Reviews of books, software, and videos

Reviews of Books, Software, and Videos

Essam Mahmoud, Editor Arizona State University West

Gillian Rice American Graduate School of lnternational Management

Research in Consumer Behavior, Volume 5

edited by Elizabeth C. Hirschman (Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1991)

If you accept the premise that consumer research should embrace all aspects of consummatory behavior (Holbrook 1987), then you will find the potpourri of eight articles in this book both insightful and fascinating. The authors will take you on a voyage of discovery of new ideas and novel ways of thinking. If, however, you have a pragmatic bent of mind or a mind that seeks managerial relevance, then at least a couple of studies in this readings book will compel you to pull your hair and ask of the authors the time- honored question--"so what?" But, before you prejudge, allow yourself to find out more about the book.

The voyage begins with a research study titled "The Im- pact of Subculture on Black Spousal Decision Making" by Judy Cohen and Carol Kaufman. The hypotheses tested pertain to whether black spousal decision making is more wife-independent or more husband-independent and/or less syncratic than white spousal decision making. Using a sample of 58 black and 46 white married couples selected from the middle socioeconomic class, and choosing products rep- resenting a range of consumer involvement, perceived risk, and price, the authors found greater husband independence in some product decisions and less joint decision making among blacks relative to whites. This challenges the traditional stereotype of the matriarchal black household.

The logical second port of call is a study titled "Measur- ing Consumer Acculturation: Coupon Usage Among Barrio Hispanics" by Sigfredo Hernandez and Carol Kaufman. The basic hypothesis investigated in this chapter was whether Hispanics who score lower in their level of acculturation are less likely to report using coupons than those who score higher in their level of acculturation. The results show strong support for the hypothesis. While the study suffers from the familiar limitation of sample design affecting the generalizability of the results, it is nevertheless a thoughtful piece of work.

The third selection in the realm of culture, "An Asian

Approach to the Understanding of Consumer Energy, Drives and States" by Stephen Gould, takes the reader into the unchartered waters of Tibetan myths. Based on the author's experience of living with Tibetans and drawing on the Tibetan myth of the Wheel of Life, the paper investigates how this energy relates to basic consumption drives and states. There are some parallels with Maslow's need hier- archy theory. This arcane, though thought provoking, essay will raise many questions in your mind. If you feel like pulling your hair, we understand.

Our journey continues. Elizabeth Hirschman's study titled "Mass Media Communication of Sacred and Secular Values: A Semiotic Analysis of Mister Rogers and Johnny Carson" explores the concepts of sacredness and secularness as independent, orthogonal dimensions for interpreting social values. After analyzing 25 episodes each of the Mis- ter Rogers Neighborhood (MRN) and the Johnny Carson Show (JCS) in terms of spoken dialogue, consumption activities performed, and so forth, the author argues that to label MRN as sacred (due to its emphasis on communality, sharing, and friendship) and JCS as secular (due to its emphasis on fame, materialism, and success) would be too simplistic. The study documents that JCS, for instance, contained content falling into each of the four categories of pro-sacred, anti-sacred, pro-secular, and anti-secular. This suggests that there are many positive aspects of secularness that need not conflict with pro-sacred activities. A fine piece of scholarship, but the journey beckons us.

Morris Holbrook, in a discerning essay, "Romanticism and Sentimentality in Consumer Behavior: A Literary Ap- proach to the Joys and Sorrows of Consumption," explores the theme of joy overtaken by sorrow to joy regained. Drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of the classics and various literary forms, he illustrates his point through the trials and triumphs of characters such as Homer's Odysseus and Virgil's Aeneas. This is an essay that does not lend itself to a pithy review as it does not convey a specific message. It is a mind-stretching essay that, I suspect, will lead different readers to their own (different) interpretations. I believe you should read it, because you will enjoy it.

Sailing to more familiar territory brings us to an insight-

JAMS 255 SUMMER, 1993

REVIEWS OF BOOKS, SOFTWARE, AND VIDEOS MAHMOUD

ful paper titled "Effects of Sudden Income Loss on Con- sumption and Related Aspects of Life: A Study of Unem- ployed Steel Workers" by Scott Roberts. This naturalistic inquiry employs semi-structured depth interviews with twelve structurally unemployed male steel workers, follow- up interviews, journal entries, key informants, and an external audit. The results indicate a tendency on the part of the unemployed to cut back on family outings and eating out- of-home, which would suggest a "logical" reallocation of depleted resources, and a return to school, which would enhance future earning power, Interestingly, the results also show a pronounced tendency to engage ,'in face-saving, status-preserving and self-asserting consumption providing support to the notion that, in the consumption culture pre- vailing in the United States, ego and consumption are inex- tricably tied.

