Product order affects consumer preferences for variety bundles

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 869-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Mittelman ◽  
Eduardo B. Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Order Effect ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Visual Aesthetics ◽  
Product Attitudes ◽  
The One ◽  
Display Order ◽  
Product Order

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of a variety bundle's product display order on consumer preferences. When forming a variety bundle, manufacturers, retailers and advertisers need to decide on the order in which their products are displayed. The authors provide empirical evidence that this apparently trivial display decision can systematically affect consumer preferences. Design/methodology/approach Four experiments were performed with over a total of 1,000 participants. Logistic regressions were conducted on the collected data sets to provide support for the hypothesis and its underlying psychological mechanism. Findings Results showed that product attitudes systematically affect choices among variety bundles that differ only in the order in which their products are displayed. When choosing among flat and horizontal variety bundles, Western consumers preferred the one that had the product they like the most to the left. This phenomenon was observed in different product categories, among left-to-right readers from different Western countries and languages, and with both hypothetical and consequential decisions. The incremental weight given to the first piece of information (i.e. “first” product in the bundle) explains this product order effect. Originality/value Although a significant amount of research has been conducted to understand the factors that affect consumer preferences for product bundles, little attention has been devoted to the role of visual aesthetics. The research addresses this gap, and in so doing contributes both to the marketing and to the visual aesthetics literature. One simple yet key implication of the product order effect documented here is that the value consumers assign to a variety bundle depends on the order in which its products are displayed.

scholarly journals The insoluble problems of books: what does Altmetric.com have to offer?

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 691-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Torres-Salinas ◽  
Juan Gorraiz ◽  
Nicolas Robinson-Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Special Focus ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
The Social ◽  
Google Books ◽  
Data Source ◽  
Alternative Sources ◽  
The One

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the capabilities, functionalities and appropriateness of Altmetric.com as a data source for the bibliometric analysis of books in comparison to PlumX. Design/methodology/approach The authors perform an exploratory analysis on the metrics the Altmetric Explorer for Institutions, platform offers for books. The authors use two distinct data sets of books. On the one hand, the authors analyze the Book Collection included in Altmetric.com. On the other hand, the authors use Clarivate’s Master Book List, to analyze Altmetric.com’s capabilities to download and merge data with external databases. Finally, the authors compare the findings with those obtained in a previous study performed in PlumX. Findings Altmetric.com combines and orderly tracks a set of data sources combined by DOI identifiers to retrieve metadata from books, being Google Books its main provider. It also retrieves information from commercial publishers and from some Open Access initiatives, including those led by university libraries, such as Harvard Library. We find issues with linkages between records and mentions or ISBN discrepancies. Furthermore, the authors find that automatic bots affect greatly Wikipedia mentions to books. The comparison with PlumX suggests that none of these tools provide a complete picture of the social attention generated by books and are rather complementary than comparable tools. Practical implications This study targets different audience which can benefit from the findings. First, bibliometricians and researchers who seek for alternative sources to develop bibliometric analyses of books, with a special focus on the Social Sciences and Humanities fields. Second, librarians and research managers who are the main clients to which these tools are directed. Third, Altmetric.com itself as well as other altmetric providers who might get a better understanding of the limitations users encounter and improve this promising tool. Originality/value This is the first study to analyze Altmetric.com’s functionalities and capabilities for providing metric data for books and to compare results from this platform, with those obtained via PlumX.

The implications of the revised code of corporate governance on firm performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdifatah Ahmed Haji ◽  
Sanni Mubaraq
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Market Performance ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The One

