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Analyzes the development of marketing in East European countries. Traces the growth of East Europe's trade with the West from $12.3 billion in 1970 to $37.6 billion in 1979. Highlights eastern Europe as one of the most promising markets to the US. Discusses the broad spectrums of marketing development between eastern countries. Examines the emergence of marketing through four key stages – authoritative systems, directive systems, mixed‐middle systems and integrative systems. Analyzes the differences in the standards of key marketing factors between East and West – e.g. range of products, pricing and advertising. Concludes that due to variations in starting points and differences in development patterns, East European countries are divided between centralization and decentralization. Affirms that unless US international marketers understand the peculiarities of eastern Europe, the US trade record with these potential markets is unlikely to improve.

Computerised marketing information systems have been discussed in the marketing and information systems literature for some time. Looks at the extent to which they have been implemented in the UK and concludes that they are still in their infancy. A schema for a marketing information system is presented together with some pitfalls in design that must be avoided. Discussion finally turns to how such an information system may be used.

This article mainly discusses market growth in the Chinese economy. The author analyses the difficulties of Chinese marketing reform, and points out that the key to market growth is not perfection of the market system but establishment of a market base. Without a property right system, a market system will not perform efficiently. Therefore market growth cannot be a natural course of system conversion in China. Many system obstacles are hindering market growth. Chinese market growth must experience a social system reform in order to nurture a new market system.

Explores the potential of a hybrid intelligent system in supporting marketing strategy development. First, a hybrid intelligent system for developing marketing strategy, called MarStra (developed by the author), is outlined. Then discusses the real‐world tests of MarStra with marketing directors in five large UK companies. Empirical evidence from the companies involved indicates that MarStra is very helpful and useful in: providing strategic analysis guidance; coupling strategic analysis with managerial judgement; helping strategic thinking; dealing with fuzziness and uncertainty; and supporting group assessment of strategic marketing factors. The intelligent outputs generated by MarStra were reported to be surprisingly accurate, mostly sound and useful prompts.

This empirical research studies the marketing information systems of various enterprises ranging from a small business to a national corporation. The use of IT by these organisations in support of their marketing functions is examined especially in relation to such things as size of enterprise, resources available and used, the personalities and dominant “culture” of the company. The results show clear differences between tactical and strategic IT systems according to these dimensions.

Many companies have developed corporate database systems and/or management information systems, some have established intelligence units. However, the systems often fail to scan the external environment to which the companies are exposed, and fail to yield meaningful intelligence, thus overwhelming managers with internal data. Argues that to address the information needs of top marketing managers, the environmental factors that have immediate effects on the company′s operation should be identified. Computer‐based information systems could play an important role in collecting environmental information from various sources; however, in interpreting data and disseminating intelligence to marketing managers, a human‐computer mixed system is essentially required. The system would be used in conjunction with a corporate database system to present intelligence to marketing managers, so as to keep them instantly informed, reinforce their knowledge learning, and support their decisions. Highlights the critical factors for developing and utilizing such systems. The approach adopted is to examine managers′ working style and decision processing, to develop a framework of environmental scanning, human‐computer‐based data filtering, interpreting, and intelligence reporting system with natural interface.

This paper updates previous papers which surveyed the large library system marketplace in the UK. The present study based on the results of questionnaires distributed in 1991 to library automation system vendors considers market growth, vendor share analysis, new installations, small library systems, and an overview of the vendor's activity in continental Europe. Pie charts provide breakdowns by vendor for installations in various sectors of the market.

Due to climate change and an increasing concentration of the world’s population in vulnerable areas, how to manage catastrophe risk efficiently and cover disaster losses fairly is still a universal dilemma.

This paper applies a law and economic approach.

China’s mechanism for managing catastrophic disaster risk is in many ways unique. It emphasizes government responsibilities and works well in many respects, especially in disaster emergency relief. Nonetheless, China’s mechanism which has the vestige of a centrally planned economy needs reform.

I propose a catastrophe insurance market-enhancing framework which marries the merits of both the market and government to manage catastrophe risks. There are three pillars of the framework: (i) sustaining a strong and capable government; (ii) government enhancement of the market, neither supplanting nor retarding it; (iii) legalizing the relationship between government and market to prevent government from undermining well-functioning market operations. A catastrophe insurance market-enhancing framework may provide insights for developing catastrophe insurance in China and other transitional nations.

First, this paper analyzes China’s mechanism for managing catastrophic disaster risks and China’s approach which emphasizes government responsibilities will shed light on solving how to manage catastrophe risk efficiently and cover disaster losses fairly. Second, this paper starts a broader discussion about government stimulation of developing catastrophe insurance and this framework can stimulate attention to solve the universal dilemma.

Changes are inevitable and immanent elements of the contemporary world. The study in this subject matter was carried out in 30 cities all over the world. It has been discovered that the pace of life is 10% faster now than it was in the early 1990s. In addition, the ‘pace of life’ has a cultural value today. Speed means both progress and success. Deceleration means failure and loss.¹ Organisation’s ability to adopt to changes as well as stay agile may be perceived as the source of relatively sustainable competitive advantage. Based on this ability, four kinds of organisations (adaptive, visionary, opportunistic and passive) as well as three levels of companies’ ability to compete were indicated. Companies of the highest level are ready to compete by its broader competences on market knowledge. Business metrics and market measurement systems are the key elements of building market knowledge and creating sustainable competitive advantage. Here the reader can find the presentations of marketing audit, benchmarking, activity-based costing, Balanced Scorecard, performance pyramid, EFQM excellence model, marketing ROI, performance prism along with the key tips and hints for selecting business metrics and building measurement systems. Development of business measurement systems is a sophisticated process, more chess then checkers. For every organisation which is ready to make informed decisions and increase its ability to compete with a long-term perspective, development of an efficient measurement system is a starting point.

This paper aims to conceptualise and characterise brand systems and outline propositions and research avenues to advance the systems’ view of branding.

A conceptual synthesis approach is adopted to integrate the extant branding research perspectives. The conceptual framework is grounded in the theoretical foundation of marketing systems theory.

The conceptual framework delineates brand inputs, throughputs, outcomes and feedback effects within a brand system. It configures the complexity and dynamics of brand value formation among brand actors within the branding environment.

This paper contributes to systems thinking in branding and brand value co-creation research. It extends marketing systems theory into the branding context and provides research directions for exploring the structural and functional configurations, cause–consequence processes and outcome concerns of brand value formation.

This conceptual framework informs brand development, management and regulation at a macro level. Managers can apply the brand system concept to identify and manage conflicting expectations of brand actors and alleviate adverse brand outcomes such as negative brand externalities, enhancing overall brand system health and societal value.

This research expands the scope of brand actor agency and identifies the likelihood of disproportionate brand outcomes. It provides methodological guidelines for analysis and intervention in brand systems.