Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 09:58:10 -0700 From: Michel Laroche Subject: CALL FOR PAPERS - Cultural perspectives on services marketing Royal Bank International Research Seminar: "Cultural perspectives on services marketing" The second meeting of the Royal Bank International Research Seminar will take place in beautiful Montreal at the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, September 26 and 27, 2003. The main topic of this seminar is to explore Cultural perspectives on services marketing. Dr. Charles Martin, editor of the Journal of Services Marketing has agreed to be a Guest Co-Chair. The main objective of the seminar is to bring together international researchers from different disciplines interested in advancing knowledge on the influence of culture and culture change in the marketing of services. The role of culture in the consumer decision-making process dealing with services is an area in need of new developments, theories and knowledge in light of the trends toward global markets and the rapid growth of existing and new services around the world. Papers are sought in the following key areas of services (the list is not exhaustive): * Advancing the theory and managerial implications of the influence of culture on services * Cross-cultural methodological issues in a service context * Development of invariant scales in services * Service expectations, service experience and delivery perceptions across cultures * Acculturation and ethnic identity influences on services * Service quality perceptions across cultures * Customer satisfaction toward services across cultures * Relationship marketing across cultures * Pricing issues in a multicultural environment in a service context * Communication and image of services in cross-cultural contexts * Salesforce issues in multicultural retail settings * Branding issues in cross-cultural settings * Cultural influences in accessing, interacting, experimenting and participating in a service * Matching service designs, processes and client participation in diverse cultural contexts * Service innovations, e-services and diffusion processes in different cultural contexts * Successes and/or failures in overcoming cultural resistance to superior service delivery * Organizational dynamics (intra-firm culture) of service innovation, design, processes and delivery Papers should be less than 20 pages in length and follow the guidelines of the Journal of Services Marketing. Four copies of full papers should be submitted, but electronic submissions are acceptable. All papers will be subject to a double blind peer review procedure. There will be a Best Paper Award and the four best papers of the Royal Bank International Research Seminar will be considered for publication in a Special dossier on Cultural perspectives in services marketing in the Journal of Services Marketing. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2003 Please send your submissions (or any inquiry) to: Dr. Michel Laroche, FRSC Royal Bank Distinguished Professor of Marketing John Molson School of Business Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve West Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 CANADA Tel: 514-848-2942, Fax: 514-848-4576 Email: laroche@jmsb.concordia.ca