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance and ownership structure attributes on firm performance following the revised code on corporate governance in Malaysia. The study presents a longitudinal assessment of the compliance and implications of the revised code on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Two data sets consisting of before (2006) and after (2008-2010) the revised code are examined. Drawing from the largest companies listed on Bursa Malaysia (BM), the first data set contains 92 observations in the year 2006 while the second data set comprises of 282 observations drawn from the largest companies listed on BM over a three-year period, from 2008-2010. Both accounting (return on assets and return on equity) and market performance (Tobin’s Q) measures were used to measure firm performance. Multiple and panel data regression analyses were adopted to analyze the data. Findings – The study shows that there were still cases of non-compliance to the basic requirements of the code such as the one-third independent non-executive director (INDs) requirement even after the revised code. While the regression models indicate marginal significance of board size and independent directors before the revised code, the results indicate all corporate governance variables have a significant negative relationship with at least one of the measures of corporate performance. Independent chairperson, however, showed a consistent positive impact on firm performance both before and after the revised code. In addition, ownership structure elements were found to have a negative relationship with either accounting or market performance measures, with institutional ownership showing a consistent negative impact on firm performance. Firm size and leverage, as control variables, were significant in determining corporate performance. Research limitations/implications – One limitation is the use of separate measures of corporate governance attributes, as opposed to a corporate governance index (CGI). As a result, the study constructs a CGI based on the recommendations of the revised code and proposes for future research use. Practical implications – Some of the largest companies did not even comply with basic requirements such as the “one-third INDs” mandatory requirement. Hence, the regulators may want to reinforce the requirements of the code and also detail examples of good governance practices. The results, which show a consistent positive relationship between the presence of an independent chairperson and firm performance in both data sets, suggest listed companies to consider appointing an independent chairperson in the corporate leadership. The regulatory authorities may also wish to note this phenomenon when drafting any future corporate governance codes. Originality/value – This study offers new insights of the implications of regulatory changes on the relationship between corporate governance attributes and firm performance from the perspective of a developing country. The development of a CGI for future research is a novel approach of this study.

Brand personality and purchase intention

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 462-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
María de la Paz Toldos-Romero ◽  
Ma. Margarita Orozco-Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Brand Personality ◽  
Personality Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of brand personality dimensions on purchase intention. Furthermore, the brand personality dimensions are compared to study the differences between users and non-users of 12 brands. Design/methodology/approach – An estimated 400 undergraduate students participated. They were given a questionnaire divided into two sessions (six brands of think products in one session and six brands of feel products in another session). In the end, 313 participants completed the questionnaire on the six brands of think products, and 320 completed the questionnaire on the six brands of feel products. Findings – Multiple regression analysis revealed that Hipness/Vivacity, Success, Sincerity and Sophistication brand personality dimensions are significant predictors of purchase intention. In addition, Domesticity/Emotionality and Professionalism also explain purchase intention but with a negative weight. The results are also broken down into product categories. Compared with non-users of the brands, the users rate the brands higher in all the brand personality dimensions. Practical implications – This paper should prove useful to marketing practitioners to understand how Mexican customers perceive their brands and those of their competitors and, therefore, to understand what competitors of these brands can do to increase purchase intention. Originality/value – The results found regarding purchase intention are important, as they can be used to identify those personality brand dimensions that appear to be most important in explaining consumer preferences.

Linking serial homicide – towards an ecologically valid application

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Pakkanen ◽  
Jukka Sirén ◽  
Angelo Zappalà ◽  
Patrick Jern ◽  
Dario Bosco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Linkage Study ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Serial Homicide ◽  
Case Comparison ◽  
Crime Linkage ◽  
Initial Dip ◽  
The One

Purpose Crime linkage analysis (CLA) can be applied in the police investigation-phase to sift through a database to find behaviorally similar cases to the one under investigation and in the trial-phase to try to prove that the perpetrator of two or more offences is the same, by showing similarity and distinctiveness in the offences. Lately, research has moved toward more naturalistic settings, analyzing data sets that are as similar to actual crime databases as possible. One such step has been to include one-off offences in the data sets, but this has not yet been done with homicide. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how linking accuracy of serial homicide is affected as a function of added hard-to-solve one-off offences. Design/methodology/approach A sample (N = 117–1160) of Italian serial homicides (n = 116) and hard-to-solve one-off homicides (n = 1–1044, simulated from 45 cases) was analyzed using a Bayesian approach to identify series membership, and a case by case comparison of similarity using Jaccard’s coefficient. Linking accuracy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics and by examining the sensitivity and specificity of the model. Findings After an initial dip in linking accuracy (as measured by the AUC), the accuracy increased as more one-offs were added to the data. While adding one-offs made it easier to identify correct series (increased sensitivity), there was an increase in false positives (decreased specificity) in the linkage decisions. When rank ordering cases according to similarity, linkage accuracy was affected negatively as a function of added non-serial cases. Practical implications While using a more natural data set, in terms of adding a significant portion of non-serial homicides into the mix, does introduce error into the linkage decision, the authors conclude that taken overall, the findings still support the validity of CLA in practice. Originality/value This is the first crime linkage study on homicide to investigate how linking accuracy is affected as a function of non-serial cases being introduced into the data.

