Andrew Abela - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Andrew Abela

GfK Marketing Intelligence Review, 2010

It has been widely argued that an inability to account for marketing’s contribution has undermine... more It has been widely argued that an inability to account for marketing’s contribution has undermined its standing within the company. Furthermore, the effect of marketing activities on business success is underestimated. To respond to this pressure, marketers are investing in the development of performance measurement abilities. In this study of senior marketing managers in high-tech firms, the effect of the ability to measure marketing performance against business performance is examined. The authors also explore the effect of the ability to measure marketing against marketing’s status within the company. Results indicate that this ability is essential given that it has a significant impact on company performance, profitability, stock returns, and marketing’s stature within the company. Considering these effects, the closing managerial implications are highly relevant for marketing professionals

The Thomist: A Speculative Quarterly Review, 2003

Un Catecismo para los Negocios, 2016

Handbook of Marketing and Society

The American Archivist, 2008

One could be forgiven for believing that the Catholic faith does not appear to encourage the prac... more One could be forgiven for believing that the Catholic faith does not appear to encourage the practice of marketing and its promotion of material consumption. For example, in Holy Scripture we read: “‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ ” (Luke 18:24). St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: “…trade in itself has a certain quality of baseness since it does not of its own nature involve an honorable or necessary end. ” (II-II, q. 77, a. 4). Yet the Church does not denounce material prosperity; quite the contrary, prosperity is often presented as the proper reward for virtue. Pope Leo, XIII in his encyclical letter Rerum Novarum, for example, wrote that “when Christian morals are completely observed, they yield of themselves a certain measure of prosperity to material existence ” (#42). Is there such a thing as a Catholic perspective on marketing? If there is, how radical is it—how close to the root of all marketing theory and activity does it reach? Pope Benedict XVI, in his address to Catholic educators during his April 2008 visit to the United States, made clear just how high a standard all Catholic education should be held to:

Journal of Business Ethics, 2014

While many scholars agree that the “separation thesis” (Freeman in Bus Ethics Quart 4(4):409–421,... more While many scholars agree that the “separation thesis” (Freeman in Bus Ethics Quart 4(4):409–421, 1994)—that business issues and ethical issues can be neatly compartmentalized—is harmful to business ethics scholarship and practice, they also conclude that eliminating it is either inadvisable because of the usefulness of the positive/normative distinction, or actually impossible. Based on an exploration of the fact/value dichotomy and the pragmatist and virtue theoretic responses to it, we develop an approach to eliminating the separation thesis that integrates “business” with “ethics” while still permitting a positive/normative distinction, which we call “ethics from observation.”

The empirical findings in Collins and Porras' study of visionary companies, Built to Last, and th... more The empirical findings in Collins and Porras' study of visionary companies, Built to Last, and the normative claims about the purpose of the business firm in Centesimus Annus are found to be complementary in understanding the purpose of the business firm. A summary of the methodology and findings of Built to Last and a short overview of Catholic Social Teaching are provided. It is shown that Centesimus Annus' claim that the purpose of the firm is broader than just profit is consistent with Collins and Porras empirical finding that firms which set a broader objective tend to be more successful than those which pursue only the maximization of profits. It is noted however that a related finding in Collins and Porras, namely that the content of the firm's objective is not as important as internalizing some objective beyond just profit maximization, can lead to ethical myopia. Two examples are provided of this: the Walt Disney Company and Philip Morris. Centesimus Annus offers a way to expose such myopia, by providing guidance as to what the purpose of the firm is, and therefore as to what kinds of objectives are appropriate to the firm.

The Chesterton Review, 1998

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2004

Despite great attention to developing and disseminating techniques for measuring marketing perfor... more Despite great attention to developing and disseminating techniques for measuring marketing performance, the extent to which these techniques improve strategic performance is little known. The authors report the results of a survey of 139 large organizations regarding their ability to measure brand equity, financial returns, and marketing spending, along with more general measurement practices. They show which practices are positively associated with five different measures of performance. The intensity of measurement through regular review, detailed accounting for marketing spending, and use of performance dashboards have little impact on performance. The strongest "returns on measurement" appear to arise from reporting the financial results of marketing efforts in general and value of brand equity in particular.

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2007

This paper examines a tendency within existing marketing scholarship to compartmentalize ethical ... more This paper examines a tendency within existing marketing scholarship to compartmentalize ethical issues. It also shows how this tendency can cause ethical tensions and conflicts in marketing practice. The emerging servicedominant (S-D) logic for marketing, as proposed by Vargo and Lusch, is explored as an example of an approach to marketing that overcomes this tendency. The S-D logic is found to be a positive development for marketing ethics because it facilitates the seamless integration of ethical accountability into marketing decision-making. Specific recommendations are made for improving the ethical climate in marketing using marketing performance measurement theory and practice.

