ALBERT

Notes: Purpose - This UK-based research aims to build on the US-based work of Keller and Aaker, which found a significant association between "company credibility" (via a brand's "expertise" and "trustworthiness") and brand extension acceptance, hypothesising that brand trust, measured via two correlate dimensions, is significantly related to brand extension acceptance. Design/methodology/approach - Discusses brand extension and various prior, validated influences on its success. Focuses on the construct of trust and develops hypotheses about the relationship of brand trust with brand extension acceptance. The hypotheses are then tested on data collected from consumers in the UK. Findings - This paper, using 368 consumer responses to nine, real, low involvement UK product and service brands, finds support for a significant association between the variables, comparable in strength with that between media weight and brand share, and greater than that delivered by the perceived quality level of the parent brand. Originality/value - The research findings, which develop a sparse literature in this linkage area, are of significance to marketing practitioners, since brand trust, already associated with brand equity and brand loyalty, and now with brand extension, needs to be managed and monitored with care. The paper prompts further investigation of the relationship between brand trust and brand extension acceptance in other geographic markets and with other higher involvement categories.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to explore the factorial structure of automobile brand image in the context of a cross-national study. More specifically, we intend to answer two questions: whether the factor structure of brand image perception differ across countries, and whether these differences are owing to nation's culture and level of economic development. Design/methodology/approach - An existing data set, which consists of data collected from survey research, was employed. Data covering the top 20 automobile markets consisting of 4,320 eligible new car owners. Perception of and attitude towards automobile brand associations were measured using nominal scales. Findings - Provides empirical evidence that supports the applicability of multiple brand image dimensions corresponding to the consumer's sensory, utilitarian, symbolic and economic needs at the global level. The study also suggested that factor structure of brand image differs across nations and these differences might be reflective to a nation's culture and its level of economic development. Research limitations/implications - As with any empirical study, this research inevitably has its limitations, which presents opportunities for further research: extensions of the present framework to other product categories; extensions of the national factors; extensions of the brand associations; and measurement improvement. Practical implications - Understanding the similarities or differences of the factor structure of brand image across the globe facilitates the formation of a successful global image strategy. First of all, by exploring brand image structure at the global level; and the specific interrelationships among the corresponding associations Originality/value - The results derived from the 20 diverse nations in the present study not only enhance our understanding of brand image structure but also provide a strong test of the empirical generalizability of automobile brand image dimensionality and factor structure in a global context.

Notes: Purpose - Innovation launch strategies are usually critical for innovation success. The main objective of this work consists of analysing the influence of the tactical launch decisions on new product performance Design/methodology/approach - Starts with a brief literature review. Then the results obtained in our study are compared with those obtained in other research. The data used in our research describes a new product launch in the Spanish agro-food sector. The method for collecting the information was through a mailed questionnaire. Because most of response variables were categorical, and in order to verify the proposed hypotheses, cross tabulation was used. We used Pearson's chi-squared (?2), likelihood ratio (H2) and the adjusted residuals too. Findings - The results propose a series of recommendations for the executives in charge of marketing new products. Specifically, suggests that it will be more likely to achieve success if, when launching a new product, skimming strategies are used, if intensive distribution is used for selling an innovation and the investment in the communication media is greater than that made by competitors. However, it is more possible to fail if the new product is marketed using an individual brand, penetration prices, push communication strategies and less expenditure on this concept than the competitors. Research limitations/implications - The literature review suggests that some of these tactical decisions seem to be related with other launch decisions (strategic launch decisions). As a result of this, it will be interesting to perform these similar analyses for those as well as to analyse the possible links that may exist between both and their influence on the results. Future research could explore these relationships in other industrial sector or countries. Perhaps, it would be possible provide a common perspective. Originality/value - In spite of the importance of the last phase of new product, there are few empirical works about it. This work tries to explain the transcendence of the tactical launch decisions and the influence of it on the success/failure of an innovation

Notes: Purpose - The paper attempts to answer "Will the shift from the locus of self to locus of others impact the magnitude of loss aversion?" and "Will different prices affect the self-other asymmetry in choice?". Design/methodology/approach - The design is a two (locus: self vs others) by two (anchoring price: $30 vs $90) between-subjects' factorial with both the locus of evaluation and the monthly service plan charges (anchoring prices) as the between-subjects' factors. Findings - The author finds that inertia equity is smaller when consumers evaluate peer customers than when they evaluate themselves to switch brands. It is also found that the locus effect is applicable to brands at various prices. Research limitations/implications - Further research should focus on the validations of the assumptions to support the empirical finding from the theoretical perspective. Practical implications - Price reductions should be made personally relevant to the consumer and price increases should be made relevant to other things. Originality/value - The locus effect expands the assessment of loss aversion from one (self or other) to two dimensions jointly (self and other). It demonstrates the impact of the locus of evaluation on the magnitude of loss aversion.

Notes: Purpose - The paper proposes investigating the timing of consumer requests for price-matching refunds, the relationship between the refund timing and consumer repeat store purchase and the reasons for buying from the price-matching store when a lower competitive price is found before purchase. Design/methodology/approach - In Study 1, qualitative research (consumer interviews) was conducted; Study 2 uses a shopping simulation in which the timing of consumer refund-seeking behavior is observed, and Study 3 involves a consumer survey in which information on consumer refund-seeking behavior at real stores is gathered. Findings - The paper finds that consumers request price-matching refunds more frequently at the time of purchase than after the purchase. Seeking (and receiving) the price-matching refund is associated with higher repeat store purchase behavior than not having had a refund-seeking experience. Key reasons for buying from the price-matching retailer when a lower competitive price is found before purchase include convenience, tangible extras, and store reputation/service quality. Research limitations/implications - A student convenience sample was used. In Study 2, fictitious stores were used. In Study 3, the timing of refund seeking may have been different on other (not reported) occasions. Ability to seek the refund was not accounted for. Practical implications - The majority of the retailer's price-matching cost will come from issuing at-the-time-of-purchase refunds, when consumers possess more bargaining power. A positive refund-seeking experience may create a more loyal customer. In addition to being a low-price signal, price-matching policies can serve as signs of retailers' customer orientation. Originality/value - This research fills the gap in understanding the consumer price-match refund-seeking behavior and offers practical implications for retailers employing price-matching guarantees.

Notes: Purpose - To present a model of innovative change in higher education based on research into the factors behind the performance of highly creative historical communities. Design/methodology/approach - The article diagnoses current pressures under which academia is laboring, explains the hothouse effect, and proposes solutions based on the hothouse effect model. Findings - The article proposes restructuring of discipline-based learning, developing new methods of strategic planning, adopting new assumptions about the social role of higher education, exploring modes of perception and cognition that are critical to education, and using digital technology to create learning communities and facilitate accelerated learning models. The model of organizational change emphasizes modest and numerous grass-roots initiatives as the most efficient generator of broad cultural change. Research limitations/implications - The aim is to stimulate pilot initiatives and broad dialog on the issues raised. The research points the way to further work in the dynamics of creativity, the nature of pedagogy, and the future role of the university. Practical implications - Numerous methods are presented for strengthening the relationship of faculty and administration, utilizing technology to create learning communities and transform pedagogy, stimulating faculty collaboration, and planning for the future. Originality/value - This paper provides many fresh and practical ideas useful at an individual, department, or institutional level. The goal is not a specific type of institution or mode of operation. Instead, it the model is flexible and adaptable to creative initiatives of any scope. Ultimately, this article can contribute to revitalizing the ongoing dialog about higher education's future.

Notes: Purpose - To ascertain how scholarship will be impacted by digital media. Design/methodology/approach - This paper breaks down the vocation of scholarship into subsidiary tasks. It examines how their relative importance has changed in the modern era. Finally, it looks at which tasks will be facilitated or complicated by digital media, particularly by the internet. Findings - The tasks of collecting and storing information have been made far faster and easier by digital media. Other tasks such as sorting, evaluating and assessing the implications of information have, however, become more difficult. In consequence, theory has become far more important. Research limitations/implications - The extrapolations in this paper are about broad trends, which may manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Practical implications - In the future, one can expect scholarship to deal less with uncovering new information. Instead, scholars will have to devote more time and effort to ascertaining why information is important. Scholars will be expected to articulate not only their methods but also their purposes. Originality/value - This paper provides useful information on how scholarship will be impacted by digital media.

Notes: Purpose - To provide a past, current and future perspective of transnational higher education for academics and managers engaged in this area of education provision, to heighten awareness of the current trends and issues involved. Design/methodology/approach - An Australian/Hong Kong case study and reference to current literature are used to highlight the main issues concerning this rapidly expanding phenomenon in the provision of higher education. Findings - Identifies and discusses the main issues for consideration when planning new transnational activities, including the need for strategic approaches and risk management. Research limitations/implications - The paper focuses on Australia and the Asian region, although material related to the UK and the USA is included in some sections. Whether a country is the provider or the receiver of transnational education, the issues raised will be relevant. Practical implications - This paper provides a very useful source of information for those currently involved in or planning to become involved in a transnational higher education activity. Originality/value - This paper is timely in that it addresses the recent proliferation of transnational higher education activities by considering the past and present, as well as providing discussion of potential future directions.

Notes: Purpose - To analyze the extent of, and the reasons for, institutional change in the private corporation. Design/methodology/approach - The paper identifies seven "new rules of corporate conduct" which, in total, represent a radical change in the social contract between society and the corporation. It then speculates about future changes in corporate purpose and governance. Findings - A central feature of the new corporate charter is that it is likely to entail a redefinition of the relationship between profit and corporate purpose. The purpose is service to society (i.e. serving social needs), while profit provides the means, motive and measure. Originality/value - This paper provides the basis and rationale for moving the corporation from "profit-as-purpose" to "service-as-purpose" as the organizing principle for its strategies, values and actions.

Notes: Purpose - To examine and discuss the central features of institutional change and to compare it with organizational change. Design/methodology/approach - Use interviews with managers to highlight key issues. Findings - Results are presented of interviews with managers exploring changes that have for decades been transforming business, government, and other institutions into "organic" systems for the knowledge age. Institutional change differs from organizational change by focusing on the higher-order unspoken social rules that govern the structure of institutions in common. The study evaluated trends driving this transformation, the obstacles blocking it, and the likely timetable of implementation. Originality/value - Concludes that three central features mark the general direction of institutional evolution: "e-organizations" operating in real time, "self-organizing systems" of self-managed teams, and "stakeholder collaboration" to unify diverse interests into a more powerful enterprise.

Notes: Purpose - Highlight the management dilemma disruptive innovation poses and examine what the leading management theorists have to offer as a solution. Design/methodology/approach - The author examines six leading theories of innovation and three alternatives to disruptive innovation. Findings - The leading theories that try to solve the paradox of innovation don't work and the alternatives to disruptive innovation merely delay having to deal with the dilemma. Research limitations/implications - The author reviewed many theoretical approaches to innovation management and selected six for commentary. Practical implications - The author argues that the theorists are looking at innovation in the wrong way. Because innovation is a paradox, the solution lies in rethinking the fundamental assumptions. Originality/value - First article that examines the logic behind the leading disruptive innovation theories and refutes their advice.

Notes: Purpose - To encourage top management to recognize the need for adding new value to their organizations and commit to the creation of new internal capabilities for growth via the exploration of their company's strategic frontier. Design/methodology/approach - Explains how the CEO can select a team and initiate a project to identify strategy frontier options. Findings - The authors' experience suggests that the team should first explore all areas of future growth potential in and adjacent to their industry, creating a long list of potential options. Identifying a breadth of strategic frontier options is more important than a depth of information on any one option. Research limitations/implications - More case studies of strategy frontier projects in action, with quantitative results, would be valuable. Practical implications - The goal of this frontier team is to identify a portfolio of innovative new business opportunities that exist on the strategic frontier. It will be the responsibility of another, more qualified group with quantitative skills (strategic planners, business development) to develop a detailed business design and determine its profitability and attractiveness to the company. Originality/value - The article offers top management an innovative how-to approach to finding truly new growth opportunities.

