As new technologies invite transparency, consumers push companies toward higher and higher customer service standards. Companies that do not understand yet that consumer trust is THE new competitive advantage have already fallen behind. Based on Extreme Trust: Honesty as a Competitive Advantage by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers (Portfolio, April 2012), La confiance numérique by Daniel Kaplan and Renaud Francou (FYP Editions, April 2012) and “Amazon.com’s three digital engines” by Stéphane Distinguin (faberNovel, 2011).

Gamification, or the use of game world mechanisms to enliven experiences normally considered dull, activates psychological drives to engage in activities that otherwise seem irrelevant or of little interest. A valuable ability for all managers who wish to increase the commitment of their teams, customers, partners, etc., Based on “Le management saisi par les jeux” by Kevin Werbach, Rajat Paharia and Daniel Debow, December 2011 (www.paristechreview.com), “Gamification is here to stay” by Gabe Zichermann, April 2011 (www.theatlantic.com) and other sources.

Ethical purchases are far less common than most surveys predict. What is behind this gap between intentions and reality? How can consumers' ethical values and their purchasing behaviors be reconciled? Based on “Values versus Value” by Timothy Devinney, Pat Auger and Giana M. Eckhardt (Strategy+Business, Spring 2011) and “Understand the Postrecession Consumer” de Paul Flatters and Michael Willmott (Harvard Business Review, Summer 2009).

How to measure the impact of marketing initiatives on business performance? Based on Value Above Cost, by Donald E. Sexton, Wharton, February 2009, and the interviews with Kamal Sen, regional director, business research and corporate planning, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (India), and Alfred Lin, COO and CFO, Zappos, October 2009.

How can you create company ownership among your clientele as wel as your employees, and why is this good for business? Based on The Ownership Quotient, by James L. Heskett, W. Earl Sasser, and Joe Wheeler, Harvard Business Press, December 2008, and the interviews with Petteri Kilpinen, CEO and chairman of the board, TBWA\Helsinki, and Jean-Marc Gottero, European head of strategy, planning, and development WW Channels, Cisco, October 2009.

As competitive conditions change over time, CVA®—especially perceived value—must be managed to maintain profit­ability. This means making appropriate marketing decisions such as design, branding, pricing, and communications through­out the competitive life cycle. Based on Value Above Cost: Driving Superior Financial Performance With CVA®, The Most Important Metric You’ve Never Used, by Donald E. Sexton, Wharton, February 2009, chapters 3 and 7.

How can companies ensure long-term growth at a time when consumers are spending less? Based on “How to Market in a Downturn,” by John A. Quelch and Katherine E. Jocz, Harvard Business Review, April 2009, and an interview with Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP. Focused based on “How to Market in a Downturn,” by John A. QUELCH and Katherine E. JOCZ, Harvard Business Review, April 2009, and an interview with Sir Martin SORRELL, CEO, WPP.

A general profile encompassing relationship marketing’s medium-term outlook, possibilities, and challenges. Based on the article by Audrey Bonnemaizon, Bernard Cova, and Marie-Claude Louyot-Gallicher, “Relationship Marketing in 2015: A Delphi Approach”, European Management Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1, February 2007, the interview with Frank Pedersen, director of marketing and communications, Jyske Bank (Denmark), and a case study on Intel.