Examination of the influence of personal attributes on consumer use of m-services

The rapid uptake of mobile devices has created the capacity to provide services to consumers while they are on the move, and new mobile services (m-services) are constantly emerging. In past research, personal attributes have been found to be important in the adoption and use of information and communication technology. However, little research has been conducted in the area of m-services. To explore factors influencing the use of these services, this paper examines personal attributes in terms of motivational, attitudinal and demographic characteristics. Specifically, it investigates the influence of innovativeness, self- efficacy, involvement and impulsiveness, as well as age and gender on m-services use. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 250 respondents using an online survey and a modified snowball procedure. Age and gender were quite well balanced in the sample. The multiple regression model was significant and the hypotheses relating to the positive relationship between impulsiveness, involvement and gender and m-services were supported. Findings are discussed, further implications for managers are suggested and directions for future research are proposed.

Personal uses and perceived social and economic effects of advertising in Bulgaria and Romania

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to uncover the underlying dimensions of, and examine the similarities and differences in, personal uses of advertising, perceived socio-economic effects of advertising, and consumer beliefs and attitudes toward advertising in Bulgaria and Romania. Moreover, it aims to identify the relative importance of the predictors of attitudes toward advertising in the two countries. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws upon findings of previous research and theoretical developments by Bauer and Greyser, Sandage and Leckenby, and Pollay and Mittal. The study uses a stratified random sample of 947 face-to-face interviews with adult respondents from major urban areas in Bulgaria (507) and Romania (440). Variables are measured on multi-item scales as a typical application of the reflective indicator model. Findings - Results show that there are significant differences between Romanian and Bulgarian respondents in terms of their attitudes toward advertising. Romanians are more positive about advertising as an institution than the instruments of advertising. Romanians seem to accept the role of advertising in a free market economy, but have less confidence in advertising claims and techniques. Bulgarian respondents seem more sceptical toward advertising in general and are less enthusiastic about embracing the role of advertising as an institution. Moreover, Bulgarians are highly negative towards the instruments advertising uses to convey its messages to consumers. Research limitations/implications - The research findings reflect the views of urban dwellers and may not be generalisable to the wider population of the two countries. Interviewer bias was reduced by eliminating verbal or non-verbal cues to the respondents, and by the use of stratified random sampling. Practical implications - The paper suggests that the regulatory role of codes of advertising practice and industry regulating bodies should be enhanced, and their ability to protect consumers enforced. Marketing campaigns should be more inclusive to involve diverse social groups and reflect generally-accepted social norms. Originality/value - This study reveals that, while general attitudes toward advertising may be similar, attitudes toward the institution and instruments of advertising may differ even in countries with geographic proximity and low cultural distance. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Determining consumer satisfaction and commitment through self-service technology and personal service usage

This paper expands research into self-service technology in the service encounter. Self-service technology is where customers deliver service themselves using some form of a technological interface. There is still a great deal unknown about self-service technology, in particular its impact on consumer satisfaction and consumer commitment. With that in mind, this empirical study explores the relative impact of self-service technology on consumer satisfaction and on a multidimensional measure of consumer commitment containing affective commitment, temporal commitment and instrumental commitment. The results reveal that in a hotel context personal service still remains very important for assessments of satisfaction, and affective and temporal commitment. What is particularly interesting is that self-service technology, while impacting these constructs, also impacts instrumental commitment. This suggests that positive evaluations of self-service technology may tie consumers into relationships with hotels. A discussion and implications for managers are provided on these and other results, and the paper is concluded with further potential research.

Personal selling of high-technology products:the solutions-selling imperative

Traditional focus on the study of high-technology firms and products has practically ignored the importance and potential contributions of the sales force, especially in business-to-business marketing. This article suggests that traditional sales force strategies associated with high-technology products have been supply driven (i.e., driven by the strategies of the marketing firm). We suggest that in order to enhance the success of high-technology products and services, firms need to be more demand driven in their sales structures (i.e., driven by the strategies of the buying firm). We suggest that it is imperative that high-technology firms adopt “solution selling” to enhance high-technology adoption as well as enhance competitiveness. We describe this change in focus and draw out its various managerial and academic implications.

Reflections on assessing academic quality in marketing, and the UK REF

Purpose – The purpose of this editorial is to comment on the paper by Saunders and Wong in this issue. In doing so, the paper reflects on the notion of academic quality within marketing research, along with the systems in place to evaluate and reward it. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a reflective, discursive approach. Findings – The author finds that, while Saunders and Wong make a number of pertinent observations, and come up with interesting solutions, the notion of academic quality espoused in their paper is based on a logically flawed set of arguments. Research limitations/implications – The paper is primarily a personal view, and thus does not rely on any empirical research. Practical implications – There are key implications for many parties involved in the creation and assessment of marketing knowledge. In particular, scholars would be well advised to consider notions of quality in relation to their own work, rather than rely unquestioningly on existing definitions. Policy makers and research managers (e.g. business school deans) also need to consider what quality in academic research really is, and how to appropriately direct and reward it. Originality/value – The paper provides another perspective on the well-established debate regarding quality, and thus it is hoped will stimulate further thinking.

