Jody L. Crosno

STRATEGIC, METRIC, AND METHODOLOGICAL TRENDS IN MARKETING RESEARCH AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE THEORY AND PRACTICE

Diversity among procedures employed to examine marketing activity enhances the likelihood that research contributes to theory and practice. This study provides a conceptual framework of diversity among strategies, measures, and methods employed in marketing research. The framework serves as the basis of a review of 844 studies published in 1986-90 and 1996-2000 in the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Marketing Research. The review offers evidence of limited diversity among procedures employed in marketing research. Limited diversity results in few opportunities to engage in triangulation activities essential to knowledge development. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for marketing research.

Examining the Nomological Network of Opportunism: A Meta-Analysis

Opportunism has prompted several orientations to the study of inter-firm interaction. Some research maintains that opportunism is an exogenous construct, whereas other research implicates opportunism as a mediator of the relationships between organizational properties and organizational effectiveness. Yet another stream of research argues that the assumption of opportunism precludes researchers from investigating collaborative governance. To examine the merits of each perspective, this study employs meta-analytic techniques and structural equation modeling to assess the nomological network of opportunism research. The analysis of 684 effect sizes extracted from 262 publications supports two of the three orientations. Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Boosting the effectiveness of channel governance options: The moderationing role of relational norms

Purpose – The aim of this study is to explore possible contingent variables that might explain these twin contradictory effects of marketing channel governance. Franchisors govern their systems to limit opportunism and enhance performance. However, the exact opposite often occurs. Design/methodology/approach – This paper develops an integrative conceptual model of franchisor governance of its franchisees. This model is tested empirically with data collected from 197 Australian franchisees. Findings – Under strong relational norms, goal congruence and outcome monitoring limit franchisee opportunism; compliance enhances franchisee performance, while opportunism reduces it. With weaker norms, outcome monitoring facilitates compliance, and goal congruence boosts franchisee performance, as does franchisee opportunism. However, norms fail to mitigate behavioral monitoring’s negative impact on opportunism. Research limitations/implications – This research confirms the positive and negative effects of franchisor ...

Fairness Heuristics and the Fundamental Transformation in Interorganizational Relationships

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the fundamental transformation that occurs when channel partners invest in transaction specific assets. Transaction specific assets tend to be more productive than their generalized counterparts, yet these investments expose the investing party to a considerable amount of risk. The advantages of these investments have to be waived unless the transacting parties can manage the risk associated with them. This manuscript presents transaction cost economics and fairness heuristic theory as complementary perspectives that provide insight into the fundamental transformation that occurs when one contributes resources to an exchange relationship. Based on similar assumptions, each theory offers unique insight into relationship development and the likelihood of dedicating assets to the relationship. Methodology: This research reviews transaction cost and fairness heuristic theories and offers a conceptual framework for the development of interfirm relationships involving transaction specific investments. Findings: The conceptual framework proposes that transaction cost logic plays a larger role in the initial and dissolution stages of a relationship, whereas fairness heuristics influence a partys level of investment and involvement over the duration of a relationship, which ultimately influences the transaction costs realized. The empirically testable propositions underscore the insight gleaned from incorporating logic from fairness heuristic theory into interfirm research. Research Implications: Incorporating insight gleaned from fairness heuristic theory provides a more complete understanding of the fundamental transformation in interfirm relationships. This research underscores the importance of perceived justice in relationship development.

Comply or defy? An empirical investigation of change requests in buyer-supplier relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine change requests in buyer-supplier relationships. Change requests arise when a channel partner wants an addition or alteration to the agreed-upon deliverable. Although these requests are intended to enhance consumer satisfaction and supply chain performance, they complicate development and production processes and may delay time to market. Responses to change requests may embody compliance or malice, yet research to date has not examined these requests in interfirm relationships. To this end, the authors examine supplier reactions (compliance and opportunism) to change requests made by the buying firm. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data gathered from 118 third-party developers (i.e. suppliers) reporting on their relationship with the software buyer provide an initial test for the authors’ proposed model. Findings – The results of a path analysis indicate that change requests are related positively to supplier compliance with those requests and suppli...

Toward Understanding the Dark Side Effects of Process Control in Franchising: An Abstract

The successful operation of a firm’s franchised channels requires that all franchisees in the system present a uniform product image and refrain from damaging the brand. Process control – franchisor control over franchisee activities, procedures, and behaviors – is one way in which franchisors can ensure that franchisees protect and enhance the brand. A recent meta-analysis revealed that process control can have dark side effects (i.e., a franchisor’s process control increases, rather than dampens, franchisee opportunism) (Crosno and Brown 2015). One possible reason for this effect is that franchisees view franchisor process control as being unfair and, therefore, respond negatively to process control (Husted and Folger 2004).

An Empirical Investigation of Bilateral Investments and Opportunism in Buyer-Supplier Relationships

Collaboration between buyers and their suppliers often requires both parties to dedicate specialized investments to the relationship. These bilateral idiosyncratic investments serve as mutual hostages and signal commitment to the relationship, yet they are susceptible to expropriation. Drawing on research in social psychology and transaction cost economics, we argue that the nature of the bilateral idiosyncratic investments influences perceptions of a suppliers opportunism that in turn influences retailer opportunism and relationship outcomes. Data collected from 120 Norwegian managers of consumer electronics retail stores provide an assessment of the proposed model. The results indicate that the total and asymmetrical nature of the bilateral idiosyncratic investments influence perceptions of supplier opportunism and these perceptions, in turn, influence the retailers opportunism and commitment to the relationship. Implications of these findings and future research are discussed.