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In the past, there have been few studies that shed light on the process of how to maintain the right value proposition with retailers. This research aims to examine the factors that play a significant role in the process of keeping the right value proposition with retailers in the B2C sector through a firm-retailer dependency lens.

Longitudinal data was gathered from 700 retailers who deal with the products of two of India’s firms in the B2C sector. Three data sets were created, and an econometric model was fitted to each data set separately.

The findings revealed that the firm-centric and retailer-centric variables had positive impacts, whereas competitor-centric variables negatively impacted the value proposition. Furthermore, the intensity of the impact on the value proposition of all types of drivers varied from “quiet-quitting retailers” to “active retailers.”

This study’s findings should assist managers in framing a value-sharing strategy to maintain a “win-win” relationship with retailers.

Using real-world data and a panel regression model, this research extends the theory on the relationship between value proposition and its drivers in the B2C sector and, hence, enriches the literature on the interface between business process management, retailing, and marketing.

There has been a lot of research on how to set marketing budgets, but the overlooked aspect was how allocating funds influences business performance in a multi-goal context. This study aims to examine the relationship between business performance, the process of allocating funds to multiple goals and the interaction among the goals.

Ratio data were generated through “a constant sum scale” from a sample of 362 managers from the B2C sector, besides data on after-tax revenue for two years. The data file was created. Then, a factor analysis was performed on the data. Furthermore, an econometric model with interaction terms was fitted to the data.

The results show that allocating funds to multiple marketing goals – demand generation, customer experience, brand image, marketing competency and purchase intention – influences business performance. Furthermore, a goal’s impact on business performance is higher when coupled with other goals than in isolation.

The findings of the study should assist managers in increasing revenue while spending less on marketing and shifting funds from less efficient goals and pairs of goals to highly efficient ones.

By extending the relevant theory on the relationship between the process of marketing fund allocation, multiple goals and business performance, this study contributes to the literature on marketing.

Managers engage in marketing efforts to boost sales and in setting marketing budgets based on current or historical sales. Past studies have overlooked the reciprocal relationship between marketing spending and sales. This study aims to examine the nature of the relationship between sales and marketing expenses in the B2B market.

Five hypotheses on the relationship between sales and marketing expenditures were framed. A total of 30 of India’s dyeing firms provided data on revenues, sales (in units) and marketing expenditures over time. The structural vector auto-regressive model and the vector error correction model were fitted to the data.

The results show that marketing expenses and sales are related bidirectionally in a sequential way. Furthermore, sales drive the long-term equilibrium relationship to a greater extent than marketing expenditures.

The findings of this study should assist managers in predicting sales and marketing budgets simultaneously and devising precise marketing strategies and tactics.

Using econometric models in data-driven research is not a frequent practice in marketing. This study adds value to the body of marketing literature by advancing the theory of the relationship between sales and marketing spending using real-world data and econometric models in the B2B sector.

Managers use several touchpoints to provide a positive experience for customers in an experience economy. Past studies ignored how the touchpoints complement one another in creating synergy, even though this issue has tremendous managerial implications. This research paper aims to examine the role of a set of value-driven touchpoints' in providing and managing the customer experience.

Four hypotheses were formulated concerning the relationship between various value-driven touchpoints and the consumer experience. Data were collected from 360 respondents, and an econometric model was fitted to the data.

The results showed that touchpoints representing economical, functional, informational and convenient values impact the customer experience and complement one another.

The findings of this study should assist managers in framing a customer-facing strategy for providing a positive experience to customers.

Using primary data and an econometric model, this research extends the theory on the relationship between value-driven touchpoints and customer experience, hence, adding value to the existing corpus of marketing literature.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the relative contributions of individual marketing mix variables to sales as well as short‐term and long‐term effects of advertising in India.

Time‐series data on sales and marketing mix variables have been collected for two brands. Two double‐log regression modes have been fitted on data to estimate the relative contribution of each effort as well as to isolate the amount of sales due to advertising only. In addition, a log‐linear partial‐adjustment model has been fitted on adjusted sales and advertising data to estimate both short‐term and long‐term effects of advertising.

Results reveal that all the marketing mix variables have significant relative contributions to sales in both the cases. It is also found that advertising does have significant short‐term and long‐term effects on adjusted sales for both the brands.

Findings provide a deep insight in dynamic perspective of advertising that make them eminently suitable in the process of allocation of budget to achieve both the short‐term and long‐term goals of advertising.

This research made a notable contribution to the literature due to lack of quantitative modeling works on marketing data reported in the field of advertising in India.

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) has emerged as a promising area of study in the past decade. However, this area has received disproportionate attention for research around the world. This paper aims to determine the effectiveness of different components and total IMC on two brands in India.

