John K. Ryans

How green‐claim strength and country disposition affect product evaluation and company image

Green advertising is defined as the advertising that emphasizes the environmental friendliness of the product. Attributes such as degradability, recyclability, lower pollution et cetera are considered to be environmentally friendly. The research reported in this article addresses how the strength of a green claim, for example, the extent of pollution reduction claimed in an advertisement for a new automobile and the consumers country disposition, that is, the consumers attitude toward the country of origin of the automobile, interactively affected the product evaluation in terms of its greenness and company image in terms of its green consciousness. Product evaluation and company image were more favorable for consumers with highly positive country disposition than for consumers with less positive country disposition when the green claim was moderate in strength. However, when the green claim was extremely low or extremely high in strength, the reverse was true. Theoretical rationale for these findings draws upon several areas of research, for example, latitude of acceptance/rejection, assimilation/contrast effects, social cognition, country of origin, and Heiders balance theory. Managerial implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.

Measuring export performance in service industries

Increases in the international marketing of services have created a need to better understand the determinants of service export performance measures. While numerous studies suggest using either the ratio of a firm′s foreign sales over its total sales, number of markets, perceptions of export profitability, or management′s satisfaction with export performance as surrogate indicators of export performance, these measures are based upon the fundamentals of manufacturing industries. To better equip service managers with appropriate evaluative tools, this study analyzes the alternative methods of measuring export performance within the context of the services industry, Results of a survey of US‐based, international business‐to‐business service firm indicate that each measure captures different components of overall export performance. This research identifies the key input variables of each export performance measure to help international managers of service firms select the export performance measure that is most appropriate for them to use in determining whether or not they are achieving their goals.

International Marketing Ethics: Problems Encountered by Australian Firms

The international marketing ethics problems encountered by a representative sample of Australian firms engaged in international business are examined. The executive in charge of international marketing in 38 firms (a 25 per cent response rate) provided information on the types of ethical problems they have most commonly confronted. Bribery was overwhelmingly the most common ethical problem. In addition, a comparison is made between the Australian results and the results of a similar study conducted in the United States. This comparison reveals many striking similarities.

International Advertising Strategy

The first part of this monograph discusses new perspectives on advertising standardisation. Until recently the controversy over the applicability of standardised advertising themes or advertising campaigns has ignored the realistic marketing approach employed by a select group of multinational companies. The authors note that many companies take a theme or campaign that has been successful in one market, often their domestic market, and employ it in multiple markets; their approach is to make local subsidiaries operate within strict advertising parameters. Goodyear International Corporation and a few other firms, however, follow a pattern approach in which the theme or campaign is initially designed for multi‐market usage and local flexibility.

Strategically employing natural channels in an era of global marketing

Explores the natural channel phenomena, i.e. the local or national channel which has evolved to serve producer and consumer alike. Further, provides a descriptive construct which identifies the forces (or elements) which influence channel design. Contends that a thorough understanding (and use) of the natural channel would enable a firm to enhance its strategic competitiveness. Proposes a series of strategic managerial considerations which refocus channel design attention on the natural channel concept.

Advertising Standardization: A Re-examination

The use of standardized international advertising by multinational corporations has long been a dominant topic in the advertising literature. To date, however, no study has comprehensively investigated the extent to which standardization of advertising may be occurring in practice. This paper examines the practices of a sample of US—based multinationals with respect to advertising and reports a relatively high degree of standardization across a range of advertising decision variables. Several hypotheses regarding relationships among advertising variables and between advertising variables and potential moderating variables (as suggested by the literature) are evaluated.

The Evolution of Marketing Theory in the United States and Europe

The focus is an examination of the evolution of marketing theory and the role the study of marketing theory plays in the marketing education process. In addition, the question whether the status of marketing theory differs among American marketing academicians and their European colleagues is examined.

Outstanding International Business Research: Nature of the Best International Business Dissertations

Based on fifteen years of data on the annual Academy of International Business (AIB) best dissertation Farmer Award finalists, we find that these dissertations were done at a range of North American universities. Interestingly, dissertation topics differed from the topics covered in the three top IB journals with five‐sixths of the topics in management, organization, economics, or finance and two‐thirds set in a single country or region (U.S., Japan, North America, and Western Europe). Survey research is the most common methodology but analysis of secondary data is growing. As expected, the finalists are on average an extraordinarily prolific group.

Perceptions of Ethical Problems in International Marketing

U.S. international marketing practitioners identified the most difficult ethical problems they have encountered in foreign trade. These ethical problems were rated as occurring infrequently and having a moderate impact on a firm′s overseas competitiveness. Conversely, the respondents saw ethical problems as likely to tarnish the firm′s domestic image and to generate much concern for top management. This suggests such problems may have a stronger negative impact upon a firm′s domestic public image but may not be a major factor inhibiting its international trade. The strategic alternatives to, and management implications of, avoiding markets which may pose ethical problems are discussed.

Consumer Movement and Advertising Regulation in the International Environment: Today and the Future

Report on the findings of two studies—one German/Swiss, the other US‐conducted among advertising/marketing leaders into the prominent role of consumer activist groups. Presents views on these groups and the future direction of their regulatory efforts. Reveals that these organizations are playing an ever‐increasing role in the move towards stranger advertising regulation, noting the impact which they have achieved. Concludes that European and US business people see consumer organizations as not being representative of consumers in general and also as being anti‐advertising.