Developing a holistic understanding of consumers’ experiences

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 2054-2079
Author(s):  
Marlon Dalmoro ◽  
Giuliana Isabella ◽  
Stefânia Ordovás de Almeida ◽  
João Pedro dos Santos Fleck
Keyword(s):  
Product Evaluation ◽  
Video Observation ◽  
Consumer Experience ◽  
Consumer Evaluations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
Physical Comfort

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how the physical and sensory environmental triggers interact with subjective consumer evaluations in the production of shopping experiences, an under-investigated theme, despite its relevance. Design/methodology/approach An interpretative multi-method approach was used by combining video observation with camera eyeglasses and in-depth interviews with 30 customers of a department store. Findings Results offer a holistic framework with four-dimensional axial combination involving physical comfort, psychological comfort, physical product evaluation and sensorial product evaluation. Based on this framework, results highlight the role of comfort and products in producing shopping experience in ordinary store visits. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute both to consumer experience studies and to the retail marketing literature in shading a light on experience production in ordinary store visits. Specifically, we detail these visits not as a static response to a given environment stimulus, but as a simultaneous objective and subjective combination able to produce experience. Practical implications The results encourage managers to understand the experience production not just as an outcome of managerially influenced elements, like décor or odor. It involves considering subjective elements in the design of consumers’ physical and sensorial retail experiences. Originality/value Adopting an innovative method of empirical data collection, results generated a framework that integrates the objective shopping environment and subjective consumer responses. This research considers the role of comfort and product features and quality both physically and sensorially to develop experiences in a holistic manner in ordinary shopping visits.

Unit pricing for multiple product sizes: identifying moderators and mediators of consumer evaluations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miyuri Shirai ◽  
Takuya Satomura
Keyword(s):  
Unit Price ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Quantity Discounts ◽  
Consumer Evaluations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Unit Pricing

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the underlying process by which a brand’s unit pricing for multiple package sizes influences consumer evaluations by incorporating several mediators and moderators. Two-unit pricing tactics were examined: quantity discounts and surcharges. Design/methodology/approach Two online experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 examined the mediating role of consumers’ inferred motive for sellers in setting quantity discounts or surcharges in the relationship between the pricing tactics and consumer evaluations. Study 2 incorporated affect as a mediator, and price consciousness and unit price usage as moderators in this relationship. Findings The mediating role of inferred motive is supported. Motive is related to the sales volume. Furthermore, this mediation effect is more potent when consumers have stronger quantity discount belief. Further, the mediating role of affect is supported. It is more salient when consumers are frequent users of unit prices. Research limitations/implications This study compared two pricing tactics and did not include a control condition. The first digit of the unit price for the small package size was different between the pricing tactics. Practical implications When applying quantity surcharges to products, it is essential to provide additional information to consumers to preclude the possibility of negative evaluations. Originality/value This study makes a significant contribution by offering a deeper understanding of consumer responses to the pricing tactics. In particular, it reveals that pricing tactics trigger both cognitive and affective responses, which then influence evaluations of the pricing tactics. This elicited cognition is associated with deduction about sellers’ brand-size pricing behavior.

What’s in it for me? Food packaging and consumer responses, a focus group study

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 1122-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrik Fernqvist ◽  
Annika Olsson ◽  
Sara Spendrup
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Food Packaging ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Consumer Benefits ◽  
Group Interviews

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore consumer views on different aspects of packaging, exemplified by a common product in the fruit and vegetable category and to identify advantages and disadvantages perceived by consumers purchasing packaged or unpackaged products. Design/methodology/approach – Three focus group interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis based on theory was performed. The findings were categorised into nine themes. Findings – Consumer views on packaging aspects were revealed, covering: packaging material; pack size; protection and preservation; convenience; price; communication and information; ethical perspectives; novelty and innovation; and advantages and disadvantages of packaged and unpackaged products. Research limitations/implications – The study adds to present knowledge on the role of packaging in consumers’ food choices. The qualitative analysis identified areas for further research through quantitative methods. Practical implications – Challenges in communicating the consumer benefits of packaging and ways to improve the attractiveness of items in the fresh produce category were identified. The results can potentially assist in improving food packaging design practice to the mutual benefit of consumers and suppliers. Originality/value – Fruit and vegetables is generally a category with weak branding and low levels of packaging. This study examined the role of packaging in a category with substantial opportunities for differentiation and increasing consumer value. The results can be applied in immediate practice and/or serve as a basis for further research.