Notes: Purpose - Managers need research-based guidance on how to find sources of new growth when their core business is maturing. Design/methodology/approach - Authors shadowed managers responsible for finding and entering new businesses, interviewing them every three or four months for an average of two years. They surveyed over 100 corporate venturing units and corporate incubators and assembled a database of over 50 stories of companies that had successfully developed or acquired a significant new business. We interviewed managers in about half of these companies that had successfully diversified and we tested our emerging hypotheses against this database. Findings - All research indicated that managers need to assess opportunities more strategically and be less activity driven. The authors concluded that managers were investing in too many projects, most of which had little chance of success. Research limitations/implications - If research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process. Practical implications - Ashridge Strategic Management Centre has developed a screening tool - The New Businesses Traffic Lights to test opportunities before a business plan has been developed, alongside a business plan to assess the strategic logic for the proposal, or to an existing investment that is failing to meet its short-term targets. Originality/value - Applying the screen to the portfolio of new business investments in most companies will result in red lights for many projects. Not only can significant money be saved from the "new businesses" budget, but also extra resources can be focused on improving the core businesses.

Notes: Purpose - During the past year, the authors have built a framework for a suite of metrics that senior managers can customize to track and promote innovation success in their companies. Design/methodology/approach - Senior executives can use the suite of metrics to assess their company's innovativeness over time and hence combat the insidious strategy decay that often afflicts a company's business. Findings - The framework combines three views on innovation - resource, capability, and leadership - providing the perspective to develop a suite of metrics for assessing and developing a company's capacity for innovation. Research limitations/implications - The optimal selection of metrics and the optimal value or "sweet spot" of any particular metric will vary from company to company. Practical implications - As more firms develop strategic innovation metrics and a database that validates their relevance, top managers will learn to assess and guide a company's innovation capability more effectively. Originality/value - This is the first strategic guideline for building a customizable system of innovation metrics.

Notes: Purpose - This study proposes investigating the branding of small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) wineries in an Australian context. By taking a qualitative approach, the theory building research seeks further to understand branding from the perspective of the SME winery, and in doing so, go some way in addressing the current deficit in the literature. Design/methodology/approach - Bhat and Reddy's conceptualisation of brand functionality and symbolism is used as a branding framework to underlie the research. A multiple case study design was adopted as a research method to provide case data on eight SME wineries. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the owner/manager of each winery, direct observation and document analysis. Findings - The findings are presented in the form a model of SME winery branding, which, in addition to distinguishing two approaches to branding, highlights the functional and symbolic values inherent in the brand. The findings endorse the notion that brands can simultaneously have both functional and symbolic appeal. More radically, the emergent model suggests interdependence between the functional and symbolic properties of branding. Practical implications - Practically, the findings highlight the importance of developing the symbolic values associated with the brand, which represent a more sustainable competitive advantage. Originality/value - By establishing a tentative theory on SME winery branding, this study has begun to address the current deficit in wine marketing literature and has set a foundation for further research.

Notes: Purpose - Brand management in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is an area of study in its infancy. Although considerable literature has been published about brand management in general, all theory and case studies are based only on multinationals. This article proposes providing the results and conclusions of exploratory research into this subject, and into SMEs in particular. Design/methodology/approach - To understand the precise role of the entrepreneur and to provide answers to five research questions, a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with mainly middle-sized companies was undertaken. Striking results were obtained from this exploratory research. Findings - The paper shows the reader what the role of brand management in SMEs is and all the variables that influence it. It also presents a new model for brand development in SMEs, one that highlights the importance of the internal role of brand management in such an organization. An important finding is that passion for the brand throughout the company is a very important factor, initiated by an active role of the entrepreneur him/herself to achieving brand recognition. It does not cost anything and the impact appeared to be significant. Of course creativity is indispensable in this process. Practical implications - The change that directors of a relatively small company should make is to place brand management in a top position in their daily mind set. Achieving brand recognition starts inside the organization itself. Originality/value - For the first time in history extensive research in brand management in SMEs has been combined with the creation of various new theories, resulting in many practical recommendations. These are recommendations that can be used by the reader in his or her own organization.

Notes: Purpose - The aim of this research is to examine the effects of congruent and incongruent brand concept extensions on consumer attitudes towards the extended product and feedback effects on the parent brand. Moreover, brand familiarity is proposed as an important moderator variable in determining feedback effects on attitude to the parent brand. Design/methodology/approach - An experimental research design was applied for testing the set of hypotheses put forth. The product category of wrist-watches was utilized as setting. A total of 205 respondents participated in the study. Findings - The study finds general support for the importance of brand concept congruency when it comes to feedback-effects, whereas no significant differences between congruent and incongruent extensions are found for attitudes to the extension itself. Brand familiarity is found to be an important moderator on parent brand feedback effects. Research limitations/implications - Before concluding on the moderating role of brand familiarity in this context, one needs to build a stronger nomological network around this variable. Moreover, the effects observed in this study should be extended and tested for other product categories and preferably also with other methodological approaches. Originality/value - The study results reemphasize the importance of investigating brand feedback effects when launching category extensions. Also, the research provides new insight into the role of parent brand familiarity when evaluating the potential risks and rewards of conducting brand concept extensions.

Notes: Purpose - Proposes exploring a unique approach to the new product development process and its implications for new product developers Design/methodology/approach - The case was written after in depth interviews with company managers and customers. Findings - Provides information and a description of an innovative guiding philosophy applied to new product development. Research limitations/implications - As with most case studies the situation, industry response and results are pertinent to this particular company. There may be limitations in generalizing to other industries or other companies. Practical implications - Demonstrates a reactive approach to new product development. Also illustrates a successful means of interacting with government markets. Originality/value - The case reflects a successful strategy based on establishing a trusted expert position in an environmental protection industry. That position allowed the company to act as a pollution avoidance advocate and to gain effective access to decision makers within their customer companies. Within this industry, the strategy is effective and may be emulated.

Notes: Purpose - Despite the increasing sophistication of new product development (NPD) research, the reliance on traditional approaches to studying NPD has left several areas in need of further research. The authors propose addressing some of these gaps, especially the limited focus on consumer brands, evaluation criteria used across different project-review points in the NPD process, and the distinction between "kills", "successes", and "failures". Moreover, they propose investigating how screening criteria change across project-review points, using real-time NPD projects. Design/methodology/approach - A postal survey generated 172 usable questionnaires from a sample of European, North American, Far Eastern and Australian consumer packaged-goods firms, providing data on 314 new product projects covering different development and post-commercialization review points. Findings - The results confirm that acceptance-rejection criteria vary through the NPD process. However, financial criteria dominate across all the project-review points. Initial screening is coarse, focusing predominantly on financial criteria. Fit with organizational, product, brand, promotional, and market requirements dominate in the detailed screen and pre-development evaluation points. At pre-launch, decision-makers focus on product, brand, and promotional criteria. Commercial fit, production synergies, and reliability of the firm's market intelligence are significant discriminators in the post-launch review. Moreover, the importance of marketing and channel issues makes the criteria for screening brands different from those of industrial markets. Originality/value - The study, although largely descriptive and involves a relatively small sample of consumer goods firms, offers new insights into NPD project evaluation behavior. Future, larger-scale investigations covering a broader spectrum of consumer product sectors are needed to validate our results and to explain the reasons behind managers' decisions.

Notes: Purpose - The paper proposes enhancing the understanding of the complex challenges inherent in the development of tourism destination brand slogans. Design/methodology/approach - Prior to completing a tourism marketing PhD, the author spent almost two decades working in the tourism industry, mostly in destination marketing organisations (DMOs). In this paper he laments a significant gap in the literature in the area of tourism destination branding, a field that has only attracted academic attention since the late 1990s. Findings - While interest in applications of brand theory to practise in tourism is increasing, there is a paucity of published research with which to guide DMOs. There has been relatively little discussion on the complexity involved in capturing the essence of a multi-attributed destination with a succinct and focused brand position, in a way that is both meaningful to the multiplicity of target audiences of interest to stakeholders and effectively differentiates the destination from competitors. Practical implications - The paper will be of interest to tourism practitioners with a vested interest in the marketing of their destination, as well as research students and supervising academics interested in destination marketing. Originality/value - The paper summarises six issues that make the application of branding theory to destinations a complex undertaking, and which are worthy of increased research attention.

Notes: Purpose - Studies on optimal discount levels have sometimes yielded contradictory results, leaving practitioners with unclear direction. This paper proposes clarifying the optimum discount levels. Design/methodology/approach - This study asked 453 consumers to choose their own optimal discount levels (from 0-80 percent) for eight product categories across two distribution channels (physical store and online merchant). Then they were asked if the reason if they did not always select the deepest discount. Findings - Only 13 percent selected the 80 percent discount level for each product and each channel, despite seeing the exact price they would pay at each level. In support of attribution theory, 88 percent of the consumers attributed at least one cause for the deepest discounts. Most frequently cited were concerns about quality problems, damaged goods, or stolen goods. Consumers also opted for lower discount levels from the online merchant than from the physical store. There was a wide divergence by product category, with consumers selecting smaller discounts on tires and cereal and the deepest discounts on shirts. Research limitations/implications - Given the divergence across product categories, it is unknown how consumers would respond to categories not studied. Practical implications - This paper has revealed strong consumer perceptions about discount risks and the tradeoffs consumer make between risk and financial benefit across different product categories, both online and off - which can help marketing practitioners in setting discount levels. Originality/value - By allowing consumers to select their own preferred discount levels, it is shown that most customers attribute some risk to them.

Notes: Purpose - To explore an emerging area in internet practice that has implications for new product developers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper integrates concepts including a range of recently published (1993-2004) theoretical works and ongoing case developments in internet practice. Findings - Provides information and action approaches to new product developers that may increase the success and accuracy of resulting new products. Outlines the benefits of monitoring and participating in online consumer communities and offers practical suggestions for maximizing their value in the product development process. Research limitations/implications - The theoretical concepts that form the foundation of the paper appear to have a significant application to the product development process but have not been tested empirically. Practical implications - Uncovers a previously unrecognized source of direct consumer input and cooperation in the design and valuation of new products. Originality/value - This paper describes the nature and application of online consumer communities to an important marketing process. It offers the potential of improving the success of new products in the marketplace reducing significant waste.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to explain the structure of the market from the perspective of small brands and to discuss marketing strategy implications. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses revealed preference data of the Australian wine market, comprising 4,000 wine shoppers' purchases over a 12-month period. Standard brand performance measures such as penetration and purchase frequency are applied to the data to define niche and change-of-pace brands. Using the same data, price tier loyalty is measured using polarisation, and discussed in relation to the attribute offering required and the direct marketing approach required for true niche positions. Findings - The empirical results show that both niche and change-of-pace positions are prevalent in the wine market and small wineries, within a direct marketing channel approach, should target higher price points with branded wines but also lower price point products as well. The results suggest that attribute levels that are change-of-pace are unsustainable for small brands and can only be undertaken by large brands with the appropriate marketing resources. Research limitations/implications - The authors conceptualise that small brands should focus on attribute levels that have excess loyalty. Large brands can absorb attribute levels that are change-of-pace. This conceptualisation requires further discussion, particularly from the strategy literature, as well as further empirical testing. Practical implications - Whilst "niche" positions are the holy grail of some teaching and much practitioner endeavour, this paper has presented data that demonstrate the need for managers to ascertain if the position they occupy is in fact a niche or a change-of-pace position. Originality/value - This paper fulfils a need by using revealed preference behavioural data to highlight different strategies for small and large brands. Behavioural analysis and papers in the past have emphasised the strength and tendency towards large brands without offering insight into small brand strategies.

