The definition of an organization is its brand, which has a measurable value. This new book examines the ways in which public relations practitioners can assume a leading role in building brand value by establishing trust and enhancing reputation for every type of entity. There are lessons for large corporations, family companies, professional service firms, NGOs, not-for-profit organizations and even nations. A number of current case studies reveal the secrets of some of today's most successful global corporate brands.

This book compiles brand new case studies on the intricacies and market entry strategies of different companies in China. The sheer speed and scope of China's growth makes it unique and investment opportunities are very attractive. Despite the potential, many western companies fail in their market entry strategies. This book traces the major sources of failure and uses cases to illustrate how firms can better cope with the challenging Chinese market. With a special focus on marketing, positioning, and branding, this book presents issues and solutions of both large multinationals and small niche market players.

This book explores all relevant aspects of net scoring, also known as uplift modeling: a data mining approach used to analyze and predict the effects of a given treatment on a desired target variable for an individual observation. After discussing modern net score modeling methods, data preparation, and the assessment of uplift models, the book investigates software implementations and real-world scenarios. Focusing on the application of theoretical results and on practical issues of uplift modeling, it also includes a dedicated chapter on software solutions in SAS, R, Spectrum Miner, and KNIME, which compares the respective tools. This book also presents the applications of net scoring in various contexts, e.g. medical treatment, with a special emphasis on direct marketing and corresponding business cases. The target audience primarily includes data scientists, especially researchers and practitioners in predictive modeling and scoring, mainly, but not exclusively, in the marketing context.

Michman and Mazze present five key variables that retailing executives in nine specialty businesses must understand and work with, to gain and sustain competitive advantage in their competitive environments. Innovation, target market segmentation, image development, physical store decor, and human resource managementf are identified and examined. Authors argue convincingly from research and practical experience that these fundamental considerations are crucial to achieving competitive dominance. With up-to-date analyses and extensive coverage of e-commerce and internet retailing as well, their book is essential for retailing executives.

Michman and Mazze find that successful specialty retailers are not all things to all customers, and do not try to be. They are, however, the first to apply new technologies. Authors analyze the development of specialty stores in the U.S. and tie their variables together in an epilogue. Along the way they make clear that by focusing on their five critical variables, we can understand how marketing successes come about and what causes blunders in the nine highly important store categories under their examination here. They point out that not all of their variables need be used concurrently. Some may be more critical than others, and this depends on environmental and competitive conditions. Backing it all up is meticulously developed evidence from their research and personal experience -- all of it presented readably and in a way that practitioners can understand and immediately apply.

"This is the book that market strategists have been waiting for to position themselves in global markets and take advantage of the opportunities that demographic bonuses and deficits offer to them and their products. It is also a book for teachers and students of consumer behaviour to grasp the importance of the life cycle as a framework that shapes the demand for goods and services determined by changes in social, economic and physical functioning. It gives insights into gendered consumer behaviour and cohort effects. It presents a range of views on consumer behaviour and how demographic perspectives enhance these perspectives. The book offers conceptual and analytical tools that can be used in the assessment of population characteristics as determinants of market size, composition and potential for a variety of products. It offers organising frameworks as well as empirical evidence of consumer behaviour in clusters of markets, with different rates of population growth and age distribution that affect consumers' priorities and demand for basic and progressive commodities. The book shows commonalities as well as differences in consumer behaviour arising from different cultures and social customs. It uses analytical tools that are explained and accessible to readers with a range of competences. It is a book that can give a better understanding of consumer behaviour and market opportunities to the practitioner. It can also be used for the instruction of students in demography, consumer behaviour and marketing. ""

