Consumers' Responses to Implicit and Explicit Gay-Themed Advertising in Gay vs. Mainstream Media

ABSTRACT

Further study is needed to validate concerns over gay-themed ads appearing in mainstream media. This study investigates the effects of such ads by comparing them to the effects of gay-themed ads placed in gay media. The study delves into the differential effects of implicit and explicit visual messages. It also examines how consumers' attitudes toward homosexuality affect their purchase intention as well as advertising and brand evaluation. The study's findings suggest that implicit, rather than explicit, gay-themed ads lead to higher purchase intention and more favorable advertising and brand evaluation. The study results show that the type of advertising message (i.e., implicit or explicit gay-themed ads) moderates the relationship between gay-media and mainstream media. Finally, this study finds that a low level of tolerance toward homosexuality results in lower purchase intention as well as less favorable evaluations of both the advertising and brand. Managerial implications are also discussed.     

It's Not Black and White: Advertising and Race in Cultural Context

ABSTRACT

Studies in the United States have found that matching an advertising model's race to the target audience is an effective marketing strategy. However, race is a cultural construct and little research has been conducted on race and advertising effectiveness outside of the United States. This study, conducted with female consumers in Brazil, found that advertisements were not more effective when the subject and the model were of the same race. To better understand the psychological processes triggered by race, this study explored two related but distinct conditions of identification: similarity and liking. It found that in conditions of boundary permeability between groups, liking is more important than similarity in determining advertising effectiveness in the target sample. A general model is proposed.     

Selection,Training, and Performance Evaluation of Sales Managers: An Empirical Investigation

ABSTRACT

Despite the important role sales managers play in an organization, little empirical work has explored various facets of their jobs. The state of knowledge regarding this issue is woefully inadequate. To partially address this gap in the sales management literature, this paper reports the results of a study that investigated recruitment/selection, training, and performance evaluation practices vis-à-vis sales managers. Findings suggest that sales managers (irrespective of their company's size or primary market offering) generally rely on subjective recruitment and selection tools and techniques when recruiting sales management candidates, do not feel that any particular job activity is uniquely important or difficult to perform, and consider few evaluation criteria when assaying sales manager performance. Conclusions concerning the study's results are provided.     

Is mandatory country-of-origin labelling a retrograde step in the long run?

Abstract

There is a strong push from the farming community in Australia to persuade the government to legislate the compulsory display of country-of-origin labelling on retail products. This research examines the label elements considered by grocery shoppers who are inclined to examine the country of manufacture. Shoppers are most likely to consider the brand name when choosing a product, with the odds ratio of taking note of the country of manufacture being the largest for those consumers who scrutinize the name of the product and for those who ascribe the highest importance to the product's country of manufacture. Overt identification as Australian origin, for products without a recognizable brand name, may therefore not be advantageous to Australian producers. Country-of-origin prone shoppers also seek stronger reassurance from other cues on the product label. Shoppers would have to contend with the inevitable higher prices arising from label recomposition and country-of-origin compliance. To what extent increased prices would dampen demand is a moot point.     

Costly Signaling: Asian Americans and the Role of Ethnicity in the Willingness to Pay More for Socially Responsible Products

The present study applies motivated reasoning and costly signaling theory to examine whether consumers transfer stereotypical race-related attributes to their evaluations of companies' socially responsible advertisements. The study compares corporate socially responsible advertisements featuring different model races and cultural cues in order to meet consumers' motives to impress others by supporting CSR initiatives. Results (N = 754) of a 2 × 2 × 4 experiment reveal that strong ethnic identifiers among Asian Americans are more likely to make a costly signaling behavior when ads feature a white model with white cultural cues by attributing higher social status to whites' images, which is mediated by conspicuous consumption motives. Interestingly, ethnic identification among white Americans is also a strong predictor in making costly signaling behavior with socially responsible products.     

Advertising, 2nd Edition. Runyon,Kenneth E. Columbus,OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1984. 702 pp

Abstract

Despite cultural similarities between the United States and the United Kingdom, there are substantial differences between American and British television advertising. British commercials tend to contain less information, employ a soft sell rather than a hard sell approach, and attempt to entertain the viewer. British viewers' opinions of advertising are also more favorable than those of American viewers. It is important that scholars and practitioners concerned with these two markets and with international advertising generally be aware of these differences and understand why they have evolved. Possible explanations are evaluated and implications of these findings discussed, including areas for future research.     

