Khalid M. Dubas

CHINESE PURCHASING MANAGERS' PREFERENCES AND TRADE-OFFS IN SUPPLIER SELECTION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Abstract Purchasing managers need to periodically evaluate supplier performance in order to retain those suppliers who meet their requirements in terms of several performance criteria. Six attributes frequently used as performance criteria are identified and used in this study. These attributes are: on-time delivery, quality, price/cost targets, professionalism, responsiveness to customer needs, and long-term relationships with the purchasing company. Purchasing managers use all six attributes jointly in evaluating supplier performance. Further, in making their choices the purchasing managers must necessarily make trade-offs among different levels of these attributes. Conjoint analysis is the appropriate method for measuring preferences where several attributes are used jointly in an overall evaluation. This article reports the results of an exploratory study examining the trade-offs made by Chinese purchasing managers among the six attributes identified earlier. The priorities of Chinese managers as well as the trade-offs they make are finally discussed in terms of their implications for Western marketers.

The influence of product-placement type & exposure time on product-placement recognition

This study examines the extent to which product-placement type and exposure time explain the rate at which viewers recognise brand names affiliated with product placements in films. The results support the industry practice of classifying product placements into creative and on-set, since placement type has a significant impact on viewer recognition, even when the measure of viewer recognition is adjusted for the effects of false recognition. The effect of exposure time attained by product placement on viewer recognition is moderated by product-placement type. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

The Optimal Level of Fear-Arousal in Advertising: An Empirical Study

Abstract In a before-after, one-way laboratory experiment, five levels of fear-arousal were manipulated and their impact on generic product intention was measured. High fear-arousing ads can be very persuasive, and data generally reflect a positive linear relationship between fear and persuasion. However, the high fear-arousing ad which utilized personalization with a “death of a loved one” theme was very ineffective. No evidence was found for a curvilinear relationship between fear and persuasion. Resistance theory was also not supported by the data.

An Assessment of Supplier Selection: Chinese Purchasing Managers′ Criteria and Their Implications for Western Marketers

China′s foreign trade and investment policies have appeared more attractive to Western marketers in recent years. China presents an opportunity for huge market potential and rapid growth for American multinational firms. However, Western marketers have only limited knowledge about Chinese purchasing decision making, particularly the supplier selection and evaluation criteria of Chinese purchasing managers. Highlights six key criteria of supplier selection and describes the responses of a sample of Chinese purchasing managers. Segments the respondents into three clusters, based on similarities in their supplier evaluation processes and differentiates these clusters in terms of whether the managers emphasize reliable deliveries, price/cost considerations, or product quality. While these findings are of a preliminary nature, they reveal that service/responsiveness of a supplier is not a high priority as opposed to purchasing managers in Western industrialized countries. As China moves rapidly towards a marke...

Course Design Using Conjoint Analysis

Designing courses by incorporating student preferences should make the curriculum more relevant and highly satisfying to students. Student preferences can be measured and incorporated into course design using conjoint analysis. As an illustration, the authors designed an appropriate course for M.B.A.-level multivariate analysis. Five attributes were considered for this purpose: course content, level of mathematical and statistical sophistication, student career orientation, level of computer application, and class format.

Some difficulties in predicting new product trial using concept test scores

At an early stage in the new product development process, marketers often evaluate several concept statements in terms of customer preferences to choose the best concept for further development. Purchase intention scale is often used to measure consumer preferences at this stage when the product is still a concept statement or a mathematical position on a perceptual map. This paper discusses the limitations of two methods of aggregating individual preferences, namely plurality (first‐choice) and the Condorcet (pair‐wise majority) methods. The plurality method is subject to the top‐box paradox while the Condorcet method suffers from the paradox of voting. The Copeland method is presented as an alternative to the Condorcet method when the latter fails to identify the majority’s choice. Some limitations of predicting product trial are also presented.

Self-Explicated and Full-Profile Conjoint Methods for Designing Customer-Focused Courses

Business schools are under increasing pressure from various sources to become customer-focused in their curricula in order to better meet the needs of their students and business professionals. For designing customer-focused courses, customer preferences must be measured and incorporated in curriculum. This study shows how self-explicated and full-profile conjoint methods can be utilized for this purpose. Strengths and weaknesses of these methods are also discussed. For illustrative purposes, two sales management courses are designed by incorporating students’ preferences. One course is for undergraduate students while the other is for graduate students. Five attributes are considered for this purpose: course content, class format, teaching aids, assignments, and real world experience. The most preferred levels of attributes are identified separately for the graduate and undergraduate students. Further, variations in student preferences across gender and work experience levels are considered in designing ...

Marketing implications of Webcasting and extranets

Webcasting or push technology automatically sends information from the producer of information to the server or client computer of the subscriber. This paradigm is different from the traditional method of accessing Web content – a method that requires an individual to seek out information via a search engine or URL. Webcasting does not require active participation by the viewer and in this sense it is more like the television mode of information delivery. After reviewing the evolution of Webcasting, our paper considers the implications of Webcasting for the marketing decision support system and the marketing mix. An extranet is a private Internet site that enables several companies to securely share information and conduct business. An extranet extends the reach of push technology and hence magnifies the marketing impact.

A Short-Term Business Training Program for Chinese Managers at a U.S. University

Abstract The recent changes in Chinese business organizations have created a tremendous demand for Western management skills and knowledge. In this study, Chinese managers enrolled in a management training program at a U.S. university evaluated 13 management skills and knowledge areas for managerial effectiveness and for amount of coverage in their U.S. business training program. The results show that the trainees desired more exposure to all management areas. This study provides useful information to U.S. educational institutions that offer management training to Chinese managers.

Incentives and Welfare Implications of Recycling In the Reverse Channel of Distribution

Recycling disposed off products has increasingly become more important as the landfill cites have diminished and the reality of exhaustible resources has become evident. Using the reverse logistics channel to recycle some of the waste produced by consumers has been recognized for a few decades. However, there has been no attempt to develop a theoretical analysis of the incentives in the reverse distribution channel which would encourage the channel members to recycle. In addition, marketers have not formally studied the welfare implications of recycling on producers, retailers, and consumers of products. Also, there has been no analysis of the effects of waste disposal on the welfare of people external to the marketing channel.