Data on physical sales (200 ml bottles), advertising, sales force, promotion, distribution, and price in rupees (Indian currency) have been collected for two sample brands. A multiplicative regression model has been hypothesized and fitted on the data to estimate the elasticities of sales (in units) to individual components and total IMC.

Results suggest that all the individual components of IMC have significant unequal positive effects on physical sales for both the brands. Further, the effects of total IMC on sales are also positive and significant in both the cases.

This work could not incorporate the carry‐over effect of different components of IMC in the model in view of the small number of observations.

The findings can help managers in allocating their budget over different components of IMC, resulting in higher sales and higher returns on their investment.

This research has much significance and importance in view of lack of quantitative modeling works reported on marketing data in India.

The purpose of this paper is to see the role of advertising in the middle of sales-price relationship of two entrepreneur brands in India.

Quarterly data on sales (in units), advertising (net of inflation) and price (net of inflation) have been compiled for two entrepreneur brands over a period 2007-2012. First, elasticity of price is estimated by regressing sales on price. Next, the response of price elasticity to advertising is captured using a semi-logarithmic regression model.

Results reveal that price and sales are inversely related and advertising influences price elasticity negatively.

Findings suggest that entrepreneurs/managers should allocate more funds to advertising and at the same time should charge a higher price point in order to increase revenue.

By showing a new way of how to measure the effectiveness of advertising beyond traditional ones (inform, persuade or remind) of two entrepreneur brands this research definitely adds some value in the literature of marketing.

Budget allocation on individual marketing efforts is a complex issue for managers. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the elasticities of individual marketing efforts to allocate budget by taking into consideration two brands in India.

Historical data on physical sales and various marketing efforts (advertising, sales force, promotion, distribution and price) have been collected for two brands. Double‐log regression model has been fitted on data to estimate the elasticity of sales to each effort. Subsequently, the estimated elasticities have been used to allocate budget on the individual marketing efforts in question.

Various interesting results have been observed, such as the sales force claimed the highest amount of budget for both the brands. Further, managers of both the brands are under‐spending on all the efforts except for advertising in the case of second brand.

The findings will provide insight into allocation of budget on individual marketing efforts objectively instead of subjectively, which dominates in the field of marketing.

This research captures the real‐world situations (rather than small scale lab‐studies or theoretical modeling) and will definitely add some value in marketing literature.

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to test whether price and quality have any influence on customer repeat purchase probability. Managers should know the strategic determinants of repeat purchase probability to retain customers.

Primary data were gathered on repeat purchase, price and quality via a survey of 400 customers of two brands in the Business-to-customer (B2C) sector. Then 380 × 4 data points to a logit model were fitted to estimate the effects of price and quality on customer repeat purchase probability.

It was found that price, quality and price × quality influence customer repeat purchase probability substantially. Furthermore, the elasticities of repeat purchase probability to price and quality are quite high in both cases.

Managers should use elasticities to determine how to allocate funds between price and quality to maximize repeat purchase probability.

In view of the complexity of customer repeat buying behavior, this study deals with one aspect or feature of the total process, which does not mean that it has no value. By confirming two strategic determinants of customer repeat purchase probability and suggesting a simple rule of fund allocation, this work definitely adds some research of value to the relevant marketing literature.

The purpose of this paper is to look back at the first year of publication of the Journal of Indian Business Research (JIBR) and to provide details of the current issue.

It is time to look back at the first year of launch of the JIBR. After all, it is widely believed in the academic publishing world that the first year of a new journal is the most crucial one. This editorial gives details of the current issue, paper by paper.

Filling a much‐felt gap for a high‐quality publishing outlet on Indian business research, JIBR has attracted the attention of leading scholars in the discipline in the very first year of its existence. Renowned scholars such as Jagdish Sheth, Alok Chakrabarti, Raj Aggarwal, Madhukar Angur, G.K. Kalyanaram and Rajendra Sisodia have published their research and/or viewpoints/commentaries in JIBR in its very first year. This issue begins with “Corporate social responsibility communication in the Indian context” wherein Brigitte Planken, Subrat Sahu, and Catherine Nickerson report on research, which investigates the CSR platforms and the communication surrounding those platforms in India. In the second paper titled “Effectiveness of integrated marketing communications: empirical analysis of two brands in India,” Mehir Baidya and Bipasha Maity utilize quarterly, time‐series data over 2000‐2005 for two competing brands in packaged goods business to assess the impact of marketing communication on sales. Pramila Rao, in the third paper titled “A resource‐based analysis of recruitment and selection practices of Indian software companies: a case study approach” enhances our understanding on senior‐level staffing practices of Indian software companies. The next paper by Federica Collato is a case study titled “Is Bangalore the Silicon Valley of Asia? Analysis of the evolution and the structure of this Indian local economy organization.” The final paper of this issue is a viewpoint article on “Overcoming decision flaws from framing” by V.N. Bhattacharya.

The Editorial provides an overview of the inaugural volume of JIBR.