The Impact of “Encouragement” in the Development of Professionals for the Non-Profit Service Sector

Abstract

This study examines the role of perceived intent in the context of penalty evaluation. Based on prior attribution research, the study proposes that customers' responses to penalties are different depending on their perceptions of the organization's intent of using penalties. Using the data collected across the service industry, the study shows that when customers perceive the organization's intent as defensive rather than offensive, their evaluations of the penalty and the organization (e.g., perceived justice, satisfaction, behavioral intentions) are more positive than when they do not. Managerial implications are offered.     

Recall of Information from Political Advertising

Abstract

Televised political commercials have frequently been criticized for stressing idealized image characteristics of the candidates rather than issues. Content analyses of political advertising, however, have shown that these commercials generally contain both image and issue material. Given both types of content are present in political ads, this study was designed to determine what people recall from these ads in a natural environment. A telephone study during the last week of a gubernatorial election revealed that the amount of free recall exhibited was greater for information from a preferred candidate's commercials than from his opponent's. However, one-third of the respondents were unable to recall anything from either candidates' political commercials. Recall was more highly related to attitude variables than most demographic variables or total television exposure.     

Marketing Cues and Perceptions of Service Quality in the Selection of Accounting Firms

Abstract

This study tests the survey responses of clients of accounting firms to determine what marketing cues influence their selection of firms and what relationship these cues have on the perceived service quality of the firms' products. The study argues that three marketing cue factors are influential in the clients' selection of accounting firms. Using Principle Components Analysis, three factors were identified: Factor 1, termed Internal Factors-Tangibles includes the following cues: fees, physical facilities, appearance/dress of employees, convenience of location, and available parking. Factor 2, termed Internal Factors-Intangibles includes reputation of the firm, professional quality of employees, and “my own personal experience with other accounting firms.” Factor 3, termed External Factors comprises the opinion of friends/relatives, manner of employees, and word-of-mouth reputation. The relationship betwecn the resultant cues and perceived service quality measures suggests that the intangible and external factors have more influence than tangible factors on the perceived service quality of accounting firms.     

Ethnic Differences in Nigerian Consumer Attitudes Toward Foreign and Domestic Products

Abstract

This paper uses conjoint analysis to investigate ethnic differences in the importance of a product's country-of-manufacture relative to other attributes in the Nigerian consumer choice. It was found that the country-of-manufacture was more important to Yoruba than Hausa respondents, price was more important to Ibo than Yoruba respondents, and reliability was more important to Hausa than Ibo respondents. Additional analyses indicated that prestige was important to Yoruba respondents in the preference for foreign cars while it was important to Ibo and Hausa respondents in the choice of foreign TV sets. Implications for foreign marketers, domestic governments and domestic manufacturers are discussed.     

Can Experiences With a Country's Foods Improve Images of That Country?

ABSTRACT

This study examines how experience with other countries’ foods affects people's images of those countries, as well as the strength of such images. The findings show that foods are effective cultural elements that can enhance country images. People who have eaten a country's foods reveal more favorable country images than those who lack such experiences. Country images are even more favorable when people have more positive and many food experiences. Furthermore, positive country image effects are greater for people in opposite-hemisphere countries than for those in neighboring countries. Finally, people who prefer certain attributes of a country's foods provide more favorable ratings for related product attributes from that country, indicating affect transfer from food experiences to other product categories. These findings have key implications, especially for policy makers and researchers who seek effective ways to improve country images.     

Human Resource Management Practice of Service Organizations: Evidence from Selected Malaysian Firms

ABSTRACT

One of the important features of human resource management (HRM) theory is that organizations need to develop HRM practices that are supportive of the organization's business practice. The HRM practice of an organization defines the role behaviour of its employees. Service organizations are unique and distinct from manufacturing organizations. Thus, service organizations need to develop the appropriate role behaviour. Empirical evidence shows that service organizations in the U.S. develop HRM practices that are distinct when compared with manufacturing firms. This study examined the extent to which this is also true in Malaysia. It also subjected this relationship to a more rigorous scrutiny by also controlling for the influence of other variables known to affect HRM practice.     

Examination of Credence and Noncredence Service Advertisement Strategies in the United States and India

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the differences in advertising strategies of services marketers in two culturally distinct markets by classifying services on the basis of search, experience, and credence attributes. A content analysis of 221 service print ads revealed that the type of service serves an important role for using appeal and service quality cues in service ads. In the case of credence services, ads in India are more likely to contain a reliability dimension of the service quality, and ads in the United States are more likely to utilize responsiveness cues.     

