The challenges faced by diversified corporations—firms that operate in more than one industry or ... more The challenges faced by diversified corporations—firms that operate in more than one industry or market—have changed over the years. There is today a wide range of strategies, including corporate level strategies, to create shareholder value. In this book, I guides the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of critical changes in resources, businesses, headquarters roles on the firm’s ability for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions: (1) Why are some firms highly focused, while others embraces a wide range of products, markets, and activities? (2) What are the relationships between scope, relatedness, and performance? and (3) How can we manage multibusiness firms it terms of structure, management, and leadership?
The challenges faced by diversified corporations (i.e., firms that operate in more than one busin... more The challenges faced by diversified corporations (i.e., firms that operate in more than one business, industry or market) have changed over the years. There is now a wide range of strategies, including corporate level strategy, to add competitive advantage to these corporations as a whole.
In Corporate Level Strategy, I guide the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of change and other important environmental forces on the opportunities for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions:
Why are some companies highly specialized, while others embrace a wide range of products, markets and activities? What is the link between scope and performance? What can we say about the management of multi-business firms in terms of structure, management systems and leadership? Replete with case studies and international examples, and featuring a companion website, this incisive book is an ideal read for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.
De tout temps, les entreprises ont offert des services pour accompagner leurs produits. Cependant... more De tout temps, les entreprises ont offert des services pour accompagner leurs produits. Cependant, ce n'est que dans l'économie moderne que ces services prennent véritablement une place centrale. Dans l'économie industrielle, la valeur est essentiellement contenue dans les produits et les matériaux échangés. Dans l'économie de service, c'est l'utilisation et la performance de systèmes composés de services et de biens matériels qui déterminent la valeur pour le client. Un tel contexte exige un nouvel état d'esprit et des techniques nouvelles de la part des entreprises et de leurs dirigeants. Les gestionnaires ont besoin d'un cadre de référence permettant l'analyse de l'offre de services autour des produits et de leur contribution aux objectifs de la firme. Ce livre a pour but de contribuer au développement du management stratégique des services autour des produits. Sa partie empirique est consacrée à l'analyse des services autour des produits informatiques - un domaine où l'offre de ces services est particulièrement innovatrice et susceptible d'influencer la pratique d'autres secteurs. Le sujet de cet ouvrage présente donc un intérêt aussi bien pour la recherche académique que pour le manager impliqué dans la gestion quotidienne d'une entreprise.
The challenges faced by diversified corporations—firms that operate in more than one industry or ... more The challenges faced by diversified corporations—firms that operate in more than one industry or market—have changed over the years. There is today a wide range of strategies, including corporate level strategies, to create shareholder value. In this book, I guides the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of critical changes in resources, businesses, headquarters roles on the firm’s ability for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions: (1) Why are some firms highly focused, while others embraces a wide range of products, markets, and activities? (2) What are the relationships between scope, relatedness, and performance? and (3) How can we manage multibusiness firms it terms of structure, management, and leadership?
The challenges faced by diversified corporations (i.e., firms that operate in more than one busin... more The challenges faced by diversified corporations (i.e., firms that operate in more than one business, industry or market) have changed over the years. There is now a wide range of strategies, including corporate level strategy, to add competitive advantage to these corporations as a whole.
In Corporate Level Strategy, I guide the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of change and other important environmental forces on the opportunities for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions:
Why are some companies highly specialized, while others embrace a wide range of products, markets and activities? What is the link between scope and performance? What can we say about the management of multi-business firms in terms of structure, management systems and leadership? Replete with case studies and international examples, and featuring a companion website, this incisive book is an ideal read for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.
