Charles Blankson

• Ph.D., MSc., DMM, PGCE, Dip. M., FCIM
• Professor at University of North Texas

Purpose Diversity, equity and inclusion ideology is the latest appeal of individual compassion, institutional legitimacy and enlightened society. Specific to higher education, diversity, equity and inclusion is an honorable ideology, value and mission. This paper aims to (1) empirically recognize the differences in the level of importance between t...

This article responds to calls for more cross-cultural research on advertising that tests the applicability of Pollay and Mittal’s (1993) attitude towards advertising-in-general framework in multiple cultures. It investigates U.S. and Ghanaian college students’ perceptions of advertising-in-general and their purchase intentions. It uses survey data...

The recent global pandemic and the subsequent economic challenges facing the world have propelled B2B firms to revisit their branding and positioning strategies to ensure sustainable business growth (Casidy & Lie, 2023). Opoku, Adomako, & Tran (this issue) provide directions to brand and marketing managers on how firms can frame their marketing com...

Purpose This study aims to develop and validate a cross-national framework to identify the motivation underpinning consumers' (i.e. the general public's) loyalty toward credit card usage. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What factors motivate consumers to stay loyal to their credit card? (2) Does the investment model (regardin...

There is little research that analyzes how managers use political and nonpolitical influence tactics to affect the product innovation strategic decision-making process (PISD). A well-appreciated power influence tactics in product innovation team is bound to contribute greatly to the success of new products. This study aims to contribute to the lite...

The adoption of marketing strategy does not occur in cultural vacuums. Instead, marketing strategies unfold within social contexts that encode values, beliefs, and patterns of behavior. The increasingly interdependent global economy results in the acculturation of tensions between global and local consumer cultures. This dynamism however offers new...

Purpose-Rising expectations for exceptional customer experiences demand strategic amalgamation of cross-functional, customer-focused teams (marketing/sales/service departments). However, the long history of interface conflicts between functional teams continues to attract research attention. Past research has given more attention to conflicts betwe...

Purpose Rising expectations for exceptional customer experiences demand strategic amalgamation of cross-functional, customer-focused teams (marketing/sales/service departments). However, the long history of interface conflicts between functional teams continues to attract research attention. Past research has given more attention to conflicts betwe...

Relying on the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) to better understand sub-Saharan African urban marketplaces, this article puts forward a conceptual framework whose objective is to a) investigate the effect of CSR on multiple dimensions of CBBE and b) investigate the moderating role of customer...

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between stakeholder market orientation (StMO) and sustainability performance (SP) at tourism destinations (TDs). Design/methodology/approach – Using a quantitative survey, data was collected from 313 tourism business managers, who are the owners or managers of the tourism business...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the direct and indirect effects of perceived provider professionalism and service recovery in enhancing patient satisfaction in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach This study used a survey method to investigate satisfaction among health-care consumers. This study used data collected fro...

While previous studies find the argument that market orientation is generalizable to emerging economies and that the environmental context moderates the influence of market orientation on business performance, scholars are silent on market orientation strategies among rural micro and small businesses and impact on their performance. Our research st...

This study demonstrates that visual quality is an emergent factor in explaining behavioral intention in online shopping, as online retail technology continues to evolve. The researchers develop, and test a model, in augmented reality (AR) and non-AR contexts, explaining the effect of aesthetic appeal of the interface of a mobile retail app and posi...

While big data, marketing analytics, and firm marketing capabilities are all potential drivers of competitive advantage, there is limited research that investigates the interrelationship between them. This study aims to address this gap by examining the mechanisms through which big data and marketing analytics can be used to enhance firm marketing...

Purpose-Using social exchange theory as a contextual backdrop, this study aims to better understand how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can contribute to customer retention (CR). A conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the proposed relationship and the influence of mediating factors. The telecommunication industry in Ghana is used t...

This study investigates and then develops a conceptual framework explaining the strategic factors responsible for mobile product innovations success in an emerging market. Our methodology is based on a qualitative case study research design approach using grounded theory concerning Safaricom's organization and product innovations in East African ma...

Why do consumers choose a private versus national brand? A between-subjects factorial design was used to address this question in two product categories: shampoo and athletic shoes. Three determining factors were used—regulatory focus: promotion versus prevention; brand types: national versus private; and attribute framing: hedonic versus utilitari...

Purpose Using social exchange theory as a contextual backdrop, this study aims to better understand how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can contribute to customer retention (CR). A conceptual framework is developed to illustrate the proposed relationship and the influence of mediating factors. The telecommunication industry in Ghana is used t...

