The unobserved signaling ability of marketing accountability: can suppliers’ marketing accountability enhance business customers’ value perceptions?

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Arslanagic-Kalajdzic ◽  
Vesna Žabkar ◽  
Adamantios Diamantopoulos

PurposeMarketing accountability is currently receiving increased attention from scholars and practitioners alike, with its usage mostly being linked to the improved position of marketing within the firm and to better firm performance. The purpose of this study is to assess whether a supplier’s marketing accountability also has an unobserved signaling effect on customer perceived value.Design/methodology/approachBased on a survey of advertising agency-client dyads, the authors develop and test a multilevel model that assesses the relationship between the supplier’s marketing accountability and perceived value of the client.FindingsEmpirical results indicate that marketing accountability of the agency is positively related to client-firm perceived value, that is marketing accountability also has a positive signaling effect on customers’ value perceptions.Originality/valueThis study provides novel insights on how perceptions of customer value are created in business relationships. More specifically, it highlights that marketing accountability of a supplier positively contributes to shaping clients’ value perceptions. Implications for marketing theory and practice, focused on the need for building, improving and sustaining marketing accountability within the firm and its relevance for value, are discussed and future research directions are identified.

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 772-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamoun N. Akroush ◽  
Bushra K. Mahadin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine a multidimensional model of customer perceived value (CPV), customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty from internet subscribers’ perspectives. Design/methodology/approach In total, 1,297 out of 2,000 online surveys were valid for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the research constructs’ unidimensionality, validity and composite reliability. Structural path analysis was used to test the hypothesized relationships of the research model. Findings CPV positively affects functional and technical satisfaction as well as cognitive loyalty. Functional satisfaction positively affects technical satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. Attitudinal loyalty positively affects cognitive and behavioral loyalty, and the latter positively affects cognitive loyalty. In total, 53 percent of variation in cognitive loyalty was caused by behavioral, attitudinal loyalty and perceived value path. Research limitations/implications Future research could investigate other outcomes of CS dimensions, such as customer lifetime value, customer retention, profitability, return on investment and market share, and their effects on customer loyalty (CL). Future research can also examine the effect of other dimensions of perceived customer value on CS and loyalty dimensions simultaneously. Other future research areas are also outlined. Practical implications CPV acts as a cornerstone to developing a successful multidimensional program of CL through functional and technical satisfactions. Marketing directors need to focus on building CL schemes and strategies that should take into consideration the long-term and short-term loyalty. Originality/value Theoretically, using an intervariable perspective, this paper has responded to important calls for conducting research on the chain of perceived value, CS and loyalty chain. Practically, this paper is the first empirical research devoted to developing an intervariable approach to the chain of perceived value, CS and loyalty in the internet service market.


2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (7) ◽  
pp. 1128-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus-Peter Wiedmann ◽  
Stefan Behrens ◽  
Christiane Klarmann ◽  
Nadine Hennigs

Purpose – A deeper understanding of the key drivers of consumer wine perception is a major challenge in the domain of wine marketing. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various dimensions of customer-perceived value that lead the customers – in general and divided into different age groups – to choose and consume a certain wine. Design/methodology/approach – In the exploratory study context of examining value-related consumer attitudes and behavioural effects, the drivers and outcomes of wine consumption based on a cross-generation sample, PLS path modelling was considered for the empirical tests of our hypotheses. Findings – Though there exist differences between Generation X and Generation Y consumers, the empirical results are supportive of the hypothesized positive relations between financial, functional, individual and social perceptions that influence the desire for and the consumption of wine. Research limitations/implications – For future research, the findings presented in the paper support the importance of enlarging the size of the sample and collecting data in different countries to compare the results on an international level. Practical implications – Successful wine marketing strategies should focus on the customer's subjective expectations and individual value perceptions by addressing the specific value aspects that are highly relevant for consumer loyalty. Originality/value – The study results are valuable for researchers, managers and marketers because they address the question of how to measure and forecast the perceived value with the greatest influence on consumers’ wine choices.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-135
Author(s):  
Scott W. Kelley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a retrospective evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article Efficiency in Service Delivery: Technological or Humanistic Approaches?, and to offer directions for further research and developments in the research area. Design/methodology/approach Research directions which emanated from the publication of the article have been examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice. As a result, promising current and future strands of research have been identified. Findings The original article examined technological and humanistic approaches to improving service delivery efficiency. In doing so, it included two services classification schemes which provided context for the managerial implications presented. The original article was published in 1989. Much has changed since then, especially with regard to technological approaches to service delivery. However, the implications included in the original article for the most part hold. Future researchers are offered a variety of possible directions to pursue in light of the changes, especially in technology, that have occurred since the publication of the original article. Originality/value The original article was highly rated and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the history of service(s) marketing research. The retrospective analysis by the author gives a unique insight into processes and thinking associated with understanding key aspects that contribute to the historical development of service(s) marketing, and provides substantial food for thought for future research directions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Joseph Cronin

