Taking measure: the link between metrics and marketing’s exploitative and explorative capabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1549-1580
Author(s):  
Pravin Nath

Purpose While metrics are becoming increasingly important for marketing’s relevance, there is also a need to understand how they, as enablers of learning, affect marketing’s adaptive capabilities that ensure its long-term success. Therefore, this study aims to test the association of marketing and financial metrics use and the metric-based orientations of training and compensation, with two key marketing routines – exploitation, i.e. the perfecting of existing activities while allowing for incremental adaptations and exploration or experimentation accompanied by radical adaptation. Design/methodology/approach The study gathers data from 205 managers and uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings Marketing metrics encourage both forms of marketing adaptation. Financial metrics use discourages exploration. Market orientation and long-term orientation strengthen (weaken) the positive (negative) relationship between marketing (financial) metrics use and marketing exploration. Metric-based training is more positively associated with both adaptive capabilities than a metric-based compensation orientation, albeit weakly. Research limitations/implications The study’s central proposition – that different metrics or metric orientations are associated with distinct types of knowledge, interpretations, mindsets, motivations and cultural contexts – provides a deeper theoretical understanding of the pathways by which a metric emphasis affects marketing adaptation. Practical implications Marketing managers should emphasize marketing metrics and training more than compensation, to promote marketing exploitation/exploration, while exercising caution in overstressing financial metrics given their negative association with exploration. This latter negative relationship can be weakened (as can the positive one between marketing metrics and exploration be strengthened) with increased market orientation and long-term orientation. Originality/value This study addresses the research gap regarding the relationship between metrics as a configurational element of marketing organization and marketing adaptation.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong Yin ◽  
Yujing Zhou ◽  
Peiyu He ◽  
Meng Tu

PurposeThis research takes the transfer behavior of users from Tencent QQ to WeChat as an example to discuss the wider transfer behavior of social media users on the Internet.Design/methodology/approachThis paper collects data through a combination of offline interviews and online questionnaire surveys, and utilizes data analysis tools to construct structural equation modeling (SEM). Using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics 22.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 22.0 software with SEM, this study was carried out to provide reasonable statistical support for relevant proposed hypotheses based on 368 effective samples acquired through the questionnaire.FindingsThe findings of this study show that subjective norm, transfer experience, social communication, and knowledge acquisition all have significant associations with transfer intention and switching behavior. To be specific, transfer intention exerts a positive association on switching behavior; function setting, privacy protection and personal innovation have a favorable association with transfer intention; transfer cost has a significantly negative relationship with transfer intention and switching behavior; function setting has no important relationship on switching behavior.Originality/valueThe research results provide a reference for improving the viscosity and loyalty of social media users in the new era and resolving the problem of user churn.


Author(s):  
John Sorros ◽  
Petros Lois ◽  
Melita Charitou ◽  
Alkiviadis Theofanis Karagiorgos ◽  
Nicholas Belesis

Purpose Because of the education sector’s evolution, accounting initiatives are required regarding competitiveness. Activity-based costing’s (ABC) neglected potential as a cost strategic tool initiated this research, which aims to identify administrative and operational factors that support or hinder its implementation in educational institutions as a predictor of competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach A theoretical model was proposed and tested through structural equation modeling to identify relationships between accounting departments, cost procedures, the transmissibility of information and competitiveness. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, a scale of items was derived, denoting an institute’s cost strategy and ABC implementations and returned from 417 Greek education institutes. Findings An accounting department’s role in accurate data transmissibility and an institution’s organizational structure significantly affect cost-related competitiveness. The importance of information sharing is strengthened by current cost allocation capabilities and the accounting department’s influence on management. Research limitations/implications ABC’s limited implementation in the Greek education sector complicated the theoretical model’s construction, as a variety of geographical and institutional factors were taken into consideration. Practical implications Customer value provides a competitive advantage and constitutes the basis of solid price strategies. Research demonstrates ABC’s importance for education institutions’ competitiveness and resource exploitation. Social implications Education’s commercialization urges costing strategy prioritization. ABC could benefit competitiveness and attract long-term funds and investments. To create value institutions, the allocation of incurred costs to added-value activities is crucial. Originality/value This study sheds light on vague issues institutions face when dealing with ABC. Understanding accounting departments’ influence shows ABC’s feasibility even for smaller or less efficiency-oriented education institutions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Garg ◽  
Wendy Marcinkus Murphy ◽  
Pankaj Singh

PurposeThis paper examines whether employee-driven practices of reverse mentoring and job crafting lead to work engagement and, in turn, to higher levels of prospective mental and physical health.Design/methodology/approachIntegrating social exchange theory and the job demands and resources model as theoretical frameworks, survey data were collected from 369 Indian software developers to test the research model. Latent variable structural equation modeling was used to empirically test the hypothesized associations.FindingsThe findings reveal that both reverse mentoring and job crafting are significantly associated with work engagement. Work engagement fully mediated the negative relationship between 1) reverse mentoring and mental ill-health and 2) job crafting and physical ill-health, while it partially mediated the negative relationship between 1) reverse mentoring and physical ill-health and 2) job crafting and mental ill-health.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that by implementing the practices of reverse mentoring and job crafting, managers can achieve desired levels of engagement among employees and sustain organizational productivity by promoting employee health and well-being.Originality/valueThis study is one of the early attempts to empirically demonstrate the associated health outcomes of reverse mentoring and job crafting.


