Consumers’ perceptions regarding questionable consumption practices in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 592-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Hua Chang ◽  
Scott J. Vitell ◽  
Long-Chuan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Love Of Money ◽  
Attitude Toward Business

Purpose Since East Asian Confucian societies are relational societies that view harmonious relationships with others as important, the issue of consumer ethics has received considerable attention in the quest to improve the effectiveness of business transactions. This is especially true of China, a large developing country with many business investment opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between consumer ethical beliefs and the personality traits of consumer relationship proneness, religiousness, attitude toward business and love of money, which are seldom explored in the literature. Design/methodology/approach The sample is collected by systematic sampling in China and a sample of 434 individuals is surveyed. This study performs confirmatory factor analysis to examine the reliability and validity and then uses the evaluation of the structural equation model exhibited a good fit between the model and the observed data to test the hypotheses via LISREL 8.7. Findings Findings show that individuals with stronger relationship proneness and high religiousness tend to more strongly consider many questionable consumer practices as unacceptable. Attitude toward business and love of money partially impact consumer unethical beliefs. Originality/value While there cultural differences between East Asian and western societies, consumer relationship proneness and the three other constructs featuring Chinese characteristics should be considered a vital personality in Chinese society. The results of this study offer findings which are not fully consistent with the findings of studies conducted in other countries and can improve friendly relationship marketing practices with Chinese consumers. More research is necessary to understand consumer ethical behavior in the varied cultures of Asia.

How CSR influences customer behavioural loyalty in the Chinese hotel industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Tingchi Liu ◽  
Yongdan Liu ◽  
Ziying Mo ◽  
Zhidong Zhao ◽  
Zhenghao Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Trust ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e. responsibility to customers, employees and society) influences customer behavioural loyalty in the hotel industry. The mediating effects of brand image and customer trust on the relationship between CSR and customer behavioural loyalty are also considered. Design/methodology/approach In total, 298 valid responses to questionnaire surveys were collected from a convenience sample in China in 2017. A structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Hotel customer behavioural loyalty can be enhanced by CSR performance. Performance in each of the three CSR domains positively impacted customer behavioural loyalty to different degrees. The impact of CSR on the customer had the strongest influence on Chinese customers’ behavioural loyalty among the three CSR domains of customer, employee and society. Brand image and customer trust were found to be mediators of the relationship between CSR performance and customer behavioural loyalty. Originality/value The current research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that CSR activities are not all equally effective. Results reveal that the society dimension of CSR had the strongest impact on Chinese customers’ brand image of hotels among the three CSR dimensions investigated. In terms of Chinese hotel customers’ trust, the CSR–customer dimension plays the most effective role. The findings also support the notion that Chinese consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate hotels.

Relational resources for emerging markets’ non-technological innovation: insights from China and Taiwan

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 876-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chavi C.-Y. Fletcher-Chen ◽  
Faten Baddar AL-Husan ◽  
Fawaz Baddar ALHussan
Keyword(s):  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constructive Conflict ◽  
Customer Interaction ◽  
Guanxi Networks ◽  
Relational Resources ◽  
Relationship Effectiveness

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the importance of relational resources (trust and relationship effectiveness). The authors investigate how the Chinese guanxi is utilized to create and develop service exploitation and exploration activities for adopting non-technological innovations. Design/methodology/approach This study surveyed 252 Chinese and Taiwanese firms. The results were analyzed through structural equation model. Findings Relational antecedents of collaborative communication and constructive conflict positively relate to trust, as well as to relationship effectiveness. Constructive conflict positively relates to exploration and exploitation. Relationship effectiveness and trust mediate two relational antecedents to exploitation. Relationship effectiveness crucially mediates two relational antecedents to exploration. Research limitations/implications Dyadic data would be more desirable to study firm interactions. Practical implications Chinese society perceives conflict as being detrimental to relationships. Constructive conflict enhances inter-firm trust and relationship effectiveness. Relationship effectiveness, which motivates suppliers to mobilize their guanxi network, mediates the supplier–customer interaction in broadening relationships to produce new services, as well as reinforcing networks to strengthen existing ventures. Originality/value This study contributes to a relatively under-explored relationship effectiveness area. Chinese suppliers capitalize their guanxi networks to achieve competitive advantages in non-technological innovation.

