David Shipley

Market Orientation in the Transition Economies of Central Europe:: Tests of the Narver and Slater Market Orientation Scales

Abstract The Narver and Slater (Narver, J.C., and Slater, S.F.: The Effect of Marketing Orientation on Business Profitability. Journal of Marketing 54 (1990): 20–35.) market orientation scale is tested in the context of the transition economies of central Europe and found to be both valid and reliable. Relationships between market orientation and both marketing strategy and performance broadly follow predictions from the Western literature indicating that the adoption of a market orientation is equally applicable in transition as in Western economies. A number of different approaches, however, are evident in the transition economies suggesting that other business orientations may coexist with a market orientation creating a richer and more complex set or organizational drivers.

Brand-naming industrial products

Abstract Previous studies of branding either focused exclusively on consumer products or understated the incidence and importance of branding industrial products. This study indicates that branding provides powerful benefits for, and is practical extensively by, industrial companies. This article attempts to reduce the gaps identified by presenting relevant findings drawn from samples of large and small manufacturers of industrial products. Specifically it develops and tests ten propositions concerning the perceived importance of brand names, the incidence of brand-name usage, brand-name strategies, brand naming processes, and managerial resourse commitment to brand naming. Findings from large and small firms are compared and managerial implications are discussed.

Integrative Pricing via the Pricing Wheel

Abstract Pricing is a critically important management activity with major strategic and operational implications. However, pricing is a much-neglected and ineptly administered marketing responsibility, and numerous errors are made. A prime reason for this is that firms are preoccupied with the use of convenient, often singularly cost-based, pricing methods that fail to assimilate the impact of the full range of effective pricing determinants. This article introduces the concept of the pricing wheel that is a multistage process for effective price management. It provides a systematic means for analyzing and incorporating into decision making the strategic role of price, pricing objectives, the plethora of internal and external pricing determinants, pricing strategy, the pricing technique, and the necessary implementation and control procedures. As a key element of the pricing process, the article advocates utilization of an integrative pricing technique, and it proposes a logical sequence in which it can be applied.

Dimensions of trade show exhibiting management

Trade show exhibiting is an important marketing activity that has received relatively little empirical attention. Previous findings are few and generally not British. Drawing on a survey of British engineering companies this paper provides new insights of exhibiting objectives, trade show selection criteria and budgeting techniques. Reasons why some firms do not exhibit are also presented. Data on UK and overseas exhibiting practices are compared although few differences are apparent. It is concluded that exhibiting practices of many companies accord well with recognized prescriptive advice.

Selection and motivation of distribution intermediaries

Abstract This article reviews factors necessitating the application of effective selection and motivation criteria when using independent distributors. It reports findings concerning the criteria utilized by samples of US and UK manufacturing companies. Generally, there appears to be much that is acumenical in the efforts of firms in both countries. However, there also seems to be considerable scope for improvement in selecting and motivating distributors.

The Brand Name Development Process

Although the literature contains much prescriptive comment, there has been little or no academic research on how firms develop brand names in practice. This article is the first academic study of how British companies select brand names. It supports, augments and extends the only other article on this topic (from the USA). The article offers a brand-naming model and survey evidence to support it. It is concluded that firms commit substantial amounts of resources to brand name selection and that the process involves top management, multiple departments, specialist agencies, customers and distributors. Customer participation is considerable and the whole process is heavily marketing orientated.

Recruitment, Motivation, Training and Evaluation of Overseas Distributors

Shrewd channel leadership is required to maximise the benefits and to minimise the many potential problems of exporting through independent overseas distributors. Exporters need to apply effective programmes for distributor recruitment, motivation, support, training, planning, evaluation and control. Recent empirical findings about these issues are, however, scarce. This article provides fresh insights gained in an exploratory study of various dimensions of overseas distributor‐management by British exporters. In terms of recommended practice the findings are equivocal. Distributor recruitment, motivation and evaluation is in general seen as being reasonably well done although there are many areas where scope for improvement is apparent. Distributor training is generally scant and ill‐directed. Areas where improvement may be possible are suggested explicitly and implicitly in the text. Throughout the article, exporters are urged to adopt a “partnership” route to overseas channel management and there is co...

A Comparative Study of Operational Marketing Practices among British Department Stores and Supermarkets

There is a dearth of empirical analysis of how and to what extent British retailers fit marketing activities to sectoral conditions. Reviews relevant literature and tests propositions concerning the relative importance of marketing activities in two retail sectors. Finds many cross‐sectoral similarities and many consistent differences, which appear to be related to situational conditions in the respective sectors.

Exhibiting Strategy and Implementation

This paper offers new insights on exhibiting strategy. It provides a model for strategy planning and implementation and it presents empirical results on dimensions of exhibiting management drawn from a survey of British engineering companies.

Motives and experiences of international joint venture partners in Hungary

Presents the findings of an exploratory study into the motives and experiences of British firms participating in international joint ventures in Hungary. A great deal of foreign direct investment has been taking place in Central and Eastern Europe since the early 1990s. To date, little research has been conducted on the impact of this investment. A mail study of British firms operating in Hungary was conducted. The results reveal that its stable economic environment and the potential of its market were the primary reasons why firms invested in Hungary. However, political, economic and institutional problems are being experienced by investors.