Julia Hodgson

How to Create an Influential Anthropomorphic Mascot: Literary Musings on Marketing, Make-Believe, and Meerkats

Abstract Not long ago, Compare the Market, a UK-based online aggregator of car insurance quotes, had little distinctive presence in the marketplace. Yet the companys fortunes have been radically transformed since the launch in early 2009 of its award-winning marketing campaign, ‘Compare the Meerkat’, fronted by the much-loved anthropomorphic mascot, Aleksandr Orlov. This paper utilises literary insights to explain the peculiar piquancy of this popular anthropomorphic marketing campaign. To establish its consumer appeal, we conduct a literary exploration of the rich, textured experience of Aleksandr Orlovs imaginary world. In doing so, we postulate that the triumph of the campaign lies in its, albeit inadvertent, amalgamation of three literary genres: Russian literature, comedy literature, and adventure literature.

Between a rock and a hard place: a case study of escalation

Organizations often seem to persist with decisions long after any sensible person might have given up. It is thought that such persistence results from foolhardy behaviour by decision makers motivated mainly by emotional factors such as pride and fear of failure. Analyses a case of a failing decision. Concerns a local government department with a reputation for corruption and incompetence. Concludes that although escalation may reflect emotional pressures, persistence is not necessarily irrational. From a practical standpoint, argues that we need to reconsider what we expect from decision makers.

Learning from Fiasco: What Causes Decision Error and how to Avoid it

All decisions involving uncertainty run the risk of failure. Whilst chance almost invariably influences outcomes, the authors suggest that many costly decision errors made by organisations could be avoided if decision-makers understood more about how and why their ability to exercise rational judgement can become undermined. This paper explains the main non-rational forces likely to impinge upon decision-making, with reference to extant theory and research. The authors discuss how, contrary to terminating faltering projects, organisations can end up investing more resources in them – a phenomenon known as escalation of commitment. The authors then consider how organisations can improve decision-making. Controversially, it is suggested that risk-management techniques may not always reduce danger but actually add to it.

Something fishy: tradition, technology and women’s employment

Relatively few women are employed in the so‐called “heavy industries” because the technology acts as a barrier to recruitment. Argues that apparently essential working practices may conceal institutionalized discrimination and massive inefficiency and that it is necessary to “think the unthinkable” and challenge accepted ways of working in order to improve both efficiency and employment opportunities for currently disadvantaged groups.