Marketing Myopia—misperceiving markets—is a well‐known marketing management problem, and most marketing executives are alert to it. However, the problem seems now to be reasserting itself concerning the guarantees that are offered with products or services. This is the conclusion of one...

This article describes an empirical investigation of a relatively new marketing concept, the Time Guarantee, as implemented by an automobile dealership. Results suggested: • Consumers regarded the Time Guarantee as a feature that could prompt them to differentiate sellers. • Consumers in a...

Highlights the importance of selecting the correct international distributors if a firm wishes to trade effectively in the wider market. Describes a study commissioned exploring the steps required to minimize the risk when selecting a distributor, e.g. use of end‐user references and...

Reports on an exploratory study (mail survey) of industrial supplier satisfaction with the purchasing partnership format and how these agreements can relate to current market conditions. The respondent sales managers had very positive attitudes toward, and expectations from, purchasing...

Many manufacturers use informal approaches to engage new international industrial distributors, relying on phone contacts, correspondence and bank referencing to gather background information. Reports on a study to determine the desirability of top managers taking time to visit new international...

Purpose – This research study focuses on two critical questions. First, to what extent are US corporate directors now taking independent steps to protect stakeholders from future corporate débâcles, such as Enron and Tyco? Second, how have these débâcles personally impacted US corporate...

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an insight into the actions required by trust officers to improve customer satisfaction during a time of difficult economic and regulatory conditions. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 96 bank trust officers located in the USA were surveyed using a...

The tradition of celebrating an engagement with the gift of a natural diamond ring is largely an American custom. The custom helps drive 2002 retail sales of all diamonds in the USA ($27.4 billion) to 50 percent of global revenues. As a result, anything affecting the US diamond market,...

Purpose – The interest in scrapbooking across the USA has boomed virtually overnight. Sales have skyrocketed from $500 million in 2000 to $2.5 billion in 2003. Is the interest based on a great deal of scrapbooking hype and investment with little long‐term industry profitability, like the...

As organizations are striving to increase customer loyalty through relationship marketing programs, more firms are implementing customer penalty policies that impose fees or charges (e.g. airline reticketing fees) on customers that fail to comply with purchase agreements. While penalties are...