Lindsay Meredith

Product cannibalization and the role of prices

The role of brand prices in contributing to product cannibalization is examined. Price elasticities and reference price theory are used to provide a theoretical foundation and empirical test for the impact of a firms cheap brand on one of its expensive brands. Results are consistent with the conclusion that the market share of the companys premium brand was cannibalized by a growth in sales of its cheap brand.

Metachoice for strategic analysis

A necessary precursor to strategic choice is the selection of a strategic choice evaluation method -- metachoice. Unfortunately, managers are unlikely to find much guidance on how to conduct metachoice analysis in the strategy literature. In light of this problem, a template is presented based on two questions that must be addressed by those engaged in strategic analysis generally and metachoice specifically: (1) what are the organizations strategic goals? (2) how willing are they to monetize their predictions and valuations? Four resulting choice methods are presented and discussed: Discounted Cash Flow Analysis (including variants based on real options), Profitability Analysis, Modified Discounted Cash Flow Analysis and Multi-Goal Analysis.

Implementing Relationship Marketing: A GOAL INTERDEPENDENCE APPROACH

Addresses the problem of implementing relationship marketing systems. Uses LISREL to analyze how co‐operative, competitive and independent goals affect the ability of a firm′s personnel to work together in serving customers. Results indicate that goal interdependence affects employee perceptions of the quality of service they deliver.

The United States export and foreign direct investment linkage in Canadian manufacturing industries

Abstract The objectives of this article are to: 1) explore the linkage between export penetration of a host countrys markets and foreign direct investment activity in those markets, and 2) provide a possible rationale for the direct investment-cum-export penetration linkage. Results indicate that the U.S. originating foreign direct investment market share and U.S. export market share in Canada are mutually good “predictors” of each other. Results also support the arguments that the direct investment-export profile may be dependent to some degree upon: the amount of processing intensity that characterizes a particular industrys production systems; the occupational orientation of its research and development staff; the advertising media usage profile that characterizes the industry; and the size of the firms that typify the given industry.

Coordination to market technology: The contribution of cooperative goals and interaction

Abstract Marketing managers must facilitate coordination among employees from sales, engineering, training, and support to market technology successfully. Thirty-six employees of a branch marketing division of a multi-national computer and office automation company were interviewed on problems they solved effectively and ineffectively with people from different departments. Results support the theory of cooperation and competition and indicate that cooperative goals coupled with open-minded, constructive controversy greatly contribute to serving customers and strengthening work relationships. This study suggests antecedents for cooperative goals, empirically develops categories of interactions, and suggests that cooperation theory can also be used to analyze coordination between marketing and other divisions.

Developing and using a data base marketing system

Much of the literature regarding the monitoring and control of internal marketing functions has dealt with various reporting techniques designed to focus on such issues as the evaluation of specific channel members [e.g., l] or on the control of selected marketing activities [e.g., 2-41. The research orientation of these authors has, by the nature of their objectives, been narrowly targeted at resolving specific problems with specific analytical models. More recently, Jaworski [5] in a broadly based theory article suggested an approach intended to integrate the firm’s environmental context, its internal controls, and the consequences of those controls in a broadly defined marketing information system. While a series of control theory hypotheses were proposed, the article was not intended to supply an actual applications oriented structure which could be used by a business or industrial marketing practitioner. A significant body of research within the context of industrial market segmentation also bears indirectly on aspects of the internal decision support system to be pre-

Scanning for market threats

Purpose – This paper seeks to focus more attention on market threat variables, their role in contributing to market risk and how to anticipate them.Design/methodology/approach – Selected marketing and economics variables are considered in the context of their potentially dangerous or destructive impacts on business markets. Numerous “real world” examples are used to demonstrate the negative effects of these variables.Findings – A matrix based on market information levels and lead times is introduced to demonstrate how the threat variables can be classified in terms of their potential risk to the business marketer. The threat variables can then be located on the risk matrix and the degree of their potential danger can be defined.Originality/value – The discussion should hopefully be of use to both students and practitioners. An “early warning” template is provided to help identify specific variables and their risk potential so that scanning efforts can be prioritized according to the most likely sources of...

A Customer Evaluation System

Buyers have been formally evaluating suppliers for many years. Intends to “turn the tables” and suggests three important reasons why vendors should formally evaluate their customers. A straightforward easily applied mechanism is provided to aid business marketers in carrying out customer evaluations.

Developing and using a customer profile data bank

Abstract This article proposes the implementation of a customer profile system to aid the industrial marketer in: making daily sales decisions involving the firms customers; the development of the vendors “buyer mix”; and the production of marketing analysis reports used by the firm. The components of the customer profile are presented and the procedures by which these elements can be incorporated into the firms decision making are explained. Working examples are also provided to reinforce the concepts. Unfortunately the names of the actual corporations had to be deleted or changed for reasons of confidentiality.

Toward an International Perspective of Market Analysis in Industrial Marketing

Since a growing number of firms are emphasizing global as well as domestic market performance, international market analysis deserves an increased level of exposure in the marketing curriculum. The growing wave of international competition in many markets illuminates the need for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of familiar as well as distant competitors. This article focuses on industrial products and proposes a framework to highlight the strategic dimension of international market analysis.