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Timo Becker
Peter Schneckenleitner
Wolfgang Reitberger
Alexandra Brunner-Sperdin Editors

Conference Proceedings
Trends in Business
Communication 2016
Conference Proceedings Trends in
­Business Communication 2016
Timo Becker · Peter Schneckenleitner
Wolfgang Reitberger
Alexandra Brunner-Sperdin
(Eds.)

Conference Proceedings
Trends in Business
Communication 2016
Editors
Prof. Dr. Timo Becker Wolfgang Reitberger
Freiburg, Germany Kufstein, Austria

Peter Schneckenleitner Alexandra Brunner-Sperdin


Kufstein, Austria Kufstein, Austria

ISBN 978-3-658-17253-4 ISBN 978-3-658-17254-1 (eBook)


DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-17254-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017931353

Springer Gabler
© Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2017
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission
or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or
dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt
from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the
authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained
herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Printed on acid-free paper

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The registered company is Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH
The registered company address is: Abraham-Lincoln-Str. 46, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany
Foreword

The communication landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Former


omnipotent media channels like newspapers or traditional functions of journalism
as gate keepers are losing influence and potency.
Today new, fast, digital, and easy to use communication channels are up and
coming and the field of communication is not an exclusive segment anymore. It
has never been so easy for anyone to publish, consume, store, or distribute
information. Each of us can be journalist, author, or communication manager by
posting public content on Facebook or Youtube and thus each of us can directly
effect the reputation and image of a product, person, company, or association.
A consequence of this development is communication structures from organi-
sations have to be adopted continuously. We are talking about new developments
and constantly changing situations and requirements. We are talking about trends
- trends in communication. The change of communication is still in a state of flux
and that’s why it is worth observing, studying, and analysing these trends. One of
the results of these efforts is this present proceedings.
In 2013 the University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein, Tyrol started with a small
event about communication which developed into an international symposium
within a few years. Our latest symposium “Trends in Business Communication”
took place at the University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein, Tyrol in March 2016.
The presentations perfectly reflected the dynamic environment and the wide range
of different fields in business communication. Within two days scholars, experts
and communication managers presented and discussed their findings and expertise
in business communication and we are pleased to present this documentation to
you. The symposium also combined the expertise of our both study programs
“Marketing and Communication Management” and “Digital Marketing”. Our
Digital Marketing master students were additionally invited to contribute abstracts
of their master thesis - shown in part B of these proceedings.
From different submissions the editors selected the most relevant and most
interesting topics. The authors of the published papers and abstracts are respon-
sible by themselves for the quality of their works.
This documentation became much more than a mnemonic of a successful event
and thus we are proud to present this book to you.

The Editors
Table of Contents

Foreword ...............................................................................................................V

Part A: Scientific Papers .................................................................................... 1

1 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services Marketing and Brand


Communication Towards Security Authorities .............................................. 3
Bourdache K., Aro M.
2 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against Black Market Sales of
Football Tickets – Empirical Evidence from Germany ............................... 11
Hahn A., Breuer M., Kaiser-Jovy S.
3 Trends in Corporate Communication Based on the Example of Medium-
Sized World Market Leaders from Austria .................................................. 21
Jungwirth G.
4 Effective Resource Allocation in PR and IR – Linking the Output and
Impact of Corporate Communications ......................................................... 33
Kovarova-Simecek M.
5 Reporting to Machines – Reporting Trends and XBRL Diffusion
Among Austrian Listed Companies ............................................................. 49
Kovarova-Simecek M., Pellegrini T.
6 How Politicians in Austria Obtain Information and Its Consequences for
Corporate Communications Activities ......................................................... 67
Schneckenleitner P.
7 Structures and Professionalization of Public Relations in National Sports
Governing Bodies – a Comparison Between Austria and Germany ........... 79
Wojciechowski T.
8 The Moving Network – a New Platform for Refugees and Their
Communicational and Educational Issues ................................................... 91
Wolfram G., Sandrini M., Prado M. F.
VIII Table of Contents

Part B: Master Thesis Abstracts ..................................................................... 99

9 Factors of the Successful Implementation of a Crowdfunding Campaign 101


Amann C.
10 How Much Digitalization Can a Human Tolerate?.................................... 107
Fritz L.
11 Customer Reviews: The Importance of Personal Factors That
Influence the Consumer Reaction Within Webshops ................................ 115
Gahbauer M.
12 The Impact of Web Design on Brand Perception ...................................... 125
Griessner B.
13 Fascination Neon Signs .............................................................................. 133
Haslwanter C.
14 Intercultural Online Communication of International Companies in
High-Context and Low-Context Cultures ................................................. 141
Kniewasser C.
15 Massive Open Online Courses and Big Data: A Metamorphosis of
the Academic World? ................................................................................. 149
Koch M.
16 Consumer Ethnocentrism in the Online Purchasing Process ..................... 157
Kübel-Bertsch J.
17 The Influence of Apps on the Media Usage Behaviour of Recipients
by the Example of “Die Tagespresse” ...................................................... 165
Leitner A.
18 Morally Questionable, Opportunistic Product Returns .............................. 171
Lochner J. K.
19 Success Factors in Digital Communication of Crowdfunding
Projects of Social Entrepreneurs in German Speaking Countries ............. 179
Stephan V.
20 Marketing Aspects in the Game Design Process of Free-To-Play
Mobile Games ............................................................................................ 189
Winter F.
Part A:
Scientific Papers
1 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services
Marketing and Brand Communication Towards
Security Authorities
Kaci Bourdache1, Mari Aro2

Abstract: Governmental entities such as law enforcement agencies and


emergency services are a tough market. The operational confidentiality prevents
the manufacturers to get first-hand feedback from the end-users. To gain an
audience to explain the functionalities and operational requirements might also
face challenges since the people using the equipment and the people deciding on
the investment are different. Also, as the public sector’s tight budgets and
necessity to tender all investments is a factor, the end user’s need in the develop-
ment phase help to direct the product development in the necessary direction to
meet the demand. This paper discusses the unique opportunities of working in a
multi-disciplinary international project that aims to market new services and
technical solutions for authorities all over Europe using live demonstrations as
marketing and communication platforms.

