Top Dog Research Articles

Interaction of the underdog with equality and scarcity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating roles of equality and scarcity on the impact of underdog brand positioning on consumer purchase intentions. Beyond testing the relationship between underdog brand positioning and purchase intentions (Study 1), the study examines how the equality perception affects consumer choices on underdog brands (Study 2) and how the reasons for product scarcity influence purchase intentions of consumers with prosocial orientations (Study 3). Design/methodology/approach A research model is developed, depicting the impact of underdog brand positioning on purchase intentions via social value orientations and scarcity types. The conceptual model is validated using moderation process modeling and data for which are collected through sets of structured questionnaires analyzed through PROCESS modeling in SPSS. Findings The findings support that compared with top dog brand positioning, underdog brand positioning has a greater impact on consumers’ purchase intentions, and consumers with prosocial orientations generate greater purchase intentions than consumers with proself orientations. In addition, the demand-caused product scarcity also moderates the relationship between underdog brand biography and purchase intentions. Originality/value The study contributes to the ongoing research on brand positioning by examining the associations between equality perception and purchase intentions in the context of underdog brand biography. The study also shows the value of demand-caused scarcity as a moderator of the underdog brand–purchase intention linkage.

Do dholes kill tigers?

Do dholes kill tigers?

Revised definition/outline of the Kheis Terrane along the western margin of the Kaapvaal Craton and lithostratigraphy of the newly proposed Keis Supergroup

AbstractThe Kheis Province is situated between the Namaqua-Natal Province and the western margin of the Kaapvaal Craton in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It has been described as a thin-skinned fold and thrust belt formed between 1800 and 1700 Ma. The lithostratigraphic subdivision of the rock units comprising the Kheis Province has been a source of much controversy. From detailed study of aerial photography and satellite imagery, as well as field-based studies, the outcrop patterns in the Kheis Province and Kaaien Terrane were reinterpreted and a new stratigraphic subdivision is outlined here. It is proposed that the structural Kaaien Terrane and Kheis Province should be combined into the Kheis Terrane and that the rocks occurring in the Kheis Terrane should be grouped together to form the new Keis supergroup, with the basal metaconglomerate of the Mapedi/Gamagara Formation recognised as the regional unconformity between the Keis supergroup and the underlying rocks of the Transvaal Supergroup in the Griqualand West area. The Keis supergroup is subdivided from the base upwards into the Elim-, Olifantshoek-, Groblershoop- and Wilgenhoutsdrif groups. The basal Elim group is composed of the Mapedi/Gamagara- and Lucknow formations. It is overlain with a regional erosional unconformity by the Olifantshoek group, which is made up of the Neylan-, Hartley-, Volop- and Top Dog formations. The Olifantshoek group is conformably overlain by the Groblershoop group which is comprised of three upward coarsening successions:the Faanshoek- and Faansgeluk formations,the Maraisdraai- and Vuilnek formations andthe Opwag- and Skurweberg formations.The Groblershoop group is in turn erosively overlain by the rocks of the Wilgenhoutsdrif Group, which include the basal erosive Groot Drink formation which is overlain by the Zonderhuis- and Leerkrans formations. The lithologies of the Keis supergroup are in faulted contact with the rocks of the younger Areachap Group of the ~1200 Ma Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province.

Internationalization of Brand Biography: Firm Characteristics as Moderators

Purpose – Underdog positioning is often used to evoke a positive attitude when interacting with consumers. However, little research has been conducted on the market competition structure and innovation contexts in which underdog positioning produces the most impact. This research aims to investigate unexplored boundary conditions of underdog positioning and addresses two issues: market structures (oligopoly vs monopolistic competition) and perceived firm innovativeness (PFI). Design/methodology – Two one-way ANOVA designs (market structures: monopolistic competitions vs. oligopoly; perceived frim innovativeness: strong vs. weak) were randomly assigned to 297 graduate and undergraduate students (52 % female) majoring in business. Study 1 examined the effect of underdog positioning on consumer attitudes in the different market structures. Study 2 investigated the relationship between underdog effect and consumer attitudes through viewing conditions that varied in PFI. Findings – Drawing on the results of the study, the authors conclude that underdog positioning is effective to generate more positive consumer attitudes when employed in the market structure of monopolistic competition rather than oligopoly. Moreover, both underdog and top dog positioning are likely to generate more positive consumer attitudes when accompanied with strong PFI than weak PFI. Originality/value –This is the first study to distinguish between monopolistic competition and oligopoly market structures with underdog positioning as well as to demonstrate a positive effect of PFI, regardless of the type of brand narratives.

