Shutting up shop: understanding the international exit process in retailing

Internationalisation is a much-studied phenomenon. Exit from international markets has been less analysed. Where it has been studied, most work has been on motives and causes, with relatively little on processes. This article explores the process of international exit in a retail context. It examines the run-up to, announcement of and fall-out from the decision by Marks and Spencer (one of Britain's leading retailers) to close its French stores. The article concludes that understanding the process of market exit is at least as important both for theoretical and practical reasons as understanding the decision to exit or divest. Further research needs to be undertaken on market exit and the processes involved, in order to contribute further to the theory and practice of internationalisation.     

Editorial

An Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) was utilized to model the United States demand for domestic and imported tobaccos. The model, which includes equations for domestic flue-cured tobacco, domestic air-cured (burley) tobacco, oriental tobacco, and imported flue-cured and burley tobacco, incorporates the impact of economic factors as well as changes in consumer tastes. In this model homogeneity was rejected under certain conditions, but symmetry could not be rejected. These results suggest that imported flue-cured and burley tobacco, to a limited extent, is a substitute for domestic flue-cured tobacco and is a complement for domestic air-cured tobacco. The trend toward lower average nicotine content of domestic cigarettes is shown to have a detrimenta1 effect on the demand for domestic flue-cured tobacco, but a beneficial impact on domestic air-cured (burley), and imported oriental tobaccos.     

中国网络团购企业营销策略研究

中国互联网的发展走的是模仿美国之路。自2010年初美国Groupon团购模式在中国被成功复制后,Groupon模式的中国团购网站迅速出现。但是由于行业进入门槛过低、行业核心价值同质化严重、商家营销效果不能持久等不利因素,让绝大多数网络团购企业的发展前景黯淡,整个行业面临洗牌。面对这种局面,因此有必要对团购市场中的营销环节进行研究和探讨。     

Web-Based Promotions

Abstract

Numerous business and popular articles continue to appear to stress the importance of the Internet as a powerful and interactive means of communication. As with other media, the web affects viewers' product evaluations and behavioral intentions. This article attempts to understand how students (recently admitted freshmen) form opinions about their school through interaction with the university web site. Multiple studies are conducted using website variables. The results of study one suggest website vividness, interactivity, and entertainment value are crucial in the formation of positive evaluations of and word of mouth behaviors directed toward the university. In study two, these same predictors helped explain word of mouth intentions but contributed little to evaluations.     

Landcare and Livelihoods: The Promotion and Adoption of Conservation Farming Systems in the Philippine Uplands

Slow adoption of conservation farming systems in the Philippine uplands is a major problem. To address this, the landcare approach, based on community landcare groups, is being piloted in several locations. The results of a study to evaluate the impact of the Landcare Program in Barangay Ned in Southern Mindanao are presented. The sustainable rural livelihoods approach was used as a framework for the evaluation. The study focused on two impacts, the adoption of conservation practices and the formation and development of landcare groups, drawing on four data sources—project reports, key informants, a questionnaire survey, and case studies of landcare groups. The Ned Landcare Program has been associated with rapid adoption of conservation farming practices and the rapid formation of landcare groups linked in an association. The main effect of the Program was to enhance human capital through practical, farmer-led training and extension, enabling farmers to incorporate soil conservation and agroforestry technologies in their farming systems, with desirable outcomes for livelihood security and environmental sustainability. The social capital formed, especially through the landcare association, was crucial to these outcomes. Ongoing partnerships with adequately resourced facilitating agencies were required to maintain the Landcare Program in the long term.     

Tourism Market Recovery in the Maldives After the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

SUMMARY

This paper will use a range of tourism data and a case study to examine the rates of recovery of ten source markets for the Maldives in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The market response and recovery rates for these ten markets varied significantly and the reasons for this will be explored. It is evident that a 'one size fits all' marketing strategy will not in itself be sufficient to achieve acceptable rates of recovery following a disaster. The strategies, opportunities and rates of market recovery experienced in the Maldives will provide useful insights for the marketing and monitoring of other destinations that have experienced a crisis or disaster.     

营销学理论流派回眸与展望

营销源于经济学,成熟于第二次世界大战后。在100多年的发展历史中,先后形成了商品学派、职能学派等12大理论流派。每个理论流派都是从某个角度切入,试图对营销基本问题进行回答,但都无法反映营销学的全貌。营销从企业的中心职能降格为普通职能、从"商品"转化为"服务"的理论演进逻辑、营销历史学派的兴起是营销理论流派当代发展前沿动态。未来的营销学理论流派应清晰:营销学是研究"什么领域"的交易行为、"营销会计学"有可能成为新的营销理论流派、营销学流派发展目标应是发展为具普遍适应意义的"一般化"理论。     

基于因子分析的广东房地产上市公司盈利能力评价

上市公司盈利能力受到企业经营者、投资者、债权人等各利益相关者的关注，因此对其进行评价有利于各利益相关者的有效决策。该文在建立盈利能力评价指标体系的基础上，应用SPSS因子分析法对广东省19家房地产上市公司进行了盈利能力评价研究，结果表明各房地产上市公司的赢利能力的差异主要是由于资本资产的经营盈利能力所引起的。     

The contribution of native species to sense of place

The approach of promoting a destination through native resources is intriguing. This research attempted to assess the role of native species in contributing to the success of a destination through their contribution to sense of place. It illustrated the mechanisms and preconditions through which native species can contribute to the distinctiveness of a destination. This research has uncovered a number of factors explaining the potential of a native species to become a viable contributor to a destination's sense of place. In a nutshell, a prospective native species can potentially become a viable option with which a destination can build its sense of place and overall identity if that particular species has a strong biological foundation in the natural environment; if it has been embraced or endeared by residents through social and historical processes; and if there are ample opportunities for tourists to experience and interact with it, through which endearment among tourists and a strong sense of place can be built. The Provençal cicada was used as an illustrative case. The adoption of the cicada by Bouches-du-Rhône tourism as a regional symbol and for use in its communications reinforces the cicada's contribution to the destination's identity and sense of place.     

有效进行招投标报价分析

随着我国经济建设的发展,建筑市场的规范、有序化管理已经逐步形成,其中招投标制度在工程承发包交易行为公开、公平、提高工程质量、发挥投资效益、防止腐败和不正当竞争等方面均起到了很好的促进作用。本文根据现行的主要招投标评标方法,分析基于博弈论建立与之相适应的投标博弈模型的方法,为施工企业投标的科学决策提供借鉴。