Haskayne School of Business Research & Publications

Permanent URI for this collection

https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/100033

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 25

Open Access
Are all Outgroups Created Equal? Consumer Identity and Dissociative Influence
(University of Chicago Press, 2007) White, Katherine; Dahl, Darren W
Past research finds that consumers exhibit weak self-brand connections to brands associated with out-groups. We extend this work by demonstrating that products associated with dissociative reference groups have a greater impact on consumers’ negative self-brand connections, product evaluations, and choices than do products associated with out-groups more generally. In addition, both situational priming and chronic identification with one’s in-group moderate the avoidance of products associated with dissociative reference groups. Further, we demonstrate the conditions under which dissociative influence does not occur and discuss the implications of the research.
Open Access
China's entry to WTO: global marketing issues, impact, and implications for China
(Emerald Group Publishing, 2004) Agarwal, James; Wu, Terry
The transition from a command economy to a market‐based economy has been remarkably successful in China. After 15 years of negotiations, China finally joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2001. Because of trade and investment liberalization under the WTO, there will be greater competition between Chinese and foreign firms, both inside China and outside China. While there is a great deal of economic literature on China's entry to the WTO, there has been no research on the global marketing impact and implications of China's membership of the WTO. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap. The objective of this study is to examine the general impact of China's entry to the WTO and to assess the global marketing implications of specific trade‐related policy issues within the WTO framework for China. Eleven specific WTO policy issues are examined and several global marketing propositions offered in terms of the WTO's impact on and implications for China.
Open Access
A Cross-National and Cross-Cultural Approach to Global Market Segmentation: An Application Using Consumers' Perceived Service Quality.
(American Marketing Association, 2010) Agarwal, James; Malhorta, Naresh K; Bolton, Ruth N
The spread of global culture is being facilitated by the proliferation of transnational corporations, the rise of global capitalism, widespread aspiration for material possessions, and the homogenization of global consumption. The extent of convergence of cultural values across nations has been debated by international marketing researchers. However, from a practical standpoint, transnational firms require a cross-national, cross-cultural approach to market segmentation that can be used to guide the development of global marketing strategies. In this study, the authors investigate the application of cross-national versus cross-cultural approaches to market segmentation through a rigorous empirical investigation in the context of banking services. Although services constitute the fastest growing sector of the world economy, few studies have examined global market segmentation strategies for them. The authors develop theory-based cross-national hypotheses and test them by estimating a structural model of consumers' perceived service quality using survey data from two countries: the United States and India. They test cross-cultural hypotheses by estimating the same model on culture-based clusters. They demonstrate that there are distinctive differences between cross-national and cross-cultural models of perceived service quality and highlight the growing relevance of cross-cultural research approaches. More generally, the cross-national, cross-cultural approach to market segmentation can guide the development of global marketing strategies for services and improve business performance.
Open Access
Differential Association and Role-Set Configuration:The Impact of Significant Others Upon the Perception of Ethical Climate in a Sports Organization.
(Human Kinetics Journals, 2001) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David C.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence that significant others have upon the perception of ethical climate in a Canadian provincial nonprofit sport federation. The study was theoretically based upon the concepts of differential association and role-set configuration as well as the ethical climate dimensions developed in a non-profit context by Agarwal and Malloy (1999). The results demonstrate some support for the earlier empirical and theoretical findings that suggest that members of non-profit organizations may not be influenced by internal strategies of control and conformity. While this study was based upon a single provincial sport federation, the authors cautiously draw attention to the implications that the results may have for other non-profit organizations.
Open Access
Dimensions of service quality in developed and developing economies: multi‐country cross‐cultural comparisons
(Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Ulgado, Francis M.; Shainesh, G.; Wu, Lan
Purpose – Despite the rapid growth and internationalization of services, marketers of services realize that to successfully leverage service quality as a global competitive tool, they first need to correctly identify the antecedents of what the international consumer perceives as service “quality.” This paper aims to examine the differences in perception of service quality dimensions between developed and developing economies.