The nexus between the increasing involvement of youth in betting games and unemployment: the Nigerian perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbemi Oladipo Olaore ◽  
Bimbo Onaolapo Adejare ◽  
Ekpenyong Ekpenyong Udofia
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Industry ◽  
Youth Involvement ◽  
Technology Advancement ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Betting games have become a global industry worth billions of dollars providing employment to millions and contributing to the gross domestic product (GDP) of several countries. While there are debates and controversies surrounding betting games discourse, a growing body of literature shows that it has been exacerbated by growing unemployment rates. This paper aims to examine the nexus between the increasing involvement of youth in betting games and unemployment from the Nigerian perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts simple random and stratified sampling techniques to select participants for the study. Three hypotheses were tested for this study and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The three hypotheses tested in this study were coined from previous literature. The study established a direct link between technology advancement, promises of winning big coupled with bonuses while unemployment was not significant to youth involvement in betting games. The study also showed that playing betting games provides another source of income to the youth, who are already engaged in one form of work or another. Finally, youth involvement in betting games has created awareness regarding different sports in the world, while contributing to Nigeria’s economy. Practical implications As betting games centre as a business in Nigeria has contributed substantially and positively to unemployment in Nigeria; the Government of Nigeria are encouraged to streamline and regulate the activities of the sector such that they can contribute significantly to the country GDP and provide employment opportunities to the youths. Originality/value The research shows that the reason why betting games have a massive turnaround of youths in Nigeria is not majorly because of unemployment but as another means to a substantial financial individual/family income. Thus, Nigerian youths see betting games as an avenue to make more money. The study is the first of its kind to examine the nexus between betting games, technology and unemployment hence, its contribution to knowledge.

Food “buycott” as an ethical choice against mafia in Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Rivaroli ◽  
Arianna Ruggeri ◽  
Roberta Spadoni
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Type Systems ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Marketing Ethics ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Italian Law ◽  
Critical Choice

Purpose As indicated in the Italian law (No. 109-1996), agri-food co-operatives can also play a role in combatting mafia-type systems by choosing to grow their food products in lands confiscated from mafia-type organisations. These food products provide individuals with a new opportunity to fight criminal organisations on the marketplace. The purpose of this study is to explore how people react to a social marketing initiative devoted to promoting food “buycotting” to counteract mafia-type organisations in Italy. Design/methodology/approach The data were obtained from a convenience sample of 339 Italians, and the study adopted a model inspired by the general theory of marketing ethics. A structural equation model was applied to estimate both the parameter and coefficient functions. Findings Individuals recognise the ethical value of “buycotting”. However, they perceive this form of critical choice as not yet being fully effective in counteracting mafia-type systems in Italy. Practical implications The results suggest that promotional and psychological approaches from marketing literature can be effectively used to influence the consumer’s ethical judgement by selectively communicating and emphasising the benefits of the critical consumption investigated. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to address consumers’ ethical judgments and their reactions towards buycotting food as a critical choice to reward socially responsible corporations.