Purpose This paper aims to provide an evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article “A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value” with the benefit of hindsight, and to offer directions for further research and developments in the research area. Design/methodology/approach Research directions which emanated from the publication of the paper have been examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice. As a result, promising current and future strands of research have been identified. Findings The focus of both the original and this paper is on the conceptualization and measurement of the value construct. Although much theory has been advanced relative to the measurement of value, the marketing literature lacks a conceptualization and measures that reflect this theory. Research limitations/implications The implication of the paper is that marketing scholars tend to focus more on to other studies before exhausting the opportunities to identify and test appropriate conceptualizations and measures of core marketing constructs such as value, quality, sacrifice and satisfaction. Practical implications Although value is universally identified as a major driver of consumer decision-making, a full appreciation of its role in the strategic marketing efforts of organizations depends on having an accurate conceptualization and measures. The original paper and this revisit motivate and assist organizations in their efforts to better understand value and its impact in the decisions made by consumers. Social implications To contribute to the needs and wants of society, organizations must identify what is valued by society. The original and this revisit identify the creation of value as a basic need in encouraging consumer behaviours when the intent is to satisfy societal needs or desires. Originality/value The original paper was highly rated, and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the history of service marketing research. The retrospective analysis by the authors gives a unique insight into processes and thinking associated with understanding key aspects that contribute to the historical development of service marketing, and provides substantial food for thought for future research directions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Flight ◽  
Kesha K. Coker

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that enduring consumer emotional traits play in brand constellation formation. Theories of self-image and brand-image congruence are used as the foundation to explain how complex brand constellations are a reflection of emotional dispositions. Design/methodology/approach A clustering technique based on 24 consumption emotion set items was used to analyze data from 287 consumers and 66 different consumer brands. A conjoint analysis was also performed to examine the degree of brand congruence within each cluster. Findings Results reveal four unique consumer clusters (Sad, Passionate, Joyful, and Balanced Middle) with unique brand constellations and differing degrees of brand congruence. Of significance is the Sad cluster, which shows a strong brand congruence to seemingly hedonic products. Research limitations/implications Given the nature of self-reported data, an inherent potential bias because of a single source for both dependent and independent variables exists. Also, this research design is based on an inductive form of reasoning, and thus, results may not be falsifiable. Practical implications Implications of brand constellations based on emotional dispositions for marketing theory and practice are discussed. Given this exploratory research on brand constellations defined by emotional disposition, limitations and avenues for future research are also presented. Social implications In this paper, the consumer’s enduring psychological traits act as the grouping mechanism, and from this psychometric profile, brands group to reflect the collective self-image of consumers based on emotional disposition. By introducing the emotional disposition approach to constellation formation, the authors demonstrate that psychometric variables offer a new methodology by which brands may be categorized. Originality/value Using a cluster analysis to essentially reverse-engineer consumption patterns is novel and reflects a valid approach toward demonstrating how otherwise unrelated brands may be consumed together.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Grönroos

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate the findings first put forward in the article “Internationalization strategies for services” (Grönroos, 1999) with the benefit of hindsight and to offer directions for further research and developments in this research area. Design/methodology/approach Research directions spurred by the publication of the original article are examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice and the development of digitalization and Internet and mobile technologies. Promising current and future strands of research are identified. Findings The originally suggested modes of internationalization seem to remain valid. However, digitalization and the development of Internet and mobile technologies have enabled new ways of internationalizing which enable offering services globally from the establishment of a firm. Originality/value The original article was highly rated, generated discussion and drove important further research. It has value in the history of service(s) marketing research. This retrospective analysis by the author gives unique insight into the processes and thinking associated with understanding key factors which have contributed to the historical development of service(s) marketing and provides substantial directions for future research.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (9) ◽  
pp. 818-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan De Noni ◽  
Luigi Orsi ◽  
Luca Zanderighi