Open Access
Does NAFTA Influence Mexico's Product Image? A Theoretical Framework and an Empirical Investigation in Two Countries
(Springer, 2002) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Wu, Terry
This paper is an attempt to study the impact of a trading bloc on a member country's product image. Specifically, we examine whether consumers' attitude toward NAFTA influences consumers' confidence, attitude, and purchase intention of Mexican-made product. Drawing from stimulus generalization and attitude conditioning theory, a theoretical ethic-based cross-cultural model is developed and tested using two samples of student buyers/users of Mexican-made personal computers in the United States and Canada.
Open Access
Ethical Climate in a Non-Profit Organization: Propositions and Implications
(Wiley, 2001) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David C.
The authors discuss a number of variables that may influence the perception of ethical climate in the nonprofit sector, including individual, organizational, and significant other (peers, coworkers, and superiors) variables. The basis of this discussion is the model developed by Agarwal and Malloy (1999) identifying a framework for nonprofits that is distinct from the for-profit orientation. The authors provide ten propositions and discuss their implications.
Open Access
Ethical Climate in Government and Nonprofit Sectors: Public Policy Implications for Service Delivery
(Springer Science & Business Media, 2010) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David; Rasmussen, Ken
An important factor that leads governments to engage in public service contracts with nonprofit organizations is the belief that they share similar ethical and value orientations that will allow governments to reduce monitoring costs. However the notion of the existence of similarities in ethical climate has not been systematically examined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ethical climate in government and nonprofit sectors and to determine the extent to which similarities (and differences) exist in ethical climate dimensions. Using survey data and structural equation modeling technique, the factor structure equivalence and measurement invariance of the ethical climate in the two sectors are tested. Results indicate that while there is a significant overlap in shared perception of ethical climate dimensions, there are also key differences between the two sectors. The outcome of this research provides important preliminary insights for public policy makers in government to better understand the implications of using the nonprofit sector for service delivery
Open Access
Ethical Climate in Government and Nonprofit Sectors: Public Policy Implications for Service Delivery.
(Springer Science & Business Media B.V., 2010) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David; Rasmussen, Ken
An important factor that leads governments to engage in public service contracts with nonprofit organizations is the belief that they share similar ethical and value orientations that will allow governments to reduce monitoring costs. However the notion of the existence of similarities in ethical climate has not been systematically examined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ethical climate in government and nonprofit sectors and to determine the extent to which similarities (and differences) exist in ethical climate dimensions. Using survey data and structural equation modeling technique, the factor structure equivalence and measurement invariance of the ethical climate in the two sectors are tested. Results indicate that while there is a significant overlap in shared perception of ethical climate dimensions, there are also key differences between the two sectors. The outcome of this research provides important preliminary insights for public policy makers in government to better understand the implications of using the nonprofit sector for service delivery.
Open Access
The ethical climate of government and non-profit organizations Implications for public-private partnerships
(Taylor & Francis, 2003) Agarwal, James; Rasmussen, Ken; Malloy, David C.
One aspect of relations between government and non-profit organizations that has received little attention is the impact of differing ethical climates. Using Victor and Cullens' model of ethical climate, this article offers a qualitative survey of the differences between the two sectors. It finds that there are differences in both the sources of ethical climate and the criteria used to judge ethical climate. Public servants tend to be more cosmopolitan in that their source of ethical climate comes from sources external to themselves such as professional or legal norms. Non-profit mangers tended to have stronger beliefs that principles are to be self chosen and the climate is to be guided by personal ethics.
Open Access
Ethical work climate dimensions in a not-for-profit organization: an empirical study.
(Springer Science & Business Media B.V., 1999) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David C.
This paper is an attempt to address the limited amount of research in the realm of organizational ethical climate in the not-for-profit sector. The paper draws from Victor and Cullen's (1988) theoretical framework which, combines the constructs of cognitive moral development, ethical theory, and locus of analysis. However, as a point of departure from Victor and Cullen's work, the authors propose an alternative methodology to extract ethical climate dimensions based on theoretical considerations. Using the Ethical Climate Questionnaire (ECQ), an exploratory factor analysis is conducted followed by a confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL. The resulting five dimensions are labelled as: individual caring, machiavellianism, independence, social caring, and law and code. Findings provide a somewhat disparate perspective of the ethical climates in a not-for-profit context. First, there is a more discriminating perception of benevolent climate than its for-profit counterpart. Second, the dimensions are polarized between the individual and the cosmopolitan loci of analysis. These findings are then discussed with implications and direction for future research.
