Measuring Inefficiency Via Potential Improvements

In a recent paper Bogetoft and Hougaard (1999) suggest the use of a new potential improvements approach to efficiency evaluation which has the advantage of separating the issue of benchmark selection from the issue of efficiency measurement. In the present paper the potential improvements inefficiency index is reexamined and a DEA-like approach for its determination is suggested. The approach is called Multi-directional Efficiency Analysis (MEA). An empirical example on Danish dairy farms is used for illustrative purposes and comparisons with various versions of DEA.     

Forecast Evaluation Under Asymmetric Loss: A Monte Carlo Analysis of the EKT Method

This paper contributes to the literature on forecast evaluation by conducting an extensive Monte Carlo experiment using the evaluation procedure proposed by Elliott, Komunjer and Timmermann. We consider recent developments in weighting matrices for GMM estimation and testing. We pay special attention to the size and power properties of variants of the J‐test of forecast rationality. Proceeding from a baseline scenario to a more realistic setting, our results show that the approach leads to precise estimates of the degree of asymmetry of the loss function. For correctly specified models, we find the size of the J‐tests to be close to the nominal size, while the tests have high power against misspecified models. These findings are quite robust to inducing fat tails, serial correlation and outliers.     

Organizational relationship termination competence: A conceptualization and an empirical test

Most firms are involved in a number of customer relationships that drain the firm's resources. However, many firms are hesitant to address this problem. This paper investigates customer relationship termination at the organizational level. We develop and analyze the organizational dimensions of organizational termination in order to improve our understanding of the management of termination. The impact of these termination dimensions on the percentage of unwanted customers is developed and tested using PLS on data gathered from a cross-sectional survey of more than 800 sales representatives. We find that a firm's percentage of unwanted customers decreases significantly as acceptance of termination increases, if the firm's definition of unwanted customers is well understood, and if a firm has clear termination routines. In addition, general focus on profitability and external constraints on relationship termination are found to significantly affect a firm's relationship termination competence. The findings suggest that managers should regard termination as a legitimate option in customer relationship management. In order to decrease the number of unwanted customers, managers must accept termination as a valid option, clearly define the types of customers that the organization does not want to serve, and implement termination routines within the organization.     

Towards a typology of transparency for marketing management research

This paper explores and extends the concept of transparency, as transparency-related terminology in marketing management research is limited in its typological development. Building on previous research, it outlines four types of transparency and extends them by adding three related facets. The four types are: cost transparency, supply transparency, organizational transparency and technological transparency. The expanded concept of transparency is discussed and analyzed using four illustrations, based on case studies conducted at two focal firms in the Swedish manufacturing industry. The study contributes to the field of marketing management research by showing the interrelatedness of information technology exploitation, trust and transparency. In addition, the study highlights the dynamic aspects of the transparency concept. In contrast to results of former studies, the present findings indicate that increased transparency in buyer-supplier relationships brings about not only positive, but also some negative effects.     

Kundenintegration — Der Vertrieb als strategisches Instrument

Kundenintegration bindet den Kunden aktiv in die Wertsch?pfung ein und hilft so, individuell abgestimmte Angebote zu entwickeln. Kundenintegration ist deshalb vor allem ein Thema für den Vertrieb als Bindeglied zwischen Anbieter und Kunde. Doch um Bedürfnisstrukturen aufzudecken und in Leistungsbündel zu überführen, muss der Vertrieb besondere Anforderungen erfüllen.     

Skandalberichterstattung in den Medien und die Folgen für die Demokratie

The worry that political scandals harm democracy is increasingly discussed whenever political affairs create public clamor. As people mostly learn about scandals by way of the media, the question arises whether intense coverage of scandals will have a detrimental effect on attitudes toward the legitimacy of the democratic system. Using survey and content analysis data, this research tests whether an influence of coverage on attitudes to the democratic system can be ascertained. It turns out that, aside from other factors, the use of certain newspapers and the use of informative media content with few political subjects negatively affect attitudes to the democratic system. Negative effects of scandal coverage were not found, though. Further analyses, however, revealed that the perception and evaluation of news coverage did have a clear effect on attitudes toward the legitimacy of democracy. Perception and evaluation of news coverage, the conception of politics, and attitudes to the political system form a complex cognitive texture that turns out to be rather delicate.