John Lanasa

Organizational learning: a critical component to new product development

Investigates the functional relationship between organizational learning and the new product development process. The two major learning styles studied included Duetero and Non‐Duetero. After surveying key employees involved in new product development from 212 diversified businesses, the results showed that businesses employing Duetero learning were more: knowledgeable about the factors that drive successful and failed products; inclined to establish business goals and employ balanced measures when benchmarking new product performance. All of which suggests that organizational learning does impact new product performance, and should be considered a critical component to the NPD process.

The contribution of market intelligence to tactical and strategic business decisions

One of the drivers of both strategy and success in the marketplace is the role of market intelligence. Samples a broad cross section of firms regarding their level of MI activity; MI data sources and MI accountability. Regarding MI activity and its value to consumer/competitive intelligence, two‐thirds of the companies indicated a dramatic increase in level of activity and nearly three‐fifths (54 per cent) said the impact of MI contributes heavily to tactical and strategic decision making. One third said activity was level, while none indicated a reduction. 44 per cent indicated MI contributed somewhat to decision making and only 2 per cent felt MI contributed little to strategy and success in the marketplace. Regarding MI data sources, customers, manufacturing, and R&D are the central source. Regarding MI accountability, about half held marketing accountable for MI.

Organizing the competitive intelligence function: A benchmarking study

This article provides information on the current state of industry practice in the areas of competitive intelligence and market intelligence, and—building on a process model the authors previously developed—discusses how to take a closed-loop intelligence process model and evolve it into a living, breathing organization. A benchmarking study of 16 companies was conducted to determine how the market-intelligence function is structured in these enterprises. The studys purpose was to obtain information that can be used as input for organizing and staffing of a market-intelligence function. Implications of how to take a process model and change it into a workable, effective organization are discussed.

Social Relations in Culture and Marketing

Cross cultural differentiation is found to be an important variable in improving the effectiveness of the promotion function of sales in industrial Marketing. Four cultures (EU, US, Japan, and Latin America-LA) are compared in terms of Hofstedeșs (1984) cultural differentiation parameters. Substantial differentiation in line with Hofstede’s parameters is required across cultures in the industrial sales function to generate effective Marketing results. Rules and independence typifies German buyers, while flexibility and team consensus typifies US and Japanese buyers.

Machiavellianism and Ethical Perceptions of Retail Situations

The honesty and integrity of business personnel have come under increasing scrutiny over the past several decades. There appears to be an increasing belief that the ethical character of society is declining (Zinkhan, Bisesi and Saxton 1989), a belief which is furthered by the visibility of a number of recent questionable business practices (Lysonski and Gaidis 1991).

Designing a Model for Improved Outcomes among Student-Athletes in Sports Education

Abstract This study explores improving outcomes for graduation and placement rates among student-athletes through the design inputs (e.g., program curriculum, instructor capability) for sports education programs for student-athletes. A model is developed based on a group process model, which addresses independent variables that impact completion and placement rates. Two hypotheses regarding model outcomes are posited. Both hypotheses were supported with the conclusion that improving key input variables would enhance overall outcomes performance.

Product liability cost as a marketing tool

Abstract Because we are marketing in an increasingly competitive global economy, it is imperative that product liability be addressed as a competitive advantage for the selling firm. In the development and management of products, especially technical products, i.e., electronic components, product liability costs (PLC) can be substantial. However, the PLC element in marketing management and product development has been lightly treated relative to its importance, including the absence of stress on the need for the manufacturer and supplier to work as a team in PLC estimation of new products. The purpose of this article is to develop a PLC simulation model that provides management decision makers with a competitive tool with which to secure market position and to gain and maintain market share.

The application of expert systems to the management of technology

Technology management must be improved if the US is to cope in an aggressively competitive international marketplace. It is becoming increasingly clear that investing in technologically advanced plant and equipment alone is not enough to compete successfully. To raise levels of efficiency and effectiveness in technology management, firms must develop a multi-dimensional approach to solving problems associated with manufacturing process. A way to capture scenarios for decision-making is through expert systems—programs that have wide bases of knowledge in restricted domains and utilize complex inferential reasoning to perform tasks that human beings could accomplish, but less efficiently. These systems contain a great deal of knowledge about a specific problem areas and disciplines. They also allow expertise to be distributed throughout the firms, raising competence levels and the productivity of non-experts.