Janice M. Payan

Decomposing Influence Strategies: Argument Structure and Dependence as Determinants of the Effectiveness of Influence Strategies in Gaining Channel Member Compliance

Although there is considerable research examining the effects of influence strategies on relational outcomes, research has been silent on the effectiveness of influence strategies in achieving the primary objective: channel member compliance. The authors develop a theoretical model that predicts that noncoercive influence strategies (Rationality, Recommendations, Information Exchange, and Requests) with an argument structure that contains more thorough content result in relatively greater levels of compliance. The model further predicts that coercive influence strategies (Promises and Threats) result in compliance only when target dependence levels are high. The authors develop a new influence strategy, Rationality, which represents a noncoercive strategy with a full argument structure. In general, empirical findings support the theoretical model. However, in contrast to expectations, the use of Recommendations had a negative effect on compliance. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between trust and Recommendations on compliance, thus providing an explanation for this unexpected result. When trust is low, Recommendation strategies are counterproductive. The authors discuss implications of the findings and directions for further research.

Supply Chain Contagion

Drawing on research from the interfirm relationship, marketing channels, operations management, and network theory literature and on the basis of qualitative depth interviews, the authors identify a new phenomenon they call “supply chain contagion.” Supply chain contagion is the propagation of interfirm behaviors from one dyadic relationship to an adjacent dyadic relationship within the supply chain. Contagion can occur inadvertently and with or without the knowledge of the affected parties. Using institutional theory, the authors develop a conceptual model that predicts the conditions under which contagion is likely to occur. Although contagion may take the form of any number of interfirm behaviors, operationally, the authors focus on whether the downstream influence strategies that manufacturers use with their dealers are imitated by these same dealers with end customers. They conduct conclusive research using a sample of 151 vertically linked manufacturer–dealer–customer supply chain triads and explain a large variance (R2 = .30) in the use of downstream influence strategies in terms of supply chain contagion. Given extensive prior empirical support for alternative antecedents to influence strategy usage, the explanatory power of supply chain contagion is impressive and suggests that how intermediaries treat end customers is explained, to a large degree, as the intermediaries simply imitating how their suppliers treated them. In addition to the identification of a new theoretical concept, the study provides empirical support for the effects of both macro- and microinstitutional factors on interfirm behavior. Specific factors that are positively related to the level of manifest contagion are environmental uncertainty and the perceived similarity and frequency of contact between boundary personnel; dependence asymmetry has a negative effect on manifest contagion. Managers and boundary-spanning personnel who are aware of supply chain contagion effects should be better able to influence strategically the behavior of channel partners and may be better inoculated against their own unintended imitation of other organizations within their supply chain.

Co-operation, coordination, and specific assets in inter-organisational relationships

A basic premise of inter-organisational research, from a number of different theoretical perspectives, is that selected organisations should work in harmony rather than competition with each other in order to enhance business success. From this perspective, a review of the literature reveals that three related topics are co-operation, coordination, and specific assets. Yet these constructs have not been examined together in empirical research. This study examines the relationship between these focal constructs and two antecedents (trust and commitment) and one consequent (satisfaction). As predicted, commitment leads to co-operation, coordination, and specific assets. Yet, only co-operation and coordination leads to satisfaction with the relationship. Although trust leads to co-operation, trust has a negative relationship with specific assets, which in turn, leads to lower levels of satisfaction with the relationship.

Perceptions and Reality: Creativity in the Marketing Classroom.

According to both the popular press and academia, creativity is an important skill for business practice and marketing education. This article addresses “What is creativity?” and “Can creativity be taught or nurtured?” and provides an analysis of both student perceptions about creativity and their levels of creativity. The results indicate that both business and marketing students perceived creativity as important to their career. Marketing students placed greater importance on creativity than other business students and found creativity to be as important to their careers as other important skills (e.g., writing, oral presentation, teamwork, etc.). It was also found that the marketing and other business students believed that creativity is a skill that can be learned. Although marketing students have a better appreciation of the importance of creativity than other business students, they do not appear to be more creative than other business students or nonbusiness students.

A review and delineation of cooperation and coordination in marketing channels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to delineate the similarities and distinctions between cooperation and coordinate and to present distinctive definitions for each.Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the extant literature was conducted to examine the precedents with regards to the conceptual domains of cooperation and coordination.Findings – This paper concludes that cooperation is an orientation that one firm has about working with another organization; whereas, coordination are joint activities. This is reflected in the definitions presented in this paper.Originality/value – Several researchers and practitioners alike view cooperation and coordination as synonymous. However, an organizations cooperative orientation about working with another organization does not inherently lead to coordination. This paper points out that it is necessary to consider cooperation and coordination as two separate but related issues in managing interorganizational relationships.

