Gary I Noble

Grounded theory and management research: a lack of integrity?

Purpose – This paper aims to analyse the manner in which “objectivist” grounded theory methodology has progressively developed since 1967 and how it has been employed by management researchers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper traces the methodological development of grounded theory with particular emphasis on the variations, contradictions and modifications to the methodology both between and within the Glaserian and Straussian Schools. Totally 32 empirical grounded theory studies published in the management literature since 2002 are analysed in order to gauge the impact of these variations on the manner in which researchers have employed the grounded theory methodology.Findings – It is argued that grounded theory in management research is in danger of losing its integrity. The methodology has become so pliant that management researchers appear to have accepted it as a situation of “anything goes” “Grounded theory” is now loosely used as a generic term to refer to any qualitative approach in which ...

Conceptualising a contemporary marketing mix for sustainable tourism

This paper outlines how marketing, though traditionally considered an enemy of sustainability, can play a role in implementing sustainable tourism. It notes the redefinition in 2007 by the American Marketing Association of marketings aims to consider wider societal issues beyond those of clients and customers. It illustrates how the recognition of the importance of sustainable tourism at all scales of tourism activity provides marketing with an opportunity to pursue sustainability outcomes. We review the strategic tourism marketing planning process and conceptually develop a sustainability tourism marketing model that embeds sustainability considerations at each stage of the planning process. Our proposed model contributes to sustainable tourism theory development and offers a conceptual tool for managing a tourism organisations ecological and societal footprint on the supply side and a critical opportunity for transforming consumer decision-making on the demand side, irrespective of tourism scale. A 30-cell matrix is proposed that cross-references a strong set of 10 marketing elements (product, price, promotion, place, participants, process, physical evidence, partnership, packaging and programming) against the questions posed by the triple bottom line of economic factors, the environmental and sociocultural concern, creating a check list of indicators for management purposes.

Managing the implementation of public-private partnerships

This article examines ‘boundary-spanning’ behaviour within the context of the implementation stage of seven different public—private partnerships (PPPs) in the UK and Australia. It analyses the role of boundary spanners who use informal and flexible personal-level agreements to progress PPPs. The process (‘maintaining synergetic momentum’) is a response to the unusual managerial environment that characterizes the implementation stage of a PPP. The authors offer important lessons for boundary spanners and their managers and suggest further areas for research.

The paradoxical food buying behaviour of parents: Insights from the UK and Australia

Purpose – This article aims to explore the apparent paradox between the nutritional knowledge of parents of pre‐school children and their actual food purchase and preparation behaviour.Design/methodology/approach – Two separate qualitative data collection exercises were conducted, an exploratory focus group study in the UK and a projective technique study in Australia.Findings – The UK study found that, despite believing that vegetables were good for childrens health, mothers also perceived that it was extremely difficult to encourage children to eat them. The results of Australian study suggest that the purchase of unhealthy “treats” or “bribes” is explained through the concept of “expediency” whereas what this study labels as “good parenting” emerged as the main motivational force leading to the purchase of healthy food.Research limitations/implications – The authors caution on any inappropriate generalisations being based on the findings of this study. Further qualitative and quantitative empirical re...

Advertising corporate social responsibility: results from an experimental manipulation of key message variables

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how social topic information (STI) and corporate social responsibility commitment (CSRC) substantiate the firms CSR claims and promote message persuasion.Design/methodology/approach – A 2×2 between‐subjects experimental design was used to examine the impact of STI and CSRC on output variables using an online sample of 176 participants in Australia.Findings – The study found that manipulation of STI had a statistically significant impact on outcome variables, but that CSRC did not.Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to Australia and used a fictitious brand in the experiment.Practical implications – For marketing communications and brand managers, this study informs CSR‐based corporate image advertising.Social implications – Support for more socially responsible businesses through responsible consumption can potentially transform product attributes and markets. More effective CSR communication is critical to this response.Originality/v...

Gender and message appeal: their influence in a pro-environmental social advertising context

Purpose – In this article, message appeals along with the moderating effect of gender are examined on frequently used measures of ad effectiveness (i.e. ad likability, attitude to the issue, and behavioral intention) in the emerging domain of pro-environmental social advertising. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This study employed a between-subjects 2 (gender)×3 (message appeal) factorial design, administered through a commercial online consumer panel firm based in the USA, which included 444 respondents across three markets: Australia, the UK and the USA. Findings – Results show that of three frequently used message appeals (rational, negative emotional, and positive emotional), rational ad appeals are not as effective as emotional appeals. The study also shows that females respond more strongly to negative emotional appeals than males, while there is no significant difference in how males and females responded to positive emotional or rational ad appeals. In additio...

The City Branding of Wollongong

The city of Wollongong’s brand image strategy, ‘Wollongong: City of Innovation’ was implemented in 1999 and is still in use in 2010. The objective of this chapter is firstly to show how the leaders in the city of Wollongong came to realize that the image of their city had become a barrier to the city’s improvement and growth. Secondly, supported by an analysis of recent interviews with some involved in the brand strategy, an explanation is provided of the process which was undertaken to gain support for, and implement, what was to become known as the city image campaign. Advice has also been obtained from some stakeholders as to what could have been done better and what more could have been done. Finally, some concluding comments are provided.

