Kishore Gopalakrishna Pillai

Calibrating managerial knowledge of customer feedback measures: a conceptual model

Theory and research into the decision-making process have brought to light a wealth of concepts and strategies intended to improve marketing management. This article applies the concept of knowledge calibration, which describes the correspondence between knowledge accuracy and the confidence with which knowledge is held, to the domain of marketing management. Specifically, we apply the concept of knowledge calibration to marketing management’s use of customer feedback information on satisfaction and service quality. After reviewing the appropriate literature, we present a model showing the antecedents and consequences of the calibration of knowledge of customer feedback information along with propositions intended to improve the use of customer feedback and to guide further research. We also discuss the merits and demerits of calibration as well as appropriate actions in different contexts.

The Negative Effects of Social Capital in Organizations: A Review and Extension

Numerous studies have examined the positive effects of social capital in organizations, whereas the possible negative effects have attracted considerably less scholarly attention. To rectify this imbalance, this paper first undertakes a rigorous review of the published scholarly empirical evidence pertaining to the negative effects of social capital in organizations through a search of Web of Knowledge and Scopus, and then enumerates six potentially negative effects arising from increased levels of social capital. The review focuses on negative effects arising from bonding social capital and those arising from dense networks and closure, advancing new theory to elucidate the generative mechanisms that give rise to the proposed negative effects. Finally, the authors identify potential moderators of the negative effects thus theorized. Using the lens of social identification theory, the authors argue that dysfunctional identification processes restrict the processing of information and stimulate over-commitment to established relationships, diluting in turn the dialectical process, and inhibiting individual learning within organizations, culminating in groupthink, the postponement of structural adjustments, the non-rational escalation of commitment, and the blurring of firms’ boundaries. This review thus furthers the agenda of a more balanced inquiry into the effects of social capital in organizations.

Consumer knowledge discrimination

Purpose – This paper aims to introduce knowledge discrimination to consumer research. It also examines the antecedent effects of objective knowledge and confidence in knowledge on consumer knowledge discrimination. Research in psychology has sought to distinguish between calibration and discrimination, two related skills in probabilistic judgments. Though consumer research has sought to examine knowledge calibration, the construct of knowledge discrimination has not attracted any attention. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports on three studies which use a cross-sectional design using a structured questionnaire. The hypotheses are tested using regression. In addition, the paper also reports the results of an experimental study. Findings – The paper finds that the objective knowledge has a positive effect on discrimination. But confidence in knowledge does not have a consistent effect on discrimination. The paper also finds that feedback improves discrimination. Research limitations/implications ...

Do parent units benefit from reverse knowledge transfer

Emerging market multinationals resort to knowledge acquisitions from their overseas subsidiaries to springboard and realise their global ambitions. Drawing from the knowledge-based view and social capital perspective, this study explores the effects of organisational collaboration and tacitness on multiple dimensions of reverse knowledge transfer (RKT). Data were collected through a survey, from senior and middle level managers of parent Indian multinationals, pertaining to RKT from their overseas subsidiaries. The hypotheses are analysed using PLS modelling. The results demonstrate positive effects between the extent and benefits of RKT. Collaboration was found to have a positive influence on both dimensions of RKT. Tacitness also has a positive impact on the benefits from RKT. The implications of the findings and the limitations of the study are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

Range of Confidence Scale and Consumer Knowledge Calibration

The study examined the effect of range of a confidence scale on consumer knowledge calibration, specifically whether a restricted range scale (25%–100%) leads to difference in calibration compared to a full range scale (0%–100%), for multiple-choice questions. A quasi-experimental study using student participants (N = 434) was employed. Data were collected from two samples; in the first sample (N = 167) a full range confidence scale was used, and in the second sample (N = 267) a restricted range scale was used. No differences were found between the two scales on knowledge calibration. Results from studies of knowledge calibration employing restricted range and full range confidence scales are thus comparable.

Effects of Unpacking in Spending Predictions: The Role of Typicality (An Extended Abstract)

Although there is a wealth of psychological research on how people predict the probability of outcomes and the duration of tasks, there is little on how they predict spending (see Peetz and Buehler 2009). This is unfortunate because spending predictions underlie many decisions, from whether to have kids to where to go for lunch. Our objective is to understand spending predictions by extending theory and research from other domains of judgment. In particular, we focus on unpacking effects. We ask whether unpacking a complex or multifaceted spending category (e.g., “monthly spending on groceries”) by listing one of its elements and a residual category (e.g., “monthly spending on meat and other groceries”) influences predictions. On normative grounds it should not (the referent of judgment remains fixed), but psychological research on other judgment domains suggests that it will.