The key role of opportunism in business relationships

Purpose – This study seeks to examine the key role of opportunism in business relationships relative to environment uncertainty (i.e. competitive intensity and market turbulence), bonding structure (i.e. specific assets and dependence), and relationship quality (i.e. trust and commitment).Design/methodology/approach – Initially, informants were contacted by phone and a total of 581 surveys were mailed to small‐ and medium‐sized manufacturers asking them to answer questions about their suppliers. In total, 212 surveys were returned generating a response rate of 36.5 percent. To test the measurement properties and hypothesized relationships between the constructs in focus, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used.Findings – The results supported all six hypotheses. The principal findings are competitive intensity leads to market turbulence and market turbulence, in turn, is positively associated with opportunism; specific assets leads to dependence and dependence is, in turn,...

The Effect of Culture on the Academic Honesty of Marketing and Business Students

Two trends in marketing higher education include (a) growing opportunities for intercultural encounters in the classroom and (b) a growing concern about student academic honesty. Research regarding the relationship between specific cultural measures and academic honesty is sparse in the context of marketing and business programs in higher education. This study surveys marketing and business college students from 13 different countries about their perceptions of questionable behaviors concerning academic honesty and measures Hofstede’s commonly studied cultural dimension of individualism/ collectivism as a direct test of the cultural hypotheses presented. As predicted, collectivist business students are more tolerant than individualist business students concerning questionable academic behaviors that are unilateral (e.g., copying material/ papers from the Internet or looking at another student’s exam without the knowledge of the other student), collaborative (e.g., getting exam questions/answers from others or free riding in a group), and delaying (e.g., requesting due date/exam date delays or assignment extensions with false information). In alignment with the theory of reasoned action, results also show that a positive attitude about the value of teamwork (relative to individual work) mediates the effect between collectivism and questionable academic behaviors that are collaborative. The results and recommendations are particularly relevant to marketing educators teaching beginners to advanced courses in a culturally diverse classroom.

Causes and outcomes of satisfaction in business relationships

Purpose – This study includes relationship marketing concepts (i.e. trust, commitment, and satisfaction) as precursors to transaction cost theory outcomes (i.e. specific investments, opportunism, and formalization) which are rarely, if ever, included together. Trust and commitment lead to satisfaction and satisfaction in turn leads transaction cost outcomes. The paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – The random sample is 600 small‐ to medium‐sized Norwegian manufacturers. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling was used to examine the responses from 212 key informants.Findings – The strongest positive associations are from the relationship marketing portion of the model including trust satisfaction and commitment satisfaction. The highest negative association in the model is satisfaction opportunism. Contrary to predictions, satisfaction did not have a significant association with either specific investments or formalization.Research limitations/implication...

Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance

Some believe that the longer the face to face classroom meeting time, the more effective the learning experience. Others point out disadvantages of lengthier classes (e.g., student attention problems). The authors assess which of three class formats (i.e., 1 hour/three times a week, 1½ hours/twice a week, or 3 hours/one time a week) is optimal in terms of student (a) perspectives, (b) grades, and (c) evaluations of instructor performance. The authors observed that regardless of major, students prefer the twice a week class format, and marketing majors had the strongest preference for that format. All students believed the once a week format would result in lower levels of learning. Instructors teaching in the twice a week format received higher evaluations from students. And finally, there appears to be slightly better student grade performance in shorter classes, especially evident with marketing majors attending the twice a week format.

Organizations that are international from inception: Terminology and research constellations – “academic protectionism” or “academic myopia”?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the terminology used by various constellations of researchers concerning the formation of organizations that are international from inception, present conceptual and definitional attributes of the phenomena of interest, and propose common terminology, and conceptual framework to use in the future.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review is undertaken that compares research terminology used by different streams of research and different constellations of researchers referring to a new organization that intends be international from the beginning of its creation.Findings – Two principal findings may be stressed: there are constellations of labels used to describe essentially the same phenomena of organizations that are international at their inception, and there are constellations of researchers that use their own unique labels in this field. Provocatively, the authors question whether these findings are due to “academic protectionism” between the co...