De tout temps, les entreprises ont offert des services pour accompagner leurs produits. Cependant... more De tout temps, les entreprises ont offert des services pour accompagner leurs produits. Cependant, ce n'est que dans l'économie moderne que ces services prennent véritablement une place centrale. Dans l'économie industrielle, la valeur est essentiellement contenue dans les produits et les matériaux échangés. Dans l'économie de service, c'est l'utilisation et la performance de systèmes composés de services et de biens matériels qui déterminent la valeur pour le client. Un tel contexte exige un nouvel état d'esprit et des techniques nouvelles de la part des entreprises et de leurs dirigeants. Les gestionnaires ont besoin d'un cadre de référence permettant l'analyse de l'offre de services autour des produits et de leur contribution aux objectifs de la firme. Ce livre a pour but de contribuer au développement du management stratégique des services autour des produits. Sa partie empirique est consacrée à l'analyse des services autour des produits informatiques - un domaine où l'offre de ces services est particulièrement innovatrice et susceptible d'influencer la pratique d'autres secteurs. Le sujet de cet ouvrage présente donc un intérêt aussi bien pour la recherche académique que pour le manager impliqué dans la gestion quotidienne d'une entreprise.
Purpose Negative customer-to-customer interactions (NCCI) occurring in physical service encounter... more Purpose Negative customer-to-customer interactions (NCCI) occurring in physical service encounters can have a detrimental effect on a focal customer’s experience. This paper aims to explore how the interplay between the physical servicescape and the presence and behavior of other customers can lead to NCCI. Moreover, through an examination of customers’ responsibility attribution, the paper underlines the need for service organizations to manage this interplay. Design/methodology/approach The authors rely on a mixed approach with two studies grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response paradigm. In a preliminary quantitative study, the authors test a model of the effects of NCCI on customers’ attribution and behavioral outcomes using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Next, in a qualitative study, they collect and explore NCCI incidents in eight service industries relying on the critical incident technique (CIT). Findings When experiencing NCCI, customers attribute at least partial responsibility for their negative experience to the service provider. The findings of the CIT study reveal three interplay mechanisms leading to NCCI: when other customers’ behavior is triggered by the physical servicescape; when other customers’ behavior is incongruent with the behavioral norms set by the physical servicescape; and when the physical servicescape is altered by other customers’ misbehavior. Originality/value This paper provides a comprehensive, empirically grounded, understanding of the interplay between the physical and social servicescape, focusing on the presence and behavior of the other customers and its effect on the customer experience.
The objective of this study is to examine the effect of cultural values on opportunistic propensi... more The objective of this study is to examine the effect of cultural values on opportunistic propensity in strategic alliances. Alliance relationships constitute mixed-motive ventures which are often plagued with opportunism. However, opportunistic propensity may not be as universal as currently described in the literature. More specifically, though previous alliance studies investigated opportunistic propensity and suggested that cultural values may affect a manager’s likelihood to act opportunistically three issues permeate current literature: empirical tests are virtually absent, studies have primarily used country-level data, and studies tend to neglect the impact of situational factors. To address these issues, we collected survey data in the Netherlands and Turkey from alliance managers and empirically examine the moderating effect of individualism on the relationships between four exchange variables and opportunistic propensity. The results demonstrate that (1) the effects of economic dissatisfaction and alliance specific investments are stronger for managers with individualist values, whereas (2) the effects of social dissatisfaction and alternative attractiveness are stronger for mangers with collectivistic values. Thus, we advance the international strategic alliance literature by showing that opportunism possesses a similar meaning across the two countries, but in addition that opportunistic propensity is affected interactively by cultural values and exchange variables.
In this paper, we develop a literature-based argument in support of Marketing Technology Manageme... more In this paper, we develop a literature-based argument in support of Marketing Technology Management. We suggest a process that may be used for the management of such a technology. We conclude with the proposition that Marketing Technology Management is a core capability and that the organization of Marketing Technology Management needs further research.
This study investigated perceptions of corporate environmental and social responsibilities of 5,5... more This study investigated perceptions of corporate environmental and social responsibilities of 5,539 managers and professionals in 22 countries. . In particular, we studied the influence of personal values (individualism, collectivism, universalism), personal characteristics (age, gender, education and organizational position level), organizational characteristics (company size and industry), and country level of economic development on the relative importance attributed to corporate environmental and social responsibilities. Country level of economic development was found to be a significant factor in cross-cultural differences in perspectives on corporate environmental and social responsibility.. We also found that personal values influence environmental orientations more than social orientations, and that personal characteristics have more influence than organizational contexts.
