We investigates the degree to which increasing vertical information integration using Electronic Data Interchange technology enhances shipment performance of suppliers in a Just-in-Time environment. Our analysis of shipment data in the automobile industry suggests that shipment performance...

We investigate a firm's choice of prices and qualities of a product line to signal competitive advantage to potential entrants and to discourage entry. The market consists of customer segments with different valuations for product quality. We demonstrate that a higher quality and a higher price...

Better targeting opportunities and the increasing role of information-intensive environments have created new challenges for firms in obtaining customer information. Such information can help firms increase their profits through cross-selling opportunities. However, revealing personal...

We study the signalling strategy of a principal who is privately informed about its high demand potential to an uninformed risk-neutral agent. We analyze the model in the context of a contract between a franchisor and a franchisee. We examine the distortions of a two-part pricing scheme...

We study the key determinants of customer satisfaction with software products. Our analysis, based upon a large sample of over 2,500 customer responses, suggests that capability and usability are the critical drivers of overall customer satisfaction. We also find that the importance of seven key...

In fast-cycle, high technology industries, the speed and rate at which companies can introduce products into the market are critical for sustaining competitive advantage and market share. The authors analyze new product development by three international manufacturers that dominate a segment of...

A low-cost incumbent may limit price to informatively signal her cost to an uncertain potential entrant, and therefore deter entry. We enrich this model by investigating the strategic pricing behavior of the incumbent when she operates in multiple markets. We demonstrate that the low-cost...

The Robinson-Patman Act (RP), an antitrust statute aimed at protecting small businesses, limits price setting in distribution channels. To avoid costly penalties under RP, managers take a variety of precautions when pricing to retailers and wholesalers. But how likely is a court to find a...

Rewarding customers with own products or services has become an increasingly popular practice across a spectrum of industries such as airlines, hotels, and telecommunication. In these service industries, firms face demand uncertainty and strict short-term capacity constraint. When the market...

We study the introductory signalling strategy for a durable product that faces optimistic expectations among customers about price declines over time. The firm introducing the product knows that experiential learning is low for the product. However, customers, being uncertain about the extent of...