Decision-making in an export context: combining planning and improvisation to improve export performance

The increasing interdependence of economies and the recent economic crisis has considerably strengthened the importance of exporting. It is recognised as promoting the survivability of companies as they are better able to diversify risks and generate multiple income streams. Thus, investigation of the determinants of export performance has become particularly important. Marketing decision-making has been identified as one of the core drivers of firms success. It is a process under the direct control of managers where significant changes can be introduced to improve it, and by extension, the ability to achieve successful outcomes. However, little is known about how export marketing decisions are made and what key decision-making approaches managers rely on to drive their performance. A literature review that span multiple disciplines (e.g. strategic management, organisation studies, marketing) helped to disentangle two key decision-making approaches, namely planning and improvisation. This is the first study examining the impact of both of these simultaneously on a firm s export performance. While planning is considered to be a unidimensional construct, improvisation is comprised of three facets: spontaneity, creativity and action-orientation. Based on decision theory, this research was conducted in two phases. The literature review informed phase 1: a qualitative exploratory study among export managers in the UK. A conceptual model was then derived from the results and tested in phase 2 through quantitative analysis utilising data generated from 200 respondent companies via a self-reported online questionnaires and the application of structural equation modelling. The results indicated that export customer performance was negatively affected by planning and positively influenced by action-orientation, whilst export financial performance was found to benefit from planning. All decision-making approaches (planning, spontaneity, creativity and action-orientation) were found to be positively related to responsiveness to environmental changes. Using moderator analysis, important insights were uncovered into combining decision-making approaches. The export function was found to benefit from a combination of planning and action-orientation, whereas spontaneity and creativity while having separate positive effects are not well combined with planning, producing negative moderation effects

Controversial advert perceptions in SNS advertising: the role of ethical judgement and religious commitment

This study attempts to advance knowledge in the area of controversial advertising by examining the antecedents and consequences of controversial advert perceptions in the context of social media, and particularly social networking sites (SNS). Specifically, we explore how ethical judgement and religious commitment shape controversial advert perceptions leading to attitudes towards the advert, brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Our results indicate that when a SNS advert is judged to be ethically acceptable, the level of perceived advert controversy is lower. However, the impact of ethical judgement on controversial advert perceptions becomes significant and positive when intra-personal commitment and inter-personal religious commitment are introduced as moderators. This result implies that the level of religious commitment changes the ethical judgement - controversial advert perceptions relationship. The results also highlight that controversial advert perceptions negatively influence attitude toward the advert. The study contributes to the limited knowledge on controversial advertising on SNS, yielding significant and relevant implications for academics and advertisers alike, in their effort to improve advertising effectiveness without offending or alienating target audiences

Leveraging dynamic export capabilities for competitive advantage and performance consequences: Evidence from China

As the business arena becomes more global and therefore dynamic, organizations must balance their capabilities with the demands and the conditions of the international marketplace. This leads firms to trade off the development of more capabilities with the identification of core capabilities which can best improve export competitiveness and performance. Based on the Dynamic Capabilities Approach (DCA), we develop a model of four export capabilities, namely adaptability, innovativeness, unpredictability, and task-flexibility, aimed at achieving competitive advantage in foreign markets and enhance export performance. Based on a survey of 213 Chinese exporting organizations, we find out that innovativeness, unpredictability and task-flexibility are positively related to competitive advantage, while adaptability is negatively related to it. Moreover, we uncovered that in the cases of adaptability, innovativeness and task-flexibility their impact on competitive advantage diminishes under higher levels of competitive intensity, however, for unpredictability this impact becomes negative. We also confirm the necessity of addressing competitive advantage separately from firms’ performance

Chutzpadik advertising and its effectiveness: Four studies of agencies and audiences

The creation of advertisements that attract immediate attention and simultaneously provoke thoughts and stimulate ongoing discussions is challenging. Hence, advertisers increasingly use Chutzpadik advertising, which we define as “radical advertising messaging that purposefully transgresses social norms and proscribed topics”. We conduct four studies to identify the dimensions and evaluate the effectiveness of Chutzpadik advertising. The first two studies involve interviews with 12 managers of advertising agencies and 22 members of the Israeli general public (audience members). The interviews reveal Chutzpadik advertising’s dimensions are norm violation, novelty, and audacity. In two subsequent studies, the effectiveness of Chutzpadik advertising is examined through data collected from 108 managers and 209 audience members. Structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis suggest the three dimensions of Chutzpadik advertising differentially affect adverting effectiveness. Our research provides theoretical and empirical grounding for Chutzpadik advertising and advances our knowledge of its effectiveness within differentiation advertising research