Boundary spanning elements and the marketing function in organizations:concepts and empirical studies

This book presents current research on boundary spanning elements. The editors bring together extant knowledge in the field and present a uniform narrative. Previous studies have often been disseminated across several academic disciplines like services marketing, personal selling and sales management etc. and this monograph aggregates studies dealing with boundary spanning elements or has boundary spanning elements related to the marketing function as the main empirical platform under a uniform theoretical perspective. Each chapter in the book deals with an important research theme and synthesizes studies in relation to boundary spanning elements.

Marketing practices and their effectiveness in Taiwan's colleges of technology

The main purpose of this study was to investigate marketing practices in Taiwan's institutions of higher education and their relationship with students' college choice behaviors and attitudes. The study was conducted in 11 Taiwan's colleges of technology. It employed a multistrand conversion mixed model design, consisting of a qualitative and a quantitative strand. Funnel-sequenced interviews were conducted with 19 college administrators and the results were content analyzed using a constant-comparative method. The administrator interview data were also quantitized and used in cluster analysis of the institutions. Questionnaire data were collected from 1474 freshmen students, and analyzed using several univariate and multivariate statistical techniques including factor analysis, MANOVA, and correspondence analysis. ^ Analyses indicated that a weak relationship existed between institutions' marketing intensity and students' college choice. Students did not consider institutions' recruitment activities useful in their college searching process. They also reported little knowledge of their current school when they were deciding to enroll. Data analysis also revealed that students were practically oriented in their college selection. Academic resources, employability after graduation, and tuition were the most important attributes in students' college selection. Parents and students' social network such as friends and high school teachers were significant personal sources in enrollment decisions while institutions' representatives (i.e., recruiters) were considered the least influential. ^ Using cluster analysis, institutions were divided into three groups based on intensity of marketing efforts. Multivariate analysis of variance did not reveal significant differences between the college choice behaviors and attitudes of students who entered these three types of institutions. ^ Content analysis of the administrators' interviews indicated that the majority of them practiced passive marketing. This was primarily as a result of resistance to active marketing, lack of leadership commitment, insufficient financial and human resources, little faculty involvement, and inexperience in marketing. In comparison to public institutions, private institutions showed a more favorable attitude towards marketing concepts. They were well advanced in their recruitment activities while public schools were relatively hesitant to use marketing. Curriculum issues were not well represented in marketing activities and did not seem to be impacted by marketing needs. Based on the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, it can be concluded that in these colleges, curriculum was more driven by commercial and industrial interest than by students' demands. ^ Theoretical, policy, and methodological implementation of the results were discussed. ^

Personal Care Amenities: Are They Important Attributes in the Selection of Hotels?

Personal care amenities (PCA) are a big business in the lodging industry today. For several years hotel industry vendors and marketing consultants have claimed that PCA are very important to hotel guests and are a "must" for every hotel operation. The purpose of this study was to make one attempt to validate or discredit these claims based on actual guest feedback.

O Marketing no Mercado Globalizado Utilizando a Ferramenta Advertainment Aplicado ao Comportamento do Consumidor

