Hanny N. Nasution and Felix T. Mavondo
The paper aims to investigate the cultural and implementation organisational capabilities that contribute to provision of superior customer values through operationalising…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate the cultural and implementation organisational capabilities that contribute to provision of superior customer values through operationalising customer value from both the business and customer perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
Two samples were developed: one for hotel managers (n=231) and the other for hotel guests (n=385). Data for the organisational capabilities were collected from managers; data for customer value were collected from both managers and customers. Two models were tested with respect to the relationship between cultural capabilities and implementation on customer value.
Findings
The results indicate that, among the cultural variables, integrated market orientation and intrapreneurship are significantly and positively related to customer value. The implementation capabilities, human resources practices and innovation are significantly related to customer value as seen by managers, but none of these was significant when regressed on customer value as experienced by customers.
Research limitations/implications
A test of measure equivalence would be desirable to establish whether customers and managers in responding to questions on customer value use the scales equivalently.
Practical implications
The study suggests that managers should adopt the customer's perspective as a useful guide to resource deployment and a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage. This enables organisations to invest in capabilities valued by customers.
Originality/value
The value of the paper lies in obtaining data for all the independent variables from managers, and data for the dependent variable, i.e. customer value, from both managers and customers, hence limiting common method bias.
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The paper reports an investigation into the marketing and performance consequences of organisations operating in regulated, deregulated and open market environments in Zimbabwe’s…
Abstract
The paper reports an investigation into the marketing and performance consequences of organisations operating in regulated, deregulated and open market environments in Zimbabwe’s developing economy. The findings suggest that organisations do not respond to environmental changes by adapting their marketing effort, hence the environment is a poor predictor of marketing effort. Organisational strategy has a far greater impact on marketing effort than the environment. However, the environment is an important predictor of organisational performance and has significant interaction with business strategy in influencing organisational performance hence it is a quasi‐moderator. Our result suggests that in regulated environments there may be “ideal‐type” strategies for effectiveness and across all environments the concept of equifinality is not supported. There is evidence to suggest that more adaptable strategy types outperform their less adaptive competitors. These results extend a popular typology to developing economies and allow some findings to be generalisable across countries at different stages of economic development.
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Felix T. Mavondo, Jacqueline Chimhanzi and Jillian Stewart
The paper investigates the relationships among learning orientation (LO), market orientation (MO), human resource practices (HRPs) and innovation and their association with…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper investigates the relationships among learning orientation (LO), market orientation (MO), human resource practices (HRPs) and innovation and their association with organisational performance. The aim is to show that HRPs and innovation are important mechanisms for transmitting the benefit of LO and MO into performance outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on extensive literature, a model of the relationships is developed and empirically tested using survey data collected from 220 businesses. Data are analysed through structural equation modelling and/or path modelling. The primary aim is to assess direct, indirect and total effects of LO and MO on performance outcomes through HRPs and innovation (conceptualised as administrative, process and product innovation) as mediators. The study carefully traces the effects of each variable to distinguish between indirect effects and mediated effects.
Findings
HRPs are a major mechanism for transmitting the benefits of LO and MO. In some models this is even more important than innovation. The results also suggest that LO should be viewed as exploration while MO is the interface between exploration and exploitation and, finally, HRPs and innovation must be viewed as exploitation or implementation issues.
Practical implications
The study suggests that marketers should include HRPs in models of LO, MO, and innovation to enhance the explanations of these to organisational performance. This study suggests HRPs and innovation are important mediators.
Originality/value
The paper suggests that marketers need to consider the impact of HRPs on achievement of marketing goals and organisational performance.
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Mark Farrell and Felix T. Mavondo
This paper integrates literature from downsizing and organisational learning. A conceptual framework is developed which argues that downsizing (adaptive or single loop learning…
Abstract
This paper integrates literature from downsizing and organisational learning. A conceptual framework is developed which argues that downsizing (adaptive or single loop learning) and reorientation (double loop or generative learning) will have a negative and positive effect respectively, on the three elements of a learning orientation: commitment to learning; shared vision); open‐mindedness. Data were collected from the top 2,000 manufacturers in Australia, and analysed using a structural equation modelling approach. Results confirm the study hypotheses. Implications for management are discussed, along with suggestions for further research.
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Tatiana Anisimova and Felix T. Mavondo
Global competition has increased a manufacturer focus on relationships and optimization of internal processes within channels of distribution. One of the central themes of channel…
Abstract
Purpose
Global competition has increased a manufacturer focus on relationships and optimization of internal processes within channels of distribution. One of the central themes of channel relationships and an important theoretical proposition in corporate branding has been achievement of alignment between corporate and stakeholder perspectives. Using three corporate brands, this study seeks to use a configurational theoretic approach to investigate how deviation of salespeople from the corporate perspective is related to their satisfaction and commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
The manager‐specified ideal corporate brand profile was used as a proxy for a corporate perspective and a benchmark. Applying the Profile Deviation approach to study the effects of misalignment, the authors hypothesise that salespeople's deviation from the corporate perspective is negatively related to their satisfaction and commitment.
