Suchergebnisse

Empirically examines the validity of three of Macneil's relational norms within the context of Indian buyer‐seller relationships. Finds initial evidence to suggest that the underlying structure of relationalism between buyers and sellers in India possesses both an immediate and a long‐term perspective, tangible and intangible monitoring, and general versus specific performance expectations. Indicates that both the current degree of trust and long‐term relational perspective are positively associated with more strategic and marketing‐related support mechanisms offered to channel members. Conversely, only long‐term orientation and tangible monitoring concerns manifest themselves through tactical support to channel members. The remaining three sub‐dimensions which are more related to performance aspects of relational norms are not directly associated with channel member support.

A framework for evaluating public opinion towards franchising is proposed and empirically tested in an emerging market, India. Franchising in an emerging market was selected as the context because – (1) future growth is likely to come from newly emerging markets, (2) franchising is primarily seen as a foreign concept in emerging markets and has attracted its fair share of attention, both positive and negative. The results indicate that people evaluate franchising using four key factors – well being of small businesses, socio‐economic, socio‐cultural well being, and employment opportunity. This study further investigates the relationship between these factors and patronage behaviour. Some of these factors were associated with patronage behaviour and the associated residual feeling. Clearly, in order to succeed in emerging and developing markets, the franchising industry must pay heed to public opinion.

Examines the effects of financial resource availability and system size on ownership redirection patterns – the argument that successful franchisors will acquire less successful franchisee units, resulting in corporate ownership – in 12 franchising business sectors. Discusses the theory of ownership redirection in more depth. Hypothesizes that: as franchise systems gain increased financial resources, there is a greater likelihood of ownership redirection favouring the franchisors; and that, as the size of the franchise system increases, there is a greater likelihood of ownership redirection favouring the franchisors. Draws on data from the US "Franchising in the economy", over the period 1977‐1986. Conducts a LISREL‐based path analytic approach. Finds a more complex interplay of effects than anticipated, particularly that differences occur depending on the business sector – uniform effect patterns occur in educational products and services, laundry and dry cleaning services, and rental equipment; conversion orientation patterns occur in hotels, motels and campsites; cautious redirection patterns occur in the automotive products and services industry; and, finally, strategic dilemma patterns occur in food retailing. Concludes that further research is required to substantiate (or not) the theory on ownership redirection.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate asymmetric effects of team cohesion and team members' relational qualification on the creativity of new product ideas.Design/methodology/approach– Structural equation modeling was conducted on survey data collected from 195 new product development practitioners in various US high-technology industries.Findings– The study suggests that creative and potentially successful product ideas include three dimensions – usefulness for customers, and novelty for customers and usefulness for the firms (i.e. enhancement efficiency and effectiveness of companies' new product development process). By focusing on a relational aspect of new product development teams, the study shows that team task cohesion mediates the relationship between the antecedents (team members' organizational commitment and social competency) and the three outcome dimensions of a successful product idea (novelty, usefulness to customers and usefulness to the firm). The team members' interpersonal relationship has no positive association with task cohesion and the desirable qualifications of product ideas.Research limitations/implications– An ideation team's socially competent members who identify with their organization are likely to be attracted to a given task. This task cohesion, in turn, enhances the creativeness of the development of product ideas.Practical implications– To generate fruitful product ideas using a team approach, companies should make sure that their new product ideation teams achieve a sense of mutual commitment to the given ideation tasks, develop a feeling of belongingness and ownership toward the firms and include members who have good social and interpersonal skills. However, the possession of strong social cohesion is not essential for the teams.Originality/value– This study provides novel insights concerning the relational aspect of product development teams assigned to the initiation phase (front end) of a new product development process.

Purpose
This paper aims to outline different signals that franchisors can use to communicate their value proposition to prospective franchisees. It also tests whether these signals can enable franchisors to charge a premium from their franchisees.


Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a mixed-methods approach to arrive at the findings. It uses a combination of open-ended survey and archival data to arrive at the findings.


Findings
Franchisees consider franchisor's characteristics such as its "capability," "support offered" and "franchisee membership criteria" significant while buying into their franchises. The results suggest that franchisors can leverage some of their capability signals to obtain a higher franchise fee if they use the right signals as desired by franchisees.


Research limitations/implications
Signals identified in this study are specific to this study. The relationship between the signals and franchise fee is applicable for high-performing franchises operating in the American context only. Future research can address this limitation by collecting more data, testing additional signals and using alternative methods to verify the findings.


Practical implications
Franchisors can take cues from the evaluative criteria used by franchisees to design their signaling strategies. Franchisors can leverage some of their capabilities to extract higher fees from their franchisees. Prospective franchisees should engage in due diligence before purchasing a franchise unit and avoid franchises with higher support fees and loose franchisee recruitment criteria.


Originality/value
This study contributes to research on the evaluative criteria used by franchisees. It contributes to the signaling theory by offering insights into the performance outcomes of signals in the franchising context. It also contributes to our understanding of franchising by adopting a mixed-methods approach that includes information about franchisors and franchisees.

Purpose
Although multiple forms of governance mechanisms have been studied to address the opportunistic behavior in franchising, research has not shed light on franchise systems operating in emerging markets despite exponential growth in these markets. To address this gap, this study aims to test the direct effects of different governance mechanisms on franchisee's opportunism and moderating effects of franchisee's relationship satisfaction on the relationship between different governance mechanisms and franchisee's opportunism.


Design/methodology/approach
Survey data from 151 franchise owners were used to test the conceptual model and research hypotheses. The confirmatory factor model and structural equation model were tested by using AMOS.


Findings
Findings suggest that formalization and solidarity in franchising relationships negatively affect franchise opportunism. By contrast, franchisees, who are otherwise satisfied with their franchisor, find centralization and formalization oppressive and, therefore, engage in opportunistic activities.


Research limitations/implications
The study makes important contributions related to franchising in emerging markets. It addresses opportunistic behavior by franchisees in emerging markets and the role played by different governance mechanisms in curbing such behavior. The study has some limitations related to its cross-sectional design and its focus on a single emerging country, among others.


Originality/value
This study is among the first to examine the role of governance mechanisms to address franchisee's opportunism in an emerging market context. The study's findings have important theoretical and practical implications for governance design in business-to-business relationships in emerging markets.

Purpose
Vaping has become a prominent public health problem that has impacted young adults. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the effects of different intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on young adults' realization of excessive vaping and their intention to quit vaping.


Design/methodology/approach
A survey was used to collect data from 232 young vapers (primarily Generation Z and Millennials) to test the hypothesized relationships using a covariance-based structural equation model.


Findings
The findings of this study suggest that "realization of excessive vaping" is negatively associated with "sensation seeking" and positively associated with "deal proneness," "environmental cues" and "negative repercussion." The "intention to quit vaping" is negatively associated with "marketing cues" and positively associated with "alternative to smoking" and "environmental cues." Finally, the "realization of excessive vaping" is positively associated with "intention to quit vaping."


Originality/value
This study takes a two-dimensional approach to understand the complex motivations behind a relatively new addictive behavior – vaping. It contributes to the literature of addictive behavior, social cognitive theory and theory of planned behavior. Further, it has important implications for public policy and the marketing of addictive products to youths.