Structural drivers of creativity and contingency conditions for financial performance: A comparison of Mexico and China

This paper is concerned with how centralization and specialization drive organizational creativity, the latter’s relationship with financial performance, and the moderating effects of managerial resources and responsiveness. The study was conducted in Mexico and China, on a sample of export decision-makers, with particular attention paid to crossnational measurement invariance

Decision-making in international marketing: Past, present, and future

Purpose: This special issue seeks to create an interdisciplinary community of researchers applying decision-making theory to the international marketing context. The articles published in this special issue contain cutting-edge conceptual and empirical studies that enhance existing knowledge on international marketing decision-making.  Design/methodology/approach: Thirty-six (36) manuscripts were submitted to the editorial office focusing on a broad range of international marketing decision-making. Following a thorough review process, a collection of five original empirical studies on different facets of international marketing decision-making from multiple theoretical, contextual and methodological perspectives are included in this Special Issue. Findings: Overall, the combined evidence presented in this Special Issue shows that the general field of international marketing decision-making is starting to mature. Evidence from the contributors to this Special Issue shows that researchers have taken inspiration from both the past and the present when designing and crafting their research and, by doing so, they have collectively contributed to new knowledge in terms of international marketing decision-making principles, decision-maker personality traits, the consequences of international marketing decisions, and cross-cultural differences with regards to decision-making influences and behavior. Originality/value: With few exceptions, not much is known about how international marketing decisions are made. Yet, the way international marketing decisions are made is critical for international marketing success. This sphere of international marketing decision-making research, while relatively anemic, is typically underpinned by behavioral economic theories of decision-making, such that a duality in decision-making processes is identified. Nevertheless, international marketing and management studies are dominated by the planning paradigm, while in practice, managers often see the attempt to deviate from planning as irresponsible and dangerous. The articles included in this special issue have addressed major unanswered questions regarding the content and processes of international marketing decision-making.</p

How agency and self-efficacy moderate the effects of strategic improvisational behaviors on sales performance: evidence from an emerging market

This study develops and tests arguments that improvisation is not universal in its benefits for the firm, but rather its multidimensional characteristics (action-orientation, creativity, and spontaneity) hold differential performance effects. The study further examines whether these relationships are contingent upon individual agency and self-efficacy. Drawing on primary data from industrial sales account managers in Ghana, the study finds that an increasing level of action-orientation is associated with decreases in perceived sales performance and the decrease in performance is more pronounced under conditions of stronger sense of agency and self-efficacy. Similarly, an increasing level of creativity is associated with decreases in perceived sales performance when agency is stronger. However, an increasing level of spontaneity is associated with increases in performance and this increase is strengthened under conditions of stronger sense of self-efficacy. The study concludes that the effect of strategic improvisation on sales performance outcome within the context of an emerging economy (such as Ghana) is more nuanced than established improvisation literature suggests.</p

Competitive unpredictability in export markets [Abstract]

Competitive unpredictability in export markets [Abstract]</p

Competitive unpredictability in export markets [Abstract]

Competitive unpredictability in export markets [Abstract]</p

How agency and self‐efficacy moderate the effects of strategic improvisational behaviors on sales performance: Evidence from an emerging market

This study develops and tests arguments that improvisation is not universal in its benefits for the firm, but rather its multidimensional characteristics (action-orientation, creativity, and spontaneity) hold differential performance effects. The study further examines whether these relationships are contingent upon individual agency and self-efficacy. Drawing on primary data from industrial sales account managers in Ghana, the study finds that an increasing level of action-orientation is associated with decreases in perceived sales performance and the decrease in performance is more pronounced under conditions of stronger sense of agency and self-efficacy. Similarly, an increasing level of creativity is associated with decreases in perceived sales performance when agency is stronger. However, an increasing level of spontaneity is associated with increases in performance and this increase is strengthened under conditions of stronger sense of self-efficacy. The study concludes that the effect of strategic improvisation on sales performance outcome within the context of an emerging economy (such as Ghana) is more nuanced than established improvisation literature suggests.</p