Partner Symmetries,Partner Conflict and the Quality of Joint Venture Marketing Strategy: An Empirical Investigation

Joint venture research has overlooked the potential impact of partner conflict on the quality of joint venture marketing strategy. We address this issue by developing formal hypotheses concerning the antecedents to and consequences of functional and dysfunctional conflict between joint venture parent organisations on joint venture marketing strategy. We then describe an empirical examination of our model. Data collection was undertaken via a mail survey of New Zealand joint venture companies. Forty usable responses were returned, corresponding to a response rate of twenty-five percent. Correlation analysis of the data indicates that the degree to which partners exhibit both functional and dysfunctional conflict is influenced by (a) the degree to which joint venture partners share strategic and operational fit, (b) partners' level of mutual commitment, (c) levels of mutual trust, (d) opportunistic behaviours and (e) the adoption of collaborative communication approaches. Furthermore, both functional and dysfunctional partner conflict appear to significantly influence the quality of joint ventures' marketing strategy formulation and implementation. We discuss the managerial implications forthcoming from these results.     

Factors Affecting the Adoption of the Internet in the Public Sector

ABSTRACT

Research in the area of electronic marketing has focused considerable attention on consumers' and advertisers' perceptions of the Internet as a marketing communication medium. Whilst such research has been undertaken mostly in the private sector, it is important to recognize, and attempt to understand, the growing number of public sector organizations that have an Internet presence. Results of a study of the perceptions of managers in public sector organizations of the Internet as a marketing communication tool are reported. Findings suggest that decision makers in the public sector who feel that there is a need for their organizations to have an Internet presence, are more inclined to adopt the Internet as part of their marketing communications program. Furthermore, they are more likely to feel that use of the Internet will improve their overall marketing effectiveness. It is also interesting to note that the perceived complexity of using the Internet has a significant effect on both the adoption of and attitude towards the Internet as a marketing communications tool. This suggests that there is still some uncertainty amongst public sector organizations as to the usefulness of the Internet in marketing their services.     

Economic Crisis and its Impact on Promotion and Media in Cyprus

ABSTRACT

The economic crisis has redounded sharply upon marketing communications and media vehicles in Cyprus. In recession periods, communication and marketing budgets can contract while companies seek to obtain the best communication outcomes with more limited resources, both the size and the distribution of the communication mix can alter rapidly. This qualitative paper reveals that Cypriot advertising agencies now place greater emphasis upon marketing public relations (MPR) as it is perceived to be cost effective and efficient in achieving campaign objectives. The empirical data also indicates a shift towards the use of internet marketing and social media as more and more businesses are realizing the importance of consumer generated marketing and word-of-mouth/mouse marketing (WOMm).     

Improving integrated marketing communications practices: A comparison of objectives and results

Marketing managers face increasing demands for effectiveness measurement including more rigorous assessment of the match between marketing communication objectives and results. This study provides an analysis of current objective-setting practices and a comparison with past industry practices by applying a traditional communication task model to marketing communications award competition entries. The results indicate that there is still room for improvement in communication objective-setting practices. Suggestions for improving these practices include (1) making a commitment to assessment, (2) offering actionable objective-setting education, (3) increasing attention to the impact of new media, and (4) expanding the role of agencies. The authors conclude that the study of the objectives and results aspect of marketing communication management will create new opportunities for integrated marketing communications scholars and practitioners to increase the effectiveness of promotional activities.     

Mastering the Marketing Communications Mix: Micro and Macro Perspectives on Integrated Marketing Communication Programs

One difficult challenge for marketers is the large, diverse means of communication and communication options that are available to support their brands (e.g. TV, print, and interactive advertising; trade and consumer promotions; arts, sports, and cause sponsorships; etc.). Consequently, marketers must understand what various marketing communication options have to offer and how they should be combined to optimize their marketing communications programs. Towards that goal, this paper considers issues in how to develop, implement, and evaluate an integrated marketing communication program. Specifically, to provide micro perspectives -- especially relevant for academic research -- we introduce the Marketing Communication Tetrahedron as a means of classifying and analyzing factors influencing marketing communication effectiveness along four broad dimensions (i.e. factors related to the consumer, communication, response, and situation). To provide macro perspectives -- especially relevant for managerial planning -- we provide criteria as to how integrated marketing communication programs can be designed and evaluated as a whole (i.e. according to coverage, contribution, commonality, complementarity, robustness, and cost considerations). We also describe how the two perspectives relate and conclude by discussing theoretical and managerial implications and outlining future research directions.     

Development and validation of an emic scale to measure ad-evoked nostalgia in France

The practice of imbuing marketing communications with nostalgic reverie is prevalent in numerous countries. However, scholarly research investigating consumer response to such communication across cultures is lacking. This inquiry follows an emic approach examining and measuring ad-evoked personal nostalgia in France. Findings from five studies (N = 699) reveal significant differences in consumer reactions in France, as compared to earlier research based on American samples. Among the French, nostalgic advertising evokes personal memories and cultural nostalgia, contrasted to reports of past imagery, physiological and positive and negative emotional reactions in the United States. Furthermore, while cultural nostalgia is an important component of the French personal nostalgic experience, it is the personal memories that are the key to the creation of positive impressions about the ad and brand (brand heritage, brand bonds, and attitudes), and driving behavioral intentions. The emic French scale was found to be superior to an etic ad-nostalgia measure, in terms of fit and variance explained of the endogenous variables. The findings contribute to cross-cultural advertising and marketing research, and can be instructive for advertisers targeting the French market.     