Malgré la diffusion du concept de développement durable dans les instances internationales, la se... more Malgré la diffusion du concept de développement durable dans les instances internationales, la sensibilité écologique ou sociale varie beaucoup d’un pays à un autre : alors qu’elle culmine dans certains pays elle est quasi absente dans d’autres. Si différentes raisons sont évoquées pour expliquer ces différences internationales, la littérature se focalise aujourd’hui sur le rôle des managers : l’implication du PDG ou des autres managers paraît être une étape incontournable à la prise en compte de la responsabilité par l’entreprise. En serait-il de même au niveau international ? Et si le manque d’implication des dirigeants dans certains pays et l’intérêt des dirigeants dans d’autres était le principal facteur explicatif ? Certains auteurs croient en une convergence des attitudes et des comportements à moyen terme du fait de la mondialisation. Proposer une compréhension des différences internationales (ou observer une convergence) en fonction de l’implication des managers est l’objet de cet article. Pour ce faire, nous analysons les valeurs des dirigeants ainsi que leur attitude vis-à-vis des responsabilités environnementale et sociale.
Marketing Management: International Perspectives 2nd edition, 2009
The study and practice of marketing have broadened considerably, from an emphasis on marketing as... more The study and practice of marketing have broadened considerably, from an emphasis on marketing as a functional management issue, to a wider focus on the strategic role of marketing in overall corporate strategy (e.g., Kotler, 2000; Sudharshan, 1995). This broadening of the marketing concept, to include strategic as well as operational decisions, has resulted in an overlap between marketing and strategic management. Managers around the globe are recognizing the increasing importance for the firm to develop marketing strategies to compete effectively in worldwide markets. The emergence of a more open world economy, the globalization of consumers’ tastes, and the development of a worldwide commercial web all have increased the interdependency and interconnections of markets across the globe. In such a global environment, firms should develop their marketing strategy around three key-dimensions (Zou and Cavusgil, 2002): (1) standardization-adaptation, (2) configuration-coordination, and (3) strategic integration. Following Sudharshan (1995), we define a firm’s marketing strategy as the development of and decisions about a firm’s relationships with its key stakeholders, its offerings, resource allocation, and timing.
Strategie in verhouding. Liber Amicorum Godfroij, 2010
Samenvatting De relevantie van academisch managementonderzoek heeft de aandacht van veel onderzoe... more Samenvatting De relevantie van academisch managementonderzoek heeft de aandacht van veel onderzoekers getrokken. Een groot gedeelte van deze aandacht gaat over oplossingen om de resultaten van onderzoek relevanter te maken voor meerdere gebruikers, waar onder wetenschappers, managers en andere stakeholdergroepen. Een terugkerend thema is dat voorgestelde de oplossingen slechts in de behoeften voorzien van één bepaalde stakeholdergroep, terwijl andere worden genegeerd. Het doel van dit artikel is dan ook om het debat rondom de relevantie van academisch managementkennis inzichtelijker te maken, door een stakeholder perspectief te hanteren. Daartoe introduceren we een hiërarchisch raamwerk dat rekening houdt met meerdere stakeholders van academisch managementonderzoek. Tevens evalueren we drie oplossingen om onderzoeksresultaten relevant te maken – sluiten, overbruggen en bemiddelen – op hun effectiviteit.