In "Escape From the Tyranny of Time: Temporal Themes and Consumer Values in Advertising," Barbara Stern elo- quently examines six current themes in advertising through an analysis of advertising exemplars selected from the 24th Annual Belding Awards. The themes range from time as a finite commodity that must be efficiently used to maximize enjoyment, to time's irreversible movement, which may encourage consumption in order to evade its passage (e.g., beauty aids that make a person look younger), to reliving past happy events through advertisements that stress nostalgia and consumption based on nostalgia.

The last stop in this ever-continuing journey leads us to a probing account of "Consumer Panic: A Perspective on the Relevance of Collective Behavior for Consumer Behavior," by William Strahle and E.H. Bonfield. The authors perform a content analysis of thirty historically documented events including economic disasters, fires, earthquakes, floods, disease, and so forth, that created group panic by applying exchange theory. It was hypothesized that panic will not occur without the perception of a danger stimulus, or without the perception of the inability of the individual or group to deal with the panic stimulus, or without the perception of potential but closing escape routes. The analysis provides support for each of the three hypotheses. The authors end by providing penetrating practical suggestions in the form of propositions worthy of future investigations for dealing with possible panic situations. This discussion brings the paper to a satisfying close.

Would I recommend this book as a supplementary text in an undergraduate course in consumer behavior? No, I would not. Would I recommend it for an MBA-level course? Well, I am not sure. I view this readings book as encourag- ing and even inspiring a consumer behavior researcher to not remain confined to the beaten path, but to explore un- charted avenues that may potentially be more revealing. The voyage must never end.

REFERENCE

Holbrook, Morris B. 1987. "What is Consumer Research?" Journal of Consumer Research 14 (June): 128-132.

Zoher E. Shipchandler Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne

Corporate Identity: Making Business Strategy Visible Through Design

by Wally Olins (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1990)

There is an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words and pictures are the centerpiece of this book. It is a pictorial history, almost, of symbolism in business and government since the 1800s. The author's theme is that despite the obvious power of symbolism, it is little understood and of only passing interest to most organizations. He finds this incomprehensible given that the modern corporation's products are often so similar to its competitors' that the only perceived difference is the company symbol on the product. This symbol, in whatever form, should convey a positive message to the consumer, but more often than not it con- fuses rather enhances the corporate identity. There is need, says the author, for a strategy of corporate identity. Because every organization is unique the development of a clear identity, or personality, that expresses its individuality is called for. One very effective way of doing this is by creating a visual style for the organization that embraces all its many areas of activity. This is relatively easy to do with new businesses but a difficult undertaking where an established business is made up of divisions that service different markets and have developed their own identities quite independent of, and often in conflict with, the desired corporate identity.

The most impressive feature of this book is the artwork. The illustrations are not only of historical interest, for example, the development of the Shell symbol from 1900 to the present is portrayed, but cover a wide range of products and services from around the world. I found the vignettes accompanying the logos and photographs fascinating reading. Did you know that Ford was once a major producer of aircraft, that Daimler was in the typewriter business, or that Unitever's Persil was actually a German brand awarded to Lever Bros. as part of the war reparations after World War I? The book is full of such gems.

The book is nicely structured. It opens with a chapter on the invention of tradition. When new organizations need to establish or legitimize themselves quickly they borrow tradition from an established order. The symbols and trappings of power are transplanted to the new body, often with re- markable success. Or, if the wish is to severe ties with the old order new names, new symbols, such as flags, are quickly created. Speed in discarding the old and donning the new is the key to success. The overall goal is, of course, to create a sense of belonging. The sharing of a common culture or identity is essential to the survival of all organizations. Without it countries and companies have no reason for being. The search for a corporate identity is explored through the use of many practical examples in Chapter 2. Each of the dimensions of identity; products/services, environments, information, and behavior is dealt with in a very matter-of-fact, conversational style. Included in this chapter is an interesting case study of AKZO, the Dutch-based con- glomerate. The process whereby AKZO developed its identity (it was founded through a series of mergers in 1969) is



dealt with in great detail. Clearly, the author was involved in the process but is too modest to mention it.

An important element in establishing a corporate identity, possibly the most important, is visual style. Through the design, not only of products, but of buildings, office layout, signs, stationery, and so forth, companies express their identities. The problem is that design can easily be copied. So successful styles become generic, thus forcing ever new styles to be fashioned in the need for individualism. Chapter 3 gives some interesting glimpses into the stylish efforts of U.S. and European companies, both good and bad. Styles change over time, of course, as do the accompanying advertisements. There are some quaint examples from the early part of this century that make you realize how different advertising is today.

Chapter 4 is about as close as we come to an academic treatise. There is a lengthy discussion of the three classes of identity: 1) monolithic, where an organization uses a common name or visual style (IBM), 2) endorsed, where a group of products or activities share a group name and identity (GM), and 3) branded, where unrelated brands are used (P&G). Each approach gets its own section, together with some excellent illustrations. From a marketer's stand- point, this is the best chapter. A wide range of entities is covered, all the way from renowned British regiments to Soviet Russian candy. The successes and failures of famous companies provide good classroom material. The author is forthright in his opinions of those responsible for the disasters that have befallen once highly-respected brand names such as Rover and MG.