Stakeholder theory and internal marketing communications: a framework for analysing the influence of new media

Effective two‐way communication is widely viewed as an essential component of successful internal marketing strategies, yet little research has so far been conducted on the relative merits of different communication media in an internal marketing context. Since the mid‐1990s Internet technologies have revolutionized internal communications in many organizations. However, the impact of these new forms of electronic media on internal marketing communication remains relatively unexamined. This paper draws on stakeholder and communication theories to provide a framework for understanding the dimensions of effective internal marketing communications and presents the results of an empirical study on the relationship between these dimensions and the use of new media in the workplace.     

The application of "integrated marketing communications" to social marketing and health communication: organizational challenges and implications

Influencing consumer behavior is a difficult and often resource-intensive undertaking, with success usually requiring identifying, describing, and understanding target audiences; solid product and/or service positioning relative to competitors; and significant media and communication resources. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a new way of organizing and managing persuasive communication tools and functions which involves realigning communications to consider the flow of information from an organization from the viewpoint of end consumers. Although the application of IMC to social marketing remains relatively unexplored, the IMC literature and recent efforts by the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control suggest that integrated communication approaches have much to offer social marketing and health communication efforts. IMC, IMC and social marketing, and implications of IMC for public and private sector social marketing programs are discussed.     

Marketing communication and corporate identity: are they integrated?

Although corporate identity was originally defined in terms of the visual representation of a company, later writers employed broader definitions, which have highlighted the importance of the various forms of communication in corporate identity management. Recent models of the corporate identity management process have reflected the importance of communication in the management of corporate identity. Corporate communication has been regarded as being composed of three forms: management, marketing and organizational communication. Most organizations are structured such that management and organizational communication are closely aligned with the corporate identity of an organization. However, the conjunction between corporate identity and marketing communication is less discernible. It has been noted that the interaction between corporate and marketing communication is 'tentative and embryonic in nature'. The authors conducted empirical research, which explored the extent to which corporate identity was integrated into the marketing communication campaigns of these practitioners. The conclusions from this exploratory research suggest that there are substantial barriers to the successful integration of corporate identity with marketing communications. Barriers such as the importance of integration not being accepted by clients, the focus of marketing managers on short-term goals, too many people involved with managing the core message of corporate identity and an ad hoc approach towards marketing communication were important. Further research into structural and behavioural ways of overcoming these barriers could prove to be extremely valuable.     

Hospital Positioning and Integrated Hospital Marketing Communications: State-of-the-Art Review,Conceptual Framework,and Research Agenda

In the light of patient empowerment and channel fragmentation, hospitals struggle to target patients in their new role as active, knowledgeable consumers. As market differentiation via traditional marketing mix variables such as price is hardly achievable in healthcare, superior communication grounded on sound positioning is a more promising lever for competitive advantage. Yet, research on marketing-driven communication from provider to patient lacks synthesis and critical reflection. Drawing upon evidence from previous research, this article unites 62 articles from medical and social sciences covering aspects of hospital marketing communications. Derived from qualitative content analysis, findings on the effectiveness of specific communication channels and contents are portrayed. This article further uncovers the characteristics of four evolving archetypes for hospital positioning and illustrates the implementation of integrated hospital marketing communication strategy. The elaborated conceptual framework can be used as a managerial tool for tailoring hospital communications. The article closes by highlighting future research directives.     

Factors affecting family firms’ communication behaviour: a cross-cultural study

This study explores heterogeneity in family firms’ communication behaviour across cultures. The authors propose that variations in the background of family firms, including culture, industry, public or private status, and age, influence their propensity to reference their family identity on their corporate web communications. Websites have become an increasingly important medium of marketing communications in today’s interconnected world. Yet, limited research has been done to understand firms’ web communication behaviour. Based on a study of 432 family firms from 41 countries across the world, this research empirically demonstrates that family firms which are from collectivist cultures and publicly traded are significantly less likely to reference their family identity in online marketing communications compared to their counterparts. In addition, the research shows that there is an inverted-U curvilinear relationship between a family firm’s age and the likelihood of referencing their family background. Contributions and implications of the research and findings are discussed.     

Building brand equity with cause-related marketing: A comparison with sponsorship and sales promotion

Building brand equity is a key objective for a range of communication activities; however, greater understanding is required on how different communication options compare in their impact on consumer response to a brand. In particular, firms are increasingly using cause-related marketing (CRM) to achieve business as well as social objectives, yet there has been limited research comparing the effectiveness of this strategy to other communication methods that may achieve similar brand-related outcomes. Using an experimental design, we examine consumer attitudes toward CRM and CRM's impact on brand attitude compared with two other communication options: sponsorship and sales promotion. Our results show that consumers respond more positively to CRM and that this strategy can be more effective in achieving brand-related objectives. However, consumers must perceive that the partnered cause fits with the brand. In fact, perception of fit plays a more critical role in determining the impact of CRM than in the impact of sponsorship or sales promotion. These findings suggest that when firms are considering their communication mix, CRM can be a more effective way of developing favorable brand associations, but managers must associate with causes that consumers will perceive to fit with the brand. Furthermore, this fit should be communicated.     

