Andrew C. Gross

Awareness of Sponsorship and Corporate Image: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract Corporate sponsorship is growing in importance as an element of the communications mix. The number of companies participating in sponsorship, as well as corporate expenditures for sponsoring events, is on the rise as organizations seek new ways to reach audiences and enhance their image. The importance of corporate sponsorship is now generally acknowledged, but little research has been done to understand its value and effectiveness. An exploratory study was conducted to examine the relationship between sponsorship and corporate image. The results suggest that corporate sponsorship can improve corporate image, but its effects differ among companies. Moreover, sponsorship is only one of the information sources consumers use to form their impressions of an organization. Under certain circumstances, corporate sponsorship can damage, rather than enhance, the image of a company.

Identifying antecedents of information exchange within supply chains

Although information exchange among trading partners is consistently mentioned as a key requirement of successful supply chain management implementation, research on information exchange is scarce. This lack of research provides little guidance and support for those managers interested in improving their logistics operations through increased information exchange. The main goal of this paper is to identify potential antecedents of information exchange. Questionnaires were sent to logistics managers at manufacturing firms in several industries. The results of this exploratory study are detailed and the implications for logistics managers discussed.

Assessing competitive advantage of emerging markets in knowledge intensive business services

Purpose – The dramatic growth and international scope of knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS) are evident in emerging markets such as China and India. Nations, like firms, seek to capitalize on their available resources and capabilities (e.g. people, technology, skills) in order to build and maintain core competencies in certain industry sectors. This paper has the following objectives: to discuss the classification of KIBS, to marshal conceptual and statistical evidence on KIBS in major emerging markets, to compare and contrast selected major emerging markets in regard to their KIBS activities, and to discuss policy implications.Design/methodology/approach – In this conceptual paper, extant literature is reviewed and discussed pertaining to the KIBS sectors. Several existing data sources are used to assess the comparative performance of major emerging markets in the KIBS sectors.Findings – The emphasis is on finding comparative longitudinal statistics that are useful for comparison and contrast a...

The Global Management Consulting Sector

While other practices or professions trace their roots back several centuries, management consulting is less than 150 years old. However, this sector has made giant strides in the West, especially in the United States, from the 1930s to the present and in Western Europe since the 1950s. Waves of internationalization occurred on both sides of the Atlantic. Expansion got a further boost when Central Europe opened the gates in 1990. With that opening and the World Wide Web, both local and big multinational management consultants stepped up their efforts. Further strides are being made now in the booming Asia-Pacific region. We first explore historical highlights and the key drivers of growth; then briefly analyze service offerings, enduse markets, available statistics, and company profiles. Finally, we probe emerging trends and the contours in this field, a sector that is an amalgam of management practice and a professional service. Our investigation is based on archives, theses, research databanks, association and company data, and our own primary work.

Similarities in Industrial Procurement Across Four Countries

Abstract This article reports on a cross-sectional, longitudinal, and comparative study of industrial buyer behavior. The study points to clear similarities in industrial purchasing between buyers in two industries in four countries. It also shows similarities in results using the same instrument taken in studies several years apart and points to generalizations about the involvement of different departments in the purchase of a variety of product types in different international markets.

Generalizing industrial buying: A longitudinal study

Abstract This paper expands and updates a major survey conducted in 1970 by Scientific American, Inc. Both surveys were designed to measure the influence of key corporate groups or departments on the purchasing decision. Despite major differences in the two samples, there was very good agreement between the two surveys. All the Kendalls rank correlation coefficients were significant at the 0.05 level. The purchasing department continues to play a key role in the purchase of materials, component parts, and equipment, especially when it comes to taking advantage of new price differentials, surveying available makes, and choosing suppliers. The applications of the results are explored in two short cases.

The industrial buying process in capitalist and socialist countries

Abstract This article reports on the results of a two-nation study of the industrial buying process. Its focus is on the involvement of various departments at different stages of the buying process in two economies, one capitalist and the other socialist. Three major categories of purchases are included: materials, components, and equipment. Similarities as well as some differences in purchasing patterns between the two nations were found.

Strategies for sustaining the edge in offshore outsourcing of services: the case of India

Purpose – Offshore outsourcing offers competitive advantages when goods and services are produced economically and with acceptable or superior quality by suppliers located outside a firms home country. The purpose of this paper is to focus on India as a destination for offshore outsourcing of services and the challenges it faces in maintaining its leadership in this area. The paper discusses the growth of services outsourcing and the economic and environmental forces that have contributed to the outsourcing of high-end services, also known as knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). Design/methodology/approach – This article surveys the literature of offshore outsourcing and identifies strategic drivers and options that can help India to grow and consolidate its position as an exporter of services and build long-term competitive advantages in its relationships with global partners. To understand why nations gain competitive advantage in certain industries, Porters “diamond” model is utilized as a broad fram...

The Global Market for Agricultural Machinery and Equipment

A look at the global demand and supply for agricultural machinery.

The Global Market for Power Tools

The global demand for power tools rose from