Central European Business Review

3-3

Authors: Ondřej Machek

Editorial

26-47

Authors: David Riha, Timothy Heinze, Michael Stros

The purpose of this paper is to determine the intercultural and gender differences between American and Czech customers in relation to their perceptions of the verbal and nonverbal personality characteristics of a salesperson during the personal sales process. This research provides scholars and practitioners with an understanding of the cultural and gender-specific personal interaction factors that should be addressed when designing effective interpersonal sales approaches. The study utilized an experimental design approach. Personal selling scenarios were filmed and shown to respondents (university students acting as potential customers) who completed a survey regarding sales effectiveness. The resulting data was factor analyzed and a conceptual personal sales model was developed. The model suggests that salesperson authenticity and personal interaction factors impact sales success in both the U.S. and the Czech Republic. However, there are variations in the receptivity of potential U.S. and Czech customers to specific interpersonal communication factors. Gender-based variations were also identified. The study focused on automotive retail sales scenarios in the United States; however, the results can be generalized to similar markets.

61-75

Authors: Legenzova Renata, Otilija Jurakovaite, Agne Galinskaite

The paper is aimed to analyze and evaluate the dividend announcement impact on stock prices of companies listed on the NASDAQ OMX Baltic market during 2010–2015. The analysis was performed using the market model event study analysis and calculating AARs based on 3 strategies, which assume that investors buy shares 30 days prior to the dividend announcement and sell them either 1, 3 or 7 days after the dividend announcement. During the research period, dividends were paid by 40 out of 72 companies listed on the NASDAQ OMX Baltic. A total of 168 dividend announcements have been made and analyzed in this paper. The results of the research revealed that within the analyzed event windows, positive AARs exist; however, they are not statistically significant. Positive AARs obtained 3 or 7 days after the dividend announcement imply that stock prices do not drop shortly after the dividend announcement, which would indicate weak NASDAQ OMX Baltic market efficiency.