The development of service quality dimensions for internet service providers: Retaining customers of different usage patterns

This study examines the relationships among relevant service quality dimensions of Internet service providers (ISP) and their customers’ perceived value, trust and commitment. Data was collected from residential Internet users in Thailand. The final usable sample size was 1507. The analyses include segmenting ISPs’ customers on the basis of their usage pattern and evaluating their perceptions of Internet service quality dimensions. In addition, several alternatives models were compared using structural equation modelling to confirm the mediation effects. An ISP’s service quality is influenced by the following four dimensions (a) network quality, (b) customer service and technical support, (c) information quality and (d) security and privacy. The findings reveal that while all dimensions have positive effects on trust, only network quality, information support and privacy influence customer value significantly and information support is the only dimension which is directly related to commitment. Additionally, the effects of customer service and information support on value vary across customers of different Internet usage patterns. The contribution of the present paper stems from the simultaneous modelling of a range of mediation effects which can better help explain the impact of service quality dimensions on customers’ cognitive and affective evaluations in high-tech service settings.     

Integration of planning and execution in service innovation

The purpose of this article is to elaborate two activities included in innovation: planning and execution. We use four dimensions – decision making, organization, process, and external interaction – as the analytical framework. Building on five empirical case studies in the Finnish residential sector, the article identifies various approaches to integrating planning and execution during the development process. Furthermore, the article identifies four integrative mechanisms that relate to each of the four analytical dimensions. The key proposition is that the integration between planning and execution is the driving force for innovation, and that the locus of this integration is the practical engagement of actors with specific aims, problems, and means at hand related to the emerging solution. Finally, the article identifies the availability of, or access to, service-provision resources and the customer interface as a key enabler of this integration.     

Performance effects of category assortment and stock allocation decisions for a cash-and-carry wholesaler

This study develops and tests a model of how category assortment, category stock level and within-category stock allocation decisions might affect category sales and stock turnover and reflect category-varying levels of sales heterogeneity and sales volatility. In doing so, it addresses recent calls to consider multiple dimensions of assortment planning. It uses the cash-and-carry wholesaling setting to isolate non-space-related assortment planning and performance variables otherwise difficult to treat in a conventional retailing (e.g. supermarket) context. It develops a structural equation model of how category sales volatility and heterogeneity, as antecedents, might influence both category assortments and stock allocations and thus, in turn, influence category performance.     

Results of a Qualitative Approach to Menu Planning Using Control and Experimental Groups

ABSTRACT

Traditional approaches to menu planning and menu-item selection often ignore the information, which may otherwise better reflect organizational and market needs. In addition, concentrating efforts on menu engineering-type of analysis highlights menu performance only after the menu has been planned and put to use. Equally, however, it must also be said that the majority of chain/franchise operations do not have the flexibility to design and develop menus on a short-term basis, and although such medium to long-term menus can be adjusted to the changes in market needs, still many chain/franchise operations prefer not to. This article reports on the concept and application of Menu Planning Qualitative Variables (MPQV) as an aid for menu planners. A Control Group and Experimental Group of menu planners were chosen for the study to test the utility of the MPQVs. The respondents (Control group A) were required to develop a menu using a traditional menu planning approach, whilst the Experimental group (B) used the MPQV approach. Important differences in the outcomes between the Control and Experimental groups in terms of menu planning approaches were found. The Experimental group thought that the menu planning information given to them was more useful and was more applicable to their on-the-job needs.     

Uncovering the value of planning in new venture creation: A process and contingency perspective

Researchers are engaged in a major debate on the value of business planning in new venture creation. This study suggests a potential resolution by applying a process and contingency perspective. The results indicate that planning is beneficial, yet planning processes need to be governed by different planning regimes depending on the type of founding environment. In highly dynamic environments, entrepreneurs will get most value from planning when they focus on select planning activities, and speed up the planning task. In less dynamic environments, they are better of pursuing a munificent approach to planning. The analysis thus reveals a major component of theorization on business planning that has been neglected in previous discussions. As for entrepreneurship teaching and practice, the findings suggest the importance of an adaptive, “toolkit” approach to business planning. Hypotheses were developed based on information-processing and decision-making theory and were tested with an ordered probit analysis on a sample of 100 start-ups backed by venture capital.     

