Kenneth Saban

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.

The Functionality of Websites as Export Marketing Channels for Small and Medium Enterprises

The e‐commerce literature has suggested that the Internet ‘levels the playing field’ for small businesses trying to market their goods and services worldwide. However, there is limited research that describes how websites are used and the constraints that hamper the development of websites as export marketing channels. Our study found that while small businesses use websites as their primary export marketing channel, limited resources inhibit their ability to conduct more sophisticated marketing transactions. As a result, one could conclude that the Internet only ‘partially levels the playing field’ when exporting to foreign markets.

A Critical Look at the Impact of Cybercrime on Consumer Internet Behavior

The development of the Internet and World Wide Web has both a positive and negative impact consumer behavior. While these technologies provide many consumer “conveniences,” they also generate many consumer “threats” that take form as cybercrimes. While researchers have focused on the economic ramifications of cybercrime, little is known about its impact on Internet behavior. This paper explores the behavioral ramifications of cybercrime on the informational value of the Internet, the likelihood of repeat purchases, and overall attractiveness of the Internet as a channel-of-choice. The results showed that even the weakest form of cybercrime (Spamming) can decided alter consumer Internet behavior, thus eroding the attractiveness of the Internet as a viable marketing channel.

The Strategic Role of Human Collaboration in Supply Chain Management

Supply chain performance is often equated with acquiring the best technology or process. However, current studies suggest that supply chain performance also requires human collaboration. To change conventional thinking, this paper proposes a holistic approach to supply chain management (SCM), clarifies the forces that facilitate human collaboration, and identifies the steps management can take to create a more collaborative network.

The Competitive Advantages of a Holistic Approach to Supply Chain Management

Supply chain performance is often equated with having the latest collaborative technology in place. However, current studies suggest that supply chain performance also requires human collaboration. To change conventional thinking, this paper proposes a holistic approach to supply chain management SCM, clarifies the forces that facilitate human collaboration, and highlights the economics advantages of employing a holistic supply chain management approach.

Demasking Wall Street's Influence on Stock Prices.

With the significant rise of interest in stock performance, corporate executives and communications practitioners are faced with the challenge of improving their “corporate marketing” efforts to Wall Street and shareholders. Up to this time, there has not been a systemized approach to uncover the “driving forces” behind stock purchasing and/or recommending. In this article, Dr. Kenneth Saban presents an in-depth review of a comprehensive financial community market research approach and a discussion of the applied corporate findings when he was Vice President, Corporate Communications, Midland-Ross Corporation. As Saban recounts, even though the results of this market research approach were not able to be fully applied because of the leveraged-buy-out of the company in 1986, the basic concept is applicable to any publicly traded company whose senior management desires a more in-depth and comprehensive understanding of investor/shareholder buyer behavior.