1.1 Introduction
Marketing new or improved technology is not always easy. Competition is high,
and the variety of solutions may be overwhelming to the potential customer. Also,
technology develops rapidly so that the customer might not be aware of the
differences of the products on the market, and the smaller or new companies might
have a hard time in gaining the attention of customers. An additional challenge
with many technological solutions is that the developed solutions might not
respond to the needs of the end user, as they rarely are involved in the development
process. This results into the technology having some unnecessary features while
at the same time lacking some necessities. In this paper, we discuss some of the
challenges that have occurred as well as added value that is present in a live
demonstration marketing environment.
One opportunity for marketing ones technological solutions is to take part in
Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) projects funded by different
instruments. One example is the AIRBEAM project. AIRBEAM stands for
Airborne Information for Emergency situation Awareness and Monitoring, which
1
Laurea University of Applied Sciences/Finland, kaci.bourdache@laurea.fi
2
Laurea University of Applied Sciences/Finland, mari.aro@laurea.fi

© Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2017


T. Becker et al. (Hrsg.), Conference Proceedings Trends in
Business Communication 2016, DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-17254-1_1
4 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services Marketing …

had the goal to propose a situation awareness toolbox for the management of crisis
over wide area, taking benefit of an optimised set of aerial unmanned platforms.
The purposes of the project are to demonstrate the availability of unmanned
airborne solutions for law enforcement and emergency services; and to convince
regulatory stakeholders such as European Union and national legislatures of the
maturity of the fast growing civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
market and the urgency to deliver a regulatory framework for RPAS insertion
(AIRBEAM, 2011).
The project had 21 partners from 12 EU countries, including representatives from
the academia, industry, and end users. During the project the partners worked
together to develop solutions that complied with the legislation, were technically
state-of-the-art and responded to the end user’s needs and standards. This four-
year (2012-2015) EU project culminated in two live demonstrations – one
emergency-related in Belgium 20.6.2015, and one law enforcement-related in
Portugal 8.10.2015.

1.2 The Live Demonstrations Explained


In the Belgium scenario, a major hurricane hits the area near Antwerp, leading to
1000+ internally displaced persons in Dessel; serious structural damage reported
in Retie; a fire reported in a natural resort; and a chemical incident in an industrial
building. For these, a wide variety of RPAS was deployed, from balloons
to fixed-wing aircrafts to small quadcopters. See Figure 1 for an illustration of
deployment.
In the Portugal scenario, the Bank of Portugal (BP) needs to transport gold to the
national reserve from an undesignated area. The transportation is being made by
airplane and by unforeseen and not known reasons the airplane is forced to land
in Beja airbase. The security forces (National Republican Guard, GNR) are
contacted. They prepare and deploy a convoy to escort the gold to the national
reserve by land. This, again, leads to a wide variety of mainly law enforcement
situations for which RPA systems are used to provide the GNR a better
understanding of the situation, including the need to secure the area before
departure, to track the convoy and assisting in the management of any event during
the travel.
The demonstrations were organized so that the participating companies and
research facilities prepared a scenario which was tested during the demonstration
day. End users consisting of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and Emergency
Services were first presented with the scenario and the systems, creating a basic
understanding of their features.
Bourdache K., Aro M. 5

Figure 1: The Belgium scenario


(Reproduced from AIRBEAM, 2011)

Then, the guests were taken to the field to observe the action, and were also given
the opportunity to ask the operational staff questions. After the official demon-
stration there was also a general debriefing session, also during which a team
belonging to the project consortium interviewed the end users on how useful they
perceived the system. In addition to the feedback that was gotten from the end
users the involved companies mainly from the industry had stands where they
presented their company, products and services that they offered and solutions that
were currently under development.
Both of the AIRBEAM live demonstrations were successfully completed and the
conceptual approach was proven to work. It is great to see that systems from
different manufacturers and operabilities produce high quality data that can be
combined, and which complement one another. Yet, the most important aspect is
that the end-users could see the system providing added value to their operations,
as was answered to the AIRBEAM consortium by the majority of the interviewees.
The conclusions in this paper are therefore based on these debriefings, semi-
structured interviews conducted with end-users on site, and also a survey
conducted to complement those. As the demonstrations were very dynamic events,
6 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services Marketing …

it was challenging to glean data systematically, but when the right moment and
person was chosen we believe the results to be trustworthy. Observation of the
live demos themselves – or rather, observing the end users themselves observing
the live demos – was a constant source of notes as well. Observation provides
researchers with ways to check for nonverbal expression of feelings, determine
who interacts with whom, grasp how participants communicate with each other,
and check for how much time is spent on various activities (Schmuck, 1997). In
addition to the demos, observing briefing and debriefing events, Q&A sessions
and informal discussions were also important fodder for notes. In the following
few paragraphs, we attempt to condense our results in a straightforward manner.

1.3 Results of the Live Demonstrations


The demonstrations concluded into a general end-user acceptance from the
participants. New technology, however, was told to be a concern, as it out dates
fast. It was already pondered by the participants whether the demonstrated solution
would be outdated soon. The end-users perceived the AIRBEAM system as useful.
Many participants stated that using such technology helps the operations, as they
will have an extra set of eyes in the sky, and a better situational awareness in the
location. When given choices on the technical requirements, the end-users thought
that payload was more important than flight time with the RPAS. Then again, even
though maneuverability was seen more important than flight altitude and stealth it
provided, stealth was seen as more important than uninterrupted live stream. Yet,
the most beneficial aspects according to the end-users were the increase in
operational safety and security. Even with the good initial perception, the end-
users identified some drawbacks. Some features, like different substance sensor
data, should be combined for a more versatile use of the technology. Also, some
technology was said to have a low battery life, and difficult maneuverability in
difficult weather conditions. These drawbacks affect the system as a whole, since
the heavier it is, the less wind affects to it, but the more in requires energy or fuel
to stay operative.

1.4 Security Authorities as a Market - Drawing Conclusions


The public sector in general is a demanding customer, but marketing towards the
public security sector brings even more new challenges. Those challenges are for
example scarce resources as well as tight budgets in addition to security and
confidentiality. Still, the authorities working with operational tasks are rarely the
people who have the authority to make decisions on investments for new
technological solutions and equipment. Further to the cost of the technology there
always are some additional costs to it, such as how much training the staff needs
Bourdache K., Aro M. 7

to be able to make use of the additional and valuable resource, how the materiel
purchased is maintained and stored, and possible licenses to operate, and so on.
Therefore, the need and enthusiasm for the marketed technology or solution can
be met, but the authority to make actual purchasing decisions might not be
currently present even if the supplier is granted a marketing opportunity to the
authorities. Based on our observations, it was quite common for attendees of
demonstrations to be enthusiastic, but when the matter was discussed further it
was clear that for the intent and will to purchase to actually become a reality, there
were multiple steps from asking permission from superiors to actually having to
include entire committees and subgroups in the acquisition process. At times it
was made clear that there are no funds in the budget this season, year or even
longer time, so it would be necessary to approach the issue when the next budget
preparation is underway. Naturally this can also happen in the private sector, but
the discussions clearly indicated that no flexibility was possible. Interestingly,
while the private sector seems to perceive technology as an investment, the public
sector appeared to perceive it as acquiring additional resources, as if to aid or even
replace missing personnel.
When the demonstrations are assessed from a marketing perspective, they seem to
provide two excellent opportunities for the companies. The first perspective is the
traditional one where they receive an opportunity to present their products and
services. The end-users have an opportunity to ask questions on their operational
requirements. As public entities have tight budgets and constant oversight, the
solution has to be a well-fitting one. With the RPA system and payload such as
camera and sensor manufacturers at the demonstration scene, they had a unique
opportunity to see how the system was working, and what features were popular
with the end-users. It is not common to have the opportunity to collect their
experiences right away after the demonstration. The other is to also hear feedback
and collect end user needs and requirements to further develop their products.
Naturally, such projects require both time and budgetary resources.
The needed resources could be considered as an investment. Additionally, some
of the investment in RDI projects is supported by the monetary instrument. The
end user feedback provides a possible advantage over competitors. Again, rather
than an opportunity to market the product there are additional benefits in
participating into RDI, such as the networking with both the end users and also
the partners.
An additional aspect with the demonstrations as a marketing opportunity is the
possibility to discuss and demonstrate the operational requirements the system
needs for the user to gain the maximum benefit from it. There, the end users can
see the systems in operation and the technology and service provider may explain
8 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services Marketing …