How easy is it to increase a firm's market orientation? Is market orientation a deeply rooted att... more How easy is it to increase a firm's market orientation? Is market orientation a deeply rooted attribute of a firm, difficult to change, or can it be increased through employee and/or management training programs or other allocations of resources? Most research to date has studied market orientation through the perceptions of marketing managers, without evaluating whether these values and beliefs were shared throughout the organization. But at the core, a firm's market orientation is the cumulative result of the market-oriented behaviors of its individual employees. And employees' behaviors flow from their attitudes, which in turn flow from their values. In this study, we examine the impact of employees' values on their attitudes toward market orientation via a survey of employee values in three Swiss firms. The survey breaks down market orientation into three separate components—customer orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination—because these components might be differently influenced by individual values. The study finds that at the employee level, individual values do influence employees' attitudes toward market orientation. In addition, individual values are shown to affect the three components of market orientation differently. Conservation values (the extent to which individuals are motivated to preserve the status quo) positively affect competitor orientation and interfunctional coordination. Self-transcendent values (the extent to which individuals are motivated to promote the welfare of others) positively affect customer
Despite the popularity of international alliances and reports of their high failure rate, surpris... more Despite the popularity of international alliances and reports of their high failure rate, surprisingly only a limited number of studies focused on how national culture influences partners' responses to adverse situations. To address this issue, we conduct a literature review of response strategy research and develop a research agenda to advance theorizing on the relationships between national cultural, situational factors, and response strategies in alliance arrangements. The results of the literature review indicate that studies produced evidence for associations between situational factors and response strategy preferences, implicitly assuming that the content and internal structure of response strategies is universal. However, other studies examining the cross-cultural validity of response strategies unraveled cross-cultural varia
In this chapter, we develop a response strategy framework modeling behav-ioral responses to adver... more In this chapter, we develop a response strategy framework modeling behav-ioral responses to adverse situations in strategic alliances. Extant alliance literature treats behavioral responses as discrete and isolated reactions to adverse situations, which we call response strategies. Building on the results of a review of emerging literature and empirical research, we propose that seven identified response strategies should be conceptualized in a systematically integrated circumplex structure. Furthermore, we argue that response strategies are triggered by multilevel determinants generating a dynamic interaction pattern of actions-reactions between alliance partners. Building on these insights, we advance alliance development literature by opening the black box of response behavior and present directions for future research.
Partner(s) at Work: A Liber Amicorum for Eric Poutsma, 2017
The existence of a relevance gap between management science and practice is at the heart of a viv... more The existence of a relevance gap between management science and practice is at the heart of a vivid debate. In this paper, we investigate two possible types of gaps: a time lead gap for which management science is ahead of the needs of management practice and a time lag gap in which management science is lagging behind practice. Drawing from the diffusion literature, we provide explanations for their emergence. The empirical part of the paper explores this gap issue in the strategic management field and findings support the existence of a time lead gap.
In Integrity in Organizations: Building the Foundations for Humanistic Management (W. Amann and A. Stachowicz-Stanusch eds.), pp. 480-497., May 2013
Managers’ integrity refers to a manager’s behavior that is consistent with his/her espoused value... more Managers’ integrity refers to a manager’s behavior that is consistent with his/her espoused value and that he/she is honest and trustworthy (Barry & Stephens 1998; Yukl & Van Fleet 1992). As a social notion, integrity also refers to the degree to which people (e.g., managers) satisfy the legitimate expectations of the world around them (Kaptein 1999); this is, their stakeholders. Corporate governance refers to “those administrative monitoring and incentive mechanisms that are intended to reduce conflicts among organizational actors due to differences in incentives” (Lubatkin et al. 2007, p. 43). In other words, governance concerns the structure of rights and responsibilities among the firm’s stakeholders (Aguilera & Jackson 2003; Usunier, Furrer & Furrer-Perrinjaquet 2011). In this chapter, we focus those corporate governance issues that pertain to managers’ integrity. This is, corporate governance requires controlling the risk of opportunism by managers as well as ensuring their integrity.
in Encyclopdedia of Management Theory (E.H. Kessler ed.), Vol. 1, pp. 94-98, May 2013
"Business policy refers to the roles and responsibilities of top-level management, the significan... more "Business policy refers to the roles and responsibilities of top-level management, the significant issues affecting company-wide performance and the decisions affecting companies in the long run. Corporate strategy is the strategy developed and implemented to the goals set by the company’s business policy. As a company-wide strategy, corporate strategy is concerned primarily with answering the question “what set of businesses should the company be in?” and should be distinguished from business strategy, which focuses on answering the question “how to build a sustainable competitive advantage in specific business or market?” More specifically, corporate strategy can be defined as the way a company creates value through the configuration and coordination of its multibusiness activities. As such, the subject
of corporate strategy is the diversified multibusiness corporation. In this entry we first describe the content of a theory of corporate strategy, then we present the evolution of corporate strategy, and we conclude with a discussion of the importance of a theory of corporate strategy."
