Developing and operationalizing a product/service classification system for health care providers.

A variety of classification systems have been presented since 1923. They have been directed toward classifying consumer goods, industrial goods, services, and ideas. The author assimilates several systems into a single system and describes two tools for operationalizing it. Examples and figures are presented and discussed.

Nurses as image emissaries: are role conflicts impinging on a potential asset for an internal marketing strategy?

This article addresses role conflict and image problems nurses have with role partners. If these problems were corrected, nurses could be valuable assets in a "team selling" effort to help hospitals build their images. This research integrates sales management concepts and cites literature alluding to sales management research on identical problems.

"Telemarketing" hospital services: benefits, pitfalls and the planning process.

"Telemarketing" is an innovative concept used by many firms to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of product delivery efforts. It can be used by hospitals to benefit both patients and physicians. Further, it can be a tool that, if used properly, can improve the image of the hospital and assist in positioning the organization uniquely among its competitors. This paper discusses the exploratory nature, potential problems, and benefits of telemarketing hospital services and offers pre- and post-implementation considerations. This paper also provides an outline of a sample marketing plan that could serve as an initial model for hospitals that might consider this unique marketing approach.

Psychographic analysis of nursing students: implications for the marketing and development of the nursing profession.

Understanding the nursing student's personality composition is a key to maintaining a high-quality recruiting campaign to replenish and expand the profession. Nursing schools should target their recruiting efforts toward the personality types that would be most successful in the profession.

Reward preferences of nurses: a marketing concept viewpoint.

A survey of 500 nurses in a midwestern urban area was conducted to determine their preferences for intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in their jobs. This study indicates that in light of the expectancy/valence principle of motivation, hospitals and other employers of nursing services that individualize reward offerings should be in a much better position to recruit, and retain, nurses.