Conceptualization and Integration of Marketing Intelligence: The Case of an Industrial Manufacturer

Purpose: The primary goal of this article was to conceptualize a systematic marketing intelligence process for industrial manufacturers because, up until now, such concepts have only been focused on consumer goods settings. Hence, this article investigates how marketing intelligence activities are developed and managed effectively in industrial markets.

Methodology/approach: The authors conducted a case study of Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, a German based manufacturer of regulation technology for power transformers.

Findings: We found that a systematic marketing intelligence process should be based on the resource- and market-based view of strategy as well as on the market orientation construct. When implementing marketing intelligence, the integration of the sales force within the whole process is the crucial lever for an industrial company. The formalization of the process is necessary to ensure its continuity and acceptance; however, the varying intensity allows the necessary flexibility of the process.

Research implications: The constraints of the decisive process steps of marketing intelligence have to be further enhanced for industrial markets. It is important to find out how the integration of the sales force can best be designed to incorporate reward systems and motivation structures, and how to establish a corporate marketing-minded culture throughout the organization.

Practical implications: The important steps for a well implemented marketing intelligence process are a preparation phase, followed by the gathering, analysis, and dissemination of information. This article highlights the success factors for each process step. Above all, managerial and organizational commitment is necessary for the implementation of the whole process.

Originality/value/contribution: By focusing on the industrial manufacturing business, this study provides deep insights into a neglected area of research. Light needs to be shed on marketing intelligence in industrial markets, where the lack of traditional market research has to be compensated.     

The External Relationships in Relationship Marketing: An Exploration

The External Relationship Marketing Component Model (ERMCM) moves thinking away from discrete relationships by providing sellers with the “big picture”, permitting the development and maintenance of productive long-term relationships. The value proposition of the ERMCM lies in facilitating acknowledging the multiple embedded relationships among stakeholders, identifying the salient stakeholders, and examining the nature of relationships between various stakeholders.     

Corporate Identity,Ethics and Reputation in Supplier–Buyer Relationships

Multi-national corporations (MNCs) have been criticised for not behaving ethically in some situations, which could have a negative effect on their reputation. This study examines the ethics of a large MNC in its relationship with its suppliers. A brief literature review of corporate identity, business ethics and buyer–supplier relationships is undertaken. The views and perceptions of the buying staff and the suppliers to a large South African MNC are obtained and discussed. The results indicate that this MNC has a good corporate reputation among both its suppliers (an important stakeholder) and its own buying department. The existence and implementation of formal codes of ethics was found to be a necessary, but not sufficient condition for good ethical practice. Candid relationships with suppliers emerged as a second and important factor. Ethical perceptions of buyers by suppliers are driven by the management of corporate identity, through the elements of ethical standards and candid relationships. We present a model of corporate identity/reputation in Buyer–Supplier Relationships. Michael Bendixen is a Professor of Research Methodology and Statistics at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business at Nova Southeastern University, Florida. His research interests include business ethics, governance and culture. His articles have appeared in the European Journal of Marketing, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of International Business Studies and Journal of Marketing Management amongst others. Russell Abratt is a Professor of Marketing at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business at Nova Southeastern University, Florida. His research interests include corporate identity management and business ethics. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business and Psychology, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, Industrial Marketing Management, and Business Horizons amongst others.     

Effect of Customers' and Suppliers' Perceptions of the Market Orientation of Manufacturing Firms on Channel Relationships and Financial Performance

ABSTRACT

This study is designed to investigate the effect of customers' and suppliers' perceptions of the market orientation of manufacturing firms on customers' and suppliers' trust in, cooperative norms in, and satisfaction with the relationship with the manufacturing firm. The findings from a sample of 72 matched sets of suppliers, manufacturing firms and customers in industrial channels in the Netherlands reveal that the perceived market orientation of manufacturing firms engaged in channel partnerships has a positive influence on customers' and suppliers' levels of trust in, cooperative norms in, and satisfaction with the relationship. This study further investigates the effect of the customers' and suppliers' trust in, cooperative norms in, and satisfaction with the relationship on the financial performance of the manufacturing firm. The results reveal that customers' and suppliers' cooperative norms in the relationship positively influence the manufacturing firm's financial performance. Customer's and supplier's trust in and satisfaction with the relationship have no effect on the manufacturing firm's financial performance.     

