A Note on Attitude as a Factor in Learning Economics

Although one might naturally assume that students interested in economics will learn more in an introductory course than those not interested in the subject, this assumption had to be tested. Using a specially designed “Questionnaire on Student Attitude Toward Economics” on a pretest and posttest basis, and accounting for previous course work, the student's verbal and quantitative skills, and student program requirements, Karstensson and Vedder employed linear multiple regression analysis and found a positive relationship between precourse attitude and course grade. Changes in student attitude which occurred during the course were also analyzed.     

Salespeople’s use of upward influence tactics (UITs) in coping with role stress

Researchers’ attentions have recently focused on how salespeople cope with role stress. This study focuses on salespersons’ use of six upward influence tactics (UITs) with the immediate sales manager, and how salespeople use UITs to lessen the impact of two role stressors (perceived role conflict and role ambiguity) associated with the sales job. The study also evaluates the potential moderating role of UITs on relationships between role stress and manager satisfaction and propensity to leave. Analysis of data gathered from a heterogeneous sample revealed differences in use of UITs between salespeople classified as either high or low in role stress. Salespeople who perceive high role conflict employ assertiveness and upward appeal UITs more frequently. Salespeople who perceive high role ambiguity use exchange and coalition-building UITs more frequently. Results also suggest that salespersons’ use of assertiveness and ingratiation UITs exacerbate relationships between perceived role ambiguity and two outcomes: satisfaction with supervisor and propensity to leave. Implications of the study findings for sales managers are reviewed, as are implications for further research. His research interests are in the areas of personal selling and sales management. His work has appeared inJournal of Education for Business, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, and various national and international conference proceedings. Jeffrey K. Sager, Ph. D., conducts research in the areas of salesperson turnover and job stress. His work has appeared in theJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, andJournal of Business Research. His research interests are in the fields of strategic management and organizational behavior. His research has been published in theAcademy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, and several other journals.     

Modeling response to repetitive promotional stimuli

Marketers frequently include promotional stimuli which elicit some form of response from the recipient among the tactics used to market products or services. Print ads, including 800 numbers which allow consumers to respond, and direct mail campaigns are examples of such activities. Promotions of this nature are often repeated a number of times, thus providing several opportunities to respond. Understanding consumer response to such campaigns is critical for more efficient design and use of these activities. A conceptual framework of response to repetitive stimuli is proposed, and stochastic models of alternative response patterns are developed. Alternative contexts in which such models are useful are also noted. Variations of the models are provided for those situations when only a fraction of the target population will ever respond. Estimation of model parameters is discussed, and data from actual campaigns are used to demonstrate how to apply the models. He received his Ph.D. in mathematical statistics from Michigan State University. He joined the Terry College of Business after a 15-year career in industry, including 10 years in consumer research at Procter & Gamble. His research interests include discrete choice models, market response to promotional stimuli, forecasting marketing potential from initial sales results, and, in general, applications of quantitative methods to business problems. He has published articles in such journals as theAnnals of Mathematical Statistics, Annals of Statistics, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, and theJournal of Advertising. He earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University and has served as assistant and associate professor of marketing at New York University, as visiting assistant professor at Columbia University, and as visiting associate professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a member of the editorial review boards ofMultivariate Behavioral Research andJournal of Marketing Channels. He has published in theJournal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing, andManagement Science, among others. His research interests include the study of brand extensions, relationship marketing, strategic alliances, and television program scheduling. He received his Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Georgia. His current research interests include marketing strategy, strategic alliances, relationship marketing, and the implications of new technologies on business research and practice. He has published in various conference proceedings and theInternational Business Review.     

Product quality: Impact of interdepartmental interactions

The authors examine the role of organizational factors affecting interdepartmental interactions and their subsequent effects on product quality. Results from a national study suggest that product quality is affected by interdepartmental conflict and connectedness. Importantly, the linkage between interdepartmental conflict and product quality appears to be robust across varying levels of market turbulence and technological turbulence. In contrast, interdepartmental connectedness appears to be more important for product quality under conditions of high market and technological turbulence. The results also indicate that interdepartmental interactions are influenced by leadership characteristics (risk aversion of top managers), reward system orientation, and organization structure (centralization, departmentalization, and hierarchical levels). Managerial implications and directions for future work are proposed. His research interests focus on marketing strategy, marketing management, and new product management. His work has appeared in theJournal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, and other journals. His research focuses on implementing and controlling marketing, market/environmental orientation, and customer responses to advertising. His work has appeared in theJournal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Review of Marketing, and other journals. His research interests include market orientation, marketing strategy, sales management, and industrial marketing. His work has appeared in a number of journals including theJournal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, andStrategic Management Journal.     

IMPACT OF TRADE ON SERVICE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR WOMEN AND MINORITIES

Trade data from 1977 and 1985 suggest that, on average, service industries with the greatest trade-related employment gains tend to be more skill-intensive and that such industries employ relatively more women and minorities than do service industries experiencing the least trade-related employment gains. Three important qualifiers temper these findings: (i) Compared to whites, minorities—particularly blacks—have lower probability of increased employment in trade-enhanced service industries. (ii) Unlike whites or Hispanics, skilled black workers are more likely to be employed in service industries experiencing the least trade-related employment gains. (iii) On an industry by industry basis, no consistent relationship appears to exist between skill intensity and level of trade-related employment. The latter finding supports the view that service industry comparative advantage is industry-specific .     

Legal protection of investors,corporate governance,and the cost of equity capital

This study examines the effect of firm-level corporate governance on the cost of equity capital in emerging markets and how the effect is influenced by country-level legal protection of investors. We find that firm-level corporate governance has a significantly negative effect on the cost of equity capital in these markets. In addition, this corporate governance effect is more pronounced in countries that provide relatively poor legal protection. Thus, in emerging markets, firm-level corporate governance and country-level shareholder protection seem to be substitutes for each other in reducing the cost of equity. Our results are consistent with the finding from McKinsey's surveys that institutional investors are willing to pay a higher premium for shares in firms with good corporate governance, especially when the firms are in countries where the legal protection of investors is weak.