More from these Authors

• Article | International Marketing Review | 2013

  Achievement Motivation, Strategic Orientations and Business Performance in Entrepreneurial Firms: How Different Are Japanese and American Founders?

  Rohit Deshpandé, Amir Grinstein, Elie Ofek and Sang-Hoon Kim

  Purpose: There is lack of research on the link between the personal disposition of an entrepreneurial firm's founder, the firm's strategic orientation, and its performance outcomes. Also, there is lack of cross-national research on entrepreneurial firms' strategic orientations. This paper addresses these gaps by exploring the differences in strategic orientation choices and their performance outcomes for American and Japanese entrepreneurial firms, focusing on founders' achievement motivation as a key personal disposition. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted among 397 Japanese founders and 189 American ones. Findings: Our key counterintuitive finding is that Japanese and American founders of entrepreneurial firms are more similar than is often suggested. We first find that in both Japan and the U.S. achievement motivation is positively related to customer orientation and cost orientation while not related to technological orientation. Second, we find that the adoption of customer orientation is positively related to the profitability of both Japanese and American entrepreneurial firms, although the effect is stronger in the U.S. We also find that the adoption of technology orientation is negatively related to the profitability of both Japanese and American firms, although the effect is less negative in Japan. We finally find that the adoption of cost orientation does not have an impact on the profitability of both Japanese and American firms.

  Keywords: motivation; entrepreneurs; Japan;

  Citation:

  Deshpandé, Rohit, Amir Grinstein, Elie Ofek, and Sang-Hoon Kim. "Achievement Motivation, Strategic Orientations and Business Performance in Entrepreneurial Firms: How Different Are Japanese and American Founders?" International Marketing Review 30, no. 3 (2013).

  CiteView Details

  Related

• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2011 version)

  Branding Yoga

  Rohit Deshpande, Kerry Herman and Annelena Lobb

  Yoga, an ancient discipline, has become popular worldwide. The marketing of yoga and dispute over its origins have led to debate as to whether yoga should be branded at all. Some yoga instructors have gone so far as to copyright their varieties of yoga; others in the yoga community say it is a religious and/or spiritual practice and as such should not be claimed as intellectual property.

  Keywords: Brands and Branding; Marketing;

  Citation:

  Deshpande, Rohit, Kerry Herman, and Annelena Lobb. "Branding Yoga." Harvard Business School Case 512-025, February 2013. (Revised from original December 2011 version.)

  CiteView DetailsPurchase

  Related

• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013

  Brannigan Foods: Strategic Marketing Planning

  John A. Quelch and James T. Kindley

  The soup division at Brannigan Foods contributes over 40% of the firm's revenue. The general manager is concerned that the soup industry is declining and that the soup division shows declining profits and market share, especially among the important baby boomer segment. Hoping to reverse these trends, he asks four key managers to review a consultant's analysis of the soup industry and recommend a turnaround strategy. Each manager presents a different plan, from investing in core market segments and products to acquiring new product lines and customers. Students must perform a quantitative analysis of each proposal while considering the feasibility and risks associated with each option before making a final recommendation.

  Keywords: United States; Consumer marketing; Acquisitions; Forecasting; Quantitative analysis; strategic planning; risk management; decision making; product development; Budgeting; Supermarkets; food; Strategic Planning; Demand and Consumers; Marketing Strategy; Food; Resource Allocation; Acquisition; Product Development; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry;

  Citation:

  Quelch, John A., and James T. Kindley. "Brannigan Foods: Strategic Marketing Planning." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-545, January 2013.

  CiteView DetailsPurchase

  Related