The impact of affective orientation on bank preference as moderated by cognitive load and brand story style

PurposeThe competition among banks in Taiwan is fierce. The financial services offered by banks are highly similar and banks attempt to devise a variety of marketing campaigns to gain brand preferences of bank clients. However, little research regarding bank marketing has applied the segmentation strategy to precisely target bank clients. The purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating roles of cognitive load and brand story style in the impact of bank clients’ affective orientation on brand preference of bank clients.Design/methodology/approachA total of 216 participants who have bank accounts in Taiwan were randomly assigned to a 2 (brand story style: underdog vs top dog) × 2 (cognitive load: low vs high) factorial design. An ANOVA was conducted to examine the interaction effects of affective orientation, cognitive load and brand story style on the brand preference of bank clients. Affective orientation of participants was measured by Affective Orientation Scale.FindingsResults demonstrate that for bank clients with low and high affective orientation, advertisements characterized by cognitive load (low vs high) and brand story style (underdog vs top dog) will elicit differential brand preferences of bank clients.Originality/valueThis is the first research to examine the moderating effects of bank clients’ affective orientation, cognitive load and brand story style on brand preferences of bank clients. Specifically, this research takes up the call to apply bank clients’ personality traits to examine the impact of bank marketing on brand preferences of banks.

The impact of envy on brand preference: brand storytelling and psychological distance as moderators

PurposeWhile envy has been widely explored in psychology literature, theoretical understanding of the effects of envy on consumers’ emotional responses to brands is promising but under explored. Therefore, this study aims to apply cases of envy and psychological distance to consumers to examine whether the style of brand storytelling can moderate brand preference.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Experiment 1 investigated the effect of envy on consumer evaluations of an advocated brand, through viewing a series of advertisements that varied in brand storytelling styles. A total of 104 working students were randomly assigned to a 2 (brand storytelling: underdog vs top dog) single factorial design. Experiment 2 investigates the effect of envy on consumer evaluations of the advocated brand through viewing advertisements that varied in psychological distance. A total of 108 working students were randomly assigned to a 2 (psychological distance: proximal vs distant) single factorial design. Experiment 3 investigated the effect of envy on evaluations of the brand through viewing advertisements that varied in brand storytelling style and psychological distance. A total of 208 working students were randomly assigned to a 2 (underdog vs top dog) × 2 (proximal vs distant psychological distance) between-subject factorial design.FindingsResults demonstrate that for consumers experiencing benign and malicious envy, advertisements characterized by brand storytelling (underdog vs top dog) and psychological distance (proximal vs distant) will elicit differential brand preferences.Originality/valueThis research takes up the call to address the limited attention given to envy in the context of brand advertising. Specifically, this research aims to explore how consumer envy influences brand preference and the role of moderating effects such as brand storytelling and psychological distance in this context.

Community Consensus: Here’s to the “Typical” Member

President's column Not everyone can be the top dog, and I should know. I have spent a lot of my career in the middle of the pack. Some of my professors, who must be suffering from amnesia, gave glowing remarks about me as a student. Not true—I was average. I scrambled to get assignments done, scrambled to study for exams (and pass them). It seemed to me that I worked very hard for every little inroad that I gained. I graduated at one of the worst times in the history of our industry, 1986, and was one of the 37 members of my class of 38 who did not get a job. Throughout my career, I had bad luck as often as good luck. The good times were sweet, but the bad times were typical. The one thing that let me to excel in my career was my SPE involvement, and it made the difference between drudgery and enjoyment. Basically, I was a grinder (allow me to use an ice hockey term). An average middle or back-of-the-pack guy who enjoyed life but ground away during most of my career. What a glorious, normal place to be! Now for the good news: SPE is incredibly proficient at disseminating technical information and our very purpose is to make all members the best they can be, even the “average grinder.” At SPE, those members in the middle of the pack are really important, influential, and a well-regarded part of society. I love the stories of the hard worker beating the odds. My SPE career is full of them, and as I travel as SPE President, I am so proud to lift these people up by acknowledging their great work. No member is average—they are all superstars. People such as Howard Duhon, who has been likened to “the smartest man who ever lived.” But, if you asked Howard, he would say he is just a good ole boy from Louisiana. People such as the PetroBowl team from the University of Benin who, despite losing their team captain and other players to visa issues, traveled the world to attend ATCE in San Antonio. With only two players, this team made it to the championship final, taking second place. People such as Andrea Payer-Moser from the Vienna Basin Section who turned a routine presidential visit into a tremendous motivational experience for people in two countries. Twice.

