Knowledge that Transforms

The 1990s are being coined decade of the customer, implying that greater attention to the customer's needs and perceptions is necessary to stay competitive. But Keeping Customers clearly illustrates that being customer-oriented is a more complex matter than simply beefing up customer service. It is a dynamic process that requires a set of interconnected management actions, implemented over time, to continually build and enhance relationships with customers as their demands evolve. A leading group of Harvard Business Review authors, illuminates key principles in building quality and service into a competitive package that increases value for the customer without sacrificing company profits. В книге содержатся статьи, показывающие, что ориентация на потребителей – это не просто расширение спектра услуг, но динамический процесс, требующий набора взаимосвязанных управленческих действий, нацеленных на непрерывное создание и улучшение взаимосвязей с потребителями. Авторы освещают основные принципы создания конкурентного «пакета», увеличивающего потребительскую ценность без принесения в жертву прибылей компании.

The author empirically examines the efficiency of scanner checkout systems by calculating the rates of underrings and overrings occurring in stores employing scanner systems. Actual purchases were used to calculate error rates across three shopping trips to each of 15 stores. The results reveal that both underring and overring rates are significantly higher than retailers’ expectations. Though these rates are equivalent across regular-priced purchases, they systematically favor the retailer for purchases of advertised specials and items on end-of-aisle displays. The author discusses the implications of these findings for retailers, consumers, researchers, and public policymakers.

Researchers have tried for several years to explain variations in advertising and promotion/sales (A&P/S) ratios across brands, product-market categories, firms, and industries. Market share (MS) and market growth (MG) have been included as explanatory variables in almost all of these studies. A recent article by Balasubramanian and Kumar (1990) presents a parsimonious yet powerful model explaining A&P/S ratios using these two variables and their interaction. Though the MG-MS matrix provides a possible rationale for the use of these variables in an interaction model, the authors argue that it is more consistent with strategic business unit (SBU)-level data than firm data. They attempt to replicate the model with two other data sets (SBU and brand data) as well as a version of the firm data used in the original study. Being unable to find empirical support for the model with any of the three data sets, they argue that further research should rely on other variables.

Researchers have tried for several years to explain variations in advertising and promotion/sales (A&P/S) ratios across brands, product-market categories, firms, and industries. Market share (MS) and market growth (MG) have been included as explanatory variables in almost all of these studies. A recent article by Balasubramanian and Kumar (1990) presents a parsimonious yet powerful model explaining A&P/S ratios using these two variables and their interaction. Though the MG-MS matrix provides a possible rationale for the use of these variables in an interaction model, the authors argue that it is more consistent with strategic business unit (SBU)-level data than firm data. They attempt to replicate the model with two other data sets (SBU and brand data) as well as a version of the firm data used in the original study. Being unable to find empirical support for the model with any of the three data sets, they argue that further research should rely on other variables.

Background Advertising and the First Amendment The Goals and Evolution of Advertising Law The Effects of Advertising The Principal Advertising Laws Regulation in the Public Interest by the FTC Competitor Lawsuits Under the Lanham Act The FTC vs. the Lanham Act An Aside on Comparative Advertising Antitrust Analysis Antitrust and Advertising: Collusion Advertising as Exclusionary Conduct Conclusions and Recommendations The U.S. I.T.C.--Developing Advertising Law Toward A New and Improved Advertising Law References Appendices