O objetivo central deste trabalho foi identificar e analisar o estudo relacionado ao marketing, relacionando propaganda, entretenimento e como as suas campanhas podem influenciar diretamente na opinião das pessoas, tendo como resultado uma crescente influência ao consumismo, apresentando a importância do advertainment para o mercado publicitário. Como referencia teórica descreveu-se o comportamento e a percepção do consumidor e a forma de oferta do produto em questão tendo como fundamentação do tema autores como Kotler (2005), Las Casas (2006), Dias (2006), Cappo (2004) e Longo (2007), entre outros. A pesquisa foi operacionalizada através de uma pesquisa de caráter descritiva. Caracteriza-se por uma pesquisa sistemática da literatura com consulta em livros técnicos, revistas especializadas, periódicos, meios eletrônicos, entrevistas pessoais, junto à mostra de pessoas relacionadas ao processo comportamental de consumidor, marketing, inovação e desenvolvimento do mercado. Os procedimentos metodológicos adotados durante o percurso de fundamentação verificou-se a relação entre consumidores e mídias tradicionais, pesquisa e análise dos dados obtidos, possibilitaram definir os métodos mais adequados de pesquisa, que foram obtidos por meio de questionários contribuindo para o alcance dos objetivos propostos para o presente trabalho. Finalmente, foram apresentados os resultados e respondeu-se a pergunta de pesquisa e os fatores de atenção na recepção da mensagem, as mudanças que a propaganda vem sofrendo com o advento das novas tecnologias e o desenvolvimento do marketing. / The main objective was to identify and analyze the study related to the marketing, linking advertisement, entertainment and how your campaigns can directly influence peoples views, resulting in an increasing influence of consumerism, showing the importance of ''advertainment'' for the advertising market. As a reference theory described the behavior and perceptions of consumers and how to offer the product under consideration and reasoning as the song writers such as kotler(2005), Las Casas(2006), Dias(2006), Cappo(2004) and Long (2007), among others. The research was implemented through a descriptive study of character. It's characterized by a systematic search of the literature in consultation with technical books, journals, periodicals, electronic media, personal interviews with the show of people related to the process of consumer behavior, marketing, innovation and market development. The methodological procedures adopted during the course of reasoning there was a relationship between consumers and traditional media, research and analysis of data obtained allowed us to define the most appropriate methds of research, which were obtained through questionnaires contributing to the achievement of the objectives proposed to this work. Finally, the results were presented and responded to the research question and the factors of attention at the reception of the message, the changes that advertising has been suffering with the advent of new technologies and development of marketing.

O marketing e a atuação social das empresas: uma relação possível?

The present work is about a study of multiple cases with exploratory and descriptiveperspective and qualitative emphasis. Its field of study is constituted by three local companieswith description of social performance, with emphasis in the personal interview with thecontrollers. Its main objective consists of understanding as it has occurred the marketingrelation with the enterprise social performance in the context of these companies located inthe State of the Rio Grande do Norte who carry out social investments. For this, it hassearched to analyze the types and characteristics of the developed social actions, to evaluatethe motivations and objectives of the accomplishment of social actions, to verify theimportance and influence of the social performance in the dynamics of the companies, toverify the level of specific knowledge and information in the areas of marketing and socialperformance in the companies and to evaluate the process of communication (promotion andspreading) of the social performance carried out by the companies. It has been verified thatthe company A directly associates it its social and ambient activities with differentiationbenefits, competitiveness, creation of value, loyalty, relationships, image, prestige,positioning of the company, sale and financial return, beyond benefits in the internal level asbigger motivation of its employees and retention of talents, not existing rejection to theinterlacement of the concepts related to the marketing and the social one. Already in companyB rejection in relating its practical social to the marketing, being observed after posteriorquestionings, that the relation of direct and indirect form exists and those divulgations of theseactions are carried out, contradicting the arguments of the controllers of that the actions wouldnot be carried out to generate media. In company C, it been verified rejection andcontradiction with relation to the concepts related to the marketing, alleging itself that theimage of the harnessed company to its social performance is not used in proper benefit,evidencing itself that this company divulges its action and is marketable benefited, even so isnot this the main objective of its social programs. It has concluded that the association ofthese two concepts is positive and favorable to the development of the businesses and thesocial actions of the companies, legitimizing them and benefiting the involved company,groups in the actions and the society that profits socially from the private social involvement in the social matters

Comunicação pública e marketing político na gestão pública municipal

Based on the definitions of Public Communication, Political Marketing, Public Interest Information and Communication as a Tool of Governance, the study notes the use of the news section of the websites of the City Christmas and Mossoro, Rio Grande do Norte, in regard to strengthening citizenship and encouraging participatory management, from the characterization of materials like pieces of Political Marketing and Public Communication. Data collection in qualitative research was conducted from August to September 2011 and content analysis showed that the appropriation of public property for personal use is a reality, despite legal requirements to the detriment of strategic communication and governance for results from the dissemination of information of public interest and the establishment of a communication channel between State Government and Society. Elements of this study suggest the need for further research to deepen the discussion

O marketing em um hospital universitário na relação com o trabalho da enfermagem: um estudo de caso

