Using influence strategies to reduce marketing channel opportunism: The moderating effect of relational norms

In an empirical study of the North American lodging industry, we investigate the efficacy of influence strategies for managing opportunism in marketing channels. We posit that the effects of influence strategies upon opportunism are moderated by the extent to which relational norms characterize the channel exchange. The results support this moderating effect. In particular, we find that relational norms have an asymmetrical effect across coercive and noncoercive influence strategies. With high relational norms in the relationship, a channel member’s use of noncoercive influence strongly limits partner opportunism whereas the use of coercive influence exacerbates partner opportunism. In contrast, noncoercive influence intensifies and coercive influence mitigates partner opportunism under conditions of low relational norms. These findings offer first insights for curbing opportunism in marketing channel relationships with the simultaneous use of different socialization mechanisms. The authors acknowledge support for this study from the summer research program of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and the two hotel companies we studied and thank Reed Fisher for help with the data collection.     

The economics of trust, norms and networks

The theme of this paper is that trust, norms and networks are critical contributors to social capital, itself a critical determinant of economic growth. Numerous factors have contributed in recent years to the decline of social capital, restraining business and national competitiveness. It is in the interests and part of the responsibility of business to address this issue; this provides an economic imperative – complementary to the ethical imperative – for business to take socially responsible governance seriously.     

The relationship of sex-role norms to household task allocation

Sex-role norms were found to be significantly related to task allocation in families. Less wife responsibility for such traditional “wife” tasks as grocery shopping, laundry, housekeeping, and dishwashing were noted and this finding was strongest among couples in which both spouses held sex-role modern norms. Wives' sex role norms tended to be more strongly related to family task allocation behavior than were husbands'.     

The reciprocal and non‐linear relationship of sustainability and financial performance

The goal of this paper is to describe the link between financial performance and the level of sustainability. In a novel approach, the paper classifies firms based on past financial success to address a potentially reciprocal relationship. For the groups of better and worse performing firms and for the entire sample, the above link is then tested, also accounting for non‐linearity in the relationship. We show that environmental management system (EMS) implementation as a proxy for a firm's sustainability level is only positively associated with the financial performance of financially well‐performing firms. Conversely, it has a negative association with the performance of less good firms. We show that this implies that firms cannot change from good to bad performance, and vice versa, solely through the implementation of an EMS, and also that the result remains when introducing non‐linearity in the link. Based on this result, we discuss implications for the direction of causality.     

The impact of social norms on entrepreneurial action: Evidence from the environmental entrepreneurship context

Using insights from institutional theory, sociology, and entrepreneurship we develop and test a model of the relationship between centralized and decentralized institutions on entrepreneurial activity. We suggest that both decentralized institutions that are socially determined as well as centralized institutions that are designed by governmental authorities are important in promoting firm foundings in the environmental context. In a sample of the U.S. solar energy sector we find that state-sponsored incentives, environmental consumption norms, and norms of family interdependence are related to new firm entry in this sector. Our findings also suggest that the efficacy of state-level policies in the sponsoring of entrepreneurial growth is dependent upon the social norms that prevail in the entrepreneur's environment. We expand entrepreneurship theory and the study of institutions and the natural environment by demonstrating the integral role that social norms play in influencing the creation of new firms and by illustrating the potential effect social norms have on the effect of policy that seeks to encourage environmentally responsible economic activity.     

加强零售终端管理：规范、效率、活力

对于烟草行业来说,零售终端,顾名思义是香烟销售渠道的最末端,是香烟到达消费者完成交易的最终端口,是商品与消费者面对面的展示和交易的场所,是。从商品到货币的惊心一跳。的跳板,是唯一实现。不是库存转移、而是真正销售。的场所。通过这一端口和场所,香烟生产厂家、商家将香烟卖给消费者,完成最终的交易,进入实质性消费。所以零售终端作为烘托烟草产品品味的舞台,建设并管理好他对烟草行业具有相当重要的作用。     

Distributed group support: The effects of voting Tools on group perceptions of media richness

Decision groups distributed both temporally and geographically encounter a multitude of coordination problems. This experiment used a set of GDSS Tools called List and Vote, and alternative interaction management procedures, as mechanisms for coordinating distributed groups using a computer conferencing system and for structuring group processes. The study examined media richness using a modification of the adjective-pairs developed by Zmud, Lind, and Young (1990). The Tools significantly improved subjective perceptions of media richness. The attempted manipulation of the presence or absence of sequential procedures for the most part was not effective in creating significant differences in group perception of media richness.     

