Drawing from decades of research, teaching, and consulting in the fields of marketing and strategy, the author demystifies the forces of market chaos, including technological change, globalization, and consumer behavior, showing readers how to identify those forces that can be turned to their competitive advantage. Featuring dozens of illustrative examples, of both winners and losers, and concluding each chapter with a series of questions designed to help readers apply the book's principles in their own organizations, Samli demonstrates how to detect changes in market conditions early, uncover latent customer needs, create new products and services, and maintain a competitive edge. There is no doubt that the business environment has become increasingly unpredictable. Yesterday's market leaders become tomorrow's has-beens; upstarts take on established giants; customers flock to new technologies while demanding old-fashioned customer service; and, of course, the Internet and the forces of globalization are accelerating the pace of change. Learning how to survive—and thrive—in this environment is of utmost importance for any company that intends to stick around. Drawing from decades of research, teaching, and consulting in the fields of marketing and strategy, the author demystifies these chaotic forces, identifying the pressures on business that create uncertainty, but also the potential for innovation for those who recognize opportunities to strengthen their competitive position. Featuring dozens of illustrative examples of both winners and losers, Samli shows readers how to turn market chaos and uncertainty to their advantage. Concluding each chapter with a series of questions designed to help readers apply the book's principles in their own organizations, Samli demonstrates how to detect changes in market conditions early, uncover latent customer needs, create new products and services, and maintain a competitive edge.

Since the U.S. economy has been plagued recently by a deep and long recession, this unique book has a particularly important message. It takes the position that a proactive marketing strategy can protect the firm from the adverse impact of market turbulence. The author makes the case that the firm must revise its orientation toward being more marketing oriented, and then must develop a counterturbulence marketing strategy that is coined in this book as value marketing. Since turbulence in the American market is expected to intensify, it is expected that this book's contribution will be specific and significant. In order to implement a successful value marketing plan, the firm must be extremely sensitive to market changes and must be able to counteract these within a very short period of time. If the firm can detect changes early and can swiftly counteract these changes with a value marketing plan, then its chances to survive and prosper are enhanced.

After reviewing briefly the causes and nature of turbulence in U.S. markets, the author establishes the importance of marketing as a counterturbulence weapon. In fact, the book implies that success in the market place is dependent on the firM's ability to manage itself against turbulence. The author posits that unless the firm takes the position that the customer is not only king but is everything, it will be impossible to survive constantly occurring and strengthening market turbulence. This position revision provides the firm with the opportunity to establish a proactive marketing program that is the blueprint for revising its product, price, and promotion strategies quickly and effectively. Furthermore, the value marketing plan thrives on value-added distribution and logistics processes. Adopting a counterturbulence marketing strategy begins with an attitude change on the part of the firM's executives. These executives must run the firm not by a bottom line but for a bottom line. This orientation change is primarily facilitated by opportunity budgeting. Ideal as supplemental reading in advanced marketing classes, this book will make an important impact on the thinking and orientation of business decision makers.

Very little of marketing theory and knowledge has made its way into retailing practice, but its value in making profitable and effective retailing decisions is unquestioned. Samli, drawing upon three decades of experience and recognition as an expert in marketing research, offers retailing professionals and those who aspire to retailing careers a foundation for understanding what marketing theory is and how it can be linked successfully and profitably to retailing practice. Not a simplified set of steps to take, his book forces retailing decision makers to think for themselves and to use sound reasoning in their judgments. With an extensive review of retailing research and emphasis on small retail decision-making processes, plus discussions of human resource development, information technology, control mechanisms, and the international aspects of retailing, this book will find a special place in the list of books that must be read, not only by retailing professionals and students, but also their colleagues who teach retailing.

The planning and implementation of the strategic plan is dependent upon the identification of the retailer's target market, and then successfully catering to that market by using four key retailing mixes: goods and service mix, communication mix, pricing mix, and human resource mix. The retailing mixes are the controllables of retail management. Preparation of these mixes depends upon the knowledge, reasoning, availability of resources, and familiarity with the target markets.

Far removed from the markets they're meant to serve, insensitive to market needs, inflexible in how they do business, America's oliuopolistic corporations are terrorizing consumers. The result is that the American market system does not work as it should, and indeed, performs far below its potential. Samli argues that the system should not be treated as though it were sacrosanct. Indeed, it must be made to do more than it is doing to encourage competition and create consumer value--things it neglects, says Samli, because of a mistaken notion that laissez-fairism is working well, and that in today's free economy things are just fine. Not so, and corporations are actually suffering on their bottom lines. By creating true consumer value and by stopping their headlong rush to merge and thereby decrease competition, corporations can achieve their profit goals more easily, and even establish higher ones. The trick is to pay more attention to their customers, to be more responsive to their needs and wishes, and in Samli's words, to turn a kinder and gentler face to the world. His book is a challenging, provocative declaration for policy makers in the public and private sectors, and for academics, an important adjunct to their studies of how business, government, and society interact.

