Building Sustainability into Services Marketing: Expanding decision-making from a mix to a matrix

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework that will provide the services marketing manager a systematic, holistic and transparent means of enhancing sustainability performance through the marketing function. We review the literature dealing with the confluence of services marketing and sustainability, identify gaps in current sustainability-services marketing literature and inductively develop a conceptual framework for Sustainability Services Marketing (SSM).We describe services marketing practice examples in order to uncover the implications of a sustainability focus for services marketing and illustrate how to operationalise the framework. The resulting framework, (i) ensures that sustainability is incorporated into the strategic services marketing planning process, (ii) adapts and expands the traditional concept of the services marketing mix, by adding Partnerships to the traditional mix elements, and (iii) cross-references services marketing mix decision-making with the triple bottom line to describe the marketing task in terms of a matrix rather than a mix. This permits sustainability benchmarking and planning across the triple bottom line, and across the range of activities the services marketing manager might be expected to manage in order to enhance sustainability performance. We shift services marketing management attention to a broader and more sustainability-responsible whole-of-business approach. This research provides timely and effective guidance for the services marketing manager seeking to enhance his or her business\u27s sustainability performance in a systematic, holistic, and transparent way

Pure pallets: effectiveness and efficiency impacts on the defense transportation system

The military supply chain must explore initiatives to improve its ability to meet warfighter needs. One initiative, developed during operations in Afghanistan and Iraq is the pure pallet process—by consolidating material early in the supply chain into user-specific pallets, these pallets are able to transit the defense transportation system without being broken down en route, theoretically arriving to the warfighter in less time than prior break-bulk methods required. The pure pallet initiative’s effectiveness and efficiency was assessed by measuring customer requisition wait time, cargo throughput, and revenue performance. It was found that effectiveness increased, without corresponding losses in efficiency

African American and European American Therapists’ Experiences of Addressing Race in Cross-Racial Psychotherapy Dyads

Using Consensual Qualitative Research, 12 licensed psychologists’ overall experiences addressing race in psychotherapy were investigated, as were their experiences addressing race in a specific cross-racial therapy dyad. Results indicated that only African American psychologists reported routinely addressing race with clients of color or when race was part of a client’s presenting concern. European American psychologists indicated that they would address race if clients raised the topic, and some reported that they did not normally address race with racially different clients. When discussing a specific cross-racial dyad, African American therapists more often than European American therapists addressed race because they perceived client discomfort. Only European American therapists reported feeling uncomfortable addressing race, but therapists of both races perceived that such discussions had positive effects

Prevalence of Peyronie's Disease-Like Symptoms in Men Presenting With Dupuytren Contractures.

IntroductionPeyronie's disease (PD) and Dupuytren contractures (DC) are often comorbid and are believed to have a similar underlying pathophysiologic mechanism.AimTo investigate the prevalence of PD-like symptoms (PDLS) in men with DC.MethodsFrom October 2013 to December 2016, men who were seen and evaluated for DC were offered the opportunity to participate in an anonymous survey. The survey assessed several basic demographic and sexual health factors and included items from the International Index of Erectile Function and the Erection Hardness Scale. Men who reported PDLS were asked a series of questions derived from the Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire and for their opinions on theoretical treatment modalities for sexual problems and penile deformity.Main outcome measurePrevalence of PDLS in men with DC.ResultsOne hundred forty men with DC were invited to participate; 85 surveys were returned (response rate = 61%). Twenty-two respondents (26%, 95% confidence interval = 17-35) reported PDLS. Approximately one fourth of all respondents had an Erection Hardness Scale score lower than 3. The most common specific PDLS concerns were penile curvature (91%), length loss (55%), narrowing (36%), and hinging (32%). In men with PDLS, 73% felt at least a little bothered by the symptoms when attempting sexual activity and 40% reported having sex less frequently because of the symptoms. Just 27% of men with PDLS had ever used a treatment for a sexual concern. In terms of treatments for penile deformities, 64% of men with PDLS expressed an interest in treatment administered in the form of an in-office procedure; 41% were potentially amenable to a surgical procedure.ConclusionThe prevalence of PDLS in men with DC is similar to the prevalence of DC in men diagnosed with PD. A substantial number of these men have distress and would consider standard-of-care treatments for PD. Shindel AW, Sweet G, Thieu W, et al. Prevalence of Peyronie's Disease-Like Symptoms in Men Presenting With Dupuytren Contractures. Sex Med 2017;5:e135-e141

Message variables for effective advertising of corporate social responsibility initiatives: results of an experimental design

Stakeholders increasingly expect firms to consider their social and environmental impacts as well as their economic impacts, and address their corporate social responsibility (CSR). One stakeholder group, consumers, report they want to be informed of how firms do this, and use this information when purchasing. This paper reports on an investigation of two message variables believed necessary for effective advertising about CSR initiatives, social topic information and social impact specificity. We manipulated each of these variables at three levels for an unfamiliar retail bank brand engaging with the social issue of the arms trade. While social topic information was found to be non-significant in influencing the dependent variable, overall scepticism toward CSR claims, social impact specificity was found to have a significant link to message inhibition of scepticism cognitions. The findings are insightful for marketing communications managers tasked with effectively informing a key stakeholder audience, consumers, of a firm’s pro-social achievements

Building sustainability into services marketing: expanding decision-making from a mix to a matrix

In line with the AMA\u27s revised (2007) definition of marketing, which aligns with the societal marketing orientation by requiring that Marketing create value not just for individual consumers and organisations but also for society at large, this paper proposes a Sustainability Services Marketing (SSM) framework. At present, services marketing managers have little guidance on how to pursue sustainability and achieve sustainable development goals. The SSM addresses this gap in a systematic, holistic and transparent way by ensuring sustainability cascades through the strategic marketing planning process. The traditional services marketing mix is expanded to include partnership, and the eight elements are cross-referenced against the three pillars of the triple bottom line - Planet, People and Profit - to produce the Sustainability Services Marketing Matrix (SSMM). The model is described and illustrated with brief case examples, and implications for theory and practice, and potential directions for further research are discussed

Competitive advantage and fuel efficiency in aviation

This paper builds upon a resource based view of competitive advantage under a dynamic capabilities construct. Fuel efficiency measurement in the aviation industry can be incorporated into dynamic capabilities such as strategic decision making and alliancing. These dynamic capabilities can drive operational cost reductions, which in-turn can enhance profitability and establish a competitive advantage. To further this advantage, fuel efficiency can be embedded inside an organizational culture. A fuel efficiency focused organizational culture can be a valuable, rare, inimitable and non- substitutable resource. This paper proposes a model to merge the dynamic capabilities of strategic decision making and alliancing with organizational culture under fuel efficiency. Under this model, a fuel efficiency index is introduced to drive behavior and provide accountability. Effective use of the index has profit potential