This article seeks to advance our understanding of the culture-entrepreneurship relationship from an African perspective by examining how six African traditional beliefs either promote or hinder entrepreneurial activities. These six traditional Ghanaian cultural beliefs (i.e. belief in godliness, belief in paranormal activities, belief in a social...

Purpose Grounded in regulatory mode theory (RMT), this study aims to investigate the impact of managers’ orientation for action (locomotion and assessment) in business-to-business positioning decision-making. Design/methodology/approach Data are collected using a scenario-based experimental design. Study 1 examines whether interest and involvement...

We draw on the quality of life theory and government economic development policies that focus on entrepreneurship for a theoretical backdrop to investigate the consequences of market orientation among microentrepreneurs in Ghana. We use qualitative data from 28 microentrepreneurs involving participant observation techniques and the storytelling app...

The aim of this paper is to develop and validate a scale measuring consumers' (i.e., voters') perceptions of the marketing of and branding of political offerings (i.e., political parties, political candidates, and political communications). We conducted field studies among the public aimed at capturing consumers' perceptions and their natural respo...

Purpose This paper aims to offer a systematic view of religious consumption and its iterative influences on consumers, as well as their differences in attitudes, values and behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-method approach – both qualitative and quantitative – the study develops religious self-transformation and self-categorizat...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the direct impact of social capital and the influence of market-based capabilities as intervening variables on the export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from top executives and senio...

Description: Developing and validating a scale delineating the key factors explaining why people in transitioning economies such as Ghana vote in general elections the way they do EXTENDED ABSTRACT Research Question: The Eurocentric attitudes that tend to dominate the literature on African economic, business and political dispensation (see Meillass...

Purpose This paper posits, develops and tests the effects of general environmental awareness factors on consumers’ intentions in the Environmental Awareness Purchasing Intention Model. Environmental awareness is tested within the context of purchasing vehicles and, thus, vehicle relevant factors (perceived quality and self-image) are also included...

Despite the pivotal role of positioning in marketing strategy formulation, few studies explicitly examine positioning strategies employed by foreign and indigenous firms operating in the same cultural milieu. Relying on the concepts of culture and positioning as the backdrop, this research contributes to the literature by answering two key research...

This paper examines how rural small businesses in Ghana enact market orientations within the context of government policy initiatives on small business growth with the aim of reducing poverty in rural communities. The present study recognizes that a large population of Ghana is reliant on the success of these small businesses in rural areas. We ack...

Whereas several studies have investigated cultural values and entrepreneurship in terms of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions from a Western-world “lens,” we take a slightly different approach in that three of our six Ghanaian cultural values intersect with three of Hofstede’s dimensions (i.e., power distance, collectivism, and masculinity-femininity)....

While conceptual suggestions, practical advertising guidelines, consumer perceptions, varying results from industry domains, and differences in measurement and methodology have created a set of findings that is rich and interesting (Kalra and Goodstein 1998; Noseworthy and Trudel 2011), previous studies in positioning lack the establishment of comp...

The paper synthesizes the level of strategic market orientation of firms operating in the emerging economy of Ghana over the last two decades. It dwells on market orientation studies in general, and the banking industry and exporting firms in particular. Market orientation has a positive relationship with performance for both foreign and domestic f...

A review and evaluation of market orientation research in an emerging African economy The paper synthesises the level of strategic market orientation of firms operating in the emerging economy of Ghana over the last two decades. It dwells on market orientation studies in general, and the banking industry and exporting firms in particular. Market...

Scholars have questioned the appropriateness of using a western‐centric framework to investigate corporate social responsibility (CSR) in emerging economies. This study assesses the appropriateness of using such a framework in one emerging economy—India. More specifically, the drivers of CSR and their impact on firm‐level CSR activity in the Indian...

Whereas several studies have investigated cultural values and entrepreneurship in terms of Hofstede's cultural dimensions from a Western-world "lens," we take a slightly different approach in that three of our six Ghanaian cultural values intersect with three of Hofstede's dimensions (i.e., power distance, collectivism, and masculinity-femininity)....

While conceptual suggestions, practical advertising guidelines, consumer perceptions, varying results from industry domains, and differences in measurement and methodology have created a set of findings that is rich and interesting (Kalra and Goodstein 1998; Noseworthy and Trudel 2011), previous studies in positioning lack the establishment of comp...

Due to increasing globalization and leveled down trade barriers between countries, companies can internationalize faster than ever before. Consequently, the creation of a global brand is becoming more and more important to businesses as they try to reach out to a global consumer culture. As the competition gets tougher in international domain, comp...