First, says Samli, merger mania must stop. Government must exercise its full power to protect, inform, and educate consumers--and take care that business, unchecked, does not prey upon them. He cites evidence that consumers are not equal, that many are frail and vulnerable, and that in many markets they are simply being ignored. Samli maintains that far from being hostile to business, he sees business as actually working against itself. If business thinks of, and works for, the benefit of the consumer, if it eschews strategies that simply cut costs and contribute to self-enlargement, consumers will become empowered. In fact, Samli calls for more regulation, not less, and for more competition. He also calls for consumers who are better educated, and for the nation to cultivate its resources--human and environmental--in ways that will enhance economic performance, not only for society that depends on corporations, but for corporations themselves that depend on society.

A collection of carefully edited papers selected for their range and diversity of topics, "New Dimensions in Marketing/Quality-of-Life Research" picks up where Samli's first Quorum book (1987) left off. Now Sirgy and Samli along with their contributors explore the latest measures and methods in QOL marketing research, the ways in which QOL concept is embodied in various functional areas of the marketing enterprise, and how it's appearing in different market segments and industries. The result is a cogent overview of how this emerging marketing concept is guiding the way goods and services are sold, and its impact on policy-makers. A wide-ranging discussion and information resource for teachers, students, and marketing practitioners.

Samli sets a foundation for analyzing the impact of culture on behavior and how this impact may vary in different cultures. By understanding consumer behavior patterns in different world markets, international marketers can serve the special needs of international consumers. Cultures can be grouped and their impact on the consumer behavior can be detected. Understanding consumer behavior in different culture groups is the foundation of international marketing success.

In this bold first effort to assimilate the knowledge about international consumers, Professor Samli asserts that international consumer behavior is not just a simple extension of our knowledge about American consumer behavior. Rather, it is primarily culture-driven. Whereas culture is a given in studying consumer behavior in the West or in North America, foreign cultures must be understood before parameters of international consumer behavior patterns can be established. Understanding these patterns is the essence of successful international marketing. This orientation explains why successful marketing plans must be different in different world markets and that these markets are not at all homogeneous. Successful international marketing plans must dwell primarily on differences rather than similarities among international consumers. The key aspects of behavior patterns are connected to marketing plans throughout the book.

Social class, hierarchy of needs, and formal and informal group memberships play quite different roles within the given constraints of culture. As a result, involvement, learning, and experiences of the individual form differently in different world markets. This process needs to be deciphered and understood so that adequate communication is established with consumers everywhere. Both marketing scholars and marketing practitioners need to understand that marketing plans around the world should be keyed to consumer needs and behavior patterns. These are the essence of competitive advantage.

Despite the accelerating pace of globalization, it is impossible to ignore the marginalization of the developing world, as billions of people continue to slip deeper into poverty. While many theories, policies, and practices have been proposed to help redress the disparities between the "haves" and the "have-nots," only recently have proponents of sustainable economic development and entrepreneurship discovered each other. In this provocative and timely book, A. Coskun Samli fills the gap by making the connections explicit and arguing that entrepreneurship may be the only hope for countries that have fallen into the trap of relying on foreign aid and bowing to the pressures of multinational conglomerates driven by short-term profit-maximizing goals. Samli builds the case that some cultures are more entrepreneurial than others, and demonstrates the importance of creating the right conditions, infrastructure, policies, and educational systems that inspire and support new business creation.

Takes a proactive approach to addressing big issues of world poverty, economic development, and the impact of globalization - with recommendations for business leaders, policymakers, and concerned citizens around the world Samli offers an alternative model, a philosophy and practice of "social capitalism" that is grounded in a bottom-up approach to wealth creation, while acknowledging that power will continue to be concentrated at the top level of the pyramid

This book identifies the factors--geographic, economic, cultural, and technical--that must be considered if technology transfer is to be effective. Samli and his contributors emphasize cultural barriers as the greatest challenge to a successful transfer. They advance an all important principle, that of congruence among the sender, the technology, and the receiver. Among the questions the book answers are: What sender strategies are most successful in technology transfer? What technologies should have higher priorities and how should these be established? What are the cultural barriers to technology transfer? What are the institutional instruments of technology transfer and how do they proceed in transfer activities? How should the process of technology transfer and its aftermath be monitored? Sixteen essays, written by scientists, economists, and marketing specialists, answer each of these and many other questions about technology transfer.