This book proposes a revolutionary new theory of construct measurement - called C-OAR-SE - for the social sciences. The acronym is derived from the following key elements: construct definition; object representation; attribute classification; rater entity identification; selection of item type; enumeration and scoring. The new theory is applicable to the design of measures of constructs in: * Management * Marketing * Information Systems * Organizational Behavior * Psychology * Sociology C-OAR-SE is a rationally rather than empirically-based theory and procedure. It can be used for designing measures of the most complex and also the most basic constructs that we use in social science research. C-OAR-SE is a radical alternative to the traditional empirically-based psychometric approach, and a considerable amount of the book's content is devoted to demonstrating why the psychometric approach does not produce valid measures. The book argues that the psychometric approach has resulted in many misleading findings in the social sciences and has led to erroneous acceptance - or rejection - of many of our main theories and hypotheses, and that the C-OAR-SE approach to measurement would correct this massive problem. The main purpose of this book is to introduce and explain C-OAR-SE construct measurement theory in a way that will be understood by all social science researchers and that can be applied to designing new, more valid measures. Featuring numerous examples, practical applications, end-of-chapter questions, and appendices, the book will serve as an essential resource for students and professional researcher alike.

Management Science is often confronted with optimization problems characterised by weak underlying theoretical models and complex constraints. Among them, one finds data analysis, pattern recognition (classification, multidimensional analysis, discriminant analysis) as well as modelling (forecasting, confirmatory analysis, expert system design). In recent years, biomimetic approaches have received growing attention from Marketing, Finance and Human Resource researchers and executives as effective tools for practically handling such problems. Biomimetic approaches include a variety of heuristic methods - such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, immunitary nets, cellular automata - that simulate nature's way of solving complex problems and, thus, can be considered as numerical transpositions of true life problem solving. Bio-Mimetic Approaches in Management Science presents a selection of recent papers on biomimetic approaches and their application to Management Science. Most of these papers were presented at the last ACSEG/CAEMS International Congresses (Approches Connexionnistes en Sciences Economiques et de Gestion/Connectionnist Approaches in Economics and Management Science). All papers combine the discussion of conceptual issues with illustrative empirical applications, and contain detailed information on the way heuristics are practically implemented. The advantages and limits of the biomimetic approaches are discussed in several of the papers, either by comparing these approaches with more classical methods (logit models, clustering), or by investigating specific issues like overfitting and robustness. Synthesizing overviews are provided, as well as new tools for coping with some of the limitations of biomimetic methods.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the older-tourist market, and of the challenges and opportunities created by population ageing from a tourism marketing perspective, by combining a demand-side and a supply-side approach to older tourists. The book is divided into three parts, the first of which defines older tourists and presents a critical review of segmentation approaches. The second part then focuses on the behavior of older tourists in terms of the travel planning process, the use of information and communication technologies for travel purposes, and accommodation choices. The final part analyzes the marketing strategies and operative practices of three tourism companies that focus on the older-adult market. Practical implications for tourism suppliers willing to target older tourists are derived. The book is intended primarily for academics, researchers, and professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry. In addition, it will be useful for students attending advanced tourism and hospitality courses.

This book presents a collection of original, high-quality essays in international marketing. Both theoretical/conceptual and empirical contributions are included. Written by scholars from all over the world, these essays address various aspects of export and multinational marketing. While some authors focus on managerial issues in international marketing, others take a public policy or comparative perspective. Similarly, while some authors may confine their analyses to well-established concepts or methodologies in international marketing, others have the opportunity to incorporate new and innovative perspectives. It examines international marketing from theoretical and practical perspectives, and addresses various aspects of export and multinational marketing through management, public policy, and other issues.

The first book to adapt business ethics theory to the practice of law to explore real-life ethical dilemmas faced by lawyers beyond legal ethics There has been a recent increase in law schools offering business ethics classes and this book is ideally suited for use in the classroom, as well as for legal practitioners Provides clear, real-life scenarios

The strategic management and development of brands continues to grow in importance for most businesses and the last decade has seen more and more brand owners turning to co-branding as a way of adding further value to their brand assets. The synergy that can be created by two well-matched brands working together in harmony can be considerable and enhance both profitability and the valuation of the brand for both parties. However, the challenges presented by co-branding are considerable, getting the strategy right for a single brand is hard enough, but once two brands are brought together the challenges increase considerably. The brand personalities must be complementary. This is the first book to explore this important area.

