Migrating from products to solutions: An exploration of system support in the UK defense industry

This article explores the acquisition of business solutions in complex systems environments, through insights drawn from current literature and a study of the UK defense industry. We seek to counter-balance the dominance of literature focusing on the supplier perspective, as well as provide richer distinctions between different kinds of system suppliers involved in providing business solutions. We do this through the detailed examination of customer support offerings and business relationships that exist at the system customer-supplier interface. Our findings provide a map of solutions models that exist in the UK defense context. These include: (1) product system support, (2) life cycle product system support, (3) functional system support, and (4) enterprise system support. Using these models, we highlight the continued relevance of a product orientation and the challenges involved in adopting a true customer orientation when delivering business solutions. System suppliers seeking to reposition from the supply of product system support towards more integrated and customer-oriented forms of support require a significant organizational step change.     

Electronic Commerce Encourages Differentiation

Abstract

This paper explores why and how ecommerce firms differentiate their products and services. Consumers who shop online are able to do quick and easy comparison shopping, including shopping in an active market for used goods. Since online product search and price comparisons are faster, easier, and involve fewer shopping costs, firms who sell online must differentiate their products and services to a greater extent than those who do not sell online. These product and service differentiations may be certified and rated by host shopping sites and by outside ratings companies.     

The impact of formal processes for market information acquisition and utilization on the performance of Chinese new ventures

The authors examine the performance impact of formal market information processes. Specifically, a theoretical model is developed that hypothesizes that formal processes for market information acquisition and utilization have direct and positive main effects on new venture success and is then tested using a sample of 222 new ventures located in China. Findings indicate that new venture success is positively correlated with the use of formal processes for market information acquisition and use. Moreover, the relative importance of formal processes to the acquisition and use of market information depends on whether the new venture serves an emerging or established market. In particular, the impact of formal processes for information acquisition is higher among new ventures that serve emerging markets. In contrast, the impact of formal processes for information use is higher among new ventures that serve established markets. We present managerial implications of our results. For example, a new venture with a strong market orientation can respond quickly to emerging marketplace needs, and can even seize the advantage from incumbents. If it is in an emerging market, however, the new venture management team should strive to excel at information acquisition; in an established market, it is important for the management team to excel at information utilization.     

Pure Components versus Pure Bundling in a Marketing Channel

This paper examines how channel interactions influence product bundling decisions by channel members. Specifically, what products or bundles should be offered, at what prices, and by which channel members, in equilibrium. To answer this, we analyze Stackelberg games between a manufacturer and retailer, with pricing and bundling as decision variables, under discrete and uniform continuous distributions of reservation prices. We find that selling pure components by both manufacturer and retailer is the equilibrium except in a narrow region of the parameter space. However, if the manufacturer can sell bundles and prevent unbundling, then such a bundling strategy is optimal in many cases. Interestingly, the channel and retailer also benefit from this strategy.     

Search in the product market and the real business cycle

Empirical evidence suggests that most firms operate in imperfectly competitive markets. We develop a search-matching model between wholesalers and retailers. Firms face search costs and form long-term relationships. Price bargain results in both wholesaler and retailer mark ups, which depend on firms' relative bargaining power. We simulate the general equilibrium model and explore the role of product market search frictions for business cycles. We conclude from the simulation exercise that incorporating product market search structure and shocks improve the standard real business cycle model to reproduce US business cycle fluctuations.     

基于我国票据市场发展的创新与思考

在经历过80年代的起步发育到90年代的规范、发展,我国票据市场近年来呈现持续快速的发展趋势,票据融资功能在金融市场中的地位日益重要,票据市场成为了货币市场重要的组成部分.本文将对我国近十年票据市场情况进行系统分析,尝试找出我国票据市场发展进程中存在的主要问题,进而对创新我国票据市场发展提出一些思考与建议.     

Consumer ethnocentrism,product necessity and quality perceptions of Russian consumers

Retail buyers in Russia have indicated that some customers have expressed a desire to purchase domestically produced products over imports. Consumer ethnocentrism has been proposed as a measure to provide retail buyers with the information necessary to market to these consumers. The purpose of this research is to determine if perceived product quality of products differs based on country of origin, product necessity and consumer ethnocentric tendency. A repeated measures ANOVA test indicates that perceived quality differs by necessity, by product, by country. A consumer ethnocentrism effect on the overall model, however, was not significant. We conclude that Russian consumers do perceive differences in product quality based on country of origin and product necessity, but that consumer ethnocentrism does not have an effect on perceived product quality.     

企业产品战略中的技术创新

市场竞争“短兵相接”的必然是产品或服务。而产品竞争体现了企业能为客户创造怎样的价值和多少价值。因此,产品战略是战略制胜时代的制胜战略,是企业竞争战略的核心。产品战略重在创新,只有建立在技术创新基础上的产品战略才能落到实处,战而胜之。     

金融衍生产品风险控制与交易机制创新

我国金融衍生品市场正处在快速发展的时期，但同时也存在着诸多的风险，其中主要为市场风险、信用风险、流动性风险、操作风险和法律风险。我国商业银行在发展金融衍生品的同时，必须高度重视对风险的控制，在培育银行金融衍生产品的核心竞争力，加快金融创新以及改进衍生产品业务的管理体制和运行机制方面实施交易机制创新，以减少金融风险，实现健康有序发展。     

论农业保险带来的保险结构调整与创新

目前中央政府致力于经济反哺农业,建立农业支持保护体系,出台一系列建立社会主义新农村的政策措施,这为建立具有中国特色的农业保险模式带来了历史性机遇。农业保险具有政策性与制度性特征,从国际经验来看,农业保险大都采取了政策性扶持加市场化运作的模式。中国农业保险也需要建立制度性和政策性模式,但由于中国作为发展中国家的国情,完全财政包办模式是难以为继的。因此,建立以政策为主导、多主体、多元化的农业保险模式是中国农业保险必然的选择。在不违背其商业目标的同时,商业保险在农业保险模式建立过程中应充分发挥其作用和职能,同时也面临市场发展、结构调整和业务创新的三大历史性机遇。