If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.

Purpose -To explore an emerging area in internet practice that has implications for new product developers. Design/methodology/approach -The paper integrates concepts including a range of recently published (1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004) theoretical works and ongoing case developments in internet practice. Findings -Provides information and action approaches to new product developers that may increase the success and accuracy of resulting new products. Outlines the benefits of monitoring and participating in online consumer communities and offers practical suggestions for maximizing their value in the product development process.Research limitations/implications -The theoretical concepts that form the foundation of the paper appear to have a significant application to the product development process but have not been tested empirically. Practical implications -Uncovers a previously unrecognized source of direct consumer input and cooperation in the design and valuation of new products. Originality/value -This paper describes the nature and application of online consumer communities to an important marketing process. It offers the potential of improving the success of new products in the marketplace reducing significant waste.

Purpose -The purpose of this article is to examine the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) proposition, where private companies can both be profitable and help alleviate poverty by attending low-income consumers. Design/methodology/approach -The literature on BOP was reviewed and some key elements of the BOP approach were proposed and examined. Findings -There is no agreement in the literature about the potential benefits of the BOP approach for both private companies and low-income consumers. However, further research on characterizing the BOP segment and finding the appropriate business model for attending the BOP can provide some answers to this issue. Practical implications -The article provides some guidelines to managers as to how they need to adapt their marketing strategies to sell to the BOP market, and what type of partnerships they need to build in order to succeed. Originality/value -The article presents a thorough analysis of the key elements involved in the BOP initiative: companies' motivations, characterization of the BOP consumers, and the business model to attend the BOP.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to present a strategic framework to managing online loyalty. Design/methodology/approach-The paper integrates concepts including a range of recently published (1993-2006) theoretical works in consumer loyalty and ongoing case developments in internet practice. Findings-Provides information and action approaches to consumer marketers that may increase the success providing want satisfying market offerings. Outlines the costs and benefits of some online customer loyalty building practices. By integrating the literature supporting lifetime customer value with the literature concerned with generating online customer relationships, it provides a pathway to profitable relationships. It also exposes the unintended problems that some online customer loyalty initiatives may create. Research limitations/implications-The theoretical concepts that form the foundation of the paper appear to have a significant application to consumer marketing but have not been tested empirically. Practical implications-Uncovers a previously unreported strategy for generating profitable online customer loyalty. Originality/value-This paper describes the nature and application of customer value tiers to an important marketing process. It offers the potential of increasing marketing success by allowing firms to maximize the value of their scarce service resources by serving profitable customers.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of the study is to investigate the use of social media as a new investigative tool in marketing research. Design/methodology/approach -The paper's approach is an analysis of the existing social marketing literature and industry practice in marketing analysis. Findings -The market research profession has been affected by developments in social media. First, some of the traditional research methods suffer from changes in consumer communication patterns. As social media supplant communication methods such as telephony and even email, researchers have diminished capacity to reach consumer subjects. As a result, the social media have spawned a number of research techniques that overcome the problems that have started to affect the old techniques.Research limitations/implications -The article reviews the state of market research and its efforts to remain effective. The major new social media based market research techniques are described as well as their strengths and weaknesses. One limitation of the study is the focus on published research techniques. The study does not address proprietary techniques that may be used in practice. Practical implications -Social media have reduced the effectiveness of traditional market research techniques. Marketers can overcome that effect by employing some of the social media related techniques that have become available. Originality/value -To date, few, if any, academic studies have been done that assess the impact of social media on the use of market research techniques. The study draws conclusions that may aid practitioners in maintaining successful marketing research techniques.Arguably one of the most important sources of information about the state of market research is the Market Research Association. Its website clarifies its role as a professional association. It provides a training element that is geared to keeping the standards of excellence in the opinion and market research industry. The training is geared to the professional basis of market research and related business skills. Like most trade associations, it lobbies government on behalf of the industry. One of its valuable services is measuring the pulse of the...