A Scientometric Analysis of Publications in the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing 1993–2014

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To conduct a scientometric analysis of the contents of the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing from 1993 to 2014.

Methodology/approach: The authors use the Leximancer computer-aided text analysis program, which reliably and reproducibly identifies the main concepts embedded in the text—their frequency and patterns of co-occurrence—based on the ways words move together in the text. They also identify key concepts that differentiate among the networks of concepts occurring in each of the first four five-year periods of the Journal’s history.

Findings: There are four common underlying conceptual themes: relationships, market, study, and business. But the focal mix of concepts has changed over time, from a narrower initial focus on distribution and power and conflict, to a greater focus on firm business marketing strategy and pedagogy, to a focus on networks, the Internet and more collaborative relations, to a focus, in the most recent period, on psycho-social network concepts, such as trust and commitment.

Research implications: The results complement and provide a baseline for evaluating and comparing researcher-conducted literature reviews of business marketing and JBBM’s contributions. The methodology provides possibilities for further analysis as it can be extended to analyze the business marketing and wider marketing literature more generally and how it has evolved.

Practical implications: Leximancer provides a comprehensive, accessible summary of the content of the JBBM and demonstrates its value as a text analysis program.

Originality/value/contribution: The authors are among the first to use this novel computer text analysis program to conduct a scientometric analyses of journal content. It provides a template for conducting studies of other journals and text.     

Does the medium matter in collaboration? Using visually supported collaboration technology in an interior design studio

With the recognition of the importance of collaboration in a design studio and the advancement of technology, increasing numbers of design students collaborate with others in a technology-mediated learning environment (TMLE); however, not all students have positive experiences in TMLEs. One possible reason for unsatisfactory collaboration experiences is that existing text-oriented collaboration technology may not fully support interior design students’ needs for spontaneous interaction with visual images. The purpose of the current research was to determine whether a visually supported collaboration technology (VSCT) for designers, enhances students’ collaboration experiences in a TMLE. A total of 28 junior interior design students participated in the study, all of whom engaged in similar group projects via two collaboration modalities: face-to-face and VSCT. The results show that collaboration modalities influence students’ learning experiences, in particular, achievement and confidence in completing collaborative tasks. When using VSCT, students achieved significantly higher grade and demonstrated higher confidence in completing collaborative tasks compared to face-to-face collaboration; however, no significant differences were reported in either their perception of the collaboration process or their evaluation of the medium in the two collaboration modalities. The findings demonstrate that VSCT enhanced students’ collaboration experiences in design studio. Discussion and implications are provided to facilitate design students’ positive collaboration experiences in a TMLE.     

How Attitudes Toward Product Categories Drive Individual Brand Attitudes and Choice

Three experiments examine the role of attitudes toward the category to which a brand belongs in consumers’ attitudes toward individual brands. The core findings indicate that what consumers think generally about a category affects their evaluations of singular brands belonging to the category. Study 1 demonstrates that both consumers’ attitudes toward a category as well as their relative attitudes toward a brand versus intracategory competitors drive overall attitudes toward individual brands. Study 2 shows that manipulating attitudes toward a product category affects attitudes toward, and purchase intention of, individual brands belonging to that category. Study 3 demonstrates that more versus less favorably evaluated categories are more likely to exhibit brand positivity effects in judgments of singular brands. The results suggest the practical importance of measuring attitudes toward product categories, as well as the utility of marketing interventions aimed at the category level.     

Semiparametric Estimator for Binary‐outcome Sample Selection: Prejudice Matters in Election

a semiparametric estimator for binary‐outcome sample‐selection models is proposed that imposes only single index assumptions on the selection and outcome equations without specifying the error term distribution. I adopt the idea in Lewbel (2000) using a ‘special regressor’ to transform the binary response Y so that the transformed Y becomes linear in the latent index, which then makes it possible to remove the selection correction term by differencing the transformed Y equation. There are various versions of the estimator, which perform differently trading off bias and variance. A simulation study is conducted, and then I apply the estimators to US presidential election data in 2008 and 2012 to assess the impact of racial prejudice on the elections, as a black candidate was involved for the first time ever in the US history.     

Technology transfer: economic factors that influence transferor and transferee’s choice*

ABSTRACT

This research presents itself as one of the earliest studies to consider economic factors that influence decision making in an international technology transfer while considering the perspectives of the transferor and transferee individually. Unlike previous studies, this study takes a multi-variable analysis approach in considering these factors through the development of a common analytical framework that can be applied to similar studies. The methodology used herein is quantitative and involves a multiple regression analysis, which combines variables examined unilaterally in earlier studies. The results show that economic factors that influence a transferor’s choice of a transferee include inflation rate, currency exchange rate, and foreign direct investment while in the converse relationship, the results prove that in addition to inflation rate, currency exchange rate, and foreign direct investment, official development assistance was also relevant.     

Determinants of Poverty Status in Rwanda

This study finds determinants of poverty status using the 2010–11 Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV3) and suggests policy implications for poverty reduction in Rwanda. Characteristics of households related to poverty status are considered in an ordered probit model and marginal effects are calculated. Policies towards supporting a female household, controlling the birthrate of a household and alleviating regional disparity, especially with a focus on rural areas and the Southern Province will be effective. In addition, supporting farmers who do not own a farm and increasing vocational programmes may be also helpful for poverty reduction in Rwanda. Expanding the land use consolidation programme with a facilitating food market may be beneficial.     

The Categorization of Small Open Economies and the Response to Foreign Interest Rate Shocks: Based on Financial Integration and Net External Credit

To analyze precisely effects of foreign interest rate hike shocks, this paper categorizes small open economies into four kinds of types based on the net external credit (or debt) level and the financial integration level. The empirical result shows that responses of macroeconomic variables tend to differ substantially depending on the type of a small open economy. These findings imply that we need to consider the net external credit (or debt) level and the financial integration level of a small open economy when we predict the effect of a foreign interest rate hike shock.     

The Determinants of Managerial Accounting Policy Choice: Further Evidence for the UK

This paper combines an accruals-based measure of accounting discretion with a multivariate modelling framework as a means of generating more appropriately specified tests of the determinants of managerial accounting policy choice. Findings suggest that smoothing considerations account for the majority of cross-sectional variation in the degree of accounting discretion. Evidence is also presented that managers employ accounting choices to (i) signal expected future cash flow performance and (ii) reduce the probability of debt covenant violation, as captured by the leverage ratio. However, the strength of the relation between leverage and accounting policy choice is shown to vary across the sample period, possibly reflecting changes in the probability of debt contract violation for the average sample firm over time. Limited evidence is also presented which suggests that the magnitude of the association between discretionary accruals activity and leverage, ownership, and smoothing may be conditional on prior-period accrual activity.