Cue-less consumers in factory outlet stores: reference price effects on consumer evaluations when semantic phrases are missing

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-426
Author(s):  
Jay P. Carlson ◽  
Larry D. Compeau
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Consumer Evaluations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Semantic Cues ◽  
Reference Prices ◽  
Price Effects ◽  
The Common ◽  
To Come

Purpose Prior research has demonstrated that reference prices can affect consumer responses, but the reference prices examined have been presented along with semantic cues [e.g. manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) and Compare At]. This study is unique in investigating the effects of reference prices that do not include a semantic cue (i.e. “cue-less”) on consumers’ responses. It also studies consumers’ beliefs about factory outlet stores, a seldom-studied store type in which cue-less reference prices are used. Design/methodology/approach One qualitative study and one experiment were carried out in this research. Findings The qualitative study revealed that a price tag including cue-less reference prices was unlikely to be viewed as a seller mistake or with suspicion, but nonetheless did confuse some respondents. The experiment demonstrated that while consumers find cue-less reference prices to be somewhat less believable that high MSRPs, these beliefs do not appear to come into play when consumers judge attractiveness (e.g. perceived value). Additionally, the results suggest that consumers believe that a product available for sale in a factory outlet store is likely to have been previously available at a different type of store. Originality/value This research advances the theory of the effects of reference prices on consumers’ responses by examining the common practice of not labeling reference prices with semantic cues. It also extends the literature regarding consumer beliefs about factory outlet stores.

scholarly journals Using EEG to examine the role of attention, working memory, emotion, and imagination in narrative transportation

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 92-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Gordon ◽  
Joseph Ciorciari ◽  
Tom van Laer
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Narrative Transportation ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to present a study using encephalography (EEG) to investigate consumer responses to narrative videos in energy efficiency social marketing. The purpose is to assess the role of attention, working memory, emotion and imagination in narrative transportation, and how these stages of narrative transportation are ordered temporally. Design/methodology/approach Consumers took part in an EEG experiment during which they were shown four different narrative videos to identify brain response during specific video segments. Findings The study found that during the opening segment of the videos, attention, working memory and emotion were high before attenuating with some introspection at the end of this segment. During the story segment of the videos attention, working memory and emotion were also high, with attention decreasing later on but working memory, emotion and imagination being evident. Consumer responses to each of the four videos differed. Practical implications The study suggests that narratives can be a useful approach in energy efficiency social marketing. Specifically, marketers should attempt to gain focused attention and invoke emotional responses, working memory and imagination to help consumers become narratively transported. The fit between story object and story-receiver should also be considered when creating consumer narratives. Social implications Policymakers and organisations that wish to promote pro-social behaviours such as using energy efficiently or eating healthily should consider using narratives. Originality/value This research contributes to theory by identifying brain response relating to attention, working memory, emotion and imagination during specific stages of narrative transportation. The study considers the role of attention, emotion, working memory and imagination during reception of stories with different objects, and how these may relate to consumers’ narrative transportation.

