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In our last issue Raymond Van Over described some current developments in intuitive decision‐making. In this issue he describes a respected eastern decision‐making tool, the I Ching or Book of Changes, first developed in the twelfth century B.C. Each of the sixty‐four hexagrams of the I Ching stands for a particular basic policy applicable to the life of an individual or human system. The collective learning embodied in the I Ching presents a “network of change processes rather than a structure of policy models.”

Are hunches, intuition, and extrasensory perception valid methods for making business decisions? The reasonable answer is no. Our intellectual and cultural history dictates a rational, thoroughly examined, and logically analyzed approach to problem solving. But there are hints that the traditional approaches to decision‐making are being modified, and that subliminally generated material is not only helpful, but can be a creative and successful way of approaching the multi‐faceted complexity of contemporary planning. In 1964 and 1966, for example, Dun's Review printed articles that dealt sympathetically, even admiringly, with business planners who relied upon intuition or other mysterious forms of foreknowledge to make decisions. In November/December 1969 IBM's journal Think published an article on how executives use intuition in decision‐making. They concluded that “hunches may be almost as important as data. Have subjectivism and the counter‐culture philosophy of anti‐rationalism caught up with American business institutions? Does this presage a revolution in executive decision‐making? Most importantly: are there alternative ways of making decisions utilizing obscure but powerful creative abilities within the unconscious mind?

The tragedy of the War has come very close to librarians in the death of Mr. W. G. C. Gladstone, M.P., from wounds received in action in Flanders on April 14th. About two years ago he became interested in the new Libraries Bill, and took charge of it in the House of Commons. He worked assiduously, and his historic name, and his genial, unaffected manner won over men on all sides of the House, insomuch that the backers of the Bill included members of every political complexion. War has intervened, and prevented the Bill's progress, and now our Parliamentary leader has given his life for a greater cause. Regret for his loss is widespread throughout the country, and no one will feel it more keenly than librarians.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

The learning outcomes of this case are in understanding core concepts of brand management and brand dilution. Assessment of macro-economic risks and proper positioning strategies are the key take-away from this case. The case gives an understanding of how brands are built and positioned, and the pitfalls of poor brand planning and assessment that could lead to brand dilution. The case is useful for highlighting the importance of brand management and the challenges of re-positioning. The discussions would shed light on why it is important to plan and manage spending on marketing for brand building activities, and why brands would suffer when spending is reduced. This case is a teaching case and not a research case. It will help participants assimilate available information in combination with existing academic theories and publications to help develop an accurate assessment and prognosis of the events leading until the point of slicing the case.

Reid & Taylor in 2015 had been reduced to a discounter brand offering extended end-of-season sales when most other competitors have ended their promotions. In the 17 years since its big-budget launch in the Indian market in one of the most memorable brand introductions, Reid & Taylor changed its ambassador twice and repositioned itself thrice. The case would allow participants to delve deeper into aspects of marketing spending, brand management, positioning and advertising effectiveness. The case brings to the fore discussions on marketing, specifically on branding, positioning and its related advertising in the textile sector for a brand that has not been studied in academic literature until the present time. The discussion allows for novelty, involving both forward- and backward-looking assessments and evaluations to help participants better imbibe learnings in brand management and positioning.

The case is suitable for a graduate-level (Master’s level) course in marketing and brand management. This case is suitable for elective courses that discuss positioning and brands.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing

The former colleague at University College of Raymond Irwin (1902–1976) and his obituarist here presents a fuller portrait of this unusual man.

The purpose of this paper is to accelerate research related to the employee-facets of service management by summarizing current developments in multiple research streams, providing propositions, and articulating new directions for theory and empirical inquiry.

Seven scholars provide short reviews of the core topics and findings from four employee-related research streams – collective turnover, service climate, emotional labor, and occupational stress; and generate propositions to guide future theoretical and empirical work. Four distinguished service scholars – David Bowen, Ray Fisk, Christian Grönroos, and Jochen Wirtz comment upon these research streams and provide future directions for accelerating employee-related research in service management.

All four research-streams yield insights that have the potential to advance service management research. Commentaries from the distinguished scholars further integrate this work with key concerns within service management including technology-enablement, transformative services, and service strategy.

This paper is unique in its scope of coverage of management topics related to service and its aim to promote interdisciplinary dialog between service management scholars and researchers conducting employee-related research relevant to services.

Understanding customer experience remains the holy grail in marketing and tourism theory and practice. Although research techniques continue to evolve and improve, capturing the depths of what customers experience while they experience remains an arduous task let alone what its roots are. In response, this chapter sets out and illustrates an autohermeneutic phenomenological approach that taps into the deeper levels of experience to comprehend its extremities and processes. It places experience at the center of (self-)observation and thereby grants direct access to the entire “lifeworld” experience spectrum in its ultimate and purest form from the subject's perspective (be it a consumer, a customer or a tourist) and thereby rendering a first-hand view of the deeper levels of the pre-core-post journey of experience. This thought piece advances the methodological underpinnings of experience by offering a novel perspective to researchers and practitioners. This is brought by a supporting framework composed of five methodological guidelines to examine the multifaceted characteristics of experience, starting with its inception including its twists, turns and evolvements over time, pertaining to the viscerally intensive experience realms such as tourism.