how the system operates and explain the functionalities what comes to the training.
Also, as the solutions are on the field the end users may see what the products
need for maintenance, and what is needed for storage and transportation.
One of the biggest difficulties in providing products and services to the law
enforcement authorities as end users is that they cannot or will not provide
information on their operational work and needs and requirements without a
signed confidentiality clause. Hence, to target the products to their needs might
prove difficult. In a demonstration session the guests are attending in a closed
circle, which means that the needs can be discussed more freely, yet still usually
on an abstract level. The subtle hints could indicate what the expectations are, but
also reveal what the existing systems are to which the new product should be
compatible with. In addition, as the end users might not know the state-of-the-art
technological solutions, they might not know what they want, need or require.
Without proper understanding of the needs and requirements of the end users, the
technological engineers cannot offer any solutions for those needs.
The potential in the integration of the end users in the development and testing
phases is many times forgotten. Alternatively, it might not be thought of even if
the industry would be open to it, even though it could be considered as the basics
of marketing: good reputation. Good reputation and recommendation from one
end user to another is cost effective, efficient and beneficial. In turn, bad
experiences travel as fast amongst the customers, too.
When an international project is used as the platform for marketing and brand
communication, then naturally the target groups are also international. This has
the usual added challenges of internationality such as language and cultural
barriers. Considering the AIRBEAM project, cross-border operations and
international cooperation between the relevant authorities were also important
points that came up during the project. Thus, any proposed Remotely Piloted
Airborne (RPA) system should have national and international compatibility, such
as a wide variety of language options and support functions. While private entities
can choose a common working language, authorities always operate in their local
languages and have to handle international cooperation in other languages, which
in Europe and worldwide is typically English.
Parallels could be drawn with the current European situation regarding cellular
trunked radio systems that authorities use: both TETRA and Tetrapol standards
are currently competing in the European market, and the systems are largely
incompatible. Therefore, an authority that uses TETRA cannot efficiently
communicate with another that has chosen Tetrapol, hindering international
cooperation. I. e., while the technology is the same and compatible with one
another, even across the borders, the operational culture including trust, language,
Bourdache K., Aro M. 9

terminology and operational procedures differs significantly. On this subject,


common training and language courses have been proposed and therefore in the
use of RPA systems they would almost certainly be required as well. This issue
was addressed with another RDI project called MACICO, Multi-Agency
Cooperation in Cross-Border Operations (Kämppi, Aro, & Rajamäki, 2014).
If a major company is marketing their RPA system as a situational awareness tool,
the interoperability and possible cross-border cooperation scenarios are always on
the mind of European authorities. It is therefore inefficient and largely useless to
focus marketing efforts towards the authorities of a single country; rather,
international official networks such as EU entities and unofficial networks such as
the European Network of Law Enforcement Services (ENLETS) can be used to
spread the message more effectively in an attempt to reach a wider audience. It is
therefore good to note that while private businesses can operate freely in Europe,
internationality is more prominent among security authorities as well than many
might think. Even though the security authority itself (apart from very few
exceptions) operate strictly on a national level, the international cooperation
capabilities and networking require that the marketer should consider the security
authority market as an international market as well.
However, as with all technology, even though the AIRBEAM system is perceived
well, the end-users are concerned that the technology will be outdated soon.
Therefore, the impact for the end-users is increase in awareness and also the raised
discussion on the need and possible acquisition of the equipment, both locally and
nationally. Some end-users pointed out that also the current legislation creates
obstacles with adopting the RPAS in their operative work. Some end-users
explained that technical maintenance and upkeep might be the biggest obstacle in
taking these systems into operative use. This might also be an issue for other
LEAs, as adopting new technology takes time, and to gain and maintain a relevant
level of know-how also has to be considered. Still the system appears easy to use,
and the majority of the respondents said it would fulfill the professional require-
ments. In the end, the major benefit according to the end-users was that the
operational safety would be increased and less surprises or unforeseen instances
would occur.
Marketing is essentially communicating. A demonstration session and / or an RDI
project provides a more relaxed environment for communications. The environ-
ment is created with trust and shared goals in making the project a success. The
unofficial business meetings with the project and the demonstrations are more than
just marketing opportunities. They provide insights on what features are
interesting to the end user, and further the partnerships between all stakeholders.
Thus, communication can be perceived as more natural. This was evident
also during the AIRBEAM project. It brings together the whole spectrum of
10 Live Demonstrations as Means of Services Marketing …

stakeholders: researchers and academics, manufacturers and service providers,


end-users and policy makers. As the consortium gets to know each other, they also
build trust both personally and professionally. The tight schedule of the
demonstration days was a challenge. This might have an effect on the time given
to the interviews or the representation of knowhow. In other words, not all
answerers were operative end-users. Nevertheless, AIRBEAM has proven to have
created interest among the end-users. With comments like “[It] brings high value
and is applicable to all LEAs all over the world”, the solution is welcomed as a
solution or an answer to the end-user needs.

1.5 List of References


AIRBEAM Consortium. (2011). AIRBEAM project Description of Work. Blagnac,
France: AIRBEAM Consortium.
Kämppi, P., Aro, M., & Rajamäki, J. (2014). End-user Requirements for Multi-
Agency Cooperation in Cross-border Operations (MACICO) Project. In
R. S. Choras (Ed.), 8th WSEAS International Conference on Circuits,
Systems, Signal and Telecommunications (pp. 183-190). Tenerife, Spain:
WSEAS Press.
Schmuck, R. (1997). Practical action research for change. Arlington Heights, IL:
Skylight Training.
2 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against
Black Market Sales of Football Tickets –
Empirical Evidence from Germany
Alexander Hahn3, Markus Breuer4, Sebastian Kaiser-Jovy5

2.1 Introduction
Building up strong brands as well as cultivating the relationships towards fans and
customers become more important in professional sports. Football managers need
to permanently rethink and optimize their corporate communication. This paper
presents results of an empirical study that was conducted in Germany in 2015. The
basic population of the underlying survey is the (global) fan base of Bayern
Muenchen, Germany’s most successful and probably best-known football club.
Perception and usage of the different ticket markets have been questioned and
hypotheses were set up to test whether or not an authorized secondary market can
combat grey and black markets and if it can strengthen the relationship between
fans and professional sport clubs.

