The use of reference points — for example, a monthly sales quota of 20 sales — is at the heart of reference-dependent behavioural economic theories, the most influential being “prospect theory.” According to prospect theory, an outcome is evaluated based on a reference point. Failure to achieve the reference point (19 sales instead of 20) […]
Journal: Working Paper
Optimal Marketing Claims: The Power of Three
What makes a message persuasive? Marketing departments everywhere are constantly looking for the answer to this question and much research has been conducted on this subject; previous research has shown that messages that have content that is easier to process can be more persuasive. Similarly, message framing and sequencing can also influence how persuasive a […]
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Search Engine Marketing: Does it Pay?
Traditional advertising has always been one of the largest expenditures for organizations; take Procter & Gamble for example, which reportedly spent just under $2.95 billion on advertising in 2011 alone. In recent years a significant amount of this expenditure has shifted to internet advertising which has witnessed massive growth. Of the different forms of internet […]
IP Management Strategies for Profiting from Business Model Innovation
A company’s business model is the ultimate measure by which it is judged, as it expresses the underlying logic of its business. Most importantly, it explains how it creates and captures value—something The Economist describes as a company’s raison d'être. So how do you ensure something so important remains secure from competition? One way is […]
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Should I stay or should I go? The Power of Headhunters
This research examined the decisions of executives over whether to continue in their current roles or explore the new opportunities presented by a leading search firm. It found that 52% of the high-level personnel contacted agreed to be candidates for positions outside their company. Does this mean we have become less loyal as employees in […]
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Money for Nothing: The Truth About Investment Consultants
Survey data from 2011 suggests investment consultants are hired by more than 90 per cent of retirement plan sponsors and that they advise on institutional assets of more than $13 trillion in the US. The costs to plan sponsors are considerable: ‘transition management’ fees are incurred when they move between funds. Are they getting value […]
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Bad Weather Means Better Productivity
Seasonal depression is well-known and has traditionally been easy to recognize: difficulty concentrating, low levels of energy, etc. — all related to bleak winter weather conditions. So naturally, it follows that we assume the opposite in weather conditions leads to positive outcomes. Indeed, some previous studies have found this link to be true, linking good […]
Beating Bias through Mindfulness Meditation
Sunk cost bias has been blamed for everything from disastrous military campaigns to over-budget public works and is widely acknowledged as a serious obstacle to effective decision-making. Defined as the “tendency to continue an endeavour once an investment in money, effort or time has been made”, it leads people to “throw good money after bad” […]
If the Price is Right: Charging for Online Content
Plummeting advertising revenues have led many online content providers to experiment with additional sources of revenue. Most often, firms aim to compensate for a loss in advertising revenues by charging consumers for access to online content. However, such a choice is not straightforward since subscription fees typically deter customers, further reducing advertising revenues. Acknowledging the […]
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Social Dollars and Online Customer Communities
There are long been various types of communities bringing together like-minded product enthusiasts — from Corvette or 2CV car clubs to Tupperware party groups to the techies dedicated to Java or Apple. When consumers moved en masse to the Internet and to mobile technology, marketers immediately saw the potential for bringing consumers together through social […]
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