Maria Salamoura, Vasilis Angelis, John Kehagias and Constantine Lymperopoulos
The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the relationship between quality and accessibility, as selective influencing parameters of new product acceptance for Greek…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the relationship between quality and accessibility, as selective influencing parameters of new product acceptance for Greek, fast moving, and consumer products.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for this study come from a mail questionnaire sent to 680 executives operating in Greek enterprises, by using a combination of sampling criteria (advertising budget, turnover). Non‐parametric tests (Wilcoxon, Spearman, Kruskal‐Wallis and Pearson χ2) were used, together with descriptive measures to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicate that quality (usage/support) is a more important factor than Accessibility (economic/physical) in the formation of a “new product acceptance function”. Furthermore, usage quality is more important than support quality, while economic accessibility is more important than physical accessibility.
Research limitations/implications
The research limitations refer to the fact that the justification of the hypotheses in connection with the executive‐based approach followed has not been found to have any precedents. In addition, a multi, rather than single, source identification process was used for the new product acceptance factors.
Practical implications
For marketers, research of the conceptualization of the “acceptance function” acts as a basis for building a new products' marketing plan focused on the consumer, in a way which reflects the company characteristics, as well as the particular market conditions.
Originality/value
This paper is exploring new ground in that it isolates and examines the substitution between quality and accessibility as selective influencing parameters of acceptance for new fast moving consumer goods in Greece.
Details
Keywords
Vasilis Theoharakis, Yannis Angelis and Georgios Batsakis
The importance of architectural marketing capabilities (i.e. marketing planning and implementation) in exporting ventures has been recognised. However, extant literature has not…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of architectural marketing capabilities (i.e. marketing planning and implementation) in exporting ventures has been recognised. However, extant literature has not taken into account the explicit roles and required synergy between the exporter and their foreign distributor in delivering these capabilities. Drawing from the resource-based theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the complementarity of distributor implementation capability and market orientation with exporter planning capability.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was carried out using a survey. Data were collected from 147 Greek exporters who replied to our questionnaire and the hypotheses were tested using the full information maximum likelihood estimation procedure.
Findings
The results support the hypotheses about the importance of exporter planning capability on financial performance and the complementary role of distributor market orientation. Further, the authors find that the distributor’s implementation capability partially mediates the impact of the exporter’s planning capability on financial performance.
Originality/value
This study contributes to a better understanding about the complementarity of exporter and distributor capabilities. It demonstrates the crucial role of the distributor in the deployment of architectural capabilities for the export venture: the distributor’s market orientation and implementation capability have the final say in achieving higher levels of export performance.
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Keywords
George Hondroyiannis, Eleni Sardianou, Vasilis Nikou, Kostas Evangelinos and Ioannis Nikolaou
The vast amounts of waste generated today threaten economies and societies due to high environmental and management costs. The aim is to investigate the short- and long-term…
Abstract
Purpose
The vast amounts of waste generated today threaten economies and societies due to high environmental and management costs. The aim is to investigate the short- and long-term patterns of municipal waste generation (MWG) in response to socio-economic and demographic growth variables at national and regional levels.
Design/methodology/approach
A panel data approach employing ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects (FE), random effects (RE), fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and error correction model (ECM) techniques. A sample of 28 European countries (2000–2020) and 44 European Union (EU) regions (2000–2018) were selected.
Findings
During periods of economic growth and higher employment rates, consumer confidence tends to increase, leading to elevated levels of consumer spending and consumption. Intensification in the production factors, specifically capital and employment, results in an upsurge in MWG, thereby creating a cycle where waste generation becomes deeply entrenched in the economic system in both the short and long terms. Rapid population growth, attributed to higher fertility rates, is associated with increased MWG. At the regional level, a double-aging process and a shift toward an aging population exert less pressure on MWG in both the short and long term. Promoting higher levels of environment-oriented human development yields various benefits, including the generation of greater knowledge spillovers, enhanced environmental literacy, a shift toward circular thinking and the promotion of greener entrepreneurship. Increased R&D expenditures facilitate the development of innovative waste reduction technologies, fostering improvements in waste management techniques, recycling processes and the utilization of sustainable materials.
Research limitations/implications
The research examines the short- and long-term adjustments of MWG in response to changes in macroeconomic variables from low aggregation (countries) to high aggregation (regions). By analyzing the relationship between economic growth, urbanization, healthcare system quality, labor market functioning, demographic trends, educational level, technological advancement and MWG, the study fills a research gap and enhances understanding of waste management interventions. However, data availability and waste statistics accuracy should be considered. Future research could explore the relationship between macroeconomic variables and waste generation in sectors beyond MWG, such as industrial or construction waste, for a more comprehensive understanding of waste generation as a whole.
Practical implications
The positive correlation between economic activity levels and waste generation in both the short and long terms, emphasizes the criticality of investing in waste reduction and recycling infrastructure to mitigate landfill waste. The negative correlation between population density and waste generation stresses the importance of strategic waste facility placement in low-density areas. To effectively manage higher MWG, tailored waste collection systems and initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles are of immense importance. The positive relationship between employment rates and waste generation underscores the necessity of waste reduction programs that generate employment opportunities. The positive correlation between fertility rates and waste generation emphasizes the need for the expansion of extended producer responsibility programs to include products and materials specifically associated with families and child-rearing. Education campaigns and governmental support for research and development (R&D) in waste reduction technologies are also integral components of an effective waste management strategy.
Originality/value
The short- and long-term adjustments of MWG reacts to shifts in macroeconomic variables from low aggregation (countries) to high aggregation (regions). Previous research has neglected the long-term information contained in variables by not incorporating the lagged error correction term (ETM). Neglecting this aspect could result in imprecise estimates of the elasticities.