National Homophily in Multicultural Newcomer Networks

Understanding the relational and network dynamics among newcomer networks is important to devising appropriate strategies that will maximize the productivity of the incoming workforce. Nevertheless, there are limited empirical contributions on newcomer networks with a handful of studies examining newcomer networks in international environments. In this study, we focus on national homophily defined as the “tendency for people to associate with others similar to them in terms of attributes (e.g., race, gender) and values” (Mollica et al. 2003, p. 123). Studies have not examined ethnic or national homophily in newcomer networks. Understanding this issue is important as global companies recruit significant numbers of postgraduate students from countries such as China, India, and Brazil and spend a lot of money in trying to enhance interpersonal relationships among employees to boost effectiveness and efficiency. To better understand national homophily, we use a multicultural student sample drawn from newly formed networks, to examine how identity salience, academic self-efficacy, individualism, and ethnocentrism are associated with the occurrence of national homophily in newcomer networks. A questionnaire was devised based on prior research and distributed to students enrolled in postgraduate management programs in two British universities. The final sample comprises of 182 usable responses which were analyzed using Smart PLS 2.0 (Ringle et al. 2005). The study results show that in a multicultural newcomer context individuals who have strong identity salience tend to forge close ties with others of the same national identity and this manifests in national homophily. The study also shows that individuals high in academic self-efficacy are likely to form ties with individuals from other cultures and show less national homophilic tendencies, compared to those who are low in academic self-efficacy. The findings also reveal that individualism is not conducive to the formation of homophily, while ethnocentrism was found to be significantly but negatively related to homophily. This study provides an incremental contribution in understanding how homophily emerges in newcomer networks. Managers interested in promoting greater collaboration between group members in their companies will need to pay particular attention on individual characteristics (e.g., self-efficacy, identify salience) when forming teams, organizing groups, and allocating projects in the workplace. In this way, the full potential of multicultural relationships could be effectively unfolded. Future researchers can broaden and deepen knowledge on national homophily by investigating other variables as factors influencing homophily (e.g., personality, demographic characteristics), or even explore the consequences of homophily in terms of individual and group performance.References available upon request.

Consumer Involvement in Nutrition: The Effect of Regulatory Focus

Little research has examined the determinants of consumer involvement in nutrition. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the effect of regulatory focus on consumer involvement in nutrition. The fundamental motivational differences that the regulatory focus theory discusses (Higgins 1997) can explain consumer behavior in the domain of health and nutrition. It is proposed that promotion focus is positively related to consumers’ involvement in nutrition and prevention focus is not related to consumers’ involvement in nutrition. In addition, it is proposed that gender moderates the effect of promotional focus on involvement in nutrition such that the effect is stronger among males, compared to females. The hypotheses were tested in a national level study conducted in Taiwan. Data were collected from 1,125 adults aged 20–64. Nutrition involvement was measured using the five item scale proposed by Chandon and Wansink (2007). Promotion and prevention focus were measured using the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire (RFQ) (Higgins et al. 2001). Hypotheses were tested by regressing promotion, prevention and the product of promotion and gender on nutrition involvement. The model supports the hypotheses (Adj. R squared = .03; Promotion − beta = .17; p = .00; Prevention − beta = −.03; p = .33; Gender × Promotion − beta = −.08; p = .01; Gender was coded as females = 2, males = 1). The study, thus, found that promotion focus leads to nutritional involvement and that prevention focus is not related to nutritional involvement. Gender moderates the effect of promotion focus on nutritional involvement. The results of this study points to the potential applicability of the regulatory focus theory to the study of a range of issues that impacts marketing and public policy.

Innovativeness of Indian firms - catalysts and deterrents

Innovation is the driving force that is crucial for firms to sustain their competitive advantage and for economies and industries in general to surge forward. In comparison to developing economies, developed economies have always maintained greater focus on national innovation systems while the firms from these economies have been investing considerable effort on promoting organisational innovation. As firms became increasingly global, consumers across the world, especially from the emerging economies, are getting a taste of more sophisticated products and services. There was also an infusion of knowledge pertaining to cutting-edge technologies, innovation, processes and management systems into this part of the world. However, studies on organisational innovation have largely been confined to firms from developed economies in order to understand the effects of its determinants (Anderson et al., 2004; Choi and Williams, 2014; Li et al., 2013). Given the differences in the socio-cultural milieu between the developed and emerging economies, more nuanced understanding of the factors affecting and the processes associated with innovation in emerging markets is required.

The Effect of Prices on the Prescription Behavior of Pharmaceuticals

Health care spending has been increasing sharply and shifting towards outpatient care and drug prescriptions in particular. Despite the cost of prescription drugs being an important component of health expenditures, relatively little attention has been spent on the effects of prices on either aggregate demand or on physician prescription behavior. In this study we demonstrate how price elasticities can be obtained from prescription data where we also show the effects of constraints that are specified for prescribers (physicians). More specifically, the possible differential responsiveness of HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and non-HMO physicians to drug prices may shed more light on the price sensitivity of pharmaceuticals. HMO physicians are directed by insurance providers to contain and reduce the cost of medication and treatment, which could guide their prescription decision. Our objective is to expand the rather limited empirical base of knowledge on this issue by studying the differential effects of price on HMO and non-HMO physician prescription behavior.