Decision system analysis of advertising agency decisions

Abstract

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 this paper is to report the use of decision system analysis (DSA) mapping the streams of communications (i.e. interactions), thoughts, actions and decisions involved for advertising agencies as executives in these firms gain client approval, and design creative, promotional and media strategies. Design/methodology/approach -This study uses DSA. This little-used technique requires protocol analysis, interviews and observation before transcription of the organizational decision processes into flow charts. Findings -The research first identifies four models, describing four specific decision types, then derives a general model from them. Executives from four agencies not in the original sample later confirms the models. The models generally confirm the existing knowledge base, with a few minor exceptions.Research limitations/implications -This qualitative technique suffers the common malady of the researchers losing objectivity because of their immersion in the case-companies. Wherever possible the research employs quantitative techniques to verify observational judgments. Practical implications -The "thick description" and the summary charts of the advertising agency decision processes have the potential to aid agency decision makers to better structure their decision processes. Originality/value -The findings themselves are of significance to those involved in the advertising industry, and there is an element of originality in the classification and the thick descriptions of advertising agency decision systems. The resurrection of DSA and the demonstration that the technique is viable and valuable is also a contribution of the study.

Achieving accuracy, generalization-to-contexts, and complexity in theories of business-to-business decision processes

“…Often, in the real world, the problem itself is not a "given," but, instead, searching for significant problems to which organizational attention should be turned becomes an important organizational task [HONE SENSEMAKING SKILLS]. (Cyert et al 1956, p. 237) Cyert et al (1956) is an insider's study in the B2B CSR literature-a well-spring reference for the reports that follow its publication (e.g., Mintzberg, Raisinghani, & Theoret, 1976;Vyas and Woodside 19984;Na, Marshall, & Woodside, 2009). Note that the fourth principle relates directly to Weick's (1979) …”

“…Hulbert, Farley, and Howard (1972) were the first to describe the theory and empirical steps of doing DSA in B2B contexts. Examples with elaborations of the method in B2B contexts include the following studies: Capon and Hulbert (1975), Howard, Hulbert, and Farley (1975), Hulbert (1981, Johnston and Bonoma (1981), Na, Marshall, and Woodside (2009), and Vyas and Woodside (1984). Woodside's (2003) study.…”

At the intersection of interests: evolving creative processes and new agency-media dynamics

“…The model can also offers several insights into stakeholder relationships. Most previous studies suggested that client engagement in the process was limited to their involvement in strategy creation and final work approval (Na, Marshall, and Woodside 2009). The shift that can be observed and is described in the research, presents the evolving relationship between agency and client, showing that some agencies allow the client to validate ideas during the earlier stages of the process (Turnbull and Wheeler 2017).…”

Guest Editorial: Cognitive mapping of strategy in marketing

“…The analysis can get extremely complex if too many individuals' thought processes are included. As in a related method, Decision System Analysis, that seeks to map managerial action processes, multiple decision patterns can be collapsed and combined to either allow comparison between specific situations or groups, or to simplify the overall pattern to make sense of the major parameters of a group decision (Na, Marshall, & Woodside, 2009). This simplification process carries with it the all the concomitant risks of concealing individual differences and of yielding to observer bias; but the risks can be minimized through proper triangulation of any categorization process.…”