2.2 Special Characteristics of the Sports Market


During recent decades, sports have become an essential part of people’s leisure
time. Sports organizations have evolved from local institutions that were
dominated by volunteers to professional, global players (Breuer & Kaiser, 2016).
As a consequence, sports marketing faces new challenges. Both marketing of
sports and marketing through sports are subject to particular circumstances and
recent developments that make a difference between sports and other markets
(Breuer & Kaiser, 2016; Smith & Stewart, 2015; Beech, Kaiser, & Kaspar, 2014;
Beech & Chadwick, 2004). Not least, globalization has a significant impact on the
scope of sports organizations. For example, the sale of TV rights of the major
European football leagues which has become more and more important, especially
for clubs that have been able to build up global brands, such as FC Barcelona or
Manchester United (Breuer & Kaiser, 2016; Kaiser & Müller, 2014).
From the supplier’s perspective one of the main characteristics of the sports
market is the diversity of different sports producing organizations. In Europe, a

3
SRH University Heidelberg/Germany, alex.hahn89@gmail.com
4
SRH University Heidelberg/Germany, markus.breuer@hochschule-heidelberg.de
5
Heilbronn University/Germany, sebastian.kaiser@hs-heilbronn.de

© Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2017


T. Becker et al. (Hrsg.), Conference Proceedings Trends in
Business Communication 2016, DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-17254-1_2
12 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against Black Market Sales …

large number of the institutions involved are non-profit organizations such as


clubs and associations that are subsidized by public authorities. Their (primary)
goal is not maximizing profit but being successful in sports events, tournaments,
etc. (Breuer & Kaiser, 2016; Kaiser, 2010). Furthermore, taking the special
features of the production process in team sports into account, it is striking that
competitors have to cooperate to a certain degree. Without any cooperation
between the athletes or teams, neither sports nor sports goods (for passive sports
consumption by spectators) can be provided. Not least, as a large part of sports
goods are services in nature, production and consumption are linked inseparably.
Additionally, external production factors (a. o. the spectators) are involved in the
production process. Not least so called “exogenous factors”, such as the weather,
consumption of performance-enhancing drugs, etc., play an important role during
the production process and also affect the marketability of the product (Breuer &
Kaiser, 2016).
Also, the demand for sports services and goods can be characterized by several
peculiarities that should be considered in the marketing management process. In
professional sports, the popularity of team sports and team sports events is often
explained by the so called “Uncertainty of Outcome Hypothesis” (Rottenberg,
1956). It states that the attractiveness of a competition is influenced by the
uncertainty of its outcome: The more uncertain the result, the higher the
attractiveness. However, regarding fans that show a deep loyalty to a certain club,
the uncertainty of the outcome is of minor importance. Group experiences (in the
stadium, watching their club win or lose) become much more important for these
fans, compared with neutral spectators who are only interested in the sports but
not in the performance of a single team (Breuer & Kaiser, 2016).
Against this background, sports marketing faces an opportunity: If the marketer is
able to strengthen the identification of the fans (consumers) with “their” team, the
revenues resulting from the sale of tickets, merchandising, etc., are more and more
independent from the current performance of the team. Thus, “identification with
the team” is an important segmentation criterion for a target group oriented
address. In this context, the new media allow adequate means to get in contact
with target groups as they enable the marketer to address different groups at low
costs. For the strategic planning and the identification of adequate content, it is
important to identify links that allow a long-term identification with a club that is
independent of the current success (independent of the current league table).
According to Kaiser (2010, pp. 437), such links might be:
Hahn A., Breuer M., Kaiser-Jovy S. 13

a) the team’s success in the past,


b) the performance of individual athletes,
c) shared values (for example a working-class background,
d) a strong connection to a city or region or
e) a common understanding as an underdog

2.2.1 Ticket Markets


In order to describe the specific features of ticket markets in sports, it seems to be
helpful to consider the various circumstances of the production and consumption
in this particular field. In recent scholarly publications, the natural monopoly of a
sports league is mentioned once and again. This is explained with the peculiarities
of league competitions: in order not to lose its credibility, every competition can
only have one winner, every league only one champion. Furthermore, a sports
league is typically a cartel-like merger of the relevant clubs (Downward, Dawson,
& Dejonghe, 2009). Not least, also at the micro-level each individual club, in
contrast to other companies and because of a high level of emotional bond and
loyalty of its fans and spectators, can be seen as a monopolist: only the respective
club can offer the requested product, i.e., a match of their favored team.
However, whereas monopolists usually try to maximize their profit by adjusting
prices and volumes, football clubs deliberately keep ticket prices low. In doing so,
they aim to meet their social as well as socio-political responsibility (as described
in the statutes of the German Football Association as well as the German Football
League (DFB, 2013). On the other hand, this measure is considered to have a
positive impact on stadium attendance which may in turn lead to a better overall
quality of the product and thus to higher media coverage. Last but not least, clubs
thereby hope to catalyze sales of complementary goods such as merchandize and
catering. Taking into consideration the inelastic demand for tickets in team sports,
the ticket market in football can be characterized by supply-side market failure.
Because of their monopolistic position and because of the fact that the quantity
supplied is limited due to a fixed number of matches as well as the stadium
capacity, clubs are not able to meet the high and rising demand while raising the
ticket prices is avoided purposely.
All these factors combined a consequence is the creation of parallel markets –
including the so called “black market” – which have to be differentiated from the
official market with due regard to their characteristics and their stakeholders.
Generally, the market for tickets in football is divided into a primary and a
secondary market (Holzhäuser, 2012). On the primary market the official sale of
tickets by the organizer and/or cooperative partners takes place. According to the
regulations of the German Football League (DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH),
14 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against Black Market Sales …

the league association itself is responsible for the organization of the matches
which assigns the staging and operation as well as the associated rights and
obligations to the respective home team. This club may then receive all revenue
generated throughout the match (esp. tickets, merchandize, sales of comple-
mentary goods). As far as the distribution of tickets is concerned, clubs make use
of the classic marketing channels. Moreover, several clubs cooperate with
authorized sales partners such as advance booking offices or sales agencies
offering a large network for distribution. These sales partners usually finance
themselves through a commission fee while they are not allowed to resell tickets
to other traders at self-determined prices. This is one of the most characteristic
features of the primary market: tickets are only dealt at official rates according to
the price structure of the respective club (Holzhäuser, 2012).

2.2.2 Secondary Ticket Markets


The secondary market for football tickets can be divided into an authorized as well
as an unauthorized market. With the authorized secondary market, clubs (or
authorized sales partners) offer tickets again, after they have been sold on the
primary market, typically via online ticket exchange platforms. Thereby fans have
the opportunity to sell tickets they may not use under the conditions of a controlled
and regulated formal environment (Holzhäuser, 2012). At the same time, those
platforms can be seen as an instrument against the non-authorized secondary
market. However, due to changing technological framework conditions in recent
years, also new forms of trading have evolved. Professional and mostly
international organizations enable third parties to trade tickets on specifically
designed (digital) ticket exchange tools. This newly created market is called “grey
market”. On this market, dealers can act anonymously. Furthermore, in many
cases it doesn’t become apparent that the tickets are not offered by the provider
itself but by third parties. Finally, on the black market tickets are sold by dealers
that have bought them via various purchasing channels on the primary market,
aiming to maximize their profit. For the acquisition of the tickets, traders often
make use of stooges that buy the maximum quantity available on the primary
market, which they then sell to them with a profit margin (Holzhäuser, 2012). Both
market forms, grey as well as black market, have in common that tickets are sold
at a price which is significantly higher than the official price.