The second half of the book is concerned with the process of creating identities. Although Chapter 5 was informative, the later chapters dealt with "how to" issues, which, although valuable, are not quite as stimulating. No doubt they are of interest to business executives who are contemplating changing or creating a corporate identity. There is one practical example (again I suspect the author was involved) that is good enough to stand on its own as a case (it constitutes Chapter 7). It is well written and illustrates many of the difficulties in overcoming organizational resistance to change.

Chapter 8, dealing with the launching and maintenance of corporate identity programs, offers sound advice for those who are about to take the plunge. Although the author does overstate his case for the "identity specialist," he makes some valid points about the danger of using ad agencies or design consultants without experience in creating identity programs. This is more of a corporate culture issue than one of design and as such needs careful handling. Instilling a new identity is also a prolonged process involving every aspect of the business and many individuals, most of all the CEO, whose responsibility it has to be. It can take years and a considerable amount of money to ensure success. Perhaps there is a new kind of consultant waiting in the wings. Olins believes so.

There is no pretense that this is an academic work. There are no citations or footnotes of any kind, but this is a useful book from many viewpoints. Certainly the book has a place in a course on design; it is slanted very much in that direc- tion. Marketers can use many of the anecdotes in a learning

situation, and the organizational ideas are worth exploring further. It is a nice contribution, well-written and although it does not fit neatly into any one discipline, it has certainly something to offer everyone.

John Crawford University of North Texas

Marketing to Older Consumers: A Handbook of Information for Strategy Development

by George P. Moschis, (Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 1992)

As early as 1958, Dodge's pioneering research suggested that the older consumer group was a potentially profitable target market. His article sparked a chain of academic and commercial research over the next thirty years. This research attempted to define the characteristics of the market, how its members make their buying decisions, and what factors influence those decisions. At the same time, social psychologists and gerontologists were exploring the physical and mental changes that occur as people age. In this book, Moschis deals quite effectively with both the marketing and psycho-physio-social components, and blends them into a comprehensive portrait of older consumers.

While the book includes most of the relevant research of the past thirty years, it is not academic. However, academic marketers will find it to be a valuable information source for consumer research. Primarily, it is an excellent reference and guide for marketing practitioners interested in targeting older consumers since it not only interprets behavioral information but also suggests strategies for reaching the market. The book has three stated objectives:

1) to provide a summary of existing information on the marketing behavior of older consumers,

2) to promote a better understanding of older consumers among marketers, and

3) to help businesses translate research information from the sciences and consumer behavior and to help marketers provide improved products and services to this market.

As an overview of all aspects of older-buyer behavior, the book covers a full range of marketing topics, including similarities and differences between older and younger consumers, life styles, media usage, shopping behavior, expen- diture patterns, and acquisition of products. But its differen- tiating factor is the treatment of components that are not usually considered in market-oriented research. These are the physical, social, and psychological factors in aging, the ability to process information, and the changes they bring about. Generally, these complex topics are covered in a straightforward style that the targeted readers should be able to interpret clearly.

The author begins his task by pointing out a number of popular misconceptions about the market behavior of older

.IAMX 257 SUMMER. 1993


consumers that are not supported by current research. Older consumers, for example, are often thought to be big spend- ers since statistics show they have proportionally more money than younger ones. So marketers design products and services priced within their means, and assume older buyers will snap them up. But recent research suggests that simply because these consumers have the means to buy does not indicate they are willing to do so. A random sample of retirees was asked what they would be willing to pay for several new products designed to help them as they became physically weaker (for example, larger doorknobs). Sur- prisingly, most were unwilling to pay anytJaing at all. But the buying decision involves psycho-socio considerations as well. So in addition to establishing willingness to buy, marketers should also determine how buyers think others would perceive them if they used the product, and if using the product would make them feel old or dependent.

Examples such as this illustrate that the author should achieve his purpose of reaching and educating his readers. Practitioners need to understand that the target market may be more concerned about not appearing old or dependent than it is with the price or utility of a product.

The discussion of the aging process and changes that occur later in life illustrates that the older market itself is composed of segments: young-old, mid-old, and old-old. These changes are broadly grouped into two categories: biophysical and psychosocial. The former concerns changes in sensory and intellectual functioning whereas the latter entails the appearance of an age-transformation in the eyes of others. This knowledge is certainly useful to practitioners in helping to understand the market and to deal with specific groups of consumers as they age, (e.g., regular customers). But some of the suggestions the author makes for dealing with these characteristics, such as spicier foods, clothing design, and package shapes seem contrary to his earlier arguments about willingness to buy and psychosocial con- notations.