Sustainability certifications and product preference

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 893-906
Author(s):  
Maximilian Prell ◽  
Marco Tulio Zanini ◽  
Fabio Caldieraro ◽  
Carmen Migueles
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Certification ◽  
Organic Certification ◽  
Food Market ◽  
The One ◽  
Targeting Strategy ◽  
Small Advantage

PurposeThe aim of this study is to investigate the influence of sustainability certifications on consumer preferences. The study investigates whether product certifications have a significant influence on consumer preferences and examines which certificate groups work best from a marketer's perspective for matching the different consumer preferences.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a quantitative survey approach, based on a conjoint analysis carried out in the Brazilian juice market.FindingsThe results of 210 respondents indicate that the certifications chosen generally increase the evaluation of products. The effects, however, differ significantly between the three segments identified, especially between the two most important ones that have a combined market share of almost 90%. Our results show that demographic differences between the clusters are only marginal, as are the specific certification preferences, with a small advantage for organic certification.Research limitations/implicationsThe certificates chosen serve as an example that represents the various categories. The utility of similar certificates of the same category might be different. The scope of the research is also limited to the market for ready-to-drink juice.Practical implicationsUsing a dual targeting strategy, this study makes relevant recommendations for managing product certification. On the one hand, managers should consider a highly priced, certified product and, on the other, a low priced, uncertified product for satisfying identified demands. Decisions with regard to certification differentiation should mostly rely on the specific costs of the process because of limited consumer differentiation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on the influence that product certification has on consumer preferences by adding to the matter of certificate choice, especially from a marketer's perspective. Resolving this issue is important for facilitating the choice of those certificates that contribute most toward increasing consumer preference. Little research has been conducted into different certification groups and categories or the joint appearance of their different labels. Most of the research being carried out is aimed at the food market in developed countries, particularly in North America and Europe. Research in an emerging economy, therefore, introduces new scientific insights.

Putting a price on sustainability

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 8-10
Keyword(s):  
Fair Trade ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Sustainability has over recent times become one of those buzzwords there seems little escape from. As a consequence, the number of product categories untarnished by its associated implications is diminishing all the time. Food is clearly the one sector where sustainability issues are very much to the fore. The advent of labeling practices to indicate such as organic or Fair Trade has further ensured their prominence. Persuading consumers to buy sustainable food products has, however, produced mixed results to date. Numerous individuals readily voice their approval of any initiatives aimed at safeguarding natural resources or promoting animal welfare, for example. But their actual purchase behavior often tells a different story. Words clearly speak louder than actions in these cases. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Grades or labels? Beef prices and quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1406-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Mann ◽  
Daniel Erdin
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Grading Systems ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Price Differences

Purpose The difference between quality grades and quality labels is that the latter are awarded on the basis of production processes, whilst the former are conferred on the strength of the actual production results. In the course of a de-ideologisation of society, it might be assumed that the price differences between quality grades would grow larger and larger, while those between quality labels would tend to shrink. The purpose of this paper is to develop and test this hypothesis. Design/methodology/approach Regressions for the calf market on the one hand and for 4,180 cattle-market data sets on the other are run with Stata. Findings The results largely confirm the rising importance of grades between 2000 and 2014. In the period under consideration, a price spread occurs between the individual grades of the Swiss grading system, whilst the surcharge for organic products shrinks. No price discrimination is identified a priori for conventional labels. Practical implications The focus of both chain management and policy makers should be put on effective grading systems rather than on labelling production methods. Originality/value This is the first econometrical comparison of the price effect of both grades and labels.