Notes: Purpose - This research proposes studying how consumers' familiarity with products impacts the degree to which consumers are sensitive to a seller's violation of procedural fairness norms in pricing. Past research has either studied the role of familiarity or the role of fairness in influencing consumer behavior. However, it is unclear how familiarity and fairness combine to influence consumer behavior. The present research proposes filling this gap. Design/methodology/approach - An experiment is designed to manipulate consumers' perceptions of procedural fairness of a seller's pricing tactic, and consumers' levels of familiarity with a product. Each variable is manipulated to be either high or low. Thus, outcomes are observed for four purchase conditions. Findings - Results indicate that the degree to which consumers rely on procedural fairness to evaluate a product is related to consumers' level of familiarity with a product. Consumers who are less familiar with a product are more likely to rely on procedural fairness to form purchase intentions. Also, unlike their more knowledgeable counterparts, consumers who are less familiar with a product are more likely to equate procedural fairness with perceived quality. Research limitations/implications - The research stresses the need to differentiate between the roles played by procedural and distributive fairness in shaping consumer behavior. The authors study only procedural fairness, but a natural next step for future research is to study simultaneously the role of both facets of fairness. Practical implications - The results of our study underscore the importance of following procedural fairness norms especially for retailers who deal in product categories where the pace of innovation is so rapid that it creates a large dispersion in knowledge of product attributes among consumers. The study' findings suggest that in such situations, consumers may rely excessively on cues that signal a seller's adherence to or violation of social norms relevant to business practices. Thus, the authors encourage sellers to monitor keenly levels of product knowledge among their customer base. This would enable sellers to identify situations that merit an enhanced sensitivity to upholding social norms such as procedural fairness. Originality/value - The paper brings to attention the interaction between consumers' familiarity with a product and procedural fairness in pricing. Although an expectation of procedural fairness underlies all exchanges this research identifies consumers' familiarity as a variable that influences the degree to which procedural fairness is relied on in shaping consumer behavior.

Notes: Purpose - To provide a conceptual framework to help researchers and managers understand the complex factors affecting the associations between brands. Design/methodology/approach - Brand extension, co-branding and other associative techniques together with an increasingly communicative environment are resulting in an increasingly complex set of networks and relationships between brands, with singular and multiple relationship forms. There are two key perspectives on these complex relationships, that of the customer and that of the brand owner, i.e. what is seen at the point of transaction and what is expressed by the various brand constructors. Two key perspectives on brand relationships are used that of the customer and that of the brand owner, to describe and discuss an analytical classification of these relationships. Findings - A conceptual synthesis of the dynamics of brand networks and business relationships is presented and a 2?×?2 matrix is developed to classify and describe the four categories that emerge. Practical implications - Different management strategies for different types of business-brand relationships are suggested. Originality/value - The conceptual synthesis is new and some uses of the classification for researchers and brand managers are suggested.

Notes: Purpose - The mandatory withdrawal of almost 2,000 complementary and alternative medicines, manufactured under contract on behalf of multiple brand names, primarily in the Australian and New Zealand markets, provides an opportunity to examine the impact on sales levels and both brand and category loyalty of a major product confidence crisis. Sets out to deal with this issue Design/methodology/approach - Focuses on the impact of the events surrounding the recall within both the Australian and New Zealand markets and links the events surrounding the recall with the scant international literature relating to brand management during crisis situations. Then reports on findings from an investigation of New Zealand consumer perceptions of the sector after the recall event. Findings - The substantial impact on both category and brand loyalty in the face of prolonged non-availability of some products is revealed, as is the lack of contingency planning across product supply and marketing communications dimensions. Concludes with recommendations for the future management of brands during such events. Practical implications - Lessons that may be learned in relation to brand management during crisis situations are stressed, along with implications for cross-border brand management. Originality/value - The dynamics of the complementary and alternative medicines market have not been comprehensively researched. In addition, the extant literature regarding brand management during crisis situations is not extensive. This paper therefore makes a contribution towards the understanding of an under-researched market sector and also the impact on brand management of major disruption to consumer confidence and product availability.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to effect a comparison of the pricing strategies followed by hypermarkets, compared with those that discount stores carry out. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from the direct observation of the supermarket shelves of nine frequent purchase product categories in several hypermarkets and discount stores. Diverse statistical analyses were applied to these picked up data, such as mean comparisons, ANOVA and correspondence analysis. Findings - The article concludes that the hypermarkets tend to have higher mean prices, and use promotional tools more profusely than the discount stores. Research limitations/implications - For future research, it would be very important to examine consumer price evaluations based on a theoretical approach in the same formats, and in this way consumer reactions to price changes could be understood. Also, examining the cross-country differences in retail stores may be quite interesting. Practical implications - Relationships between hypermarkets and hi-lo pricing, plus discount stores and EDLP pricing, have been found. Therefore, retail managers of both formats have to know all about these pricing strategies. In this way, the managers of these firms would know the kind of customers that can be attracted and the signals and image that can be projected in the market. Originality/value - This paper directly compares the pricing and promotional activities of hypermarkets versus discount stores. Researching into whether price and promotional differences exist between the two format retailers will help consumers and managers to know the true price level of each format.

Notes: Purpose - This paper seeks to present a cultural approach to co-branding. The purpose here is to discuss issues concerning the phenomena of brand and branding with particular focus on the mythological narratives that are at stake in a brand. Design/methodology/approach - This paper conducts a case analysis of a co-branded product. Provides both a managerial and a cultural reading of the co-brand in question, before proceeding to make a "neo-Freudian" analysis of the potentially transgressive meanings involved in the co-branding in question. This is done not so much to produce an authoritative reading of the cultural and commercial sign of the co-brand as to make a bold leap and provide a daring reading of a seemingly innocent co-branded product. Findings - Through the case study of the co-branded product, the vast amount of cultural meanings that goes beyond the sets of brand identities proposed by the brand managers is explored. Discusses the limitations of traditional strategic branding models and suggests a certain degree of humility towards the mysterious and spiritual forces when trying to exploit mythological levels of social meanings and narratives in the branding process. Practical implications - For brand managers who seek to co-operate with other brands in the marketplace, this paper offers an argument for the almost limitless potential of symbolic dimensions that are inextricably linked to combining brand universes. By doing so, a more comprehensive understanding of the meaning management for co-branded products and potentially a more successful outcome of the branding process may be achieved. Originality/value - In addition to existing research, this paper illustrates that the practice of co-branding involves a play with symbolic forces that can be unpredictable and difficult to control for a brand manager. This finding has implications for the degree to which one can expect to be able to manage the social communication processes generated from a co-branded product.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to alert readers to issues that may be overlooked in assessing fundamental changes in the post-secondary arena. Design/methodology/approach - Posits that the internet changes the nature of the university as fundamentally as one saw when the Bible was published on the movable type press. Findings - Open access courses and journals put knowledge into the Socratic Agora, changing the roles of faculty as both educators and researchers. Since knowledge is available with the click of a mouse, the linear Kindergarten to Bachelor's curriculum has been deconstructed and integrated with work and play since age is not a barrier to access. Also, few may opt for a hand-crafted, packaged, on-campus experience. As the current faculty, cyber immigrants, retires, the emerging cyber natives will form self-organizing communities of interest/practice and the function of the university must be reinvented. Originality/value - The paper is of value to administrators, policy analysts, researchers in the arena of education, funding agencies, foundations and politicians involved with educational change.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to outline the impact of the information society on the institutional changes taking place in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach - A veteran of government outlines the impact of the information society on the institutional changes taking place in the public sector. Drawing on his extensive experience and the literature, he provides creative insights into the themes of this special issue. Findings - E-government may prove useful in managing routine tasks, he agrees, but the highly complex, interpersonal nature of government places severe limits on the extent to which public work can be automated. With government outsourcing much of its work to private firms, and corporations required to serve the public interest, there is also a marked overlap of the public versus private domains. The old hierarchies of the past are being fragmented by information systems and the need to involve people in managing complexity, leading to "uncentralized" systems in which initiative and creativity must be exercised at all levels. And the mismatch between geographic boundaries and the criss-crossing nature of real problems creates confusion over how governments should be organized. Originality/value - All of these trends, the author notes, pose paradoxes that mark the distinctive features of government today.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to review institutional change in health care and to look for opportunities in what the author sees as a coming crisis. Design/methodology/approach - A consultant on health-care systems reviews the forces driving transformation in medicine, including new technologies, telemedicine, and prevention. Findings - Finds forces driving transformation in medicine limited in addressing the crisis of spiraling cost and mediocre, overly complex treatment. Originality/value - Concludes that a dramatic shift in perspective is coming as baby boomers are forced to face the inevitability of death in positive terms.

Notes: Purpose - To offer seven guides to institutional change. Design/methodology/approach - The Director of the Office of Force Transformation draws on his experience in transforming the US military to offer seven guides to institutional change. Findings - The seven guides are as follows: some major changes are inevitable and should be noted as such; having a good forecast ahead of others is of little use if they are not ready to acknowledge it; future trends must rely on data-free research to some extent; it is possible to use the media for your purposes by focusing on pivotal ideas they like to promulgate; to change institutions requires changing their culture, which in turn requires changing carefully selected values and symbols; transformation demands not only creative imagination but the hard work of implementation; and look for those crucial tipping points when achieving a critical mass can swing dramatic changes quickly. Originality/value - Offers an experience-based insight into the world of organizational transformation.

Notes: Purpose - To provide a futures-oriented perspective on institutional change. Design/methodology/approach - Presents methods and case studies of attempts to engage in institutional change. An international authority on future studies draws on his field to provide a futures-oriented perspective on institutional change. This perspective includes the use of futures tools, strategy, capacity building, the central role of memes, emergence of self-organization, and the underlying role of meaning and symbols. Five case studies are used to illustrate these principles. Findings - One company was struggling over its governing choice of institutional metaphor: the tortoise versus the hare. Another was caught up in treating hackers as good versus evil, but realized that they needed new concepts to grasp the frontier of cyberspace. A third case involved moving from developing a monolithic plan to forming self-organizing groups of stakeholders that actually created a collective new vision. A city council was able to recognize the need to shift toward an innovative organizational structure. The final case challenged a group of mayors to adopt a "rainforest" model of cities that is inclusive, green, human-centered. Originality/value - Mapping, understanding and transforming the "myths" discussed in this paper are crucial for the move from individual to organization to institutional change.

Notes: Purpose - To describe examples of institutional change to help others appreciate the difficult but crucial nature of this process. Design/methodology/approach - A seasoned consultant describes, using frank, first-hand account, examples of institutional change. Findings - Shows how institutional change is often forced on organizations by shifting external forces that render old niches obsolete. Also shows the difficulty in mobilizing to confront the need for serious change, and how leadership transitions are often a central part of the change process. Originality/value - The author points to three main lessons from this case study. Institutional change may be arduous, but it can also leave people feeling amazed at how long they tolerated the old system. The author also notes that institutional change is a natural process, proceeding with a life all its own. The author concludes with some thoughts on how to initiate this process when an organization appears ready.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to explores the idea of career-focused, vocational higher education and give an overview of the current offerings of degrees, programs and majors that focus on games, simulations and interactive media. Design/methodology/approach - Provides an overview of educational courses supplied by various institutions which are capitalising on student and industry demand by offering officially accredited degrees in the study of games. Findings - Students benefit most from the developing educational trend, and it makes economic sense for institutions to update their offerings to allow pedagogy to improve as the concept of what is involved in higher education expands. Originality/value - Explores specifically how institutions are capitalizing on student and industry demand by offering officially accredited degrees in the study of games.