Does managerial capability always drive performance? Empirical examinations of small and medium firms (SMEs) in a developing economy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Agyapong ◽  
Suzzie Owiredua Aidoo ◽  
Samuel Yaw Akomea
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Competitive Intensity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Important Relationship ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Indirect Relationship

PurposeThe paper sought to uncover the conditions under which managerial capability enhances performance while considering the role of social capital within the unique boundary conditions created by competitive intensity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use multi-source data from 206 managers and owners of SMEs from a Sub-Saharan African nation – Ghana.FindingsUsing structural equation modeling (SEM) to analysis the data, the findings revealed that social capital serves as a mechanism through which managerial capability influences performance. Furthermore, the results indicate that competitive intensity does not significantly moderate this important indirect relationship. Implications: This study provides relevant knowledge for scholars, practitioners and policymakers on the role of managerial capability and how it may be harnessed in enhancing performance.Originality/valueThis paper provides a holistic understanding of the capability performance relationship in attempts at extending the literature by examining social capital as a mediator and competitive intensity as a contingent factor of this important relationship in a conditional indirect model.

When and why do negative reviews have positive effects?

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Yang ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Sixing Chen ◽  
Bin Li
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Data ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Reviews ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Box Office ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
Product Sales

Purpose People generally believe that business with negative word-of-mouth, such as negative customer reviews can hardly have good sales. But a number of intriguing examples seem to contradict such beliefs. Academic has so far begun to explore the possible positive effect of negative customer reviews, but without unfolding its underlying mechanism. This paper proposes a mechanism through which the variance of customer reviews moderates the effect of negative reviews on sales. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a multi-method approach in explaining the phenomenon, including an empirical analysis using secondary data from a movie review website and a movie box office website and a subsequent experimental study in a controlled experiment. Findings The findings of the study show that the effect of negative customer reviews on product sales is positive when the variance of customer reviews is large. Moreover, customers’ motivation to learn fully mediates the moderating effect of review variance on valence. Practical implications The findings provide vital managerial implications and suggest that managers should realize the important role of the review distribution. Originality/value This study mainly contributes to research on the negativity bias by identifying an important unexplored moderator and mediator and thus explains why negative customer review increases movie sales.

Consumer responses to corporate offshoring practices

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 698-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Grappi ◽  
Simona Romani ◽  
Richard P Bagozzi
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Regulatory Fit ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Consumer Evaluations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
The Public ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Psychology Theory ◽  
A Company

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer responses to company communication of offshoring strategies and tries to discover which psychological mechanisms govern these responses. To do these, the authors examine offshoring strategy communication from the point of view of Regulatory Focus Theory. Design/methodology/approach – The authors tested the hypotheses in two different studies. Study 1 examines the associations between company offshoring motives and consumer’s prevention or promotion inferences about the company’s practices. Study 2 tests if and how the interaction effect between respondents’ self-regulatory focus and the company offshoring motive affects respondents’ attitude toward the offshoring company. Findings – The study demonstrated that each of three offshoring motives activates unique self-regulatory orientations (promotion or prevention focus) in consumers, and regulatory fit positively affects consumer attitudes toward the offshoring company. Practical implications – Results suggest how to communicate company offshoring decisions to consumers. By trying to instill a particular regulatory focus in the public with their communication tools, companies can create a better match in the public eye, gaining more positive consumer evaluations. Originality/value – This research shows the mechanisms through which consumers respond differently to specific offshoring motives communicated by a company. By building on psychology theory, the study gains insights into the consumer reactions to company offshoring and, to the knowledge, no research to date has examined these mechanisms.

How brand concepts represented as human values promote evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1194-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Yuanyuan Cai ◽  
Jiaxun He
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Human Values ◽  
Construal Level ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
The Third ◽  
Brand Concept

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how incidental emotions interact with brand concepts that are represented as human values to influence consumers’ attitude toward brands. It also explores the effect of construal level on such interactional effect. Design/methodology/approach Three incidental emotion × brand concepts between-subject experiments were performed on consumers. The first two experiments used real brands as stimuli, while the third one featured a fictitious brand. Findings Results revealed that the motivational congruency between incidental emotions and brand concepts leads to favorable consumer responses toward the targeted brand by inducing an experience of fluency. However, such effect only emerges among consumers with a high construal level. Originality/value This paper provides a new insight about the effect of brand concept represented as human values by identifying the role of situational factors (incidental emotions) and personal factors (chronic construal level), which are also easily administered and applied in everyday marketing contexts.