Stereotactic radiation treatment planning and follow-up studies involving fused multimodality imaging

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (Supplement3) ◽  
pp. 326-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus D. Hamm ◽  
Gunnar Surber ◽  
Michael Schmücking ◽  
Reinhard E. Wurm ◽  
Rene Aschenbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Image Fusion ◽  
Treatment Planning ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Slice Thickness ◽  
Radiation Treatment Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Follow Up Studies ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Innovative new software solutions may enable image fusion to produce the desired data superposition for precise target definition and follow-up studies in radiosurgery/stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with intracranial lesions. The aim is to integrate the anatomical and functional information completely into the radiation treatment planning and to achieve an exact comparison for follow-up examinations. Special conditions and advantages of BrainLAB's fully automatic image fusion system are evaluated and described for this purpose. Methods. In 458 patients, the radiation treatment planning and some follow-up studies were performed using an automatic image fusion technique involving the use of different imaging modalities. Each fusion was visually checked and corrected as necessary. The computerized tomography (CT) scans for radiation treatment planning (slice thickness 1.25 mm), as well as stereotactic angiography for arteriovenous malformations, were acquired using head fixation with stereotactic arc or, in the case of stereotactic radiotherapy, with a relocatable stereotactic mask. Different magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequences (T1, T2, and fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery images) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans were obtained without head fixation. Fusion results and the effects on radiation treatment planning and follow-up studies were analyzed. The precision level of the results of the automatic fusion depended primarily on the image quality, especially the slice thickness and the field homogeneity when using MR images, as well as on patient movement during data acquisition. Fully automated image fusion of different MR, CT, and PET studies was performed for each patient. Only in a few cases was it necessary to correct the fusion manually after visual evaluation. These corrections were minor and did not materially affect treatment planning. High-quality fusion of thin slices of a region of interest with a complete head data set could be performed easily. The target volume for radiation treatment planning could be accurately delineated using multimodal information provided by CT, MR, angiography, and PET studies. The fusion of follow-up image data sets yielded results that could be successfully compared and quantitatively evaluated. Conclusions. Depending on the quality of the originally acquired image, automated image fusion can be a very valuable tool, allowing for fast (∼ 1–2 minute) and precise fusion of all relevant data sets. Fused multimodality imaging improves the target volume definition for radiation treatment planning. High-quality follow-up image data sets should be acquired for image fusion to provide exactly comparable slices and volumetric results that will contribute to quality contol.

The Effects of Numerical Divisibility on Loneliness Perceptions and Consumer Preferences

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dengfeng Yan ◽  
Jaideep Sengupta
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Cognition ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Relative Preference ◽  
Compensatory Consumption

Abstract This research seeks to examine, first, whether and why consumers perceive divisible versus indivisible numbers differently and, second, how such divergent perceptions influence consumer preferences for marketer-created entities associated with divisible versus indivisible numbers. Integrating insights from two different literatures—numerical cognition and loneliness—we propose and find that numbers perceived to be divisible (vs. indivisible) are viewed as having more “connections” and are therefore deemed to be less lonely. Building on these findings and the literature on compensatory consumption, we then propose and demonstrate that a temporary feeling of loneliness increases participants’ relative preference for various targets—products, attributes, and prices—associated with divisible (vs. indivisible) numbers, which are perceived to be relatively more connected and less lonely. It merits mention that our findings are triangulated across a wide variety of numbers, different product categories, and multiple operationalizations of loneliness.

How Phillips saw the light

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 29-31
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Business World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Freak Show ◽  
The World ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The problem with developing a reputation of being something of an oracle in the business world is that all of a sudden, everyone expects you to pull off the trick of interpreting the future on a daily basis. Like a freak show circus act or one-hit wonder pop singer, people expect you to perform when they see you, and they expect you to perform the thing that made you famous, even if it is the one thing in the world you don’t want to do. And when you fail to deliver on these heightened expectations, you are dismissed as a one trick pony, however good that trick is in the first place. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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