Some suggestions to help the information-processing function were that televised messages should be slow- paced, simple, and with no musical or other distraction. It would appear, however, that few media are available that marketers could use to provide these specially designed messages.

The author uses several data-presentation techniques. The tabular exhibits are clear and easy for the reader to follow, but the narrative comparisons of age-group behavior in the text itself are sometimes confusing and hard to sort out. Making comparisons among different sets of data is also complicated somewhat because the age groups sometimes differ. For example, ages 50, 55, and 65 are variously used as lower thresholds in different chapters.

Nonetheless, the book is well organized, clearly presented, and contains in a single volume a compendium of determinants of the marketing behavior of older consumers. The author wisely cautions:

There is a tendency among practitioners to assume that tomorrow's elderly market will be similar to today's.

In fact, we study today's older adults. Much of

the information we have today will not apply to tomorrow's elderly.

The 1990s and beyond will see the emergence of the aging baby-boom generation, a new and possibly quite different set of older consumers. Their life-styles, general affluence, and expectations of the future are likely to challenge marketers. They must try to predict whether the boomers will attempt to extend their present life styles or eventually emu- late somewhat the pattern of their predecessors. Either way, past research must at least form a base for comparison and this book may well become a universal guidebook for today's practitioners as well as future researchers.

REFERENCE

Dodge, Robert D. (1958) "Selling the Older Consumer." Journal of Retail- ing (Summer): 73-81.

Hale N. Tongren George Mason University

Nonsampl ing Error in Surveys

by Judith T. Lessler and William D. Kalsbeek (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1992)

This is an excellent book that goes into great depth in discussing nonsampling survey research errors. The book should become a part of the library of anyone involved in survey research. It is also very useful to doctoral students who might be doing a dissertation that involves survey research. The treatment of nonsampling error is so thorough that it would be excellent for those who want to find something to criticize in any survey. Expert witnesses in law suits would find this book excellent for finding flaws in an oppo- nent's survey.

The book is very clearly written and is full of excellent examples. The format is to discuss a type of nonsampling error such as "frame" error and then to give a definition of the error and examples of the error. Then the authors discuss the problems created by the error and the effect the error has on the sample statistics calculated from the survey. Next the authors discuss methods of reducing and correcting for the error. The authors do an excellent job of deriving the statistical implications of the various errors and the statistical approaches to compensate for the error.

The book is especially useful because those readers without the necessary background to understand the statistical derivations can skip them and still get an enormous amount of value from the book. Marketing people who use or super- vise survey marketing research projects would benefit great- ly by reading the definitions, descriptions, and solutions for each type of nonsampling error.

The first two chapters are introductory and would be excellent reading for marketing research courses. These chapters are a preview of the rest of the chapters; they give a very good overview of the many problems associated with nonsampling survey errors.



The rest of the chapters are devoted to types of nonsam- piing errors. Frame error is covered in three chapters. Non- response error is covered in three chapters. Measurement error is also the subject of three chapters. The last chapter deals with error models.

A very useful attribute of the book is that it does an excellent job of reviewing the academic historical development of each topic. It also is an excellent review of the academic literature associated with each topic. The book points out the difference in terminology used by various authors and allows the reader to reconcile the differences in the terminology used by various cited authors.

The book would be excellent for use in survey sampling courses.

Michael Geurts Brigham Young University

Beyond Mind Games: The Marketing Power of Psychographics

by Rebecca Piirto (New York: American Demographics Books, 1991)

Since the mid-1950s, marketing researchers have been intrigued by consumer psychographics. Yet, not since the 1974 book on Lifestyle and Psychographics edited by Wil- liam Wells has there been an entire book devoted to psychographics and its implications for marketing. Consequently, it is appropriate to compare Rebecca Piirto's book to Wells' and to examine its contributions in terms of advances in the field since 1974.

Because Wells' book is a compilation of articles written by different writers in the field, both academics and practitioners, it stimulates readers by exposing them to a wide range of views and experiences in psychographic research. In comparison, Piirto's book lacks the richness of different perspectives as well as the methodological strength of the Wells book. A major benefit of Piirto's book is that it is a cohesive and comprehensive whole with a better flow in contrast to the thematically separate chapters in Wells' book. A second benefit is that the case examples in Piirto's book are updated and much more relevant to today's researcher.

For the most part, the evolution of psychographics makes enjoyable reading. Piirto starts with the debate between statistician Politz and motivational researcher Dichter, continues with the decline of motivational research in its extreme form, and develops the integration of the quantitative and qualitative approaches into psychographic segmentation using vivid case examples. The development of VALS is discussed with societal changes as a backdrop; the typology itself, its use in media selection, ad copy, and geo- demographics are well narrated. The author explains con- vincingly why VALS was difficult to use in practice (especially for low involvement products) and why it was not effective for predicting consumer behavior or predicting shifts in the segments.

