Producers of super-premium ice cream, such as Häagen-Dazs, offer a smaller assortment of flavors than the producers of lesser quality ice cream. Examples of this phenomenon can be found in other industries as well. In many industries, the producers of higher-quality products offer a smaller...

This paper has three objectives: (1) to construct a theoretical model that aids in evaluating marketing expertise, (2) to use that theoretical model to identify factors influencing the value of marketing expertise, and (3) to empirically test the model by observing how different market...

Formal agreements can be used to achieve coordination among channel members. These agreements work by exerting explicit control over the members who make the agreements. However, implicit understandings can be used as a partial substitute for more formal agreements. In this paper, we show that...

Good metrics are well-defined formulae (often involving averaging) that transmute multiple measures of raw numerical performance (e.g., dollar sales, referrals, number of customers) to create informative summary statistics (e.g., average share of wallet, average customer tenure). Despite myriad...

An important component of marketing strategy is to "position" a product in perceptual space. But to realize a perceptual position we must model the link from physical characteristics to perceptual dimensions and we must use this model to maximize profit. This paper integrates psychological...

We seek to understand how the use of Research, Development, and Engineering (R,D&E) metrics can lead to more effective management of R,D&E. This paper combines qualitative and quantitative research to understand and improve the use of R,D&E metrics. Our research begins with interviews of 43...

Models and scientific evidence suggest that firms are more successful at new-product development if there is greater communication among marketing, engineering, and manufacturing. This paper examines communication patterns for two matched product-development teams where the key difference...

This paper develops and applies a prelaunch model and measurement system to the marketing planning of a new automobile. The analysis addresses active search by consumers, dealer visits, word-of-mouth communication, magazine reviews, and production constraints---issues that are important in...

This paper develops a methodology for modeling consumer response that integrates previous research in stochastic brand selection, diffusion of innovation, test market analysis, and new product design. The methodology makes it practical to extend brand selection models to include diffusion...

This paper draws on econometrics, von Neumann-Morgenstern utility theory, stochastic choice theory, and consumer behavior to develop five basic axioms or postulates of stochastic choice behavior. These axioms imply the existence and uniqueness of a preference function which identifies how...