A framework for customer relationship management strategy orientation support in higher education institutions

ABSTRACT

A number of generic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation frameworks have been developed, yet no systematic framework has been developed to help HEIs orientate CRM strategy to align with university business strategies and stakeholder needs. This research iteratively develops the CRM Strategy Orientation Support (CRM-SOS) framework, which aims to support HEIs in orientating their strategic CRM system at the pre-implementation stage and align CRM strategy with the business strategy; thus, reducing the chance that HEIs will experience CRM implementation failure. To reach our proposed CRM-SOS framework, we employed Design Science Research (DSR) methodology steps by analysing UK HEIs specific CRM implementation case studies, conducting semi-structured HEIs-based interviews, followed by evaluation of the resulted framework by HEI Information Systems (IS) experts. We concluded with a new CRM-SOS framework for HEIs consisting of five stages. The framework can be used to personalise the stages until they fit the strategic outputs and match the top management KPIs. Although existing research agrees that intensive attention should be given to CRM planning, there is no consensus or developed framework, for use within HEIs, demonstrating how CRM strategy can be orientated to align with university strategies and customer needs.     

Taking international business education programs and pedagogy to new heights: Fundamental questions for educators and students

As the dynamic global business environment continues to force organizations to be agile and adaptive, international business (IB) education pedagogy is transforming. Building on previous literature describing gaps in IB pedagogy, as well as unaddressed stakeholder needs, we first use our institution—the United States Air Force Academy—as an example of IB program development. In examining our program's evolution, we develop five questions that may provide insight regarding more generalizable IB pedagogy trends. To assess this possible generalizability, we explore questions related to the development of our program using self-reported, publically-available websites of the top full-time MBA programs throughout the United States. Our questions focus on the role of foreign languages, study abroad opportunities, integrative courses, capstone/thesis projects, and faculty development. Our exploration indicates that these five questions are important not only for educators developing future programs, but also for students examining potential IB programs. Additionally, our research examines a sixth question focused on the development of competitive positioning and program differentiation in IB programs. We hope to motivate future inquiry into IB pedagogy, which could inform more effective means of improving IB education.     

Developing a contemporary conceptualization for consumer sciences in higher education in the UK

Consumer sciences and consumer studies as a recent interdisciplinary degree area in higher education in the UK has had limited published research either on the subject heritage or its disciplinary identity. Since the major subject review was undertaken by the Council for National Academic Awards 17 years ago, the research investigation aimed to study how consumer studies and home economics had moved to consumer sciences and consumer studies. The research has therefore involved a survey over a 15‐year period of development and changes of institutions and degrees and a content analysis of programme outlines and national benchmarking to reveal changing trends in how the subject has been conceptualized. The comparison used data from 1992, 1999, 2003 and 2007 to map degree programme and institutional changes. External and internal political and economic factors influenced subject growth, decline and development. It was found that the number of degree programme titles had remained relatively stable, with still a balance between BA and BSc degrees but that this disguised many changes in institutions and degree titles. The content analysis of trends was undertaken, comparing 1992, 1999, 2003 and 2007. Subject benchmarking statements introduced in 2002, currently being revised in 2009, were compared with programme content themes in 2003 and 2007. The content analysis showed that the overall approach or principles, areas of study, context, perspectives and processes for degree programmes at the undergraduate level had developed noticeably over the last 15 years and had been clarified by benchmarking guidelines. Themes of behavioural change, consumer ethics, consumer services, skills and education, sustainability and well‐being had developed with applied contexts depending on programme orientation. A model has been proposed to illustrate the current conceptualization of the subject in the UK at degree level, and Chenoweth's definition of consumer sciences and consumer studies has been redefined for the UK. It is recommended that there should be more theoretical reflection on the interpretation and development of the subject.     

Accounting students and cheating: A comparative study for Australia,South Africa and the UK

This paper reports the results of a study of accounting students in three countries who self-reported on their propensity to engage in cheating behaviour when presented with specific rewards, risks and penalties. The professed behaviour examined is indicative of the ethical values held by persons aspiring to the accounting profession and is relevant to the design of their educational experiences. Empirical results show marked differences across the three countries, in the ethical propensities of respondents. In all cases, there is cause for concern, that professed unethical behaviour in the university environment might be replicated in the workplace.     

Contextualizing experience effects in international business: A study of ownership strategies

Experienced firms act differently than newcomers, yet such differences vary with the context and with the type of experience. This research examines the effects of international experience on multinational enterprises’ (MNEs’) ownership strategy across a range of developed and developing economies. We distinguish competence-building and partner-selection effects of experience, which vary between general international experience and country-specific experience, and across host contexts. This contextualization of the theoretical arguments suggests that the predicted effects hold in some host countries, but not in others. In support of these arguments, our empirical study of subsidiaries of Taiwanese electronics forms finds that general international experience facilitates wholly owned operations in developed economies in Asia and Europe, while country-specific experience facilitates joint ownership in China.     

