Effectiveness of cause‐related marketing for differential positioning of market entrant in developing market: An exploratory study in Indian context

Cause‐related marketing is being increasingly used for forging strong relation between the brand and the customer. It is primarily being used by the well‐established brands to further strengthen their position in the market as it leads to a positive image of the brand, and customers are more receptive towards such brands because they tend to provide them with tangible as well as intangible benefits. This study tends to identify the effectiveness of cause‐related marketing as a marketing tool for newly launched products in developing market of India, which has so far remained a less explored area. A sample of 150 consumers was taken, and case studies were undertaken for validating these findings. The findings suggest that cause‐related marketing campaigns, even at early stages of brand development, can lead to customer trial and differential positioning thus providing these new entrants with an opportunity to interact with the customers. The proposed framework can provide useful insights to brand managers to design cause‐related marketing campaigns for newly launched brands. The results and findings have been deduced from real‐time market research, and it can help in furthering research in the field of cause‐related marketing in India and other developing economies with similar market conditions.     

PRICING IN PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

The pricing in private and public enterprise differs primarily on the supply side. In the long run, private enterprises must cover total costs and provide an adequate return necessary to attract venture capital. In contrast, extra-commercial considerations may influence pricing in public enterprises. They may incur losses in the public interest under explicit directives from the government. A number of theories of pricing in public enterprises have been put forward. Most important of these are: (1) marginal cost of production theory; (2) no profit, no loss theory; (3) average cost of production theory; (4) theory of making profits. All these theories suffer from a number of weaknesses and none of them taken individually is a satisfactory guide for determining the prices of the products of public enterprises. There however exists a strong case for public enterprises, particularly in developing countries, to earn reasonable profits in pricing their products. Public enterprises fostered on public revenues must yield surpluses which can be used either for their own expansion or for financing the general development plans of the country. The profits which a public enterprise can earn are an important indication of the justification for the use of economic resources in that economic activity. Upholding the test of profit not only lessens possibilities of the investment decisions being subjected to political pressures but also safeguards against inefficiency in management. A policy of profits is essential for attaining the goal of building a socialist society. The amount of profits expected from different enterprises, however, cannot be uniform because of diverse objectives sought in the setting up of public enterprises, degree of essentiality of their products, nature of the services provided by them, size of their market, class of their consumers and their paying capacity, conditions of market under which they operate, their role in stimulating growth and social benefits conferred by them.     

On three and five parameter bivariate beta distributions

Summary In this paper two bivariate beta distributions have been studied. The five parameter bivariate beta distribution is derived from the Morgenstern-system of curves while the three parameter distribution is the bivariate Dirichlet distribution. In both cases the distributions of the product and the quotient of random variables are derived and other properties are also studied.     

ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF ORDER STATISTICS FOR A RANDOM SAMPLE SIZE

The distributions of the life lengths of a parallel and of a series system with a random number of components have been studied in reliability theory. In this paper we obtain the distributions of the i'th order statistics and the range, assuming the sample size to be random, with a generalized negative binomial, a generalized Poisson and a generalized logarithmic series distribution. The results of Raghunandanan and Patil (1972) follow immediately from our results.     

危机迫使中国向内看

中国是否能够与美国、德国在出口市场上竞争并不是很重要,问题是,中国要在与美国、德国在中国国内市场展开竞争时,具有竞争力。     

Using Genetic Algorithms to Optimize the Selection of Cost Drivers in Activity-based Costing

In this paper, we address a cost-drivers optimization (CDO) problem in which two separate but interrelated decisions (i.e. the number of cost drivers needed and which cost drivers to use) are considered. It is desirable to have (1) an optimal selection of cost drivers in order to provide better indication of product costs and (2) an optimal number of cost drivers in order to avoid excessive control costs and to minimize information costs associated with data collection, storage and processing. The objective of the CDO problem is to balance savings in information costs with loss of accuracy. We propose an heuristic procedure based on genetic algorithms as an alternative with the potential to address more generalized objective functions. Genetic algorithms represent an innovative and promising heuristic approach which does produce results superior to published alternatives. The development and implementation of the algorithm is supported with the literature review and comparative analysis. We also comment on the complexity and experimental design issues for addressing large and practical problems.     

Improving R&D/Marketing relations: R&D's perspective

Abstract
Successful product innovation hinges on close R&D/marketing relationships, especially in technology-based organizations. However, there is evidence that linkage problems are common and when they are not overcome failure is the usual result.
R&D's perspective on what R&D, marketing and senior management can do to improve their relationship with marketing is presented. The recommendations are based on suggestions from R&D directors involved in new product development efforts in 83 technology-based companies. Also presented is how the need for integration has changed over time and where it is going in the future.     

A model for optimal resource allocation in the capital budgeting framework

Moder and Nicki (MN) presented in a recent issue of this journal a resource allocation model in the context of an urban renewal framework. This model was developed under “certainty” assumption. The present paper extends the MN model to “risk” conditions in the capital budgeting framework of a firm. The paper defines an appropriate measure of risk and explicitly introduces the possibilities of borrowing and lending in the model. Further analysis shows that slight variations of the constraints in the model yield important long-run policy guidelines to the management for resource allocation purposes.     

The Relationship Between HR Capabilities and Quality of Patient Care: The Mediating Role of Proactive Work Behaviors

Based on theoretical frameworks of resource‐based theory, dynamic capabilities, and behavioral perspective on human resource management, we developed a multidimensional construct of human resource (HR) capabilities and tested its relationship with quality of patient care using a national sample of U.S. hospitals. The data on HR capabilities were collected from senior managers (421 individuals nested in 279 hospitals) representing both the administrative and clinical sides of the hospitals. The data on quality of patient care were gathered from two unique sources—patients of 207 hospitals who reported the data via the hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey, and 421 senior managers of 279 hospitals. Our analyses using structural equation modeling suggests that the positive relationship of HR capabilities with quality of patient care is mediated by proactive behaviors of health care workers. Implications of the study findings for research and practice are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.