In Interpartner Dynamics in Strategic Alliances, T.K. Das (ed.), Research in Strategic Alliance Book Series, Information Age Publishing, 2013, pp. 97-130., 2013
This chapter reports data from a longitudinal exploratory case study of two strategic alliances w... more This chapter reports data from a longitudinal exploratory case study of two strategic alliances with the aim of achieving a better understanding of interpartner dynamics. Combining insights from the response strategy perspective and interpersonal theory, we propose that response strategies are organized along the circumference of a circle in a two-dimensional space. In such a circumplex structure the complementarity principle, explaining how partners respond to each other, is composed of two rules: the rule of reciprocity and the rule of correspondence. The objective of this chapter is to explain when and why alliance partners follow or deviate from these rules. Evidence from the two strategic alliances indicates that the response behaviors derived from interpersonal theory can be identified at the interorganizational level in a strategic alliance. Moreover, partners often use a complementary behavior. The findings, however, also provide insights into three mechanisms that trigger partners to use non-complementary behavior. This study provides a fine-grained explanation for alliance partner interaction and offers a tentative first step in building an integrative model of interpartner dynamics in strategic alliances.
Behavioral Perspectives on Strategic Alliances, 2011
In this chapter, we develop a response strategy framework modeling behavioral responses to advers... more In this chapter, we develop a response strategy framework modeling behavioral responses to adverse situations in strategic alliances. Extant alliance literature treats behavioral responses as discrete and isolated reactions to adverse situations, which we call response strategies. Building on the results of a review of emerging literature and empirical research, we propose that seven identified response strategies should be conceptualized in a systematically integrated circumplex structure. Furthermore, we argue that response strategies are triggered by multi-level determinants generating a dynamic interaction pattern of actions-reactions between alliance partners. Building on these insights, we advance alliance development literature by opening the black box of response behavior and present directions for future research.
With the advent of the service economy (Gadrey, 2005), product services (i.e., services offered a... more With the advent of the service economy (Gadrey, 2005), product services (i.e., services offered as complements to tangible products) have taken on critical roles in the competitive arsenal of many manufacturing firms (Furrer, 1997, 1998; Gebauer, Fleich and Friedli, 2005; Malleret, 2006). For example, IBM has become a service provider more than a manufacturer of tangible products (BusinessWeek, 2005). Following Anderson and Narus (1995), this chapter considers product services to include much more than after-sale service, such as technical problem solving, equipment installation, training, or maintenance. Rather, product services also include programs that help customers design their products or reduce their costs, as well as rebates or bonuses that influence how customers conduct business with a supplier.
De tout temps, les entreprises industrielles ont offert des services autour de leurs produits ; c... more De tout temps, les entreprises industrielles ont offert des services autour de leurs produits ; ce n’est cependant que depuis une vingtaine d’années, avec l’avènement d’une véritable économie des services, que ceux-ci ont pris une place centrale dans l’arsenal concurrentiel des entreprises industrielles. Si les services autour des produits sont bien connus des entreprises qui les offrent depuis longtemps et des clients qui les ont toujours achetés, ce n’est pas le cas de la littérature académique et scientifique qui peine à les insérer dans un cadre théorique existant ou à en développer un nouveau. L’objectif de ce chapitre est premièrement de définir le concept de services autour des produits et de l’insérer dans le cadre théorique du marketing relationnel. Deuxièmement, avec l’aide de ce cadre théorique, ce chapitre cherche à proposer une typologie de stratégies de services autour des produits qui soit théoriquement consistante mais aussi utile pour les managers. Ce chapitre est organisé de la manière suivante : premièrement, nous définissons le concept des services autour des produits, les liens qu’ils ont avec les produits qu’ils entourent et leur contribution à la performance de l’entreprise qui les offre. Ensuite, nous présentons les quatre types de stratégies de services autour des produits que sont : - la stratégie discount, - la stratégie relationnelle, - la stratégie individuelle, - la stratégie d’outsourcing. Chacune de ces stratégies est ensuite illustrée par des exemples pratiques permettant la mise en évidence des mécanismes sous-jacents à la création de valeur pour les entreprises comme pour leurs clients. Ces stratégies étant basées sur différents types de liens entre entreprises et clients, ces exemples permettent de mieux comprendre leurs avantages et inconvénients. Finalement, nous concluons le chapitre sur les conditions nécessaires aux stratégies de services autour des produits et sur les difficultés liées à leur mise en œuvre.