This article examines the employment of positioning strategies through the lens of international retailing for assessing congruence in the positioning of both indigenous and foreign retailers in Ghana. Six retailers—three indigenous and three foreign—are examined in a triangulated method, each through an in-depth case study. The results show that t...

This paper examines how rural small businesses in Ghana enact market orientations within the context of government policy initiatives on small business growth with the aim of reducing poverty in rural communities. The present study recognizes that a large population of Ghana is reliant on the success of these small businesses in rural areas. We ack...

Using social identity theory and social capital theory as a backdrop to understand the context of subsistence marketplaces, this study investigates how rural micro and small businesses engage in marketing practices and how poverty reduction policies affect micro and small business activities and growth. The results show that rural micro and small b...

The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive framework and propositions showing the integration of market orientation (MO) as an economic-oriented strategy and corporate social responsibility (CSR), as a socially–oriented strategy for business performance (BP). A review of literature on the three constructs of MO, CSR and BP facilitated the...

This paper answers two key research questions: 1) What is the relationship between product quality and service quality on customer satisfaction within an integrated model? 2) What is the relationship between customers' satisfaction and customers' intention to switch brands in the automobile indus-try? PLS-SEM is a tool used to assess measurement re...

This paper examines microfinance intervention in rural poverty reduction in Ghana by surveying 100 rural women farmer-entrepreneurs. The findings reveal that microfinance interventions that emphasize both credit provision and social intermediation improve access to credit, improve business performance, and contribute to a higher standard of living...

This exploratory research examines how attitude towards advertising-in-general are developed in consumers with divergent attitude patterns. African immigrant consumers in the United States and control group are compared for illustrative purposes. Following operationalization of " attitude towards advertising-in-general " framework (Pollay and Mitta...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate employment of positioning strategies in the retail bank sector of Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically using Ghana as the study context. In addition, it explores the applicability of western-based typology of positioning strategies in the Sub-Saharan African environment. Design/methodology/approach S...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a healthcare framework of service quality, perceived value, and satisfaction in Ghana. More specifically, this study investigates the role and effect of service quality on patient satisfaction and perceived value in Ghana’s healthcare delivery. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered...

This paper aims to contribute toward a greater understanding of the concept of positioning through a review of and content analysis of extant research on the subject. The literature is clear on the importance of the concept and its central place in modern marketing management (Talke and Hultink 2010). Unfortunately, at present little is known about...

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among corporate reputation, brand crisis, and customer loyalty in the Ghanaian marketplace. In addition, consistent with Lei et al. (2012), this study examines whether attributions moderate the relationship between brand crisis and corporate reputation. While the precise understanding and na...

Corporate reputation, a valuable resource for the firm due to its ability to create and enhance sustainable competitive and differential advantage (Sarstedt et al., 2012), and issues pertaining to customer loyalty remain important research tasks for firms that want to successfully position themselves and their offerings in the marketplace. Relying...

This research fills a gap in both quality management and marketing literatures by examining how customer co-production, experiential, and situational variables in a nonpersonal setting influence loyalty decisions toward products and services. Through an empirical study, an interpersonal relationship theory from social psychology, known as the inves...

In view of the relatively high cost to produce extensive advertising campaigns, it is essential that marketing managers and advertising executives justify whether consumers accurately perceive positioning strategies that appear in marketing communications (Fill 1999; Schultz 2006) and whether their adopted positioning strategies are consistent with...

Three strategic theoretical concepts – design, planning and positioning – are examined for their relevance to the business context of Ghana. For design, the Ghanaian culture on respect for elders and authority is argued to be partly responsible for the ‘accepting’ nature of subordinates. Formal planning by organisations is mostly found with large c...

The challenges imposed by developing and emerging markets in marketing strategy formulation have long been the concern of marketing scholars (Kotler 2000; Schultz 2006), Some countries in the region, such as Ghana, are making strides toward more democratic governance (Whitfield 2005), While the Ghanaian marketplace is a potentially fruitful researc...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between market orientation, learning orientation and innovation; and second, assesses the role of innovation, market orientation and learning orientation on firms’ business performance using a developing country (i.e. the Ghanaian banking domain) as a study context. Design/methodol...

The contemporary landscape of the Ghanaian business environment is very different from the landscape of over 20 years ago; therefore, determining how firms pursue positioning strategies in Ghana is an important research task yet to be explored. In addition, the relative congruence among intended, conveyed, and perceived brand positioning has receiv...

Recent conceptualizations of marketing in emerging market contexts posit that demand aggregation is more appropriate for enhancing firm performance than conventional demand differentiation strategies commonly practiced in highly advanced economies (Sheth 2011). To contribute to the advancement of research in this area, we empirically test this prop...

