Download Report

David H. Henard
Research Statement
Research Overview
My research examines managerial and corporate issues at the intersection of two key
topic areas: innovation and communication. While the bulk of my research centers on
issues related to the role of innovation and knowledge workers in a corporate R&D
environment, several recent research projects focus on the corporate communication
process and the manner with which firms communicate with mass and individual
markets. My goal is to investigate managerially relevant topics that have broader
academic implications.
Research Metrics
Google Scholar Citations: 3,400+
Publicity: Media impressions from numerous international sources
Research Foci
•
•
•
•
•
Marketing Communications
Innovation & Product Development
Knowledge Management
Corporate Reputation
Negative Information
Research Awards
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research Leadership Award
Research Growth & Innovation Award
Partner University Fund Grant
MSI Research Grant Award
Edwin Gill Research Grant
Procter & Gamble Dissertation Competition Winner
Procter & Gamble, Inc. Research Grant
Doctoral Student Research Excellence Award
AMA Best Paper Award
2
Journal Publication Abstracts
Freling, Traci H., Leslie H. Vincent, and David H. Henard (2014), “When Not to
Accentuate the Positive: Exploring Valence Effects in Attribute Framing,”
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 124 (2), 95-109.
While the expanding body of attribute framing literature provides keen insights into
individual judgments and evaluations, a lack of theoretical perspective inhibits scholars from
more fully extending research foci beyond a relatively straightforward examination of message
content. The current research applies construal level theory to attribute framing research. The
authors conduct a meta-analysis of 107 published articles and then conceptually expand this
knowledge base by synthesizing attribute framing research and construal level concepts. Results
suggest that attribute framing is most effective when there is congruence between the construal
level evoked in a frame and the evaluator’s psychological distance from the framed event. A
follow-up experiment confirms that the congruence between a frame’s construal level and
psychological distance—not simply its valence—appears to be driving attribute framing effects.
This research proposes to shift the focus in attribute framing research from that of message
composition to a more complex relationship between the message and the recipient.
Henard, David H. and Christian L. Rossetti (2014), “All You Need is Love?
Communication Insights From Pop Music’s #1 Hits,” Journal of Advertising
Research, 54 (2), 13-26.
In response to calls for further investigation on the role of music and advertising, the
authors of the current study analyzed popular music’s most successful songs over a 50-year
period (1960–2009). The current paper uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative
approaches to uncover communication themes from nearly 1,000 songs that best resonated with
mass audiences. The study identifies 12 communication themes and finds that they are used
repeatedly over time; are largely emotional in nature; appear congruent with contemporary
societal and environmental influences; and help predict a song’s chances of commercial success.
The results provide advertising professionals with a repertoire of themes for consideration in
advertising and other marketing communications for mass audiences.
Henard, David H. and M. Ann McFadyen (2012), “Resource Dedication and the
Impact on New Product Performance: A Resource-based View,” Journal of Product
Innovation Management, 29 (2), 1-12.
Corporate investments in new product development (NPD) initiatives are strategically
effective activities that are instrumental in contributing to new product performance. Given that a
fundamental nature of product development is the ability to exploit new product opportunities, the
authors investigate the firm-level impact that corporate investments in knowledge workers and
financial NPD resources have on new product performance. They track the resource dedication
and new product financial performance of 41 firms over a seven-year period. Our results provide
evidence that financial investments have a contemporaneous return on investment while
knowledge worker investments provide companies with both contemporaneous and carryover
returns. When formulating strategy and making NPD resource allocation decisions, managers
David H. Henard, Ph.D. 2015
3
must remain cognizant of the time-dependent nature of resource investments, the need for
persistent investment, and the resulting performance impact.
Freling, Traci H., Jody L. Crosno, and David H. Henard (2011), “Brand Personality
Appeal: Conceptualization and Empirical Validation,” Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 39 (3), 392-406.
A substantial literature stream indicates there are benefits to having a favorable brand
personality, such as enhanced brand attitudes and purchase intentions and higher levels of
consumer trust and loyalty. Contemporary advertisements and promotional activities by a host of
firms demonstrate a managerial belief in the value of establishing a brand personality that
mirrors that of branding scholars. Yet extant research has yet to fully evaluate the perceived
appeal of brand personality to consumers. This issue is important to managers because it is
precisely this level of appeal that influences target consumers’ purchase decisions and helps to
sustain the endurance of a brand’s perceived personality between promotional cycles. This
article conceptualizes, develops, and validates measures for assessing a consumer’s perception of
brand personality appeal (BPA). Three dimensions of BPA (favorability, originality, clarity)
emerge and are empirically demonstrated to directly and positively impact consumer purchase
intentions.
