Cengiz Yilmaz

Salesperson cooperation: The influence of relational, task, organizational, and personal factors

Salesperson cooperation has become a crucial issue for the overall performance of most sales organizations. The authors examine the antecedents of task-specific, cooperative behaviors of salespersons toward other salespeople working in the same organization. The main theses of the study are that (1) the four major antecedent categories of factors—relational, task, organizational, and personal— constitute, collectively, the primary determinants of salesperson cooperation and (2) each antecedent category exerts, independently, significant influence on the cooperative behaviors of salespersons. The results support the main theses and provide useful insights for sales managers attempting to foster cooperation among salespeople. The relative impact of each antecedent category, as well as the effects of specific variables within each, is discussed.

Market Orientation and Planning Flexibility in SMEs: Performance Implications and an Empirical Investigation

The study examines the joint effects of market orientation (an internal, cultural factor) and planning flexibility (an internal, process factor) on business performance in small and medium-sized firms. In addition, the conceptual model incorporates market dynamism (an external factor) as a moderator on business performance. A number of hypothesized relationships are tested with a sample of small and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Turkey.The results suggest that while, in general, both market orientation and planning flexibility positively influence firm performance, contrary to the authors hypothesis, planning flexibility exerts a negative effect on performance in highly dynamic markets.Theoretical and managerial implications of these and other findings are discussed.

Relative effects of dependence and trust on flexibility, information exchange, and solidarity in marketing channels

Purpose – The extent of relational behaviors displayed by independent partners in channels of distribution is a critical determinant of the efficiency and effectiveness of distribution operations. The purpose of this study is to focus on the two key antecedents of relational behaviors in channel dyads, dependence on and trust in the exchange partner, and to explore the relative effects of dependence and trust on each of the three major relational behavior forms of flexibility, information exchange, and solidarity.Design/methodology/approach – Formal hypotheses are developed in the study regarding the joint and relative effects of dependence and trust on each relational behavior. Data collected from 192 automobile dealerships in Turkey are used for testing the hypotheses through separate regression analyses.Findings – In line with the main study thesis, the results suggest that the relative effects of dependence on and trust in the supplier differ across dealer flexibility, information exchange, and solida...

Supplier fairness as a mediating factor in the supplier performance-reseller satisfaction relationship

The study examines the role of reseller perceptions of supplier fairness in the relationships between reseller evaluations of supplier role performance components and reseller satisfaction. Specifically, reseller perceptions of supplier distributive fairness and procedural fairness are posited as key factors, mediating the effects of reseller assessments of supplier delivery performance, operational support, boundary personnel performance, and financial and sales performance on reseller satisfaction. Results of nested model comparisons using data collected from resellers in Turkey support the hypothesized mediating role of fairness perceptions. Specific relationships between supplier performance components and fairness perceptions, as well as the effects of both fairness types on reseller satisfaction, are discussed.

Predictors of attitudinal and behavioral outcomes in mobile advertising: A field experiment

The study examines consumer responses to SMS-based mobile advertising campaigns using a field experiment with actual behavioral responses. Specifically, the effects of message characteristics (i.e., incentives and prior permission) and individual differences of message recipients (i.e., content involvement, prior experience with the mobile medium, and medium-fit perceptions) on the attitudinal and behavioral outcomes of such campaigns are investigated. Perceived intrusiveness of the message and attitude toward the campaign are conceptualized as key attitudinal reactions triggered by a mobile advertising message, which in turn influence the behavioral responses generated by the campaign. Findings suggest that, in comparison to permission and incentive, individual differences are stronger determinants of responses to mobile advertising campaigns. Additionally, intriguing insights with respect to the effectiveness of different types of incentives are provided.

Salesperson performance and job attitudes revisited

Research about the (inter)relationships across salesperson performance, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment is characterized by equivocal (and sometimes conflicting) empirical results. The study develops and tests an extended model of the performance→satisfaction→commitment sequence that incorporates intrinsic and extrinsic components of salesperson job satisfaction and affective and continuance dimensions of organizational commitment. In addition, hypotheses pertaining to the effects of three potential moderators of the relationships of concern, specifically, degree of performance‐reward contingency, salesperson career stage, and salesperson performance level, are developed and subjected to empirical testing. The results offer valuable insights for sales managers attempting to develop and maintain highly committed salesforces, and researchers attempting to explain the reasons behind the mixed empirical findings in prior research.

International strategies of emerging market firms

Purpose – This study aims to develop and test a theoretical model to delineate the effects of target market characteristics, firm characteristics and strategic resources, and product characteristics on standardization decisions in brand management of emerging market firms. The effects of standardization on brand performance in international markets are also to be explored.Design/methodology/approach – The study develops a model based on the extant literature and tests its relevance through a survey of eligible managers in charge of international brand operations of 94 strategic business units in Turkey.Findings – The empirical findings indicate that several factors exist as significant drivers of standardization decisions at various levels of brand management. Interestingly, even though firm characteristics and strategic resources were found to be the most critical drivers of brand performance, standardization versus adaptation approaches did not have any significant impact on strategic brand performance....

Source characteristics and advertising effectiveness

The study examines the impact of source likeability and source credibility on the effectiveness of print advertisements. A theoretical model that depicts the impacts of source characteristics on (1) ad attitude, (2) brand attitude, and (3) willingness to purchase is investigated using data collected through a quasi-experimental design. In addition to direct impacts, the moderating role of message processing motivation (involvement) and product category knowledge in the relationships of interest are investigated via multigroup analyses. Findings indicate that the sequence of relationships between source characteristics, attitudinal responses and willingness to purchase may vary substantially across the four conditions characterised by high/low levels of processing motivation and product category knowledge.

Factors affecting risk mitigation revisited: the case of earthquake in Turkey

This paper investigates the effects of earthquake risk perceptions and a number of socioeconomic variables on risk mitigation. The effects of perceived risk components (probability and severity) and perceived risk characteristics (dread, knowledge, controllability, and responsibility) are investigated jointly in a single model, together with degree of risk aversion and socioeconomic factors (income, gender, age, education, and number of children). Analyses are conducted separately in order to explain variability in five different forms of mitigation behaviors: (1) purchasing of compulsory earthquake insurance, (2) past mitigation behaviors, (3) monetary value of past mitigation behaviors, (4) intentions for future mitigation behaviors, and (5) monetary value of intended future mitigation behaviors. Data are obtained from homeowners in Istanbul, where a major earthquake is expected within 30 years. The results provide evidence that all three variable sets (risk components, risk characteristics, and socioeconomic variables) may act as significant determinants of mitigation and that the driving factors for mitigation may differ across forms of mitigation behaviors investigated. The study (1) provides partial explanation for the equivocal findings in prior research regarding the relationship between risk perceptions and mitigation behaviors, and (2) offers guidelines for policy‐makers in motivating communal earthquake risk mitigation.

How does innovativeness yield superior firm performance? The role of marketing effectiveness

This paper examines the role of marketing effectiveness in the relationship between innovativeness dimensions (e.g., product, market, process, strategic, and behavioral innovativeness) and firm performance. Data were collected via structured questionnaires from 112 firms operating in Turkey and analyzed through hierarchical regression analysis. Findings indicate that different dimensions of innovativeness have different effects on marketing effectiveness and firm performance. The results also support the mediating role of marketing effectiveness in the relationship between firm performance and product and strategic innovativeness dimensions. In addition, several firm characteristics (e.g., firm size, share of foreign capital) are shown to moderate the effects of innovativeness dimensions on marketing effectiveness and overall firm performance.