Ashraf M. Attia and Earl D. Honeycutt
The purpose of this article is to improve the sales training process by gaining a deeper understanding of the first two levels – reaction and learning.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to improve the sales training process by gaining a deeper understanding of the first two levels – reaction and learning.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 79 sales supervisors of a US firm operating in Egypt participated in the study. They evaluated level 1 (reaction) by rating the design and operation of their sales training programs. Level 2 measured the value of information gained from training topics.
Findings
Trainees stated that the training either helped or solved sales and non‐sales problems. Data from both training levels were factored analyzed and each resulted in a two‐factor solution.
Research limitations/implications
This research offers advice for setting standards for evaluating sales training programs. Knowledge gained is more important to determining if sales training has been effective. Learning evaluation showed that trainees believed the value of selling skills, company information, and behavioral training topics were valuable and the role of the instructor was important.
Practical implications
This research offers advice for setting standards for evaluating sales training programs. Knowledge gained is more important to determining if sales training has been effective. Learning evaluation showed that trainees believed the value of selling skills company information and behavioral training topics were valuable and the role of the instructor was important.
Originality/value
Since global firms devote significant sums of time and money training their sales forces, the greater understanding of the process results in improved effectiveness of sales training programs.
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Earl D. Honeycutt and John B. Ford
In today’s global economy, increasing numbers of companies are entering the international marketplace. The quality of managerial actions in salesforce hiring and training greatly…
Abstract
In today’s global economy, increasing numbers of companies are entering the international marketplace. The quality of managerial actions in salesforce hiring and training greatly influences the overall success of the firm. Although most companies attempt to select and train the most appropriate global salespersons, mistakes are difficult to repair and can lead to business failure. Examines selection and training procedures in a global environment, discusses specific problem situations encountered in the field by the authors, and provides guidance to assist sales managers make more successful hiring and training decisions for their worldwide sales team.
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Shawn T. Thelen, Earl D. Honeycutt and Thomas P. Murphy
The purpose of this paper is to determine if consumers exhibit a country of service origin preference and to understand what service quality attributes consumers perceive to be…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine if consumers exhibit a country of service origin preference and to understand what service quality attributes consumers perceive to be most important when receiving services that originate from abroad.
Design/methodology/approach
Respondents rated their perception of service quality, measured through an expanded version of the SERVQUAL scale considered appropriate for offshore service encounters, for various countries popular for providing offshore services to the USA. Countries, selected from the A.T. Kearney Offshore Location Attractiveness Index, represented various regions of the world, economic development, cultural distance, and near/offshore locations.
Findings
Results, from both regional and national studies, indicate that US citizens possess a country of service origin (COSO) hierarchy based on perceived service quality. Communication, security, and reliability are the most important service quality attributes for consumers when receiving an off‐shored service. Significant differences were identified among countries for each of these service quality attributes.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that firms need to be aware of consumer attitudes and perceptions about countries considered attractive for offshoring. The most preferred countries to consumers for services offshoring are not necessarily the ones with the highest skilled labor, lowest cost, or geographic closeness to the home country.
Originality/value
The paper extends the concept of country of origin (COO) to services and expands the current knowledge base of consumer opinions about services offshoring.
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John B. Ford, Michael S. LaTour, Earl D. Honeycutt and Jr
Compares adult women’s perceptions of sex role portrayals in advertising across demo‐graphically‐diverse samples from the USA, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand. Tests a structural…
Abstract
Compares adult women’s perceptions of sex role portrayals in advertising across demo‐graphically‐diverse samples from the USA, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand. Tests a structural equations model using EQS. The findings indicate that there were varying degrees of criticism across the samples with regard to sex role portrayals, company image and purchase intentions. Finds a significant structural linkage between criticality of role portrayals and company image as well as between company image and purchase intention. Identifies the existence of “feminist consciousness” across the various samples and also examines its impact on perceptions and intentions to purchase. Presents implications for global advertisers.
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Vincent P. Magnini, John B. Ford, Edward P. Markowski and Earl D. Honeycutt
The purpose of this study is to address the discrepancy between research that supports the service failure recovery and that which does not by examining customer satisfaction in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to address the discrepancy between research that supports the service failure recovery and that which does not by examining customer satisfaction in the event of a service failure empirically.
Design/methodology/approach
The objective of the study was achieved by conducting role‐play experiments on undergraduate business students.
Findings
Analysis showed that a service recovery paradox is most likely to occur when the failure is not considered by the customer to be severe, the customer has had no prior failure with the firm, the cause of the failure was viewed as unstable by the customer, and the customer perceived that the company had little control over the cause of the failure.
Originality/value
This information should benefit service managers since service failures are common and typically trigger heightened customer attention. These findings may stimulate future research because the limitations of this study include the use of undergraduate business students and the examination of only one service setting. Nevertheless, this paper does demonstrate that, under the appropriate conditions, a customer can experience a paradoxical satisfaction increase after a service failure.