The underdog advantage in creativity

Underdogs are expected to lose. Yet, many underdogs—from the Biblical David to today’s Harry Potter—emerge victorious. What do underdogs who win against seemingly impossible odds have in common? One answer may be creativity: they find creative ways to reach their goals. To determine how creativity figures into the success of underdogs, we randomly assigned participants in this study to either of two groups: one that reads a story about an underdog and one that reads a story about a top dog. After reading their respective stories, the participants completed the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. As we predicted, participants who had read about an underdog had higher creativity scores and produced a wider range of ideas than those who had read about a top dog. Those results suggested that their contemplation of successful underdogs had stimulated the participants’ creativity. The implication is that the underdog experience may itself predispose individuals to finding creative solutions.

Underdog effects: the role of consumption domain and retail crowding

PurposeWhen communicating with consumers, firms frequently highlight their underdog status to evoke a favorable attitude. Previous research has confirmed consumer preference for underdogs over top dogs in various domains. However, very little research has been conducted on the business types and decision contexts in which underdog effects produce the most impact. This paper aims to investigate some of the unexplored boundary conditions of underdog effects and addresses two issues: consumption domain and retail crowding.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments with a 2 (biography: underdog or top dog) × 2 (consumption domain: hedonic or utilitarian) × 2 (retail crowding: adequately crowded or uncrowded) factorial between-subjects design were conducted to test hypotheses. The two experiments differ in the consumption domains and the approaches used to depict crowding conditions. Furthermore, the first experiment targeted college students and the second experiment targeted online consumer panels across various age groups.FindingsUnderdog effects were more easily evoked when the consumption domain was more hedonic than utilitarian. In addition, retail crowding was an informational cue for judging acceptance of underdog businesses and enhanced the evaluation when the retail environment was adequately crowded rather than uncrowded. This role of crowding was also evident for top-dog businesses when consumers perceived high risk in the businesses.Originality/valueThis is the first study to distinguish between hedonic and utilitarian consumption domains with underdog effects and to demonstrate a positive effect of crowding as an informational cue, indicating acceptance by other consumers.

Support for the underdog brand biography: Effects on consumer attitude and behavior

Conflict between favorites and underdogs is an everyday phenomenon. Research suggests that people support the underdog as they see a reflection of their own self in the person at a disadvantaged position. Two studies examine the effect of underdog brand biography in two different contexts. Study 1 provides support for the notion that underdog brand biographies for established brands elicit stronger consumer response than underdog brand biography for new brands. In study 2, a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design measured respondents’ reaction toward an underdog brand biography over a top dog brand biography under conditions of public versus private consumption. Results demonstrate that consumers exposed to underdog brand biographies in the private consumption condition will be more likely to respond favorably than when they are exposed to the public consumption condition. Based on the results it is suggested that advertisers make use of underdog brand biographies in case of established brands. Furthermore, choice of underdog brand narratives is likely to bring positive results under conditions of private consumption.

Motivational bases for consumers’ underdog affection in commerce

PurposeThe understanding of the motives for consumers’ support of business underdogs is generally limited. The purpose of this paper is to help address this important research topic by conceptualizing underdog affection as a theoretical construct capturing the emotional attachment held by some consumers toward underdog business entities and advances two perspectives (self- and other-oriented) to unravel its motivational underpinnings.Design/methodology/approachTo test the conceptual model, a survey study was conducted involving 365 respondents drawn from an electronic alumni association list from a medium-sized Midwestern university in the USA. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses were used to validate the scales, and the structural equations modeling method was used to test the hypothesized effects.FindingsThe data support most of the hypotheses (eight out of nine). Under the self-oriented perspective, commerce underdog affection is positively influenced by underdog orientation, need for uniqueness, nostalgia proneness, and hope, and is negatively impacted by their materialism level. Only hope did not impact consumer underdog affection. Under the other-oriented perspective, balance maintenance, top dog antipathy, and empathic concern positively influence underdog affection. The other-oriented factors, especially top dog antipathy and balance maintenance, show stronger effects on commerce underdog affection than self-oriented factors.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was geographically restrictive in the sense that it measured only one group of respondents in the USA. The conceptual model is limited in terms of its coverage of the consequences of underdog affection. While discriminant validity is established in the scale development phase of the study, relatively close relationships do exist among some of these theoretical constructs.Practical implicationsGiven the significant evidence linking consumers’ underdog affection to underdog support in commerce, small locally owned businesses could use underdog positioning advertising to differentiate themselves against national retailers. Due to their tendency to display higher underdog affection in commerce, people with higher levels of balance maintenance, top dog antipathy, underdog orientation, emphatic concern, and nostalgia proneness, and lower levels of materialism can be segmented for marketing purposes.Social implicationsThis research indicates that there are ways in which small business entities and non-profits alike can operate in a business setting that is increasingly more competitive and challenging for underdog entities.Originality/valueThis study integrates the various underdog studies across contexts to examine motives to underdog affection, a construct not yet operationalized in business studies. In addition, hypotheses linking eight specific antecedents to commerce underdog affection, via two theoretical perspectives, are empirically examined to assess relative as well as absolute effects.