Henard, David H. and Peter A. Dacin (2010), “Reputation for Innovation: Its
Impact on Consumers,” Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27 (3), 321-35.
Just as firms compete for customers, they also vie for reputational status across their
relevant constituent groups. To many firms, a reputation as an innovative company is something
that is both prized and actively sought after. Despite an abundance of anecdotal evidence
pointing to several firms' active pursuit of an innovative reputation, there is little empirical
evidence to evaluate the soundness of this pursuit. On a general level, this research recognizes
that firms compete for competitive advantage via their tangible and intangible resources. Much of
the innovation literature centers on the tangible impact that new product development initiatives
have on outcomes of innovation. Yet research investigations of the less tangible facets of
innovation, such as a reputation, remain relatively uninvestigated despite their promise as a
source of sustainable competitive advantage. This study investigates the effects of a corporate
reputation for product innovation (RPI) and its impact on consumers. Consumer involvement
levels are proposed to mediate the relationship between RPI and consumer outcomes. Empirical
results indicate that a high consumer perceived RPI, via the involvement construct, leads to
excitement toward and heightened loyalty to the innovative firm. A more positive overall
corporate image and tolerance for occasional product failures are also positive outcomes noted
in the results. Contrary to expectations, a high perceived RPI does not lead to a consumer
propensity to pay price premiums.
David H. Henard, Ph.D. 2015
4
Henard, David H. and M. Ann McFadyen (2008), “Making Knowledge Workers
More Creative,” Research-Technology Management, March-April, 40-6.
The knowledge management process is increasingly seen as a key to organizational
creativity and innovation. The evolving global business environment necessitates that
organizations shift from a rigid, standardized competitive approach to a more flexible
mobilization of human resources located both inside and outside the company. This can be aided
by recognizing knowledge worker capabilities as a hierarchy from acquired knowledge to more
complex unique and creative knowledge. Competitive advantage can be gained by moving
individual and cumulative capabilities higher on this pyramid.
DelVecchio, Devon, David H. Henard, and Traci H. Freling (2006), “The Effect of
Sales Promotion on Post-Promotion Brand Preference: A Meta-analysis,” Journal of
Retailing, 82 (3), 203-13.
The benefit of sales promotions is that they induce choice. However, this benefit may be
offset by undermining preference for the brand when it is no longer promoted. Despite the fact
that sales promotions have long been employed in marketing practice and researched
academically, a clear understanding of the impact of sales promotion on post-promotion brand
preference continues to evade brand managers and marketing scholars alike. This manuscript
attempts to provide insight on the effects of sales promotions on brand preference by integrating
results from 51 studies on the subject. Our meta-analysis suggests that, on average, sales
promotions do not affect post-promotion brand preference. However, depending upon
characteristic of the sales promotion and the promoted product, promotions can either increase
or decrease preference for a brand. The empirical results provide insights for crafting promotion
strategy and for understanding the process by which promotions influence brand preference.
Henard, David H. and M. Ann McFadyen (2006), “R&D Knowledge is Power,”
Research-Technology Management, May-June, 41-7.
The phrase "knowledge is power" may be a cliché, yet in today's business environment it
is as true a statement as ever. In fact, knowledge is a unique company resource because its value
actually increases when it is shared. Viewing knowledge as a strategic corporate resource,
managers need to examine their own organizations to assess the degree of stored knowledge and
absorptive capacity necessary to accomplish what is required for sustainable competitive
advantage. A key question is whether or not the organizational structure is appropriate—from the
perspective of both breadth and depth of knowledge—to the mission at hand. Breadth is obtained
through employee diversity and connectedness depth through R&D experience as well as basic
research initiatives, partnerships, joint ventures, etc. Overall, knowledge, like other strategic
corporate resources, must be actively managed if it is to result in sustainable competitive
advantage.
David H. Henard, Ph.D. 2015
5
Henard, David H. and M. Ann McFadyen (2005), “The Complementary Roles of
Applied and Basic Research: A Knowledge-based Perspective,” Journal of Product
Innovation Management, 22 (6), 503-14.