Journal of Strategic Marketing, 2005

The authors draw on the MOA (motivation, opportunity, ability) framework from consumer informatio... more The authors draw on the MOA (motivation, opportunity, ability) framework from consumer information processing theory to explore the drivers of performance information processing, satisfaction with marketing performance assessment systems, and top management intentions to change them. A survey of senior managers at 66 large corporations reveals that organizational ability and opportunity to process marketing performance information appear to have positive

Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 2006

Page 1. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol. 14, no. 3 (summer 2006), pp. 191208. © 20... more Page 1. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol. 14, no. 3 (summer 2006), pp. 191208. © 2006 ME Sharpe, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1069-6679 / 2006 $9.50 + 0.00. DOI 10.2753/MTP1069-6679140302 AN INFORMATION ...

Journal of Marketing, 2007

Marketing practitioners are under increasing pressure to demonstrate their contribution to firm p... more Marketing practitioners are under increasing pressure to demonstrate their contribution to firm performance. It has been widely argued that an inability to account for marketing's contribution has undermined its standing within the firm. To respond to this pressure, marketers are investing in the development of performance measurement abilities, but to date, there have been no empirical studies of whether the ability to measure marketing performance has any actual effect on either firm performance or marketing's stature. In this study of senior marketing managers in hightechnology firms, the authors examine the effect of ability to measure marketing performance on firm performance, using both primary data collected from senior marketers and secondary data on firm profitability and stock returns. They also explore the effect of ability to measure marketing on marketing's stature within the firm, which is operationalized as chief executive officer satisfaction with marketing. The empirical results indicate that the ability to measure marketing performance has a significant impact on firm performance, profitability, stock returns, and marketing's stature within the firm.

Journal of Business Research, 2014

This paper defines and develops the concept of 'appealing to the imagination,' a type of marketin... more This paper defines and develops the concept of 'appealing to the imagination,' a type of marketing communication designed to engage the imagination of the target audience, which presents aesthetic, poetic, and truthful characteristics. The paper proposes 'appealing to the imagination' as an effective and ethical technique for marketing religion, arguing that appeals to the imagination persuade audiences effectively and communicate religious claims with authenticity and tolerance. The case of the Focolare, a rapidly growing religious movement that uses appeals to the imagination extensively and successfully, illustrates these propositions.

Journal of Brand Management, 2003

of the choice between an additive and an inclusive interpretation have not been addressed. This p... more of the choice between an additive and an inclusive interpretation have not been addressed. This paper offers a theoretical analysis of the two alternative approaches and argues that the inclusive approach is more practical if brand building is believed to include much more than just advertising. An argument is also made that inclusive approaches to brand equity measurement are preferable from an ethical perspective. RATIONALE FOR CONSIDERING ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS To date, there has been very limited consideration of the ethical implications of brand management practices. Given the damage done to several brands recently by corporate scandals, however, it would seem appropriate to 342

European Journal of Marketing, 2009

PurposeThe research aims to test whether the ability to measure marketing performance affects the... more PurposeThe research aims to test whether the ability to measure marketing performance affects the actual performance of firms, in the context of the European high‐tech sector. It also aims to test whether performance‐reporting frequency and size of marketing budget mediate the relationship between measurement ability and performance.Design/methodology/approachSurvey responses collected from 157 marketers were supplemented with firm performance data.FindingsResults show that marketing performance measurement ability positively impacts firm performance and that reporting frequency mediates this relationship.Research limitations/implicationsMore attention should be given to the activities that are measured rather than the metrics in use – which receive much attention in the literature. Current interest in marketing dashboards may be overstated.Practical implicationsEnhanced ability to account for marketing leads not only to improved firm performance, but also to greater regard for mark...

European Journal of Marketing, 2006

Purpose – This paper aims to examine O&amp;#39;Shaughnessy and O&amp;#39;Shaughne... more Purpose – This paper aims to examine O&amp;#39;Shaughnessy and O&amp;#39;Shaughnessy&amp;#39;s response to accusations about marketing&amp;#39;s detrimental impact on society. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the empirical research on consumerism and materialism to date. Findings – Indicates that consumerism is associated with reduced personal wellbeing and that the rise of consumerism parallels the rise of modern marketing to a remarkable extent,

Business and Society Review, 2001

he purpose of this article is to explore whether the separation thesis can be found in the work o... more he purpose of this article is to explore whether the separation thesis can be found in the work of Adam Smith. The separation thesis is the thesis that ethical issues can be clearly separated from business issues. 1 It has been argued that the separation thesis is prevalent in contemporary business thought, and that by creating a false separation between business and ethics, it limits our ability to conceive of better business models. 2 If this argument is correct (and I assume for the purposes of this article that it is) then it would seem to be important to understand to what extent the thought of Adam Smith, influential as it is, suffers from this limitation. Is there any doubt that the separation thesis exists in Smith's work? His famous line, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest," would seem to answer the question quite clearly. 3 For Smith, apparently, the butcher chops meat not out of any sense of obligation, but just because it is good business to do so. Elsewhere Smith claims that while "the pleasures of wealth and greatness. .. strike the imagination as something grand and beautiful and noble," this belief is a deception, the "deception which rouses and keeps in continual motion the industry of mankind." 4 In other words, he seems to believe that it is only the desire for wealth that keeps us all working, rather than any sense of service, obligation, or desire for character development or