The antecedents of early internationalization: A configurational perspective

The literature on international business and international entrepreneurship provides multiple explanations for early internationalization. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, this study examines the antecedents of early internationalization for small firms based in a small economy, focusing on entrepreneurs’ attitudes toward the economic opportunities available in their domestic market, the risk of internationalizing, and the profitability of entering foreign markets. Three additional antecedents are examined: unsolicited orders, existence of underutilized capacity, and the behavior of competitors. The study uncovers three distinct combinations of antecedents that are equifinally linked to the early internationalization of small enterprises, and contributes to the literature through a multi-causal, configurational approach.     

International Entrepreneurship research (1989–2009): A domain ontology and thematic analysis

This article explores the domain of international entrepreneurship (IE) research by thematically mapping and assessing the intellectual territory of the field. Extant reviews show that the body of IE knowledge is growing, and while notable contributions towards theoretical and methodological integration are evident, the field is described as phenomenally based, potentially fragmented and suffering from theoretical paucity. Premising that IE is positioned at the nexus of internationalization and entrepreneurship where entrepreneurial behavior involves cross-border business activity, or is compared across countries, we identify 323 relevant journal articles published in the period 1989–2009. We inventory the domain of IE to provide a relevant and comprehensive organization of its research. This involves examining the subject matter of IE research, and inductively synthesizing and categorizing it into major themes and sub-themes. In so doing, we offer a reliable, ontologically constructed and practically useful resource. From this base, we discuss the phenomena, issues, inconsistencies and interim debates on which new theory in IE may be built and research may be conducted. We conclude that IE has several coherent thematic areas and is rich in potential for future research and theory development.     

Getting what we wish for: The realities of business education for a global economy

Business schools around the world have embraced globalization and, as a result, attempted to attract international students to their programs. Teaching diverse student groups has many advantages, but is not without its challenges, including cultural differences in educational expectations and student self-efficacy. The goal of this article is to suggest that we can create plans and activities capable of helping Asian students adapt more quickly to the expectations of Western education. We herein describe Rotterdam Business School's experiences in working with a diverse—mainly Asian—population of students, focusing on strategies that may assist them in adapting to the expectations of the global business school classroom.     

The role of corporate identity management in the higher education sector: an exploratory case study

This paper examines the corporate identity concept and presents an empirical test of a corporate identity model in the context of the higher education sector. The various components of corporate identity are investigated and the results are presented in diagrammatic form in the proposed and updated corporate identity taxonomy. A qualitative exploratory approach was taken, comprising in-depth interviews with key informants involved in the implementation of corporate identity at a major UK university. The taxonomy illustrates communication, design, culture, behaviour, structure, industry and strategy as the main components of corporate identity. The study also demonstrates how and where issues of corporate identity are discussed within an organisation and how the results of these discussions are fed into management structure. As with any such exploratory case study, there are limits to the generalisability of the findings. Further research is required to ascertain whether the findings of this study also apply in other settings. The results will be helpful to communication professionals who deal with an organisation’s corporate identity, branding and communication and who aim to enhance the consistency of messages both written and visual within their organisation.     

A comparative analysis of the role of national culture on foreign market acquisitions by U.S. firms and firms from emerging countries

Do firms from emerging economies differ from U.S. firms in their foreign market acquisition strategies? A comparison of cross-border acquisitions by firms from the United States and 18 emerging countries shows that (1) firms from both the United States and emerging countries target countries that are culturally closer to their home countries, (2) a strong interaction effect occurs between market potential and cultural distance for emerging country firms as the market potential increases (i.e., at high market potential, firms from emerging economies are willing to overlook cultural distance), (3) no interaction effect occurs between market potential and cultural distance for U.S. firms, and (4) different cultural dimensions affect the market entry strategies of U.S. firms and firms from emerging countries.     

The search for global competence: From international HR to talent management

This article describes the evolution of the search for global competence through a 50-year content analysis and review of published research in the field of International HR Management (IHRM), and more recently, Talent Management (TM), with special emphasis on the Journal of World Business. We present a detailed examination of the IHRM/TM content of the Journal of World Business from its inception in 1965 through 2014. To put the results of that review into perspective, we review key themes in global business and strategy from 1965 to the present, noting where IHRM/TM research and business trends correspond, diverge, and lag. Next, we present a brief history of IHRM and TM, showing how the emerging theme of TM offers challenges and promise for connecting future IHRM/TM research with emerging business, strategy, and social trends. We conclude with the implications of our findings for future research, and the importance of the search for global competence.     