Humanomics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soheil Kazemian ◽  
Rashidah Abdul Rahman ◽  
Zuraidah Mohd Sanusi ◽  
Abideen A. Adewale

Purpose Without prejudice to the efficacy of other poverty alleviation mechanisms, micro-financing arguably enjoys relative prominence. However, notwithstanding the remarkable loan repayment rate that the microfinance firms report, they still face the challenge of sustainability. The paper aims to provide insights into how three dimensions of market orientation, namely, customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-function coordination, affect the two aspects of the sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs; management and financial). Design/methodology/approach To achieve this goal, this study focuses on Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), a leading microfinance provider which is also the largest MFI in South East Asia. Data elicited via a survey questionnaire administered on 190 management staff of AIM across Malaysia are subjected to statistical analysis via the partial least square-structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 2.0. Findings The results provide empirical evidences that indicate that management sustainability is significantly influenced by customer orientation and inter-function coordination. However, only customer orientation affects the financial sustainability of AIM. Nevertheless, competitor orientation has non-significant effects on both aspects of sustainability of AIM. Research limitations/implications The result of the paper contributes to the literature in understanding the long-term sustainable financial and social performance-based market orientation. Originality/value Findings are useful for policy makers, management of MFIs, practitioners and academics to enhance microfinance system. Managerial implications, limitation of the study and suggestions for future research are also included.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Imtiaz Mostafiz ◽  
Murali Sambasivan ◽  
See Kwong Goh

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of international opportunity identification (IOI) in export-manufacturing firms. The fundamental question addressed in this research is: How does dynamic managerial capability (DMC) of entrepreneurs contribute to IOI and success of the firms? Design/methodology/approach The research model was tested through structural equation modeling among the readymade garment manufacturing firms in the least developed country, Bangladesh. A survey was conducted with a random sampling approach and responses were collected from 390 firms. Findings The salient findings are: DMC has direct and indirect impacts through IOI on financial and non-financial performance; IOI mediates the relationship between managerial social capital and non-financial performance and between managerial cognition and non-financial performance; IOI has a negative relationship with the financial performance of the firms; and scope of accelerated internationalization positively moderates the relationship between IOI and financial performance of firms. Originality/value This paper notably shows that DMC of export-manufacturing entrepreneurs leads to the identification of the right kind of opportunities, which, in turn, generate better performance. It is advantageous for this type of firm to operate a business in multiple countries.


Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 797-818
Author(s):  
Leslier M. Valenzuela-Fernández ◽  
Francisco-Javier Arroyo-Cañada ◽  
Francisco Javier Villegas Pinuer

Purpose Salesperson’s actions are critical in helping the firm develop customer value orientation and long-term relationship with profitable customers to achieve sustainable sales growth and profitability over time. The purpose of this paper is to examine the salespeople and service executives’ perceptions about the relevance of some human resource management variables and employees’ attitudes as key factors to develop a company’s customer value orientation. The authors tested whether the perceptions of role ambiguity, incentives policy and provided training (PT) had an impact on job involvement (JI), job satisfaction (JS), and consequently, on customer value orientation. Design/methodology/approach Research design was nested with data from 327 executives from medium and upper positions in Chilean companies. Findings The results show that while the perception of role ambiguity had an indirect negative impact on customer value orientation through JI, perception of PT level had a direct impact over and above the other variables. Research limitations/implications JS and JI are attitudinal variables, which companies try to encourage in their employees through different human resources, practices. Incentives and training are ways to develop favorable employees’ attitudes and improve their customer value orientation. With the research, companies could invest their resources in better and more effective practices to generate favorable attitudes toward customer value orientation. Originality/value Through structural equation modeling, the model shows the relevance in the perception of sales executives about the relationship of employees’ JI and customer value orientation. This commands to open the view of the customer value orientation management to include other attitudinal variables as JI.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tian-Chao Guo ◽  
Zhi-Chao Cheng