Marketing Management: International Perspectives, 2006
The study and practice of marketing have broadened considerably, from an emphasis on marketing as... more The study and practice of marketing have broadened considerably, from an emphasis on marketing as a functional management issue, to a wider focus on the strategic role of marketing in overall corporate strategy (e.g., Kotler, 2000; Sudharshan, 1995). This broadening of the marketing concept, to include strategic as well as operational decisions, has resulted in an overlap between marketing and strategic management. Managers around the globe are recognizing the increasing importance for the firm to develop marketing strategies to compete effectively in worldwide markets. The emergence of a more open world economy, the globalization of consumers’ tastes, and the development of a worldwide commercial web all have increased the interdependency and interconnections of markets across the globe. In such a global environment, firms should develop their marketing strategy around three key dimensions (Zou and Cavusgil, 2002): (1) standardization-adaptation, (2) configurationcoordination, and (3) strategic integration. Following Sudharshan (1995), we define a firm’s marketing strategy as the development of and decisions about a firm’s relationships with its key stakeholders, its offerings, resource allocation, and timing.
A firm may be viewed as having an intangible asset portfolio. For global contexts, we develop fou... more A firm may be viewed as having an intangible asset portfolio. For global contexts, we develop four types of intangible asset portfolios. The main contribution of this paper, having developed the typology of intangible asset portfolios, is to identify an ideal organizational form for each type of intangible asset portfolio. The ideal organizational forms that correspond to each type of intangible asset portfolios are the four forms of worldwide business organization, namely multinational, international, global, and transnational, identified in the literature. We also discuss the information and value flows between partners with different types of intangible asset portfolios in a global context.
Adverse situations in exchange relationships require the people involved to respond. Response str... more Adverse situations in exchange relationships require the people involved to respond. Response strategies are reactions to such adverse situations and represent an integrated structure organized in people’s psyches. Therefore, response strategies may have different meanings across cultures. However, extant response strategy research assumes that the content and internal structure of response strategies may be universal, but fail to assess measurement equivalence, a necessary step to investigate cross-cultural variations in response strategy use. The study investigates the cross-cultural validity of response strategies in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Turkey. The seven investigated response strategies possess measurement equivalence and are organized in a circumplex structure in the three countries. Furthermore, the findings reveal cross-cultural differences in the use response strategies. The paper contributes to the cross-cultural psychology literature by demonstrating that the response strategy content and structure is nearly universal, whereas response strategy use is influenced by people’s cultural orientation.
To date, international research has yielded conflicting results regarding the relationship betwee... more To date, international research has yielded conflicting results regarding the relationship between corporate social responsibility and business outcomes. To address this issue, we investigate the contextual effect of national institutional environments on the relationship between stakeholder-focused corporate responsibility (CR) practices and two measures of business outcomes: financial performance and corporate reputation. Building on institutional theory and instrumental stakeholder theory, we propose that a firm’s national institutional environment influences the relative salience of certain stakeholder groups, and in doing so, influences which CR practices lead to improved financial performance and corporate reputation. To empirically test our hypotheses, we conducted a survey of 2,230 firms from 16 European countries representing different institutional contexts in terms of socialist legacy, societal governance, and European Union membership status. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicate that these facets of institutional environments have different effects on the implementation of CR practices as well as moderating effects on the relationship between the implementation of CR practices and firms’ business outcomes. As such, this study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of institutional environments on the outcomes of firms’ implementation of stakeholder-focused CR practices across countries.
The case describes the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft and compares it with the previous acquis... more The case describes the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft and compares it with the previous acquisition of Skype by eBay. On May 10, 2011, Microsoft Corp and Skype announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft would acquire Skype for $8.5 billion from the investor group led by Silver Lake Partners, Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension funds. At the time of this announcement, Steve Ballmer, President and CEO of Microsoft, hyped the promise of the merger, though it was not the first time a technology giant had acquired Skype. In 2005, eBay took it over for $2.6 billion, with hopes of integrating it with its marketplace and PayPal businesses. But the acquisition never lived up to its promise, leading eBay to take a $1.4 billion write-down on its investment in 2007 and eventually divest Skype in 2009. The challenge for Microsoft is to decide or not to integrate Skype. The case can be used in combination or as an update of the eBay and Skype: Diverging Futures Case.
