Towards 2000: A Tougher Future for Australian Business?

The paper reports on the future business environment expected by top level Australian executives. It forecasts environmental changes to the year 2000 and updates projections reported in an earlier study. Specifically, top managers from 171 of Australia\u27s largest 500 corporations provide their views concerning world ecology, the economy, technology and political-social developments. Their perceptions are then linked to specific competitive strategies that are evoked by the long-range forecast which they expect

The Impact of Past Performance on Expectations of Future Success: An Investigation of Australian Managers

Competition among firms for market share and differential advantage is at an all-time high [3]. Moreover, investment in research and development (R&D) is seen as a major strategy in attaining and maintaining any competitive edge [4]. Little is known, however, about how experiencing poor performance in R&D endeavors affects managers\u27 perceptions of future opportunities for success in his or her company. Do managers believe that success breeds success, while poor performance is an indication of continued problems in the future? Or do managers believe that poor past performance is unrelated to future performance? Additionally, are some individuals prone to experience feelings of loss of control, while other individuals believe that they can influence future outcomes? When considering the importance of R&D endeavors to competitive strategy, these questions deserve attention and constitute the focus for this paper

Marketing and Development in the Transition Economies of Southeast Asia: Policy Explication, Assessment, and Implications

Geopolitical events have forced many countries in Southeast Asia to transform from centrally planned to market-oriented economies. The authors review the literature and introduce a model to help explain the forces and factors that seem to affect the success of Southeast Asian transition policies. The authors submit that though Southeast Asian gradualism or constrained capitalism continues to produce positive macroeconomic results and consumption opportunities, more expansive reform policies eventually could be required if these transition economies are to continue to prosper and enhance the welfare of their people. They conclude by discussing marketing implications and directions for further research

RELATIONSHIP MARKETING AND ITS IMPACT ON THE COMPETITIVE STRUCTURE: THE CASE OF CROATIA

In this study we redefined the concept of relationship marketing, equated it to the Chinese cultural framework of guanxi and attempted to test its association to the competitive structure in Croatia. A sample of 105 senior executives completed questionnaires designed to measure the key variables. The data was analyzed using partial least squares and the central hypothesis of a negative association with competitive structure was not supported. The relationship was significant and in the opposite direction to that postulated

Brand Name Translation: Language Constraints, Product Attributes and Consumer Perceptions in East and Southeast Asia

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between foreign brand name translation and product-related cues-such as physical quality, perceived origin, and brand name-on consumers\u27 perceived quality, price, and purchase intentions. In translations from alphabetic to character-based languages such as Mandarin, two generic methods of brand name translation are available: (1) direct translation for the meaning of the brand name and (2) phonetic translation for the pronunciation of the brand name. The results from a series of structurally related experiments designed to investigate the effects of brand name translation in a cross-cultural context indicate that for an unknown brand, a phonetic translation may be mandatory, whereas for an existing strong brand name, it may be best to retain the original name

Evaluation of wine by expert and novice consumers in the presence of variations in quality, brand and country of origin cues

The findings of an experimental study exploring the taste testing of wine with varying degrees of expertise and in the presence of variations in quality, brand and country of origin (COO) cues are reported. Novices experienced difficulty in evaluating quality and even when detecting quality differences were unable to assign an intelligent meaning to these differences. Experts did use physical quality and price evaluations, but in a more analytical manner with country of origin and brand information being used consistently with actual quality differences. Novices were found to use brand name in a limited fashion and relied mainly on COO information. The results demonstrated the importance of the extrinsic cues for both novices and experts. Surprisingly, there was no clear evidence of domestic preference.17 page(s

Retail sales explanations: resolving unsatisfactory sales encounters

The general proposition that a salesperson’s explanation adequacy plays a critical role in the resolution of unsatisfactory sales encounters for consumers is investigated in a cross-sectional context. The findings indicate that explanation adequacy is influenced by both the style and content of the explanation, and the timeliness of an organization’s reaction, whereas explanation adequacy only indirectly affects the final perceptions of the severity of the incident and emotional reaction to it. Importantly, the perceptions of the extent of the justice of the resolution and the assignment of blame to external factors were found to be intervening variables. The results also indicated that the assignment of blame to internal factors was unrelated to the adequacy of an explanation, but did influence emotion and the perceived severity on an incident