Looks at how consumers used a pharmaceutical Web site to learn about a particular disease or product. Probes whether visitors used the Web site to decide which drug was right for…
Abstract
Looks at how consumers used a pharmaceutical Web site to learn about a particular disease or product. Probes whether visitors used the Web site to decide which drug was right for them and whether they actually planned to request the product from their doctor. Gender and age differences in the use of Web site information were also examined. Increasing use of the Internet and data that show that direct‐to‐consumer advertising of prescription drugs empowers the patient to take a more active role in his/her choice of medications makes this article important for marketers as well as regulators.
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This research examines how URLs in Chinese mass media advertising affect noticeability, perceptions and behavior among internet users and non‐users.
Abstract
Purpose
This research examines how URLs in Chinese mass media advertising affect noticeability, perceptions and behavior among internet users and non‐users.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses advertising effectiveness measures to investigate the perceived effects of URLs in traditional media advertising. Six hundred and twenty‐seven random telephone interviews among adult internet users and non‐users were conducted in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
Findings
Results showed the inclusion of a URL in an ad enhanced brand perceptions and increased consumers' likelihood to visit the web site.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include a low response rate, self‐reported data, and limited analysis of internet users and non‐users. Future research could use an experimental design and update data as web presence and internet usage grows.
Practical implications
This research adds to knowledge about web advertising in China and suggests that marketers may benefit from an early web presence.
Originality/value
It suggests that marketers need to be more strategic about how web presence affects brand perception among users and non‐users of the internet.
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Wen Gong, Rodney L. Stump and Lynda M. Maddox
The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the factors influencing Chinese consumers to shop online by exploring the effects of user demographic characteristics…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the factors influencing Chinese consumers to shop online by exploring the effects of user demographic characteristics and media characteristics on shopping intention.
Design/methodology/approach
A nationwide online survey of 503 Chinese consumers was carried out to test the proposed conceptual model of online shopping intention using hierarchical regression. The results support most of the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
Chinese consumers' age, income, education and marital status, and their perceived usefulness are significant predictors of online shopping intention.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should use actual online purchases as the dependent variable and explore the effects of product characteristics, merchants and intermediate characteristics, as well as environmental influences in online shopping behavior.
Practical implications
Consideration of individual differences in explaining Chinese consumers' online buying intention could provide a better understanding of users' adoption of the internet as a shopping and transaction channel, as well as enhance an e‐tailer's market targeting and segmentation effectiveness. E‐marketers should incorporate features that can enhance online shopping efficiency.
Originality/value
Given the tremendous growth of B2C e‐commerce in China, there is a critical need for understanding what drives Chinese consumers to shop online. As one of the few large‐scale empirical studies on Chinese consumers' online shopping behavior, these results will enable e‐marketers to better design their e‐marketing strategies that cater to Chinese consumers' changing needs and lifestyles and improve their online shopping experiences and satisfaction.
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Douglas M. Sanford and Lynda Maddox
Examines similarities and differences in account management, the use of formal account reviews, and the role of interpersonal relationships in domestic and international accounts…
Abstract
Examines similarities and differences in account management, the use of formal account reviews, and the role of interpersonal relationships in domestic and international accounts. Significant findings include: formal account reviews are important for both domestic and international accounts, but are used more for domestic; professional interpersonal relationships are important for both, but social interpersonal relationships are more important for international accounts; international accounts require better coordination between multiple agency offices than domestic. Implications of these findings for agency management and account executives include: select managers for international accounts with different skill sets than for domestic; train international account managers to succeed in multiple environments, both managerially and socially; encourage and facilitate formal account reviews for international and domestic accounts; and provide support for social interaction for managers of international accounts.
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Kimberley Peters and Richard G. Rogers
Using data from the linked National Health Interview Survey National Death Index (NHIS‐NDI), a new and unique data set, we examine the interaction of age and self‐rated health as…
Abstract
Using data from the linked National Health Interview Survey National Death Index (NHIS‐NDI), a new and unique data set, we examine the interaction of age and self‐rated health as a predictor of overall and cause‐specific mortality. Proponents of wear and tear theories argue that as the body ages, it begins to degenerate, leaving the aged in poor health and vulnerable to their ultimate mortality. We find that although the majority of the elderly rate their health as good or better, low levels of education and income contribute to poor perceived health, and the effect of age on mortality varies by level of perceived health. While the oldest old who report the poorest health experience greater risks of mortality, elders who report good health experience much lower risks. As a larger share of our population survives into old age, it is important to emphasize preventive health care policy, as well as strong economic and health care safety nets, not only to promote health but also to lengthen life.
Sandeep Krishnamurthy and Nitish Singh
International e‐marketing is emerging as an important area for marketers, as global online markets expand. This special issue is an attempt to encourage, showcase, and guide…
Abstract
Purpose
International e‐marketing is emerging as an important area for marketers, as global online markets expand. This special issue is an attempt to encourage, showcase, and guide research in the area of international e‐marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
In the editorial, Introduces the international e‐marketing framework (IEMF) as a guiding template for future research in international e‐marketing.
Findings
The IEMF should help shape scholarly inquiry in the domain of international e‐marketing, classify current intellectual contributions in this area and delineate the gaps in the literature.
Originality/value
The editorial presents the IEMF and classifies various papers in this issue using this framework. Finally, concludes with several compelling research questions to motivate future research in this area.
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Donna J. Cunningham and Rajesh Iyer
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the changing legal landscape associated with the growth of advertising of prescription drugs directly to the consumer, and makes…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the changing legal landscape associated with the growth of advertising of prescription drugs directly to the consumer, and makes recommendations designed to assist advertisers in avoiding legal liability based on those advertisements.
Design/methodology/approach
This study investigates the phenomenal growth of DTC advertising since 1997, when a profound change in the FDA regulations took effect. These changes permitted advertisers significantly more flexibility in providing information about the advertised drug directly to the consumer. Since then, however, DTC advertising has repeatedly come under attack. A review of the literature, changing law, and other factors, reveals the primary criticisms of DTC advertising, and its tendency to expose pharmaceutical advertisers to legal liability.
Findings
The paper recounts the development of the law concerning pharmaceutical advertising, and particularly, the application of the Learned Intermediary Rule. Previously, this Rule operated to shield pharmaceutical companies for liability by passing liability on to the physician who wrote the prescription for the drug. Now, that law is changing, with resulting liability for pharmaceutical advertisers.
Practical implications
The study recounts the primary criticisms of DTC advertising, and provides a number of steps that can be taken to help avoid legal liability for pharmaceutical companies that engage in DTC advertising.
Originality/value
The study looks at DTC advertising from both a marketing and a legal perspective, and combines those disciplines to draw conclusions helpful to DTC advertisers.