Roy De Forest Papers

Previous articleNext article FreeAcquisitionsRoy De Forest PapersLiza KirwinLiza Kirwin Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreThe papers of Roy De Forest (1930–2007), donated by Gloria Marchant, the artist’s wife of thirty-two years, include a family tree compiled in the late 1970s. A three-by-nineteen-foot blueprint, it is perhaps the largest document in the Archives. The chart begins in France and England, with the De Forests settling in Nebraska in the late nineteenth century. An individual of pioneer spirit, Roy was born in North Platte, Nebraska, once home to William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Under Roy’s name, the family genealogist proudly recorded his occupation as “one of the top 10 best artists of the US.” Spanning the late 1940s to 2007, the collection of letters, writings, photographs, video recordings, sketches, inventories, and financial records that form Marchant’s gift to the Archives gives weight to this claim.While critics across the US praised De Forest’s unique vision, they often struggled to define his eccentric world of cowboys and Indians, anthropomorphic animals, and sly art-historical references. Not quite adhering to California Funk, De Forest preferred the term “Nut” art for his work. His papers include his 1972 “Nut Art Manifesto” and an outline of his famous dog lecture, which used dog tails to represent art movements through the ages (fig. 1). The latter document speaks to the fact that dogs were ever-present in the artist’s life. Snapshots in his papers reveal a canine chronology, from King in the 1960s (see Table of Contents) to Cato, De Forest’s last dog (fig. 2). These beloved animals are shown lounging in the studio, napping with the artist, and leading him on outdoor adventures. They also figure in his work, often as wide-eyed spirit guides to imaginary worlds.fig. 1. Page from Roy De Forest “Dog Lecture.” Roy De Forest Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.fig. 2. Roy De Forest working on A Country Life (2005) in his Port Costa, California, studio with his dog Cato, 2005. Roy De Forest Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.The papers will be useful to anyone investigating the social and aesthetic circle around the University of California, Davis, where De Forest taught from 1965 to 1992, and particularly his close friendships with students John Buck and Deborah Butterfield, colleagues Robert Arneson and William T. Wiley, and artist neighbors Betty and Clayton Bailey. De Forest taught a recurring course on art materials, and his financial records document his love of art supplies and invention. Studio receipts chronicle purchases of airbrushes and assorted nozzles, luster pigment, impasto gel, oil pastels, metallic crayons, linen, and lumber for frames. From taxidermy suppliers he ordered modeling compound and glass eyes in yellow, red, hazel, light brown, straw, and blue. He favored Golden and Rembrandt acrylics, but would also mix his own water-based paints, adding polyvinyl acetate for extra stickiness. As De Forest noted in his 2004 interview for the Archives, “It’s a wonderful adhesive, so you can stick all kinds of junk in there: gravel, fillers of various kinds, and create all kinds of textures.”Hundreds of condolence letters sent to Marchant after De Forest’s death in 2007 show a groundswell of regard for the artist. Wiley wrote: “A good father, husband, teacher, artist, friend, who will be greatly missed and remembered … Roy doggedly pursued his vision and never sent a Cocker Spaniel if a Terrier was called for, and near as I can tell never barked up the wrong tree.” His papers will allow a new generation of visitors to the Archives to experience his legacy as a top dog in American art. Notes Liza Kirwin is the deputy director of the Archives of American Art. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Archives of American Art Journal Volume 56, Number 1Spring 2017 Sponsored by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/692639 Views: 272Total views on this site © 2017 by The Smithsonian Institution. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Do Top Dogs Rule in Middle School? Evidence on Bullying, Safety, and Belonging

Recent research finds that grade span affects academic achievement but only speculates about the mechanisms. In this study, we examine one commonly cited mechanism, the top dog/bottom dog phenomenon, which states that students at the top of a grade span (“top dogs”) have better experiences than those at the bottom (“bottom dogs”). Using an instrumental variables strategy introduced in Rockoff and Lockwood (2010) and a longitudinal data set containing student survey data for New York City public middle school students, we estimate the impact of top dog and bottom dog status on bullying, safety, belonging, and academic achievement. This article provides the first credibly causal evidence that top dog status improves the learning environment and academic achievement. We further find that the top dog effect is strongest in sixth grade and in schools with longer grade spans and that the top dog effect is not explained by new students to a school or student height.

