V. Kanti Prasad

Predictors of export strategy and performance of small- and medium-sized firms

Abstract The industrial organization model suggests that market position in an industry is a significant input to multinational enterprises (MNEs) internationalization decision and subsequent performance. The transaction cost models consider the characteristics of a MNEs industry and requirements of location as most relevant to the internationalization decision. The strategic management (SM) model considers strategy and resources as factors which are firm-specific that exert influence on performance. This empirical study dealing with small- medium-sized firms validates export development strategy in the context of the SM model.

Television commercials in violent programming: An experimental evaluation of their effects on children

Using an experimental method, this study found that when a commercial was viewed immediately following a high-violence dramatic programming segment, children’s ad copy recognition scores were significantly lower and attitudes toward the ad and the advertised brand were significantly less favorable than when the commercial was viewed following a low-violence (but otherwise near-identical) program segment. The influence of program violence level on some advertising response measures was more pronounced when the commercial was positioned immediately following the dramatic programming segment than when immediately preceding it. The study cautions advertisers to examine carefully whether, in reaching for high audience ratings and cost efficiency through violent television programs, they may be sacrificing communication effectiveness of their brand advertising.

Women entrepreneurs and business venture growth: an examination of the influence of human and social capital resources in an Indian context

Abstract Current understanding of women entrepreneurs, and in particular those within emerging economies, remains limited. This is despite the fact that the prevalence of women entrepreneurs across emerging economies has grown. Consequently, using India as a research context, the purpose of this study was to identify specific human and social capital factors that may contribute to venture growth for women entrepreneurs in emerging economies. Results suggest that both human and social capital factors play a role in determining business growth for Indian women entrepreneurs. Specifically, human capital factors related to industry experience as well as prior entrepreneurial experience were significant contributors, as were social capital factors related to the size of individuals’ business networks and the support received from family members. However, education, parental business ownership, and network composition characteristics relative to kinship ties were not significant predictors of venture growth in an Indian context.

EXPLORING ENTREPRENEURIAL FULFILLMENT FOR WOMEN IN INDIA: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Drawing on social feminist theory, Indian cultural precepts, and previous research, we explore factors which may influence entrepreneurial fulfillment for women entrepreneurs in India. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis suggest that numerous network characteristics, as well as perceptions of family support, each contribute to a sense of entrepreneurial fulfillment for Indian women entrepreneurs. These factors furthermore each contributed to entrepreneurial fulfillment beyond the influence of the financial performance of the venture. Implications for understanding women entrepreneurs in emerging economies are discussed, as are practical implications for both women entrepreneurs and policy makers. We additionally present directions for future research.

Antecedents of Taiwan Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intentions Toward U.S.- and Japanese-Made Household Appliances

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to understand the factors influencing Taiwans Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions toward U.S. and Japanese household appliances. The authors attempt to develop and test a comprehensive model linking such purchase intentions to several constructs including Taiwan Chinese consumers’ openness to foreign cultures, consumer nationalism, product familiarity, traditional cultural values orientation, and product-country image. The result of analysis using structural equation modeling shows that consumer nationalism has a strong indirect effect on purchase intention via the product-country image construct. Taiwan Chinese consumers’ traditional cultural values orientation and openness to foreign cultures have direct effects on consumer nationalism and, hence, are important antecedents in explaining the purchase intentions toward foreign-made goods by Taiwan Chinese consumers. With the growing importance of the Chinese domestic market, this study provides international marketing managers with practical implications in important areas such as market segmentation, branding strategy, and market research and practices in the Chinese consumer market.

Global Sourcing Practices and ISO 9000 International Quality Standards

While global sourcing gained early prominence for cost advantages, increasingly more firms are engaged in it now for reasons of strategic positioning and other competitive advantages (Swamidass 1993, Biron and Fawcett 1993). Carter and Narsimgan (1990) attributed the surge in offshore buying to i) lower costs, ii) improved quality, iii) manufacturing flexibility, and iv) access to new technology. Some recent studies, based on specific company case histories suggested interconnections between inward internationalization (global sourcing) and outward internationaliz.ation process such as exporting (Welch and Luostarinen 1993). With the growth of globalization of business, the need for harmonization of the myriad of industry-specific and national standards of quality also grew. The ISO 9000 international quality standards have been developed in response to this need, and gained critical importance with the economic integration of the European Union. The current study examined interrelationships between global sourcing, exporting, and preparation for ISO 9000 certification.

Personal Correlates of Generalized Consumer Preferences for Family Brands

The study investigated consumer characteristics associated with family brand loyalty in cosmetics-buying. Results showed that readership of magazines (especially home and family type) was significantly and positively correlated with family brand loyalty. It was also found that family brand loyalty in cosmetics buying increased with family income and age, but decreased with education level of the shopper. However, store loyalty or store type did not significantly influence family brand loyalty in this product category.

State Characteristics and Economic Internationalization

The American states differ widely in their economic characteristics and capabilities and their international orientation (“outward look”), which, in combination, may affect their relative competitiveness and performance in international economic activities. The present paper focused on state characteristics associated with two important elements of state economic internationalization: inward foreign direct investment and export intensity. Multivariate analyses identified two state characteristics that are significantly related to both elements of economic internationalization: lower levels of unionization and state spending targeted for promoting international economic activities (e.g. trade development, export promotion, inward/outward foreign direct investment). On the other hand, different sets of other state characteristics were found to be associated with high performance on the two selected elements of internationalization: lower state and local taxes, better interstate and airport infrastructure capabilities and higher consumer buying power were associated with higher inward foreign direct investment, while higher patent registrations, extensive water transportation capabilities, higher hourly wages and higher state and local taxes were associated with higher export intensity of the states. Further research is underway to examine the consistency of the findings for specific groups of industries and trading partner countries.

The Medicare HMO Choice for the Elderly: An Analysis of Needs and Concerns

Marketing of a prepaid health plan to Medicare beneficiaries presents some new challenges to HMOs. Whereas the traditional HMOs targeting the employed population are characterized by group marketing, Medicare HMO marketing focuses primarily on individuals. The success of Medicare HMOs depends on whether they can convince the elderly to switch from the standard fee-for-service arrangement under which they currently receive health care, to a prepaid health plan. Understanding the consumer behavior of Medicare beneficiaries becomes a critical factor in designing effective marketing strategies for Medicare HMOs. Because of the relative newness of Medicare HMOs, there has been a dearth of published research studies which focuses on the health care choice processes of the elderly.

Evoked set size—Personality correlates and mediating variables

A study is reported which presents some positive results in investigating the usefulness of a cognitive variable— ‘need for cognitive clarity,’ in explaining variations in evoked set magnitude among consumers when the mediating effects of consumer perceptions of performance risk and specific self-confidence were taken into account.