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An evaluation of executive perceptions of strategic typologies is presented in the Australian context. Specifically, four strategic typologies (growth versus retrenchment, the product/market matrix, the grand strategy alternatives, and Porter's generic strategies) were compared using confirmatory factor analysis on a set of data obtained from top mangers in Australia. The results tend to support Porter's formulation of cost leadership, differentiation and focus.

The globalisation of markets combined with the paradoxical rise of nationalism has created an increased concern about the importance of the interaction of global brands with other cues such as the country of origin (COO) of products and services. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the decision‐making processes of experts and novices with respect to international brand names, COO and intrinsic quality differences.

Within subject experimental design, quantitative study analysis of variance.

Results of a series of experiments with personal computers as a product with strong COO effects supported this argument. Experts or highly knowledgeable consumers were found to use COO in a circumspect manner or as a limited summary construct, only when such information was consistent with a linked brand name or a particular level of physical quality. Novices, for both products used COO as a halo regardless of brand name and physical quality.

International brand names are used in a more analytical manner by experts, with respect to quality, whilst novices based their decision‐making on extrinsic cues. This was a controlled experimental design and results could be evaluated further by more realistic design using actual products in a more market setting. Although the use of product description as used as experimental treatments in this study is not an unusual manner in which personal computers are purchased by consumers, especially when they are purchased online.

International marketers must carefully consider the quality, brand and COO information carefully when marketing to consumers of varying product knowledge as it appears different decision‐making styles are used by experts and novices.

This is one of the few studies to experimentally manipulate brand, quality and COO information amongst different groups of consumers with varying product knowledge (experts and novices). The experimental treatments were also carefully chosen so that differences due to the use of a global brand IBM could be evaluated against a lesser known local brand name.

The Asian financial crisis has not only reduced foreign investment in the transition economies of South‐east Asia, but has also impacted on the domestic financial structure with associated implications for strategy and marketing. Despite reform, the formal, state‐dominated banking systems continue to struggle, particularly with competition from the traditional informal financial institutions such as moneylenders, gold dealers and credit circles, a form of competition which is probably much less significant in Western economies. In this context, understanding and explaining consumer savings decisions can most usefully be developed by using ideas from its commitment construct. Implications for marketing and promotional strategies are offered, which include recommendations for strategic alliances with local organisations where consumer commitment already exists.

The nurturing of trust within firm‐customer relationships highlights the significance of social exchange theory in helping to explain the relational paradigm. By focusing upon this theory it was hypothesized that psychological contracts also play an important role in helping manage customer relationships. The principal purpose of this study is to explore the role of the psychological contract within the firm‐customer relationship, and its effects on trust.

A sample of 343 distributor firms within the motorized vehicle industry was used to test a model developed on the basis of social exchange theory.

Psychological contracts are perceptual in nature and encompass reciprocal obligations stemming from the relational marketing efforts between suppliers and distributors. This construct was shown to have a positive impact upon the level of trust and commitment within the relationship; however, perceived violations of the contract terms were found to reduce the distributor's level of trust.

Given that trust was found to increase commitment, these findings have important managerial implications as they show that psychological contracts will erode important customer relationships if not factored into the customer decision‐making processes within the firm.

The general proposition that a salesperson's explanation adequacy plays a critical role in the resolution of unsatisfactory sales encounters for consumers is investigated in a cross‐sectional context. The findings indicate that explanation adequacy is influenced by both the style and content of the explanation, and the timeliness of an organization's reaction, whereas explanation adequacy only indirectly affects the final perceptions of the severity of the incident and emotional reaction to it. Importantly, the perceptions of the extent of the justice of the resolution and the assignment of blame to external factors were found to be intervening variables. The results also indicated that the assignment of blame to internal factors was unrelated to the adequacy of an explanation, but did influence emotion and the perceived severity on an incident.

This paper aims to provide an overview of the European Journal of Marketing's special section on the Forum of Markets and Marketing, “Extending Service‐Dominant Logic”.

The approach takes the form of a conceptual integration of core concepts in S‐D logic, markets, and marketing.

This special section provides insight into the complexity of markets by investigating markets as configurations and systems and how value propositions drive value co‐creation.

This introduction to the special section integrates individual contributions toward advancing S‐D logic and suggests that additional research in this area will help to develop a general theory of markets and marketing.

The overview of this special section provides insight into how the development of a positive theory of the market(s) will help to further advance normative marketing theories and practice.

This overview of the special section integrates multiple perspectives on complex, dynamic systems and discusses their contributions to the development of an S‐D logic‐based theory of the market.

This study investigates the effectiveness of microfinance-backed entrepreneurship as a mechanism for the holistic empowerment of women.

This study employs a mixed-method research-design consisting of quasi-experimental design (quantitative approach) involving women, both entrepreneurs (132) and non-entrepreneurs (238), as well as in-depth semi-structured interviews (qualitative approach).

Quantitative analysis revealed that female entrepreneurs are better off than female non-entrepreneurs in terms of economic, social, political and psychological indicators of empowerment. However, relatively lesser impact was found in terms of political, and to an even smaller extent, social empowerment of women. Analysis of in-depth interviews corroborated these findings confirming that entrepreneurship serves as an effective tool for the holistic empowerment of women. However, non-entrepreneurs also exhibit social empowerment.

Given the restricted geographical ambit of the study, prudence ought to be exercised in drawing inferences applied to alternate contexts. That the vast majority of questionnaire respondents are illiterate presented a notable impediment in the process of collection of accurate responses.

Microfinance intervention ought to be specifically directed to cultivating entrepreneurship among women; in particular, to achieve the full benefits of empowerment, women availing microfinance ought to exert full control over their own business ventures.

In analyzing holistic empowerment through microfinance supported businesses set up by women, the study adds to the existing literature on women entrepreneurship and empowerment.

This chapter sheds light on the ‘country of origin’ concept. The author contends that this concept is composed of micro- and macro-components. He argues that the tourists’ hedonic and monetary gratifications are derived from the travel experiences. Therefore, the country-of-origin image (COI) can have an impact on the destination’s brand extension. In this light, this contribution examines the relationship among COI, overall brand equity and brand extension. The author implies that the hedonic and monetary values can have a moderating effect on the impact of COI and on destination brand extension.

Marketing planning and the annual budget are two procedures that organizations engage in. Although controlled by the marketing department and the finance department respectively, the marketing plan and annual budget are interlinked in many ways. Investigates the importance of this interrelationship. Reports on the results of a study of 41 fast moving consumer goods companies following a literature review of budgeting and marketing planning. The results show that there is a high degree of interaction between the marketing and finance departments. They also show that most companies tended to do the marketing plan and annual budget together. In addition, the sales forecast, although controlled by the marketing department, is set to meet financial targets.