Organizational characteristics and the CRM adoption process

The purpose of this study is to identify the status of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) adoption and explore the influence of organizational characteristics on the CRM adoption process in the Korean fashion industry. Using Rogers' [Rogers EM. Diffusion of innovation. New York: Free Press; 1995] innovation decision process model as the conceptual basis, this study surveyed 94 Korean fashion companies to investigate the persuasion, decision, and implementation stages of CRM adoption. Organizational variables included firm characteristics (size, strategy, maturity of information system), product characteristics (category, fashion position, seasonality), and CEO characteristics (age, education). The most frequently used CRM technology is the development of a customer database, whereas the mostly frequently mentioned benefits of CRM are encouraging repurchase. Moreover, respondents' perceptions of CRM benefits affect CRM adoption, influencing the use of various CRM technologies. Organizational strategy, maturity of information system, and product category all significantly influence the adoption process. Empirical findings provide further support for the innovation decision process model developed by Rogers [Rogers EM. Diffusion of innovation. New York: Free Press; 1995] and the CRM adoption model can be used when fashion companies do strategic planning and evaluate the possibility of adopting CRM strategies.     

Integrated Marketing Communications and Market Planning

Abstract

This article links the integrated marketing communications (IMC) concept to the planning process in marketing. Following the current conceptualizations as a combination of various marketing communications tools, IMC strategy is applied to an established strategic market planning model named the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)'s growth-share matrix. Advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and direct marketing are defined as crucial elements for the core scheme. Alternative strategies for brands in different stages are identified from the product portfolio analysis. The view may also be thought of as the ongoing process of building and maintaining brand equity for consumers in the long-term period. Conceptual discussions are expected to help marketers think more strategically as they plan IMC programs for their products or services.     

Managerial Perceptions of Organizational Planning Benefits

Abstract

The last two decades have witnessed an increase in the number of business organizations which have recognised and adopted formal measures for undertaking strategic planning in industrialised countries. Notwithstanding the volume of pedagogical literature concerning strategic planning practice, there is limited evidence on issues relating to the planning process in developing nations. Although executives in transition developing economies may be stimulated to adopt a robust approach to planning their commercial activities, the justification for such an orientation has tended to rely upon intuitive thinking and conceptual contributions to knowledge. It is suggested that empirical tests or the anticipated benefits of planning might be more revealing and provide a grounded approach to assessing the utility of strategic planning for businesses operating in an emerging developing market. For this reason, the focus of this article is a discussion of the findings from an empirical study that investigated the perceived attitudinal and behavioural consequences of strategic planning, with the aim of determining the significance of such effects on planning among firms operating in Ghana's transition economy. A number of favourable outcomes are identified in managerial perceptions of planning. The implications     

Electronic decision-making for developing countries

Political, economic and social development requires "good governance" and intelligent decision-making. Development decision centers (DDC) equipped with appropriate information technology (IT) can help to improve development decisions, increase effectiveness and efficiency of public and private administration and support democratization and political stability.DDC provide IT-based facilities for brainstorming, discussion, organization and evaluation of ideas, objectives, strategies, projects, etc. They can be integrated into community information centers or established within government agencies, business corporations, universities and other institutions of higher learning to offer assistance in solving complex development problems that require close collaboration of decision-makers and experts.The paper analyzes political, socio-cultural and economic development problems, and suggests to use appropriate IT and group support systems as an innovative strategy to overcome such problems. It demonstrates the proposed approach by presenting typical steps and results of development planning in a DDC, the author has built up at the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. This center is believed to be the first in Africa and may be considered as a prototype of a DDC which could become a standard facility in community information centers to help integrate improve effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability of development decision-making.     

A Multi-Agent View of Strategic Planning Using Group Support Systems and Artificial Intelligence

The strategic planning process is dynamic and complex. Including a Group Support System (GSS) in the problem-solving process can improve the content quality of the strategic plan by allowing increased participation by more members of the organization. However, it can also add to the complexity of the problem by increasing the quantity of textual information that can result from group activity. Added complexity increases cognitive overload and frustrations of those participants negotiating the contents of the strategic plan. This article takes a multi-agent view of the strategic planning process. It considers group participants as multiple agents concerned with the content quality of the strategic plan. The facilitator agent is responsible for guiding groups in the strategic plan construction process as well as for solving process problems such as cognitive overload. We introduce an AI Concept Categorizer agent, a software tool that supports the facilitator in addressing the process problem of cognitive overload associated with convergent group activities by synthesizing group textual output into conceptual clusters. The implementation of this tool reduces frustrations which groups encounter in the process of classifying textual output and provides more time for discussion of the concepts themselves. Because of the large amount of convergent activity necessary for strategic planning, the addition of the AI Concept Categorizer to the strategic planning process should increase the quality of the strategic plan and the buy-in of the participants in the strategic planning process.