Findings
Results, which were robust across the three corporate brands, partially support the hypotheses. However, positive performance implications of salesperson deviation suggest that the effects of misalignment are more complex than currently viewed in the literature. Findings and implications are discussed and research directions are developed.
Practical implications
The study offers insights into the areas of corporate brand misalignment, internal branding and salesmanship.
Originality/value
From the comparison of the three congruence models, it was intended to infer which corporation has succeeded in narrowing the perceptual discrepancy between the corporate and salesperson perspectives. By developing a fine‐grained analysis the study pin‐points the actual aspects that require co‐alignment, thus facilitating managerial decision making.
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Jody Evans, Alan Treadgold and Felix T. Mavondo
Research into firm internationalisation has identified psychic distance as a key factor in explaining variations in both expansion patterns and organisational performance. Despite…
Abstract
Research into firm internationalisation has identified psychic distance as a key factor in explaining variations in both expansion patterns and organisational performance. Despite the substantial growth in research on the internationalisation of retailing, most contributions have been highly descriptive and generally bereft of coherent theoretical frameworks. This paper postulates that the psychic distance concept may provide an appropriate theoretical framework to explain variations in the organisational performance of retailers operating in the international arena. It is recognised that psychic distance alone cannot explain variations between countries inretailers’ performance. Other factors, such as the strategic decision making process, entry strategy adopted, the nature of the retail offer and the extent of adaptation, and organisational and managerial characteristics also influence the organisational performance of international retailers.
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Ghada Talat Alhothali, Felix Mavondo and Islam Elgammal
In recent days, there has been an increasing interest towards achieving sustainable tourism objectives globally and specifically in Saudi Arabia. The benefits can be maximized if…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent days, there has been an increasing interest towards achieving sustainable tourism objectives globally and specifically in Saudi Arabia. The benefits can be maximized if the government is successful in attracting current pilgrims and influence their future intention to revisit the country as tourists. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to measure pilgrims’ revisit intentions to understand more about the possibility of their potential contribution towards the Saudi tourism and hospitality industry in the evolving circumstances.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses configuration theory to identify the “ideal” type of the pilgrims and compares this to the rest to establish if they differ and if that difference matters. Data were collected from 278 visitors to the Holy Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah.
Findings
The findings show that a large deviation from the “ideal pilgrim” is negatively related to revisiting intentions and dissemination of positive word of mouth (PWOM).
Research limitations/implications
The development of profiles gives a better understanding of organizations or people across several dimensions looked at holistically. Fundamental to the theory is that there are only a limited number of configurations that achieve optimal performance (however defined).
Originality/value
The analytical approach adopted in this paper leads to achieving verbal and statistical correspondence in tests of “gestalts”. The interest is in establishing whether this difference matters to intentions to revisit and providing PWOM.
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Naushaba Chowdhury, Pravin Balaraman and Jonathan Liu
Over the last five decades, business to business (B2B) marketing has evolved from a transactional model to a behavioral model. This evolution is a consequence of the rise in…
Abstract
Purpose
Over the last five decades, business to business (B2B) marketing has evolved from a transactional model to a behavioral model. This evolution is a consequence of the rise in thoughts of managing customer journeys, services marketing and acknowledging value co-creation amongst stakeholders. The contemporary B2B marketing strategies of relationship, innovation, sustainability and digital marketing that emerge through the literature review are discussed to demonstrate how they add value to the competitive advantage of firms and facilitate co-creation between business partners to help design the customer journey. The purpose of the paper is to discuss how the apparel industry could implement the B2B marketing strategies highlighted and further suggests a framework of value co-creation. The framework shows the journey between business partners followed by the value propositions as service exchange through resource integration within the service ecosystem.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a review of the literature, the evolution of B2B marketing unveils the importance of services marketing and how the marketing strategies discussed add value to the services marketing, this is further explored with propositions of value co-creation between business partners. The propositions are based on the theory of service dominant logic, whereby, the partners in the service ecosystem co-create value from value propositions offered by the business partners in collaboration with supply chain innovation.
Findings
A framework is suggested in the context of the apparel industry that demonstrates the value propositions as a part of the B2B marketing strategy. Through resource integration and collaboration between the business partners, the value propositions in the form of services, are exchanged resulting in value co-creation that leads to the ultimate offering to the end customer.
Research limitations/implications
The service dominant logic theory and the supply chain innovation model are the basis of the framework, showing the value propositions made, are in collaboration between the firm and the supply chain partners. The value propositions in the form of services are exchanged as an outcome of resource integration amongst the business partners resulting in value co-creation which will aid apparel manufacturers differentiate their services and manage customer journeys better. The framework will be further researched through primary research to determine its rationality in the real-world context. The nature of the industry being fast paced, the literature will be outdated in a short span of time and with the vast growth, new strategies will need to be executed eventually.
