Defines an “evoked set” as those brands which become alternatives to those goods chosen by a buyer in a buying situation. Examines why the buyer chooses only to evaluate a limited…
Abstract
Defines an “evoked set” as those brands which become alternatives to those goods chosen by a buyer in a buying situation. Examines why the buyer chooses only to evaluate a limited number of possible choice alternatives, and investigates the number of alternatives which enter into the buyer's considerations. Tries to locate factors influencing the number of alternatives evaluated. Suggests that the size of the “evoked set” is largely determined by the buyer's experience of the buying situation and insight.
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Robert E. Spekman and Kjell Gronhaug
Acknowledges the multiperson nature of the industrial business buying process and the development of the buying centre as the unit of analysis for business/organization buying…
Abstract
Acknowledges the multiperson nature of the industrial business buying process and the development of the buying centre as the unit of analysis for business/organization buying behaviour. Addresses two main themes: conceptual issues and alternative views; and methodological dilemma. Looks at the concept of the buying centre and discusses structural properties and process considerations of the buying centre. Closes by outlining research opportunities. Concludes that present research suffers from two major flaws which inhibit development; that buying centre research tends to be descriptive, with over‐reliance on anecdotal information so that research is devoid of any theoretical foundation; and secondly many present findings have grown from research which reflects individual methodologies.
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Reports on an empirical study of media decisions: the findings show, not unexpectedly, that advertising agencies with a separate media department use more information and carry…
Abstract
Reports on an empirical study of media decisions: the findings show, not unexpectedly, that advertising agencies with a separate media department use more information and carry out more detailed selection processes. Decides to consider some of the factors that may influence the choice of media and believes the type of insight this approach could give might be of benefit to the parties involved. Considers advertising to be an effective weapon in competition – it is they who bear the advertising costs. Sums up that it is reasonable to assume that better media choice can be achieved by taking account of the conditions to which attention is drawn.
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Kjell Gronhaug and Robert Stone
Twenty years ago, Senge's, 1990 pioneering article, ”The learning organization,” published in MIT's Sloan Management Review, received center‐stage attention. The concept received…
Abstract
Purpose
Twenty years ago, Senge's, 1990 pioneering article, ”The learning organization,” published in MIT's Sloan Management Review, received center‐stage attention. The concept received much support and was followed with articles by prominent writers and educators, Margaret Wheatley amongst them. Only ten years later, however, another prominent writer and educator, David Garvin, remarked, “Learning organizations have been embraced in theory but are still surprisingly rare.” The purpose of this paper is to argue and present support for a perspective that learning organizations have existed for over 100 years. Linking this concept to the past versus arguing that learning organizations are new will better pave the way for learning organizations to achieve a status of being more than simply “embraced in theory.”
Design/methodology/approach
Three objectives were presented. The first developed an historical link, with the goal of showing that learning organizations have had a rich history and did not simply appear in 1990. The approach to the second was based on drawing implications from literature about the learning process. The very heart of competitiveness depends on how firm members experience the learning process. The process is a function of the use of tools (T) within a learning climate (C) and their interaction (T x C). The approach to the third objective was to conceptualize learning climate dimensions, old compared to new learning organizations.
Findings
First, the idea that learning is always a competitiveness issue has not been consistently advanced in the literature, if hardly at all. Second, the internal learning climates within firms are what is at the heart of other cultures' successes. Much time has been spent studying the tools used in these firms, for instance quality circles, but little time with the climate learning dimension. The climate dimension has been the reason for their success.
Originality/value
The paper presents a tools/climate learning dimensions matrix (a 2x2 matrix) and develops the understanding that all learning stems from two learning dimensions, tools, and the learning dimension, climate, within which the tools are employed. Within this discussion, the authors present the idea of the competitive advantage of cultures; this advantage appearing in a firm as a consequence of the “climate learning dimension” of various cultures. The concluding section of the paper presents five climate dimensions; those of yesterday compared with those of today. These well known management perspectives (e.g. single loop learning/double loop learning, independence/interdependence) are linked to the learning process with a special focus on the climate dimension of the process. It is there that the degree of the firm's competitiveness is enhanced.
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Kjell Gronhaug and J.S. Falkenberg
Managers and organizations need to understand their surroundingenvironments to exhibit purposeful behaviour. Due to limited cognitivecapacity their rationality is limited as well…
Abstract
Managers and organizations need to understand their surrounding environments to exhibit purposeful behaviour. Due to limited cognitive capacity their rationality is limited as well. Attribution and attributional research serves point of departure to capture how managers and organizations make sense of their internal and external environments, enabling them to act purposefully. Explores a set of tentative hypotheses in a small scale study and demonstrates differences in success attributions between managers and across managerial teams in high‐ and low‐performing organizations. Highlights theoretical and managerial implications.
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Arnt Buvik, Otto Andersen and Kjell Gronhaug
The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of the prior relationship length and employments of supplier specific investments on buyers' control, and compare this effect…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of the prior relationship length and employments of supplier specific investments on buyers' control, and compare this effect across international and domestic business-to-business relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The sampling frame consisted of members of a National Association Purchasing and Logistics, and the respondents were asked to select one major supplier that would serve as a referent in answering the questions. In total, 156 purchasing firms responded to the questionnaire, and multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Under condition with substantial supplier specific investments, buyers' control relaxes significantly as the length of the relationship increases in international supplier-buyer relationships, while such change in governance pattern is completely absent in domestic relationships.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on a cross-sectional design and does not fully capture the dynamics of business-to-business relationships. Future research should use different methodologies such as longitudinal studies to examine dynamic relationships among the constructs in the study.
Practical implications
When strong inter-firm dependency is present, the level of buyer control in relationships with foreign suppliers is typically high in the early stage of the relationships in order to handle the problems of information asymmetry and prospective opportunistic behavior, and decline as the buyer's experiential knowledge with the foreign supplier increases with successive lower performance ambiguity. This governance pattern is less evident in domestic business-to-business relationships due to the potential effect of stronger reputation effects and stronger familiarity with current standards of trade.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the understanding that the changes in governance form over time will be highly contingent on the level of information asymmetry and inter-firm dependency in the early stage of the exchange relationship.
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Until recently, little research has been directed at the measurement of the impact of governmental support on the firm. The major focus of this article is on the methodological…
Abstract
Until recently, little research has been directed at the measurement of the impact of governmental support on the firm. The major focus of this article is on the methodological and measurement issues that appear to have a confounding effect and may account for broad equivocality of the findings in many of the studies. An evaluation paradigm is developed and applied to the research reviewed. The article concludes with a synthesis of the issues and provides specific directions for future research.
David Carson, Audrey Gilmore and Aohdeen O’Donnell
The authors describe a research model that they have found particularly helpful in their pursuit of “Interface” research. They are keen to share what they consider good practice…
Abstract
The authors describe a research model that they have found particularly helpful in their pursuit of “Interface” research. They are keen to share what they consider good practice with other colleagues who are either considering conducting research into, or are keen to start researching into, the “Interface”.
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Considers the need for industrial marketers to understand buyers′behavioural choices, which are affected by various factors. Examinestypes of behaviour and their implications for…
Abstract
Considers the need for industrial marketers to understand buyers′ behavioural choices, which are affected by various factors. Examines types of behaviour and their implications for marketing strategy, offering a company example. Concludes that the development of a successful marketing strategy requires the accurate prediction of buyer behaviour, offering a useful model.