Notes: Purpose - A growing number of educators are turning to games for a model of next-generation learning environments. To date, there has been a lack of critical inquiry into what kind of learning occurs through game play, and how games get learned by their players. Aims to plug this gap Design/methodology/approach - This paper is a critical study of Viewtiful Joe, a cult-classic sidescrolling 2D fighting game for the Nintendo Gamecube. Noted for its difficulty, Viewtiful Joe is an interesting case because, as a fighting game, it embodies many of the principles fundamental to the medium, most of which are missed by educators illiterate regarding the medium. It shows the cognitive complexity that goes into a fighting game, as well as a cutting-edge example of how to manage that complexity. Far from button-mashing, success in Viewtiful Joe requires the player to learn to read the game symbol systems, understand Viewtiful Joe's capacities, and see potential interchanges between them. Findings - The paper analyzes how Viewtiful Joe is structured to balance flow and novelty, encourage players both to develop new skills and to master those they have. Finally, the paper examines how learning occurs through game play as an activity system, using player-generated FAQs to analyze how gamers represent their practice and suggest theories of expert game practice. Originality/value - Central to this paper is the argument that playing Viewtiful Joe is a performative act, where declarative knowledge, while clearly present for players, is secondary to players' ability to see and do in real-time.

Notes: Purpose - Proposes to argue that current assumptions about media effects in videogames fail to take into account the variety of messages and potential effects embedded in games. Design/methodology/approach - A survey of the game "Grand Theft Auto III" and a short, illustrative, review of "videogames as learning" perspectives. Findings - Even a game such as "Grand Theft Auto III", pilloried for its anti-social messages and assumed negative behavioral effects, reveals a significant number of positive social messages. Research limitations/implications - This paper only illustrates the conflicting nature of media effects assumptions - both positive and negative. It does not attempt to provide an exhaustive review of or context for either the subject-matter or the research area. Practical implications - The perspective presented provides a warning to educators intent on assuming positive learning benefits (effects) of the videogame medium just as it argues against a simple reading of videogames as negative media by groups seeking to censor games. Originality/value - This is the first paper to identify the underlying assumptions of both the "videogames as learning" and the "videogames as social danger" camps as both sharing the same conceptual framework.

Notes: Purpose - Aims to determine how multiple play styles and use of "outside" materials can be successfully taken into account when designing user experiences in educational digital games. Design/methodology/approach - This research draws on over two dozen qualitative interviews and an open-ended survey of an additional 50 game players with a wide range of gameplay experience. Findings - Findings suggest that players have different skill sets, and different beliefs about what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable help in a variety of games. These findings are analyzed to argue for different ways to enhance the educational gaming experience for players. Research limitations/implications - As with all qualitative research, the relatively small sample size makes it difficult to draw broad generalizations from the data. However, the research does suggest that there are many ways to play games, that players use many items and information "outside" the game to help them play or enhance their experience, and such things can be fruitfully used to improve educational games. Practical implications - Designers of educational games should take into account the materials surrounding games, such as walkthroughs and codes, as ways to enhance the game and educational experience, rather than detract from them. Originality/value - Very little research has been done examining how players perceive items and information related to game play, as well as how they use such things. This research investigates that area and relates the knowledge to ways to improve educational games, and education.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to exemplify and discuss how students' use of weblogs can prepare them for a networked world where writing has consequences outside grades. Design/methodology/approach - Experiences using weblogs with university students are critically discussed with reference to related theoretical and practice-based work. Findings - While many students were wary at first, the experience of writing in public provided an important learning opportunity, and many of the most skeptical became enthusiastic and proficient webloggers during the course of the semester. Research limitations/implications - The empirical data are from a single course and therefore limited. Practical implications - Students should practice writing in public and on the network, yet ethical issues must be considered. Originality/value - An increasing number of teachers and professors are using weblogs with students. In addition to a critical discussion of the ethics and pedagogical value of weblogging, this paper gives educators specific advice on how to encourage students to use their weblogs actively and productively.

Notes: Purpose - Seeks to argue that procedural literacy, of which programming is a part, is critically important for new media scholars and practitioners and that its opposite, procedural illiteracy, leaves one fundamentally unable to grapple with the essence of computational media. Design/methodology/approach - This paper looks at one of the earliest historical calls for universal procedural literacy, explores how games can serve as an ideal object around which to organize a procedural literacy curriculum, and describes a graduate course developed at Georgia Tech, Computation as an Expressive Medium, designed to be a first course in procedural literacy for new media practitioners. Findings - To achieve a broader and more profound procedural literacy will require developing an extended curriculum that starts in elementary school and continues through college. Encountering procedurality for the first time in a graduate level course is like a first language course in which students are asked to learn the grammar and vocabulary, read and comment on literature, and write short stories, all in one semester; one's own students would certainly agree that this is a challenging proposition. Originality/value - New media scholars and practitioners, including game designers and game studies scholars, may assume that the "mere" technical details of code can be safely bracketed out of the consideration of the artifact. Contrary to this view, it is argued that procedural literacy, of which programming is a part, is critically important for new media scholars and practitioners and that its opposite, procedural illiteracy, leaves one fundamentally unable to grapple with the essence of computational media.

Notes: Purpose - Since nonprofits operate without the feedback provided by profits and losses, their need for a vision is acute. Design/methodology/approach - McKinsey & Company consultants report on their experience facilitating vision development in nonprofits. They extrapolate best practices. Findings - Most effective visions comprise a compelling, easy-to-understand description of how the nonprofit would like the world to change in the next three-to-five years, what role the organization will play in that change, and how the nonprofit will measure the success of its role. Research limitations/implications - The sample of cases described is small. Surveying a larger sample of nonprofit leaders to ask whether their vision has had positive results would provide valuable insight. Practical implications - Developing a vision can keep an organization focused, increase the ease of performance measurement, help track successes and identify early warning signs of ineffective programs. Clear visions also highlight gaps in talent, funds, or facilities. Finally, staff members operating with the help of a clear vision often are more efficient and happier. Originality/value - The experience of one of the world's foremost consulting firms with developing nonprofit organizations' vision is an example of best practice.

Notes: Purpose - Knowing which of the hundreds of elements that comprise a consumer's purchasing decision are the most important is essential if leaders are to wisely allocate resources and support actions that will have an expedient impact on growth. Design/methodology/approach - IBM Consulting is testing consumer decision process (CDP) modeling in a variety of industries. Findings - A new tool, CDP modeling, offers companies a combination of traditional market research and unique quantitative modeling can take the guesswork out of why consumers do or do not buy. Research limitations/implications - Comparative testing with other consumer decision research tools needs to be done. Practical implications - Achieving the benefits of CDP requires starting with strategic issues like competitive gaps, selecting consumer decisions that provide the best information for this issue, like why consumers choose a particular retailer, and implementing changes based on insights discovered. Originality/value - Armed with insights based on CDP modeling that better explain why consumers choose certain products, channels and competitors over others, companies can market existing products more effectively than their rivals and take market share from them.

Notes: Purpose - The authors introduce an experience-based approach offering a comprehensive new way of developing leaders. It knits together on-the-job experience, life experience, and specific skill development, rather than presenting employees with a smorgasbord of classes and programs that is tenuously linked (if it is linked at all) to career development, succession planning, or business objectives. Design/methodology/approach - The authors base their conclusions on previous Accenture research and their observations of leadership technology as used by organizations. Findings - Advances in learning models, information technology, and leadership research strongly suggest that new approaches like experience-based learning hold strong promise in helping companies meet the high performance challenge. Research limitations/implications - The experience-based approach bridges the gap between practice and performance through creative uses of information and communication technology. Research to validate and show the impact of the experience-based approach compared to various alternatives would be welcome. Practical implications - The experience-based method can be adapted to the developmental needs and opportunities of leaders and potential leaders at all stages of their careers, and also to the changing needs of organizations operating in complex and uncertain environments. The goal of experience-based leadership development is to equip employees to mine their experiences - continuously and intensively - for insight into what it takes to lead, what it takes to grow as a leader, and what it takes to cultivate the leader in others (peers and superiors as well as subordinates). Originality/value - Today's challenge for organizations is to grow more leaders over a larger terrain and faster than ever before. Article explains how a program that uses learning models, information technology, and leadership research to link experience and leadership training can help companies produce higher quality leaders more efficiently.

Notes: Purpose - Two completely different views on data distribution - the lockbox versus the chatty network - pose a dilemma that strategic planners must address and resolve. How do organizations make sense of conflicting possibilities for the future of information networks? Design/methodology/approach - Recently the author participated in a discussion with privacy and security professionals attending an annual privacy and security conference titled "Seeking the middle path." They explored four scenarios for the future of privacy and security. Findings - The experts explored a future called Aikido - a scenario where the value proposition of networking takes precedence over privacy. Some of the elements of this scenario can be discerned from examining the offerings of companies that operate on the Internet today. Research limitations/implications - Other companies need to explore these four scenarios in the light of their own security and privacy concerns as well as the possibilities of developing network business models. Practical implications - The next step for CEOs struggling with issues of privacy and security: figure out the connection between sense making (expanding your view of new possibilities like networks and reperceiving what they mean to the industry and your organization) and business judgment (making concrete decisions that exploit that knowledge). Originality/value - The author introduces a scenario called Aikido - a possible future where the value proposition of networking takes precedence over privacy. He shows how several existing companies are pioneering this value proposition.

Notes: Purpose - The past dozen years in business have witnessed an explosion in the use of management tools and techniques. Keeping up with the tools and deciding which ones to use have become an essential part of every executive's responsibilities. Design/methodology/approach - In 1993, Bain & Company launched a multiyear research project to get the facts about management tool use. Over 12 years Bain assembled a global database of more than 7,000 respondents, including 960 this year. They supplement the survey with follow-up interviews to probe the specifics of tool use in individual companies. Findings - This year, the news is that executives are using more tools for acquiring customers, keeping them, learning more about what they want, and then satisfying and delighting them. They know they need tools to innovate, but they are not entirely sure how to go about it. To free up cash, they are outsourcing like crazy. And they are relying on information technology to run their businesses more efficiently. Research limitations/implications - This survey formerly was done annually and now is taken every other year. Practical implications - Managers who promote tool fads undermine employees' confidence that they can create the change that is needed. Executives are better served by championing realistic strategic directions - and viewing the specific tools they use to get there as subordinate to the strategy. Originality/value - Without satisfaction and usage data from companies that have adopted management tools, choosing and using them becomes a risky and potentially expensive gamble.

Notes: Purpose - Describes how The F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College features creativity as one of the early and essential components of its innovative two-year MBA program. Design/methodology/approach - Article reports on the indicators that the program is a success. Findings - For corporations seeking creativity in new hires, MBA graduates who have completed the "Creativity stream" offer increased confidence in their ability to express themselves creatively; willingness to accept ambiguity and the uncertainty of process as part of discovery; openness to alternatives ways of seeing a problem, solution, or scenario; and renewed trust in themselves and their potential as creative thinkers. Research limitations/implications - Employer survey results suggest that there is a link between Babson MBAs' success at producing more and better creative solutions on the job and their exposure to creative process in the "Creativity stream". Practical implications - There is only limited evidence that arts experiences as part of corporate creativity training are noticeably beneficial, but Unilever's management contends that such training leads to changed perceptions and better decisions. Originality/value - Creativity training can help employees and their managers develop new approaches to resolving corporate challenges.

Notes: Purpose - Through research and first-hand experience with more than one hundred nonprofit mergers in the past decade, the firm has developed a variety of tools to help nonprofit organizations determine whether to undertake merger negotiations, how to facilitate these negotiations, and how to integrate organizations post-merger. Design/methodology/approach - The authors have conducted more than 100 nonprofit mergers. They also interviewed board members and CEOs of nonprofits that have merged. Findings - The critical differences between mergers in for-profit and nonprofit sectors occur in the negotiations phase, which is where board members often play a key role. Research limitations/implications - This article addresses the merger process, not the business case. More research is needed on the economic benefits of nonprofit mergers. Practical implications - The article identifies best practices for nonprofit mergers. Originality/value - This article alerts volunteer board members from the for-profit sector to the essential differences they face facilitating mergers in the nonprofit sector and provides them with a step-by-step guide to success.