2.3 Empirical Evidence from Germany


The following sections are based on a study that was conducted in Germany in
2015. Chapter 2.3.1 summarizes the facts and circumstances under which the
survey was conducted. Chapter 2.3.2 deals with some initial analyses (descriptive
Hahn A., Breuer M., Kaiser-Jovy S. 15

statistics) whereas section 2.3.3 presents the findings from hypothesis testing.
Hypotheses were set up to test whether or not an authorized secondary market can
combat grey and black markets and strengthen the relationship between fans and
professional sport clubs.

2.3.1 Facts and Circumstances


The basic population of the underlying survey is the (global) fan base of Bayern
Muenchen, Germany’s most successful and probably best-known football club.
The survey was conducted through a standardized online questionnaire. The link
to the questionnaire was communicated through the following channels:
- Facebook: Major Bayern Muenchen fan clubs (Club Nr. 12, La Bestia Negra)
published the link to the questionnaire on their Facebook page.
- Xing6: The link to the questionnaire was posted by the Xing group “FC Bayern
München”.
- The “Audi Fanclub FC Bayern Muenchen”, one of the most important fan clubs
in Germany, sent an e-mail containing the link to the questionnaire to its
members.
During June 8th and June 30th 2015 3,877 football fans participated in the survey.
2,994 of them completed the questionnaire whereas a total number of 883 did not
answer all of the questions. According to our knowledge, the club does not have
precise data on the socio-economic composition of the fan base. Thus, it is not
possible to prove that the random sample is an adequate sample. The adequateness
of the sample probably suffers from the channels that were used to attract
participants. However, the size of the data set should allow interesting insights in
the club’s fans and their behavior with regard to club communication and the
sale/purchase of tickets on secondary markets.

2.3.2 Descriptive Statistics


An indicative analysis of the sample shows that the participants can be grouped
into three different groups:
a) Those fans that are member of Bayern Muenchen represent a first group. 2,237
participants show this kind of high commitment to the club. The average age
is ca. 30 years and more than 93% of this group is male.
b) A second group is represented by 473 season ticket holders. On average, they
are approximately 34 years old and 92.39% are male. Season ticket holders are

6
Xing is a professional social network similar to LinkedIn that is mainly used in Germany,
Austria and Switzerland.
16 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against Black Market Sales …

de facto a sub group of the club members (group one). Only 24 participants of
the survey hold a season ticket without being a member of Bayern Muenchen.
Against this background, season ticket holders will not be considered as a
group on its own for all further analysis.
c) A third group shall be called fans/visitors. A total number of 733 survey
participants are neither members of the club nor season ticket holders.
However, we can assume a strong relationship to the sports club and regular
stadium visits. Otherwise these participants would not have received the link
to the questionnaire. Moreover, fans have used unauthorized secondary
markets for several times in the past. Participants belonging to this group are
on average 33.5 years old. 89.5% are male.
The knowledge of the authorized secondary market for tickets that is organized by
the club itself differs significantly between the groups: Whereas 88.5% of the
members are aware of the online market (93.7% of the season ticket holders), only
34.7% of the fans/visitors have ever realized that there is the official secondary
market. In contrast, more than 90% of all groups are aware of unauthorized
secondary markets including online platforms like Ebay. Moreover, for all groups
the awareness of black and grey markets is above the awareness of the online
platform that is driven by the club.
Regarding the communication channels, it is striking that members (including
season ticket holders) receive their information on the authorized secondary
market mainly through the official club webpage. In contrast, for fans/visitors
independent webpages could be found to be the most important source of
information on the authorized market. The importance of social media is in line
with these initial findings: Social media play a minor role for members. For
fans/visitors social media are ranked fourth and, thus, are of much higher
importance.
Usage of the authorized secondary market (for purchasing tickets) is strongly
influenced by the affiliation to one of the identified groups. Whereas 42.74% of
all members and 38.27% of all season ticket holders used the official secondary
market at least once, only 1.36% of the fans/visitors ever participated in the
authorized sales platform. In contrast, black market activities are more equally
spread between the different groups. Figures for the sale of tickets are similar.
Most important factors for the purchase of tickets using online platforms are
“original sales price” (price on the secondary market equals the original sales
price) and “security of the platform” (regarding e.g., the submission of credit card
details, etc.). Regarding the question whether or not an authorized platform is used
for tickets trades, members and season ticket holders show a significantly higher
preference for official platforms compared to fans/visitors. The same result can be
observed for the demand for security. In other words: Fans/visitors are less
Hahn A., Breuer M., Kaiser-Jovy S. 17

interested in using authorized and, thus, secure platforms but tend to trade on grey
and black markets.
Focusing on factors influencing the willingness to sell tickets on online platforms,
the following items have been checked: Importance of:
- selling the ticket to another fan (in contrast to any anonymous buyer)
- sales price
- fast payment
- paying methods (e.g., debit card, credit card, PayPal, etc.)
- sales and payment conditions
Among others, the survey showed that ticket sales “to other fans” are evaluated
more important by members/season ticket holders compared to fans/visitors. In
contrast, a maximum sales price was rated less important. Both results are highly
significant.

2.3.3 Hypothesis Testing


The following table provides an overview on the hypotheses that were tested based
on several questions included in the questionnaire. Highlighted in bold are
hypotheses that showed a significant correlation based on the data set available.
Correlations Coefficient Spearman’s rho has been computed, correlations were
significant on the .01 level.
Hypothesis1a/b show that a club’s communication strategy has to aim at
increasing the fan’s/consumer’s identification (commitment) with the club. Based
on the underlying sample, a higher identification results in a more detailed
knowledge of the OSM and, moreover, in less detailed knowledge of any grey and
black markets. Hypotheses 2a/b showed that a better knowledge of the OSM
(based on a higher identification) implies a more frequent use of this platform.
However, usage figures of the grey and black market are not affected by the level
of knowledge (and thus the usage) of the OSM. Similarly, hypotheses 3a/b show
that the perceived quality of the OSM (measured by factors like fast payment) has
significant influence on the usage figures. However, usage of grey and black
markets is not affected by the quality perception of the OSM. Hypotheses
4a/b prove a significant relationship between a fan’s identification with Bayern
Muenchen and a more frequent use of the OSM. Again, a higher identification
does not result in a less frequent use of other sales portals. Finally, a more frequent
use of the OSM does not imply a less frequent use of grey and black market for
the sale/purchase of tickets.
18 The Use of Online Platforms in the Fight Against Black Market Sales …

Table 1: OSM = Official Secondary Market; BLACK = Grey and Black Market
(Own description)

1 A higher identification with the club leads to more detailed knowledge of the OSM.

1 A higher identification with the club implies less detailed knowledge of the BLACK.

2 Better knowledge of the OSM leads to a more frequent use of the OSM.

2 Better knowledge of the OSM implies a less frequent use of the BLACK.

3 A higher perceived quality of the OSM implies a more frequent use of the OSM.

3 A higher perceived quality of the OSM implies a less frequent use of the BLACK.

4 A higher identification with the club implies a more frequent use of the OSM.

4 A higher identification with the club leads to a use of the BLACK at a lower level.

5 Frequent use of OSM implies less use of BLACK.

Against this background, offering an authorized secondary market cannot be seen


as a magic bullet in the club’s fight against grey and black markets. The results of
the survey might lead to the assumption that a club driven secondary market
increases the fan’s/consumer’s willingness to sell their ticket and, thus, the overall
number of tickets that are resold. However, mainly customers showing a high
commitment towards the club (‘members’) are aware of the authorized market and
even those who participate in this market do not reduce their activities on grey and
black markets.