Purpose—Although multi-brand loyalty (MBL) in consumer markets has been identified in previous br... more Purpose—Although multi-brand loyalty (MBL) in consumer markets has been identified in previous brand loyalty research, empirical studies have not yet explored the facets of its different types. This article seeks a deeper understanding of MBL by investigating its different types and facets. Design/methodology/approach—This study uses a sequential, qualitatively-driven mixed method design consisting of in-depth interviews and supplementary survey research. Findings—The findings of this study suggest that mood congruence, identity enhancement, unavailability risk reduction and market competition are the most important facets that explains the two types of MBL (complementary-based and product substitutes). Furthermore, the findings show that the family factor can motivate consumers to be multi-brand loyal by adding brands to an initially family-endorsed brand. Research limitations/implications—This study advances the conceptual foundations of MBL and extends previous research on brand loyalty. Some of the findings may be limited to the economic and cultural context of relatively affluent countries with an abundance of market offers. Practical implications—Marketing managers gain insights into how to manage brand loyalty as well as how to transition from MBL to single-brand loyalty. Originality/value—The study generates novel insights into the facets of different types of MBL.
Les services captifs sont des services qui sont fournis dans un système concurrentiel ou à traver... more Les services captifs sont des services qui sont fournis dans un système concurrentiel ou à travers des processus qui limitent le choix, le contrôle et le pouvoir des consommateurs (Rayburn, 2015). Dans ce cadre, la captivité des services est la perception par les consommateurs que pour obtenir ce service, ils n’ont pas d’autre option que leur fournisseur actuel (Rayburn, 2015). Cette captivité peut être créée par différents types de contraintes plus ou moins importantes (Botti et al., 2008). Certains services publics, comme le transport ferroviaire de passagers et le courrier postal, sont des monopoles d’État pour lequel les consommateurs n’ont pas d’autre choix. D’autres services en situations concurrentielles développent des processus pour rendre leurs clients captifs, comme certaines entreprises de téléphonie mobile ayant des systèmes d’abonnements relativement longs et des conditions d’annulation contraignantes. Cette situation de captivité crée chez les consommateurs une perception de déséquilibre de pouvoir en faveur du fournisseur de service et influence leurs attitudes et leurs comportements.
Pour les entreprises offrant des services captifs, cette situation de captivité offre un certain nombre d’avantages par rapport aux entreprises de services dont les clients ne sont pas captifs. En effet, les consommateurs captifs, même insatisfaits, ne peuvent pas changer de fournisseurs, et ces entreprises peuvent augmenter leurs prix sans que la consommation diminue de façon importante. Cependant, cette situation pose également un certain nombre de défis managériaux et marketing en terme de relation client :
1. Est-ce que ces entreprises doivent vraiment chercher à maximiser (ou à améliorer) la satisfaction de leurs clients étant donné que ceux-ci n’ont pas le choix et que les coûts risquent d’augmenter de manière importante ?
2. Est-ce que ces entreprises peuvent se contenter d’offrir une qualité de service minimale ou doivent-elle chercher à améliorer la qualité de service afin de mieux satisfaire leurs clients ?
3. Quelles sont les conséquences pour ces entreprises de n’offrir qu’une qualité minimale ne satisfaisant pas pleinement leurs clients, étant donné que ceux-ci ne peuvent pas s’en aller ?
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Books by Olivier Furrer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corporate-Level-Strategy-Theory-Applications/dp/0415727227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444720436&sr=8-1&keywords=furrer+olivier
In Corporate Level Strategy, I guide the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of change and other important environmental forces on the opportunities for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions:
Why are some companies highly specialized, while others embrace a wide range of products, markets and activities?
What is the link between scope and performance?
What can we say about the management of multi-business firms in terms of structure, management systems and leadership?