Advances in Quality-of-Life Theory and Research is relevant to quality-of-life researchers working in the areas of Social Medicine, Sustainable Development, Social Indicators Research and Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine.
This volume contains 14 chapters that represent a culmination of programmatic research in the science of quality of life (QOL). Each chapter offers interesting findings in different areas of QOL research and, together, the chapters reflect the very basic premise that QOL research is a broad interdisciplinary topic explored in a multidisciplinary manner. The research methods and conceptual models used by the different authors are exemplary and can induce QOL researchers to conduct future research in QOL in other cultures, geographic areas, and different socio-economic and demographic groups as well as in different QOL domains.

Coping with Retail Giants critically analyzes the modern retail market and identifies how businesses gain the competitive edge over the major retailers that currently control the market. Dr. Samli argues that as society advances economically, consumers will seek better values generated by the retailing sector.

This book argues that the strength of our dynamic society is a market economy, which functions well only if positive and constructive marketing practices are performed. It offers innovative alternatives for achieving economic progress and outlines strategies to create conditions for equal opportunity. The American economy has transitioned from a "survival of the fittest" to "survival of the fattest" mentality, focusing less on the people and quality of life and more on the amount of dollars to be gained. The divide between the 1% and 99% leaves lower-income individuals at a significant disadvantage and threatens both economic and societal advancement. The author offers clear, intelligible solutions to accomplish this such as eliminating discrimination, providing opportunities for new ideas and industries, enhancing quality of life, and encouraging more competition so that radical innovations can emerge and make a positive difference. This book will appeal to leaders and researchers across marketing, economics, management, and accounting looking for answers on how to get the American economy back on track.

Over the past two decades, the face of the world consumer has truly changed. Goods are more available, information about these goods is more open and accessible, and the ability to buy these goods from any corner of the earth has become possible. As a result, international marketing is more important now than ever before. In this book, Josh Samli explores the challenges facing modern international marketers. He explains what it is to have successful communication with the target market: using social media to share consistent information about products and services, communicating directly with culture-driven consumers who already communicate online amongst themselves and with competitors, and mastering people-to-people communication with both privileged and non-privileged consumers. Any company dealing with international marketing must learn how to handle these new challenges in order to survive in the 21st century.

The author contrasts Adam Smith's market to the prevailing American market stating that, in order to achieve the same results that Adam Smith's perfectly competitive market could have created, a socially responsible behavior on the part of marketing is necessary. Marketing can achieve greater profits and higher quality of life for the whole society by being consumer oriented and proactive, and by considering consumers' well-being the highest priority. Marketing must reach out and cater to, not only the mainstream core markets, but to those who are less than equal opportunity consumers. These are special market segments such as the poor, elderly, minorities, and those who are particularly vulnerable. Marketing must also develop environment and consumer-friendly products and services.

The prevailing market conditions in the United States are in favor of certain select groups. Furthermore, many conditions in the existing market are borderline pathological and need to be corrected. In addition to these, there are those consumers who are very vulnerable such as the elderly, the poor, the undereducated, and the frail. These groups cannot make the best purchase decisions nor do they have access to many facets of the market. Marketing must make a special effort to provide education, information, and protection for them and must bring as many people as possible into the mainstream of the economy. Unless marketing can take a proactive position and bring about products and services that are good, functional, and non-hazardous, consumers will not be able to optimize their purchase decisions.

The recent global financial crisis has intensified concerns over how nations-both developed and developing - can revitalize economic growth and ensure opportunity for prosperity to all citizens. Many analysts and policymakers alike are looking to new business creation and the promotion of entrepreneurial practices as a panacea, or at least as a partial solution. A. Coskun Samli has argued in his two most recent books that the current model of globalization tends to marginalize the poor and that developing countries must rely on local business development, rather than exogenous forces, such as aid, loans, and trade, to catalyze growth. This third book in his trilogy argues that a "bottom-up" approach is necessary for developing countries to participate in globalization-but is not sufficient. He proposes that the economic goals of a country, a region, or a company are fulfilled first and foremost by a properly designed and maintained infrastructure, encompassing both physical elements, such as transportation and communication systems, and qualitative elements, such as functioning educational, legal, and governing institutions. In Infrastructuring, Samli analyzes the experiences of a variety of countries, including China, India, Ireland, and South Africa, to highlight the role that infrastructure plays in economic development, and considers its implications for such timely issues as new business creation, productivity, and supply chain logistics. Moreover, he outlines practical approaches to infrastructure management and policy oversight.