2.4 Summary and Outlook


Due to the increasing importance of customer relationship management and brand
management in professional sports, club managers need to rethink and optimize
their corporate communication. This need of rethinking current strategies must not
be realized as a one-time task but as a current challenge. Offering authorized
secondary markets for tickets might imply several positive effects resulting in
higher fan commitment, increased ticket sales, and, finally, increased turnovers.
However, secondary markets are only important for those clubs that show a high
excess demand regarding their tickets. For fans of those clubs, club driven
secondary markets can provide additional benefit and enable the club management
Hahn A., Breuer M., Kaiser-Jovy S. 19

to collect socio-economic data of their customers that might be used for all kind
of CRM activities.
However, the results of the survey (section three) show that official secondary
markets might not be the first choice to combat grey and black markets. Future
research could repeat the survey with other clubs (and other sports). Additional
surveys should focus on considering those fans visiting the stadium only from time
to time and showing minor commitment. The findings at hand might suffer from
the fact that mainly club members and/or season ticket holders participated in the
survey.

2.5 List of References


Beech, J., & Chadwick, S. (Eds.). (2004). The Business of Sport Management.
Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
Beech, J., Kaiser, S., & Kaspar, R. (Eds.). (2014). The Business of Events
Management. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Breuer, M., & Kaiser, S. (2016). Defining Sports Marketing. New York, NY:
Routledge.
DFB Deutscher Fußball Bund. (2013). Satzung. Retrieved August 30, 2015, from
http://www.dfb.de/fileadmin/_dfbdam/2014124_02_Satzung.pdf
Downward, P., Dawson, A., & Dejonghe, T. (2009). Sports economics: Theory,
evidence and policy. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Holzhäuser, F. (2012). Ticketing. In M. Stopper, & G. Lentze (Eds.), Handbuch
Fußball-Recht (pp. 833-899). Berlin, Germany: Erich Schmidt.
Kaiser, S. (2010). Kommunikationsmanagement im Sport. In G. Nufer, & A.
Bühler (Eds.), Management im Sport: Betriebswirtschaftliche Grund-
lagen und Anwendungen der modernen Sportökonomie (2nd ed., pp. 437-
461). Berlin, Germany: ESV.
Kaiser, S., & Müller, C. (2014). Theorie und Praxis der Markenführung im Sport.
In H. Preuß, F. Huber, H. Schunk, & T. Könecke (Eds.), Marken und
Sport (pp. 57-70). Wiesbaden, Germany: Gabler.
Rottenberg, S. (1956). The baseball player’s labor market. Journal of Political
Economy, 64(3), 242-258.
Smith, A. C. T., & Stewart, B. (1997). Introduction to sport marketing (2nd ed.).
New York, NY: Routledge.
3 Trends in Corporate Communication Based on the
Example of Medium-Sized World Market Leaders
from Austria
Georg Jungwirth7

Abstract: This article deals with the importance of corporate communication


for the international success of medium-sized world market leaders (Hidden
Champions) from Austria. These companies, which are largely unknown to the
general public, position themselves in their markets as technology and quality
leaders and thereby usually achieve higher prices and significantly better returns
than their competitors.
To find out more about the secrets of these companies' successes, in February 2015
the Marketing Directors of 191 medium-sized Austrian world market leaders were
interviewed by telephone about various aspects of corporate communication.
Among other things it concerned the question of which classic and digital
communication tools these mostly family-run businesses used to build such a
positive image in the business sectors and markets in which they operate, and to
convince international customers of the technological and qualitative superiority
of their products.
Since a very similar study was already conducted in 2008 with the same target
group, a comparison of the results shows clear trends and developments in the
field of corporate communication. In particular, it also illustrates to what extent
the financial and economic crisis of recent years has impacted on the communi-
cation policy of Austrian Hidden Champions.

3.1 Initial Situation


While business research has been attempting for decades to analyze the secrets to
the successes of large companies and well-known brands, small and medium-sized
enterprises and their often equally impressive market successes have for a long
time remained unresearched. It was not until relatively late that studies such as the
STRATOS study (Bamberger & Pleitner, 1988) dealt with the strategic orientation
of small and medium-sized enterprises. Biallo (1993) was the first person in the
German-speaking world to analyze the strategies of particularly successful

7
CAMPUS 02 Graz University of Applied Sciences/Austria, georg.jungwirth@campus02.at

© Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2017


T. Becker et al. (Hrsg.), Conference Proceedings Trends in
Business Communication 2016, DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-17254-1_3
22 Trends in Corporate Communication …

medium-sized enterprises, by investigating only small and medium-sized German


companies, which even made it to being world market leaders.
This special form of success factor research became more widely known above all
through the work of Hermann Simon (1997, 2007, 2012). It was also Simon (1997)
who coined the term "Hidden Champions" for these medium-sized world market
leaders, because these companies were largely unknown outside their sector,
especially to the general public.
Yet how is it even possible that a company that is largely unknown in its home
country, enjoys great popularity and high regard among potential and actual
customers all over the world? What is the importance of corporate communication
for the international success of the Hidden Champions? What instruments of
communication policy do these mostly family-run businesses use to build such a
positive image in the business sectors and markets in which they operate, and to
convince international customers of the technological and qualitative superiority
of their products? What role does communication policy play in comparison to
other marketing instruments?
Using the example of medium-sized Austrian world market leaders, this article
shall attempt to find answers to these and other questions related to the corporate
communication of these internationally successful companies. However, first it is
important to define what is meant by a Hidden Champion.