Notes: Purpose - Over the last two years, the authors have studied the growth strategies and the supporting operations of nearly 650 companies around the world. While most have the expectation that innovation will drive corporate fortunes, the research makes it clear that building or restructuring business operations to profitably bring new products and services to market is a top priority only for best performing companies but near the bottom of most companies' priorities. Design/methodology/approach - Explains how top-performing global companies are investing in the product development capabilities, the supply chain process infrastructure, and the sophisticated information systems needed to support and synchronize innovation across the value chain. Findings - Research on a subset of the survey base (the 300+ larger companies and business units with revenues ranging from US$200 million to US$10 billion and higher) shows that those that can synchronize complex global value chains - the complexity masters - are up to 73 percent more profitable than the others. Research limitations/implications - Interviews with senior managers at leading firms and case studies on the complexity masters would be of high value. Practical implications - The authors suggest three steps: create innovation - build an idea-generation machine; exploit innovation where and when it matters; and invest in innovation capabilities for creating and sustaining a profit cycle. The four ingredients that make top-performing companies stand out are visibility, flexibility, collaboration, and technology. Originality/value - Lists the best practices - the strategies and tactics - of the most profitable innovators, the elite "complexity masters."

Notes: Purpose - Advising top management how to find the right balance between corporate creativity and efficiency in order to turn innovation into commercial reality. Design/methodology/approach - The author interviewed senior corporate managers and reviewed the literature. Findings - Inventiveness is required in everything that is done by the company, not just in marketing or in new product development. A key factor in boosting innovativeness is establishing the right organizational climate to nurture the creative potential of employees and make use of their knowledge of customers, competitors, and processes. When leveraging the best innovation practices of other companies look to their philosophy and values. Research limitations/implications - More interviews and a study to determine long-term success factors would be advisable. Practical implications - Key practices: place people and ideas at the heart of management philosophy; give people room to grow, to try and learn from mistakes; build a strong sense of openness and trust and community; and facilitate the internal mobility of talent. Originality/value - The author advises innovation leaders on steps they can take to strike the right balance between corporate creativity and efficiency.

Notes: Purpose - How des Xilinx Corporation, with worldwide headquarters in San Jose and European headquarters in Dublin, stay on Fortune magazine's top-ten-best-companies-to-work-for list and remain the market leader in the programmable logic segment of the semiconductor industry? Design/methodology/approach - Strategy & Leadership interviewed Paul McCambridge, Vice President of Xilinx to find out what's behind the company's sustained success as an innovator. Findings - Xilinx wants to be on the breakthrough curve and has adopted a higher-risk business model to gain technology leadership. Xilinx has created a culture that supports taking risks. The culture assumes that if there is failure there will be both learning and the opportunity to provide a solution in the future. The culture of trust is key. And this extends to customers and supply partners Research limitations/implications - More interviews about other aspects of Xilinx's strategic management practices, such as strategic planning, will be the subject of future interviews. Practical implications - In bad economic times Xilinx took unconventional actions to preserve teams and avoid layoffs. The result was the culture of innovation was enhanced. Originality/value - Here is a rare look at how a senior leader manages the continual risks of making breakthrough innovation happen.

Notes: Purpose - With more companies working to innovate across corporate boundaries, protecting intellectual property is becoming a much bigger issue. The authors find that the best way to handle this threat is to face it head-on. Design/methodology/approach - While co-sponsoring an innovation awards program the authors saw first-hand some of the skills and attributes of up and coming innovators in the UK. From observing leading firms they developed practical steps that underpin a successful innovation network and can help protect intellectual property. Findings - The authors defined and tested four practical best practices that firms can use in the ideas-to-market race, in which many of the best and most innovative products and services (and their inspirations) come from new and varied sources. Research limitations/implications - The authors offer short snapshot case examples. Longer cases and research over a longer time frame would be valuable. Practical implications - Managers will want to follow these best practices: know your partners; structure the relationship so all parties, particularly aspiring innovators, are treated as valued partners; define mutual benefits; and establish performance targets and offer incentives Originality/value - Open innovation is one of the newest strategic management tools. This is one of the first articles to describe how to manage it effectively based on experience.

Notes: Purpose - The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is becoming increasingly publicly criticised by the likes of Mintzberg and other management writers. Much of their criticism is based on personal experience and opinion rather than any systematic research, and ready-made solutions are proposed as alternatives. This paper (and its counterpart) are the result of a year of research into the future of the MBA. Its purpose is to question whether its current market decline is terminal or if indeed it can be resurrected. Design/methodology/approach - A year-long future study was undertaken at Cranfield School of Management combining a range of traditional research methods and samples including literature review, surveys of alumni, academics and futurists, interviews with recruiters and human resources (HR) managers, a Delphi study with international participants, and interviews and a focus group with business leaders. The results were then analysed and combined to form the pictures developed in this article and its counterpart. Findings - The MBA is positioned here as a qualification that is plagued by market confusion as to what it actually represents and what its value is. A pre-emptive post-mortem is carried out into the future of the MBA and the future senior manager/leader, which highlights the gap between research and practice, league tables, e-learning and attempts at internationalisation as some of the causes of the current malaise. The paper also looks at how some business schools are starting to address these issues in order to maintain the MBA as a valued qualification in the management marketplace. Originality/value - This paper provides a comparison of MBA offerings and potential substitutes. It opens the arena of senior management education for debate by charting the future decline of the MBA, challenging business schools to make changes or witness the death of their cash-cow.

Notes: Purpose - Building on part 1 of this series, this paper aims to look at alternative ways in which business schools can develop the future managers and leaders needed by organisations. It draws attention to an emerging gap in the marketplace and suggests one possible model for addressing it. Design/methodology/approach - A year-long future study was undertaken at Cranfield School of Management combining a range of traditional research methods and samples including literature review, surveys of alumni, academics and futurists, interviews with recruiters and human resource (HR) managers, a Delphi study with international participants, and interviews and a focus group with business leaders. The results were then analysed and combined to form the pictures developed in this article and its counterpart. Findings - Following on from Part 1, this paper proposes a new "élite" qualification for senior managers and leaders to replace the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the marketplace. This would allow the MBA to become the graduate conversion course in business necessary as an entry point into management. The Master's in Business Leadership (MBL) focuses on the individual rather than curriculum, and is a personal development journey rather than a functional knowledge-based experience, as there is an assumption that this knowledge base is already there prior to the course being undertaken. This paper concludes with a comparative analysis of the MBA, the MBL and the International Master's in Practising Management which Mintzberg has proferred as his alternative to the MBA. Originality/value - This paper provides a comparison of MBA offerings and potential substitutes. It also suggests a new curriculum for senior management education to prepare people for leadership in the future, while repositioning the MBA as a mass graduate conversion programme. By putting forward one possible way forward in the management education market, this paper hopes to open discussion for further development of the international management education sector.

Notes: Purpose - This essay aims to present role of education and its response to institutional change. Design/methodology/approach - Explores both a shift in its purpose and its role in a wired/global environment. The principal focus is on the traditional post-secondary education but considers changes that are occurring as society moves to lifelong learning. It challenges the current model of change of the institutions as being cosmetic and only delaying a profound shift in the form, direction and purpose of education, as an institution. Findings - While changes are occurring within The Academy, most academics who are working in the arena of e-learning are worrying about changes at the micro level. Most of the power of institutional change has been given up by the faculty in exchange for their sinecure. While administrators are concerned about fiscal solvency, the faculty has expectations that in the end, after the storm has passed, the landscape will not be the same. Originality/value - Provides an overview of the role of education and its response to institutional change.

Notes: Purpose - Proposes to look at how many designers and researchers have become interested in how videogames can serve as forms of cultural expression beyond entertainment alone. Design/methodology/approach - The study is based on views from the videogame industry and the educational system. Findings - This article suggests that both the videogame industry and the compulsory educational system are engaged in commensurate crises. The videogame industry is creatively rich but risk-averse, motivated primarily by wealth and reinforced by its own success. The education establishment is bureaucratic and self-effacing, endorsing the production of complacency over challenge. With videogames and education caught in similar ruts, to support change in one means endorsing a revolution in the other. Originality/value - Compares the videogame industry with the educational establishment and suggests ways in which the videogame industry can assist education.

Notes: Purpose - To review Peter Plantec's book Virtual Humans: A Build it Yourself Kit. Design/methodology/approach - This book is meant to be read by one willing to actively engage with the technologies that Plantec introduces. While the technology that enables virtual agents is stable, many agents are annoyingly non-humanlike in their interactions. Plantec encourages his readers to enter the world of virtual humans by providing the resources and coaching necessary to create a digital agent. He challenges the reader to throw off the notion that she is creating a technical implementation, a piece of software, and instead persuades her to approach the task as a scriptwriter would in creating a character. Findings - Only through the application of artifice can developers hope to create deeply engaging virtual humans with recognizable, engaging personalities. But once people start to believe in their virtual companions, where might it lead them as a society? Originality/value - Provides information about virtual humans.

Notes: Purpose - The function of college degrees in general, and PhDs, in particular, seems increasingly, to serve as a measure of certification and, in some instances, control for entrance into a profession. Advanced degrees in the humanities seem to have lost credence outside of academic circles as hard scientists have assumed the bully pulpit on many issues once the domain of the philosophers, as students, increasingly, question the rhetoric of "The Academy" (and some in the private sector) promoting broad liberal studies, a, especially, as less of the cost is provided by public funds. The entire post secondary experience is becoming increasingly questionable when analysis shows, that for the foreseeable future, less than 30 percent of US jobs really require a college degree. The facts are that in the USA over 44 percent of faculty are adjuncts, often with less than a PhD, and less than 40 percent of current positions are tenure track. This editorial aims to alert readers to underlying trends which are reshaping the roll of the academic both within The Academy and the world at large. It may suggest the need to bring rhetoric of the past in line with the reality of the present/future and change the model of post secondary education. Design/methodology/approach - Looks at the area of the PhD in the humanities in the academic world. Findings - Administrators and policy analysts need to assess the changing roll of faculty and the implications for both the fiscal and structural soundness of the university in the digital age as well as its roll and position within the larger society. Originality/value - Provides information that is useful to administrators and policy analysts.

Notes: Purpose - The rapid rise of corporate universities, online degree programs, and the explosive growth in executive education all serve as signals to universities that the concept of a learning organization continues to gain momentum in the business community. This paper has the objective of describing a new model for academic/industry partnerships that utilizes traditional professional aspects of higher education (research, teaching, and consulting) to assist individual businesses in their quest to build a sustainable competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach - The paper first describes the model, discusses implications for business and the academy and then describes its application in an organization. Findings - The educonsulting (EC) model gives businesses a method linking their investment in education programs to their business strategy, in turn providing a potentially greater return on the investment in human capital development. In addition, the model provides a school of business with a systemic means of professionally developing its faculty and improving its stakeholder relationships. Originality/value - The EC model described in this paper provides a blueprint for innovative colleges of business and their business partners to link individual development and organizational development to achieve their respective strategic goals.

Notes: Purpose - To illustrate the nature, range and variety of international networks linking individuals and institutions and reflecting the globalisation of higher education and desire of educators with common interests to shed their parochialism and communicate and collaborate on aspects of academic practice across national boundaries. Design/methodology/approach - The authors draw on their personal experiences of securing European Union funding for establishing a network of tertiary level educators and some targeted online research, to inform their review and analysis. Findings - Internationals networks in sphere of higher education can be either subject-specific or thematic in their aims and either global or restricted to one part of the world in their membership. Some are the outcome of activities at grass roots level while others are a response to policy initiatives from inter-governmental organisations. Practical implications - Although widespread, international networks in higher education are by no means unproblematic and questions inevitably arise as to their contribution and role in facilitating innovations in academic practice. The authors identify a number of issues concerning their modus operandi and roles that need to be addressed if they are to play a full part in contributing to academic practice in higher education. Originality/value - By highlighting the nature and contributions of international networks faculty are alerted to this mode of academic communication and collaboration and the steps that need to be taken if the full potential of such networks is be realised.

