Determinants of Export Marketing Channel Design to Developed and Developing Countries: Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study is intended to analyze the differences in the organization of export marketing channels to developing and developed countries from the perspective of exporters in a developed country. Our evidence seems to suggest that despite high transaction costs, U.S. seafood exporters are not interested in vertical forward integration of the Japanese and Western European seafood distribution channels. The U.S. seafood industry is geared toward providing raw materials to foreign re-processors than exporting value added products. Thus, lack of management commitment to foreign end-users makes vertical forward integration difficult. Hence, unlike in developing countries, the choice of an efficient transaction governance structure for the U.S. seafood export business depends on factors derived from transaction cost theory and management commitment to foreign markets. The study found that resources are not a problem to U.S. seafood exporters.     

Mobile Phone Service Providers Shift to No-Contract Plans: Implications on Customer Retention

ABSTRACT

Findings indicate that, regardless of the flexibility and cost saving advantages of no-contract mobile phone service plans for customers, a majority of younger customers in the United States continue to patronize contract-based plans. Conversely, the data show that older customers tend to appreciate the flexibility and financial savings that come with buying no-contract plans. Also, the study finds that the customer's decision to finance the cost of a mobile device with the provider is independent of the customer's age. The article discusses theoretical and practical implications.     

Do they buy for their dogs the way they buy for themselves?

Motivated by the fact that pet food and pet care is a big business and pet owners in the United States spend more on their pets each year, the objective of this research is to determine whether dog owners buy for their dogs the way they buy for themselves. The data show that dog owners are more loyal to dog food brands than human food brands. Dog owners are also found to be more sensitive to human food price than dog food price. The survey results also show that dog owners are more serious about buying healthy dog food than buying healthy human food. The findings are significant because they suggest that manufacturers and marketers of dog food and vet care service providers can gain some insight about the type of food and medical services dog owners might buy for their dogs by studying dog owners' food and medical service consumption decision patterns. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.