Investigating Graduate Business Students' Perceptions of the Educational Value Provided by an International Travel Course Experience

Abstract

Researchers agree that students' critical thinking and decision making skills are enhanced through exposure to new cultures and global markets. Thus, one way of bringing about improvement in these areas is through international travel courses. The purpose of this study is threefold. One, to describe the process involved in the creation of a required for-credit international travel course; two, present the findings of a research study designed to investigate graduate business students' perceptions of the educational value provided by an international travel course; and three, describe the ongoing process of closing the assessment loop as it relates to the internationalization of MBA and MACC curricula. The results of this study are encouraging. In general, students perceived that the international travel course added value to their educational experience and enhanced their relationships with other students. Items receiving weaker support were concerned with “thinking skills”, such as multi-disciplinary integration and improved decision-making. These results have important implications for future improvements to the international travel course.     

Service Quality Perceptions of Customers About Mobile Telecommunication Services: A Case of India

ABSTRACT

 Because of the intangible nature of services, there is always a challenge in front of service providers to find out which dimensions of service quality are more important for customers. The author presents the results of a study in India that assesses the service quality perceptions of customers about mobile telecommunication services. EFA explained 69.694% of variance and extracted eight service quality dimensions. The results of a multiple regression analysis show that customers attributed the highest importance to employee performance followed by transmission quality, competitiveness, support attributes, reliability, credibility, operational efficiency, and convenience. The sample consisted of 411 respondents.     

Profiling Consumers Who Register Complaints Against Auto Repair Services

Surveys of consumer problems and reactions to those problems indicate considerable failure on the part of consumers to seek redress when faced with unsatisfactory purchases. The present study extends this research by using a longitudinal field survey of automobile repair services to investigate some consumer and purchase-related variables hypothesized to influence consumer actions following unsatisfactory purchase experiences. The results are consistent with conclusions emerging in other consumer satisfaction research that complaining behavior is influenced by both comparisons of purchase expectations with outcomes and individual consumer characteristics and dispositions.     

International Marketing of Services

This article is based on a chapter of a forthcoming book on ‘The Marketing of Services' to be published by Heinemann, Spring 1984. It examines the contribution to the UK's Balance of Payments made by ‘invisible exports', including services, and highlights the advantages and disadvantages that arise when marketing services, as opposed to products, overseas.     

中国消费者救不了世界

<正>实际上,中国个人消费占GDP的比重一直呈逐渐下降趋势,从1968年的60%下降到2008年的36%,这与人们印象中迅速壮大的中产阶级格格不入。在关于世界经济的争论中,最受关注的并非是美国,而是中国的命运。中国将成为2009年全球危机的最大牺牲品还是最成功的幸存者?迄今为止,各种报道都指向成功,这个亚洲巨人对所谓美国不景气将会引发中国衰退的陈词滥调不以为然。     

Perceptions of Small Businesses Toward Professional Marketing Research Services

In spite of small businesses comprising about 97 per- cent of the business firms in the United States and perhaps being less qualified to carry out research projects themselves, professional marketing research organizations tend to concentrate their efforts on solicitin business from large firms. The present study surveyed 320 small usinesses in one SMSA to determme their level of confidence in various sup liers of marketing research services, their future re- search needs, the degree of confidence they have in their own research capability, and their preference for outside assistance. Results from the study provide information that should be useful to marketing re- search organizations wishing to penetrate this extensive small busi- ness market.     

性与生殖健康的青年友好服务——国际理念与中国探索

背景 青年友好服务(youth-friendly senrvices)和青少年友好服务(adolescent friendly services),皆可称为"亲青"服务,是新近十多年国际上逐渐达成共识并付诸实践的一个创新性医疗保健干预.所有人平等地享有优质的生殖保健是国际公认的一项基本权利,然而青年人的这一权利在世界各地远未成为社会现实.伴随性活动的低龄化和普遍化,庞大的青年人口面临意外妊娠、人工流产、性传播疾病、艾滋病及性侵犯的更大风险、威胁和危害已是不争的事实.     

Mature Consumers in the Financial Services Marketplace - Potential Market Segments

Mature consumers are becoming the object of increasing interest and importance to both researchers and professionals in the financial services industry. This paper, using a segmentation approach, seeks to understand these consumers with regard to the decision processes underlying their choice of financial services and financial service institutions. The findings suggest that mature consumers are not homogeneous with respect to the types of services they consider important and their choice criteria. The segmental approach provides unique opportunities for designing differentiated appeals and in obtaining a profitable market position.     

User Characteristics and Fast Food Nutrition Knowledge of International Consumers

No abstract available for this article.     

