Beheruz N. Sethna

Extensions and Testing of Importance-Performance Analysis

Importance-Performance analysis is a technique for relating the measurement of attribute importance and performance to the development of marketing programs.

An Electrical Circuit Analogue of Market Behavior—As Used in Advertising Decisions

Abstract An electrical circuit analogue is proposed in this paper to model sales response to advertising. For a given marketing and advertising strategy. and for a given advertising budget, the electrical circuit analogue is used to analyze sales behavior corresponding to various forms of advertising input. It is shown how this analysis can be used to plan the advertising time pattern most appropriate to the managers requirements and as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of an advertising campaign.

Consumer Perceptions of Electric Cars: The Effects of Exposure

This study considered the effect of exposure to an electric car on respondents’ perceptions of the car. Results indicate that buyers’ perceptions on certain dimensions do improve after exposure. This is relevant because of the large budgets spent on demonstration of electric vehicles (EV) in particular, and other technical products in general. Conclusions are drawn which may benefit the DOE, and EV manufacturers.

The Case as an aid to Imparting Concepts

This paper takes the stand that the case itself has the potential to be used effectively as a vehicle to impart concepts. Also included is a description of how the same case can be used in a variety of teaching situations. The entire paper is based on class-tested situations.

Tofi Management, Inc.: An Experiential Exercise Regarding the Long-Term Implications of Some Technological Innovations

There have been some technological developments during the past few years, which will have a significant impact on marketing and management practices only a decade or two from now. This exercise is intended to provoke thought and discussion about the long-term social and managerial implications of such innovations. The case is one that captures the interest because of its unique setting, and induces lively discussion. The debriefing session at the end of the exercise is used to create awareness of the different points of view that emerge during the discussion.

The Use of Quantitative Models in the Study of Physical Distribution of Fertilizers in India

The study of the physical distribution of fertilizers in India is a critical one because agriculture accounts for about half of India’s National Income, and because fertilizer, a scarce resource, plays a significant role in increasing food production. Government restrictions about the flow of fertilizer from a specified plant to an area further complicate the allocation problem as do the increasing costs of transportation and the large burden on the railroad system.

A Problem in Industrial Marketing Management: The Over-Under Phenomenon

Managers at all levels are called upon to give subjective estimates of the probability of occurrence of events (e.g., in PERT, in setting of sales targets, etc.). The over-under effect is a phenomenon which causes people to over-estimate the probability of occurrence of events with relatively low objective probabilities and under-estimate probabilities of events with relatively high objective probability of occurrence. Therefore, it becomes necessary for the decision analyst to know the relationship between objective probabilities and subjective estimates, and whether the favorability of the outcome may change this relationship.

Multiple Marketing Goals and Multiple Marketing Instruments

In this paper, the theory of macroeconomic policy is applied to the problem of achieving multiple marketing goals with multiple marketing instruments. It is shown how a rigorous analysis can validate some intuitively acceptable marketing beliefs, and how violation of the principles can lead to very undesirable results. Some major advantages of this approach are that it provides a dynamic analysis rather than a comparative-static one (i.e., it tells the manager not merely where to go, but also how to get there) and that it effectively incorporates macroeconomic principles into the theory and practice of marketing.

A Comparative Study of the Perceptions of Managers Regarding Government Intervention in Marketing Operations

A major concern voiced in today’s society is that of the great interference of government in the activities of business. This exploratory study is intended to examine United States’ and Indian managers’ perceptions of government regulation on their companies’ marketing operations. A comparative study is made of managers’ perceptions of government regulation rather than of the regulatory laws themselves, for two reasons. (1) The regulatory laws are well documented. In view of the great amount of information already available, a comparative study of the actual laws may be nothing but a summary of these publications, steeped in legal terminology. (2) According to buyer behavior and psychological studies, individuals’ perceptions of events play as, if not more, important a role as do the factual occurrences, in determining individuals’ behavior. It is reasonable to expect that managers’ perceptions of the extent of governmental regulations would be at least a major factor in their willingness to expand international or domestic operations.