3.2 Austria's Hidden Champions


The study on which this article is based, is broadly aligned with the criteria which
Simon (2007) set out establishing when a business qualifies as a German Hidden
Champion:
- No. 1, 2 or 3 on the world market or no. 1 in Europe
- Turnover below € 3 billion
- Corporate headquarters in Germany
- Low public profile
The seemingly imprecise delineation of the market position is on the one hand due
to the fact that most Hidden Champions operate in the business-to-business sector
and due to a lack of regular market analysis are themselves unable to say exactly
what position they currently hold on the world market. Another reason is due to
the fact that only a small percentage of Hidden Champions are quoted on a stock
exchange and hence the competitors in the world class are not subject to public
disclosure and therefore do not publish their turnovers.
Jungwirth G. 23

The last criterion is a feature which is not exactly quantified, but rather a
qualitative estimate.
Three of the four specified criteria have also been applied to Austria, however the
sales ceiling had to be adapted to the small and medium-sized structure of the
Austrian economy, because companies with up to € 3 billion annual turnover from
the Austrian perspective are neither referred to as medium-sized nor as "hidden".
In order now to be considered for this empirical analysis, the following criteria
had to be met (Jungwirth, 2010):
- No. 1, 2 or 3 on the world market or no. 1 in Europe
- Turnover under € 200 million
- Corporate headquarters in Austria
- Low public profile
The market share itself was - as with Simon - not independently determined, but
ascertained based on company statements and press reports.
The turnover limit of € 200 million, which is significantly lower in comparison to
Simon, on the one hand better conforms to the image of a medium-sized company,
and on the other hand relates to a finding by Meffert and Klein (2007), which
determined that the strategy of specialization - which is pursued by almost all
Hidden Champions - delivers the greatest potential of success for companies with
less than 200 million annual turnover.
Prior to the start of the field work, in January 2015 191 medium-sized companies
fulfilling these criteria of an Austrian Hidden Champion were ultimately able to
be tracked down.
The Marketing Directors of these companies were then contacted by telephone in
February and March 2015 and 87 of them (response rate: 45.5%) finally agreed to
participate in this study.

3.3 Results of the Study


The telephone survey of the Austrian Hidden Champions did not only concern the
communication activities of these internationally successful companies, but also
posed many questions about other classic marketing instruments. For the sake of
brevity, this article shall only concentrate on the most important findings related
to the communication policy of these companies. First, however, the structural
data of the Austrian Hidden Champions, as well as some general findings will be
presented.
24 Trends in Corporate Communication …

3.3.1 Structural Data of the Austrian Hidden Champions


The world market leaders database, created in 2007 by the University of Applied
Sciences CAMPUS 02 in Graz and regularly updated since then, comprised a total
of 191 Austrian Hidden Champions at the beginning of 2015. These companies
had an average annual turnover of € 53 million and employed on average 405 staff.
70.6% of Austrian Hidden Champions manufacture mainly industrial goods,
17.6% operate mainly in the consumer goods sector and the remaining 11.8% in
the service sector. No less than 63% come from the three sectors of mechanical
engineering, the metal industry and the electronics industry.
More than 80% of the medium-sized Austrian world market leaders are family-
owned companies, which are based mostly in rural areas and are by far the largest
employers there. As expected, their export share is very high (median: 88%) and
also other key figures such as the equity ratio (42%) or the EBIT (around 10%)
are absolutely above average.
Especially noteworthy is the fact that more than three quarters of the companies
surveyed (76.5%) have increased their turnover in the last five years, on average
by 14.3% per year. Another 16.5% of Austrian Hidden Champions had static
turnover during this time of global financial and economic crisis. Only 7% of the
medium-sized Austrian world market leaders suffered declining sales under these
difficult economic conditions (Stocker, 2015).

3.3.2 General Study Results


The surveyed executives of the Austrian Hidden Champions indicated that around
10% of the turnover is invested in research and development (R&D) and that - not
least because of this - a large proportion of the products (78%) can be attributed
to the high-tech category.
The vast majority of customers are longstanding and loyal regular customers
(72.5%), which are responsible for 75.7% of the turnover. However, the intensity
of competition on the companies' key markets is characterized as very intense
(32.8%) or quite intense (55.2%). Although almost all medium-sized Austrian
world and European market leaders operate in niche markets, they have numerous
competitors. There are on average 11.9 relevant competitors on the European
market and on the world market there are even 37.5.
In organizational terms, the marketing activities of the Austrian Hidden
Champions are mostly handled by their own marketing departments (63.5%), in
23% of the examined companies, marketing and sales are combined in a joint
department (Stocker, 2015).
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
of men. It was as though they were back in the days of the old
Hebrew prophets when the hand of the Lord stretched out and laid
itself upon wicked men for their punishment when the measure of
their time was full.
“He tried to stand above the law in this valley,” Hollister told her. “He
wanted to stop progress—said there shouldn’t be any dam to reclaim
the Flat Tops for settlers. Merrick will rebuild it. The land will be
watered. Your ranch will be good as ever in three months. And he’ll
be buried and forgotten.”
“And poor Don Black?” she whispered. “Poor Don, who never had a
chance in this world, or, if he had one, muddled it so badly?”
He could only hope that Don had gone to a better-ordered world
where circumstances did not dominate good intentions.
Betty’s sense of tragedy lingered just now no longer than a cinema
picture. The life urge in her clamored for expression. No world could
be a sad one with her and Tug in it.
“Shall I go in and tell your father now?” the young man asked.
“Soon.” She made a rustling little motion toward him and found
herself in his arms. “Isn’t it splendid, boy? To-day’s the best ever, and
to-morrow will be better than to-day—oh, heaps better—and after
that all the years forever and ever.”
He looked into the deep lustrous eyes of his straight slim girl. What a
wife she would be! How eager and provocative, this white flame of
youth so simple and so complex! Her happiness now would be in his
hands. The responsibility awed him, filled him with a sense of
solemnity.
“Forever is a long time,” he said, smiling, and quoted a stanza of
magazine verse they had lately read together.
It began, “How far will you go with me, my love?” Close-held in his
arms, Betty answered without a moment of hesitation.
“She smiled at the stile with a sweet disdain;
She scoffed at the bridge and the great oak tree;
And looked me full in the eyes and said:
‘I will go to the end of the lane with thee.’”
The door of the inner room opened and Clint stood on the threshold.
“Hello!” he said, surprised.
Betty disengaged herself, blushing. “He’s decided to take me after
all, Dad,” she said demurely.
“Hmp! Has he? Kinda looks that way.” Clint gripped Hollister’s hand
till it hurt. It was the best he could do just now to show the gratitude
he felt for what this man had done.
“That’s not quite the way I put it, sir,” Tug said.
“Doesn’t matter how you put it, boy. It’ll be her say-so from now on.
Don’t I know her? Hasn’t she bossed me scandalous since she was
knee-high to a gosling?”
“Now, Dad, you’re giving me a bad name,” Betty protested, hugging
her father.
“If he ain’t man enough to stand some bossing, he’d better quit right
now before he says, ‘I do.’”
“He likes being bossed, Dad,” Betty announced, and the imps of
deviltry were kicking up their heels in her eyes. “Don’t you, Tug?”
Hollister looked at the girl and smiled. “I’ll say I do,” he admitted.
THE END
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WILDFIRE
THE BORDER LEGION
THE RAINBOW TRAIL
THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT
RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE
THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS
THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN
THE LONE STAR RANGER
DESERT GOLD
BETTY ZANE

LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS


The life story of “Buffalo Bill” by his sister Helen Cody
Wetmore, with Foreword and conclusion by Zane Grey.

