Editorial

Citation

Phau, I. (2015), "Editorial", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 28 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-11-2015-0166

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Volume 28, Issue 1.

Dear readers, 2015 has been an eventful year for the Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (APJML). Since the journal is listed on SCOPUS, we have enjoyed a steady growth of high-quality submissions and we envisage this trend to continue now that we are listed on ESCI. Further, in a move to develop more industry-focused research, the industry spotlight section introduced from the start of Volume 27 has also received positive feedback. These have motivated us to strive to continue publishing quality research. On this note, I would like to thank all our contributors – the EAB, reviewers and the authors for your support and dedication to the APJML.

To welcome the New Year, this first issue of the APJML for 2016 presents ten papers, covering a diverse range of research topics. This includes: guerrilla marketing and consumer behaviour; facets of the apparel industry – from counterfeits, to corporate social responsibility (CSR), and culture and religiosity; country-of-origin (COO) effects and consumer xenocentrism; and strategic marketing in the service, logistics and education sectors.

We open with a paper by Tam and Mai, on the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing strategies in influencing Gen Y consumers' word-of-mouth (WOM) activities. Conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, they find that some of the key tenants of guerrilla marketing – creativity and surprise have significant direct and indirect effects on consumers' WOM. These findings provide insights for marketing managers to develop better strategies to generate the right type of WOM activities for their brands.

Moving onto counterfeits, Chiu and Leng examine the differences in consumption attitudes towards counterfeit sporting goods in a cross-national comparison between Singapore and Taiwan. Conducted in the context of sports apparel, this study sheds light on counterfeits in a less well-known product category. The findings could aid managers and policy makers in better understanding and tackling the advent of counterfeits.

Woo and Jin next investigate how apparel firms communicate their CSR activities, and examine the influence of firm COO on these communications. Limited research has been conducted in this area, and so comparing apparel firms across the USA, Europe and Asia; they find that the COO has significant influence on the frequency and content of CSR communications. These findings serve as a springboard to assist in the management of firms' CSR communications as well as policymaking on CSR issues.

The varying facets of cultures around the world is a key discussion point for marketing managers, and Deb presents a paper that helps build further insight into this area of research. Conducted in India, this study examines the influence of culture and religiosity on consumer cosmopolitanism and ethnocentrism towards foreign apparel products. The findings not only reinforce the need for sensitivity towards cultural and religious nuances among consumers, but also sheds light on the diverse Indian consumer market, which would certainly assist marketing managers in better managing customer relationships.

Carrying on this cultural theme, Mueller, Wang, Liu and Cui present an exploratory study on consumer xenocentrism in China. This qualitative study provides a unique historical perspective on xenocentrism in China, and contrasts that against current consumers' perceptions of foreign products. Their findings give insights into consumer culture in China, and provide a premise to encourage further research into this phenomenon.

Katsumata and Song next present a cross-national comparison on the reciprocal effects of COO on consumers' product evaluations. Conducted in the automobile industry, and across four countries, their study develops key theoretical and managerial insights for future research and marketing strategy.

Moving onto strategic marketing, Guo and Wang present a more macro perspective on marketing management. They examine the influence of market orientation in manufacturer-distributor relationships and the carry-on effects on downstream channel management. This study provides some useful insights on this type of business-to-business relationship, and identifies key areas of focus for better channel and relationship management.

Shifting over to the education sector, Goi presents a case study on the external factors influencing higher education institutes' decisions on the use of agents to facilitate the institutions' transition to an international market. Centred on a Malaysian university, this case study develops insights into the cultural, governance and market attractiveness factors that influence strategic decisions around internationalisation of these institutions.

Taichon and Jebarajakirthy next examine how consumers' perceptions of quality and value of internet service providers in Thailand influence their loyalty to these firms. This study identifies information quality and privacy as key influencers of customer commitment and loyalty, and proposes strategies for firms to better engage and retain their customers.

Finally, our industry spotlight paper is presented by Tan, Hilmola and Binh. Conducted as a case study of Gemadept, a logistics transportation firm based in Vietnam, their study makes significant managerial contributions. They identify a number of service optimisation strategies ranging from the improvement of information flow, to management of the available transport resources and suggestions for improvement of customer services. These findings could provide inspiration for the refinement of firms' business processes.

I hope this first issue of 2016 has provided interesting insights to stimulate future research. I look forward to your further contributions this year, and wish you all an exciting and prosperous New Year.

Ian Phau