As places face increased competition for human and capital resources, public managers turn toward corporate-like governance strategies and branding practices to shape places and organizations. However, for better or worse, these organizations begin to resemble highly competitive, private-sector public relations and marketing firms. Place branding is taking hold within many organizations, including city governments, yet very few scholars take a public administration approach when exploring the causes and effects of branding practices. In Place Branding through Phases of the Image, Zavattaro explains how city promotional strategies can take the place of corporate governance structures through phases of the image. She examines how city government entities are undertaking place branding practices, with the realization that relying too much on image rather than a balance between image and substance has serious implications for democratic, collaborative governance. This book creates a workable framework that simultaneously serves as a cautionary tale for building a promotional campaign focused exclusively on image.

David G. Pier offers an ethnographic study of the Senator Extravaganza traditional dance competition in Uganda, and the performers, marketers, and other actors who were involved in it. Pier illustrates the event as part of a broader moment in Ugandan and African public culture - one in which marketing is playing an increasingly dominant role.

This non-conventional book provides a human resource perspective to sales force management. It describes sales forces as complex systems of human interactions and shows how a decision in one area is likely to have direct, but also more or less desirable and lasting effects, on other aspects of the sales force. Managing human resources is no simple task, and in a sales force context, the difficulty is compounded by the fact that managers often have limited control and knowledge of what salespeople do once in the field.

The book addresses most sales force human resource decisions by contrasting prevalent industry practices with relevant research findings that could bear on sales force management and by showing how a simple managerially oriented tool can capture much of the sales force systeM's complexity. Special attention is devoted to such questions as how to identify top sales producers; how to generate candidates from the best sources of salespeople; how to select and hire the best sales producers; how to enhance and maintain sales effectiveness over time; how to set up effective compensation and sales quota plans; and how to manage sales force turnover. This book will help sales managers and supervisors to take a more integrated view to sales management. It can also help salespeople to be more effective in their tasks and to prepare them for a career in management.

This is the second edition of the undergraduate textbook 'Social Media Management' which extends the original edition's scope beyond the business angle. The textbook continues with the perspective of organizations - not individuals - and clarifies the impact of social media on their different departments or disciplines, while also exploring how organizations use social media to create business value. To do so, the book pursues a uniquely multi-disciplinary approach by embracing IT, marketing, HR, and many other fields. While the first edition was inspired by the rise of social media tools, the second edition is characterized by a digital economy with increasing digitalization efforts due to newly emerging technologies in Industry 4.0 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers will benefit from a comprehensive selection of extended topics, including strategies and business models for social media, influencer marketing, viral campaigns, social CRM, employer branding, e-recruitment, search engine optimization, social mining, sentiment analysis, crowdfunding, and legal and ethical issues. Each chapter starts with one or more teaser questions to arouse the readers' interest, which will be clarified per topic. The second edition also provides ample self-test materials and reflection exercises.

This groundbreaking fashion branding and management text brings an analytical business dimension to the marketing and corporate techniques of the luxury fashion goods industry. It will make engaging reading for anyone who wishes to learn about the captivating business of turning functional products into objects of desire.

Introduces the key terms, concepts and practices to provide a firm foundation for undergraduate students. It discusses contemporary technologies used in marketing alongside established practices to develop an understanding of the positive effects of marketing balanced with critical discussion about it's contribution to the wider aims of society. International in approach, it highlights a range of real life practices through examples and short case studies. It includes: * Marketing as an idea and a practice. * How to understand and reach customers, researching and choosing segments * Marketing functions-providing value from products, services, pricing and distribution to branding and communications. * Responsible marketing and contemporary technologies To help support their learning, readers have access to a range of online resources including chapter-by-chapter multiple choice questions which will enable them to assess how well they have grasped individual chapters. The text also features a range of supplementary readings, in text exercises and cases/examples to help bring concepts to life.

