While integration within the sales-marketing interface is critical in order to create value for t... more While integration within the sales-marketing interface is critical in order to create value for their customer base, the sales-marketing interface varies across fi rms. Hence, integration may, in fact, take different forms. This is due, in part, to the varied role of marketing across fi rms. Using a grounded theory approach and depth interview data collected from forty three sales and marketing executives, this study unravels the varied meaning of integration. Specifi cally, we fi nd the diverse roles the marketing function plays within the fi rm; and that the conceptualization of sales-marketing integration construct is sensitive to the context within which it is examined. Additionally, we highlight that salesmarketing integration may not always be as important for value creation, in certain contexts. Hence, we provide a new lens to sales-marketing integration and its importance in the value-creation process. Managerial implications of study fi ndings are also suggested.
Potential challenges in conducting international sales research, coupled with the lack of systema... more Potential challenges in conducting international sales research, coupled with the lack of systematic guidance currently prevent western sales scholars from conducting research in emerging market contexts. The authors draw upon (a) their decade-long experience in conducting qualitative sales research in the Middle East (ME), as well as (b) depth interview data they collected specifically for this paper from eleven academics engaged in doing sales research in that region to propose a three-step framework for conducting qualitative sales research within the ME. The exclusivity of this framework to the ME context is rooted in its responsiveness to the unique elements and idiosyncrasies inherent within the ME culture. In addition to offering a systematic guidance, the framework implies that it is not the research expertise of the western scholars, but their ability to understand and respond to cultural nuances, and cultivate and employ soft skills such as communication, trust, relationsh...
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marketing at UST Research Online. ... more This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marketing at UST Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marketing Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UST Research Online. For more information, please contact libroadmin@stthomas.edu.
Although country branding has been a burgeoning theme in international business literature, compa... more Although country branding has been a burgeoning theme in international business literature, comparative studies of this construct across cultures have been limited. The development of a deeper understanding of how diverse nations perceive country brands from their own paradigms is important in the complex world of international business. This study develops and tests a survey instrument in Peru and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assess perceptions of country brands as well as the underlying antecedents to brand preferences. Results from a sample of 154 working adults include the findings that trade preferences are related to top tourism destinations and that consumers from Peru and Saudi Arabia differ in antecedents to country trade choices. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, Oct 1, 1993
ABSTRACT This paper adapts Porter's (1985) concept of a value chain to the task of evaluating... more ABSTRACT This paper adapts Porter's (1985) concept of a value chain to the task of evaluating the feasibilty of a new product idea. A Four C's framework will help the entrepreneur to translate any new product idea into a chain of value-creating activities that begins with raw materials and ends with the customer. The strength of a new product value chain is a function of (1) Cost-revenue projections for Constituents at each link in the new product value Chain, and (2) Change-related incentives and disincentives for these constituents. Feasibility depends on the strength of the best case value chain scenario. INTRODUCTION Entrepreneurs hold one of the keys to a competitive edge in the marketplace: innovation (Hood, 1992; Teece, 1987). Innovation begins with a good idea, something new and useful to customers. Successful product innovations require more than an inventive mind, however. The entrepreneur must find a way to move the idea from the drawing board to the marketplace (Vesper, 1993). One of the central challenges in bringing a new product to market is coordinating the activities that will occur along the entire value chain, beginning with raw materials and ending with the customer. This paper examines the current state of value chain analysis and adapts it to the specific needs of entrepreneurs who are evaluating the feasibility of a new product idea. New product value chain analysis will help entrepreneurs to translate any new product idea into the chain of value-creating activities required to make the product and deliver it to the customer. Feasibility depends on the strength of this chain, and a new product value chain is only as strong as its weakest links. A Four C's framework will help entrepreneurs to identify strong and weak links on the basis of: 1) Cost-revenue projections for Constituents at each link in the new product value Chain; and 2) Change-related incentives and disincentives for these constituents. The ultimate goal is to evaluate the merit of a new product idea based on the projected strength of the entire value chain, from raw materials to the customer. The intent behind the Four C's framework is not to replace existing ways of evaluating new product ideas (e.g., Timmons, Smollen, & Dingee, 1990; Vesper, 1990). Rather, the intent is to provide a value chain approach that can be used in conjunction with market analysis, break-even analysis, and other existing methods to gain a more complete view of the impacts that a new product will likely have as it moves along the entire value chain to the customer. The framework may also be applied during the idea refinement process (Vesper, 1993) to redesign a product in ways that maximize product support and benefits to constituents along the entire value chain and that minimize product resistance and costs. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS A value chain identifies the sequence of distinct value-creating activities that begins with raw materials and ends with the customer (Porter, 1985). Figure 1 portrays a generic value chain that includes some common types of links' or value-creating activities. Of course, since there is no universal value chain that holds true for all types of products and services, each firm must first construct a chain which accurately represents the sequence of activities associated with its own product or service. According to conventional value chain analysis (see Shank & Govindarajan, 1992), costs, revenues, and assets are then assigned to each value-creating activity. The next step is to examine the sources of costs at each link in the value chain. Finally, the firm attempts to gain a competitive advantage by finding ways to increase net value along the chain by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and/or reconfiguring the existing value chain by forward integration, backward integration, or outsourcing (Quinn, 1992). In its current form, value chain analysis is tailored to the needs of ongoing business enterprises looking for a competitive edge within an established industry. …
a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Extant research on sales-marketing interface has ignored em... more a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Extant research on sales-marketing interface has ignored emerging markets as research contexts. This study uses grounded theory methodology and depth-interview data from 37 sales and marketing professionals in Saudi Arabia to explicate how firm contexts that are influenced by Islamic values may shape intraorganizational mechanisms between firm leadership and sales and marketing departments, moderate their roles in marketing strategy activities, and affect interface dynamics. Specifically, appreciation of high power distance and traditional authority allow top leadership to be extensively involved in firm's everyday operations and there is a conspicuous absence of two-way dialog between top leadership and interface personnel. As a result, marketing strategy making authority is rarely transferred to sales and marketing. The context thus creates a chain of command with top leadership holding central authority, marketers preparing action plans ...