Entrepreneurial intentions: The influence of organizational and individual factors

An individual's intent to pursue an entrepreneurial career can result from the work environment and from personal factors. Drawing on the entrepreneurial intentions and the person-environment (P-E) fit literatures, and applying a multilevel perspective, we examine why individuals intend to leave their jobs to start business ventures. Findings, using a sample of 4192 IT professionals in Singapore, suggest that work environments with an unfavorable innovation climate and/or lack of technical excellence incentives influence entrepreneurial intentions, through low job satisfaction. Moderating effects suggest that an individual's innovation orientation strengthens the work-environment to job-satisfaction relationship; self-efficacy strengthens the job-satisfaction to entrepreneurial intentions relationship.     

国际海事新标的挑战与机遇

作为一种全球认可、通用、可荤复使用的生产、产品或服务规则．国际标准正从消费者关注和生产者关注拓展到包括环境在内的社会关注．对节能、资源节约、环境保护、公共安全和健康等方面的技术要求越来越多地被制订成国际标准在全球推广。尽管大多数国际标准为自愿性标准．但由于其用户基础和国际社会认同的广泛性和网络性．这种自愿性标准往往成为事实上的强制性标准．并演变成产业技术垄断、产业进入壁垒和贸易技术壁垒．对国际贸易格局和产业分工格局产生了深远的影响。     

The impact of response format on relations among intentions,attitudes, and social norms

This research investigates the response consistency error which may be induced by certain common methodological practices in tests of predictive models such as the theory of reasoned action (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980). Specifically, the physical presence of a questionnaire was expected to provide respondents an inducement and basis for maintaining consistent responses. In addition, the practice of presenting all measures of a given construct together seemed likely to heighten correlations among constructs, resulting in heightened predictions. Two experiments were conducted in which respondents completed measures of the theory of reasoned action for a variety of behaviors using either a paper or computer-administered questionnaire with items in standard or random order. The results of these studies indicate that, contrary to expectations, the degree of attitude-intention consistency across behaviors may be attentuated in standard paper administrations.     

The impact of buyer dependence on buyer opportunism in buyer–supplier relationships: The moderating role of relational norms

The impact of buyer dependence on opportunism against the supplier is examined in this research. Extant literature provides support for both a positive and an inverse relationship between these constructs. In this research, these competing predictions are subsumed under a more general model where the effect of dependence on opportunism is moderated by the level of relational norms present in the buyer–supplier relationship. Results of an experiment with purchasing managers and one replication provide support for the hypotheses that (a) dependence and opportunism will be positively related under low relational norms, and (b) dependence and opportunism will be inversely related under high relational norms. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Social media revolutions: The influence of secondary stakeholders

Traditionally, firms have tried to listen to primary stakeholders (e.g., customers, suppliers, creditors, employees) but have paid little attention to the concerns of secondary stakeholders (e.g., the general public, communities, activist groups). This is because primary stakeholders were perceived to have power, legitimacy, and urgency behind their requests, while secondary stakeholders had little or no leverage. With the coming of the Internet and social media this asymmetry of influence has changed. Today, secondary stakeholders have to be managed as adroitly as primary stakeholders. In this installment of Marketing & Technology, we show managers how social media and the Internet have amplified the influence of secondary stakeholders, and offer guidance on how to manage these groups effectively.     

