Nabil Y. Razzouk

Learning by Doing: Using Experiential Projects in the Undergraduate Marketing Strategy Course

Group projects represent one of the most realistic approaches to teaching business and marketing skills. In the real world, seldom do individuals work by themselves and make strategic marketing decisions without interacting with others. Thus group projects, if made a part of the learning experience, can add a sense of realism that comes from having to prepare and present a report on a tight deadline. Notwithstanding, many professors continue to shy away from using projects in the classroom for a number of reasons. This paper explores the value of real-life, client sponsored group projects and presents a blueprint for their successful implementation into the capstone Marketing Strategy course.

What's important in choosing a primary care physician: an analysis of consumer response.

Given the growth of health maintenance organizations and preferred physician organizations, the purpose of this study was to determine the salient factors considered when choosing a primary care physician. A list of informational items about physicians not normally included in provider directories but which were indicated by the literature to be important were included in the survey instrument. Employees of a major state university in a south-western state were surveyed. Results indicated that at the point of selection, the degree of patient satisfaction with the quality of care received and the accessibility of the physician were the two most relevant factors that impacted the choice of a physician. Other factors considered important included interpersonal skills and competence.

The impact of perceived display completeness/incompleteness on shoppers` in-store selection of merchandise: an empirical study

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the perceived completeness/incompleteness of a display stack of consumer products and shoppers’ choice of items from the stacks. By means of a field experiment in which displays of canned foods were manipulated and controlled, it was determined that the stack that appeared to have been picked from (containing evidence of a missing can) was the stack of choice in a majority of cases. Out of 645 different product selections (cans picked) recorded, 76% were picked from the stack that appeared to have been picked from ( χ 2 of 171.92 at α =0.05). This test was conducted utilizing three different display modalities: Regular shelf displays, island displays, and end-cap displays within the same store. The results of the experiment were consistent across the various display modalities investigated. Moreover, the results indicated that shoppers were more likely to pick items from the incomplete stack, when the degree of known difference between product items was relatively low or non-existing.

Banner Advertising and Consumer Recall

Abstract The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of position and the use of graphics in banner advertising on consumer recall. One hundred students from a southern California university participated in a quasi experiment in which they were asked to view a website with a series of banner ads. Four modalities were tested (1) banner at the bottom with graphics, (2) banner at the bottom without graphics, (3) banner at the top, and (4) banner at the top with graphics. Results showed that only 8% correctly identified the presence of one banner ad. Of those, 50% incorrectly identified the product or could not identify the product at all. Fully 62% saw no banner ad at all; however, 70% correctly identified the website of which the ads were placed. Implications of the study are then discussed.

A comparison of consumer decision‐making behavior of married and cohabiting couples

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to compare the consumer decision‐making behavior between married and cohabiting couples.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 40 cohabiting couples and 53 married couples in a western state via a self‐administered questionnaire. The structure and the instrument used replicated the Gadis et al. study in exploring consumer decision‐making processes of married couples.Findings – Married couples tended to be more syncratic than cohabiting couples in their decision to purchase forms of savings in this phase, but more autonomic when purchasing alcoholic beverages. Cohabiting couples were found to be more syncratic in their decision making for these products at this phase than married couples. The results, when compared to those of 18 years ago found that men and women of married couples make purchasing decisions separately, while men and women of cohabiting couples made most of theirs together. Implications of the findings were then discussed.Practical i...

Teaching Retailing and Merchandising: An Experiential Approach

The paper reports on an experiential approach to teaching retailing and merchandising through the operation of a student run store. This approach to learning proved to be both challenging and rewarding to students and instructor alike. Students gained real world knowledge and a new outlook on retailing as a career path, and instructors witnessed significant changes in students’ understanding of what retailing and merchandising are about. Further, instructors observed the implementation of concepts covered in class lectures during the operation of the retail store and completion of the Store Operation Report. In addition to the comments made by students regarding the outcome of the class in achieving its objectives, all students that took the course felt that it was rewarding and would recommend it to their peers.

The importance of brand equity on purchasing consumer durables: an analysis of home air‐conditioning systems

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to show manufacturers and dealers of residential air‐conditioning systems how to raise the equity of their brands, enabling them to sell more premium systems and increase their revenues and profit margins.Design/methodology/approach – For such products the consumer decision‐making process is complex and high involvement, and most purchasers are unacquainted with brands. A self‐administered survey was developed to assess which attributes were most important to consumers, to what degree brand influenced the price they would pay, and where they searched for product information, as well as demographic characteristics.Findings – In total, 140 homeowners showed that reliability, serviceability and energy‐saving features were the attributes consumers desired most. Brand name communicated quality to them, but was not an important choice criterion. However, consumers were willing to pay more for an air‐conditioner with a reputation for quality. Results also indicated that con...

Romanian Print Advertising

Abstract The researchers analyzed the information content of 214 print advertisements published in Romanian magazines between October and December of 2002. The ads covered a wide range of products and services including personal care products, telecommunications, medicine, hardware and entertainment advertising. Overall, the study showed that Romanian print advertising is in its infancy compared to western advertising and, in particular, to the United States. Findings from the content analyses further indicated that comparative advertising is a rarity in Romanian print media and so was puffery. Other cues employed in western advertising such as guarantees, findings from independent or company research, safety and energy consumption were used to a very limited extent in Romanian ads. Womens roles portrayed included career-oriented, housewives and as equal to men. Implications of the findings are then discussed.

Factors Influencing the Purchasing Decision Process of Low-Carbohydrate Products

Abstract The American populace has had a long infatuation with Low-fat and Low Carb diets. Irrespective of the fact that earlier this month (August 1, 2005) Atkins Nutritionals Inc, the manufacturer or the Atkins Diet food products filed for Chapter 11, a growing number of diet trends continue to spread across the nation in an effort to improve health and lose weight. Low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets are the most popular and in the last two years, the number of low-carbohydrate products available in stores has sharply increased. Consequently, the word “carb” is used extensively in food packaging; however, many low-carbohydrate products are expensive and tasteless. A recent report shows some dieters forking 138

Improving Evaluation in Marketing Education: A Revisit to the Final Exam

over dollars a week for the diet-based foods compared to about