Sheelagh Matear and Richard Gray
Examines the factors which are important in the choice of freightservices for both shippers and freight suppliers and explores whetherthe service choice decision is based on…
Abstract
Examines the factors which are important in the choice of freight services for both shippers and freight suppliers and explores whether the service choice decision is based on different sets of criteria for the two groups and further, whether freight suppliers use different criteria in selecting sea and air transport services. Principal components analysis is used to elicit the factors important in freight service choice. Carrier timing and price characteristics are more important for freight shippers while performance and schedule are more important for freight suppliers purchasing sea services and a combination of schedule and space is more important for freight suppliers purchasing air services. Discusses strategic implications for marketing.
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Caroline Giller and Sheelagh Matear
Much of the recent attention devoted to marketing channel relationships has focused on the development or maintenance of effective relationships. Relatively little research has…
Abstract
Much of the recent attention devoted to marketing channel relationships has focused on the development or maintenance of effective relationships. Relatively little research has been devoted to the termination of an inter‐firm relationship and that which does is largely based on the concepts of personal or consumer relationship termination. This deficiency is addressed through exploratory research involving case studies of dyads with experience of inter‐firm relationship termination. The case studies illustrated the complex nature of inter‐firm relationship termination. Each termination situation was uniquely characterised by a different combination of relationship factors that complicated the termination process and the termination strategies that could be used. It appears that the use of direct and other‐oriented termination strategies will increase the likelihood of both firms perceiving the termination process and its outcomes more favourably.
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Brendan J. Gray, Geir Grundvåg Ottesen and Sheelagh Matear
It is well known that the results of academic marketing research are not widely used by practitioners. This is attributed to a range of factors including language barriers and…
Abstract
Purpose
It is well known that the results of academic marketing research are not widely used by practitioners. This is attributed to a range of factors including language barriers and poor communication between the academic and practitioner communities. In spite of this, there exists little research within marketing that has focused on how potential users of academic research such as business or marketing managers prefer to receive research information. To start filling this void in the research literature, we report a study of managers' media preferences for receiving academic research information.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of managers who had taken part in a larger study into the competitiveness of service enterprises was conducted. Cluster analysis was used to assess different media preference segments.
Findings
Findings contradict expectations derived from media richness theory. For example, a substantial number of managers prefer written communication modes, which according to media richness theory are not effective ways of communicating complex information such as academic research results. Cluster analysis suggested that three media preference segments existed.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should investigate why managers appear to prefer particular communication modes, particularly printed media.
Originality/value
The paper examines the appropriateness of different types of media used to communicate complex academic research information to practitioners. Findings should be useful to academics that aim to disseminate effectively their findings to practitioners.
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Brendan J. Gray, Sheelagh Matear and Philip K. Matheson
Although there are a growing number of studies which have investigated links between market orientation and performance in service firms, there has been limited research which…
Abstract
Although there are a growing number of studies which have investigated links between market orientation and performance in service firms, there has been limited research which compares the market orientations of goods and service firms. The results of this study, based on a large multi‐industry sample of New Zealand companies, suggest that to improve business performance service firms should develop information systems to track profitable customers and products, develop a corporate culture which emphasises the needs of stakeholders, and develop policies to encourage ethical conduct. To improve marketing performance firms should improve their levels of market orientation, develop a corporate culture which emphasises the marketing concept and innovation, adopt more proficient new product development processes and explore the possibilities of electronic commerce.
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Brendan J. Gray, Sheelagh M. Matear and Philip K. Matheson
The aim of this article is to identify company characteristics which are linked to improved performance in hospitality firms. It compares the levels of market orientation and…
Abstract
The aim of this article is to identify company characteristics which are linked to improved performance in hospitality firms. It compares the levels of market orientation and other company characteristics, including corporate culture, innovation procedures, use of information technology and ethical policies of hospitality firms with the most highly market‐oriented service firms from other sectors which took part in a large multi‐industry study in New Zealand. Suggests that hospitality managers should encourage their organisations to become more customer‐focused, to develop a corporate culture which encourages innovation, and to make greater use of Web‐based marketing to improve company performance.
