Bernard Pras

Research Traditions in Marketing

This book reviews the past twenty years of research in marketing by considering the different research streams together to understand, evaluate and criticize those various streams and to explore potential overlaps and divergence likely to emerge in the future. In addition, careful attention has been paid to represent a balance of European and North American scholarship in both quantitative and qualitative research traditions. The book is organized into quantitative and qualitative parts. The quantitative articles include such topics as marketing models, econometrics, productivity in marketing, diffusion of innovation and industrial marketing; the qualitative articles include consumer behavior, industrial marketing and industrial marketing networks, and perspectives on marketing from other sciences.

Product acceptance by middleman in export channels

Abstract The factors associated with gaining product acceptance by middleman in the target country are reported. The hypotheses, drawn from the international marketing and exporting literature as well as from previous studies on product acceptance by supermarkets, are tested in the context of the export channel for French motion pictures.

“Friendly” Complaining Behaviors: Toward a Relational Approach

The relational approach is often presented as a strategy to retain customers, but it may also be an appropriate approach to encourage customers to complain, as a review of literature shows. Using information contained in complaints and giving the right answers (distributive, procedural and interactional) to such complaints is essential. Relational marketing may also be used to induce customers (but not all of them) to complain about the attributes of certain products/services. This article focuses on these issues and should stimulate further research in this new field.

Taboo: An Underexplored Concept in Marketing

Despite the importance of taboos in contemporary societies and their impact on consumption, little research has been conducted in marketing on the concept of taboo. Building upon the literature in anthropology, sociology and psychoanalysis, this paper puts forward five defining characteristics of taboos which shed light on previous research related to taboos in marketing. This article suggests topics for future research based on taboo characteristics that influence consumer behavior and taboo perception, with emphasis on the methodological difficulties and opportunities related to this field of research.

Dissociation of the roles of buyer, payer and consumer

Abstract Focusing on role dissociation, this article hypothesizes that the relationship between buyer, payer and consumer is an important explanatory factor of individual buying behavior and illustrates this through a choice of hotels and restaurants by salesmen with travel expense accounts reimbursed by their company.

The impact of the brand management system on performance across service and product-oriented activities

This paper aims to analyze the impact of brand management system (BMS) practices on subjective and objective performance in both service- and product-oriented sectors.,Based on a “grounded-in-practice” approach to BMS, a comprehensive formative BMS scale is developed and its validity is assessed. The impact of BMS on subjective brand performance (i.e. predictive validity) and on objective financial performance is assessed. Data are collected from a sample of 298 brand managers and marketing directors in five business sectors (cosmetics, convenience goods, industry, bank/insurance and media) and from a financial database. Path analysis and multigroup analysis are performed to test mediating and moderating effects.,The results reveal that subjective brand performance (perceived brand performance) mediates the relationship between the BMS and objective financial performance of the firm and on each of the three BMS dimensions; and product-oriented (vs service-oriented) sector positively moderates the relationship between the BMS and subjective brand performance.,The paper offers insights into adapting brand management practices along all BMS dimensions to achieve better business performance and improve objective financial performance in product-oriented activities. It highlights the role of brand management implementation, as well as the role of brand management in hierarchical relationships, in improving performance in service activities.,The formative BMS scale offers a tool which can be used to improve strategic decisions and give practical guidance on product vs service sector specificities. The indirect impact of a BMS on financial objective performance reinforces the legitimacy of brand managers and marketing managers.,This paper shows the impact of the BMS on objective financial performance by using a “grounded-in-practice” BMS scale. It also affords explanation on sectoral effects of brand management practices and their consequences on subjective and objective performance.

Temporary brand–retailer alliance model: the routes to purchase intentions for selective brands and mass retailers

ABSTRACT We investigate a common but under-studied practice, the temporary alliance between a selective brand and a mass retailer, online or offline. Using a before-and-after methodology, we show how the attitude towards the new offer of a selective brand at a mass retailer plays a central mediating role. It is influenced by brand–retailer fit and product-category fit. It influences purchase intention towards the new offer, attitude changes towards the selective brand and mass retailer, and therefore purchase intention towards the brand and retailer. We also reveal a counterintuitive direct negative route from product-category fit to changes in purchase intention towards the retailer. To offer important managerial implications, we break out results for two selective brands and two types of mass retailers.

Advertising Strategy Implications of Consumer Evaluation Process Models

Demonstrates that the objective here is to discuss some recent findings in consumer behaviour thereby showing implications for the types of appeal strategies. Describes the three main types of consumer evaluation process models, going on to research findings concerning the conditions under which consumers follow each type. Points out the implications for advertising appeal strategy. Highlights the three main types of consumer evaluation process models as: compensatory models; satisfying models; and lexographic models. Concludes that multiple appeal strategies are most appropriate for new product introductions and brand repositioning.