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We argue that efficiency assessments of academic research should focus on micro-units of research production rather than on conventionally employed (aggregated) macro-units, and show that such a detailed analysis of research performance provides interesting insights. In addition, we propose a non-parametric methodology that is specially tailored for analyzing the productive efficiency of research: it starts from a specification of the managerial objectives of research activities while imposing minimal structure on the (typically unknown) production technology. We illustrate our points by assessing the productive efficiency of research in Economics and Business Management faculties of Dutch universities. Next to measuring productive efficiency, we look for specific patterns in efficiency distributions over universities, years and areas of specialization. In addition, we investigate the impact of external funding and of the size of research programs on academic research efficiency.

Qualitative or Motivation Research have great difficulties in gaLmng widespread acceptance in marketing research, due to their lack of rigor and validity. Laddering is a recently introduced method to conduct motivation research which holds the promise to resist the well-known criticisms. This paper attempts to contribute to the establishment of validity and reliability of the technique. The structural differences in the laddering data obtained for two types of products, "think" and "feel" products, are tested against hypotheses derived from this theoretically founded distinction. Whether the influence of the involvement construct on structural properties of the ladders matches expectations is investigated as well. The results obtained indicate that laddering can be succesfully applied to reveal cognitive structures. The technique appears not to be subject to an interviewer bias.I. Introduction: Means-End Chain Theory.Consumer researchers have always searched for satisfactory ways to understand and research the motivation of consumer behavior. Two major paradigms were adopted to achieve this goal :(1) the "cognitively" oriented approach, supported by a wide range of quantitative analytical techniques (factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, conjoint analysis, multi-attribute attitude models of preference formation, etc.), where product perception in terms of attributes dominates the scene,(2) the "motivational" approach, typified by qualitative techniques (focus group discussions, depth interviews, projective techniques, etc.), emphasizing "self' as the driving force behind product purchases.Both perspectives have proven to be to some extent inadequate to depict and clarify consumer behavior. The cognitive approach tends to reduce consumer choice to a rational optimisation problem, mainly based on product knowledge. Unconscious motives, goals, needs and values of the consumer are typically ignored. The motivational approach, on the other hand, suffers from the incapacity to relate the motives identified and the objects involved (products or brands) in a satisfactory way.

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