Purpose – Although novel posting is a universal phenomenon in virtual communities (VCs), few studies have addressed the benefits of novel posting for group members. The purpose of this paper is to identify the social and psychological outcomes of novel posting, particularly whether and how sense of belonging can be produced by it. Sense of belonging implies an individual’s integration or assimilation into virtual groups. Design/methodology/approach – To assess the theoretical model, a survey was administered in an internet discussion community (Baidu Post Bar in China), and structural equation modeling was then used to test the model. Findings – Novel posting can produce social and psychological outcomes, such as social interaction ties, group-based self-esteem and sense of belonging. Novel posting is an individualized behavior, which some studies consider to conflict with sense of belonging; however, via the mediating effects of social interaction ties and group-based self-esteem, sense of belonging can also arise based on novel posting. Practical implications – VC operators should focus on differentiating between irrational posts and novel posts and encourage the latter. Additionally, to satisfy members’ needs, VC operators should strengthen the degree of social interaction ties and members’ self-esteem by providing attractive topics and virtual rankings. Originality/value – This study contributes to a theoretical understanding of the social and psychological outcomes of novel posting and, more importantly, whether and how sense of belonging arises on the basis of individualized behavior.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostaque Ahmed Zebal

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of internal and external market orientations on monetary and non-monetary performances of non-conventional Islamic financial institutions. This study further aimed at proposing a conceptual framework, testing it and examining relationships among the variables. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from 132 branches of 11 non-conventional financial institutions in Bangladesh using a closed-ended questionnaire. The study considered a structural equation modeling approach for testing the proposed model. A two-step procedure was used for this purpose. First, a measurement model was analyzed through a confirmatory factor analysis; second, the structured model was evaluated to examine relationships between the constructs. Data used in this study confirmed the adequate reliability, convergent and discriminant validity. Findings The results of the study met the expectations and provided an evidence that both monetary and non-monetary business performances are functions of internal and external market orientations’ efforts. As the results are reported, all three components of internal market orientation, e.g. internal intelligence generation, dissemination and responsiveness, were found to be statistically significant and positively related to monetary and non-monetary performances, except internal intelligence responsiveness with employees’ team spirits. The study also revealed a significant relationship between all three external market orientation components, and business performance, except external intelligence responsiveness, was not found to have a significant relationship with team spirit and customer retention. The results, however, imply that the performance of non-conventional financial institutions is an integrated effort of both internal and external orientations rather than using a single approach. Originality/value Findings of this study support the theoretical arguments that non-conventional financial institutions can be successful in attaining all types of performances by initiating and adopting internal and external market-oriented activities. The study further argues the importance of the activities under each market orientation component and suggests non-conventional financial institutions to promote such an initiative if they are to be consistent in their performances.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuiqing Yang

Purpose – This paper attempts to investigate the simultaneous effects of dedication and constraint factors on business-to-business (B2B) customer loyalty in the context of transforming the mobile telecommunication industry. Maintaining a successful inter-organizational relationship with the key players becomes increasingly critical to the performance and competitiveness of the mobile network operator (MNO) in the mobile telecommunication industry. Design/methodology/approach – A dual customer loyalty model which reflected both dedication-based and constraint-based mechanisms is developed and empirically tested against data collected from 129 content providers (CPs) which currently have business relationships with China Mobile. Findings – The structural equation modeling partial least squares analysis indicates that dedication-based (e.g. customer satisfaction, trust in MNO and MNO’s relationship-specific investments) and constraint-based (e.g. switching costs, dependence on MNO and CP’s asset specificity) mechanisms simultaneously, yet differentially, influence CP’s loyalty toward the MNO. Practical implications – To obtain CP’s loyalty, MNOs should consider both the dedication and constraint factors. In particular, they need to focus more on the constraint-based mechanism, as it exerts stronger influences on CP’s loyalty than the dedication-based mechanism. Originality/value – This research advances our theoretical understanding of the dual nature of customer loyalty behavior in the B2B context and offers practical implications for MNOs to leverage these two contrasting causal drivers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Pinheiro ◽  
Luis Filipe Lages ◽  
Graça Miranda Silva ◽  
Alvaro Lopes Dias ◽  
Miguel T. Preto

PurposeShifting demand and ever-shorter production cycles pressure manufacturing flexibility. Although the literature has established the positive effect of the firm's absorptive capacity on manufacturing flexibility, the separate role of the innovation competencies of exploitation and exploration in such a relationship is still under-investigated. In this study, the authors examine how these competencies affect manufacturing flexibility.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use survey data from 370 manufacturing firms and analyze them using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB–SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that absorptive capacity has a strong, positive and direct effect on exploitative and exploratory innovation competencies, proactive and responsive market orientations, and manufacturing flexibility. The authors’ findings also demonstrate that the exploitative innovation competencies mediate the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility. Essentially, these exploitative innovation competencies produce a direct positive effect on manufacturing flexibility while simultaneously being a vehicle for absorptive capacity's indirect effects on it. An exploration innovation strategy does not significantly affect manufacturing flexibility.Originality/valueThis study contributes by combining key strategic features of firms with manufacturing flexibility, while providing new empirical evidence of the mediation of the exploitative innovation competencies in the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility.


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