No setor hospitalar, o marketing compõe um grupo interdependente de serviços e tem como objetivo principal aproximar clientes - externos, internos e corpo gestor -, através de estratégias específicas que promovem satisfação e qualidade. Esta organização possui uma larga diversidade de profissionais da saúde e o marketing, neste sentido, auxilia no processamento de seus serviços de forma a lapidá-los sob a ótica do cliente, buscando efetividade e produtividade. Neste cenário encontra-se o enfermeiro, cujo trabalho é composto pelas dimensões cuidar, gerenciar, educar/pesquisar, que se entrelaçam e caracterizam o serviço deste profissional. No entanto, costumeiramente, a enfermagem não declara o marketing como uma ferramenta estratégica ao seu processo de trabalho – fato verificável na exploração de publicações científicas -, e, paralelamente, depara-se com empecilhos na execução de seu trabalho que podem comprometer a sua excelência. Assim, este estudo busca analisar a relação do marketing com o trabalho do enfermeiro nas dimensões cuidar, gerenciar, ensinar/pesquisar. Para sua efetivação, optou-se pelo referencial metodológico Estudo de Caso, onde o fenômeno é verificado como ocorre em seu cenário real. Assim, a coleta, caracterizada por pesquisador e unidade únicos, ocorreu em um hospital universitário, geral e público no sul do país que declara publica e virtualmente o marketing institucional. Como fontes de evidência, foram utilizadas: entrevista focada com quatro sujeitos de áreas estratégicas para esta pesquisa; análise de documentação criada pela assessoria de marketing e observação direta. O tratamento e a análise dos dados ocorreram por meio da Análise Temática, que possibilitou a exposição dos resultados através de dois artigos: “A relação do marketing com o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro na dimensão cuidar” e “A relação do marketing com o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro nas dimensões gerenciar e educar/pesquisar”. Os resultados evidenciaram que o marketing no cuidar - auxilia a efetividade do cuidado através de novas estratégias de comunicação com o usuário, produz materiais elucidativos, lúdicos para sua continuação e manutenção e o divulga no meio intra e extra-hospitalar; no gerenciar - auxilia a o enfermeiro a ter um método mais inovador e criativo, a focar no cliente e no bom relacionamento interpessoal com a equipe; no educar/pesquisar - cria canais de comunicação interna e campanhas únicas que, além de auxiliar na realização da educação permanente e na atualização de enfermeiros, propicia meios para transmitir novos achados científicos à prática da enfermagem hospitalar. Através deste estudo, percebeu-se que ações de marketing podem contribuir para a efetividade do trabalho do enfermeiro em suas facetas dimensionais, aproximando este agente de saúde do usuário ao qual seu serviço é destinado e da gestão da organização, propiciando a este profissional maior visibilidade e valorização no espaço hospitalar e social.

Marketing in SMEs: the sales process of SMEs on the food and drink industry.

There would appear to be varied approaches to the sales process practiced by SMEs in how they go about locating target customers, interfacing with prospects and new customers, presenting the benefits and features of their products and services, closing sales deals and building relationships, and an understanding of what the buyers needs are in the seller-buyer process. Recent research has revealed that while entrepreneurs and small business owners rely upon networking as an important source of sales, they lack marketing competencies, including personal selling skills and knowledge of what is involved in the sales process to close sales deals and build relationships. Small companies and start-ups with innovative products and services often find it difficult to persuade potential buyers of the merits of their offerings because, while the products and services may be excellent, they have not sufficiently well-developed selling skills necessary to persuade their target customers.

O marketing e a atuação social das empresas: uma relação possível?

The present work is about a study of multiple cases with exploratory and descriptiveperspective and qualitative emphasis. Its field of study is constituted by three local companieswith description of social performance, with emphasis in the personal interview with thecontrollers. Its main objective consists of understanding as it has occurred the marketingrelation with the enterprise social performance in the context of these companies located inthe State of the Rio Grande do Norte who carry out social investments. For this, it hassearched to analyze the types and characteristics of the developed social actions, to evaluatethe motivations and objectives of the accomplishment of social actions, to verify theimportance and influence of the social performance in the dynamics of the companies, toverify the level of specific knowledge and information in the areas of marketing and socialperformance in the companies and to evaluate the process of communication (promotion andspreading) of the social performance carried out by the companies. It has been verified thatthe company A directly associates it its social and ambient activities with differentiationbenefits, competitiveness, creation of value, loyalty, relationships, image, prestige,positioning of the company, sale and financial return, beyond benefits in the internal level asbigger motivation of its employees and retention of talents, not existing rejection to theinterlacement of the concepts related to the marketing and the social one. Already in companyB rejection in relating its practical social to the marketing, being observed after posteriorquestionings, that the relation of direct and indirect form exists and those divulgations of theseactions are carried out, contradicting the arguments of the controllers of that the actions wouldnot be carried out to generate media. In company C, it been verified rejection andcontradiction with relation to the concepts related to the marketing, alleging itself that theimage of the harnessed company to its social performance is not used in proper benefit,evidencing itself that this company divulges its action and is marketable benefited, even so isnot this the main objective of its social programs. It has concluded that the association ofthese two concepts is positive and favorable to the development of the businesses and thesocial actions of the companies, legitimizing them and benefiting the involved company,groups in the actions and the society that profits socially from the private social involvement in the social matters