Alan J. Bush

The Influence of Consumer Socialization Variables on Attitude Toward Advertising: A Comparison of African-Americans and Caucasians

Abstract Using the theory of consumer socialization, the authors explore factors that might shape attitudes toward advertising for African-American and Caucasian young adults. Though the African-American market is growing in importance to advertisers, little if any research has explored African-American perceptions of advertising. The theory of consumer socialization provides a conceptual framework for investigating variables that might influence attitudes toward advertising. African-American and Caucasian young adults were surveyed on various consumer socialization variables. Parental communication, peer communication, mass media, gender, and race were found to be related significantly to attitudes toward advertising. African-Americans watched more TV and had more positive attitudes toward advertising than their Caucasian counterparts.

Do role models influence teenagers’ purchase intentions and behavior?

Attempts to determine which individual, or group of individuals, has the strongest influence on adolescent consumer purchase intentions and purchase behavior. By introducing the concepts of direct (fathers and mothers) and vicarious (favorite entertainers and favorite athletes) role models into the consumer behavior literature, the study allows greater understanding of the socialization patterns of young adult consumers. Results from this study provide significant contributions for marketing and advertising managers seeking to improve their understanding of the ever‐growing adolescent consumer market.

Psychological Climate, Empowerment, Leadership Style, and Customer-Oriented Selling: An Analysis of the Sales Manager–Salesperson Dyad

This study examined antecedents and performancerelated consequences of customer-oriented selling. The antecedents include sales managers’ leadership styles, psychological empowerment, and the psychological climates of organizations. Data were gathered on two separate performance outcome measures. Responses from 106 sales managers and 313 sales representatives were analyzed. The results indicate that transformational leadership, empowerment, and specific components of the psychological climate are important predictors of customer-oriented selling.

The Effect of Role Model Influence on Adolescents’ Materialism and Marketplace Knowledge

The goal of the present research was to analyze the consumer socialization process of adolescents, utilizing social learning theory as a conceptual guide to understand how role models influence adolescents’ materialism and marketplace knowledge. A convenience sample of 175 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 were surveyed in a major metropolitan area. Direct role models included in this study were mothers, fathers and teachers. Vicarious role models included athletes and entertainers. Results at the .05 level of significance show that materialism and marketplace knowledge are associated with members of both direct and vicarious role model groups. Specifically for materialism, athletes and fathers were found to have the greatest impact. Teachers and athlete role models were found to have the greatest impact on adolescents’ marketplace knowledge. Implications from the empirical analysis of these proposed relationships are provided for marketing managers and practitioners.

Ethics and marketing on this internet: Practitioners' perceptions of societal, industry and company concerns

The astonishing growth of the Internet coupled with its unique capabilities has captured the attention of the marketing community. Although many businesses are acknowledging the importance of a Web site, to date, little attention has been given to the business communitysperceptions of the ethicality of this new medium. A national sample of marketing executives was surveyed regarding their perceptions of: (1) regulation of the Internet, (2) the potential ethical issues via Internet marketing facing their industry, and (3) the role of ethics and Internet marketing in their organization. Results and recommendations for incorporating Internet ethical guidelines into organizations are discussed.

The Use of Importance-Performance Analysis for Improving the Quality of Marketing Education: Interpreting Faculty-Course Evaluations

The article focuses on demonstrating how importance-performance analysis can serve as an easily applied technique for reducing the difficulties in translating faculty-course performance results into meaningful actions. A specific faculty-course evaluation example which uses an extended version of the technique is offered. Important insights are presented regarding the modified techniques impact on making strategic quality improvement1 decisions for marketing education.

The potential influence of organizational and personal variables on customer‐oriented selling

Recent research investigating customer‐oriented selling has indicated that greater attention needs to be focused on organizational or personal antecedents influencing customer‐oriented selling behaviors. Similar to most other departments, a selling department’s environment would include its goals, objectives, and culture, as well as the behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes of top and middle management. Through its corporate culture and environment, the organization’s expectations and requirements are transmitted to its employees, who then implement the organization’s policies and carry out organizational strategies. Therefore, it is apparent that both individual internal environment perceptions and managerial leadership styles could possibly have a significant impact on the level of customer‐oriented selling behavior exhibited by salespeople. Three organizational or personal variables likely related to customer‐oriented selling are examined in the present study. The variables include sales manager leadership style, psychological climate, and empowerment. Each of the variables, and an explanation of its expected relationship with customer‐oriented selling, is explored. Implications for managers from these potential relationships are also provided.

Rethinking the Role of Television Advertising during Health Crises: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Federal AIDS Campaigns

Abstract Information provided by television advertising is an important weapon in the fight against a new public health pandemic—AIDS. The authors assess the brief history of AIDS advertising through a rhetorical analysis of the 1987, 1988, and 1989 federal AIDS television campaigns. The descriptive findings from this analysis provide insights for rethinking the role of television advertising in this, and possibly in other, pandemic crises.

The narrative paradigm as a perspective for improving ethical evaluations of advertisements

Abstract Recently, an increased number of advertisements have been questioned as being potentially unethical. Because of complaints from academicians, special interest groups, competitors, and broadcasters, certain advertising campaigns have been pulled from the media. The fact that potentially unethical ads are reaching the marketplace suggests that current methods of ad evaluation may be inadequate for some of todays controversial or innovative campaigns. The authors introduce the narrative paradigm as a possible solution or tool for discerning potentially unethical aspects of advertisements. A narrative approach to the evaluation of ad messages can reveal inconsistencies between the ad and the intended or influential audiences before the damaging effects of inappropriate campaigns occur.

A Content Analysis of Animation in Television Advertising

Abstract A content analysis of the major networks and three cable networks was conducted to investigate the current status of animation in television advertising. A total of 2,454 advertisements were analyzed over a seven-day period. Findings suggest that advertisers are using animation as a method of execution in their TV advertisements directed at adults as well as children.