Relation between Chinese consumers’ ethical perceptions and purchase intentions

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 670-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Kashif Javed ◽  
Ma Degong ◽  
Talat Qadeer
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Ethical Perceptions ◽  
Chinese Consumers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Mediating Role

Purpose Most business-related studies on ethics focus on consumers in developed western economies but ignore developing economies. Therefore, to fill this void in the literature and address the concerns of prior studies, the purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical perceptions of Chinese consumers as an example of effective and efficient management of company/brand strategies in an economy experiencing rapid socioeconomic growth. Design/methodology/approach This study examines 328 Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions based on their ethical perceptions toward Apple and P&G through mediating (i.e. consumer–corporate identification (CCI) and brand trust) and moderating (i.e. consumer gender, age, education and residence) effects. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the constructs and overall model. Findings The ethical perceptions of consumers translate into purchase intentions, both at the corporate and product brand levels. Similarly, a significant direct relationship between CCI and brand trust reveals that corporate-level ethical identification is a trivial matter to customers, although these perceptions do apply to product brands under a corporate umbrella. Furthermore, to identify target groups of Chinese consumers who are receptive to ethical appeals, moderating variables were found to be useful. Originality/value The results confirm that the mediating role of CCI is more influential in the context of Chinese consumers’ ethical perceptions, followed by brand trust. In relation to demographics, ethical perceptions affect CCI and brand trust more positively in females and highly educated consumers in China. Similarly, the relationship between consumers’ ethical perception and their trust in brand is revealed more influential in urban residents than they do in rural. This broadens the applications and contexts of this research model. The results provide managerial guidance on enhancing potential ethical perceptions.

Organizational structure and innovation: analysis from the strategic co-alignment

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 388-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Armando Marín-Idárraga ◽  
Juan Carlos Cuartas
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Empirical Validation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Structural Variables ◽  
Innovation Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of the co-alignment of structural variables on innovation, wherein Bogotá-based SMEs, belonging to the industrial, commercial and services sectors, were used as samples. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted using a causal inference methodology and through the application of a structural equation model. Findings The results indicate that organizational structure has an influence on innovation, although this is true only for some variables and only when the analysis is performed separately. When performed under strategic co-alignment conditions, however, its influence becomes greater. Originality/value Organizational structure and innovation are determining factors of organizational performance. Although the strategic co-alignment theory has provided points of reference to understanding the phenomenon of organizational performance, there are still many gaps left to be filled. Additionally, it also requires empirical validation especially in relation to Colombian SMEs – and this is where this work makes a contribution.

The factors influencing CoP activities and their impact on relationship commitment and individual performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heeyoung Jang ◽  
Ilsang Ko
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Norm ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Relationship Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The objective of this study is to identify the factors that affect CoP activation and performance variables obtainable through CoP activities, and to gain greater insight into their relationships and the mechanisms. In particular, this paper intends to illustrate the role of perceived risk factor for the loss of uniqueness of one's own knowledge in terms of their influence on CoP activities. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the human behaviours were divided into online and offline CoP activities and adopted affirmative affect and social norm from the Triandis model. In addition, the paper considered perceived expectation, perceived risk, and organization support as independent variables. These would accelerate online and offline activities in the community of practice. The paper considered relationship commitment and individual performance in the context of performance evaluations via CoP activities. A structural equation model was developed with research variables and hypotheses. Findings – As the consequence of the empirical assessment of the variables influencing the on/offline activities of a CoP, social norm, perceived expectation, perceived risk, and organizational support showed significantly influential relationships with online activities, and affirmative affect, perceived expectation, and organizational support evidenced significantly influential relationships with offline activities. However, with regard to online CoP activities, affirmative affect was not shown to be significant. As to offline activities, perceived risk was not shown to be significantly influential, while it was determined to significantly influence online activities in a negative direction. Originality/value – The results of this study demonstrated that on/offline CoP activities were significantly influential in terms both of relationship commitment and individual performance.