Conceptualization and Measurement of Virtuous Leadership: Doing Well by Doing Good

Despite a long history in eastern and western culture of defining leadership in terms of virtues and character, their significance for guiding leader behavior has largely been confined to the ethics literature. As such, agreement concerning the defining elements of virtuous leadership and their measurement is lacking. Drawing on both Confucian and Aristotelian concepts, we define virtuous leadership and distinguish it conceptually from several related perspectives, including virtues-based leadership in the Positive organizational behavior literature, and from ethical and value-laden (spiritual, servant, charismatic, transformational, and authentic) leadership. Then, two empirical studies are presented that develop and validate the Virtuous Leadership Questionnaire (VLQ), an 18-item behaviorally based assessment of the construct. Among other findings, we show that the VLQ accounts for variance in several outcome variables, even after self-assessed leader virtue and subordinate-rated social and personalized leader charisma are controlled.     

Impersonal vs. Personal Exchanges in Marketing Relationships

Considerations about the future of marketing discipline bring to the surface an important question of marketing relationships management. The aim of this paper is to analyse the phenomenon of marketing relationships as a paradigmatic shift in the marketing discipline. Through the critique of marketing management approach we are searching for the theory that will help to transcend the action oriented marketing philosophy. Our discussion is rooted in the social exchange theory and the two fundamental processes of human exchange interactions – the process of friendship building and the process of power relations. Through the application of the analysis of the processes of interpersonal relations we discuss marketing relationships and extreme types of marketing perspectives: power relations, intrusive selling, conventional marketing exchange and marketing relationships. Conventional (transactional) marketing management and marketing relationships fundamentally at odds with one another, resembling the old Chinese concepts of yin and yang. We conclude that managers are facing the problem of "schizomarketing disorientation", when entering into different marketing processes with different segments of customers.     

Co-operation and Collusion: Making the Distinction in Marketing Relationships

Co-operative relationships between organisations may create added value for the partners involved, but they can also pose a threat to the competitiveness of markets. This paper reviews the economic and legal frameworks of co-operative marketing relationships and seeks to distinguish these from collusive relationships. A model of development from competition to co-operation to collusion is proposed, in which definitions of collusion are continually evolving in response to environmental change. This paper seeks to reconcile the benefits accruing to businesses involved in co-operative relationships, with the possible welfare loss resulting from restrictive relationships. Conceptual frameworks underlying buyer-seller relationships are evaluated from the perspective of models of economic efficiency and legal frameworks. A number of recent cases are evaluated in the context of this discussion.     

营销情境中的心理契约及其测量

心理契约发轫于组织行为学研究，但心理契约在企业与顾客的营销情境中同样存在。在文献回顾基础上，本文将心理契约应用到营销情境中，界定了特定的概念内涵，开发设计了相应的测度量表，并通过调查数据分析，对量表的信度与效度进行了实证检验。     

基于项目关系和项目管理的营销战略研究

基于关系管理和项目管理,结合项目型企业的特征,提出适合项目型企业的营销战略模型,即基于顾客关系组合、网络关系组合、销售和交付项目组合、以及产品开发项目组合的营销战略,并在此基础上分别对四种组合的目标、主要管理活动以及组合的协同效应进行了详细的分析,为项目型企业管理者进行更为有效的战略管理提供参考。     

市场竞争,信誉无价

<正>我们经常看到这样的现象,同一种商品在不同的商店销售,销售价竟天差地别,这说明在商品交换过程中,有一种无形的东西在发挥着特殊的作用,那就是信誉。     

Marketing Norms Measurement: An International Validation and Comparison

This article replicates a U.S. study of marketing norms in an international setting. The dimensionality and reliability of the scales are tested in the U.S., Singapore and South Africa. Support is found for the use of the scales, as modified. The norms of the current respondents are compared with those of the original U.S. respondents and each other. Differences between the three countries are found with respect to general honesty and integrity norms, but not for specific marketing-related norms. Differences between the original study results and the current findings are assessed in terms of methodological and substantive factors.     