Replete with case studies and international examples, and featuring a companion website, this incisive book is an ideal read for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Papers by Olivier Furrer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corporate-Level-Strategy-Theory-Applications/dp/0415727227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444720436&sr=8-1&keywords=furrer+olivier
In Corporate Level Strategy, I guide the reader in developing the ability to consider the impact of change and other important environmental forces on the opportunities for establishing and sustaining corporate advantage by exploring three fundamental questions:
Why are some companies highly specialized, while others embrace a wide range of products, markets and activities?
What is the link between scope and performance?
What can we say about the management of multi-business firms in terms of structure, management systems and leadership?
Replete with case studies and international examples, and featuring a companion website, this incisive book is an ideal read for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.
of corporate strategy is the diversified multibusiness corporation. In this entry we first describe the content of a theory of corporate strategy, then we present the evolution of corporate strategy, and we conclude with a discussion of the importance of a theory of corporate strategy."
Ce chapitre est organisé de la manière suivante : premièrement, nous définissons le concept des services autour des produits, les liens qu’ils ont avec les produits qu’ils entourent et leur contribution à la performance de l’entreprise qui les offre. Ensuite, nous présentons les quatre types de stratégies de services autour des produits que sont :
- la stratégie discount,
- la stratégie relationnelle,
- la stratégie individuelle,
- la stratégie d’outsourcing.
Chacune de ces stratégies est ensuite illustrée par des exemples pratiques permettant la mise en évidence des mécanismes sous-jacents à la création de valeur pour les entreprises comme pour leurs clients. Ces stratégies étant basées sur différents types de liens entre entreprises et clients, ces exemples permettent de mieux comprendre leurs avantages et inconvénients. Finalement, nous concluons le chapitre sur les conditions nécessaires aux stratégies de services autour des produits et sur les difficultés liées à leur mise en œuvre.
Design/methodology/approach—This study uses a sequential, qualitatively-driven mixed method design consisting of in-depth interviews and supplementary survey research.
Findings—The findings of this study suggest that mood congruence, identity enhancement, unavailability risk reduction and market competition are the most important facets that explains the two types of MBL (complementary-based and product substitutes). Furthermore, the findings show that the family factor can motivate consumers to be multi-brand loyal by adding brands to an initially family-endorsed brand.
Research limitations/implications—This study advances the conceptual foundations of MBL and extends previous research on brand loyalty. Some of the findings may be limited to the economic and cultural context of relatively affluent countries with an abundance of market offers.
Practical implications—Marketing managers gain insights into how to manage brand loyalty as well as how to transition from MBL to single-brand loyalty.
Originality/value—The study generates novel insights into the facets of different types of MBL.
situations concurrentielles développent des processus pour rendre leurs clients captifs, comme certaines entreprises de téléphonie mobile ayant des systèmes d’abonnements relativement longs et des conditions d’annulation contraignantes. Cette situation de captivité crée chez les consommateurs une perception de déséquilibre de pouvoir en faveur du fournisseur de service et influence leurs attitudes et leurs comportements.
Pour les entreprises offrant des services captifs, cette situation de captivité offre un certain nombre d’avantages par rapport aux entreprises de services dont les clients ne sont pas captifs. En effet, les consommateurs captifs, même insatisfaits, ne peuvent pas changer de fournisseurs, et ces entreprises peuvent augmenter leurs prix sans que la consommation diminue de façon importante. Cependant, cette situation pose également un certain nombre de défis managériaux et marketing en terme de relation client :
1. Est-ce que ces entreprises doivent vraiment chercher à maximiser (ou à améliorer) la satisfaction de leurs clients étant donné que ceux-ci n’ont pas le choix et que les coûts risquent d’augmenter de manière importante ?
2. Est-ce que ces entreprises peuvent se contenter d’offrir une qualité de service minimale ou doivent-elle chercher à améliorer la qualité de service afin de mieux satisfaire leurs clients ?
3. Quelles sont les conséquences pour ces entreprises de n’offrir qu’une qualité minimale ne satisfaisant pas pleinement leurs clients, étant donné que ceux-ci ne peuvent pas s’en aller ?