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Sheelagh Matear, Brendan J. Gray and Tony Garrett
This paper investigates how three marketing‐related sources of advantage – market orientation, new service development and brand investment – contribute to service firm…
Abstract
This paper investigates how three marketing‐related sources of advantage – market orientation, new service development and brand investment – contribute to service firm performance by operationalising the sources‐position‐performance framework in a multi‐sector sample of service organisations. New service development and brand investment are found to contribute to the attainment of positional advantage and thence to performance. Market orientation, when considered in combination with these other sources, does not contribute directly to positional advantage and performance. Cost, brand and new service success positions are found to contribute to service firm performance.
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Sheelagh Matear and Richard Gray
Understanding the factors which are influential in the choice topurchase a service (or product) may be insufficient for the basis of amarketing strategy. It is also important to…
Abstract
Understanding the factors which are influential in the choice to purchase a service (or product) may be insufficient for the basis of a marketing strategy. It is also important to understand the interrelationships among these choice factors. Customers, or groups of customers may place a different order of priority on the factors influencing their choice of service. Groups of customers with a similar pattern of priorities can be termed “benefit segments”. Considers benefit segments in the Irish Sea freight transport market. Three segments, route sensitive, not price sensitive, and price sensitive, are developed using principal components analysis and cluster analysis. The segments are profiled in terms of product characteristics, transport service characteristics, company demographics and control variables to facilitate the transport service marketing manager in identifying the segments. Implications for marketing strategy are discussed.
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Sheelagh Matear, Phil Osborne, Tony Garrett and Brendan J. Gray
This study utilises the inter‐relationship between market orientation and innovation in order to examine alternative mechanisms through which market orientation contributes to…
Abstract
This study utilises the inter‐relationship between market orientation and innovation in order to examine alternative mechanisms through which market orientation contributes to service firm performance. Three mechanisms (direct, mediated and moderator) are examined using regression analysis and structural equation modelling in a sample of 231 firms which develop new services. Market orientation is found to contribute to performance through a dual mechanism in that it contributes both directly and through innovation, with innovation mediating the contribution. These results emphasise that researchers should consider the inter‐relationships between multiple sources of advantage in seeking explanations of firm performance.
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Brendan Gray, Sheelagh Matear, Christo Boshoff and Phil Matheson
While academics have been attempting to establish empirical support for the marketing concept, managers have been facing a complementary challenge to implement this cornerstone of…
Abstract
While academics have been attempting to establish empirical support for the marketing concept, managers have been facing a complementary challenge to implement this cornerstone of marketing theory. Both groups appear to have had limited success. Part of the problem may lie in a failure to establish a generalisable model of market orientation. There is also a lack of a parsimonious measure which managers can use to pinpoint organisational short‐comings. This study addresses both those problems by replicating and extending the market orientation research of both Jaworski and Kohli and Narver and Slater using a large multi‐industry sample of New Zealand companies. The result is a parsimonious and managerially useful 20‐item scale for measuring the market orientation of New Zealand companies. It is likely this scale could be generalisable to other country‐market contexts. The findings also indicate that the successful implementation of the marketing concept should produce improved customer and organisational benefits, particularly if performance is measured in terms of improved profitability, brand awareness, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
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Birgit Weischedel, Sheelagh Matear and Kenneth R. Deans
Companies operating on the internet need appropriate metrics to make strategic marketing decisions. This paper applies established qualitative research methods to the online…
Abstract
Purpose
Companies operating on the internet need appropriate metrics to make strategic marketing decisions. This paper applies established qualitative research methods to the online environment to evaluate how web managers generate and incorporate web metrics to inform strategic marketing decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Initial theories were developed using a comprehensive literature review as well as exploratory interviews with New Zealand companies. Applying a mixed methodology, the exploratory research used interviews to assess current practice within the industry, refine the research questions and set up the research design. An in‐depth case study in the USA evaluated best practices and highlighted issues that affect the use of web metrics. The main data collection utilized case studies to generate the in‐depth information necessary for theory building.
Findings
The exploratory results showed that companies currently measure web site performance and consumer behaviour online but are still uncertain how best to use those metrics to inform strategic marketing decisions. The in‐depth case study showed how web metrics can be used when sufficient resources are available and measuring performance is a priority. Owing to the initially recognized low level of web metrics use, the main research was expanded purposively to selected participants who make greater use of web metrics.
Originality/value
This paper applies traditional qualitative research methods to the online environment. Analysis of the case studies and continued research will address the research gap and provide recommendations to web managers as well as attempt to illustrate best practices, solutions to issues and industry benchmarks.