<p> The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between four different theoretical viewpoints &ndash; categorization, congruence, perception-of-fit, and product involvement &ndash; and their effects on consumer evaluations of brand extensions of nondurable goods and the underlying factors of how attitudes are transferred from the parent brands to its product extensions. </p><p> By using the single-step multiple mediator model by Preacher and Hayes (2008), the findings suggested, in general, that (1) a more positive effect of congruence, perception-of-fit, and product involvement between the parent brand and the product extension, the more the positive the attitude-toward-product-extension when there was an effect of the attitude-toward-parent-brand on the four intervening variables, (2) a more positive effect of categorization, congruence, and product involvement between the parent brand and the product extension, the more the positive the attitude-towardproduct- extension as a result of the direct effects of the four intervening variables on attitude-toward-product-extensions, (3) congruence and product involvement were mediators, and the results showed that the direct effect of attitude-toward-parent-brand on attitude-toward-product-extension was statistically significantly different from zero, (4) the result on the direct effect of attitude-toward-parent-brand on attitude-toward-productextension was not statistically significant at the 0.05 level, and (5) the result on the total effect of attitude-toward-parent-brand on attitude-toward-product-extension was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Managerial implications and recommendations were addressed and suggestions were made for future research. </p><p> </p>

<p> This study explored the culturally driven variables in the marketing process that contribute to a brand's success or minimize cultural missteps. The primary research question was: How are consumer brand organizations building capabilities and organizing to embed cultural inclusion and insights throughout the marketing communications process? Twenty senior-level marketing executives contributed to the mixed-methods study. Five critical variables were found to be consistent across industries: effective data collection, reporting, and integration are critical; leadership must be courageous and culturally skilled; strategic alignment around cultural inclusion throughout the enterprise and across internal and external stakeholders is necessary; culturally adaptive talent management is required; and an end-to-end focus and recalibration of the processes requires resource investments and a commitment to hardwire a refined approach. Recommendations for leveraging the variables included a greater focus on data integration, inclusive leadership development, process recalibration and development of cultural agility competencies, and knowledge sharing across industries.</p>

<p> This dissertation explores the effects of sales managers' behaviors on sales force performance, given various situations that sales forces face. Using a structure-conduct-performance framework, the most appropriate behaviors that sales managers should engage in are determined by assessing performance relative to sales managers' conduct in the presence of varied structural factors. </p><p> Assuming that a sales manager's conduct varies based on the structural (i.e., situational) variables facing a sales force, a framework of transaction cost economics is used to identify the structural variables of transaction specific assets and uncertainty (both external and internal). As these structural conditions vary, the appropriateness of particular sales manager behaviors also changes. Sales manager conduct is considered with respect to (1) sales manager's control (behavior-based, outcome-based) of the sales force, (2) sales manager's trust in the sales force, and (3) a sales manager's adaptability to the sales force and related situations. Unique conceptualizations are provided for both control (challenging its traditional single continuum) and adaptability of the sales manager (extending beyond adaptive selling behavior). The sales force is the unit of analysis and, accordingly, performance is assessed as sales force performance. </p><p> Thirteen hypotheses are formed to predict relationships between the structure, conduct, and performance variables. Using self-assessed, sales manager data, they are empirically tested. A survey created by adapting scales from the literature assesses the structural conditions sales managers are facing, the behaviors in which they engage, and how their sales forces perform. Participating sales managers were recruited through two university sales centers and through social ties. Respondents in the sample represent large, reputable firms in several different countries. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with several competing models. As comparisons are made at the sales force level, this dissertation introduces a new unit of analysis to the sales literature. </p><p> The study's hypotheses are largely confirmed. Findings indicate that sales managers' control, trust, and adaptability positively influence the sales force's performance; additionally, a moderating effect indicates that uncertainly influences the effect of control on sales force performance. Further identifying the important role of uncertainty, this dissertation is a springboard for additional analyses. This dissertation provides contributions to both theory and practice with its unique conceptualizations of conduct variables and its complex, integrative model.</p>

