Frank Acito

Areas of Expertise

Strategies for analyzing structural models, alignment of marketing and sales strategies, sampling characteristics and the use of marketing research by managers

Academic Degrees

• PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1976
• MBA, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1973
• BEE, Cornell University, 1969

Professional Experience

• Rochester Institute of Technology, 1974-1976
• State University of New York at Buffalo, 1972-1974

Awards, Honors & Certificates

• Member, American Marketing Association
• Past V.P., Marketing Services, Walker Research & Analysis

Selected Publications

• Acito, Frank,  Daniel Smith, and Patricia McDougall (2008), “One hundred years of excellence in business education: What have we learned?,” Business Horizons, January, 51(1): 5-12.
• Lim, Lewis K. S., Frank Acito, and Alexander Rusetski (2006), "Development of Archetypes of International Marketing Strategy," Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 499-524.

Abstract The extant business literature contains three separate characterizations of international marketing strategy: standardization–adaptation, concentration–dispersion, and integration–independence. These characterizations have, for decades, informed researchers, students, and practitioners alike of the strategic options a multinational firm might have in formulating its cross-border marketing approaches. Although useful, these characterizations have yet to be unified within an integrative classification scheme that considers the gestalt combinatorial patterns along multiple strategy dimensions. Toward creating such a classification scheme, this paper proposes a holistic conceptualization of international marketing strategy grounded in configurational theory, whereby strategies are viewed as multidimensional archetypes. We present evidence of three distinct international marketing strategy archetypes obtained through an exploratory case coding/clustering study. After discussing the characteristics, possible drivers, and contingent performance potentials of these archetypes, we offer directions for future research.

• Gruen, Thomas W., John O. Summers, and Franklin Acito (2000), “Relationship Marketing Activities, Commitment, and Membership Behaviors in Professional Associations,” Journal of Marketing, Vol. 64, July, pp. 34-49.
• Acito, Franklin, Hanjoon Lee, and Jay Lindquist (1997), “Managers’ Evaluation of Research Design and Its Impact on the Use of Research: An Experimental Approach,” Journal of Business Research, Vol. 39, No. 3, July, pp. 231-240.
• Acito, Franklin, William Strahle and Rosann Spiro, “Marketing and Sales: Alignment and Functional Implementation,” Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, (Winter 1996), 1-20.
• Acito, Frank (1987), "Evaluation & Use of Marketing Research by Decision Makers: A Behavior Simulation," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 37, No. 2, PP. 187-196.