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As the influx of women entering sales positions is increasing, a growing (albeit relatively small) number of saleswomen have been promoted into first‐line sales management positions. A key question facing these managers is what kind of leadership style they should use with their sales staffs. Answers to this question are presently ambiguous. This paper reports the results of an investigation which focussed on which of four leadership approaches enhances performance of female sales managers' sales personnel. Findings imply that women sales supervisors should give serious consideration to adopting a "contingent reward" leadership style. Also offers managerial implications.

An increasing number of small firms are moving into export operations. This paper reports the results of a study that examined the influence of market distance on managers' choosing between use of in‐house expertise (integration) or external sources to obtain foreign market information. Market distance is defined as the sum of factors that affect the flow of information from and to the foreign market. Findings indicate that increased market distance leads to greater reliance on external sources (less integration) for market information.

Numerous explanations for understanding the nature of superior-subordinate relationships are available in the leadership literature. Although these arguments differ, a common feature is that each view is based implicitly on particular levels of analysis. The purpose of the current study was to conceptualize and test alternative perspectives of superior-subordinate relationships by explicitly incorporating multiple levels of analysis in hypothesis generation and testing. Data from matched reports of superiors and subordinates were analyzed using Within and Between Analysis (WABA). Results from a sample of retail sales associates and their supervisors indicated that on the dimensions of attention, job latitude, satisfaction with performance, and job congruence, superior-subordinate relationships differed from one interpersonal relationship to another. In a sample of insurance agents and their managers, however, findings indicated that there were individual differences on these dimensions for superiors and subordinates. Implications of these different views of superior-subordinate relationships for future leadership research are discussed.

Portraying sex in advertisements is a widely used technique by many marketers in their promotional programmes. Some previous research has explored the relationship between attitudes toward advertising and effectiveness of sexy advertisements. However, there are gaps in this research and the authors describe an investigation which attempts to fill these gaps.

In this study, blog data were collected and network parameters were captured to represent three common measurements of online Word-Of-Mouth: intensity, influence level, and dispersion. These parameters were then analyzed using a General Estimating Equation (GEE) model to test their effects on average weekly movie box office receipts. Findings indicated that all three parameters were significant in the model. The aggregated degree, representing WOM intensity, was positively significant, which was consistent with results from extant research. Further, diameter of a network, representing WOM dispersion, was observed to be positively significant, which validated the importance of spreading WOM as far as possible. Counter-intuitively, the aggregated size node, representing WOM influence level, was ascertained to be negatively significant, which might be explained by the possible negative stance from opinion leaders with high influence level. Applying network analysis methodology to blog entries, the present work differentiated itself from extant WOM literature that has focused chiefly on content analysis. The findings also provided managerial insights to companies interested in utilizing blogs as online WOM for marketing initiatives and implications for future research.

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between brand names and consumers' perceived risk. Hypotheses dealt with whether the presence of a product's brand name affects consumers' perceived risk towards shopping online; whether the familiarity with a brand name influences consumers' perceived risk; and whether online shoppers and non‐shoppers perceive risk towards shopping online differently. Results indicate that the presence or absence of a product's brand name affects online shoppers' perceived risk, but in the opposite direction to that expected. There was no significant difference between online shoppers' perceived risk vis‐à‐vis brand familiarity; however, online shoppers possessed lower perceived risk than non‐shoppers. Implications and limitations are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications Ltd.

The primary intent of this research was to determine whether the perceived importance of various rewards is influenced by the career stage of sales managers. This study found that sales managers in different career stages have distinct intrinsic and extrinsic reward preferences that may ultimately affect motivation and productivity. Although several statistically significant differences in intrinsic and extrinsic reward preferences were discerned, some reward perceptions were found to be uniform regardless of sales manager career stage. Sales management implications, limitations, and directions for future research are offered.

AbstractThis article introduces the unique context of a partially‐integrated channel (PIC) that incorporates both market and hierarchical governance forms. In so doing, it examines determinants of the manufacturer's support for a PIC. Using power‐dependence and marketing effectiveness theories, we collected data from 172 marketing managers in charge of PICs in 15 companies in South Korea. The results showed that from the power‐dependence perspective, demand volatility, manufacturer's competitive intensity, and channel concentration are positively related to a manufacturer's dependence on the retailer, which is positively related to the manufacturer's support for the PIC with a retailer. From a marketing effectiveness perspective, channel bonding and customer linking are positively associated with manufacturer marketing effectiveness, which is an antecedent to PIC support for a retailer. Copyright © 2013 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Charts the rise of women into sales manager positions in the US and looks at the general traits which help females in such roles. Cites that women have more trouble being accepted in sales roles when selling to other countries. Focuses upon the People's Republic of China and presents the finding of a study of 266 field sales personnel across the republic. Suggests that there are still a number of difficulties for businesses, but provides some ideas for consideration.