Alternative Positioning Strategies for Services in Ghana

In spite of its acknowledged importance for the success of the organization, there is little evidence of studies into positioning in sub‐Saharan Africa. This research presents the results of an empirically based study that employed a mixed method of qualitative in‐depth interviews of managers, and quantitative method of exploratory factor analysis to the data from consumers of services in Ghana. The resultant typology has three positioning strategies: service reliability, social responsibility, and branding. Organizations that adopt these positioning strategies are likely to benefit from the increasingly competitive Ghanaian service market. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A quality function deployment framework for service strategy planning

This research introduces a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) decision framework for orchestrating and aligning quality management and services marketing efforts for effective service strategy planning. Specifically, a 3-phased QFD framework is presented, emphasizing the implications of the “Voice of the Customer” in defining service quality and delivering customer value, while interpreting it into a set of prioritized strategies to guide service design activities. Method wise, an extended methodological approach is employed, the QFD-LP-GW-Fuzzy AHP (Linear Programming method to Generate Weights in the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process), to capture and rank more accurately uncertain and subjective judgments. The application of the proposed framework is discussed within the financial sector. Essentially, this study contributes to the literature by streamlining and simplifying marketing strategy planning decisions with a novel QFD factual approach that aligns customer requirements with service organizations’ market positioning and tactics.     

Factors Contributing to Internal Customer Satisfaction and Commitment in Quick Service Restaurants

Abstract

The fast-paced, highly competitive nature of quick service restaurants (QSRs) has motivated members of the industry to develop creative ways to optimize customer satisfaction. This search for competitive advantage has fueled an increased interest in employees as “internal customers” who are primarily responsible for external customer satisfaction. The hospitality industry is unique in that employees are part of the product; they directly provide the service component. This project surveyed over 900 hourly and salaried employees at 61 QSRs. The results indicate strategies and tactics to maintain satisfied and “actively” as well as “passively” committed employees. In turn these employees may be an employer's greatest marketing tool.     

Consumer engagement behaviors in the online wildlife trade: Implications for conservationists

This study investigates consumer engagement behaviors in the online wildlife trade, drawing implications for conservationists. The first study undertook a quantitative content analysis of 500 Facebook posts in wildlife trade lateral exchange markets to show how creative strategies, media type and persuasion tactics influence the number of likes and comments that posts receive. The second study then undertook a thematic discourse analysis to develop a rich understanding of the culture, beliefs and motivations that influence how consumers engage in the markets. Findings showed that an overwhelming majority of posts use a functional or informational strategy and that when posts use overt persuasion tactics the number of comments decrease. A conceptual model of how cultural factors may impact the success of marketing strategies is then proposed. These findings have implications for conservationists who seek to build engagement with wildlife trade consumers online.     

An Exploration of Managerial Views on Positioning Services in Ghana

ABSTRACT

The paper constitutes an analysis of the views of managers of service firms on positioning strategies in Ghana. The research employed a qualitative research method. Data were collected from 21 service managers and analyzed using content analysis procedures. The results indicate that for service managers, the perceived dominant positioning strategies of their organizations were: service quality, customer relationship, innovation, availability of service, community support, and leading organization, among others. The findings suggest that the dominant managerial views of Ghanaian service managers form a ‘hybrid’ of those of the Western manager. This research is important in clarifying this position. Additionally, as an exploratory piece, the study provides bases for further research on a topic in Ghana with a rather scant evidence of research.     

