George S. Low

The measurement and dimensionality of brand associations

The purpose of the research reported here was to test empirically a conceptualization of brand associations that consists of three dimensions: brand image, brand attitude and perceived quality. A better understanding of brand associations is needed to facilitate further theoretical development and practical measurement of the construct. Three studies were conducted to: test a protocol for developing product category specific measures of brand image; investigate the dimensionality of the brand associations construct; and explore whether the degree of dimensionality of brand associations varies depending upon a brand’s familiarity. Findings confirm the efficacy of the brand image protocol and indicate that brand associations differ across brands and product categories. The latter finding supports the conclusion that brand associations for different products should be measured using different items. As predicted, dimensionality of brand associations was found to be influenced by brand familiarity.

Antecedents and consequences of salesperson burnout

Investigates the antecedents and outcomes of salesperson burnout. Prior research on burnout in personal selling is extended by including a more complete set of predictors of burnout, and by testing the conceptual model of burnout using a multi‐company sample of field salespeople in an international setting. Relationships among burnout, attitudes, and behavior are predicted based on relevant literature, and are tested using survey results from 148 field salespeople in Australia. Path analysis results show that the proposed conceptual model fits the data well. Intrinsic motivation, role ambiguity, and role conflict are all significant antecedents of burnout. Job satisfaction and salesperson performance are direct outcomes of burnout, and also mediate the indirect influence of burnout on organizational commitment and intention to leave. Implications for salesforce management and future research are discussed.

Correlates of Integrated Marketing Communications

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to identify factors that are significantly related to the degree of integration of a companys marketing communications activities. A three-item scale was developed to measure integrated marketing communications in a cross-sectional sample of senior marketing managers in U.S. companies. Results show that firms whose marketing communications programs tend to be integrated are also likely to be small, consumer-focused, service-oriented companies. They are also more common in manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, and mining industries. Managers in firms with greater integration also tend to be more experienced, and their products or services are more likely to be experiencing market share growth. Implications of these findings for marketing communications managers and researchers are then discussed.

Factors Affecting the Use of Information in the Evaluation of Marketing Communications Productivity

Most prior research on the use of marketing information has studied antecedents of the use of information in new product strategy decisions. This study investigates factors that are related to the use of marketing information in the evaluation of marketing communications productivity. The information used in this context originates from a wide range of internal and external sources. On the basis of organizational theories of information processing, the authors develop and test a conceptual framework explaining the use of information to evaluate marketing communications productivity. Collected survey data indicate that information quality, organization formalization, task complexity, market turbulence, rationality of decision style, and group involvement are all positively related to the use of information in assessing marketing communications productivity. Moderating relationships involving formalization, complexity, decision style, and the degree of group involvement are also found. Implications for managing market knowledge and future research in information use are discussed.

Formal and informal management control combinations in sales organizations: The impact on salesperson consequences

Abstract Selecting an effective form of management control in sales organizations is important in achieving favorable salesperson consequences. We examine an alternative perspective to behavior-based management control in sales organizations. The conceptualization consisting of high, bureaucratic, clan, and low management control combinations is examined as a framework for management control research in sales organizations. In this study, hypotheses are developed concerning various salesperson consequences of the control combinations. The hypotheses are tested using a sample of 1042 salespeople from a broad range of industries and companies. The findings suggest that salespeople who work under a more visible control system (high control) perform better, are more satisfied, and display lower burnout and role stress, compared to salespeople working under bureaucratic, clan, and low control combinations. The managerial implications are discussed and several future research directions are proposed.

The Role of Satisfaction with Territory Design on the Motivation, Attitudes, and Work Outcomes of Salespeople

The primary emphasis of previous research concerning salespeople has been focused on their attitudes and behavior. The relationship between organizational variables and salesperson attitudes and behavior has received very limited attention. Sales territory design is largely uncontrollable by the salesperson, yet is acknowledged by managers and researchers as an important factor enabling salespeople to perform well. The objective is to examine satisfaction with territory design from the perspective of the salesperson. A conceptual model and hypotheses are developed linking the satisfaction with territory design with role ambiguity, intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, and performance. Role conflict, met expectations, organizational commitment, and intention to leave are also included in the model. Survey results provide strong support for 19 of the 21 hypotheses examined. The findings offer significant insights concerning the role of territory design satisfaction in face-to-face selling and its consequences. Several managerial implications and avenues for future research are discussed.

Advertising vs sales promotion: a brand management perspective

Brand managers in packaged goods firms are under pressure to increase or maintain high sales promotion spending at the expense of media advertising. This study investigates the antecedents and outcomes of brand managers’ advertising and sales promotion budget allocations by adopting a bounded rationality perspective. Based on survey data collected from 165 brand managers in the USA, higher advertising (vs sales promotion) allocations are associated with: single, relatively high priced brands in the early phases of the product life cycle; and more experienced brand managers who are subject to less retail influence. Also, brands with higher budget allocations to advertising, relative to sales promotion, tend to have more favorable consumer attitudes, stronger brand equity, and higher market share increases and profits. Managerial implications and areas for future study are discussed.

The innovation challenges of proactive cannibalisation and discontinuous technology

Innovation is central to modern competition and yet many executives are wary of the risks of cannibalisation of their existing product and service sales through inappropriate innovation. However, the impact of discontinuous technological change is fundamental, and the risks to established companies from not innovating to compete with disruptive technologies are substantial. Many of the arguments which tended towards avoiding cannibalisation are increasingly invalid as a basis for strategic decisions. We propose a framework of proactive cannibalisation that responds to changing customer value, as part of the process for building appropriate innovation strategies for the new competitive and technological environment faced by companies. We provide a framework for managers to evaluate the drivers of successful innovations in developing their strategies.

Consequences of Sales Management’s Behavior- and Compensation-Based Control Strategies in Developing Countries

The authors examine the consequences of sales managements behavior- and compensation-based control on important salesperson and organizational consequences from the sales managers perspective. The few existing studies on this topic have been conducted in developed countries. The authors examine sales management control in three less developed countries: Greece, India, and Malaysia. The conceptual model considers the relationships among behavior-based control, compensation control, satisfaction with sales territory design, salesperson behavior and outcome performance, and sales unit effectiveness. Contrary to the prevailing conceptual logic, the findings from less developed countries provide no support that a combination of high levels of both behavior- and compensation-based control have a negative, conflicting impact on salesperson and organization consequences. The findings have several important implications for decisions about international sales operations.