Practical implications
The paper discusses how the apparel industry can move forward with the B2B marketing strategies highlighted through the literature review and further suggests a framework of value co-creation. This will aid apparel manufacturers to focus their marketing efforts in an era of services marketing and compete better globally with service offerings.
Social implications
The competitive advantage strategies and other key emerging themes of co-creation, value co-creation and customer journeys are highlighted and shows increasing importance to the survival of businesses in an era of service orientation and relationship marketing.
Originality/value
Through a critical literature review of B2B marketing strategies and with the use of theoretical models of service dominant logic and supply chain innovation, the conceptual paper proposes a framework by the authors that allows future research to analyse value co-creation in B2B marketing strategies for the apparel industry.
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Sandra Luxton, Mike Reid and Felix Mavondo
Drawing on the resource-based view, this paper aims to investigate how a firm’s integrated marketing communication (IMC) as a capability is influenced by the organisational…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the resource-based view, this paper aims to investigate how a firm’s integrated marketing communication (IMC) as a capability is influenced by the organisational antecedents of learning orientation (LO), market orientation (MO) and brand orientation (BO). Further, the research examines how an IMC capability influences brand performance and whether these relationships are influenced by brand size.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on survey data from 187 managers responsible for brand communications, this paper applies structural equation modelling using SmartPLS3 to assess hypothesised relationships.
Findings
IMC capability is directly influenced by BO but not by MO and LO; these have important indirect effects. Size does not moderate key relationships but directly affects IMC capability.
Research limitations/implications
Organisational antecedents play an important role in shaping IMC capability and ultimately brand performance. Future researchers should consider a larger sample of brands and firms, IMC capability building in small firms and longitudinal design to evaluate the effects of IMC capability.
Practical implications
BO is nested in and complementary to learning and MO, and thus cannot stand alone. Developing an IMC capability is critical for translating the benefits of organisational orientations into performance outcomes. IMC capability links MO and BO to firm performance. Appropriate resourcing is critical for success, as it has implications for developing other resources and capabilities.
Originality/value
This study empirically establishes for the first time a relationship between critical organisational antecedents of LO, MO and BO, their influence on IMC capability and subsequently on brand performance.
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Sanjeewa Pradeep Wijayaratne, Mike Reid, Kate Westberg, Anthony Worsley and Felix Mavondo
Food literacy is an emerging concept associated with the skills, capabilities and knowledge to prepare a healthy diet and make healthy food choices. This study aims to examine how…
Abstract
Purpose
Food literacy is an emerging concept associated with the skills, capabilities and knowledge to prepare a healthy diet and make healthy food choices. This study aims to examine how a dietary gatekeeper’s intentions to prepare a healthy diet for their family, and the subsequent satisfaction that a healthy diet is achieved, is influenced by their food literacy and by barriers to healthy eating.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-stage cross-sectional study was undertaken with 756 dietary gatekeepers who completed a baseline (time 1) and a three-month follow-up (time 2) questionnaire. Partial least square-structural equation modeling was used to estimate relationships between gatekeeper food literacy, their demographic characteristics, socio-cognitive factors, time 1 satisfaction with the healthiness of the household diet and intention to provide a healthy family diet. The follow-up survey assessed subsequent satisfaction with the healthiness of the household diet and barriers to achieving it.
Findings
The results highlight the significance of the dietary gatekeeper’s food literacy in overcoming barriers to healthy eating and fostering increased satisfaction with the healthiness of the family diet. The research further highlights the influence of past satisfaction, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Several demographics factors are also highlighted as influential.
Research limitations/implications
The research offers new insights into the role of food literacy in the home environment including its influence on the dietary gatekeeper’s satisfaction with the family diet. The current model also provides strong evidence that food literacy can reduce the impact of barriers to healthy eating experienced by gatekeepers. The research has limitations associated with the socio-economic status of respondents and thus offers scope for research into different populations and their food literacy, younger and early formed cohabiting and the negotiation of food and dietary responsibility and on intergenerational food literacy.
Practical implications
The current findings regarding the impact of food literacy have significant implications for government agencies, non-profit agencies, educational institutions and other related stakeholders in their effort to curb obesity. Implications exist for micro-level programmes and actions designed to influence gatekeepers, family members and households and at the macro level for policies and programmes designed to influence the obesogenicity of the food environments.
Originality/value
The current study is one of the first to offer evidence on the role of food literacy in the home environment and its ability to overcome barriers to healthy eating. The research provides social marketers and public policymakers with novel insights regarding the need for increased food literacy and for developing interventions to improve food literacy in dietary gatekeepers.