Kevin M. McNeilly

Links among satisfaction, commitment, and turnover intentions: The moderating effect of experience, gender, and performance

Abstract We develop and test hypotheses about the moderating impact of experience, gender, and performance on the relationships among job satisfaction dimensions, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. In the sales force studied, gender moderates the link between organizational commitment and turnover intentions. Experience and performance moderate the links between job satisfaction dimensions and organizational commitment. There also appears to be a joint moderator effect of gender and experience on the strength of the relationship between turnover intentions and organizational commitment. These results suggest the need for sales managers to manage adaptively, recognizing differences in different segments of the sales force. Researchers also need to recognize these differences in developing theory and testing it empirically.

Buyer-seller relationships in the procurement of logistical services

This study presents a two-phase model of interfirm exchange in the logistical supply industry. The first phase uses transaction cost analysis to identify conditions leading to market-based transactions, unilateral agreements, and bilateral alliances. The second phase illustrates how formal controls and relational norms yield performance in market, unilateral, and bilateral governance systems. A test of the model with data from 189 logistical supply relationships suggests that bilateral alliances emerge through the interaction of user investments in the logistics supplier, supplier logistical services, and marketplace uncertainty. Bilateral alliances attain desired outcomes through participative management and flexibility. By contrast, market-based transactions yield desired outcomes through formalization and solidarity. Unilateral agreements gain performance through formalization, participation, information sharing, and solidarity. Implications for logistics management and theory are discussed.

The Value of Students’ Classroom Experiences from the Eyes of the Recruiter: Information, Implications, and Recommendations for Marketing Educators

Marketing students represent their years of undergraduate education with resumes, which along with interviews, become the process recruiters use to assess student employability. This article reviews research on resume development and presents a study that examines recruiters’ comments about the value they place on experience in and out of the classroom. Most recruiters indicate that internships, part-time jobs, and leadership positions in university organizations are better indicators of employability than classroom experiences. Recent changes in marketing/business pedagogy have led to more classes in which active learning approaches with client projects, field experiences, and skill-building activities are used. It is a concern that recruiters are unaware of, or pay little attention to, these classroom experiences where real-world knowledge and skill sare developed. Suggestions are made regarding how to include more business-relevant skill development into our classrooms and how to communicate these classroom changes to both studentsand recruiters.

The moderating effects of gender and performance on job satisfaction and intentions to leave in the sales force

Abstract The importance of sales force turnover has led researchers to search for variables that moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and intention to leave the current sales job. Studies of male and female employees have suggested that gender can cause differences in job attitudes, job satisfaction, and intent-to-leave. Other studies have used job performance, satisfaction, and intent-to-leave to show that low and high performing employees leave their jobs for different reasons. The present study used a sample of 138 salespersons drawn from a variety of companies to explore whether (1) gender and (2) performance do moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and intent-to-leave. The study showed a tendency for men and women salespersons to leave their current sales position because of dissatisfaction with different aspects of the job and also confirmed previous research that had showed that high and low performing salespeople leave for different reasons.

I love my accountants – they're wonderful: understanding customer delight in the professional services arena

Purpose – This study of professional accounting firm clients identifies a set of common expectations, examines the opportunities to exceed expectations, and considers the potential of exceeding expectations and “delighting” clients.Design/methodology/approach – Using a subsample of accounting firm clients, common activities and behaviors thought to have the greatest potential for delivering exceptional service were identified. Two larger samples of business clients in the US Midwest were interviewed and they rated their accounting service provider on eight activities and then described an outstanding service encounter.Findings – Descriptive statistics showed that the strongest service expectations involve meeting deadlines, relating well to the clients employees, being available, and being knowledgeable about the clients firm and industry. The content analysis of the open‐ended question identified competency and expertise as areas where expectations were exceeded. Comments identified a few instances of ...

Marketing: is it still “just advertising”? The experiences of accounting firms as a guide for other professional service firms

Professional service organizations are finding themselves increasingly involved with marketing in order to develop and maintain relationships with their clients. Restricted by professional standards, and hindered by a lack of experience, firms are struggling to understand marketing and implement marketing programs. Nowhere is this struggle more evident that in the accounting profession, where firms are regulated by professional standards and guidelines. Based on a series of one‐on‐one interviews with accounting professionals, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants standards and guidelines, and information from both practitioner and academic literature, this research identifies the extent to which firms are following the prescriptive advice. Discussions of initiatives are provided as guidelines for further implementation of marketing strategies in the accounting profession and other professional service firms that are following in the accountants’ footsteps.

Convincing the Recruiter: A Comparison of Resume Formats

Abstract A national study was conducted to measure differences in recruiters views of business students employability depending on resume format. Resume formats varied by the amount of detail provided about educational experiences, work-related experiences, and extracurricular campus activities. As expected, when more detail was provided about work-related experiences, recruiters considered the candidate more employable than when more detail was provided about education or campus activities. However, differences that appeared relating to gender and resume format suggest biases in the way recruiters view resumes.

Combining Writing and the Electronic Media in Sales Management Courses

As universities advance into high-tech learning, we need to study how moving traditional business writing styles into the electronic media may reflect or change the communication styles of managers and sales representatives. To accomplish this task, the authors developed writing assignments that focused on communicating via electronic messaging (e-mail).

Tailoring a Marketing Course for a Non-Marketing Audience: A Professional Services Marketing Course

Understanding the strategic implications of marketing is important to non-marketing majors, just as finance, accounting, and management are important to marketing majors. The need is real to develop ways to bring integrated, cross-functional insights into the classroom. To that end, various ways have been presented to integrate business courses. Team teaching using faculty from different functional areas and combining two or more functional areas to cover relevant topics are two ways to accomplish the task. This article focuses on a third approach to integration. By using principles of market segmentation, the authors have developed a professional services marketing course that focuses on the specific needs of various non-marketing audiences. Their objective was to develop a framework for an integrative course that would provide non-majors with an understanding of what marketing of professional services requires and an appreciation of its value in the creation of new business opportunities.

Airing the Dirty Laundry

Abstract This study considers the complexities associated with service failures and recovery in professional service firms. Interviews with sixty clients of professional accounting firms serve as the source of the data. The study results confirm that service failures occur in the professional services context, and provide insights into the most common types of service failures and service recovery efforts experienced by these clients. Of particular interest is the finding that clients often consider alternative service providers when service failures take place, but rarely switch. Possible explanations for this behavior and the implications for client retention are discussed.