A longitudinal examination of positioning strategies in a liberalized developing African economy: The case of Ghana

This article examines the nature of positioning strategies pursued by companies (domestic and foreign) conducting business in a liberalized developing African economy, Ghana, over a ten‐year period. Specifically, this research deals with the aggregate behaviors of firms operating in Ghana's post‐SAP (structural adjustment program)‐induced environment. The findings reveal that the dominant positioning strategies are the brand name (branding tactics) and value for money (affordability). However, more recently, attractiveness, which implies elegance about the offering, has also emerged as a prominent positioning strategy. Evidence that supports the robustness of companies' adoption of positioning strategies within sub‐Saharan African economies is also developed. The results also suggest that firms doing business in sub‐Saharan African marketplaces characterized by an open and liberalized business climate have no choice but to become competitive in their positioning and with the aim of targeting the mass market and the lower‐middle‐class target audiences. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Positioning Strategies of Retail Firms in Ghana

This paper assesses how retail firms in Ghana pursue positioning activities. Overt observations, face-to-face interviews with staff, managers and mall intercept methods provide an insight into the positioning strategies of firms in the retail sector. We adopt an empirically based and generic consumer-derived typology of positioning strategies to obtain the results. The findings revealed that the dominant strategies are “service,” “value for money,” “attractiveness,” “reliability,” “top of the range,” selectivity, and “brand name.” The emphasis placed on each of these positioning strategies varies from firm to firm.     

Positioning strategies and congruence in the positioning of high‐end indigenous and foreign retailers in sub‐Saharan Africa: An illustration from Ghana

This article examines the employment of positioning strategies through the lens of international retailing for assessing congruence in the positioning of both indigenous and foreign retailers in Ghana. Six retailers—three indigenous and three foreign—are examined in a triangulated method, each through an in‐depth case study. The results show that the dominant positioning strategies consistently pursued by both indigenous and foreign retailers in Ghana are “service,” “reliability,” and “attractiveness.” Although indigenous retailers (relative to their foreign counterparts) employ more strategies, the majority of foreign retailers exhibit close‐to‐ideal congruence among managers' intentions, actual practice, and customers' perceptions. The findings show that foreign and indigenous retailers pursue varying positioning strategies in the marketplace, further complementing the utility of Western‐developed typologies of positioning strategies in a sub‐Saharan African marketplace. Moreover, the results reveal how indigenous retailers have embraced branding, further attesting to the changing and competitive nature of the Ghanaian marketplace.     

The Role of CSR in the Corporate Identity of Banking Service Providers

The study here is a qualitative research based on multiple case studies of banking service providers to analyze the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the definition of the corporate identity of these kinds of organizations. The results show that, although companies increasingly integrate CSR into their business strategies, there are some aspects of its management such as its communication or the measurement of its results that detract from its success. These results have important implications for those managers pursuing an effective management of CSR policies and strategies in their organizations, especially as the information comes from 6 of the biggest and most important banking institutions in a European country, with a declared assets (loans) volume which represents 62.75% of the total assets in the national banking industry, and thus largely representing the possible heterogeneity of the market in terms of company size, location, legal status, and management styles.     

Non-targeted customers in individualistic versus collectivistic cultures

This research explores non-targeted customers in two countries displaying dominant collectivistic and individualistic characteristics. Using China and the UK as research contexts, the study investigates non-targeted customers' perceptions and responses to multiple marketing tactics (MT)' effectiveness. Non-targeted customers are interesting, as they exhibit feelings of inequity and unfairness, influencing their perceptions, responses, and behaviors. Given continuing globalization of retail services and diverse markets, more research that provides insights into cross-cultural shopping behavior is needed. The study fills an important gap in examining non-targeted customers in a cross-cultural framework. Findings reveal that non-targeted collectivists perceive marketing tactics differently than individualists. While the first group responds to price and reputation, the latter group responds to service, communication, and customization. The study posits that collectivists' concerns with loss of face, equality, and status evoke self-expression such as extensive price and reputation comparisons. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed and future research directions offered.     

Investigating the immediate and long-term effects of job stressors on frontline service employees

Two studies investigate the immediate and long-term effects of job stressors on frontline service employees (FSEs). Using cognitive appraisal theory, we develop and test a conceptual model of two job stressors (crowding and emotional labor) that affect coping strategies and job outcomes. Study 1, which is a field experiment, investigates the immediate effects of crowding in a single firm. Study 2 extends the findings of Study 1 and investigates the long-term effects of emotional labor and crowding on FSEs across multiple firms. The results show that crowding has a negative impact on coping strategies and job-related outcomes. In addition, emotional labor can lead to long-term negative outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion and decreased job retention, for some FSEs. Consequently, service organizations should consider strategies or tactics that prevent high levels of customer crowding and help FSEs deal with emotional labor.     