Engagement behavior and financial well-being: The effect of message framing in online pension communication

People spend very little time planning for retirement, which could have negative effects on their financial well-being. To address this troubling lack of engagement, the authors posit that the use of goal framing, a marketing practice that involves making strategic adjustments to wording of marketing communications, in technology-facilitated communication (e.g., email) is effective for stimulating consumers’ behavioral engagement with pension information that is relevant for their long-term financial well-being. Field, online, and laboratory studies consistently show that a prevention-oriented assurance frame in technology-facilitated communication is twice as effective as a promotion-oriented investment frame for increasing participants’ engagement behavior. The findings have important implications for marketers and policy makers who seek to increase consumers’ retirement engagement behavior and financial well-being.     

Communication channels in markets: a definition and conceptualization

The marketing mix taxonomy by classifying marketing communications according to how they are controlled by the marketer. The proposed definition of 'marketing communications' and 'communication channels' is customer-focused in contrast to the prevailing marketer-focused interpretations in the literature. This definition calls attention to the sources of information received by customers, some of which are only weakly controlled by the marketer. The control of communication channels is conceived in terms of five types-supervisory, contractual, agency, relational and informal.     

Determinants of SME International Marketing Communications

ABSTRACT

This research article discusses the factors affecting international marketing communications in small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). International commitment and brand adaptation in overseas markets were found significantly influencing the effectiveness of international marketing communications. The results suggest that international marketers need to have resources input, such as human and financial, to drive international marketing communications. Brand adaptation also needs to be performed in order to achieve a better international marketing communications. There are two factors affecting international marketing communications suggesting international marketers of SMEs need to be concerned with both internal resource and external factors in international ventures.     

The Role of Logo Recoloring on Perceptual Fluency in Cause-Related Marketing Campaigns

Abstract

This article investigates the influence of brand esthetics on consumer response to cause-related marketing campaigns. Drawing on brand visual identity and advertising research, a processing fluency perspective is explored in the relationship between stimulus characteristics and consumer judgment. Processing fluency suggests color enhances the ease with which consumers recognize and process brand elements, and more broadly, cause-related marketing campaigns. Brand logos were recolored to enhance the perceptual fluency of the two entities. Its joint effect with conceptual congruence (e.g., fit) indicate that both low and high fit brands benefit from enhanced processing fluency, with a more robust outcome for high fit brands. These effects were mediated by logo evaluation, leading to a new path of fit perceptions in CRM initiatives.     

The Impact of the Cultural Environment on Interfirm Communications

A theoretical framework to study the impact of the cultural environment on the nature of interfirm communication strategies in channesls of distribution is presented. Based on several structural and behavioral criteria, national cultural environments are classified as traditional or modern. It is proposed that the governance structure of a channel (conventional market or hierarchy) interacts with the cultural influences to affect channels communications patterns. Tenets from the Politcal Economy and Relational Exchange paradigms are combined to conceptualize an interorganizational marketing environment in two dimensions: culture (traditional or modern) and channel governance structure (markets or hierarchies). The ways in which the direction, frequency, modality, and content of interfirm communications differ in diverse cultures is discussed. Managerial guidelines are developed regarding communication strategies in different environments.     

Consumer response to retailer use of cause-related marketing: Is more fit better?

Although marketers increasingly rely upon cause-related marketing strategies to increase sales, controversy exists regarding whether a retailer should partner with causes offering high or low fit levels with its core business practices. The present investigation extends prior research by examining how retailer–cause fit affects consumer evaluations of retailers’ cause-related marketing strategies. The results indicate that the effects of retailer–cause fit are moderated by consumer perceptions of the retailer's motive for engaging in cause-related marketing (Study 1), by the affinity that consumers hold for the social cause component of the campaign (Study 2), as well as by the interactive effects associated with the two moderators (Study 3).     

Industry and agency views of social media: Issues implementing dialogic communication

The technologies and culture of social media present issues for organisations implementing dialogic communication. The ubiquity of social media and the dialogic nature of communications in the digital age are raising awareness of the necessity of a total stakeholder approach to integrated communications. Yet, while the Marketing discipline argues that dialogic communication represent communication par excellence, this research finds that implementing a total stakeholder approach to dialogic communication is proving to be extremely elusive for many organisations exploring social media applications. The empirical findings of this research explore how marketing and communications professionals from a diverse range of industry and agency role contexts view social media, and presents issues that organisations face in implementing dialogic communication. It is suggested that these implementation issues inhibit the ability of organisations to move beyond ‘control’ and implement a total stakeholder approach to social media for dialogic communication that can engage with an organisation's stakeholders to gain their support.