Notes: Purpose - Reflection is key to learning from experience, including the experience of teaching. Aims to investigate whether critical reflection is as important in faculty development as it is in student learning. Design/methodology/approach - Offers the authors' experience with a service-learning program as a case study of the benefits and challenges of structuring faculty development around reflection. Findings - Reflection on their teaching both deepens faculty's understanding of their roles as educators and allows them to model those abilities and perspectives they want their students to develop. Further, collaborating with our students in the reflective process promotes a strong sense of learning community, positioning students and faculty alike as engaged in collaborative inquiry. Originality/value - Provides useful information on reflection as a means of development for faculty.

Notes: Purpose - The objective of the paper is to investigate computer processor cycles as an untapped resource in the field of education. Design/methodology/approach - Looks at how computer processor cycles could be potentially used in education. Findings - Finds that test and demographic data could be analyzed more deeply while the computer is supposedly idle. Originality/value - Provides interesting suggestions as to the use of computer processor cycles in education.

Notes: Purpose - To review what "quality" meant to universities historically and might mean in the future. Design/methodology/approach - Written as a keynote talk for The Australian Universities Quality Forum 2004, this paper problematizes "universities" and "quality" by reviewing the way changing communication modalities have changed the meaning of the two terms over time. Findings - After reviewing some of the literature forecasting alternative futures of universities, the paper settles on a preferred future in which all education, higher and lower, is driven by the logic, best practices, and evolving technologies of electronic games. Research limitations/implications - The paper reveals that researchers who compare word-based educational systems with electronic, interactive sound-and-image-based systems should use measures appropriate for the latter, rather than derived from the former. Practical implications - The paper shows that educators should take interactive electronic game methods more seriously in thinking about and planning for the futures of universities and their curricula. Originality/value - This paper provides a contribution to the growing emphasis on making learning interactive, engaging, effective, and fun.

Notes: Purpose - The increasing ability to move knowledge across political and geological borders changes the nature and function of a university in much the same way that unique biological niches are changed by the movement, intentional and accidental, of plants, animals and micro-organisms via improved transportation systems. Knowledge transfer, while often seen as positive, also, as in the bio/physical universe, has negative consequences, including cultural changes, merging or closing institutions with a concomitant loss in intellectual diversity. As with traditional ecologies, little can be done to restore or prevent further cultural integration. How this will affect individual institutions is not clear, nor are the potential response options visible. The purpose of this editorial is to examine this situation. Design/methodology/approach - This editorial points out the changes which are occurring in universities as a consequence of increased mobility of ideas across political and geographically determined borders and across the walls of the Ivory Tower. It raises concerns for the university and seeks to understand what responses might be appropriate. Findings - This editorial finds that the university, today, is radically altered and most faculty need to step outside of the Ivory Tower and see that it has, indeed, changed. Originality/value - The editorial speaks to administrators and policy analysts who must make decisions on the potential survival and direction of universities in an increasingly global society.

Notes: Purpose - To make resource-related decisions in a way that maximizes an organization's effectiveness and promotes its mission, nonprofit leaders need to have a clear picture of the full costs of operating their programs and services. Design/methodology/approach - The authors studied individual nonprofits and confirmed their findings by interviewing their executives. Findings - While most nonprofits have a good understanding of the direct costs incurred by their programs, many don't account for indirect costs. Full cost data can provide invaluable input to decisions about how to allocate resources among programs, whether to expand into a new location, and what level of funding is required to sustain the organization's operations. Research limitations/implications - Larger studies are needed to confirm whether nonprofit executives conclude that investing in more accurate cost accounting provides a substantial payoff. Practical implications - Resource-allocation decisions based on accurate cost data present nonprofit executives with their best opportunity to concentrate resources on activities that will effectively achieve their organizations' goals. Original/value - Corporate executives who volunteer to help nonprofits need to be aware that the financial data needed for strategic decision making often isn't available. Moreover the culture of the nonprofit sector resists adopting accounting systems that measure true costs.

Notes: Purpose - This case recounts how an expert scenario consultant and a team of managers at a government agency used proprietary technology to define a set of alternate futures; it describes how this scenario analysis provided a framework for understanding the existence of interlocking relationships - the logic model - among factors that determine desirable future outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - As a tool for forecasting and strategic planning, Battelle employs a method called interactive future simulations (IFS) that uses expert judgment, trend analysis, and cross-impact analysis for generating probabilistic alternative futures (scenarios). The tool has been used both for Battelle's own business strategy analysis and for fee-for-service projects for some 55 clients in North America, Europe, and Japan. Findings - The logic model showed that, higher achievement depends primarily on only two clusters of descriptors: students receiving high quality instruction aligned with academic content standards and students having the right conditions and motivation for learning. Research limitations/implications - Having completed the first generation of the logic model through the exercise of cross-impact analysis, the Ohio Department of Education project team will revisit the scenarios and give them increased attention. A revised logic model will be constructed in 2005. Practical implications - This article introduces the logic model as a potentially valuable new strategic management tool. Originality/value - Managers in for-profit and nonprofit organization can get a rare inside look at the process and potential of scenario analysis and the development of a logic model.

Notes: Purpose - This article shows how the McKinsey 7-S model and the balanced scorecard (BSC) model complement each other. Design/methodology/approach - The developer of the widely used BSC model analyzes and compares the features and functions of the two models. Findings - One can view the BSC as the contemporary manifestation of the 7-S model, helping to explain its popularity as a practical and effective tool for aligning all the organizational variables and processes that lead to successful strategy execution. Research limitations/implications - There is no data on the financial impact of the BSC mdel on the companies that have adopted it. Practical implications - The author suggests that the BSC is not only fully consistent with the 7-S framework, but can also enhance it in use. Originality/value - This the first article to compare the characteristics and functionality of the McKinsey 7-S model and the BSC model.

Notes: Purpose - The author has spent the last ten years studying the innovation process in modern organizations and found that the most successful firms pursue an innovation strategy termed technology brokering. Design/methodology/approach - How are the objectives achieved? Include the main method(s) used for the research. What is the approach to the topic and what is the theoretical or subject scope of the paper? Findings - Rather than chasing wholly new ideas, these successful firms focus on recombining old ideas in new ways. The results have sparked many technological revolutions and produced a steady stream of growth opportunities for existing businesses. Research limitations/implications - Needs cases showing that technology brokering, and the complementary work practices and people, can successfully execute such a strategy. Practical implications - By transforming traditional R&D organizations through a strategy of technology brokering firms can build competencies for continuous innovation.. Originality/value - To pursue a strategy of recombinant innovation, corporate leaders must put themselves in position to be the first to see how existing technologies in one market could be used to create breakthrough innovations in another.

Notes: Purpose - To challenge the role of training as a single methodology for the development of personal and interpersonal "soft skills" for leaders. Design/methodology/approach - To make a case for the importance of soft skills development for leaders and then to explore the role of training, along with other critical elements, in helping leaders develop these skills. This is done through an explanation of the complex process of learning. Findings - Learning takes time and the learning of the complex personal and interpersonal skills of leadership takes even more time. Statistical analysis supports the recommended methodology outlined in this paper. Research limitations/implications - The research cited in this paper is a representative sample from research collected over five different leadership development programs studied. Although the methodology used was consistent from program to program, each program was highly customized, by design, to meet the unique needs of the specific organization, thus potentially compromising the measurement/research from a strictly academic perspective. Practical implications - Organizations undertaking a leadership development initiative are encouraged to look beyond simply evaluating training programs. Success depends not only on effective training but also on such important elements as expert facilitation, contextual awareness, formal and informal support, real-world application, self-study, self-awareness, stress and celebration. Originality/value - The ability to accurately assess the effectiveness of training in the soft skills arena has long been debated. This paper, drawn from extensive research conducted by Tero® International offers insight on this subject. A white paper was expected to be available near the end of 2004.

Notes: Purpose - To explain some of the dynamics of scripts creation as used in training, to offer a sequence of events to use in creating a performance script, and to offer some examples of how script creation is applied in training activities. Design/methodology/approach - The paper explains in detail and demonstrates the general processes of script creation for training uses. The design of the paper is to present, in sequence, a generalized script creation process, and evidence of the efficacy of script creation. Findings - While there is not a lot of research available to practitioners about script creation uses in training, the research that does exist gives credible support for script creation applications. There is a body of research in cognition and cognitive processes that tangentially treats script behavior. However, that body of research is highly technical and esoteric and not of practical value to most practitioners. Practical implications - The script creation processes and supporting information give practitioners a considered view of some useful training applications and generally add to the toolbox of trainers and facilitators. A sequence of events is offered that may be tailored for a specific training application. The script creation process, in general, offers a model for trainers to consider in applications such as exploration of new skills, skills improvement, continuous performance improvement and change initiatives, among others. Originality/value - As far as the author knows, there is no generally available model or template for script creation activities in a training context. This paper helps to address the matter. Of value to practitioners and managers is the explication of a general, malleable model for training activities that is grounded on sound learning and motivation theory.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explain the strategy and tactics behind Norwich Union Insurance's decision to mount a major initiative to improve the quality of the customer service offered in its customer contact centres from merely "good" to "great". Design/methodology/approach - The paper explains how the author spearheaded what was in many respects a concerted personal initiative to look at current thinking about how customer service in contact centres could be improved and chose a methodology for improving it by using the practical experience and theoretical input provided by a consultancy, Cape Consulting, which specialises in helping organisations achieve service excellence. Findings - As the author explains, he investigated the writing and thinking of the American service guru Frederick Reichheld who has argued very successfully that there are no half-measures in impressing customers; that you either impress them very well indeed or not at all, and that you should basically only need to ask one question to a customer: 'Would you recommend this organisation to a friend?' This is the decisive question. Practical implications - The beauty of this paper is that it describes a very practical and major initiative to put new thinking on customer service into practice at Norwich Union. The author reports that the impact of the research at a practical level at one contact centre in Scotland has been very considerable and has given Norwich Union much encouragement to broaden the implementation of the work throughout all its contact centres. Originality/value - The paper is a pioneering study of work that, to the author's knowledge, has not previously been published, either because the work has not been done before or because the work has been done before but has been kept confidential. However, for practical purposes the work reported in the paper can be regarded as entirely original and so far certainly unique in the financial services sector, and probably unique in the UK business community generally.

Notes: Purpose - To show how training can be delivered effectively in situations where the priorities are constantly changing in response to numerous constraints or developments. Design/methodology/approach - General Physics (GP) adopts a standard ISD methodology for all of our projects that allows a large degree of flexibility throughout the project lifecycle and enables us to react to client requirements quickly and efficiently. Findings - Flexibility has been a key issue in this project, where technical issues and client priorities often forced changes particularly in the early days. Because this training is mission critical to Royal Mail it has been imperative that GP can be reactive to customer demands and creative in terms of outputs. The mixture of on-the-job, classroom based training and coaching combined with regular competency assessment has enabled GP to make continuous improvements throughout the project and proven to be the most effective delivery for this client. Practical implications - GP are becoming perceived as the training provider for bespoke materials handling equipment. Many equipment manufacturers would prefer to concentrate on their core business and therefore seek a quality training partner to support their client. This necessitates a good degree of trust and high level communication skills and ultimately leads to long term partnerships. Originality/value - This project has been, and still is, a model example of GP's approach to training and performance improvement. Each project we undertake is designed, delivered and managed to meet the client's exact requirements; it is what we do best.