Similarly, there is a good account of the development of

the Yankelovich Monitor and its uses. Interesting case examples are used to show how the Monitor helped firms recognize relevant trends. However, Piirto does not reconcile her agreement with Skelly (who helped develop the Monitor) that it is not enough to understand customer needs and attitudes with respect to product categories, but that there is a greater need to understand who customers are, their life goals, values, and social agenda, with her own comments in the preface and in the concluding section that it has "taken thirty years to conclude that product-related attitudes are more relevant than personality, values, and social character."

The historical narration is not always chronological. For example, in one place, Piirto indicates that here was the first attempt to use a humanized approach to consumer research when she has just discussed several other attempts to do the same. If you go back and look at the dates of all the exam- pies, it may be so, but it is confusing on first reading.

The development of VALS 2 and the reasons for its development are discussed, as are its contributions and shortcom- ings. Although the use of this typology is explained well, the discussion on the development and description of the typology has some problems. Neither SRI nor Piirto ac- knowledge that "outer-directed" in VALS is very similar to "status-oriented" in VALS 2, and "inner-directed" in VALS appears to be split into "principle-" and "action-oriented" in VALS 2. The new dimensions are presented as radically new concepts. Also in discussing the development of VALS 2, the author mentions that 65 personality constructs were first reduced to 12 and then to five, but does not say what these five constructs are. Although interesting to read and visualize, the "snapshots" (vivid descriptions) of VALS 2 categories do not appear to be mutually exclusive (e.g., an individual could engage in certain "fulfilled" activities and other "actualizer" activities); yet, Piirto does not make this point until much later in the book.

Surveys conducted by leading advertising agencies to segment consumers psychographically are well described in the book. New research techniques to uncover hidden mo- tivations for consumer purchases, such as Photosort, consumer drawing, guided imagery, acting workshops, adver- sary groups, focus groups, ethnography, and emotions measurement are described in an informative and entertain- ing manner.

Piirto makes an important point about sampling, with a classic example of how a smaller sample allowed a more accurate prediction. Unfortunately, she summarizes this discussion as the importance of "sample size" instead of "sam- pie selection." Although the author does say that it is ideal to use both qualitative and quantitative research, she writes that qualitative research is less expensive, without indicat- ing that this is so only because qualitative studies often use smaller samples; with similar sized samples, the qualitative study would be far more expensive. Piirto points out that personality profiles from self-rating scales are adopted in psychographics without modification from psychology; however, she does not discuss potential problems in doing SO.

Applications of psychographics are discussed with respect to global marketing, target audiences for broadcast



media, local markets, and retailing. For example, a study developing psychographic segments for England, France, and Germany is described and a new VALS development for Japanese consumers is discussed in detail. The development of segments similar to VALS but for specific cities in the United States is explained. Similarly, there is an interesting discussion on different shopper profiles developed to help retailers better understand their customers. Case examples help the reader understand the value of such studies.

Segments developed for specific products (such as Amer- ican Express) and specific issues (such as environmental concern and eating habits) are also discussed and their applications explained. Case examples of Schlitz beer, Lava soap, and Campbell soup highlight different aspects of the broader meaning of psychographics as applied to packaged goods. Piirto explains that cohort studies, where segments are based on life experiences associated with age, allow researchers a sense of the population and why and how they shop. She discusses the benefits and problems of geo- demographic clusters for direct mail, media use, and store shopping, and it is seen that these are similar to benefits and problems of psychographics at the national level.

Although she writes in an engaging way, Piirto's writing style is often sloppy, especially from an academic perspective. The discussion on sampling (above) is an example. In the preface itself, the author writes that the "goal of this book may be impossible," leaving the reader to wonder why (in that case) this is the goal, that she will discuss "important" milestones of psychographic research, and that the text is written to "preclude statistical expertise" (instead of saying that it precludes statistical discussion, or assumes no statistical expertise on the reader's part).

Throughout the book there are examples of such sloppi- ness. Piirto refers to "Wells' paper" when it is co-authored by Wells and Tigert; defines AIO sometimes as attitudes, interests, and opinions, other times correctly as activities, interests, and opinions, sometimes both ways in the same paragraph. New terms are coined without acknowledging them as such: motivationist (for motivational researcher) and motivationism (for motivational research). While discussing actualizers, Piirto refers to them as achievers, and even a word from the title, "psychographics," is sometimes hyphenated as "psycho-graphics" in the text. In spite of the warning about the lack of statistical discussion, one is not prepared for statements such as "Boote cross-tabulated the factor analysis another way and came up with a four-group solution (instead of three)." The book also contains broad, generalized statements that are likely to be anathema to academic readers, such as "by the mid-1970s, psychographics truly did encompass all measures of the mind."