This study draws upon the service literature and operationalizes the investment model in the services domain to examine factors that contribute to customers’ desire to maintain service relationships with firms (i.e., retail banks) in an emerging economy in sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana. We empirically test the explanatory power and robustness of the in...

This paper examines Ghanaian management’s attitudes towards market orientation from the context of the World Bank’s and IMF’s structural adjustment program (SAP) induced environment. Our study found that the adopted measures examined had significant impact on the level of firms’ market orientation. Discussion and conclusions, managerial implication...

It has been recognized by public press that new gender identity, which is based on individual’s gender psychological traits, social gender roles, and gender orientations, has a dramatic impact on individual’s perceptions and behaviors related to consumption. Yet, the influence of new gender identity has long been oversimplified in marketing literat...

In view of the well documented activities and interest in cross-national marketing studies (e.g., Singhapakdi et al, 1999; Kilbourne et al, 2004; Lee et al, 2005) and the fact that consumers’ buying behavior for financial services offerings and selection of retail banks has long intrigued the minds of marketing scholars and practitioners (see Tenge...

Gender, one of the most profound social factors, shapes and constructs our individual activities and group experiences. Gender, as a complex social-psychological construct, has been distinguished from sex in that sex refers to a person's physiological identity, while gender refers to psychological features associated with physiological sex that are...

Although much attention has been devoted to bank choice criteria by marketing researchers (e.g. Sinkula and Lawtor, 1988; Thwaites and Vere, 1995; Ta and Har, 2000; Almossawi, 2001; Devlin, 2002; Devlin and Gerrard, 2004), the factors leading to the selection of credit cards, an important bank product (Sheppard, 1992; Worthington, 1992; Cargill and...

Gender is one of the most profound social factors that shapes and constructs our individual activities and group experiences. Yet, the influence of gender effects has been oversimplified in marketing literature that addresses gender as a singular biological descriptor (Palan 2010). In today’s market place, gender concept is increasingly blurred as...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate asymmetric effects of team cohesion and team members’ relational qualification on the creativity of new product ideas. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was conducted on survey data collected from 195 new product development practitioners in various US high-technology i...

The primary objectives of this exploratory paper are to test the concept of market orientation adapted from related literature in the education context and to examine the effects of market orientation as a second‐order factor on university student satisfaction. The revised scale, validated through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an empirically grounded comprehensive framework of e-quality that is the composite of the relationship between e-satisfaction and e-loyalty. This study’s objectives were: first, to develop a comprehensive measurement scale of perceived quality from an operations perspective, based on the cl...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to undertake a comparative examination of the media types used in projecting positioning strategies of service brands, and to establish whether there is evidence of congruence/fit between managerial decisions, adopted communications and target audience perceptions of positioning strategies of the brands. The r...

This paper examines the functional forms of service quality (SQ) and satisfaction in relation to destination attractiveness. It focuses on the varying influence of destination characteristics, customer economics, and demographic variables to explore how SQ might be used to improve value positioning and, therefore, potential attractiveness of Ghana...

The debate concerning the importance of adopting a market orientation in collaboration with market positioning strategies has gone on for years. Nevertheless, on their own, market orientation and market positioning do not guarantee profitable firm performance unless marketers employ and integrate both on a long-term basis. Achieving this synergy is...

The authors review and extend the culture literature in international marketing by discussing some of the cultural underpinnings pertaining to the sub-Saharan African context. With the use of inductive reasoning, the authors offer several key normative suggestions for international marketing practices. Marketers should focus not only on the end use...

The mobilization of rural consumers' potential savings to generate credit for inclusive lending to the rural/urban poor consumers in emerging market countries presents a strategic challenge for policy makers. Large-scale credit aggregation can only be achieved by the use of modern banks. However, rural consumers may resist the use of banks as objec...

The purpose of the study is to enhance our understanding of sources of visual–product fit by investigating imagination as a process mechanism in a print ad context. Three studies are presented. In the first study, a scale is developed to measure perceptions of fit. The second study applies the perceptions of fit measure to investigate sources of fi...

Purpose The importance of and viability of the college student cohort for credit card firms and banks are well documented and so are the challenges facing marketers interested in this target market. The first purpose of this paper is to examine college students’ motivation for consuming credit cards and the usefulness of the latter to them. The sec...

Despite years of scrupulous debate about market orientation and positioning, still these concepts, on their own, do not offer impressive firm performance (Siguaw, Brown, and Widing II 1994; Han, Kim, and Srivastava 1998; Kaynak and Kara 2004], unless they are employed synergistically with the aim of achieving long-term success (Porter 1996, 2001; P...