While a great deal of scholastic effort has gone into discovering the multifaceted
relationships between applied research initiatives and subsequent performance, relatively
little empirical research addresses the performance impact from firm investments in basic
research initiatives. Even less addresses the interactive roles of both types of research. The
authors conceptualize and empirically evaluate the interactive relationship between applied
and basic research initiatives and firm performance. Applied and basic research projects
are knowledge creation activities in a product development domain, and both initiatives
enhance the stored knowledge of a firm. Stored knowledge is the fuel that drives the product
development engine. Applied research initiatives assimilate and exploit stored knowledge to
develop new products. Basic research initiatives contribute to and enhance the stock of
knowledge from which the applied initiatives are drawn. This expanded base of stored
knowledge has positive ramifications for subsequent applied research initiatives. Results
indicate that firms that engage in moderate or higher levels of applied research will see
enhanced performance returns from additional investments in basic research. Conversely,
firms that engage in relatively lower levels of applied research see no performance
enhancement at any level of investment in basic research. Firms that rely on a flow of
product innovations to provide a continued income stream must certainly invest in applied
research initiatives. However, additional investment in directed basic research initiatives
will augment future applied projects and could become the source of sustainable
competitive advantage.
Henard, David H. (2002), “Negative Publicity: What Companies Need to Know
About Public Reactions,” Public Relations Quarterly, 47 (4), 8-12.
Negative publicity creates a dilemma for two key constituencies - the targeted
company and the general public. The public must first decide how to interpret the negative
information and then now to respond to it while companies must decide if and how to
publicly respond to the publicity. While much has been written about the actions and
reactions of spokespeople in the aftermath of crises, there has been relatively little
investigation of how customers react to hearing negative information about a company. By
improving our understanding of how the public responds to negative publicity, companies
will be better equipped to both prepare for and respond to it. This article addresses two key
questions that are of interest to senior managers and company spokespeople: 1. Is negative
publicity an effective persuasion tool? 2. What are the rules for company response to
negative publicity?
David H. Henard, Ph.D. 2015
6
Dacin, Peter A., Tom Brown, et al. (2002), “Corporate Identity and Corporate
Associations: A Framework for Future Research,” Corporate Reputation Review, 5
(2/3), 254-63.
This paper captures the thoughts of an international consortium of researchers who
study marketing- related phenomena related to the managerial choices and actions involved
in organizational identity formation and communication, and the resulting interpretations
and reactions of individual, group and societal constituents. It presents a framework for
research and a listing of initial research priorities with the intent of encouraging all
readers, regardless of academic discipline, to contribute to this growing field of inquiry that
will have important implications for the study and practice of corporate branding.
Henard, David H. and David M. Szymanski (2001), “Why Some New Products Are
More Successful than Others,” Journal of Marketing Research, 38 (August), 362-75.
Product innovation is increasingly valued as a key component of the sustainable
success of a business’s operations. As a result, there has been a noticeable increase in the
number of studies directed at explicating the drivers of new product success. To help
managers and researchers synthesize this growing body of evidence, the authors conduct a
meta-analysis of the new product performance literature. Of the 24 predictors of new
product performance investigated, product advantage, market potential, meeting customer
needs, predevelopment task proficiencies, and dedicated resources, on average, have the
most significant impact on new product performance. The authors also find that the
predictor–performance relationships can vary by measurement factor (e.g., the use of multiitem scales, subjective versus objective measures of performance, senior versus project
management reporting, time elapsed since product introduction) or contextual factor (e.g.,
services versus goods, Asian versus North American markets, competition in hightechnology versus low-technology markets). They discuss the implications of these findings
and offer directions for further research.
Szymanski, David M. and David H. Henard (2001), "Customer Satisfaction: A
Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Evidence," Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, 29 (1), 16-35.
The growing number of academic studies on customer satisfaction and the mixed
findings they report complicate efforts among managers and academics to identify the
antecedents to, and outcomes of, businesses having more-versus less-satisfied customers.
These mixed findings and the growing emphasis by managers on having satisfied customers
point to the value of empirically synthesizing the evidence on customer satisfaction to assess
current knowledge. To this end, the authors conduct a meta-analysis of the reported findings
on customer satisfaction. They document that equity and disconfirmation are most strongly
related to customer satisfaction on average. They also find that measurement and method
factors that characterize the research often moderate relationship strength between
satisfaction and its antecedents and outcomes. The authors discuss the implications
surrounding these effects and offer several directions for future research.
David H. Henard, Ph.D. 2015