Overall, though, I enjoyed reading the book. It is interesting and given the lack of an integrative treatment of the subject since 1974, it makes a significant contribution to the psychographic literature. As Piirto explains, rather than using psychographics in a narrow sense to mean activities, interests, and opinions, she views it in the broadest sense to include demographics, way of living, and emotions that drive brand choice, much as Wells did.

This book is a good introduction to the subject of psychographics and wide in its scope in discussing applications. However, to learn how to conduct a psychographic study, a

researcher would have to go to some of the cited sources, a fact the author readily admits. The book would make interesting reading for practitioners who want to understand the evolution and review past applications of psychographics; it should also be useful for academics in the classroom as a supplementary source of case examples and a primary source for the historical development of psychographics.

Pratibha A. Dabholkar University of Tennessee

Marketing Planning Guide

by Robert E. Stevens, David L. Loudon, and William E. Warren (Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1991)

In the introduction, the authors indicate that their in- tended market is the practitioner and the student. As the word "Guide" suggests, the work aspires to direct those interested in the preparation of a strategic marketing plan. I believe they have succeeded for the MBA or BBA candi- date.

For the practitioner, this reviewer would recommend a much more detailed volume, such as Hiebling and Cooper, How To Write A Successful Marketing Plan (1990). In its 342-page, approximately 81/4 x 11 inch format, the latter is a veritable cookbook of techniques as noted below. The fact that these authors both have MBAs, are adjunct professors, and operate an advertising/consulting firm full-time, suggests that they are less interested in rationale than producing planning documents that will be acceptable to hard-bitten clients in advertising or product marketing. The reviewed book is 289 pages in a 6 x 81/2 inch display.

On the other extreme, the Marketing Planning Guide is more useful to the practitioner than such abbreviated efforts as Hiam's The Vest-Pocket Marketer (1991) or Hiam's and Schewe's The Portable MBA in Marketing (1992).

Within the programs in which this reviewer has taught, market planning and strategy is the capstone topic at both the undergraduate and graduate level in marketing. The strategic marketing plan becomes the tangible result of com- pleting such capstone courses. In such a setting, the Mar- keting Planning Guide is a useful review of earlier courses, as they relate to the construction of a strategic marketing plan.

For those students pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in business but not concentrating on marketing, the Marketing Planning Guide can be especially useful. In such a current MBA course, this reviewer uses Peter and Don- nelly's A Preface to Marketing Management (1991). In this course, the students write and deliver a series of strategic marketing plans. The Marketing Planning Guide would be an excellent replacement.

The book consists of sixteen chapters divided into six sections: Introduction to Marketing Planning, Situation Analysis, Objectives, Strategy/Strategy Variables/Financial Impact, Controlling the Marketing Plan, and Planning Analysis.

The chapters commence with an abbreviated case demon-

JAMS 260 SUMMER. 1993


strating the relevance of that chapter's contents. Each chapter concludes with a one- to four-page worksheet headed by the statement, "This worksheet is provided to aid you in applying the concepts discussed in this chapter to your organization." Finally, there is an appendix in which the first author provides a sample strategic marketing plan. As stated above, all of this is useful either for business majors or, in a capstone course, for marketing majors--and at either the Bachelor's or MBA level.

In the area of market segmentation the degree of specific- ity between Stevens/Loudon/Warren and Hiebling/Cooper is quite obvious. The former volume is quite adequate for academic work, whereas the latter entertains such nuts and bolts issues as more than two pages on using Dun's Market- ing Services to access SIC categories to establish business- to-business target markets. Further, the latter devotes more than three pages to examining consumer demographics via volume versus concentration. Using the Simmons Market Research Bureau data, six consumer demographic age categories are associated by volume, concentration, and contribution to concentration by company purchasers. This is the stuff of which commercial marketing plans are made.

At a listed $79.95, the Hiebling and Cooper volume is more than two-and-a-quarter times the listed price for Stev- ens, Loudon, and Warren. For a practitioner, the higher price is reasonable. For a practitioner who also wishes to understand the rationale behind much of the strategic marketing plan, perhaps the purchase of the reviewed book is also appropriate.

REFERENCES

Hiam, Alexander. 1991. The Vest Pocket Marketer. Englewood Cliffs, N J: Prentice-Hall.

Hiam, Alexander and Charles D. Schewe. 1992. Portable MBA in Market- ing. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Hiebling, Roman G., Jr. and Scott W. Cooper. 1990. How To Write A Successful Marketing Plan. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Business Books.

Peter, J. Paul and James H. Donnelly, Jr. 1991. Preface To Marketing Management. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin.

James Beckman California State University--San Bernardino and University of Redlands

G l o b a l P e r s p e c t i v e s o n A d v e r t i s i n g S e l f - R e g u l a t i o n : Principles and P r a c t i c e s in Thirty-eight Countries

by Jean J. Boddewyn (Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 1992)

World advertising expenditures continue to grow rapidly, especially in developing countries. Recently the volume of advertising expenditures outside the United States for the first time exceeded expenditures within the United States.