Evaluations of Tactics for Automated Negotiations

Automated negotiation under the infrastructure of e-commerce is becoming an important issue. However, although the communication protocols and frameworks of automated negotiation have been extensively investigated, the corresponding tactics and strategies are still underdeveloped and need to be evaluated further. Based on the negotiation model proposed by Faratin et al., this paper examines the performance of automated negotiation tactics and intends to provide concise suggestions for the users of automated negotiation. First, theoretical analysis is used to evaluate the behavior-dependent tactics. Constructive conclusions are obtained when single-issue negotiations are considered. Next, a new framework for applying single-issue tactics to multi-issue negotiation is proposed. Based on this framework, theoretical analysis is then extended to multi-issue cases. Finally, different from the previous work, exhaustive simulations based on two-issue negotiations are performed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavior-dependent and time-dependent tactics. The experimental results provide several important insights into negotiation tactics.     

Positioning strategies for branding services in an emerging economy

ABSTRACT

The concept paper adopts a positioning type for the purpose of branding services in a transitioning economy. The consumer-based typology is deemed appropriate and relevant as it represents consumer expectations, reflecting the paper’s key argument that consumer-based positioning strategies are appropriate for branding purposes. Consequently, the paper adopts a positioning type for illustrative purpose. The three positioning strategies adopted were—‘service reliability’, ‘social responsibility’, and ‘branding’ apply to the Ghanaian context. The ‘service reliability’ strategy has a ‘universal’ appeal and is the most prevalent in application. The ‘social responsibility’ to a large extent reflects the caring and community-based nature of the Ghanaian society, whilst the ‘branding’ strategy appears more applicable to international than local firms. The paper contributes to theoretical knowledge in its key assertion that the application of consumer-based positioning strategies for branding is appropriate and beneficial. Practically, the derived propositions will guide the manager in decision making on branding.     

Striving for Legitimacy Through Corporate Social Responsibility: Insights from Oil Companies

Being a controversial industry, oil companies turn to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a means to obtain legitimacy. Adopting a case study methodology, this research examines the characteristics of CSR strategies and CSR communication tactics of six oil companies by analyzing their 2011–2012 web site content. We found that all six companies engaged in CSR activities addressing the needs of various stakeholders and had cross-sector partnerships. CSR information on these companies’ web sites was easily accessible, often involving the use of multimedia technologies and sometimes social media platforms. Furthermore, to boost the credibility of their CSR messages, these companies utilized a variety of tactics, such as factual arguments and two-sided messages. In sum, this research unveils the interconnectedness among business strategy, CSR practices, and CSR communication in oil companies’ attempt to gain legitimacy in an environment of controversy. The article ends with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the research findings.     

An integrated model of service experience design improvement

Service experience design, addressing an overall experience problem with user-centered design thinking is a critical issue. This study proposes an integrated model of service experience assessment that addresses the relationship between user value and experience based on the importance and satisfaction concept. Refined improvement index of this study was developed for the determination of improvement priority. The paper then presents an empirical study of 3C (computer, communication, consumer-electronics) retail stores in which the proposed model was used to identify the critical servicescape items requiring improvement, and ranked on the strategies of improvement. The model requires a systematic approach to (i) examine the performance of these retail service processes; (ii) determine the items to be improved; and (iii) select appropriate and feasible strategies to improve these items. This integrated model is valuable for practical implementation in service firms to investigate and prioritize service design actions based on user experience data gathered from service sites.     