One of the fastest growing themes related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the notion ... more One of the fastest growing themes related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the notion of Corporate Citizenship (CC). While many researchers have focused on CSR-related concepts such as environmental issues, transparency, and ethical guidelines, there has been a limited body of research related to CC in an international context (Maignan and Ferrell, 2000; Pies et al., 2010; Ozen and Kusku, 2009; Sison, 2009). Moreover, in the Middle East, very little research has been published on CSR in general and CC in particular. Although scholars have argued that CC is an extension to the body of literature that falls under the CSR realm (Marten and Crane, 2005; Ozen and Kusku, 2009), the extent to which CC has become an established area for business and government remains unclear. To clarify the context within which the term Corporate Citizenship is used, the definition proposed by Matten and Crane is employed, "Corporate Citizenship describes the role of the corporation in admi...
The present study examines the impact of idealism, relativism and Machiavellianism on the perceiv... more The present study examines the impact of idealism, relativism and Machiavellianism on the perceived appropriateness of five opportunistic negotiation tactics (ie, traditional competitive bargaining, attacking opponent's network, making false promises, misrepresentation of ...
While integration within the sales-marketing interface is critical in order to create value for t... more While integration within the sales-marketing interface is critical in order to create value for their customer base, the sales-marketing interface varies across fi rms. Hence, integration may, in fact, take different forms. This is due, in part, to the varied role of marketing across fi rms. Using a grounded theory approach and depth interview data collected from forty three sales and marketing executives, this study unravels the varied meaning of integration. Specifi cally, we fi nd the diverse roles the marketing function plays within the fi rm; and that the conceptualization of sales-marketing integration construct is sensitive to the context within which it is examined. Additionally, we highlight that salesmarketing integration may not always be as important for value creation, in certain contexts. Hence, we provide a new lens to sales-marketing integration and its importance in the value-creation process. Managerial implications of study fi ndings are also suggested.
Potential challenges in conducting international sales research, coupled with the lack of systema... more Potential challenges in conducting international sales research, coupled with the lack of systematic guidance currently prevent western sales scholars from conducting research in emerging market contexts. The authors draw upon (a) their decade-long experience in conducting qualitative sales research in the Middle East (ME), as well as (b) depth interview data they collected specifically for this paper from eleven academics engaged in doing sales research in that region to propose a three-step framework for conducting qualitative sales research within the ME. The exclusivity of this framework to the ME context is rooted in its responsiveness to the unique elements and idiosyncrasies inherent within the ME culture. In addition to offering a systematic guidance, the framework implies that it is not the research expertise of the western scholars, but their ability to understand and respond to cultural nuances, and cultivate and employ soft skills such as communication, trust, relationsh...
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marketing at UST Research Online. ... more This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marketing at UST Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marketing Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UST Research Online. For more information, please contact libroadmin@stthomas.edu.
