Amparo Cervera

Antecedents and consequences of market orientation in public organisations

The aim of this article is to link research on market orientation in the field of marketing with the proposals of reform and modernisation made in the administrative and political field. Market orientation in business organisations is a highly topical issue, or even more, it is considered by someacademicians as the new marketing paradigm. Following these studies and their proposals of application in other sectors, a market orientation model is developed, from a public management perspective, in the setting of local governments through testing a set ofhypotheses about the construct and its antecedents and consequences. Antecedents explaining why some local governments are more market oriented than others are identified. Moreover, market orientation is shown to influence public organisation performance.

Brand assessment: a key element of marketing strategy

The growing importance of the brand in the life of the company and in consumer perceptions has led many authors to base their analysis on brand value rather than the traditional approach in which its definition, its functions and its characteristics were amply developed. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the brand generates value for the company: brand value is the value of the marginal cash flows generated by a product due to the fact that it is identified with a brand. Brand value is generated by a series of multidimensional assets which interact in a complex way: loyalty; awareness; perceived quality; and identity. One of the main problems for a company wishing to develop a brand strategy is how to quantify this value. Studies the different methodologies available for this evaluation and distinguishes between financial and marketing methods. Concludes that marketing methods are worth greater consideration, since they give a wider vision of brand value by considering the consumer’s perspective and not only objective issues.

Benchmarking the port services: a customer oriented proposal

In recent years, ports have experienced a period of significant growth and development along with intense inter‐port rivalry as a consequence of intermodality and hinterland development. It is therefore vital that port management bodies define and implement suitable strategies. This paper aims to adapt the benchmarking technique to the sphere of ports. Compares the activity of a port with that of its competitors, which is considered to be excellent. This is a strategic approach where consideration of the needs of the client, shipping lines and export‐import companies is the axis of the benchmarking process.

Sticking with your university: the importance of satisfaction, trust, image, and shared values

In a context of increasing competition and financial difficulties for higher education institutions, alumni loyalty is a key factor for survival and success. This study tests a model derived from a relationship marketing perspective to investigate the roles of four variables (brand image, trust, satisfaction, and shared values) in the direct and indirect explanation of alumni loyalty. Based on a literature review, a theoretical model is proposed and tested through structural equations modeling for a sample of 1000 university alumni. The results reveal three direct antecedents of alumni loyalty (satisfaction, shared values, and trust) and one indirect antecedent (university brand image). In addition, this research offers theoretical contributions related to the relationship between shared values, trust, perceived university image, and satisfaction. The research highlights how education managers can increase alumni loyalty through strategic planning and direct policies to develop satisfaction, trust, positive brand image, and shared values.

The impact of IT and customer orientation on building trust and commitment in the supply chain

The application of information technologies (IT) to logistics activities may have benefits beyond cost savings, as it can create bonds between the supply chain partners. The objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of customer orientation on the application of IT to the supply chain and of these on the development of channel relationships based on trust and commitment. A questionnaire-based personal survey was conducted among manufacturers. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesis contained in the theoretical model. The results indicate that customer orientation affects the application of IT to logistics, and IT has a positive impact on manufacturer and supplier commitment to the relationship.

Market Orientation: A Framework for Public Institutions

ABSTRACT The aim of this work is to link Kohli and Jaworskis research on market orientation in the field of marketing, with the proposals of reform and modernization made in the administrative and political sphere. Market orientation in business organizations, its antecedents and its consequences on performance is a highly topical question. Moreover, it is considered by some academicians as the new marketing paradigm. By examining this line of studies and their proposals for application to different sectors, we will proceed, on the basis of this analysis, to develop a market orientation theoretical model in the field of public administration. Adopting a behavioral approach, this work projects those Constituent activities of market orientation (information generation, dissemination and response) in the light of democratic public institutions whose aims exceed the mere provision of public services.

A Model for valuation of government export promotion policies: An empirical analysis in the spanish context from a market oriented perspective

In nowadays competitive global environments, public organisms formulate export promotion policies with the aim of assisting companies to develop their internationalisation processes. However, there exists a lack of comprehensive models to valuate the way in which public organizations are investing public resources both from academic and applied points of view.In this study, a model is proposed incorporating economic and market-oriented perspectives that allow identify companies’ different export promotion needs. On the basis of the literature review, several hypotheses are formulated and tested by the use of primary data. Results indicate that the benefits derived from using promotion programs are more indirect than direct and the way they contribute to results obtained by exports companies. Information is also provided on the degree to which companies feel that public promotions are actually able to cover their needs, value the perceived efficiency of those promotions, and perceive there exists a contrast between the needs and the available programs.

Key Elements in Building Relationships in the Higher Education Services Context

In a context of globalized higher education, new stakeholders have emerged, and building stronger relationships between them is of the utmost relevance in todays environment. The approach from the graduate perspective helps reinforce bonds and manage lifelong learning in an innovative way. This study empirically tests a model that includes variables such as university image, student–professor interaction, satisfaction, identification, and loyalty, which are topics of increasing relevance for competitive and innovative universities. The results show the relationships among the variables, which can explain loyalty behavioral intentions. The article concludes with the managerial implications of the study.

Customer’s role in knowledge management and in the innovation process: effects on innovation capacity and marketing results

Scholars have acknowledged customer knowledge management (CKM) as a key strategic resource for improving innovation and supporting long-term customer relationship management. This study provides a deeper understanding of the internal antecedents of business innovation capacity overcoming previous approaches. A model that had not previously been tested was used to analyse the role of customer collaboration and CKM – measured as a second-order construct – in innovation processes and marketing results. To test the model, structural equation modelling (partial least squares) was applied to a random sample of 210 Spanish companies. Results confirm that CKM and customer collaboration are antecedents of innovation capacity and marketing results. Furthermore, the effect of CKM is greater than the effect of customer collaboration. This paper provides a basis for managers to encourage innovation in their companies and explains how managers can improve marketing results.

Contrasting quality of service experience for northern and southern Mediterranean tourists

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine quality of service experience as reported by tourists in seven northern and southern Mediterranean cities. Design/methodology/approach – A self-report study was used to gather data from 1,362 tourists. Once validity of Otto and Ritchie’s (1996) scale had been confirmed, ANOVA and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyse the data. Findings – Tourists in all destinations highlighted the importance of the dimension peace of mind. Significant differences between tourists in the northern Mediterranean and those in the southern Mediterranean were observed in two quality of service experience dimensions: hedonics and involvement. Research limitations/implications – Although the sample was large, this study’s scope was limited to seven Mediterranean tourist cities. Further research is therefore required to generalize findings to other Mediterranean tourist destinations. Practical implications – Knowledge about quality of service experience dimen...