中国奢侈品消费文化心理探析

<正>奢侈品(Luxury)来源于拉丁语"Lux",在英语中的原意为"光"。很显然,奢侈品最初的概念指的是那些闪闪发光的东西,比如钻石、黄金,延伸为价值昂贵的物品。《牛     

Ethical Beliefs of Chinese Consumers in Hong Kong

In recent years, there has been increased awareness of unethical consumer practices in Asian countries. Asian consumers have gained a bad reputation for buying counterfeit products, such as computer software, fashion clothing and watches. In 1993, the estimated losses to US software companies due to Chinese counterfeiting stood at US $322 million (Kohut, 1994). The present study uses a consumer ethics scale developed by Muncy and Vitell (1992) to investigate consumers' ethical judgments from a Chinese perspective. The result shows that consumers in different cultures utilize similar rules to assess the ethicality of a given situation. However, findings also show certain cultural elements that are unique in influencing Chinese consumers' ethical judgments. The results also indicate the need for the continued development of and investment in consumer education in Asia.     

Consumer Primacy on Campus: A Look at the Perceptions of Navajo and Anglo Consumers

ABSTRACT

A comparison was made between 152 Navajo students and 245 Anglo students regarding their perceptions of the educational product. Based upon focus group outcomes, nine elements were used to represent the educational product in the analyses. The elements were conceptualized using the Marketing Lens Model. Four hypotheses were developed and tested. Significant cultural differences were found for the following elements of the educational product: importance ratings among educational attributes, anticipated preparation after graduation, and satisfaction with the educational product. Results are discussed and managerial implications for university administrators are offered.     

Web Perception and Young Consumers: An Empirical Investigation of Factors Influencing Perceptions of Online Companies

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify and empirically test factors important to building a positive Web perception among young consumers. Factors that affect Web perception are divided into Web design, vendor, and product/service groups. Based on regression analysis we found that Web design and product/service characteristics play the most important roles in developing a positive Web perception among young consumers. More specifically, online vendors must provide a vast selection of products that are of high quality, and their sites must be fast, easy to navigate, contain relevant information, and allow ease of ordering.     

中国品牌，请与消费者靠得更近些

周末和朋友去肯德基，恰好碰到一位小朋友过生日，餐厅里处处弥漫着祝福的音乐和欢乐的气氛。不一会儿，笑容可掬的服务员向所有进餐的小朋友赠送礼物：一块拼图板、一张宣传画、一顶帽子和一个饮水壶。服务员热情地为进餐的小朋友戴上帽子，送上水壶，叫小朋友上学的时候带着“肯德基送的水壶”喝水……     

Perceptions of Quality in the Nonprofit Relationship

Longstanding relationships achieved through satisfying donors are a critical success factor in resource development for most nonprofits, but relatively little is known about the relationship between quality and satisfaction from the perspective of major donors. This study among 218 major donors examines a widely accepted method for assessing service quality-SERVQUAL-in a nonprofit context. The results of the study extends findings in other service context and underscores the strategic benefits of a quality orientation for nonprofits.     

Service Quality Perceptions of Foreign Direct Investors

ABSTRACT

In this article, the potential disparity between foreign direct investment (FDI) clients' service quality expectations and the actual service experienced (Gap 5) and how these impacts FDI inflows are investigated. Methodological triangulation encompassing quan-titative and qualitative methods is used. Contrary to the quantitative findings, the qualitative findings indicate that Gap 5 exists among the FDI clients. This is the first time the service quality model (performance-based construct) has been used to study FDI issues. Rather than applying the predominant “inside-out” mindset, the model adopts an “outside-in” mindset that uses perceived (actual) service as a reference point for clients' evaluation of service quality.     

The Use of Quality and Reputation Indicators by Consumers: The Case of Bordeaux Wine

The absolute and relative impact of current quality and reputation variables on consumer decisions are examined using data from the market for Bordeaux wine. The estimates indicate that a model of consumer decision making which incorporates information on reputation (past quality) and collective reputation (average group quality) rejects alternative models that include current quality. The results also indicate that reputation has a large impact on the willingness to pay of consumers, that long term reputation is considerably more important than short term quality movements, and that consumers react slowly to changes in product quality. Collective reputation is shown to have an impact on consumer willingness to pay that is as large as that of individual firm reputation. If reputation and collective reputation effects are ignored, the estimated impact of current quality and short term changes in quality on consumer behaviour are overstated.     

Investigating Socialization,Work-Related Norms,and the Ethical Perceptions of Marketing Practitioners

This study examines the influence of socialization on work-related norms (WORKNORM). We tested the hypothesis that organizational (ORGSOC) and professional socialization (PROFSOC) are antecedent influences on WORKNORM, employing a sample of 339 marketing practitioners. The results of covariance structural analysis indicate that ORGSOC and PROFSOC and WORKNORM are discriminant constructs within the tested model. The study also reveals that the influence of ORGSOC on WORKNORM is stronger than the influence of PROFSOC on these same norms. Because this social learning occurs in work-related activities, in organizations, and in professional life, it is important that managers appreciate that these three separate domains influence decision making under ethical conditions. The limitations of the study and future research directions are discussed.