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Nicholas C. Williamson, Grace Kissling, Nancy Cassill and Dmitriy Odinokov
Two hypotheses concerning two variables that potentially influence the “add/drop” foreignmarket decisions of U.S. exporters of sewing machines are developed and empirically…
Abstract
Two hypotheses concerning two variables that potentially influence the “add/drop” foreign market decisions of U.S. exporters of sewing machines are developed and empirically tested. The variables are import market potential, and a surrogate measure of import market competitiveness. A third variable, concerning a developing country’s “trade regime” – Import Substituting, Export Promoting (Bhagwati, 1978) – is employed as a control variable in the tests. The two hypotheses are confirmed, and the results shed light on how U.S. exporters of sewing machines should analyze data on the three variables en route to adjusting their respective portfolios of export markets in a context of making add/drop foreign market decisions. The results of the research potentially contribute to three different literatures: the international marketing literature, the competitiveness literature and the “trade regime” literature in international economics.
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Dinesh Sharma, B.S. Sahay and Amit Sachan
Previous research in the area of distributor performance proposed different scales, mostly in western, developed country context. These studies also lacked the consideration of…
Abstract
Previous research in the area of distributor performance proposed different scales, mostly in western, developed country context. These studies also lacked the consideration of dynamic interaction between variables, which determine the distributor’s performance. This paper proposes a composite Distributor Performance Index (DPI) to evaluate distributors’ performance based on at the “Enables” and “Results”, taking a system dynamics approach. The model results have been discussed and validated, in business marketing channel. The context of this study is India, an emerging market.
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Carl A. Young, Nicolette Filson and Rachael Debnam-O’Dea
Purpose – To examine the potential social media has for increasing pre-service English language arts (ELA) teachers’ language interest, awareness, and content knowledge by…
Abstract
Structured Abstract
Purpose – To examine the potential social media has for increasing pre-service English language arts (ELA) teachers’ language interest, awareness, and content knowledge by engaging them in an ongoing collaborative effort to seek out, make observation about, and highlight contemporary examples of language, literacy, and culture in action in global media using Twitter as a platform.
Design – The research design was qualitative and included a thematic analysis of Twitter posts from the pre-service teacher participants during the semester, informal feedback about the experience during the semester, and written reflections at the end of the semester. Students worked independently on the assignment throughout the semester, outside of a few brief, and informal check-ins during class by the instructor. At the end of the semester, students completed an open-ended survey to reflect on their experiences with and takeaways from participating in this Twitter-based language exploration activity. The theoretical frameworks that were foundational to the study included the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2008) and Andrews’ (2006) criteria for language exploration and awareness.
Findings – The findings of this qualitative study indicate that engaging pre-service teachers in an ongoing collaborative effort to promote language, literacy, and culture via social media has great potential in terms of students increasing not only their knowledge of language and language awareness, but also their TPACK overall. Specific examples of how participants responded to the experience are provided.
Practical Implications – This study contributes to the literature on the potential impact of social media on content area learning and teacher preparation by providing concrete, research-based suggestions for how both English teacher educators and middle and secondary ELA teachers can engage in collaborative efforts to learn more about, expand definitions of, and promote aspects related to ELA content, like language awareness, variety, and dialect. It includes recommendations for both teacher educators and middle and secondary ELA teachers to expand their notions for defining and teaching aspects of language that go beyond a narrow focus on grammar and to consider ways that social media and digital literacies can enhance these efforts.
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This paper focuses on the problems inherent in the use of student samples in business research.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focuses on the problems inherent in the use of student samples in business research.
Design/methodology/approach
The subject is examined through the opinions of prior researchers, and the pros and cons are presented. The issues of internal and external validity are discussed, and the dangers of theory development without proper application are highlighted.
Findings
Business researchers are cautioned, especially in the case of scale development and cross-cultural research, to avoid the use of student samples.
Originality/value
While this subject has been the source of debate for many years, business researchers are still regularly using student samples for their research. The dangers are too great to simply be ignored because the price is right.
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Nory B. Jones, Richard T. Herschel and Douglas D. Moesel
Executives and strategists have long recognized the value of knowledge as a primary driving source for a firm’s sustainable competitive advantage – hence the creation by many…
Abstract
Executives and strategists have long recognized the value of knowledge as a primary driving source for a firm’s sustainable competitive advantage – hence the creation by many firms of a position called the chief knowledge officer (CKO). However, many people have proposed differing perspectives and models relating to the concept of knowledge management. In this paper differing knowledge management viewpoints are examined, by examining and integrating theories relating to the diffusion of innovations and change agents. The roles of change agents, innovators, and opinion leaders, such as CKOs, are explored in terms of effective knowledge management strategies and techniques. A model and strategies are proposed that can serve as a framework for CKOs and other knowledge management change agents to effectively facilitate the acquisition and use of knowledge in the firm by effectively using an organizational memory system.