<p> This dissertation is on mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;A). Two studies are proposed to examine what factors impact performance and partner selection in the context of M&amp;A Event study methodology is used to capture the capital market effects of announcements of M&amp;A in both studies. Four hundred and eighty two announcements are identified from 1980 to 2011 from the SDC M&amp;A database. Other data sources include CRSP and COMPUSTAT. The Wall Street Journal and PR Newswire are used to specify the announcement dates. </p><p> Previous research examines the impact of corporate strategy on performance. Study one extends previous research by introducing the notion of alignment between corporate strategy and strategic objective. Corporate strategy is of two types &mdash; value creation (emphasis on R&amp;D) or value appropriation (emphasis on marketing). Strategic objectives are operationalized as either enhancement or diversification. The study proposes that firms whose corporate strategies are aligned with strategic objectives are better performers than those that are not aligned. Empirical findings based on capital market reactions strongly support this proposition. </p><p> Study two accesses the effect of capability alignment between acquiring and acquired firms. Capability alignment between strategic partners is operationalized along marketing and R&amp;D Empirical results show that the capital market favors acquiring firms that have strong R&amp;D capability. Although technological innovation is a motivating factor in a firm's acquisition, capital market actually favors acquiring firms that have weak R&amp;D capability but strong marketing capability and acquired firms that have weak R&amp;D but strong marketing capability for their enhancement objective.</p>

<p> Increased competitive pressure for speed and innovation, global commoditization, and competition for talented workers has provided firms with greater incentives to assess and improve their human resource strategies with respect to attracting, motivating, and retaining employees. Consequently, many firms want to be perceived by employees as a great firm to work for. However, becoming perceived by employees as a great firm to work for requires a significant resource commitment. If firms are going to make this resource commitment, a relationship between being perceived by employees as a great firm to work for and firm performance should be clearly established. Extant academic studies about being a great firm to work for are generally approached from the managerial perspective. Studies that investigate being a great firm to work for from the employee perspective are more scarce. In order to develop a better understanding of the potential performance benefits of being perceived by employees as a great firm to work for, this study compares the performance of great firms to work for (as determined by employees) to their respective industry averages. Further, potential contextual factors that affect the strength of the relationship between being perceived by employees as a great firm to work for and firm performance are examined in order to identify the situations where devoting resources to being perceived by employees as a great firm to work for is more beneficial. Results support the existence of a relationship between being perceived by employees as a great firm to work for and several firm performance outcomes. In addition, some support for the moderating roles of contextual factors is found.</p>

<p> The widespread adoption of smartphone technology in the contemporary United States requires critical reflection on its role within society. This thesis compares the way Apple's television advertising discourse, from 2007 to 2011, frames the iPhone to consumers with the way Apple's iAd promotional material frames the iPhone to advertisers, and considers what the disparity between these two frameworks says about the still-evolving role of smartphone technology in society. It argues that the disparity between these two frameworks is indicative of a fundamental tension within smartphone technology. This tension is reflected in Apple's ability to discursively construct the iPhone as a tool of user empowerment, while at the same time discursively constructing the iPhone as a sophisticated market research and advertising platform. This study shows that user agency is complicated by the iPhone's technical design which produces information about the user in an effort to modify their behavior for commercial purposes.</p>

<p> Loyalty programs (LPs) have become a mainstay marketing tool for many industries worldwide, with memberships often numbering in the millions. Program rewards are offered as incentives to build member loyalty, and theoretically these rewards have a perceived benefit value that generate feelings and attitudes such as satisfaction, trust, commitment and gratitude that can be antecedents of loyalty.</p><p> The question of whether loyalty programs actually generate loyalty, however, is still being debated by researchers due to conflicting data (Hallberg, 2004; Meyer-Waarden, 2006; Uncles, et al., 2003). Research indicates that focusing on premium customers may be the key to a successful loyalty program (Long &amp; Schiffman, 2000; Yi &amp; Jeon, 2003), but there is a lack of LP research that focuses on this top tier of customers.</p><p> This research tested hypotheses derived from existing theories to examine the relationships between program rewards and loyalty for premium customers. This included testing hypotheses about the key antecedents of loyalty&mdash;satisfaction, trust, commitment and gratitude&mdash;to determine their role in driving the performance outcome.</p><p> The gaming industry was used for a sample of 1,097 premium customers in a loyalty program. The online survey had a 43% response rate. There were seven Likert-type scales with alphas ranging from .84-.93.</p><p> Rewards were categorized as being prestige, tiered or core. The loyalty construct was operationalized as being attitudinal or behavioral.</p><p> Multiple regression was used for hypotheses testing. Key findings were that premium customers value all three of the reward categories highly. The only statistically significant difference was that prestige rewards generate higher attitudinal and behavioral loyalty than core rewards. No significant differences were observed from the control variables of age and gender.</p><p> Findings from this study indicate that companies with loyalty programs cannot afford to risk losing customer loyalty by eliminating any type of reward. However, there is also evidence that soft-cost prestige rewards could effectively replace some hard-cost tangible rewards without reducing overall program value. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-06, Section: A, page: 2557. Adviser: William P. Stewart. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-100) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1990. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-07, Section: B, page: 3597. Chair: David Frey.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: A, page: 3966. Adviser: Eric B. Rasmusen. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 5, 2008).