Fundraising and the Elderly: A Content Analysis

Direct marketing, as an avenue for fundraising, provides nonprofit organizations with the ability to fulfill their missions and donors the opportunity to support a worthy cause. There are concerns, however, when sophisticated marketing practices target potentially at-risk consumers. Demographic studies clearly show that the percentage of elderly Americans, aged 65 and over, is rising with a corollary increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These facts suggest this may be a group whose defining characteristics make them especially vulnerable. This exploratory study identifies and qualifies persuasive tactics used by several linked nonprofit organizations targeting one elderly Alzheimer’s victim over a 14-month period. The carefully designed direct mail solicitations utilize appeals that engender low elaboration likelihood and peripheral route processing. In addition, there is some evidence that even those appeals that might encourage high elaboration likelihood become heuristic cues for individuals with cognitive decrease. Taken together, the incorporation of multiple tactics within each solicitation, an approach referred to here as shotgunning, may have significant implications for future research and practice in communication, ethics, and public policy.     

中国创意服务贸易及国际竞争力演进分析

随着创意产业日益成为世界各国经济发展的战略重点,创意服务贸易也得以快速发展,成为全球服务贸易增长的重要推动力。中国创意服务贸易增速远远高于世界平均水平,且自2004年起由贸易"逆差"转为贸易"顺差",但在全球所处地位仍然偏低,仍具有巨大的市场发展空间。按照TC指数和CA指数计量的中国创意及相关产业服务的国际竞争力,目前仍处于较低水平,但逐渐提升的演进趋势明显。为尽快提升中国创意服务国际竞争力,应尽快建立创意服务统计信息系统,把创意服务作为服务贸易的"战略性新兴产业"培育和扶持,采取有针对性的政策措施引进创意服务业发展所需稀缺生产要素,并建立创意服务发展部门间政策协调机制。     

The impact of staff empowerment and communication style on customer evaluations: The special case of service failure

Empowering front-line staff to deal with service failures has been proposed as a method of recovering from service breakdown and ensuring greater customer satisfaction. However, no empirical study has investigated consumer responses to empowerment strategies. This research investigates the effect on customer satisfaction and service quality of two employee characteristics: the degree to which the employee is empowered (full, limited, and none), and the employee's communication style (accommodative–informal and personal, and underaccommodative–formal and impersonal). These employee characteristics are studied within the context of service failures. Subjects were shown videotaped service scenarios, and asked to complete satisfaction and service quality ratings. Results revealed that the fully empowered employee produced more customer satisfaction than the other conditions, but only when the service provider used an accommodating style of communication. Fully empowered and nonempowered employees were not judged differently when an underaccommodating style of communication was adopted. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Service Quality of Advertising and Promotions Agencies in South Africa

Service quality is important to firms that use advertising and communication agencies and these agencies in turn need to make sure that their service quality is what clients expect. The purpose of this research is to assess perceptions of the service quality offered by agencies in South Africa and to identify the most important service attributes of the agency offerings. Agencies were also divided into three types: mass communication agencies, or above the line agencies (ATL), sales promotion agencies, or below the line agencies (BTL), and integrated marketing communication agencies, or full service agencies (FS). A total of 105 responses were received and results were reported for each agency type and in total. The results show some serious differences between what clients are looking for and agency strategies. These are discussed in detail. Recommendations are made which will help agencies in the development of strategic partnerships with clients.     

Impact of positioning strategies on service firm performance

This research examines the application of positioning strategies of retail service firms in Texas. Four in-depth qualitative case studies and covert observation methods provide candid subterranean insight into retail positioning in a dynamic marketplace. “Branding”, “service”, “value for money” and, to a lesser extent, “reliability” and “attractiveness” positioning strategies emerge as the most dominant positioning strategies, although emphasis placed on each varies from firm to firm. Furthermore, all of the firms achieve acceptable sales and favorable consumer perceptions when employing these positioning strategies. Desired profits, return on investment (ROI), and market share are associated with these positioning strategies although not as “sales” and favorable “consumers' perceptions”. The results further show that the pursuit of multiple positioning strategies relates to multiple performance indicators. The paper concludes by providing normative suggestions and discussing theoretical and managerial implications.