Open Access
Factors influencing ethical climate in a nonprofit organisation: an empirical investigation
(Henry Stewart Publications, 2003) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David C.
Drawing from Victor and Cullen's[Victor, B. and Cullen, J. B. (1987) ‘A theory and measure of ethical climate in organizations’, Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy, Vol. 9, pp. 51–71.],[Victor, B. and Cullen, J. B. (1988) ‘The organizational bases of ethical work climates’, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 33, pp. 101–125.] theoretical framework a recent study by Agarwal and Malloy[Agarwal, J. and Malloy, D. C. (1999) ‘Ethical work climate dimensions in a not-for-profit organization: An empirical study’, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 20, pp. 1–14.] examined ethical work climate dimensions in the context of a nonprofit organisation. This paper reviews the framework and extends the study further by investigating several factors that influence the perception of ethical work climate in a nonprofit organisation. The multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA) procedure is employed to test nine hypotheses. Results demonstrate somewhat unique findings regarding factors that influence ethical climate perception in a nonprofit context. Specifically, the findings of this study point to the level of education, decision style and the influence that superiors and volunteers have upon ethical perception. Results also demonstrate that factors that have been employed traditionally by forprofit management, such as length of service, codes of ethics, size of the organisation and peer pressure, do not effectively influence ethical perception in the nonprofit context. Finally implications of this study are discussed.
Open Access
Heterogeneity of regional trading blocs and global marketing strategies A multicultural perspective
(Emerald Insight, 1998) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Baalbaki, Imad
With the rapid emergence of trading blocs in the multicultural market, this paper attempts to meet several ojectives. First, it discusses the growing importance and underlying motives of regional trading blocs in a multicultural setting. The level of heterogeneity of each trading bloc is examined with implications for market segmentation. The critical role of strategic alliances in the context of regional trading blocs is discussed next. Finally, marketing strategies are recommended for firms marketing to countries within its trading bloc as well as to countries outside its trading bloc.
Open Access
An integrated model of attitude and affect: Theoretical foundation and an empirical investigation
(Elsevier, 2005) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.
The affect (feelings and emotions) and attitude (evaluative judgment based on brand beliefs) streams of research are combined to propose an integrated model of attitude and choice. The essence of the proposed model is based on the interaction effect between affect and cognition. The predictive validity of the proposed model is tested and compared to several other nested models using a regression and logit framework. Results indicate that the proposed model is significantly better than the traditional multiattribute model both in terms of percentage correctly classified and predictive validity. The proposed interaction model is also tested using structural equations modeling with gratifying results. Building on the Kenny and Judd [Psychol. Bull. 96 (1984) 201] approach, the interaction term is estimated using both the Ping [J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 22 (4) (1994) 364; J. Mark. Res. 32 (3) (1995) 336] method and Joreskog and Yang [Nonlinear structural equation models: the Kenny–Judd model with interaction effects. In: Marcoulides GA, Schumacker RE, editors. Advanced Structural Equation Modeling: Issues and Techniques, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1996] method. Important findings and implications are discussed together with directions for future research.
Open Access
An Integrated Model of Ethical Decision-making: a Proposed Pedagogical Framework for a Marketing Ethics Curriculum
(Springer, 2002) Agarwal, James; Malloy, David C.
This paper presents an integrated model of ethical decision-making in marketing that incorporates teleological, deontological and existential theory. First, this framework provides a descriptive model, which enables the decision-maker to evaluate each step of the decision-making process from three disparate perspectives in order to ensure a more comprehensive ethical decision – that is, one which is good, right, and authentic. A set of moderating factors that influence the process and the outcome of the ethical decision-making process is also identified. Second, we propose a pedagogical framework in developing a set of modules for a course curriculum on ethical decision-making in marketing. It has been argued that the approaches to teaching marketing ethics have traditionally been based upon normative theories and that students of marketing ethics have been deprived of the opportunity to personalize their value systems in ethical situations. Our proposed integrated framework allows for the student to apply personal values to bear on the decision context since existentialism, at the core foundation, is really a theory of choice.
Open Access
International Services Marketing: A Comparative Evaluation of the Dimensions of Service Quality between Developed and Developing Countries
(Emerald Insight, 1994) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Ulgado, Francis M.; Baalbaki, Imad B.
