Roger J. Best

The nature and measurement of marketing productivity in consumer durables industries: A firm level analysis

Improving productivity is a major concern in American industry. Efforts to enhance marketing productivity have been hampered by a lack of a clear conception of what constitutes productivity in the marketing area and an associated absence of standards or benchmarks with which to compare a firm’s performance and costs. In this paper a concept of marketing productivity is presented. The PIMS data base is then used to develop situation specific benchmarks for the consumer durables industries. Reliability and validity tests of the benchmarks are presented and the managerial implications of this approach are discussed.

Continuous vs Discrete Semantic Differential Rating Scales

This study examined the equivalence of information obtained from a five-category semantic differential rating scale and a continuous scale of the same length. Data from 176 university students showed that equivalent information was obtained for comparisons of scale means, variances, and shapes of the response distributions. Because continuous rating scales can provide the same aggregate information yet provide greater discrimination at an individual level of measurement, continuous semantic differential rating scales have an advantage in studies where individual differences are important.

Combining Methodologies in the Construct Validation Process: An Empirical Illustration

Abstract Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) has received considerable support as a methodology for assessing construct validity. As with other methodologies, however, numerous problems can be encountered when using CFA to assess construct validity. Given the limitations of the CFA, Multitrait-Multimethod (MTMM), and analysis of variance (ANOVA) methodologies, a set of guidelines was developed. The guidelines recommend that the characteristics of the data set be used to determine how the three alternative construct validation methodologies can be used in combination. Examples from the research literature are discussed in order to demonstrate the application of these guidelines.

Determining the optimal sample size for decision making

This paper presents a solution to the optimal fixed sample size two-state, two-action decision problem stated in its classical, asymptotic form. An optimal solution is obtained via Newton’s method. The solution algorithm is programmed for a hand held calculator, and is shown to converge in very few steps.

Factors Affecting Industrial Marketing Performance

This paper develops a conceptual definition of industrial marketing performance. Controllable and uncontrollable variables are related to marketing performance via regression analysis using the PIMS data base.

An Expected Value Model of the Consumer

There are virtually no studies on consumer use of the court. This study alleviates this void by developing emotional and rational models of the consumer decision to seek legal redress. The models were tested with the results of a mail survey of 223 consumer whose complaints were not resolved by state mediation. A probit analysis indicated that both models seem to be accurate predictors of whether consumer would take legal action.

Obtaining a Premium Price by Managing the Firm’s Reputation for Quality

A price-quality model is presented and tested using the PIMS database. Relative price is shown to be a function of a business’s overall reputation for quality. A business’s reputation for quality is in turn, heavily influenced by three marketing mix variables: product quality, customer service, and marketing communications efforts. Three environmental variables -relative market share, type of market entry and number of customers exert a smaller influence. The need to effectively manage these relationships in order to obtain a price premium is discussed.

WORD POSITION IN UNIPOLAR SEMANTIC STAPEL SCALES

This study examined the effects of adjective placement on Stapel Scale values. Results for 63 college students showed that the attitude-rating values generated by three different word positions did not differ significantly.

The marketing of hamburger buns: An improved model for prediction

The Spring 1974 issue of this Journal published a paper that presented a model for predicting sales of hamburger buns. This article evaluates the model on the bases of statistical reporting, model specification, and implications for production policy. In addition, using the same data used for the original model, an improved model is developed whereby there is a 50% increase in explained variance.