Purpose – To counter the proliferation of out-of-town shopping centres, a spontaneous or planned coalition loyalty programme (CLP), one involving most retailers in an urban network, may positively affect a town centre's capacity to entice customers and may enhance its competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of CLP implementation in town-centre management (TCM) as a tool for enhancing urban commercial-system attractiveness. Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical framework used in this study is supported by the evaluation methodologies of an empirical case study: the Savigliano Card project. CLP performance analysis uses a dynamic network-competitiveness index, an approach based on Laspeyres-type decomposition. The effects on each retailer's profitability are then tested by matching network and regression analyses. Findings – The results suggest that CLPs implementation in a TCM scheme can produce benefits and positive externalities for customers, retailers and urban areas. CLPs can influence a town centre's revitalisation process, improve the attractiveness of the urban commercial network and increase the profitability of private retailers by enhancing cross-selling dynamics. Practical implications – The paper provides a CLP performance-evaluation methodology and presents the benefits concerning CLP implementation in TCM strategies. Originality/value – This type of CLP is weakly exploited in marketing theory and practice; therefore, the paper provides theoretical and empirical explanations for the measurement of CLP effectiveness in TCM. In addition, it has significant implications for both practitioners and academics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 710-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Heinonen ◽  
Elina Jaakkola ◽  
Irina Neganova

PurposeCustomer-to-customer (C2C) interaction plays a significant role in service. The purpose of this paper is to identify the drivers that motivate customers to interact with other customers, the interactions through which customers affect other customers and the value outcomes of C2C interactions for the participants.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a systematic literature review of C2C interactions. The authors analyzed 142 peer-reviewed articles to synthesize existing knowledge about C2C interactions. A generic value framework is used to categorize earlier research and reveal areas for further research.FindingsThe main outcome of this study is an integrative framework of C2C interaction that bridges C2C interactions and customer value. The findings indicate customer-, firm- and situation-induced drivers of C2C interactions. Outcome- and process-focused C2C interactions are identified to result in functional, emotional and social value outcomes. Avenues for additional research to explore issues related to current technology-saturated service settings are proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper proposes an agenda for future research to extend the C2C interaction research domain and explore how such interactions create value for the customer. The role of the service provider is not explicitly addressed but is an important area for further research.Practical implicationsCompanies can use the framework to understand how they can become involved in and support beneficial C2C interaction.Originality/valueThis paper reviews empirical studies on C2C interaction, offering a systematic review of C2C interaction and producing an integrative framework of C2C interaction. It identifies a research agenda based on the framework and on topical issues within service research and practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 850-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Eugenia Ruiz-Molina ◽  
Martina Gallarza ◽  
Irene Gil-Saura

Purpose Perceived value and customer loyalty have been studied jointly in most of services literature but mainly through SEM models. This paper aims to draw on the literature on the multidimensional richness of perceived value, to adopt a segmentation approach and explore segments of loyal consumers towards the service provider based on their value perceptions. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted among 460 Spanish consumers interviewed at the store exit of seven retail chains in two sectors (grocery and home furnishing). A CHAID analysis was performed on loyalty responses, through nine value dimensions (efficiency, service quality, product quality, emotional value, value for money, social value, aesthetic value, escapism and ethics). Findings Results show the existence of different groups of loyal customers based on the nine value types. Efficiency is prioritised by the most loyal customers in grocery but not for home furnishing. Emotional value and aesthetics, along with product quality determine the most loyal segments. Practical implications Retailers should focus on enhancing those value dimensions that better explain customer loyalty towards retail stores in their area of specialisation, combining not only tangible and intangible elements but also functional and emotional elements. Originality/value The paper adds to the prolific research on perceived value in services with a diachronic graphical review of value dimensions in retailing; furthermore, the range of value dimensions studied here is wider than most of previous works using dimensions of value in services.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reihaneh Bidar ◽  
Alistair Barros ◽  
Jason Watson

PurposeIn the co-creation process from a network perspective, service is produced, designed, and evaluated entirely by the actors with dynamic roles and with less participation by the firm's employees in the service process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model that represents environmental stimuli and value perceptions that contribute to service co-creation behaviour in an online network.Design/methodology/approachA total of 36 semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of two online programming communities – GitHub and Stack Overflow co-creators, with the data analysed using thematic analysis. The stimulus-organism-response model guided the development of the final model.FindingsSocial influence and trust are influential in actor value perceptions, including primary and network value, the interplay of which leads actors to co-production, supportive, and administrative behaviour. Environmental factors do not directly drive actors; rather it is the value that initiates and drives actors, which, by extension, initiates and drives the co-creation of services.Research limitations/implicationsThe service co-creation behaviour model provides a basis for future research in the co-creation and co-destruction context to model behaviours within the online network organisation setting and thereby enable improvement of such systems. This model can be operationalised in a network environment through design features.Originality/valueThis paper provides a rich understanding of environmental stimuli and value perception factors that contribute to the co-creation of services, and identifies different types of behaviours in dynamic online networks. This paper presents a new model of different types of behaviours emerging from actor participation in the co-creation process.


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