Soo Jiuan Tan

Strategies for reducing consumers’ risk aversion in Internet shopping

Using experimental design and conjoint analysis, this paper studies the risk perception of Singaporean consumers on Internet shopping, and tests the effectiveness of several risk‐reducing strategies that Internet marketers could use in promoting online shopping among consumers. The results show that Singaporean consumers with a higher degree of risk aversion than others tend to perceive Internet shopping to be a risky activity. However, Internet marketers could rely on using reference group appeal as the most preferred risk relievers for this group of consumers, particularly by getting expert users to endorse the products involved. In addition, the marketer’s reputation, the brand’s image, and specific warranty strategies are also effective risk relievers for the potential Internet shoppers.

Dealing with Resource Disadvantage: Generic Strategies for SMEs

This paper identifies three generic strategies for SMEs taking into account explicitly their resource disadvantage. In addition to the much advocated niching strategy, we show that SMEs can free-ride on the bigger firms market development efforts and/or they can form strategic alliances to force accommodation by the bigger rivals. Contrary to conventional arguments, we show that success in niching is not conditional upon the continued ignorance of the niche by the bigger firms. It is also not true that the SMEs must have a cost advantage vis-à-vis the bigger firms in order to niche or to free-ride successfully. The bigger firms faced with entry into their markets by SMEs encounter the classical chain-store paradox. The three generic strategies proposed here are designed to force accommodation by the bigger firms.

A Typology of Animosity and its Cross-National Validation:

Four types of animosity, the emotional antagonism felt toward a specific entity, were identified as a function of their sources (situational vs. stable) and locus (personal vs. national) of manifestation. A five-country survey was conducted in Asia to validate the typology, using the United States and Japan as target entities. Results affirmed the four-factor structure of the proposed typology. Several cross-national differences in animosity were also uncovered. Indonesians, Malaysians, and Thais tended to have greater situational animosity toward the United States than Japan, except for Koreans and Singaporeans. Not surprisingly, Koreans showed greater stable animosity toward Japan than the United States. Asians also demonstrated a higher level of animosity at the national than personal level. Implications arising from the findings are discussed and directions for future research suggested.

Generic marketing strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises – conceptual framework and examples from Asia

Although the existing literature discusses strategies available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), they do not address the plight faced by SMEs, namely resource limitations in their strategy formulation. Drawing on deductive logic, this paper identifies and conceptualizes three marketing strategies which are generic to SMEs and which specifically take into consideration the competitive reactions of bigger incumbent firms. These three generic marketing strategies are substitution, free riding and strategic deterrence. Successful substitution calls for the SME to offer differentiated yet substitutable products to that of an incumbent so as to force accommodation by the latter. Free riding allows the SME to enter a served market segment without having to incur market development expenses. Finally, strategic deterrence aims to deter a bigger incumbent firm from embarking on aggressive counteractions against the SME. This can be achieved by the formation of strategic alliances and/or incurring sunk costs in order to signal the SMEs commitments to stay in the market credibly. Examples from Asian SMEs are given to illustrate the three generic strategies.

Warranty and warrantor reputations as signals of hybrid product quality

Examines the use of warranty and warrantor reputations, which have been shown to be credible signals of product quality for uni‐national products, to overcome consumers’ negative perceptions about hybrid products. An experiment is conducted, in which the level of warranty coverage and the warrantor’s reputation are manipulated. Results indicate that warranty strategies, in terms of warranty coverage and warrantor reputation, are effective in overcoming consumers’ negative perception about the hybrid product’s quality. Strategy implications for firms in the advanced and emerging economies are discussed.

Can consumers' scepticism be mitigated by claim objectivity and claim extremity?

By focusing on the construct called consumer scepticism towards advertisements, this study identified four dimensions of scepticism towards advertising claims: scepticism about the believability (disbelief), credibility (mistrust), desirability (undesirable) and informational value (misinform) of advertising claims. Using an experimental design setting, this study found that the type of claim and claim extremity solicit differential responses from consumers on different dimensions of the scepticism construct. The differential responses are more pronounced for a product than a service advertisement. Implications arising from the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research advanced.

The Wellbeing of Singaporeans: Values, Lifestyles, Satisfaction and Quality of Life

This book is part of the authors’ continuing research on quality of life issues in Singapore. It builds on past research into the values and lifestyles of Singaporeans and focuses on their well-being. In addition, the findings of the 2006 Asia Barometer Survey (for Singaporean respondents) are presented; revealing comprehensive insights into their values, lifestyles, priorities in life, worries, life satisfaction, quality of life, etc. Selective comparisons are also made with the other East Asian countries covered in the same survey, namely, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Happiness and wellbeing : the Singaporean experience

1. Introduction, Context and Research Methodology 2. Subjective Wellbeing (I): Satisfaction with Life, Life Domains and Living in Singapore 3. Subjective Wellbeing (II): Happiness, Enjoyment, Achievement and Other Aspects 4. Personal Values and Spirituality 5. Value Orientations and Clustering of Singaporeans 6. National Identity, Rights and Politics 7. Determinants of Wellbeing and Role of the Government 8. Conclusion and Implications

Strategic management of grey marketing

Grey marketing or parallel importing has predominantly been viewed as a result of the price discriminatory practices of manufacturers. Strategy prescriptions based on this perspective call for antagonistic actions by authorized dealers and/or manufacturers against grey marketers. However, if grey marketing is not due solely to price discrimination, then such prescriptions become questionable. This paper offers an alternative view of grey marketing - that it is a free-rider problem. We present a conceptual model based on a game theoretic approach of grey marketing in which the grey marketer free rides on the authorized distributors market-creating advertising and promotional efforts. Based on this perspective, we derive strategic responses for authorized distributors and manufacturers for managing grey marketing and identify when they should counter, pre-empt or even accommodate the grey marketers. This contrasts with the price discrimination perspective, which seems to imply that there is little authorized dealers can do to counter the grey marketers, short of pleading with the manufacturer for prohibitive actions.

Singapore: A Happy State of Mind?

This book chapter first provides a broad perspective on the state of happiness and quality of life in Singapore. Beginning with indices and measures from international studies that generally rank Singapore highly, it then focuses on the findings from four nationwide surveys conducted in 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2006. The following research questions are discussed in detail: Does Singapore’s rising GDP lead to more happiness? Who are the people who are happy in Singapore? Can money buy happiness in Singapore? What really makes Singaporeans happy? Can the government manufacture happiness for Singaporeans? As demographic differences are minimal, it is more important to understand the effect of the value orientations of Singaporeans, other life domains such as personal relationships, the sense of Singaporean identity, how the government is performing and the priorities on government spending. The recent General Election also highlighted the key issues that have influenced the happiness of Singaporeans, including costs of living, national identity and political participation.