David R. Rink

Product life cycle research: A literature review

Abstract The purposes of this paper are threefold: to review the scope of product life cycle (PLC) research; to pinpoint areas requiring further investigation; and to provide guidelines for future researchers. Because of the paucity of empirical evidence, only tentative conclusions are advanced. For example, the most common PLC pattern is the classical, bell-shaped curve, but it is not the sole shape. The application of various forecasting techniques across the PLC have met with merely moderate success. Very little research has been conducted either on how different characteristics of the firm influence the PLC or on the actual use of various PLC-strategy theories by business planners. Finally, investigators have focused almost exclusively on validating the existence of the PLC concept among nondurable consumer goods. Industrial items, as well as major product changes, have been nearly ignored. The main conclusion is that additional research-more diversified and extensive in nature-is needed on many PLC topics.

Consumer Complaints: Advice on How Companies Should Respond Based on an Empirical Study

Reports on a study to investigate the impact of customer satisfaction of different types of company responses to letters of complaint. Considers the effects on consumers of various defensive marketing strategies: letter and free good, letter only, and no response. Surmises that the results support the notion that appropriate defensive marketing strategies can improve the company′s image among customers who write complaint letters.

Measuring Dimensions of Purchaser Trust of Industrial Salespeople

AbstractTrust was conceptualized as the extent to which a salesperson exhibited five attributes: dependable, reliable, honest, responsible, and likeable. Scales were developed to measure each component as well as overall trust. The measures were found to satisfy some of the basic psychometric criteria for measurement. Also, descriptive information on the extent to which industrial buyers trusted salespeople found that while buyers tended to trust salespeople, room for improvement existed.

Influence of Buyer Ethics and Salesperson Behavior on Intention to Choose a Supplier

A survey of purchasing professionals was conducted to investigate the effect of perceived unethical salesperson behavior on intentions to choose a supplier. Results suggest that as salesperson behavior is perceived as more unethical, the purchaser is less likely to choose the firm that the salesperson represents. This result is due to norm violations influencing intentions in two ways: (1) through externally controlled rewards or punishments (e.g., harming the purchaser’s career), and (2) through internally self-bestowed rewards or punishments (e.g., feeling bad for not doing the “right” thing).

The elderly:Still the “invisible and forgotten” market segment

The needs of the elderly in many product and service areas are clearly different from those of the rest of the population. These needs could be fulfilled at a profit if marketers responded in adequate measure. The authors present evidence that marketers have made some progress in this direction, but much more is needed. The authors present various actions in terms of product, price, place, promotion, and packaging that marketers can implement in order to meet the neglected needs of the elderly. These actions not only contribute to the welfare of the elderly, but they are likely to be profitable for the marketers as well. Finally, the authors identify some important issues in public policy that relate to the elderly.

Back-door selling: Violation of cultural versus professional ethics by salespeople and purchaser choice of the supplier

Abstract A survey of purchasing managers was conducted to investigate the perceived ethics of back-door selling and how the practice would affect the purchasers choice of a supplier. The practice was rated unethical and was significantly related to both choice of supplier and the effect of the practice on the purchasers career. Both the ethical perception of the practice and the effect on the purchasers career strongly influence supplier choice.

Industrial sales emphasis across the life cycle

Abstract Life-cycle stages require changes in both operations and management styles. Different personnel sales skills, qualities, and motivation are optimum for the various phases of industrial product life cycles. Early phases require creativity and informality. Growth phases require emphasis on operational planning, staging, training, optimism, problem solving, and stamina. Mature phases demand emphasis on efficiency, administration, judgement, and conservatism. Cutback phases place a premium on “hard-nosed” decisiveness, objectivity, judgement, and courage.

An Improved Preference Data Collection Method: Balanced Incomplete Block Designs

Numerous preference data collection methodologies exist. However, one of the relatively efficient methods has received far less attention than deserved. It is the balanced incomplete block (BIB) design. In this article, the author provides an overview of BIB designs, discusses corresponding advantages and limitations, presents appropriate statistical procedures for analyzing preference data, and illustrates the methodology underlying the development and application of BIB designs with a real-world marketing problem.

PLC: A Vehicle for Marketing Mix Development

The following paper presents a taxonomy of normative marketing strategies based upon the product life cycle concept.

The Impact of Birth Order Upon Selected Marketing Variables

The following paper conceptually relates birth order to the consumer purchasing process and the marketing mix.