Japanese distribution was long seen as archaic and difficult to understand, but today that has changed. Domestic firms stretching across all retail formats and categories have taken control of channels and now lead the consumer market from the front. They are now so advanced that the very best are bursting out of the Japanese market and operating across Asia and even as far as Western Europe. Through case studies and concrete examples, this book provides the most detailed analysis of retailing in Japan ever written; it is the definitive guide to how Japan has changed and what to expect in the future.

* An engaging introduction to the essentials of digital marketing; * Examines of the challenges and issues of integrating digital content, measuring performance outcomes and understanding digital analytics; * Contains international case studies to illustrate how digital marketing is being used in various industry settings. Do you know where to start with digital marketing? This user-friendly text book provides an engaging introduction to digital marketing to help you understand of the impact of digital channels on marketing operations. It introduces the essential terms, and practices of digital marketing and applies theory to explain the rationale for choosing to use a specific approach in a given context. It provides an overview of digital marketing challenges and opportunities by defining the field, explaining the structure of digital marketing management and introducing the digital marketing mix. It explains how to use digital marketing to enhance the customer experience and how to integrate digital marketing into existing channels. It also examines new digital business models including crowd sourcing and crowd funding. Finally it examines the key performance indicators of technology acceptance, customer satisfaction and customer engagement and the choice of analytics that can be used for measuring these outcomes.

The first volume in the Palgrave Studies in Practice: Global Fashion Brand Management series, this book provides a comprehensive view on the internationalization of fashion brands, offering unique academic and managerial insights into how fashion brands in diverse sizes can build and sustain their businesses in competitive global marketplaces. It explores the theories and trends occurring within the fashion industry, one of the most active sectors of internationalization. The majority of global fashion brands operate beyond their home countries, yet not much is known about the ventures that generate more than half of their revenues. This book takes a critical look at the global-by-nature fashion industry through a collection of actual cases from multiple countries and cultural backgrounds.

Consumer interaction and engagement are vital components to help marketers maintain a lasting relationship with their customers. By developing positive relationships with consumers, businesses can better maintain their customers' loyalty. Diverse Methods in Customer Relationship Marketing and Management is a critical scholarly resource that examines how marketing has shifted to a relationship-oriented model. Due to this, there is an increased need for customer relationship marketing and management to emerge as an invaluable approach to strengthening companies and the customer experience. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as relational marketing technology acceptance model, and consumer buying behavior, this book is a vital resource for marketing professionals, managers, retailers, advertising executives, academicians, and researchers seeking current research on the challenges and opportunities in customer relationship marketing and management.

The Web has changed the game for your customers-- and, therefore, for you. Now, "CustomerCentric" Selling, already recognized as one of the premier methodologies for managing the buyer-seller relationship, helps you level the playing field so you can reach clients when they are ready to buy and create a superior customer experience.

Your business and its people need to be "CustomerCentric"--willing and able to identify and serve customers' needs in a world where competition waits just a mouse-click away. Traditional wisdom has long held that selling means convincing and persuading buyers. But today's buyers no longer want or need to be sold in traditional ways.

"CustomerCentric Selling" gives you mastery of the crucial eight aspects of communicating with today's clients to achieve optimal results: Having conversations instead of making presentations Asking relevant questions instead of offering opinions Focusing on solutions and not only relationships Targeting businesspeople instead of gravitating toward users Relating product usage instead of relying on features Competing to win--not just to stay busy Closing on the buyer's timeline (instead of yours) Empowering buyers instead of trying to "sell" them

What's more, "CustomerCentric Selling" teaches and reinforces key tactics that will make the most of your organization's resources. Perhaps you feel you don't have the smartest internal systems in place to ensure an ideal workflow. (Perhaps, as is all too common, you lack identifiable systems almost entirely.) From the basics--and beyond--of strategic budgeting and negotiation to assessing and developing the skills of your sales force, you'll learn how to make sure that each step your business takes is the right one.