Notes: Purpose - Viewing undeclared work as low-paid, exploitative, organised employment conducted under sweatshop conditions, public policy has widely treated this illegitimate sphere as a hindrance to development and actively pursued its deterrence using stringent regulations and punitive measures to change the cost-benefit ratio for those considering participation in such endeavour. In this paper, however, the intention is to evaluate critically this portrait of the nature of undeclared work and resultant public policy approach. Design/methodology/approach - To evaluate this representation of undeclared work and consequent public policy approach, empirical evidence is reported from 861 face-to-face interviews in English localities. Findings - The finding is that the majority of undeclared work is undertaken on a self-employed basis by people who have identified an opportunity to provide a good or service and are taking a calculated risk in order to fulfil others needs. Research limitations/implications - Future research will need to further investigate this relationship between self-employment and the undeclared sector. Practical implications - Identifying that the undeclared sphere is predominantly composed of self-employed endeavour, a call is made for greater emphasis in public policy on developing initiatives to legitimise this illegitimate self-employment, rather than simply deterring such work. Originality/value - By re-reading the nature of undeclared work as primarily composed of self-employed activity, it highlights the need for public policy to stop treating undeclared work purely as something to be deterred and for more emphasis to be put on developing enabling initiatives to help such workers formalise their business ventures.

Notes: Purpose - To examine the particular organizational and managerial determinants of the different aspects of a firm's export development process: intention, propensity, and intensity. Design/methodology/approach - The study analysed firms' resources and capabilities, managerial characteristics, and managerial attitude and perceptions in a sample of 286 firms in the Spanish wine industry. Statistical analyses using SPSS were carried out to confirm or reject eight hypotheses. Findings - Results confirmed that factors influencing export involvement are not the same along the process of export development. Research limitations/implications - The study is limited to one context, and it is static (cross-sectional) in nature. Practical implications - Implications not only for practitioners (especially, managers), but also for policy makers, are discussed. Originality/value - First, the research has been conducted in Spain, a country for which export development process has not been widely studied. Second, three aspects of export development have been analysed at the same time: intention, propensity, and intensity. And third, the effect of industry-specific characteristics on internal export factors has been isolated through the selection of one industry in one country for the empirical research.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this article is to analyze both the opportunity recognition and product development management processes not only among technology firms, but among non-technology firms as well at two points in time, 1998 and 2003. Design/methodology/approach - The current study included two data sets: a 1998 survey of technology-based and non-technology firms located in US incubators; and a new 2003 study of technology and non-technology based firms in the Inland Northwest. All respondents indicated they considered themselves entrepreneurs. Findings - Findings suggest that the opportunity recognition process changed between 1998 and 2003. Some of the authors' prior work suggested that the process, at least for technology-based firms, had been similar between 1989 and 1998. Industry changes over time, perhaps different firm types, and insufficient data could be rational reasons for the changes. Thus, as far as the opportunity recognition process then, there is evidence that suggests that the process is different for manufacturing and non-manufacturing firms. Practical implications - The study of management and marketing processes should be performed by industry or business type over time. The researcher should consider that if the opportunity recognition or product development management processes reflect the changing nature of entrepreneurship over time, then characterizing those processes as constant models is inappropriate. Originality/value - The overall results are consistent with other research studies and serve to further substantiate the use of single industry data. An "equation of state" for an opportunity recognition model or a product development management model is suggested by the empirical results reported on in the current paper as well as the diversity of other researchers' work.

Notes: Purpose - This paper explores the benefits of effective management training and consequences of ineffective training programs. Design/methodology/approach - Seasoned managers (278) working in rapidly changing organizations were surveyed on issues related to management training. Findings - Content analyses revealed a number of specific benefits associated with management training. Conversely, managers identified a series of problems caused by ineffective management training. Research limitations/implications - Generalization of these findings to non-rapidly changing organizations is unclear. Practical implications - Findings suggest that the effectiveness of management training has a significant impact on managerial and organizational performance. Originality/value - This paper voices the concerns and observations about managerial training from seasoned managers in rapidly changing organizations.

Notes: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to inform businesses about the best practice in getting the most out of the government-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - a method of transferring university expertise to the benefit of business. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes how these Knowledge Transfer Partnerships work, the kind of projects that get funded, and the benefits that surveyed companies have experienced. It then gives three case studies of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to illustrate how they work. Findings - Knowledge Transfer Partnerships significantly improve productivity and profitability in most businesses where the projects take place. They also cover a broad range of projects than simply technology transfer. Originality/value - The paper is valuable to businesses, especially SMEs, who might be looking to undertake projects that involve some innovative or research element as it explains how to obtain significant government funding.

Notes: Purpose - This article sets out to explore the similarities and differences between coaching and therapy - a subject of great interest currently within coaching and therapy fields. Design/methodology/approach - The objectives are achieved by examining the convergence of approaches and thinking within these fields, as well as exploring theoretical contributions to the debate. Findings - Coaching and therapy have a number of similarities. However, as this article explores, the two disciplines are in many ways, considerably different, particularly in terms of context issues bought to sessions and the ultimate intension. Typically, the skill sets required for each differ. Practical considerations such as terms of contract, length of session, pricing and boundaries also vary greatly. Originality/value - The paper examines in greater detail a subject which is of very definite interest to both coaching and therapeutic practitioners, and also examines the popular argument in greater depth.

Notes: Purpose - To explore the requirements for learning distributed leadership. drawing on cultural historical activity theory (CHAT). Design/methodology/approach - The background to recent leadership research that distinguishes between leading as a quality of one person, the appointed leader, and leadership as a collective phenomenon, usually referred to as distributed leadership (DL), is provided. Principles for a programme of learning for DL are presented. Findings - Prominence is given to the mediation of action through social and cultural tools in the production of an object and leadership as influence unfolds in a reciprocal process around the use of tools. As the unit of analysis changes from individual subjects carrying out actions at a micro level to the activity system, leadership occurs through the exertion of influence that occurs not only in reciprocal interdependence required for the performance of work but also through the mediation of tools, rules, the community and division of labour. Practical implications - A programme of learning for practitioners is developed. Originality/value - There are few accounts of how DL is experienced and even fewer which explain how DL can be practised.

Notes: Purpose - This article seeks to examine numerous surveys on employee performance and leadership effectiveness and to reveal common themes and implications for managers interested in dramatically improved employee productivity and retention. All of these surveys are to study successful leaders and home in on the characteristics that differentiate them from the rest. Focusing on success creates positive energy by recognizing and appreciating what is working, which seems to produce greater engagement and momentum for change. Design/methodology/approach - A wide range of possible managerial activities was evaluated and those that add little value were eliminated. Revealed were a few recommendations for time-oppressed managers and organizations to undertake that have the greatest impact on improving both leadership effectiveness and employee productivity. Findings - Specifically, the evidence supports the establishment of a performance-management-based organizational culture, although not from a command and control perspective, but from one that involves a coaching environment and conscious attempts at continuous dialogue within work teams to achieve a balance between driving for results and interpersonal skills. Originality/value - The article identified that managers who undertake activities related to this approach have a much better chance of achieving "breakthrough" employee performance improvements, leading to "breakthrough" results for the organization.

Notes: Previous research has focused on identifying factors that influence buyers who uses price as a cue to quality. However, little work has been done to explain the theory of association and the psychological processes behind the buyer's price-quality association. This study examines the process from a psychological perspective and examines some antecedent variables in the formation of a price-quality inferential belief. Data is collected for two product categories among a sample of young respondents. Results show that (1) the link between perceptual and inferential belief about the price-quality association is stronger when the perceptual belief is based on direct purchase experience rather than on advertising; (2) buyers that lack direct purchase experience of a product category tends to rely on advertising to form their inferential belief. Implications are discussed, limitations are noted and directions for future research are indicated.

Notes: Maquiladoras operations along the Mexico-US border are an oft-studied example of a lean supply chain strategy that allows US manufacturers to benefit from lower labour costs in Mexico while being able to supply to assembly plants in the industrial US Midwest, with a minimum of safety stock. This study examines an alternative strategy of the subsidiary of a North American automotive parts producer, which purchases raw and semi-finished materials from approved North American automotive 2nd tier suppliers, manages the shipment of the materials to a plant in Thailand where the semi-finished materials are converted in a labour-intensive process into higher-value sub-assemblies. These sub-assemblies are then shipped back to the US for installation into automobiles at an assembly plant in the Detroit area. The additional logistics costs of using Thailand as a production base are overcome by demonstrable quality advantages and lower wages, as compared to competitors performing similar operations in Mexican maquiladoras. This case study illustrates that international logistics management strategies must also incorporate product characteristics in addition to customer requirements for meeting optimum logistical performance.

Notes: This study examines the country of origin effect of products made in Germany. The study focuses on the questions of the sources of information in evaluating products; the evaluation of specific product dimensions by Malaysian consum ers; and consumers' assessment of different product categories. Results based on the analysis of data relating to 240 responses indicate that the most highly rated source of obtaining product information was through newspaper and magazines. Products made in Germany had been rated highly for their quality. Automobiles were generally found to be the most highly rated product category by Malaysian consumers. The managerial implications of these are discussed, limitations of the study are highlighted, and further research is suggested.

Notes: India gained her political independence in 1947 from British rule. The new democracy chose non-alignment, installed a large national government and legislated protectionist policies, which kept out most foreign products that almost led to economic isolation. The political leaders believed that protectionism would make India self-reliant and eventually improve the standard of living especially for the poorer Indians. While other Asian countries were encouraging foreign capital and multinationals, India was doing its best to keep them out (Business Asia, 2000). Although India moved towards self-reliance, the lack of competition hindered the country's own economic and technological developments. As a result the market was forced to accept local products that were often inferior or old-fashioned. For example, until recently the leading car on India's road was "Ambassador", a reproduction of a British design from the early 1950s that was bulky and a gas-guzzler.

Notes: Epidemiologists are concerned the next deadly global cognition will be a new kind of deadly flu which humans have no resistance. Since the 1960s, their alarm has been focused on a bird (avian) virus (H5N1). This virus is generally harmless in its host species, but it is extremely deadly when contracted by humans. H5N1 mutates quickly and tends to pick up genes from flu viruses that affect other species. The flu is far more contagious and harder to contain than the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus. It is projected that 30-40 per cent of the population would be infected in a H5N1 flu pandemic, and as many as one-third would die. The 1918 Spanish flu caused 20 to 50 million deaths world wide. One scientist observed that the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic could have caused civilisation to disappear within a few weeks. Currently, more than 50 million chickens have been slaughtered in eight Asian countries in efforts to curb the spread of avian influenza. This article examines the roots and dangers of the potential avian influenza pandemic, examining the business and social ramifications that could ensue if the worst case scenario occurs.

Notes: In this article a proposal of a non-traditional methodology in achieving optimal flexibility with minimal inventory risk will be applied. The non-traditional methodology will be able to achieve different levels of the production schedule changes with maximum flexibility and minimal inventory risk. The basic principle, implementation methodology as well as its effectiveness and benefits will be discussed. In order to overcome the risk of achieving flexible manufacturing or enhancing supply chain management, this article will address issues on methods to accommodate production sequence changes which include total production quantity change in a short lead time. The study uses the Family Ordering System methodology which has proven capable in solving manufacturing flexibility issues by reducing the total manufacturing lead time. Family Ordering System provides the flexibility of model changes and reduces production line stoppage as a result of part shortage by carrying extra inventory of unique parts.

Notes: This article presents the results of a survey of 202 male Taiwanese consumers. In this study, consumer judgements of two technological products varying in their level of complexity made in highly, moderately, and newly industrialised countries were obtained in a multi-attribute context. The results show that the country-of-origin image of moderately and newly industrialised countries was less negative for technologically simpler products (i.e. a television) than they were for technologically complex products (i.e. a computer). It appears that the negative image of moderately and newly industrialised countries can be attenuated by making Taiwanese consumers more familiar with products made in these countries and/or by providing them with other product-related information such as brand name and warranty. Newly industrialised countries were perceived more negatively as countries of design than as countries of assembly, especially in the context of making technologically complex products. The image of foreign countries as producers of consumer goods was positively correlated with education. The more familiar consumers were with the products of a country, the more favourable was their evaluation of that country. Consumer involvement with purchasing a technologically complex product such as a computer was positively associated with the appreciation of products made in moderately industrialised countries. Managerial and research implications are derived from these results.