The book is best suited as a resource for students in seminars dealing with marketing's role in society. At present it is the only book devoted entirely to the linkage between marketing and the quality-of-life concept. Upper-division and graduate collections. "Choice"

This interdisciplinary collection of essays focuses on marketing's ability to improve the prevailing quality of life in a society. It provides general philosophies for marketing practitioners, teachers, and researchers to explore and evaluate, and offers specific criteria for practicing marketing with positive quality of life consequences.

Globalization is often described as Darwinism on steroids and is a force to be reckoned with. Its goal to improve the economic status of underdeveloped areas of the world is noble enough, but left unchecked, globalization is not always fair and equitable in its practices and outcomes. This widens the gap between rich and poor nations. Samli argues that Third World countries must learn to take advantage of globalization and learn to protect themselves against its darker forces.

This book presents what Samli calls countermarginalization, a process that includes such strategies and tactics as partnering, networking, and entrepreneurship. Samli explains how emerging countries of the world can develop their own means of growth to counter the risk of marginalization, arguing that entrepreneurship is essential and needs to be nurtured. This book provides a thoughtful source of discussion and learning, offering a new perspective on the big questions that won't just go away, despite certain efforts to ignore them.

This book discusses the current landscape of our market economy, which is in the hands of financiers and billionaires who decrease competition as well as consumer power. In order for society to fully thrive and provide its members higher living standards and quality of life, it must distribute and deliver the fruits of the economic activity without discrimination and favoritism. This book exposes the real problem of economic inequality, poverty, and the elimination of the middle class and argues for a progressive market economy in the face of regressive conservatism. The author warns of business failures, rigid and unrealistic laws, widespread unemployment, and class warfare without a fair, functional system. Until action is taken to reverse this situation, our market economy will continue to be abused by the greedy and the powerful, stripping it of any potential for advancement and growth.

Samli provides an academic rather than a practical day-to-day approach to retailing, and his book may help move retailing toward the mainstream of academic research and interest. . . . The author incorporates good references and an overview of many theories that can be applied in an academic retail setting. Recommended for advanced undergraduate, graduate, and professional collections. "Choice"

Samli breaks new ground in the study of retailing by providing, for the first time, a comprehensive look at overall retail marketing strategy written specifically for advanced-level students and professionals in the field. Whereas most books in this area have stressed a how-to approach, Samli focuses on planning, implementing, and analyzing the results of the retail marketing strategy. He argues that as retail competition becomes keener and as the retailing environment becomes more adverse, success in retailing will be equated with the ability to develop an effective marketing strategy rather than extensive emphasis on day-to-day operations.

Organizing his study according to the three key phases of the strategy-making process--planning, implementation, and control--Samli proposes a new concept, differential congruence, as the basic philosophy of success in developing a retail marketing strategy. He draws upon the extensive, yet until now largely neglected, body of research in the field to illustrate the principles of effective marketng and demonstrates that these principles and strategies are equally applicable to large retailing giants and small retailing establishments. The comprehensive discussion ranges from an examination of intermarket shopping patterns and the plight of downtown shopping areas to detailed analyses of segmentation in retailing, store-image definition measurement, and retail pricing strategy. An essential text for advanced courses in marketing, sales, and retailing, this book will also be read with profit by store managers and corporate retailing executives.

Data have almost no value in and for themselves. What's important is how they are used to create the information one needs to make informed decisions, and this is particularly true in making marketing decisions. Thus, Samli's new book dwells on the art and science of information generation and on how to convert it to practical knowledge. Without information and knowledge, says Samli, the firm faces great risk in the marketplace and its survival probabilities in the long run are very low. Samli explains, first, the various data generating procedures, with special emphasis on data analysis, and second, the procedures for creating information out of data -- all in a clear, systematic presentation that marketing managers will understand and benefit from immediately. Their MIS colleagues, whose goal should be to make data and information decision-maker friendly, will also benefit. A unique, valuable book for both.

The problem is not information overload as some contend, says Samli, but data overload. Data have almost no value in and for themselves. What's important is how data are used to create the information marketers need in order to make knowledgeable decisions. Thus, Samli's newest book dwells on the art and science of information generation and on how to convert it to practical knowledge. Without information and knowledge -- and another essential ingredient, wisdom -- the firm faces great risk in the marketplace and its survival probabilities in the long run are very low, says the author.

