Bruce R. Klemz

Enhancing Learning Outcomes: The Effects of Instructional Technology, Learning Styles, Instructional Methods, and Student Behavior

The delivery of marketing education seems to be rapidly shifting toward pedagogy rich in experiential learning and strongly supported with educational technology. This study integrates and extends previous research efforts and investigates the simultaneous effects of multiple influences of technology and nontechnology factors on learning outcomes. Responses were obtained across a marketing curriculum with technology-accustomed students. The findings suggest that the use of preferred instructional methods will enhance each of the three different measures of learning outcomes, while encouraging supportive class behaviors can increase self report performance and course grade. Regardless of the dependent outcome measure, only one of the five instructional technology variables proved significant, suggesting that in contrast to previous studies that examined technology in isolation, when analyzed relative to other learning factors, technology’s influence is secondary. Implications are discussed with practical suggestions for the classroom and direction for further investigation.

Internet Pricing, Price Satisfaction, and Customer Satisfaction

Given the challenges of increasing margins and building a loyal customer base, the interaction between pricing and customer satisfaction is of great interest to e-tailers. The present research models the relationships between e-tailer pricing, price satisfaction, and satisfaction with the ordering and fulfillment processes. The model is calibrated using data about book e-tailers from BizRate.com and a database of market-basket prices. By providing a satisfactory ordering process, e-tailers can somewhat ameliorate the negative effects of higher prices and will have higher overall ratings for fulfillment satisfaction. This is critical because fulfillment satisfaction creates loyal customers. As expected, higher prices lead to lower price satisfaction, but the effect of price satisfaction on fulfillment satisfaction was negative. This unexpected result has important implications for e-tailers intending to compete based on low prices. Increased levels of price satisfaction due to low prices do not positively affect satisfaction with the fulfillment process. Therefore, competing on price may not be a viable long-term strategy for on-line retailers.

Managerial implications of predicting purchase behavior from purchase intentions: a retail patronage case study

Services managers are dependent on forecasting purchase behavior when making resource allocation decisions. Purchase intentions are commonly used as a basis to forecast purchase behavior. This practice is, however, not without its critics. In a study of restaurant patrons, it was found that the patrons who expressed strong purchase intent and made a subsequent purchase demonstrated distinct attitudes differences when compared to those patrons who also expressed strong purchase intent but failed to make a subsequent purchase. The results suggest that the service manager could be misled, and therefore could make costly service mix mistakes, if purchase intent is used solely to model purchase behavior. Specific strategy implications are discussed.

Optimal new product positioning: A genetic algorithm approach

Abstract Identifying an optimal positioning strategy for new products is a critical and difficult strategic decision. In this research, we develop a genetic algorithm based procedure called GA SEARCH that identifies optimal new product positions. In two simulation comparisons and an empirical study, we compare the results from GA SEARCH to those obtained from the best currently available algorithm (PRODSRCH). We find that GA SEARCH performs better regardless of the number of ideal points, existing products, number of attributes or choice set size. Furthermore, GA SEARCH can account for choice set size heterogeneity. Results show that GA SEARCH outperformed the best current algorithm when choice set size varied at the individual level, an important source of consumer heterogeneity that has been ignored in current algorithms formulated to solve this optimization problem.

Environmental and emotional influences on willingness‐to‐buy in small and large retailers

Addresses two critical issues for the small retailer faced with competition from large national one‐stop chains: do customers perceive environmental and induced emotional influences the same for these different retailers and do these influences have differential effects on a customer’s willingness‐to‐buy (WTB)? Two studies were performed within a small town in the mid‐western USA. It was found that the small downtown retailers primarily use empathy to influence WTB. It was also found that the large national one‐stop chains in this small town primarily use assurance to influence WTB. It was further found that small retailers manage empathy through responsiveness, where the large national chains balance tangibility, reliability and responsiveness to jointly influence assurance.

Managerial assessment of potential entrants: Processes and pitfalls

Abstract While others have studied the awareness and action phases of incumbent response, there has been little research on the threat assessment phase. In this paper, we focus on the incumbents threat assessment decision process, i.e. how task characteristics can influence the evaluation of potential entrants. In an experiment using experienced marketing managers as subjects, we examine the influence of firm dependence, decision accountability and task complexity on their information acquisition behavior while assessing potential entrants. Our results provide important insights into how companies can and cannot improve managerial assessment of potential entrants.

Exploratory Analysis using Parallel Coordinate Systems: Data Visualization in N-Dimensions

We introduce an exploratory technique that is used to visualize higher order geometries in an easily recognizable two-dimensional representation: parallel coordinate systems. In this research, parallel coordinate systems visual analysis is used to assess competitive pricing behavior. Results show that this simple exploratory technique identified the same main and cross-elasticities identified by an MCI model. This research illustrates the value and simplicity of adding parallel coordinate systems visual analysis to the managers exploratory analysis tool kit. Implications are discussed.