Notes: Recent work on advertising acculturation suggests that ad agencies have changed their messages in order to appeal to immigrants. The following inquiry turns the tables and looks at how the role of foreign actors has been adapted in a country with a relatively homogeneous population. Specifically, how adaptive is the Japanese advertising industry? Has the behaviour of foreign actors been adapted to reflect Japanese culture? Using Duncan's categories of the non verbal communication, the mannerisms of foreign actors are examined. The results suggest that acculturation is occurring at some level; however, the inclusion of stereo typical materials suggests some retention of foreign identity.

Notes: This paper presents the outcomes of a study of the choice of location for distribution centres in logistics operations. A conceptual frame work of location selection for distribution centre is worked out through three main stages. At the first stage, a general geographical area for distribution centre is identified based on the Centre of Gravity principle, taking into consideration socio-economic factors. The second stage of the selection process involves the identification of alternative locations for the distribution centre and the airports and seaports to be used for in bound and out bound cargo flows within the defined general geographical area. The third stage focuses on specific site selection among the identified alternative locations for the distribution centre based on the quantitative approach. This involves a mathematical model which aims to optimise either the total distribution cost or the integration of total distance transport with given relevant volumes of cargo. In order to illustrate the conceptual frame work, a case study of a logistics service provider will be provided. Data from the case study proved that the conceptual framework for selection is valid and can be of value to logistics companies in their operations and management.

Notes: In the discount store area, foreign large retailers such as Wal-mart, Carrefour, and Costco fight hard with domestic retailers in Korea. The Korean customer is a judge in the centre of such a difficult fight. Therefore, foreign retailers who are willing to win the game should pay attention to what Koreans say and respond to the complaint as fast as they can. This study monitored e-complaints of customers towards Korea Carrefour through analysing contents of the bulletin board in an anti-Carrefour site. Upon examining e-complaints by category and retail attributes, there were found to be more complaints in electrical goods and food and groceries by product category, and in employee attitudes and store atmosphere by retail attributes. The implications for successful retail strategies of foreign discount stores in Korea are discussed and further research is suggested.

Notes: The establishment of an integrated Partner Relationship Management (PRM) system can potentially address several aspects of channel collaboration in a digital environment and offers a wide range of benefits to the members of the logistics networks. In this paper, a logistics partnerships typology is suggested related to the channel management in a virtual environment. Fur ther more, the basic components and an architectural platform of an integrated E-Logistics PRM solution are designed. The proposed integrated e-Logistics PRM solution offers a systematic process for ensuring that specific partnerships criteria are developed and managed in the most beneficial way.

Notes: The aims of this article is to analyse whether there are differences in green advertisement attitudes between high involved and low involved consumers, to compare high and low involvement consumer's cognitive responses and affective responses towards advertisements and examine the extent of the importance on certain themes that both high involvement and low involvement consumers consider. Themes such as company image, environmental labels, and product recycling symbols. A random sample of 207 consumers was taken from Victoria (Australia). The study shows that there are differences between the two groups in terms of their attitude towards green advertising with respect to all the dimensions and the low involved customers appear to have a stronger disregard for the green advertising across all the perceptive measures towards green advertising. The findings provide useful insights to practitioners as to the type of themes preferred for green advertising.

Notes: Compared with the fierce price competition in 1998, the well-order price competition is witnessed in Chinese iron and steel industry now and the pricing behaviors of steel firms also follow the certain rules. Based on the methods of collecting the secondary data and interviewing, this paper examines the pricing behaviors of firms to explain the how Chinese steel firms make their pricing decisions and maintain the well-order competitive relationship among them. The authors found out that (1) most Chinese steel companies adopt a kind of strategic perspective in their pricing decision making, in which understanding of the market trend and the close attention to their competitors are both important; (2) there obviously exists price leader and followers in Chinese iron and steel industry, and the relationship between price leader and followers is relatively stable and the factor behind this phenomenon is the existence of a kind of informal platform of communication among competitors, government and trade associations.

Notes: A new integrated method based on the means-end chain (MEC) analysis and factor analysis is proposed for developing intangible product-mix strategies for convenience store (CVS) chains. With variables obtained from a survey on CVS service items, both analyses were used to derive the hierarchical value factor map (HVFM). The new map can handle and develop strategies for product differentiation, advertising and market segmentation. The purpose of this article is two-fold: to propose improvements for the traditional MEC method of constructing the service hierarchical value map(HVM) and to formulate effective intangible-product strategies.

Notes: In the last decade, the scope of consumer research has been expanded beyond choice and decision-making to include various behaviour parameters like the meanings of possession and materialism but that should be studied in the background of cultural differences. Consumer behaviour has been found to be affected by regional differences that come out of various geographic, topological and cultural factors including values, motives and lifestyle. These give rise to distinct subcultures and can be an important determinant of both consumption and non-consumption behaviours. India being highly diversified, the differences in geographic subculture are hypothesised to be significant. Accordingly this present study extends the current literature and explores the interaction among cultural adherence, materialism, preacquisition dream propensity and pre-purchase "wish list" all of which are hypothesised to be actually reflecting the influence of regional differences. The degree of materialism was found to be significantly correlated with the intensity of cultural adherence. Regional differences and cultural adherence, as a whole, was also found to be significantly related to materialism and prepurchase dreaming propensity. An interesting perspective was revealed from the content analysis of wish list. Implications of the findings for the study of materialism are also discussed.

Notes: Movement of people from one retail trade area to another in search of better options and deals has been studied across the world owing to its large impact on trade flow. Studies have been done in various rural and urban settings. However, almost all except one fails to provide a comprehensive model of outshopping which has its own limitations with regard to its applicability's across cultures and in various settings. Nonetheless findings from the literature provides necessary inputs to start studies in various other cultures and settings. Results are presented in form of various definitions, various types, methodologies used, factors identified (individual characteristics, market characteristics, product related variables and accessibility factors) and patterns across continents. Attempts have also been made to explain their applicability to Indian conditions along with various limitations and gaps.

Notes: Can Lean Manufacturing principles, that are suitable for capital-intensive manufacturing in the U.S., be applied to a labor-intensive textile firm in China? Data were collected from a family-owned manufacturing plant, Orient Hand bag Ltd., in Fujian, China, and an Arena™ simulation model was developed to answer this question. The results indicate that, by applying Lean principles, Orient's production efficiency for one of its most troublesome textile products could be im proved. Similarly, are these Lean principles suitable for other labor-intensive industries in developing countries?

Notes: Purpose - To identify the keys to executing profitable sales negotiations based on analysis of the negotiation approaches of high-performing salespeople. Design/methodology/approach - BayGroup International (a leading global sales consultancy) conducted a research study involving 2,000 salespeople at all levels from Fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries. Respondents participated in an actual buy-sell negotiation. BayGroup collected and analyzed data on the negotiation approaches taken by study participants, and determined how the approaches taken by the sales professionals who negotiated the best agreements differed from others in the study. Findings - BayGroup concluded that high performers raise their customers' perception of value by using six fundamental strategies, summarized in the form of principles of sales negotiation. The paper not only describes the principles, but also reveals the unique, counterintuitive manner in which high-performing salespeople plan and execute profitable sales strategy. Practical implications - Owing to increasing pressure to improve earnings (and share prices), value-based sales negotiation has become more critical than ever to corporate success. Use of the research conclusions and analysis from this article can provide useful guidance to sales professionals and their managers on how to execute more profitable customer agreements throughout the sales process. Originality/value - The importance of "selling value, not price" has been fully embraced by the world's leading sales organizations, but effective approaches to implementing behavioral change in this area have been rare. This paper presents provocative findings that suggest new ways to approach this critical strategic challenge.

Notes: Purpose - Despite heightened interest in return on investment (ROI) and increased accountability for training professionals to prove their bottom-line organizational value, many practitioners are deterred from comprehensive measurement and ROI evaluation due to concerns about the cost, time, and human resources necessary to fully implement the process. The purpose of this two-part series is to present ten best practice, cost-saving approaches for developing a credible, economical ROI strategy. Design/methodology/approach - A systemic approach to measuring training's impact begins with an evaluation framework. For the purposes of this article, Jack Phillips' five-level framework for capturing the financial impact of training programs was referenced. Based on over 20 years of research and global applications, Phillips' ROI model also includes techniques for isolating the impact of other variables, besides training, on performance improvement. Findings - Many organizations around the globe are using cost-saving approaches so they can begin conducting ROI evaluation within their current budget, while others use cost-saving approaches in order to increase the number of ROI studies they conduct. The ten cost-saving approaches for measuring programs at the ROI level have been proven to significantly decrease resource requirements while still providing sound, credible data. Despite these factors, establishing an evaluation culture is no easy task. In many ways, implementing a system-wide ROI effort is similar to implementing a large-scale change initiative. Practical implications - Practical application of these cost-saving approaches allows the resource-constrained training function to present their work in terms of financial benefits that leaders understand and have come to expect. It is a vital step in establishing business partnerships that will enhance commitment for training programs, products, and services going forward. Originality/value - By evaluating training programs with the ROI in mind, training functions can be perceived in a more credible light. Programs aligned with organization strategy are offered, while others that add little value are redesigned and sometimes eliminated. Trainers, designers and developers can use the findings of an ROI evaluation to increase training alignment with business needs and to improve the efficiency of the training design, development, and delivery life cycle.

Notes: Purpose - To offer managers insights into Generation Y and practical suggestions on how to turn this high maintenance workforce into a high productivity workforce. Design/methodology/approach - This research is based on RainmakerThinking Inc.'s ongoing workplace interviews with hundreds of Generation Yers and managers. Findings - Like their Gen X siblings, the most talented members of Generation Yers are independent, entrepreneurial thinkers who relish responsibility, demand immediate feedback, and expect a sense of accomplishment hourly. They thrive on challenging work and creative expression, love freedom and flexibility, and hate micromanagement. Guided by managers who are willing to confront their challenges and meet their expectations, they have the potential to become the highest performers in history. They have 14 expectations of managers that can create the type of professional relationships they want to build. Research limitations/implications - Generation Y is just beginning to gain pull in the workplace as full-time workers. Ongoing research is needed to see how our initial conceptions of them as high school and university students plays out as they mature in their professional lives. Practical implications - This paper not only offers managers insights into this highly diverse, contradictory generation, but suggests best practices they can implement to communicate with and motivate this emerging workforce. Originality/value - As organizations compete to attract and retain the best new talent, this paper offers managers a strategic advantage: a practical guide to the characteristics, needs and expectations of Generation Y.

Notes: Purpose - This paper aims to enable the reader to understand: Herrmann's whole-brained thinking model and its impact on language and difference; trends in development and the need for team-based whole-brained learning; why most culture change initiatives fail; what constitutes a core competence; and how a whole-brained approach is required to ensure culture change, strategy development and the implementation of core competencies. Design/methodology/approach - The four thinking preferences are explained and examples provided of the use of different language for each of the four quadrants of the brain. The trends in development from left-brained to right-brained are set out and an example provided of how whole-brained learning is most effective. Five generic reasons for the failure of culture change initiatives are set out. The core competence of the corporation is explained as well as how it was vital to success that each quadrant of the brain, i.e. the whole brain, is applied in an integrated way to achieve effective implementation. Findings - There is a direct link between organisational profitability and culture. A whole-brained approach to the implementation of strategy, culture change and people development is required. Originality/value - Develops an understanding of the nature of our thinking preferences and how to apply an integrated whole-brained approach to the successful development and implementation of strategy, culture change and core competences, thereby gaining a long-term sustainable competitive edge in the market-place.