Samli starts by presenting the key elements that contribute to an information gap in the use of data for marketing decisions. He describes the evolution of information in decision making, the distinction between data and information, and the reasons why data gathering and processing have become so sophisticated and difficult to use. Samli goes on to discuss data collecting techniques, the dimensions and uses of internal data and their parameters, and identifies the best but most underrated data gathering method: observation. Surveys, experimentation, and research are covered next, including attitude and motivation research, with a careful analysis of how the research operation, as well as its products, should be managed. He goes on to explain how information is elicited from data and how it should be used; then, the various control mechanisms for information systems overall, and ends with his own agenda for the improvement of the entire information-driven marketing decision process. A clear, systematic presentation that marketing managers, and their MIS colleagues (who appreciate the need to make data and information decision-maker friendly), will find valuable and immediately beneficial.

This book discusses the current landscape of our market economy, which is in the hands of financiers and billionaires who decrease competition as well as consumer power. In order for society to fully thrive and provide its members higher living standards and quality of life, it must distribute and deliver the fruits of the economic activity without discrimination and favoritism. This book exposes the real problem of economic inequality, poverty, and the elimination of the middle class and argues for a progressive market economy in the face of regressive conservatism. The author warns of business failures, rigid and unrealistic laws, widespread unemployment, and class warfare without a fair, functional system. Until action is taken to reverse this situation, our market economy will continue to be abused by the greedy and the powerful, stripping it of any potential for advancement and growth.

Over the past two decades, the face of the world consumer has truly changed. Goods are more available, information about these goods is more open and accessible, and the ability to buy these goods from any corner of the earth has become possible. As a result, international marketing is more important now than ever before. In this book, Josh Samli explores the challenges facing modern international marketers. He explains what it is to have successful communication with the target market: using social media to share consistent information about products and services, communicating directly with culture-driven consumers who already communicate online amongst themselves and with competitors, and mastering people-to-people communication with both privileged and non-privileged consumers. Any company dealing with international marketing must learn how to handle these new challenges in order to survive in the 21st century.

Coping with Retail Giants critically analyzes the modern retail market and identifies how businesses gain the competitive edge over the major retailers that currently control the market. Dr. Samli argues that as society advances economically, consumers will seek better values generated by the retailing sector.

It is impossible to measure the full economic and psychological benefits of the sewing machine, the polio vaccine, or the Internet. What we know is that these products have changed our lives for the better, generating net benefits well beyond the metric of corporate profits. As forces such as financial market volatility and fragmented markets demonstrate the fragility of the global economy, the imperative to develop products and services that contribute to the well-being of the many-rather than the few-is more pronounced than ever. In this book, A. Coskun Samli explores this imperative of an "innovation culture" and how it can be encouraged at all levels, from the individual to the nation or region. He argues that without a global innovation culture, committed to generating socially valuable products, we are likely to face a deteriorating quality of life, as wealth is concentrated at the top. Integrating insights from management, economics, policy, and psychology, Samli demonstrates how creativity can be channeled into innovation and innovation can be channeled, in turn, toward economic development. He discusses how national policies can be oriented toward encouraging such socially beneficial innovations as sustainable energy, communication technology, and medical discoveries. The aim is to promote the development of products and services that improve quality of life and generate profits for those who invest in them. He argues that all innovations, whether radical or incremental, must demonstrate social value in order to be truly profitable.

The recent global financial crisis has intensified concerns over how nations-both developed and developing - can revitalize economic growth and ensure opportunity for prosperity to all citizens. Many analysts and policymakers alike are looking to new business creation and the promotion of entrepreneurial practices as a panacea, or at least as a partial solution. A. Coskun Samli has argued in his two most recent books that the current model of globalization tends to marginalize the poor and that developing countries must rely on local business development, rather than exogenous forces, such as aid, loans, and trade, to catalyze growth. This third book in his trilogy argues that a "bottom-up" approach is necessary for developing countries to participate in globalization-but is not sufficient. He proposes that the economic goals of a country, a region, or a company are fulfilled first and foremost by a properly designed and maintained infrastructure, encompassing both physical elements, such as transportation and communication systems, and qualitative elements, such as functioning educational, legal, and governing institutions. In Infrastructuring, Samli analyzes the experiences of a variety of countries, including China, India, Ireland, and South Africa, to highlight the role that infrastructure plays in economic development, and considers its implications for such timely issues as new business creation, productivity, and supply chain logistics. Moreover, he outlines practical approaches to infrastructure management and policy oversight.