ZANE GREY’S BOOKS FOR


BOYS
KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
THE YOUNG LION HUNTER
THE YOUNG FORESTER
THE YOUNG PITCHER
THE SHORT STOP
THE RED-HEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL
STORIES

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers,


New York
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD’S
STORIES OF ADVENTURE
May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset &
Dunlap’s list.

THE COUNTRY BEYOND


THE FLAMING FOREST
THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN
THE RIVER’S END
THE GOLDEN SNARE
NOMADS OF THE NORTH
KAZAN
BAREE, SON OF KAZAN
THE COURAGE OF CAPTAIN PLUM
THE DANGER TRAIL
THE HUNTED WOMAN
THE FLOWER OF THE NORTH
THE GRIZZLY KING
ISOBEL
THE WOLF HUNTERS
THE GOLD HUNTERS
THE COURAGE OF MARGE O’DOONE
BACK TO GOD’S COUNTRY

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GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW


YORK
PETER B. KYNE’S NOVELS
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Dunlap’s list.

THE PRIDE OF PALOMAR


When two strong men clash and the underdog has Irish
blood in his veins—there’s a tale that Kyne can tell! And
“the girl” is also very much in evidence.
KINDRED OF THE DUST
Donald McKay, son of Hector McKay, millionaire lumber
king, falls in love with “Nan of the Sawdust Pile,” a
charming girl who has been ostracized by her townsfolk.
THE VALLEY OF THE GIANTS
The fight of the Cardigans, father and son, to hold the
Valley of the Giants against treachery. The reader finishes
with a sense of having lived with big men and women in a
big country.
CAPPY RICKS
The story of old Cappy Ricks and of Matt Peasley, the boy
he tried to break because he knew the acid test was good
for his soul.
WEBSTER: MAN’S MAN
In a little Jim Crow Republic in Central America, a man
and a woman, hailing from the “States,” met up with a
revolution and for a while adventures and excitement
came so thick and fast that their love affair had to wait for
a lull in the game.
CAPTAIN SCRAGGS
This sea yarn recounts the adventures of three rapscallion
sea-faring men—a Captain Scraggs, owner of the green
vegetable freighter Maggie, Gibney the mate and
McGuffney the engineer.
THE LONG CHANCE
A story fresh from the heart of the West, of San Pasqual, a
sun-baked desert town, of Harley P. Hennage, the best
gambler, the best and worst man of San Pasqual and of
lovely Donna.

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York


JACKSON GREGORY’S NOVELS
May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset &
Dunlap’s list.

THE EVERLASTING WHISPER


The story of a strong man’s struggle against savage
nature and humanity, and of a beautiful girl’s regeneration
from a spoiled child of wealth into a courageous strong-
willed woman.
DESERT VALLEY
A college professor sets out with his daughter to find gold.
They meet a rancher who loses his heart, and become
involved in a feud. An intensely exciting story.
MAN TO MAN
Encircled with enemies, distrusted, Steve defends his
rights. How he won his game and the girl he loved is the
story filled with breathless situations.
THE BELLS OF SAN JUAN
Dr. Virginia Page is forced to go with the sheriff on a night
journey into the strongholds of a lawless band. Thrills and
excitement sweep the reader along to the end.
JUDITH OF BLUE LAKE RANCH
Judith Sanford part owner of a cattle ranch realizes she is
being robbed by her foreman. How, with the help of Bud
Lee, she checkmates Trevor’s scheme makes fascinating
reading.
THE SHORT CUT
Wayne is suspected of killing his brother after a violent
quarrel. Financial complications, villains, a horse-race and
beautiful Wanda, all go to make up a thrilling romance.
THE JOYOUS TROUBLE MAKER
A reporter sets up housekeeping close to Beatrice’s
Ranch much to her chagrin. There is “another man” who
complicates matters, but all turns out as it should in this
tale of romance and adventure.
SIX FEET FOUR
Beatrice Waverly is robbed of $5,000 and suspicion
fastens upon Buck Thornton, but she soon realizes he is
not guilty. Intensely exciting, here is a real story of the
Great Far West.
WOLF BREED
No Luck Drennan had grown hard through loss of faith in
men he had trusted. A woman hater and sharp of tongue,
he finds a match in Ygerne whose clever fencing wins the
admiration and love of the “Lone Wolf.”

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York


EMERSON HOUGH’S NOVELS
May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset
and Dunlap’s list.

THE COVERED WAGON


NORTH OF 36
THE WAY OF A MAN
THE STORY OF THE OUTLAW
THE SAGEBRUSHER
THE GIRL AT THE HALFWAY HOUSE
THE WAY OUT
THE MAN NEXT DOOR
THE MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE
THE BROKEN GATE
THE STORY OF THE COWBOY
THE WAY TO THE WEST
54-40 OR FIGHT
HEART’S DESIRE
THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE
THE PURCHASE PRICE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW


YORK
GEORGE W. OGDEN’S WESTERN
NOVELS
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Dunlap’s list.

THE BARON OF DIAMOND TAIL


The Elk Mountain Cattle Co. had not paid a dividend in
years; so Edgar Barrett, fresh from the navy, was sent
West to see what was wrong at the ranch. The tale of this
tenderfoot outwitting the buckaroos at their own play will
sweep you into the action of this salient western novel.
THE BONDBOY
Joe Newbolt, bound out by force of family conditions to
work for a number of years, is accused of murder and
circumstances are against him. His mouth is sealed; he
cannot, as a gentleman, utter the words that would clear
him. A dramatic, romantic tale of intense interest.
CLAIM NUMBER ONE
Dr. Warren Slavens drew claim number one, which entitled
him to first choice of rich lands on an Indian reservation in
Wyoming. It meant a fortune; but before he established his
ownership he had a hard battle with crooks and politicians.
THE DUKE OF CHIMNEY BUTTE
When Jerry Lambert, “the Duke,” attempts to safeguard
the cattle ranch of Vesta Philbrook from thieving
neighbors, his work is appallingly handicapped because of
Grace Kerr, one of the chief agitators, and a deadly enemy
of Vesta’s. A stirring tale of brave deeds, gun-play and a
love that shines above all.
THE FLOCKMASTER OF POISON CREEK
John Mackenzie trod the trail from Jasper to the great
sheep country where fortunes were being made by the
flock-masters. Shepherding was not a peaceful pursuit in
those bygone days. Adventure met him at every turn—
there is a girl of course—men fight their best fights for a
woman—it is an epic of the sheeplands.
THE LAND OF LAST CHANCE
Jim Timberlake and Capt. David Scott waited with restless
thousands on the Oklahoma line for the signal to dash
across the border. How the city of Victory arose overnight
on the plains, how people savagely defended their claims
against the “sooners;” how good men and bad played
politics, makes a strong story of growth and American
initiative.
TRAIL’S END
Ascalon was the end of the trail for thirsty cowboys who
gave vent to their pent-up feelings without restraint. Calvin
Morgan was not concerned with its wickedness until Seth
Craddock’s malevolence directed itself against him. He did
not emerge from the maelstrom until he had obliterated
every vestige of lawlessness, and assured himself of the
safety of a certain dark-eyed girl.

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GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW


YORK
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been
standardized.
Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.
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