Katrin R. Harich

Brand equity: the halo effect measure

The halo effect is a systematic bias in attribute ratings resulting from raters′ tendency to rely on global affect rather than carefully discriminating among conceptually distinct and potentially independent brand attributes. Traditionally, researchers have regarded the halo effect as a source of measurement error to be avoided. Discusses how halo measurement can serve as a useful indicator of brand equity. Uses consumer rating data in three categories of commonly purchased household products to demonstrate the approach.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements for Marketing Jobs in the 21st Century

This study examines the skills and conceptual knowledge that employers require for marketing positions at different levels ranging from entry- or lower-level jobs to middle- and senior-level positions. The data for this research are based on a content analysis of 500 marketing jobs posted on Monster.com for Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle. There were notable differences between the skills and conceptual knowledge required for entry-, lower-, middle-, and upper-level marketing jobs. Technical skills appear to be much more important at all levels than what was documented in earlier research. This study discusses the implications of these research findings for the professional school pedagogical model of marketing education.

Think and Feel Country Clusters: A New Approach to International Advertising Standardization

This article challenges the assumption implicit in regional approaches to international advertising standardization. As such, we address the geographic extent to which advertising can or should be standardized. We develop a model for predicting a countrys most prevalent advertising appeals on the basis of cultural and market-related factors. The model is tested and then utilized to provide a positioning map of twenty-three countries and their respective predominant advertising appeals. Four country clusters are identified, with each cluster exhibiting a similar preference for emotional and rational advertising appeals. Contrary to the assumptions underlying regional advertising, the results seem to suggest that countries that are not part of a common geographic region may exhibit similar preferences with respect to the same strategic approach, in spite of cultural differences and lack of regional proximity.

I knew we would win: Hindsight bias for favorable and unfavorable team decision outcomes.

This study examined hindsight bias for team decisions in a competitive setting in which groups attempted to outperform each other. It was anticipated that, because of self-serving mechanisms, individuals would show hindsight bias only when decision outcomes allowed them to take credit for their own teams success or to downgrade another team for being unsuccessful. MBA students playing a market simulation game made hindsight estimates regarding the likelihood that either their own or another team would perform well. Consistent with a self-serving interpretation, when decision outcomes were favorable individuals evaluating their own team, but not those evaluating another, showed hindsight bias. When outcomes were unfavorable individuals evaluating their own team did not show hindsight bias, but those evaluating another team did. Discussion focuses on implications of hindsight bias in team decision-making settings.

Building a Marketing Curriculum to Support Courses in Social Entrepreneurship and Social Venture Competitions.

This study examines the implications of the increased popularity of social enterprise programs and social venture competitions for the marketing curriculum. Social enterprise programs and competitions are often offered outside the school of business and target students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Although social enterprises use business skills to solve social problems, the specific marketing skills required differ from those covered in most marketing curricula. This article recommends some changes in emphasis and/or scope to specific areas in the marketing curriculum and includes an outline of the proposed marketing curriculum for social enterprise programs.

Diagnostic and Value-Added Assessment of Business Writing:

To assess students’ business writing abilities upon entry into the business program and exit from the capstone course, a multitiered assessment package was developed that measures students’ achievement of specific learning outcomes and provides “value-added” scores. The online segment of the test measures five competencies across three process levels; the in-class writing segment measures the same five competencies across higher process levels. The data can then be cross-referenced for multitiered measurements. The learning outcomes are derived from the grading rubric used in the business communication classes, thus bringing classroom grading practices into assessment at the program level. The core competencies, rubric, writing prompt, and sample questions are provided. The process of designing the assessment, engaging faculty participation, and measuring outcomes are detailed.

Teaching Students How to Integrate and Assess Social Networking Tools in Marketing Communications

This research is based on two studies that focus on teaching students how to integrate and assess social networking tools in marketing communications. Study 1 examines how students in marketing classes utilize social networking tools and explores their attitudes regarding the use of such tools for marketing communications. Study 2 focuses on an assessment of an assignment in which students created blogs, promoted their blogs through social media, and monitored the performance of blog promotions using Web analytics tools. The assignment was well received by students. Most believed that the use of Web analytics tools enhanced their ability to utilize and evaluate social networking tools for marketing communications.

Teaching Creativity to Business Students: How Well Are We Doing?

As calls for enhancing the ability of business students to think creatively and develop innovative goods and services have become universal, researchers in the area of creativity have expressed concerns that the U.S. educational system may not foster creative thinking. The authors’ research is based on a sample of 442 undergraduate business students enrolled in marketing classes at two different universities. Students’ creativity was assessed using a creativity scale that measured ways of thinking in six different areas. The authors compared creativity scores of different business majors in each of these six dimensions and found that contrary to earlier research findings, students in the quantitative business disciplines of accounting, finance, economics, and information systems outperformed other business majors in some categories of creative thinking. Specific recommendations are presented to include training in a greater variety of dimensions of creative thinking in the business curriculum.

Assessing cross-national business relationships: How Mexican distributors rate U.S. manufacturers

Abstract This article presents a method for manufacturers to assess how their support efforts are received by distributors. The process is illustrated with the results of a survey of Mexican distributors who assessed their relationships with U.S. manufacturers. Using distributor importance ratings of manufacturer support and ratings of manufacturer performance on these elements, a performance “gap” measure is created. The usefulness of the performance gap in developing manufacturer support programs is evaluated by examining the gaps relationship to open communication, conflict, and distributor commitment. Because a performance gap increases conflict and decreases open communication within the relationship, the process should benefit manufacturers by helping them identify specific support activities that are important to distributors and need improvement.

Creating Brand Names: Strategic and International Considerations

A brand name is the foundation of a brand’s image. Successful brands are often a copmpany’s most valuable assets. The substantial and ever increasing cost associated with new brand introductions has prompted companies to take great care in the creation and development of new brand names. Creating a new brand name is not an easy task. A brand name should appeal to the customer while at the same time clear trademark registration-two goals thai can be conflicting. The overabundance of brand names in the marketplace complicates this task even further. The increasing globalization represents still another challenge. Managers can either standardize brand names or adapt brands to fit local markets. Research on global versus local marketing strategies, however, has been slow to address the issue of international branding.