Douglas Amyx

An Investigation into the Effects of Work–Family Conflict and Job Satisfaction on Salesperson Deviance

The linkages between and effects of work–family conflict and salesperson deviance behaviors have not received adequate attention in the marketing literature. This is surprising given the profound academic and practical implications that could be derived from further research in the area. Research suggests that an alarming 40 percent of sales reps admit to engaging in workplace deviance and 66 percent did not feel that deviant conduct would result in significant punishment. This study examines work–family conflict as a primary antecedent of salesperson deviance. Salespeople experiencing increased divergence between work and family roles will likely react by violating organizational norms that will inevitably affect key organizational outcomes.

A Cross-Generational Comparison of Motivational Factors in a Sales Career Among Gen-X and Gen-Y College Students

This study is a replication and extension of a study by Castleberry (1990) in which 12 motivational factors related to a sales career were compared across generations. The importance of 12 key motivational factors related to sales positions were rank ordered by 1,390 college students. Respondents represented Gen-X college students from 1990 and Gen-Y students from 2006. The job itself and pay were consistently ranked first and second in both studies for “today” and “ten years in the future.” Gen-Y students rated “hygiene” factors related to job security as significantly more important than did Gen-X students. Conversely, Gen-X students rated “satisfier” factors as significantly more important than did Gen-Y students. Implications for sales managers, recruiters, and educators are provided based on the findings.

The Effects of Salesperson Need for Achievement and Sales Manager Leader Reward Behavior

A sample of 312 salespeople from diverse industries was used to develop a model that examined the influence of salesperson need for achievement and sales manager positive leader reward behavior on several key organizational outcomes. The organizational outcome variables examined were goal acceptance, sales performance, and organizational commitment. The results suggest that a salesperson’s need for achievement may lead to higher performance, but not necessarily commitment to the organization. However, positive leader reward behavior may strengthen a salesperson’s organizational commitment. The findings, along with suggestions for sales managers, are discussed.

Salesperson Corporate Ethical Values (SCEV) Scale: Development and Assessment among Salespeople

This study has two purposes. First, we constructed a multidimensional psychometric scale, salesperson corporate ethical values (SCEV), to assess salespeople’s perceptions of corporate ethics, as well as their own ethics with customers and their organization. The resulting four-dimensional nine-item scale demonstrated reliability, as well as convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity in both training and validation samples. Second, using SCEV as the focal point, we theorized and tested a structural model with fi ve constructs. Results suggest that fairness, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behaviors are positively related to SCEV, which, in turn, is positively associated with job satisfaction and performance.

Patient satisfaction: a matter of choice

An experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between patient satisfaction and patients’ freedom to choose a physician and the outcome of a health service encounter. Each construct with corresponding measurements is discussed and their relationship with satisfaction is reviewed. Hypotheses were developed and tested for each relationship using pencil and paper scenarios of a patient’s service encounter at a health clinic. The study yielded four major findings. First, patients who experienced a good health outcome were significantly more satisfied than patients who received a bad health outcome. Second, patient satisfaction ratings differed significantly only in the bad outcome condition, suggesting an outcome bias. Third, patients who were given the freedom to select a physician but did not receive their chosen physician were least satisfied. Fourth, there was no difference in satisfaction between patients who had a choice of physician and those who did not.

An empirical investigation of customer satisfaction with health care services

A 2 × 2 full factorial between subjects experimental design was used to examine how three elements of the health care experience (patients’ freedom to choose a physician; patients receiving their preferred physician; health care outcome) impacted on patient satisfaction with health care service. All constructs with corresponding measurements were discussed, and their relationships with satisfaction were examined. Hypotheses were developed and tested for each relationship using a pencil and paper scenario of a patient’s first time service encounter at a health clinic. Results of the experiment indicated that given an undesirable health outcome, allowing patients a choice of physicians favorably raised patient satisfaction levels. Further, patients who were treated by a physician whom they preferred rated the health care experience more positively than did patients who received non‐preferred physicians.

Salesperf: The Salesperson Service Performance Scale

Delivering outstanding service quality is essential to corporate success, and salespeople play a critical role in delivering high-quality service as boundary spanners between customers and the organization they represent. Given the importance of salesperson service performance, the SALESPERF scale was adapted from the service quality literature and developed for use in a personal selling setting. A sample of 116 customers evaluated the service performance of their sales representative for a newspaper publisher. Exploratory analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to develop a unidimensional scale. Convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity for SALESPERF were supported. Finally, implications regarding how salespeople may provide superior service and future research avenues are discussed.

Winner's curse and parallel sales channels-Online auctions linked within e-tail websites

A sample of 416 online auctions was examined to determine the extent of overpayment (winners curse) where online auctions and e-tail websites were linked together to form a parallel sales channel. The results indicated that 8.7% of the highest winning online auction bidders exceeded e-tail posted reference prices of identical retail merchandise found at the same website. Significantly, such bids exceeded the reference prices by a mean percentage dollar amount of 14.1% thus suggesting the existence of a winners curse. The results also indicated that (1) there was a significant negative association between reference price and mean percentage dollar amount overbid; (2) there was a significant negative association between auction lot size and mean percentage dollar amount overbid; and (3) there was no significant association between overtime auctions and mean percentage dollar amount overbid. While manipulation of reference price and auction lot size might minimize winners curse, erratic or irrational behavior (by online auction and/or e-tail websites) may lead to disinformation.

The Marketing Concept in an Academic Setting: Assessing and Comparing the Needs of Asian/Pacific Islander and Anglo Consumers of the Educational Product

ABSTRACT During the past twenty years, marketers of the educational product have seen significant growth in the percentage of minority students enrolled at colleges and universities across the United States. Those minority consumers of the educational product bring vastly different cultural values, norms, and experiences to the marketing exchange. Such cultural differences present compelling concerns for marketers of the educational product. This paper presents the application of the marketing concept and the marketing lens as a philosophical and empirical approach to more accurately determine and subsequently satisfy the needs of the culturally diverse consumers of the educational product. Results of the study indicated that Asian/Pacific Islander and Anglo students differed in the selection and weighting of evaluative criteria for the quality of the educational institution. Further, the two consumer groups possessed distinct antecedents of satisfaction with that product.

Consumer Primacy on Campus: A Look at the Perceptions of Navajo and Anglo Consumers

ABSTRACT A comparison was made between 152 Navajo students and 245 Anglo students regarding their perceptions of the educational product. Based upon focus group outcomes, nine elements were used to represent the educational product in the analyses. The elements were conceptualized using the Marketing Lens Model. Four hypotheses were developed and tested. Significant cultural differences were found for the following elements of the educational product: importance ratings among educational attributes, anticipated preparation after graduation, and satisfaction with the educational product. Results are discussed and managerial implications for university administrators are offered.