50 years of research on international standardization and adaptation—From a systematic literature analysis to a theoretical framework

When going and operating abroad, firms face the challenge of finding the optimal balance between standardizing and adapting their marketing strategies across national borders in order to be successful. In this contribution, we present the major results of a systematic literature analysis in the field of international marketing standardization/adaptation. Based on our findings, we introduce a theoretical framework combined with the concept of situation-strategy fit. This framework serves as a basis for providing theoretically grounded and empirically testable recommendations regarding performance-enhancing strategies of international product standardization/adaptation in given situations. We argue that a high degree of international product standardization is likely to enhance foreign product profit, as compared to all alternative strategies, if there is (1) a high cross-national homogeneity of demand, (2) a high potential for cross-national economies of scale, (3) a high cost of product modification, (4) a high foreign price elasticity of demand, (5) a small perceptual error of the managers, and (6) a high quality of strategy execution. By presenting the state-of-the-art knowledge in the field and by introducing a novel theoretical framework, our paper has important implications for both scholars and managers in the fields of international marketing and international business.     

Understanding product migration to the electronic marketplace: A conceptual framework

We present a conceptual framework that organizes current thinking regarding increased interactivity in the electronic marketplace and its implications for product migration. Product migration refers to the extent of reliance by buyers and sellers on the electronic marketplace for activities pertaining to information search, purchase, acquisition, use, and disposal of a product. We posit that value outcomes derived by buyers and sellers from increasing interactivity mediate the relationship between interactivity and product migration. The relationship between interactivity and value outcomes for buyers and sellers is moderated by three sets of product-related characteristics: the core characteristics of the product, its purchase and use-related characteristics, and market characteristics. Inertia and resistance exhibited by buyers and sellers negatively impact product migration to the electronic marketplace and also attenuate the impact of value outcomes on product migration. In addition to guiding theoretical and empirical work in this emerging area, the proposed framework can also be employed to structure a firm's strategic discussions related to the electronic marketplace.     

Organizational coordination, development proficiency, and on-time completion of development and international rollout: A contingency analysis of external environments

This study examines the moderating effects of external environmental variables on the relationships between organizational coordination, quality of implementation of new product development (NPD) activities, and on-time completion of (or timeliness in) product development and international new product rollout (INPR) among manufacturing firms in Korea. The results indicate that quality of marketing execution is of greater importance for achieving on-time NPD and multi-country rollout in markets where competitive intensity is high than when it is low. The positive effect of HQ-subsidiary relationships on INPR timeliness is strengthened in rapid rather than slower technology-change environments. By contrast, the positive effect of HQ-subsidiary relationships on INPR timeliness is weakened in high rather than lower competitive-intensity environments. In addition, the beneficial effect of cross-functional integration on NPD timeliness is weakened in markets characterized by a high rate of technological change. The article also discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.     

Comparing advertising effectiveness in South-American and North-American contexts: testing Hofstede's and Inglehart's cultural dimensions in the higher education sector

ABSTRACT

This research compares the effectiveness of advertising and relational marketing in two countries characterized by varying levels of both Hofstede's and Inglehart's cultural dimensions – Peru (high-power distance, high collectivism, survival and traditional values) and Canada (low-power distance, high individualism, self-expression and secular-rational values). Survey data from a high credence service sector (higher education) in both countries is used for the analysis. The results indicate that advertising and relational marketing have direct effects on choice in Peru, but do not have significant direct effects on choice in Canada. Advertising does, however, affect positively perceptual outcome measures (perceived marketing effectiveness) in Canada. Additionally, we find that advertising and relational marketing have an indirect impact on choice and perceived marketing effectiveness through the mediation of perceived informativeness and influencers in both countries. These results point to the need to account for mechanisms and mediating variables when building theoretical frameworks in cross-country studies.     

Students' Emotional Experience at the University: An Alternative Approach to Understanding Students as Consumers

This study offers an alternative perspective to understand students as consumers. This proposition is evaluated by analyzing the relationship between students’ emotional experience at a university and their perception of loyalty to this institution. Students from a Latin-American business school responded to a survey that included the Consumption Emotion Set and a loyalty assessment (n = 1,393). Data was analyzed using Rasch models. The findings show that positive emotions motivate student loyalty, whereas negative emotions harm student loyalty. The students’ experiences should be conceptualized at the institution as a brand and addressed through services and (nonacademic) activities in students’ lives.     

企业形象广告的文化取向特征与变迁——对《南方周末》1999-2008年间企业形象广告的内容分析

本文以1999-2008年间《南方周末》上的企业形象广告为研究对象,运用内容分析法,综合分析企业形象广告文化取向的总体特点和历时性特点,探讨企业形象广告的文化取向对企业形象塑造的意义和影响,并在此基础上,针对企业形象广告策略提出了相应建议。