Surviving trust from conflict in the construction industry: an interaction between conflict handling behaviors, behavioral outcomes, conflict and trust

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousong Wang ◽  
Fangfang Liu ◽  
Yangbing Zhang ◽  
Enqin Gong
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Behavioral Outcomes ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trust Development ◽  
Relational Conflict ◽  
Relational Degree ◽  
Conflict Handling

Purpose This paper aims to reveal the role of conflict management in the process of trust development. Specifically, this study investigates how the salience of conflict varies with different conflict-handling behaviors and behavioral outcomes and how the variation of the salience of conflict influences the trust development between contracting parties. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was undertaken to collect data from 310 experienced project practitioners. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping with a structural equation model were mainly used to test the hypotheses. Findings This paper finds that the relational degree of conflict handling behaviors can influence the salience of conflict and furthermore to influence trust between contracting parties, with this relationship mediated by the behavioral outcomes; however, all these relationships are contingent on the stage where relational conflict handling behaviors are adopted and the specific type of outcomes the behaviors result in. Practical implications This study provides some specific directions for the practitioners to conduct relational conflict handling behaviors and generate positive outcomes to keep trust developing between contracting parties in conflictual situations. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge of inter-organizational trust development as well as conflict management, by investigating the relationship between conflict and trust in a direction, which is less examined and revealing the process of conflict management, where the conflict handling behaviors influence behavioral outcomes to further manage conflict, in trust development.

Researchers’ awareness about plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection tools – does awareness effect the actions towards preventing plagiarism?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sk. Mamun Mostofa ◽  
Mashiat Tabassum ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Plagiarism Detection ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Chi Square Test

Purpose This paper aims to analyse researchers’ awareness about plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection tools on the actions that they take to prevent plagiarism. It also employs a structural model that examines whether awareness of plagiarism and anti-plagiarism tools have any significant effect on the actions taken by the researchers to avoid plagiarism. Design/methodology/approach A survey questionnaire was distributed to researchers at a large public university in Bangladesh. The survey accumulated 184 valid responses. Descriptive statistics were obtained to assess researchers’ awareness about plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection tools and the actions taken by them. The reasons that may cause plagiarism were also identified. The awareness of the availability of the anti-plagiarism software that was being used by the university and its actual use by the researchers was gathered through the survey. Non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to investigate the differences in awareness levels and actions in terms of gender, age, discipline and current level of research. The chi-square test was carried out to examine the relationship between awareness about the availability of the anti-plagiarism software and its use by the researchers. Finally, the survey data were analysed using structural equation modeling to examine the effects of awareness of plagiarism and anti-plagiarism software on the actions taken by the researchers. Findings The study revealed that the level of awareness regarding plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection software is generally high among the researchers. There are some significant differences between researchers’ demographic and personal characteristics and their awareness levels and actions with regard to plagiarism. The findings indicate that almost three-quarters of the researchers were aware about the anti-plagiarism tool that is being used, whereas more than half of the researchers indicated that they used the software to assess their works. The results of the structural equation model do not show a good fit, although there is strong statistical evidence that awareness about plagiarism and anti-plagiarism software has significantly impacted researchers’ actions towards preventing plagiarism. Originality/value There is no reported study on researchers’ awareness of plagiarism and its affiliated issues in Bangladesh. The findings of this study will not only provide useful insights regarding awareness about plagiarism but also assist university authorities to formulate relevant policy and take necessary actions against plagiarism in higher education institutions.

Like, tag and share: bolstering social media marketing to improve intention to visit a nature-based tourism destination

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Gaffar ◽  
Benny Tjahjono ◽  
Taufik Abdullah ◽  
Vidi Sukmayadi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Destination Image ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Tourism Destination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Value ◽  
Tourism Destinations

Purpose This paper aims to explore the influence of social media marketing on tourists’ intention to visit a botanical garden, which is one of the popular nature-based tourism destinations in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This study sent questionnaires to 400 followers of the botanical garden’s Facebook account who responded to the initial calls for participation and declared that they have not visited the garden before. Analyses were conducted on 363 valid responses using the structural equation model. Findings The findings revealed several key determinants influencing the image of the botanical garden and its future value proposition, particularly in supporting the endeavour to shift from a mere recreational destination to a nature-based tourism destination offering educational experiences. Originality/value This paper offers a fresh look into the roles of social media marketing in increasing the intention to visit a tourism destination that is considerably affected by the destination image.

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