Cultural values in international advertising: An examination of familial norms and roles in Mexico

Past research suggests that the cultural value orientation, individualism-collectivism, should be considered when developing international advertising campaigns. The present study examines how (in)consistencies in collectivist values (e.g., familial norms and roles) may affect attitudes and behaviors toward advertised products within a collectivist culture, Mexico. The findings suggest advertisements that depict consistencies in local cultural norms and roles are viewed more favorably and purchase intention is higher than for advertisements that depict inconsistencies. The data provide no support for the moderating role of individual-level differences in value orientation (i.e., allocentric versus idiocentric tendencies) on persuasion measures. Interestingly, product category advertised appears to be the best moderator of the relative strength of role and norm effects on ad attitudes and purchase intention. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Deception and defection from ethical norms in market relationships: a general analytic framework

Market relationships built on trust and governed by commonly accepted ethical norms are generally viewed as economically positive and beneficial to both parties; however, such relationships are occasionally the situs of a variety of unexpected and ethically questionable behaviours. This study examines the narratives provided by participants who share their experience as an exchange partner in a market relationship or as a close observer of an exchange partner in a market relationship to identify the use of short‐term deceptions and ethics defections in managing these relationships. The data demonstrate a number of instances in which one exchange partner is willing to deceive another. Situations identified include deceiving current customers, new customers, current suppliers, governmental bodies, and employees and managers for the purposes of: protecting an existing relationship, pursuing a new relationship, ensuring product or service quality, and exerting control over a relationship. This research develops a general analytic framework for the occurrence of deception and defection from ethical norms in market relationships from elements of the study participants' narrative reports. This framework can be used by future researchers to design studies that examine the specific antecedents of these behaviours.     

Entrepreneurial intentions in the third age: the impact of perceived age norms

This article investigates the impact of perceived age norms on the formation of entrepreneurial intentions in the third age. Age norms refer to those social norms that determine whether establishing and running a business are considered appropriate behavior for a mature individual. An empirical analysis of Finnish individuals finds that norms perceived as permissive of enterprising activity in the third age exert a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial intentions in this segment, even when controlling for the general level of entrepreneurship in the municipalities. This influence is partially mediated by whether the individual has a positive attitude toward entrepreneurship, by how the individual perceives their own ability to start and run a business, by the extent of support from their family and friends they perceive and by the importance of that support to them. Thus, if policy aims to increase enterprising activity in the third-age segment, the portfolio of instruments should include measures that address people’s general awareness of third-age entrepreneurship as a viable, positive and attractive late-career option.     

Consumer satisfaction with health-care services: The influence of involvement

The impact of involvement and ambiguity on satisfaction judgments for high-credence property services such as health care has not been studied. This study examines the level and process effects of involvement on satisfaction with two dimensions of a health-care service. We found that higher levels of customer involvement were associated with greater expectations and performance ratings for the ambiguous dimension of the service (physicians). Customer involvement had no influence on ratings for the nonambiguous aspects of the service (access mechanisms). Perceived performance was found to be the most influential predictor of satisfaction for low-involvement subjects. High-involvement subjects used disconfirmation and performance to evaluate physicians and only disconfirmation in forming satisfaction judgments for access mechanisms. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Learning from error: The influence of error incident characteristics

This study investigates the influence of error incident characteristics on organizational learning among operators in the chemical process industry. The study asks operators to describe recently occurred error incidents at time 0 (n = 87), followed up by measurements for learning 6 weeks later (n = 48). Organizations learn more from error incidents with more severe consequences. Severity of consequences relates positively to learning. When consequences are more severe, communication about an error is higher. Communication is subsequently related to learning. Error incidents without imminent negative consequences, however, can also be a platform for learning. This research recommends attention towards the promotion of learning from conditions that do not necessarily encourage employees to learn.     

The export performance of emerging economy firms: The influence of firm capabilities and institutional environments

We advance a two-stage theoretical model which contends that the export performance of emerging economy firms (EEFs) will depend both upon their firm-specific capabilities and their home institutional environments. Specifically, we argue that EEFs will be more likely to export when facing more uncertainty at home from greater political instability, substantial informal competition, and high corruption. Furthermore, we hypothesize that firms’ export intensities will be contingent upon specialized internal capabilities such as a skilled workforce, top managerial experience, and access to external technologies. We test these hypotheses using a dataset of more than 16,000 firms from the four BRIC economies (i.e., Brazil, Russia, China and India). Our results confirm that political instability and informal competition have robust effects on the export propensity of EEFs, whilst export intensity is contingent upon the availability of skilled workers and access to external technologies via licensing.