„Produkt- und Communitymanagement bei der Weltmarke MINI“

Marketing LimitsInterview

„Produkt- und Communitymanagement bei der Weltmarke MINI“ Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht leitet seit Anfang 2008 das weltweite Brandmanagement MINI. Im Interview erl?utert er zentrale Erfolgsfaktoren des MINI-Marketingkonzepts und zeigt zukünftige Entwicklungspotenziale auf     

English in Product Advertisements in Non-English-Speaking Countries in Western Europe: Product Image and Comprehension of the Text

ABSTRACT

Although English has been shown to be the most frequently used foreign language in product advertisements in countries where it is not the native language, little is known about its effects. This article examines the response to advertisements in English compared to the response to the same ad in the local language in Western Europe on members of the target group for which the ad was intended: 715 young, highly educated female consumers. The use of English in a product ad does not appear to have any impact on image and price of the product, but it does affect text comprehension: the meaning of almost 40% of the English phrases was not understood. These results were the same for all countries involved in the study, irrespective of whether the respondents’ (self-) reported proficiency in English is high or low.     

Rahmenbedingungen für den Emissionsrechtehandel in Deutschland

Deutschland hat sich mit dem Kyoto-Protokoll verpflichtet, seine klimasch?dlichen Emissionen zu reduzieren. Dies soll neben anderen Instrumenten auch durch einen Emissionsrechtehandel gew?hrleistet werden. Wie sieht die genaue Ausgestaltung in Europa und Deutschland aus? Beeintr?chtigt das Vergabeverfahren der Zertifikate die Kosteneffizienz dieses umweltpolitischen Instrumentes? Dr. Ulrike Berger-K?gler, 42, ist Leiterin der Abteilung Regulierung bei der debitel AG in Stuttgart.     

Method Support of Information Requirements Analysis for Analytical Information Systems

Due to specific characteristics of analytical information systems, their development varies significantly from transaction-oriented systems. Specific method support is particularly needed for requirements engineering and its information-related component, information requirements analysis. The paper at hand first evaluates the state of the art and identifies necessary method support extensions. On this basis, method support requirements for information requirements engineering are identified. The survey is structured along the five core activities of traditional requirements engineering. It reveals a need for further research especially on information requirements elicitation, validation, and management. It further contributes to a discussion of aspects that should be considered by any method support. Due to comparatively long life cycles of analytical information systems, the introduction of a process perspective is discussed in order to ensure the continuous elicitation, documentation, and management of information requirements.     

Establishment modes and network relationships of foreign subsidiaries

This research examines the effects of the establishment mode of foreign subsidiaries (greenfield vs acquisition) on the type of network relationships (social vs business) they develop in local markets. The authors use the network approach to better understand the role played by local subsidiaries for the development of networks in multinational enterprises. The empirical study is based on a dataset covering 120 foreign-owned subsidiaries in Italy. The findings show that acquired subsidiaries are more directly involved in business relationships, whereas greenfield subsidiaries pay more attention to social relationships before building business networks. The establishment mode thus affects the type of network relationships developed by local subsidiaries, which can help them to overcome the liabilities of foreignness and outsidership.     

Asymmetric Information and the Transmission Mechanism of Monetary Policy

Abstract. This paper analyses the consequences of asymmetric information in credit markets for the monetary transmission mechanism. It shows that asymmetric information can not only reinforce but can also weaken or overcompensate the effects of the standard interest rate channel. Crucial is that informational problems lead to an external finance premium that can be positive or negative for marginal entrepreneurs. Tight money may lead to an increase in the absolute value of this premium, implying that there is a credit channel of monetary policy, but its working direction is ambiguous.     

Microfinance in Times of Crisis: The Effects of Competition, Rising Indebtedness, and Economic Crisis on Repayment Behavior

This paper analyzes repayment determinants for loans from Caja Los Andes, a Bolivian microlender. The analysis focuses on the influence of recent changes in Bolivia. In particular, we examine the effects of the rapidly growing supply of microloans, the increasing competition, a rising level of indebtedness among microentrepreneurs, and the recent economic crisis. Our results show a twofold influence structure of competition and indebtedness. First, clients with loans from multiple sources at the same time are found to be more likely to default than others. Second, clients with given characteristics have an overall better repayment behavior in areas with higher competition and a higher supply of microloans.     

Eco-Labeling and Stages of Development

The paper examines the effectiveness of eco-labeling in providing a market-based solution to the under-consumption of eco-friendly products in developing and developed countries. The authors show that whether labeling is an effective device in solving the problem of asymmetric information between sellers and buyers, or whether false labeling severs the link between willingness to pay and environmental conscious production choices, depends crucially on how monitoring intensities respond endogenously to economic growth, openness to trade, and technology transfers. In particular, by accounting for endogenous policy responses to economic growth, it is shown that an inverted-U relationship exists between consumer spending on eco-unfriendly products and national income. In addition, while international trade unambiguously benefits the environment in the presence of eco-labeling with perfect enforcement, trade openness may nevertheless delay the turning point of the growth and environment relationship, when the cost of enforcement falls disproportionately on developing countries, and when environmental policies are employed to reap terms-of-trade gains.