Market-driving strategy and personnel attributes: top management versus middle management

This study focuses on the role that personnel attributes play during the implementation of a market-driving strategy, a topic that has heretofore received limited academic attention. Contrary to the traditional reactive market-driven approach, the proactive market-driving approach pertains to influencing the market structure and/or the market players’ behavior in a direction that enhances the firm’s competitive posture. Using a qualitative research design, it is empirically demonstrated for the first time that specific characteristics of the top management (i.e., open-minded policy, strong vision, strategic human resource management, transformational leadership, prediction skills and insightfulness, fostering creativity), as well as certain traits of middle-level employees (i.e., open-minded policy, transformational leadership, creativity, expertise, intrapreneurship, commitment, flexibility) are of central importance to the market-driving concept. Relevant research propositions are formulated and their respective implications are discussed

(Re) defining salesperson motivation: current status, main challenges, and research directions

The construct of motivation is one of the central themes in selling and sales management research. Yet, to-date no review article exists that surveys the construct (both from an extrinsic and intrinsic motivation context), critically evaluates its current status, examines various key challenges apparent from the extant research, and suggests new research opportunities based on a thorough review of past work. The authors explore how motivation is defined, major theories underpinning motivation, how motivation has historically been measured, and key methodologies used over time. In addition, attention is given to principal drivers and outcomes of salesperson motivation. A summarizing appendix of key articles in salesperson motivation is provided

Performance appraisal systems for marketing managers: A conceptual framework and empirical evidence.

This dissertation develops a conceptual framework for the types of performance appraisal systems used to evaluate the performance of marketing managers. This framework identifies: (1) the performance appraisal systems (PAS) currently in-use to evaluate marketing managers, (2) the antecedents that influence the selection of specific appraisal systems, and (3) the subsequent effects of these systems on marketing managers' "gaming" behavior, performance, satisfaction with the appraisal system, and interdepartmental coordination. To test the developed hypotheses a national survey of marketing managers was conducted. Among other findings, the research identifies four characteristics of PAS that capture the range of systems currently used. These four attributes are: output-oriented PAS, behavior-oriented PAS, interpersonal evaluation, and document-based appraisal systems. Further, the research suggests that environmental characteristics, organizational characteristics, and organizational strategy influence the PAS used in marketing departments. Moreover, the results support the notion of direct effects of the performance appraisal systems on dysfunctional behavior, satisfaction with the appraisal system, and interdepartmental coordination. Further, this study is the first investigation, not only in the marketing literature but also in the human relations literature, to advance and examine a contingency perspective with regard to the appraisal systems. The results, overall, provide mixed support for the proposed contingency relationships. Namely, that the external and internal context of the organization lead marketing managers to respond differently to the appraisal systems in-use. More importantly, the research findings imply that when organizations design their strategies they need to also implement the appropriate internal processes (i.e., appraisal systems) if these strategies are to be successful. Finally, our research indicates that if marketing managers are given the opportunity to participate in various stages of the appraisal process then they respond positively to the appraisal system and the evaluation process

Antecedents and consequences of brand loyalty : an empirical study

The authors consider the relationships among characteristics associated with the consumer (risk aversion and variety seeking), the brand (brand reputation and availability of substitute products), the social environment (social group influences and peers' recommendations), four types of loyalty (premium loyalty, inertia loyalty, covetous loyalty and no loyalty), and four consumer-related behavior types (word-of-mouth communication, buy alternative brand, go to different store and buy nothing). To test the hypothesized relationships a survey of Greek consumers was conducted. The findings provide general support for the postulated linkages among the above variables. Implications for marketing practice and directions for future research are discussed

Διοίκηση Στρατηγικών Σχέσεων : Μάρκετινγκ και Πωλήσεις για Πελάτες Στρατηγικής Σημασίας

The first book in the Greek language with strategies, techniques and tools for proper selection and effective customer management strategic. Answers to questions of strategic planning, portfolio segmentation patronage of Key Account Manager (KAM), sales and management opposition compose a practical guide organizational policy and implementing Key Account

An examination of the effects of service quality and satisfaction on customers’ behavioral intentions in e-shopping

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of service quality and satisfaction on three consumer behavioral intentions, namely word-of-mouth, site revisit, and purchase intentions in the context of internet shopping. To achieve this objective 240 online interviews were carried out (response rate 24 percent) from a randomly generated sample of 1,052 online shoppers using the database of a leading Internet provider in Greece as the sample frame. Data analysis involved the comparison of three rival models using structural equations modeling. The prevailed model reveals that e-service quality has a positive effect on e-satisfaction, while it also influences, both directly and indirectly through e-satisfaction, the consumer's behavioral intentions, namely site revisit, word-of-mouth communication and repeat purchase. The results confirm that cognitive evaluations precede emotional responses and that quality is a strong antecedent of satisfaction. However, the findings highlight the importance of the interaction experience with the e-shop on perceived quality. Moreover, the study underlines the crucial impact of the four key e-service quality drivers on the entire cycle of buying, including post-purchase behavior, confirming existing evidence in both off- and on-line context. Practitioners should carefully consider their web site's attributes. They should make their sites easy-to-use and easy-to-navigate and place extra emphasis on providing fast, accurate, and uncluttered information through their web sites. Also they should direct marketing activities with the aim to enhance satisfaction from e-shopping, particularly regarding the service encounter incidents. The paper makes a scholar contribution by examining the notion of e-service quality and how it relates with e-satisfaction while exploring unexamined consumers' behavioral intentions and both their direct and indirect antecedents

Antecedents of perceived quality in the context of internet retail stores

This study investigates specific antecedents of perceived service quality in the Internet environment for trust to a retail store, experience with e-commerce, Internet familiarity, excitement with e-commerce, extent of using e-commerce, frequency of purchases from a company, in addition to exploring the reasons for shopping on line: such as price discounts, convenience, product availability, and purchase conditions. The results indicate that perceived e-service quality is comprised of four key dimensions: information, user friendliness, interaction / adaptation and aesthetics. Moreover, the study reveals that different dimensions of perceived e-service quality are influenced by diverse antecedents. For instance, whilst customer trust to a company influences all four dimensions, Internet familiarity has an impact solely on user friendliness. This picture remained when the type of store, either pure dot. com versus hybrid retailer, was tested as a moderator variable. Implications for practice, the limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed

Antecedents to perceived service quality : an exploratory study in the banking sector

Using empirical data derived from the Greek banking sector, the authors attempt to model the influence of bank-specific (market orientation) and customer-specific (comparison shopping, influence by word-of-mouth-communication and personal relations with banks’ employees) parameters on the customer’s perception of service quality. The latter is conceptualised and examined as a multidimensional concept comprising employee competence, the bank’s reliability, the innovativeness of the bank’s products, its pricing (value for money), the bank’s physical evidence and the convenience of the bank’s branch network. As the findings suggest, the various dimensions of the quality of service offered by a bank are not influenced by all the antecedents examined in this study. Moreover, the gravity of the influence that each of the examined parameters exercises on the customer’s perception of the various dimensions of quality was also found to vary considerably, with certain dimensions being more influenced by the same parameter than others. Based on these findings, the authors suggest specific implications for both the academia and practitioners in the banking industry

Behavioural responses to customer satisfaction : an empirical study

This study investigates the behavioural consequences of customer satisfaction. More specifically, the authors examine the impact of customer satisfaction on customers' behavioural responses. The results support the notion of direct effects of customer satisfaction on three criterion variables (decision to stay with the existing service provider, engagement in word-of-mouth communications, and intentions to switch service providers). Implications for practice, study limitations, and directions for future research are discussed