Australasian Marketing Journal

This paper reports the results of a replication of a study by Block and Keller (1995) to investigate the roles of efficacy, cognitive processing and framing in message persuasiveness. A major objective is to resolve an inconsistent result between Block and Keller's (1995) two studies. Two of this study's findings support Block and Keller: first, high efficacy messages (relative certainty that following the recommendation will lead to the desired outcome) lead to greater intentions to comply. Second, under low efficacy conditions, negatively framed messages are more persuasive than positively framed messages. However, two findings were Contrary to Block and Keller's results: under high efficacy conditions, positively framed messages are more persuasive than negatively framed messages; and no effects are found for cognitive processing with either low or high efficacy messages.

With the emergence of relationship marketing there has been an increased focus on the use of inter-firm relationships or strategic alliances to deliver a total service package to the consumer. Despite a number of studies, there is still much to be learned about why alliances form and why they take the form they do. Based upon case based methodology this research found that the formation of strategic alliances is due to firms seeking out new market opportunities under conditions of increased uncertainty and competition. We argue that alliances are a means of reducing the uncertainty that surrounds the undertaking of new market opportunities. The role of marketing was also examined and was found to be dependent on the strategy and structure of the alliance.

Business format franchising in Australia has been consistently growing since the start of the 1970s. The development of the franchising sector has been traced through periodic surveys from 1988 to 1998 and the latest presents an opportunity to assess the level of maturity attained.

No widely accepted basis exists for measuring maturity in a nation's franchising sector. As a result, a framework for assessing the level of development is proposed, consisting of a number of attributes that may be expected to develop over time. The performance of Australian franchises is compared against these attributes wherever appropriate evidence is available from the surveys.

The conclusion is reached that Australian franchising exhibits many of the attributes that indicate the achievement of a level of early maturity. Some aspects however have not yet developed to the extent expected. These offer opportunities for national franchise associations and governments to develop strategies strengthening franchise performance.

While celebrity endorsers are widely used to promote products because of their visibility, attractiveness and expertise, marketers run a risk if they subsequently get involved in a scandal. Previous research indicated that the seriousness of a scandal would depend on the degree of harm to any victim and the extent to which it fell outside society's norms. This study systematically investigated the effect of scandal and product type on a celebrity's suitability to continue endorsing. A hypothetical Sydney Olympics sports celebrity, facing a variety of scandals, was evaluated by samples of undergraduate and graduate students. It was found that the scandals tested (particularly, rape and recreational drug use) had a very strong effect on likeability and through this to trustworthiness and expertise. In turn, trustworthiness and likeability had a moderate influence on suitability to continue endorsing. Product endorsements related to sport contributed directly to rated expertise and this in turn contributed to suitability to continue endorsing, somewhat ameliorating the effects of scandal.

The question often arises as to whether management disciplines in Australia should encourage a peculiarly Australian stream of research or if Australia should compete on an equal footing on the global research playing field. This paper aims to provide a framework to address that issue with respect to marketing, as well as providing some thoughts on where the profession falls with respect to issues discussed within the framework. By looking at supply side and demand side aspects of market management we are able to get some feel for the pros and cons of participating on the global scene relative to specializing in the local environment.

The farther you are from North America, the more challenging it is to pursue a successful academic career in Marketing. Provided are seven concrete recommendations that should help make that task a bit less challenging.

Research productivity is a sign of the intellectual vigour of marketing as an academic discipline. However, there are at least three impediments to research productivity: inadequate training, sub-optimal concentrations of research activity, and competing commitments. Initiatives to enhance research productivity must address these issues. This is possible through formal research training and on-the-job practice, by creating research concentrations in physical and virtual space, and by being more efficient. The latter include researching the solvable, pursuing a limited number of lines of inquiry, developing synergies between research and teaching/consulting, and finding partners to assist in fieldwork and analysis.

Ways of increasing the relevance and productivity of academic research in marketing in Australia and New Zealand are explored. The recently formed regional organisation ANZMAC provides the infrastructure to help facilitate this. Initiatives include the ANZMAC annual conference and doctoral colloquium and establishing an ANZMAC journal that publishes high quality research. There are also plans to further develop the ANZMAC website so it provides a hub for the networking between researchers. The paper also examines the Marketing Science Institute and the Institute of Business Studies and suggests they provide excellent models for facilitating interaction with business and increasing the relevance of research.

This paper compares Australia and New Zealand academic marketing publications with those of the two regions that dominate in terms of research productivity - North America and Europe. Comparisons, based on the two-year period 1998-1999, are made in terms of major journals in each region and also the origin of the author. Additionally, ANZMAC conference publications were examined. Important differences are identified. In addition questions are raised as to our future - whether to adopt a “mix it” approach, researching areas that are similarly pursued in North America or Europe or whether to take advantage of unique characteristics of our region and develop expertise on a particular theme.