Troy A. Festervand

Business ethics: Conflicts, practices and beliefs of industrial executives

This paper presents the responses of 118 executives to a mail survey which examined their views of business ethics and various business practices. In addition to identifying various sources of ethical conflict, current business practices are also examined with respect to how ethical or unethical each is believed to be. Results are also presented which outline executive responses to four ethical business situations. Overall conclusions to the study are outlined, as well as future research needs.

Influence of catalog vs. store shopping and prior satisfaction on perceived risk

This paper presents the results of a study which examines the overall amount and types of risk consumers perceive when purchasing the same products by direct mail as compared to retail stores. The effect of prior catalog shopping experience on perceived risk is also examined. The results indicate that despite the gains achieved by the direct mail industry, consumers continue to perceive this shopping mode as being significantly more risky. Differences were also found with respect to the individual types of risk perceived. A significant relationship between perceived risk and the satisfaction/dissatisfaction derived from prior catalog purchase experience was also identified.

A Normative Model of Sales Force Feedback as an Element of a Marketing Information System

This paper sets forth a normative model of sales force feedback. In doing so, three primary dimensions and several subdimensions are identified and discussed. Also presented are frameworks for evaluating an existing system and establishing an initial system.

Attitudes of the Elderly Toward their Portrayal in Advertisements

This paper reports the results of a study of elderly consumers attitudes toward advertising in general, their portrayal in such, and their response to this portrayal. The results generally indicate that the elderly as a whole hold neutral” attitudes toward advertising in general, but dislike their portrayal by advertisers to the extent that some elderly may engage in limited boycotting.” This is particularly true of elderly women and the elderly Black consumer.

Student Attitudes Toward Selling: A New Perspective

In recent years, numerous studies have examined perceptions and attitudes toward sales. However, most suffer a common limitation, the failure to differentiate between retail and industrial sales.