Although country branding has been a burgeoning theme in international business literature, compa... more Although country branding has been a burgeoning theme in international business literature, comparative studies of this construct across cultures have been limited. The development of a deeper understanding of how diverse nations perceive country brands from their own paradigms is important in the complex world of international business. This study develops and tests a survey instrument in Peru and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assess perceptions of country brands as well as the underlying antecedents to brand preferences. Results from a sample of 154 working adults include the findings that trade preferences are related to top tourism destinations and that consumers from Peru and Saudi Arabia differ in antecedents to country trade choices. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, Oct 1, 1993
ABSTRACT This paper adapts Porter's (1985) concept of a value chain to the task of evaluating... more ABSTRACT This paper adapts Porter's (1985) concept of a value chain to the task of evaluating the feasibilty of a new product idea. A Four C's framework will help the entrepreneur to translate any new product idea into a chain of value-creating activities that begins with raw materials and ends with the customer. The strength of a new product value chain is a function of (1) Cost-revenue projections for Constituents at each link in the new product value Chain, and (2) Change-related incentives and disincentives for these constituents. Feasibility depends on the strength of the best case value chain scenario. INTRODUCTION Entrepreneurs hold one of the keys to a competitive edge in the marketplace: innovation (Hood, 1992; Teece, 1987). Innovation begins with a good idea, something new and useful to customers. Successful product innovations require more than an inventive mind, however. The entrepreneur must find a way to move the idea from the drawing board to the marketplace (Vesper, 1993). One of the central challenges in bringing a new product to market is coordinating the activities that will occur along the entire value chain, beginning with raw materials and ending with the customer. This paper examines the current state of value chain analysis and adapts it to the specific needs of entrepreneurs who are evaluating the feasibility of a new product idea. New product value chain analysis will help entrepreneurs to translate any new product idea into the chain of value-creating activities required to make the product and deliver it to the customer. Feasibility depends on the strength of this chain, and a new product value chain is only as strong as its weakest links. A Four C's framework will help entrepreneurs to identify strong and weak links on the basis of: 1) Cost-revenue projections for Constituents at each link in the new product value Chain; and 2) Change-related incentives and disincentives for these constituents. The ultimate goal is to evaluate the merit of a new product idea based on the projected strength of the entire value chain, from raw materials to the customer. The intent behind the Four C's framework is not to replace existing ways of evaluating new product ideas (e.g., Timmons, Smollen, & Dingee, 1990; Vesper, 1990). Rather, the intent is to provide a value chain approach that can be used in conjunction with market analysis, break-even analysis, and other existing methods to gain a more complete view of the impacts that a new product will likely have as it moves along the entire value chain to the customer. The framework may also be applied during the idea refinement process (Vesper, 1993) to redesign a product in ways that maximize product support and benefits to constituents along the entire value chain and that minimize product resistance and costs. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS A value chain identifies the sequence of distinct value-creating activities that begins with raw materials and ends with the customer (Porter, 1985). Figure 1 portrays a generic value chain that includes some common types of links' or value-creating activities. Of course, since there is no universal value chain that holds true for all types of products and services, each firm must first construct a chain which accurately represents the sequence of activities associated with its own product or service. According to conventional value chain analysis (see Shank & Govindarajan, 1992), costs, revenues, and assets are then assigned to each value-creating activity. The next step is to examine the sources of costs at each link in the value chain. Finally, the firm attempts to gain a competitive advantage by finding ways to increase net value along the chain by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and/or reconfiguring the existing value chain by forward integration, backward integration, or outsourcing (Quinn, 1992). In its current form, value chain analysis is tailored to the needs of ongoing business enterprises looking for a competitive edge within an established industry. …
a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Extant research on sales-marketing interface has ignored em... more a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Extant research on sales-marketing interface has ignored emerging markets as research contexts. This study uses grounded theory methodology and depth-interview data from 37 sales and marketing professionals in Saudi Arabia to explicate how firm contexts that are influenced by Islamic values may shape intraorganizational mechanisms between firm leadership and sales and marketing departments, moderate their roles in marketing strategy activities, and affect interface dynamics. Specifically, appreciation of high power distance and traditional authority allow top leadership to be extensively involved in firm's everyday operations and there is a conspicuous absence of two-way dialog between top leadership and interface personnel. As a result, marketing strategy making authority is rarely transferred to sales and marketing. The context thus creates a chain of command with top leadership holding central authority, marketers preparing action plans ...
One of the fastest growing themes related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the notion ... more One of the fastest growing themes related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the notion of Corporate Citizenship (CC). While many researchers have focused on CSR-related concepts such as environmental issues, transparency, and ethical guidelines, there has been a limited body of research related to CC in an international context (Maignan and Ferrell, 2000; Pies et al., 2010; Ozen and Kusku, 2009; Sison, 2009). Moreover, in the Middle East, very little research has been published on CSR in general and CC in particular. Although scholars have argued that CC is an extension to the body of literature that falls under the CSR realm (Marten and Crane, 2005; Ozen and Kusku, 2009), the extent to which CC has become an established area for business and government remains unclear. To clarify the context within which the term Corporate Citizenship is used, the definition proposed by Matten and Crane is employed, "Corporate Citizenship describes the role of the corporation in admi...
The present study examines the impact of idealism, relativism and Machiavellianism on the perceiv... more The present study examines the impact of idealism, relativism and Machiavellianism on the perceived appropriateness of five opportunistic negotiation tactics (ie, traditional competitive bargaining, attacking opponent's network, making false promises, misrepresentation of ...
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