemlélet, hiszen verseny van a forrásokért, és verseny van a források kihelyezését végző pénzügyi közvetítő szervezetek között is, mindezek mellett további magánforrások bevonását biztosítja, ösztönzőleg hat a cégek működésére, és a visszaforgó rendszer biztosítja a fenntarthatóságot, a források későbbi újbóli felhasználását is. _______ To improve the capitalization of the domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has a decisive role in promoting development. This study presents the operation of venture capital from the available business financial instruments of the New Széchenyi Plan. In Hungary the JEREMIE Venture Capital Program, which launched in 2010, can help in financing of the rapidly growth, innovative, early life stage companies besides the development cycle of growth companies. This program with new cooperation between the stateowned and private companies enlarge the supply-side of the Hungarian venture capital market, at that the bottom (mostly in the 1 to 1.5 million EUR / transaction below) segment, where can be observed the limited role of the purely market-based investors, and thus there is a shortage in the market. These new type application form of the EU supports enriches and expands the scope and volume of the available financial instruments for the enterprises, the market orientation prevails more broadly, because there is a competition for resources and there is a competition between the resources allocation financial intermediaries,in addition ensures further private resources.

The conflict resolution behaviors of occupational therapy students as a function of the personality types, demographic characteristics and contextual factors

Interpersonal conflicts have the potential for detrimental consequences if not managed successfully. Understanding the factors that contribute to conflict resolution has implications for interpersonal relationships and the workplace. Researchers have suggested that personality plays an important and predictable role in conflict resolution behaviors (Chanin & Schneer, 1984; Kilmann & Thomas, 1975; Mills, Robey & Smith, 1985). However, other investigators have contended that contextual factors are important contributors in triggering the behavioral responses (Shoda & Mischel, 2000; Mischel & Shoda, 1995). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among personality types, demographic characteristics and contextual factors on the conflict resolution behaviors reported by graduate occupational therapy students (n = 125). ^ The study design was correlational. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Thomas-Kilmann (MODE) Instrument were used to establish the personality types and the context independent conflict resolution behaviors respectively. The effects of contextual factors of task vs. relationship and power were measured with the Conflict Case Scenarios Questionnaire (CCSQ). One-way ANOVA and linear regression procedures were used to test the relationships between personality types and demographic characteristics with the context independent conflict behaviors. Chi-Square procedures of the personality types by contextual conditions ascertained the effects of contexts in modifying the resolution modes. Descriptive statistics established a profile of the sample. ^ The results of the hypotheses tests revealed significant relationships between the personality types of feeling-thinking and sensing-intuition with the conflict resolution behaviors. The contextual attributes of task vs. relationship orientation and of peer vs. supervisor relationships were shown to modify the conflict behaviors. Furthermore, demographic characteristics of age, gender, GPA and educational background were shown to have an effect on the conflict resolution behaviors. The knowledge gained has implications for students' training, specifically understanding their styles and use of effective conflict resolution strategies. It also contributes to the knowledge on management approaches and interpersonal competencies and how this might facilitate the students' transition to the clinical role. ^