The Nature of Business Planning Undertaken by General Practitioner Fundholding Practices in the North West Region

This article focuses on a central feature of the former Conservative Government's approach to the National Health Service (NHS), the introduction of General Practitioner Fundholding. It examines the nature of business planning undertaken by fundholding practices in the North West Region by looking at the participation of various stakeholders in the business planning process, the business planning techniques adopted and the extent to which fundholding practices set and monitor their objectives.     

The Effect of R&;D Intensity on Corporate Social Responsibility

This study examines the impact that research and development (R&D) intensity has on corporate social responsibility (CSR). We base our research on the resource-based view (RBV) theory, which contributes to our analysis of R&D intensity and CSR because this perspective explicitly recognizes the importance of intangible resources. Both R&D and CSR activities can create assets that provide firms with competitive advantage. Furthermore, the employment of such activities can improve the welfare of the community and satisfy stakeholder expectations, which might vary according to their prevailing environment. As expressions of CSR and R&D vary throughout industries, we extend our research by analysing the impact that R&D intensity has on CSR across both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries. Our results show that R&D intensity positively affects CSR and that this relationship is significant in manufacturing industries, while a non-significant result was obtained in non-manufacturing industries.     

Differentiation Via Technology: Strategic Positioning of Services Following the Introduction of Disruptive Technology

Introducing a “disruptive” technology into an existing service market provides new opportunities for firms and customers, often altering the nature of the market. Consequently, new technology often destabilizes market equilibrium, forcing firms to consider the role new technology will play in determining the new market structure. In this paper, we focus on understanding how significant new technology forces firms to evaluate and renegotiate their market positions in a service industry newly infused with technology (i.e., brokerage market). Specifically, we examine how firms integrate technology into the service process to create new forms of interaction. We used content analysis and a combination of structuralist methods including multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS), clustering methods, and property-fitting regression techniques (ProFit) to examine how technology changes the service process, and how firms leverage these changes for positioning. Our research demonstrates a strategic approach to positioning that suggests (1) introducing significant technology opens new positioning avenues by providing new service interactions, (2) technology must be leveraged via links to customer value sets, and (3) firms that leverage technology through customer values outperform their competitors.     

Product Category Pricing and Future Price Attractiveness: 99-Ending Pricing in a Memory-Based Context

Two experiments were used to examine the impact of 99-ending pricing on memory-based comparisons with a multiple product set. Results indicate that when a target is priced above/below a stimulus set, use of 99-ending prices for the highest and lowest prices in the stimulus set lessens target price attractiveness compared to when the highest and lowest prices are 00-ending. Attractiveness of targets priced within the stimulus set was not impacted by the use of 99- versus 00-ending pricing. Overall, participants appear to use an assimilation/contrast approach based upon left-digit processing in determining target price attractiveness.     

Local Dealer Adoption of a Foreign Manufacturer-Sponsored Internet-Based Information System

ABSTRACT

Firms often use Internet-based interorganizational information systems (IBIS) to facilitate the integration of information and communication between channel members. However, in practice firms are sometimes reluctant or even refuse to adopt such systems, especially when sponsored by a foreign manufacturer to local dealers. This article presents an empirical study of 80 dealers faced with the IBIS decision from a large international tire manufacturer. The results indicate that perceived financial and usage benefits of the IBIS and security are important determinants of dealer adoption of an IBIS. Further, the results indicate that higher IBIS adoption levels correspond to changes in the nature of the channel relationship, operational and exchange benefits, and commitment of the dealer to the manufacturer.     

Proposed Ocean Shipping Reform Act's likely effects on conferences and rates

This paper examines the likely effects of the proposed Ocean Shipping Reform Act now being considered by the U.S. Congress. Specifically, it considers whether ocean shipping conferences are likely to continue to exist after deregulation and the probable effect on rates resulting from those parts of the proposed legislation which would end public tariff filing requirements, permit the negotiation of confidential service contracts, and continue antitrust immunity for ocean carriers. The proposed legislation may weaken shipping conferences, but it is unlikely to eliminate them. This conclusion is based on the long history of survival of shipping conferences, the theory of the empty core, possible economic advantages resulting from conferences, and continued antitrust immunity for ocean carriers under the proposed legislation. Moreover, the proposed legislation is likely to continue, if not strengthen, the frequent current practice of offering discounted service contracts. This conclusion is based on recent empirical studies and laboratory market experiments, as well as several recently negotiated nonconfidential service contracts.