scholarly journals A systematic review of the antecedents of knowledge transfer: an actant-object view

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 970-995
Author(s):  
Hamidreza Shahbaznezhad ◽  
Mona Rashidirad ◽  
Isaac Vaghefi
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Issues ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Context Free

Purpose While numerous studies have studied knowledge transfer (KT) and endeavored to address factors influencing KT, little effort has been made to integrate the findings of prior studies. This paper aims to classify the literature on KT through a detailed exploration of different perspectives of KT inter and intra organizations. Design/methodology/approach Using actor–network theory (ANT) as the baseline, we conducted a systematic review of KT research to summarize prior KT studies and classify the influential factors on KT. The review covered 115 empirical articles published between 1987 and 2017. Findings Drawing on the review and ANT guidelines, the authors proposed a conceptual model to categorize KT constitutes into objects including those related to (1) knowledge, (2) knowledge exchange and (3) technology, as well as actants including those related to (4) organization, (5) team/business unit and (6) knowledge sender/receiver. Research limitations/implications Adopting a holistic synthesized approach based on ANT, this research puts forward a valid theoretical foundation on further understanding of KT and its antecedents. Indeed, this paper investigates KT inter and intra organizations to recognize and locate the key antecedents of KT, which is of substantial applicability in today’s knowledge-driven economy. Practical implications The findings advance managers and practitioners’ understanding of the important role of actants and objects and their interplay in KT practices. Originality/value While most studies on KT have a narrow focus, this research contributes to holistic understanding of motivational, behavioral, technological and organizational issues related to KT. It also offers a thorough and context-free literature review on KT, which synthesizes the findings of prior studies on KT.

CSR narrative under Islamic banking paradigm

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Bilal Zafar ◽  
Ahmad Azam Sulaiman
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Review ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Theoretical Paper ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Academic Debate

Purpose This paper aims to understand corporate social responsibility (CSR) narrative under the Islamic banking paradigm by three aspects, narrative review of the literature, review of the definitions of CSR and review of factors that cause divergence from conventional percepts. Design/methodology/approach This is a theoretical paper based on literature and aims to understand the CSR narrative under the paradigm of Islamic banking. Findings Religion brings new dimensions of ethics and expands the scope of morality in business. Islamic banking is a new wave of corporation whose social goals are as much important as making profit. There are diverse narrations and definitions prevailing in the literature of CSR under the Islamic paradigm which also encounters the aspects of divergence from conventional percepts. The academic debate of CSR-Islamic banking brings on surface a plausible CSR paradigm, that is to guide the role of Islamic banking in society under the Islamic provisions, ethics and axioms. This paper also paves the way for future direction, particularly in terms of a holistic understanding of CSR narrative under the Islamic banking paradigm. Research limitations/implications This is a theoretical paper; it primarily discusses the theoretical aspects of CSR narrative under the paradigm of Islamic banking, while it does not give insight into the empirical narrative or disclosure of CSR in Islamic banking. Practical implications The theoretical review of literature brings plausible understanding, that Islamic banking is a new wave of corporate and has standings on divine guidance. The structure of the institution in its foundation insists on real economic activity. The legitimacy of Islamic banking has roots in ethical compliance and in inculcating the broader interests of stakeholders. There are several social responsibilities, which are expected from the practitioners of Islamic banking. The practitioners as well must understand that the CSR of Islamic banking is far beyond the conventional percepts of CSR. Originality/value There are several normative and theoretical studies in the domain of CSR-Islamic banking. It is hard to find a comprehensive narrative review of such literature. This review is unique, which brings a holistic understanding of CSR narrative under the Islamic banking paradigm.

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