Competition and positioning

Foreword - Philip Kotler and Nancy R. Lee Introduction: A Movement in Social Marketing - Gerard Hastings PART ONE: THEORETICAL DEBATES Theoretical Models of Behaviour Change - Rob Donovan Social Models for Social Marketing: Social Diffusion, Social Networks, Social Capital, Social Determinants and Social Franchising - R. Craig Lefebvre Relationship Marketing and Social Marketing - Susana Marques and Christine Domegan Understanding Social Norms: Upstream and Downstream Applications For Social Marketers - Patrick Kenny and Gerard Hastings Design Thinking, Demarketing and Behavioural Economics: Fostering Interdisciplinary Growth in Social Marketing - R. Craig Lefebvre and Philip Kotler Critical Marketing: Theoretical Underpinnings - Michael Saren New Approaches Towards Resistance to Persuasion - Petia K. Petrova and Robert B. Cialdini PART TWO: MARKETING PLANNING Segmentation and Targeting - Lynne Doner Lotenberg, Carol Schechter and John Strand Competition and Positioning - Gary Noble and Debra Z. Basil The Social Marketing Mix - A Critical Review - Ken Peattie and Sue Peattie Communications in Social Marketing - Dana L. Alden, Michael D. Basil and Sameer Deshpande New Media in Social Marketing - Darren Mays, James B. Weaver and Jay M. Bernhardt PART THREE: RESEARCH - ITS ROLE AND TECHNIQUES Evaluation in Social Marketing - Martine Stead and Robert J. McDermott Qualitative Research Methods In Social Marketing - Simone Pettigrew and Michele Roberts Measurement in Quantitative Methods - Fiona J. Harris PART FOUR: DANCING WITH THE DEVIL Critical Marketing: Applications - Janet Hoek Social Marketings Response to the Alcohol Problem: Whos Conducting the Orchestra? - Sandra C. Jones From Social Marketing to Corporate Social Marketing - changing consumption habits as the new frontier of Corporate Social Responsibility - Guido Pallazo Ethical Challenges in Commercial Social Marketing - Thomas Anker and Klemens Kappel Internal Social Marketing: Lessons From the Field of Services Marketing - Anne M. Smith PART FIVE: UPSTREAM AND SOCIAL CHANGE Impoverished Consumers and Social Marketing - Ronald Paul Hill Social Marketing and International Development - Georgina Cairns, Bruce Mackay and Laura MacDonald Social Marketing for a Sustainable Environment - Sue Peattie and Ken Peattie Business as Unusual: The Contribution of Social Marketing to Government Policy Making and Strategy Development - Jeff French PART SIX: SOCIAL MARKETING IN PRACTICE: CASE STUDIES Social Marketing and Advocacy - William D. Novelli and Boe Workman Social Marketing and Tobacco Control - Timothy Dewhirst and Wonkyong Beth Lee Social Marketing and the Health Educator - Robert J. McDermott, Kelli R. McCormack Brown and Rosemary Thackeray Social Marketing: A Future Rooted in the Past - William Smith

Burnout levels among dietitians working in the New South Wales public hospital system: A cross-sectional statewide survey

Aim The concept of burnout has been examined in the literature for over 35 years, and has been historically associated with those professions that deal with particularly complex cases. Although dietitians have received less attention, they face similar pressures and must cope with an environment that may not support dietetics processes. The aim of the present study was to examine the burnout level among public hospital dietitians in New South Wales (NSW) and to determine the variables associated with burnout and to compare these findings to other studies among health-care professionals. Methods The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and a demographic questionnaire were distributed to hospital dietitians employed within the NSW public hospital system during a six-week period from April to May 2011. Results The dietitians surveyed had low to moderate burnout levels, r = 0.201 (P = 0.003). The three domains of the burnout measure, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment, were investigated separately. The level/grading of the dietitian was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion with r = 0.192 (P = 0.004). Depersonalisation was negatively associated with number of children, r = −0.147 (P = 0.02), and positively associated with the number of hours worked, r = 0.154 (P = 0.021). Personal achievement was positively associated with number of children, r = 0.304 (P = 0.006), and negatively associated with the hours of work, r = −0.198 (P = 0.021). Conclusions The main findings were the following. The career stage, the size of the hospital and hours of work were the variables significantly associated with the levels of burnout experienced by NSW public hospital dietitians. It also appeared that those dietitians with children and who work part-time experienced far less emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation than their full-time counterparts and, interestingly, part-time workers had higher levels of personal accomplishment.

Organization-based social marketing: An alternative approach for organizations adopting sustainable business practices

This article conceptualizes a new area for social marketing practitioners by focusing on individual behavior change that might occur within organizations. Organization-Based Social Marketing (OBSM) draws from organization change theory and internal marketing theory, while maintaining social marketing’s focus on beneficial behavior modification. The article argues that as such, OBSM represents a viable approach for organizations seeking to address the increasing demand for change strategies that promote proenvironmental behavior among their employees.