The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing and Marketing Ethics

Abela and Murphy (J Acad Mark Sci 36(1):39–53, 2007) examined Service-Dominant (S-D) logic (Vargo and Lusch, J Mark 68(1):1–17, 2004) from the viewpoint of Marketing Ethics and concluded that whilst S-D logic does not have explicit ethical content, the Foundational Premises (FPs) of S-D logic do have implicit ethical content. They also conclude that what may be needed to make the implicit more explicit is the addition of another FP. The aim of this article is to explore whether S-D logic needs to be modified, if one wishes to construct a theoretical framework for analysis of Marketing that has ethical considerations fully integrated. We critically evaluate the claim that the FPs are inherently ethical and conclude that S-D logic should be modified. We offer an additional FP for consideration that relates to the role of personal and societal values in the co-creation of value. This FP is necessary because of the role that the ethical positions of actors play in exchange behaviour. However, it should be pointed out that whilst the article explores the ethical potential of S-D logic it does not privilege any particular ethical position or code. These concerns will be addressed in subsequent articles: the aim here is to establish the underlying rationale for including an explicit commitment to ethics in S-D logic.     

我国民营企业信誉缺失的博弈分析

民营经济已经成为我国经济发展的重要生力军,但目前仍然有许多因素制约着民营企业健康发展,其中最主要的一个因素是信誉缺失问题。根据民营企业信誉缺失的表现,利用博弈分析方法,概括了民营企业信誉缺失的原因,从根本上提出一些建设性意见。     

Cause-Related Marketing: Keys to Successful Relationships with Corporate Sponsors and Their Customers

SUMMARY

An increasingly popular method for nonprofits to raise awareness, educate the public, and receive financial support from corporations is through cause-related marketing. The distinctive feature of cause-related marketing is the corporate sponsor's contribution to a designated cause being tied to customers' participating in revenue-producing transactions with the sponsor. The sponsor benefits from favorable publicity and increased sales. This article discusses factors contributing to the potential success of a cause-related marketing campaign: the sponsor's product quality, fair pricing, and customer traits; the nonprofit's and the sponsor's reputation, shared values, good communication, and commitment; a well-planned and executed campaign, and specific terms that protect both party's assets and clearly outline each party's responsibilities.     

仆从领导文化与企业声誉管理

本文将Grahame企业声誉的理论模型运用于仆从领导文化与企业声誉管理内在关系的研究。通过对仆从领导的“齿轮传动模型”的阐释,本文分析了仆从领导文化与企业声誉管理相关的四个特征,即领导知名度、员工参与度、顾客满意度与社区和谐度,揭示了企业文化作用于企业声誉管理的“光环效应”。     

The Creation of Value Through Corporate Reputation

The relationship between social and financial performance (CSP – FP) has been a main objective in the literature on business management, as it would provide an economic justification for the social investment insofar as it contributes to the creation of value. This relationship has been empirically tested by several authors though without using a theoretical model that sustains this relationship. The aim of this article is to propose a theoretical model of the process of the creation of value from the reputation generated by companies, integrating the factors that have been shown to be more relevant in this process from previous research, in such a way that hypotheses are put forward regarding the existence of this relationship and the factors that determine it. Finally, an empirical test is performed using the 100 most prestigious companies operating in Spain during 2004.     

Measuring the Effectiveness of Retail Window Display as an Element of the Marketing Mix

This paper presents the results of a study undertaken by staff from Boots the Chemists and Nottingham Business School. The study attempts to quantify the effectiveness of window display design in order to produce an objective way of costing design effectiveness and significantly improving display design to create competitive advantage. The results suggest that relating consumer-buying behaviour to an individual marketing element makes sales forecasting and associated design criteria more predictable.