Managerial Success Factors

Abstract

This article reports on an exploratory study conducted in the People's Republic of China (PRC) to identify the managerial success factors perceived by Chinese managers to be important in their market economy. The study also looked at how these factors are exhibited by recent graduates of Chinese universities now working in Chinese firms. Questionnaire responses were collected from managers in 113 Chinese state-owned exnterprises (SOEs) and private firms. Managers in both types of firms agreed on the relative importance and presence of the following factors: work habits, teamwork, creativity, ethics, communication, leadership, and business area knolwedge. Respondents gave higher ratings to the importance of each factor than to its presence in the recently hired gradutes. The results of this study provide a management profile of knowledge, skills, and abilities considered desirable by Chinese managers for today's market economy in the People's Republic of China. The identification of gaps between importance ratings and presence ratings provides valuable insight into changes that should be considered by educators in the design of business area currucula in Chinese universities.     

The Need for Theoretical Relevance: A Comment on Woodside/Glenesk

Abstract

Previous research examining the influence of actors' race on viewers' attitudes and purchase intentions indicates that, although white subjects do not react extremely negatively to black actors, reactions are not as positive as to white actors. Blacks show better recall of content, and more positive attitudes toward advertisements that feature black, rather than white, actors. Unfortunately, this now-outdated body of research focuses primarily on outcome measures (e.g., purchase intentions, advertisement and product evaluation), while neglecting psychological processes (e.g., thoughts, source and message evaluation) that might mediate these effects. Results of two recent studies are presented to provide understanding of viewers' psychological processes following exposure to advertisements containing actors of different races. An attempt is made to interpret these findings in light of Chaiken's (1980) systematic/heuristic framework, and Kelman's (1961) identification model of opinion change.     

Being Arab and American: Understanding Ethnocentric Tendencies for Arab American Consumers

ABSTRACT

Scant research exists on Arab Americans' ethnocentric tendencies towards purchasing American-made products. This study explores the nexus among consumer ethnocentrism, empathy towards local workers, and ethnic identification. We examined ethnic identification, patriotism, dogmatism, and internationalism as potential influences on Arab Americans' ethnocentric tendencies towards purchasing products made in the US. Data were collected from 165 Arab Americans living in Michigan. We found that when Arab consumers felt empathic towards local workers, they were more ethnocentric towards purchasing local products. Arab Americans' ethnic identification neither influenced their ethnocentric tendencies towards American-made products nor their empathic feelings towards American workers. Our study provides key contributions related to minorities' preferences for locally made products.     

The Attitudes of Middle Class Male and Female Consumers Regarding the Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsers

Abstract

This study analyzes consumer perceptions regarding the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers in relation to the AIDA framework and the match-up hypothesis. Findings indicate that celebrity endorsers influence both men and women, but men were influenced to a greater degree than women. The main AIDA influence is the celebrity endorser's ability to get and hold attention. Celebrity endorsers also appear to help products stand out from the competition, and make ads more memorable, as well as enhancing brand awareness, particularly for desired products. Indications are that the most important celebrity source characteristic is expertise, which apparently can overcome certain celebrity character flaws, such as the lack of trustworthiness and likeability.     

Identity Distancing and Targeted Advertisements: The Black Sheep Effect

ABSTRACT

This research examines the effect of target marketing using the black sheep effect, which occurs when individuals judge likable ingroup members more positively than similar outgroup members, while judging unlikable ingroup members more negatively than similar outgroup members. The results of two experiments show that individuals feel more targeted by ads that feature members of their ingroup that are more prototypical and likeable, and feel less targeted by advertisements featuring models who violate the group's positive image on some trait, making them nonprototypical and unlikeable. Theoretical implications regarding the impact of intragroup processes in consumer persuasion effects and target marketing are discussed.     

Forecasting Methods and Seasonal Adjustment for a University Foodservice Operation

ABSTRACT

Considering the unique seasonal pattern in university dining environments, this study attempts to determine the degree of improvement in accuracy of each forecasting method tested when seasonally adjusted data is employed. This study also seeks to identify the most accurate forecasting method of the six forecasting methods used in this study: naïve, moving average, simple exponential smoothing, Holt's method, Winter's method, and linear regression. Accuracy is measured using Mean Squared Error, Mean Absolute Percentage Error, and Mean Percentage Error. Results show that Winter's method outperforms the other five methods when raw data is used, while Moving Average method, when used with seasonally adjusted data, is the most accurate forecasting technique. Seasonally adjusted data is found to greatly improve forecasting accuracy in most of the methods. The findings of this study indicate that seasonally adjusted data is more effective in forecasting customer counts in the university foodservice operations than raw data, so the adjusted data help control costs and increase customer satisfaction.