Generally speaking, as economies reach advanced states of economic development, the quality of advertising tends to increase because business adapts to the expectations of consumers in advanced societies. However, expectations

for better advertising sometimes increase faster than the quality of advertising. Thus there often seems to be a lag between the expectations of consumers and better advertising practices. This lag leads to increased public reactions against advertising and increased pressures for its regulation by government.

There is also a lag between consumer expectations and government regulation of advertising. Government often tends to react slowly to the increase in consumer expectations. Thus government regulation comes under criticism for being inadequate. At some point governments sometimes overreact, probably because politicians recognize a popular cause that they can use to get re-elected. Cycles of consumerism may be a manifestation of this phenomenon. The cycle is strongest when economic and social conditions are "just right," as they were in Europe and in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The advertising business seems to have a strong fear of government regulation, especially that which is perceived as overregulation. Therefore, business sometimes attempts to forestall government regulation by attempting to regulate itself. Fear of government regulation was no doubt one of the reasons for the establishment of the Advertising Stan- dards Authority (ASA) in 1962 in the United Kingdom and the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) system in the United States in 1971 (Miracle and Nevett 1987).

Many countries with advanced economies already have a well-developed system of advertising self-regulation (ASR). Many developing countries are expanding rudimentary systems of ASR into advanced and complex systems. That is why this new book by Jean Boddewyn is so important. It provides an overview of the regulatory bodies and the principles and practices that guide them in 38 countries.

A.E. Pitcher wrote about ASR in the forward to a book by Miracle and Nevett (1987, p. xix):

[T]he most difficult areas are those that call for subjective judgements and are vulnerable to endless debate.

Miracle and Nevett (1987, p. xxi) added:

Advertising is controversial. Some believe it manip- ulates and misleads consumers, and causes serious harm to society; others believe advertising can do almost no wrong, and that it is an integral part of business, economic and social activity. There are many shades of opinion in between--and complex variations and combinations of such viewpoints. Consequently there have long been pressures to regulate perceived advertising abuses, and conversely to protect advertising from such regulation. The diversity of viewpoints and calls for action seem sure to continue.

Normally, such calls for action are for government regulation. However, government regulation of advertising also deals with subjective judgments and such regulation is also vulnerable to endless debate. Therefore, one tends to find in most countries a level of government regulation of advertising that satisfies no one perfectly, and the prospect of addi-



tional government regulation is ever present. This government "threat" to the advertising business often leads to systems of ASR.

In addition, there are sound economic and moral reasons for advertisers to adhere to high standards. As a result ASR systems in modern advanced societies often become not only complex, but also diverse, in accordance with pre- vailing cultural, economic, legal, political, social, and tech- nological conditions in each country (Rijkens and Miracle 1986).

These different conditions amon~ countries also lead to different systems of government or self-regulation of advertising:

Interestingly, the type of unacceptable advertising practices that are sometimes controlled in one country by the federal [national] government are controlled by state or local government in another country. Or, what may be covered in legislation and administrative law in one country, may be covered by the self-regulatory system--or some combination system--in another. Many additional complex- ities and interactions exist (Miracle and Nevett 1987, p. xxiii).

In such a world, it is not surprising that systems of ASR differ among countries. That is another reason why this book by Jean Boddewyn is so important. It provides needed information on ASR in 38 countries.

However, the title of this book may mislead some. The promise of "Global Perspectives" is delivered primarily in Chapters 1 and 2. The remaining 200 pages are devoted to country profiles and to appendices that are country-specific rather than "global." Boddewyn provides in an appendix several codes of the advertising standards of countries in which ASR is well developed.

Chapter 1 provides a brief overview, perhaps too brief for one who wishes a full understanding of the case for ASR. However, it contains an excellent summary of the nature and current state of ASR. It is tightly written, concise, yet filled with a balance of relevant concepts and information that are valid across many countries. This summary is useful to the international advertising manager who needs to understand the general nature of ASR as well as the specific country system. Indeed, this chapter serves admirably as background for enhanced understanding of each country's ASR system.

Since Boddewyn chose to present the complex material in Chapter 1 only in very brief form, it is necessary to read his many other publications (and those of others) to obtain greater depth of knowledge of ASR. To this end, he lists sources and suggested readings (pages 18-20). However, a weakness of the chapter is that there are no specific references within it to guide the reader to particular sources relevant to the topics discussed. Thus it is difficult for the reader to know which source to consult to get more information on each topic.

Each country profile in the main body of the book contains a section on: 1) how the ASR system is organized, 2) how it functions, 3) how consumers and government are involved, and 4) trends. Some of the country reports contain

detailed information (e.g., that on Japan), whereas others are much briefer and confined primarily to general information on organizations involved in or affecting ASR (e.g., those on Korea and Malaysia).

