Gender Differences in Loyalty to Firms

Introduction

For any business to thrive in this era, marketing issues should be given the best priority. Most of the companies have taken very good measures to maintain a good customer based relationship to aim at sustaining their customers. The goal of such marketing is to build a good relationship between the customer and the organization. Such relationships must be loyal and committed. The result of such relationships normally ends in positive impacts on the company’s outcome. This paper seeks to analyze two articles namely Cross cultural marketing strategies for delivering knowledge based services in a borderless world: the case of management education and another article which analyses loyal customers in terms of gender disparities to different firms and individual service providers such as companies specializing in service provision.

Are Women More Loyal Customers Than Men? Gender Differences in Loyalty to Firms and Individual Service Providers

This is an article that has created a lot of debate in the marketing field. The prevailing attitude in the marketing field at the moment shows that most of the consumers of products are female as compared to male consumers. More research also shows the reverse of this idea and further points out that the disparities actually depend on whether the consumer is buying from an individual or buying for a group. This article is characterized by its intense approach to the relationship management between the customer and the organization providing the service. Research points out the difference in cognitive process and the behaviors of male and female consumers. This represents gender based segmentation to the loyalty in the market. Just as the differences exist between the behaviors of male and the female, so do their differences in preferences in marketing. It is out of this characteristic that men and women will require different selling approaches due to the things they value in their lives and their response rate when it comes to buying products. Another characteristic that must be taken into consideration in relation to gender based loyalty is on the branding and stores. Women have little preferences that may value their like and dislikes for certain companies not on the basis of the products but on the basis of the company branding.

My own experience on the disparities differs slightly with the articles main point. To me, the disparity in the marketing fully depends on how a particular customer values a product to his life at that particular time. This stretches to the needs of the customers at that moment and the affordability of the customer. True to mention, men have developed different cultures in the marketing trends and cycles. Men tend to shy from marketing but instead depending on the majority of the cultures, they would prefer remaining behind and sending the women to do marketing for them. This is because the women have a different and unique experience and preference when it comes to buying. Well this article is also true when it comes to individual and group factor in the gender based loyalties. It is true that women buyers are more loyal and will buy from individuals. On the contrary male consumers tend to buy from groups.

The article relates to a number of theories in marketing. One of the theories is the theory of Commitment trust in the Relationship of marketing. This theory points out a number of factors such as developing and establishing successful relationship between the consumer and the buyer. This theory states that successful relationship marketing requires a good and lasting relationship on the commitment and trust of the consumer. This theory also points out the behaviors and disparities between the consumers. It points out the willingness and buying attitude of the present complexities that exists in the social organizations. These organizations have a direct influence on the social and cultural dimensions of not just a single group but the consumers as a unit in marketing¹. This article is also a true reflection of the relationship approach to marketing which describes marketing as a service context. This theory points out that the marketing strategies revolves around the traditional view of marketing as a variable of preference and planning depending on a specific marketing trend or mix. This theory connects the nature of the relationships to the behaviors of the consumers which is a major point of reference on the gender based loyalty to buying and selling².The approach points at the need of study of the market culture and the culture of the consumers.

According to me, I strongly agree with this publication since it is evident through the behaviors of women in relation to loyalty to what they buy. This article also points out those women tend to buy from individuals as compared to groups which are a true connection of psychological studies of behaviors. This article is a major contribution to the ongoing researches which seeks to analyze market trends and preferences in marketing when it comes to gender based loyalties.

Cross-Cultural Marketing Strategies for Delivering Knowledge-Based Services In A Borderless World: The Case of Management Education

This article is about the cross-cultural marketing strategies for delivering knowledge based services in a borderless world. It takes on a case of management education. This article is characterized by the emerging trend in this information age in reference to the global dimension of the market. There is a number of advancement in the borderless trade or the global trade through the rise of Trade Organizations’. This leads to more liberalization of services worldwide in contrary to the regional markets. For such case, different cross-cultural backgrounds must be taken into considerations. Knowledge based services in this article comes from different disciplines ranging from accounting services to the educational circles. Cross cultural product market studied in this paper gives a strategy for business schools. This is not just within the school but towards offering services to the general international markets. For such schools, the article gives the framework that can be adopted to recognize the cultural characteristics of a country in study. It also studies the consumption styles of the student in relation to the modes of management educational services. This paper gives the characteristics and choices that the colleges can consider in joining the foreign markets. This can only be done after a full analysis of the market has been finalist. They include, consumption abroad, delivery abroad, cross border supply and commercial presence.

This article relates to main own experience since when it comes to global markets, then the cultural dimensions must be considered in a bid to reach the market. This is due to the cross-cultural economy we experience currently. The focus on the cultures and new products being released into the market determines these markets. This article also accepts the influences of human behavior on the marketing trends. This article also discusses the interrelationships that exist between culture in the educational field and marketing strategies. It points out the relationship between culture and teaching styles and the relationship between culture and the consumption methods.

This article conforms to a number of theories of the market. For success in the penetration into the market, depends directly on the strategic considerations. These considerations must include the product design, market entry strategies and managing collaborative relationships within the market. The business firms that want to operate in different countries must strategies well on how they will design their products as they make a new move into the international market. They must consider straight extensions, the adaptation of the product and the invention strategies of the products. These relates to the relevance of educational products that underscore the new considerations into the new international markets which have a direct concern on the cultures of the different markets. ³Points out that for market operations beyond the regional market, cultural implications should be considered in the focus to customers across different organization.

This article has moved the research process of international markets to another level. It has shown that for global expansions, there must be tactical approaches in a well laid approach to international markets. Different works by different researchers to international business and applications of management studies would be very important to empirical investigations in the cross cultural markets.

References

Eleanor E. “Gender and Relationships,” American Psychologist, 1990, pp. 513–20.

Morgan R and Hunt S., The Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing, American Marketing Association, 1994, p.23-38

Zeithami W and Gremier B.M, Services Marketing – Integrated Customer Focus across the Firm McGraw-Hill, 2008, p. 34.

Footnotes

1. R. Morgan and S. Hunt, The Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing , American Marketing Association, 1994, p.23-38
2. E. Eleanor “Gender and Relationships,” American Psychologist, 1990, pp. 513–20.
3. W. A., Zeithami, B.M Gremier, Services Marketing – Integrated customer focus across the firm McGraw-Hill, 2008, p. 34.