Kenneth C. Schneider

The brand dependence scale: measuring consumers’ use of brand name to differentiate among product alternatives

The marketing literature provides substantial discussion of branding and brand equity, but reveals limited research on the use of brand name in the consumer decision‐making process. Further, most such studies have included the manipulation of product brand name as an independent variable. The primary objective in this study was to address that lack of attention to consumers’ use of brand names by developing and empirically testing a multi‐item scale called the brand dependence scale (BDS). The psychometric properties of the scale were assessed and the relationship between brand dependence and brand disparity was explored. The results of the study showed that the BDS demonstrated adequate internal reliability and that a significant positive relationship between brand dependence and brand disparity existed. Implications of the study results and managerial applications for the scale are discussed.

Stimulating response to market surveys of business professionals

Abstract This study presents results of an investigation into the effects of monetary reward, survey sponsorship, and type of appeal on overall response rate and response completeness in surveys of business professionals. It is concluded that: (1) as in surveys of the general public, university sponsorship is more effective than commercial sponsorship, (2) a help-the-sponsor appeal is significantly more effective than other appeals under university sponsorship but significantly less effective under commercial sponsorship, and (3) monetary rewards enhance response rates when used in conjunction with ego or social utility appeals but disenhance response rates when used in conjunction with a help-the-sponsor appeal. Thus, important interactions among these three response-inducing techniques are found and discussed. Finally, it is concluded that these effects do not extend to response completeness.

A note on applying retail location models in franchise systems: a view from the trenches

Asserts that the domestic fast food industry is undergoing a transition from growth to maturity. As a result, companies are fending off a flattening sales curve by looking abroad, searching out new target markets, crowding the market with more units. One form of assistance involves the development of mathematical models capable of determining “best” new locations. Using results from a recent survey of franchise owners in the fast food industry, reactions to methods by which franchisees are compensated for encroachment by the franchisor in the context of mathematical location modelling are discussed. In general, franchisees expressed displeasure with the manner by which location models are applied to franchise systems to date.

The Collegiate Student Orientation Scale (CSOS): Application of the Marketing Concept to Higher Education

ABSTRACT Todays administrators in higher education face a dynamic marketplace that offers students an array of educational options and alternatives. Much like organizations more traditionally associated with marketing strategies and tactics, colleges and universities are gradually moving towards and embracing the marketing concept and a focus on consumer orientation. The fundamental objective in this study was to develop and empirically test a multi-item scale called the Collegiate Student Orientation Scale (CSOS). The results of the study showed that the CSOS demonstrated adequate internal reliability. Implications of the results and administrative applications for the new scale are discussed. Finally, avenues for future research are presented.

Link between Response‐inducing Strategies and Uninformed Response

Examines the relationship between selected strategies designed to enhance the response rate to a survey and uninformed response, or the tendency of respondents to deliberately “guess at” or otherwise answer survey questions when they lack sufficient knowledge or experience to provide an informed response. Uninformed response is one of several potential sources of response error, or error that results from inaccurate responses to survey questions, that trouble marketing researchers and others involved in survey research. Drawing on an often expressed concern that techniques designed to increase the overall response rate to a survey might negatively affect response quality in general (and uninformed response in particular), tests the effect of three response‐inducing techniques (monetary incentives, survey sponsorship, and type of appeal) on uninformed response in one particular survey. The findings suggest that monetary inducement and, depending on other characteristics of the survey design, sponsorship an...

Teaching Ethics in Marketing Research: An Experiential Approach

This study shows how an experiential exercise can be used to better introduce students to ethical issues in marketing research or other technique-based courses whose structure does not lend itself well to a discussion of ethics. Students who participated in an experiential exercise in marketing research ethics tended to (1) show more substantial changes in attitudes toward ethics and (2) demonstrate a more realistic understanding of the complexity involved in resolving ethical issues than did students not able to participate in such an exercise.

Differences between nonrespondents and refusers in market surveys using mixed modes of contact

When one is conducting survey research under mixed modes of contact, which incorporate both an interviewer-present component and a self-administered component (i.e., drop-off delivery, prenotification, “foot-in-the-door” techniques), potential respondents may choose to not participate in the study in two distinct ways. First, they may refuse or not refuse the interviewer’s request for participation. Later, they may respond or not respond to the self-administered questionnaire or other data collection form. As such, surveys conducted under such mixed modes of contact afford the researcher an opportunity to search for differences between refusers and nonrespondents in survey research. This article reports on the results of one such study incorporating a classic footin-the-door design. Of a sampling frame of 2,500 households, 2,128 were contacted and completed a short preliminary telephone interview seeking mostly demographic information. Of those, 257 (12%) refused the interviewer’s request to complete a longer mailed questionnaire and were classified as refusers. Another 857 (40%) agreed to complete the mailed questionnaire, but they did not and were classified as nonrespondents. Demographic comparisons revealed substantial differences between the two nonparticipation groups and respondents-differences described by the researchers as largely following family life cycle patterns. Nonrespondents tended to be disproportionately represented by Full-Nest I consumers (e.g., compared to respondents, 12% more nonrespondents were under 35 years old, 6% more had dependent children living at home, 10% more of those had youngest child under 6 years of age, and 7% more were employed outside the home.) On the other hand, refusers tended to be disproportionately represented by Empty-Nest II consumers and Solitary Survivors (e.g., compared to respondents, 9% more were over 50 years old, 16% fewer had dependent children at home, 11% fewer were employed, 13% more had annual income under

Those who can, Do—Those who can’t...: Marketing professors and the Robinson-Patman act

10,000, and 10% fewer were married).

An Investigation of the Customer Orientation of Professional Sports Organizations: Development of the Sports Fan Orientation Scale (SFOS)

In the academic world of marketing professors, we like to think we know everything that is “relevant” about marketing. Of course we do not, because the discipline is too broad and diverse for one to be thoroughly knowledgeable in all its aspects. This article examines the understanding of the ROBINSON-PATMAN ACT by university professors. This 1936 law is the most important marketing statute dealing with pricing activities. Marketing students must be exposed to this key legislation during their marketing classes. But do marketing professors understand the law well enough to teach it?

What Do College Students, Young Families, and Empty Nesters Want in a Car? A Market Segmentation and Marketing Mix Project for Introduction to Marketing Students

ABSTRACT Professional sports marketers face a dynamic and challenging marketplace that offers fans a variety of relatively expensive entertainment venues. Professional sports organizations are showing increasing interest in the marketing concept and a focus on consumer orientation. The primary objective in this study was to develop and empirically test a multi-item scale called the Sports Fan Orientation Scale (SFOS). The results of the study showed that the SFOS demonstrated adequate internal reliability. Implications of the results and managerial applications for the new scale are discussed. Finally, avenues for future research are presented.