Portfolio analysis has been subjected to considerable scrutiny in recent years. Describes an attempt to recast it in the light of past criticisms and the unyielding importance of competitive considerations to marketing decision making. It does not introduce another new portfolio matrix. Rather...

In today′s competitive environment, the question is no longer whether to have quality assurance programmes, but rather how to make these programmes work. With this in mind, presents a conceptual framework outlining the components of a quality assurance system in the lodging industry setting....

In the last 30 years, Japan has come from a second‐rate status to the world′s economic giant, leading the world in electronics, automobiles, steel, shipbuilding and virtually anything else to which she has set her mind. The Japanese aim was and still is to be world‐class suppliers of the...

Rebuts the “mythology” that enduring market leaders tend to have been early entrants into their market categories. Demonstrates that, on the one hand, pioneer advantage is realized only if the pioneer succeeds in framing consumer preferences by continually improving the product and...

The textbooks are full of explanations of why businesses must understand their competitive arena. There are numerous conceptual frameworks and checklists to assist in this endeavour. Perhaps not too surprisingly, many businesses exhibit only a superficial knowledge of their competitors’...

Asserts that competitive pressures make careful applications of marketing management tools imperative for the survival of time‐dependent non‐profit organizations. Illustrates a pragmatic tool which a volunteer‐dependent organization can use to determine its strengths and weaknesses...

In this, the second edition, the experience of actually running a marketing planning process in organisations further updates and revises the highly practical emphasis. The need for vision, how to enunciate it, and the interface between various levels of managers are integrated specifically into...

Michael Porter′s work, has since it first appeared in 1980, been widely read by academics and students. Perhaps more significantly, Porter has become an academic whose ideas are read and used by executives. Recently Porter′s work has been criticised. This article reviews and discusses these...

With well over 250,000 registered UK charities vying to attract generosity, fund‐raising has become a fiercely competitive and professional activity. This article empirically analyses the popularity of different fund‐raising techniques and shows that specific fund‐raising methods are...

Are nations successful because of their national characteristics or because of the characteristics of the companies located there? The subject is discussed in a new book review. Secondly, an article is reviewed, offering a number of research propositions, which ideally should be observed if an...