Temporal influences on image change

Hunt (1971) defines state image as the impressions that a person or persons hold about a state in which they do not reside. But image is more complex than a single perception, for Brand identification as well as people's perceptions of attributes of various activities or attractions within an area will interact to form a composite state image. Research into such images is a basis for product positioning of a state's various attractions or activities against other regions. The effects of temporal influences on image change may have consequences for product positioning. Within the limits of this research design, very little image change was seen to result from short-term seasonal differences. However, the minor changes noted were in the hypothesized direction, leading to the conclusion that further research should be conducted on image change as a result of temporal influences.     

Underdevelopment through isolationism? Dependency theory in retrospect

Until the mid seventies the dependency theory could be relied upon to stimulate lively debate, but nowadays it seems to arouse little interest. There are several reasons for this, a fundamental one being the fact that many of the central tenets of dependency theory have since had to be qualified, to some extent as a result of empirical studies by the theory’s proponents themselves. This article examines the modification of certain aspects of the theory, such as its claim to explain underdevelopment and its recommendations as to the development strategy to follow.     

Decision Support Systems in Marketing

The practical application of decision support systems in marketing is still in its infancy, even though academic research has been recommending the use of such systems for years. This is largely due to the lack of a single, generally applicable decision support system. The specific requirements and problems of management are too dissimilar to make the development of one universal decision support system feasible. However, improved PC performance, enhanced market survey methods such as conjoint measurement, and further developed programming tools permit the varying requirements to be fairly flexibly met. The following article describes state-of-the-art know-how regarding the practical utilization of such systems, and addresses the preconditions for employing them. We have included many examples gathered from our own experience with numerous applications.     

LAFTA’s successes and failures

The Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA), established by the Treaty of Montevideo in 1960, was an attempt by the participating countries to seek a way out of the dilemma of declining demand for their exports, on the one hand, and the inadequacy of a solely inward-looking strategy in development policy, on the other.     

Entrepreneurship in Europe

This article focuses on the changes in attitude and venture capital provision that the author believes are necessary to rekindle the spirit of entrepreneurship in Europe. The article goes on to discuss technology clusters and the role of stock markets. It then describes the way the Cambridge-based Amadeus venture capital company sets about the venture capital process. It concludes with a plea for entrepreneurship centres to be set up in each university and for some changes in government policy.     

The Impact of Academic Research on Business Practice Experiences from Marketing

In the past four decades, academic researchers have developed a variety of concepts they claim are relevant to business practice. This article analyzes the impact of eight of these concepts from a decision-oriented perspective. Four of them – econometric models, diffusion models, causal analysis and mental accounting – have yet to exert a significant influence on business practice. In contrast, concepts like price decisions and structures, conjoint measurement, decision support systems and pricing processes – all developed to solve practical problems – have proven to be highly useful. It seems evident that overly complex methodology, abstract reasoning and the reliance on incidental data substantially hinder the success of concepts in practice. On the other hand, concepts that provide managers with economically valuable insights are well-received in business practice. The impact of practical experience on the definition of research projects has remained limited. This is due less to the reluctance of the parties involved and more to the objective obstacles such as confidentiality and the complexity of problems. Academic researchers are encouraged to more assertively seek out research guidance from business practitioners, and practitioners should more actively provide recommendations needed for relevant research.