A top dog tale with preference complementarities

The emergence of a winner-take-all (top dog) outcome is generally due to political or institutional constraints or to specific technological features which favour the performance of just one individual. In this paper we provide a different explanation for the occurrence of a top-dog equilibrium in exchange economies. We show that once heterogeneous complementarities (i.e. Scarf’s preferences) are analysed with general endowment distributions, a variety of equilibria different from the well-known symmetric outcome with full utilisation of resources can emerge. Specifically, we show that stable corner equilibria with a winner-take-all (top dog) individual arise that are Pareto optima although the remaining individuals are no better off than with zero consumption and resources can be unused. Because of heterogenous complementarities, market mechanisms are weak and cannot overcome the top dog’s power. Voting mechanisms or taxation policies can reduce the top dog’s privileged position.

Towards the evolution of things

Evolutionary Computing has received major exposure this year. Nature, the top dog of scientific journals, devoted a full-length review article to this field [1]. Evolutionary algorithms have been around for about three decades, without obtaining such high profile coverage, so what changed?

Narcissism, the 'Bermuda Triangle' and the Splitting of the Ego in the Process of Defence

One, the child 'introjects' (internalizes) the hot-tempered, righteous-narcissistic parent (the rejecting superego, objectego, or top dog ego depending on your choice of labels), and in addition, a second child undergo or alter-ego 'splits off' from the 'pleasing and/or appeasing undergo'.... and, in effect, becomes the 'righteous-narcissistic undergo' ready to do battle with the rejecting top dog ego.

Rooting for the top dog: How social dominance motives shape group preference in intergroup competition

Moving beyond prior research establishing people's preference for underdogs, we examined the role of social dominance orientation (SDO) in shaping individuals' preference for underdogs versus top dogs in intergroup competitions. Because a victorious underdog can be seen as a threat to hierarchy, we predicted that SDO would be negatively associated with underdog support. In the context of two real-world group competitions—i.e., the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games—we found that SDO was positively associated with a greater preference for top dogs rather than underdogs (Studies 1–3). This SDO effect on group preference was mediated by beliefs about international sports competitions as opportunities for hierarchy maintenance versus equality promotion (Study 2). Furthermore, SDO and top dog preference were positively associated regardless of the hierarchy domain—i.e., countries' economic power versus athletic achievement (Study 3). We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for intergroup research.

Technology Moving Beyond Any Boundaries

The smartphone business has long been regarded as the overall growth market. The young market has concord in record speed the entire world and is an integral part of today's society. There are also companies behind the scenes who have more to offer. A good example is Qualcomm. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is the second-largest chipmaker after Intel. In the field of online retail Amazon you can now hardly thought away. The company is the undisputed top dog. That could change in the future. In the house apparently Google is planning even strengthened to go into the online shopping business. Only few stocks attract investors into its spell - just because of the name. At Apple, it is so for years - but the US cult company has provided extremely good record data. On Facebook there is similar. The two technology giants have discovered the self-propelled car as a growth area independently. Already in 2020 an annual turnover of over 100 billion Euros is to be achieved in this area. Google and Apple want to save each a large piece of the pie.

Effects of underdog (vs. top dog) positioning advertising

The study investigates individual differences in attitudes towards brands being positioned as underdogs in advertising from an emotional perspective. We argue that the personality trait of empathic concern moderates the underdog effect on brand attitude and that the moderating effect is mediated by empathic response to the advertisement. We conducted three experiments with ads using top-dog and underdog appeals. Those who have stronger empathic concern showed more favourable attitudes towards the brand advertised through underdog positioning, and the effect of empathic concern was mediated by the empathic response to the underdog positioning advertisement. For managers, targeting consumers who have high levels of empathic concern could result in more favourable attitudes towards underdog businesses when using underdog appeals.

The future of storage

When it comes to computer storage, the magnetic disk has been top dog for almost half a century. The first commercial disks appeared in 1956, and by the early 1970s their cost and capacity had improved to the point where they began to replace magnetic tape as the primary storage medium for computers. By the end of that decade, tapes had been relegated mostly to a backup role. Since then, disk technology has improved at an exponential rate, just like integrated circuits. Nowadays, a typical drive holds 20,000 times as much data as it did in 1985, and on a perbyte basis, disks cost one-millionth of what they did then.