The country sections include not only the names and addresses of ASR bodies, but also some of the government regulatory bodies. Thus, an interested international adver- tiser can contact them directly for information on standards or guidelines on specific advertising practices. Likewise, the names of those who provided information on each country are indicated, and they could be contacted through the International Advertising Association (IAA) for more information.

The appendices also contain useful documents on the nature of ASR, several examples of codes, and a statement of the recently established European Advertising Standards Alliance.

This book will be useful primarily to two groups: 1) international advertisers and agencies that need a general overview of ASR as well as information and sources of further information on ASR in countries where they do business, and 2) educators who teach courses in international marketing and advertising, whose students need an introduction to, and sources of information on, ASR.

REFERENCES

Miracle, Gordon E. and Terence Nevett. 1987. Voluntary Regulation of Advertising: A Comparative Analysis of the United Kingdom and the United States. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

Rijkens, Rein and Gordon E. Miracle. 1986. European Regulation of Advertising: Supranational Regulation of Advertising in the European Economic Community. Amsterdam: North Holland, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.

Gordon E. Miracle Michigan State University

S o c i o p o l i t i c a l A s p e c t s o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l M a r k e t i n g

by E r d e n e r K a y n a k (New York: Haworth Press, 1991)

One of the greatest challenges of the 90s and beyond for international marketers is to cope with the increasing com- plexity and rapidly changing environment of international business. In addressing this topic, Kaynak's book provides a valuable contribution to the literature. The book is unique in providing a collection of articles that examine the com- bined effects of two environmental dimensions, one political and one social. This is unlike most traditional approaches that either use a single dimension (e.g., culture) in discussing environmental issues or are all-inclusive in the coverage of multidimensional components of the environment, but lack depth in terms of content. The knowledge gained from in-depth, systematic studies of the international environment in dyads, such as the one used in this text, can then be integrated with other dyads as building blocks in producing the configuration of this environment. The



choice of the politico-social mix is highly appropriate con- sidering that this combination produces significant interac- tive effects and is timely in the light of recent political and social developments around the globe.

At first glance, the reader gets the impression that this compilation, like many others, is a fragmented collection of articles. However, a closer examination reveals that the va- riety of topics and issues addressed, notably on lesser known environments, is a strength of the book. Also, the diversity of approaches reflected in the articles (empirical, analytical, theoretical, case studies, and conceptual) indicates that many international scholars are involved in various types of environmental studies in different parts of the world ranging from Nova Scotia to Romania to Egypt, in different sectors from manufacturing to service, and on issues ranging from trade policy to economic liberalization. The book also brings into focus the realization that there are scholars who are attempting in many different ways to go beyond the nominal skeletal considerations of providing checklists for assessing the political and social environment. The result is a probing collection of articles that is eclectic in content.

The book is divided into five sections. The first part provides an integrative framework by the editor on the environment for international marketing. This general overview sets the stage for the articles that follow. The second part deals with some perennial international marketing issues that are intricately tied to the international business environment, such as trade barriers, transfer of technology, and foreign market entry. Section 3 contains a discussion of specific sociopolitical aspects and government policies as they affect international marketing and how sociopolitical frameworks could be used in understanding external environments. Section 4 is devoted to issues and frameworks as they relate to international marketing strategies and their adaptation to environmental pressures and changes. Market- ing mix elements are discussed with special reference to

distribution and pricing policies. The last group of articles deals with special topics such as social responsibility and consumer decision-making issues. This section seems over- ly focused on the topic of tourism, presumably because this is an industry where the effects of sociopolitical factors may be most pronounced. While space and other constraints make it impossible to cover all pertinent aspects of the international environment, the book could be further strength- ened by the inclusion of other related topics such as marketing to governments, promotional and public-relations strategies, and regulatory frameworks.

The transition from one article to another is at times choppy and it is difficult to find a common strand among some of the articles. Yet, despite the diversity, many of the articles point to a valuable theme, that is, the importance of exchange and interdependence in evaluating the sociopolitical environment in international marketing. Notably, this linkage is demonstrated in the valuable research on perceived product attributes by Renwick and Renwick, in the thought-provoking analysis on socio-political frameworks by Mahmoud and Rice, in Hyder and Ghauri's excellent case study of joint venture relationships, in the empirical research on an exporter's experience and market entry by Seringhaus, and in Kaynak and Rice's incisive article on the application of political frameworks to distribution channels.

Overall, this book would be useful for marketing practitioners, academicians, policy-makers and environmental researchers attempting to gain insights on the environment of international marketing. It is hoped that this eclectic approach will serve as both a catalyst and a springboard in the development of integrative frameworks, and in guiding marketing policies and strategies within a highly complex environment of international business.

Mushtaq Luqmani Western Michigan University


Documents

Reviews of books, software, and videos