Discusses and applies a general framework for services quality to make a comparative evaluation of ten dimensions of service quality between developed and developing countries. Derives specific hypotheses for each of the service quality dimensions based on the relevant environmental factors characterizing developed and developing economies. Discusses managerial implications of the hypotheses that are derived, and proposes the empirical investigation of these hypotheses as a direction for future research.
Open Access
Internet Users' Information Privacy Concerns (IUIPC): The Construct, the Scale, and a Causal Model
(INFORMS, 2004) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Kim, Sung S.
The lack of consumer confidence in information privacy has been identified as a major problem hampering the growth of e-commerce. Despite the importance of understanding the nature of online consumers' concerns for information privacy, this topic has received little attention in the information systems community. To fill the gap in the literature, this article focuses on three distinct, yet closely related, issues. First, drawing on social contract theory, we offer a theoretical framework on the dimensionality of Internet users' information privacy concerns (IUIPC). Second, we attempt to operationalize the multidimensional notion of IUIPC using a second-order construct, and we develop a scale for it. Third, we propose and test a causal model on the relationship between IUIPC and behavioral intention toward releasing personal information at the request of a marketer. We conducted two separate field surveys and collected data from 742 household respondents in one-on-one, face-to-face interviews. The results of this study indicate that the second-order IUIPC factor, which consists of three first-order dimensions—namely, collection, control, and awareness—exhibited desirable psychometric properties in the context of online privacy. In addition, we found that the causal model centering on IUIPC fits the data satisfactorily and explains a large amount of variance in behavioral intention, suggesting that the proposed model will serve as a useful tool for analyzing online consumers' reactions to various privacy threats on the Internet.
Open Access
Methodological issues in cross‐cultural marketing research: A state‐of‐the‐art review
(Emerald Insight, 1996) Agarwal, James; Malhotra, Naresh K.; Peterson, Mark
Notes that methodological problems are hampering the growth of cross‐cultural marketing research and presents a review of methodological issues to address these problems. Organizes these issues around a six‐step framework which includes elements such as problem definition, the development of an approach and research design formulation. Notes that the marketing research problem can be defined by comparing the phenomenon or behaviour in separate cultural contexts and eliminating the influence of the self‐reference criterion. Discusses issues in data analysis such as treatment of outliers and standardization of data. Concludes with an interpretation of results and report presentation.
Open Access
Political Risk and the Internationalization of Firms: An Empirical Study of Canadian-based Export and FDI Firms
(Wiley Blackwell, 2007) Agarwal, James; Feils, Dorothee
Political risk analysis primarily receives attention for foreign direct investment (FDI) but only rarely for exporting. We examine how exporters and foreign direct investors evaluate the relative importance of political risk factors. We provide a rationale for exporters to evaluate political risk factors for FDI and for foreign direct investors to evaluate political risk factors for exporting. Survey data were collected from Canadian exporters and foreign direct investors and capture the distinctive nature of salient factors for exporting and FDI. We offer unique insights on the evolutionary character of political risk that are of practical value for both exporting and FDI.
Open Access
Quality performance of SMEs in a developing economy: direct and indirect effects of service innovation and entrepreneurial orientation
(Emerald Insight, 2014) Agarwal, James; Ndubisi, Nelson Oly
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how innovation and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) affect organizational performance on quality in Asian small enterprise context. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing from the strategic management literature, we hypothesize and test the direct and indirect relationship between EO, innovation and quality performance in the context of small information technology (IT) firms in an Asian economy. Data analyses follow standard procedures for testing direct and mediating effects. Findings – Findings indicate a significant direct and indirect positive relationship between EO dimensions and three types of innovation and quality performance. Innovation mediates in the relationship of EO with quality performance. Research limitations/implications – The paper adds resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theories to extant strategic management literature. Poor representation of women-owned small firms in the study resulting from low participation of females in the IT business sector is a limitation which needs to be addressed in the future, as it hinders a clearer understanding of the perspectives of women business owners. Practical implications – The paper contributes to managerial practice by underscoring the need for owner-managers of small enterprises to pursue EO-focused and innovation enhancement strategies in an integrated manner. Originality/value – An integrated model of EO, innovation and performance, tested in small IT service firms in the context of a developing economy. Context does matter. The combination of a developing country context and the significance of IT enhance the contextual contribution of the paper.