Gifting from the closet: thoughtful or thoughtless?

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 450-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thyra Uth Thomsen ◽  
Judith Lynne Zaichkowsky
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Building ◽  
Gift Giving ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Symbolic Meanings ◽  
Elicitation Process ◽  
Symbolic Value ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the random collection of items for gifting which are stored in one’s home in a special place. Traditional gift-giving models suggest gift givers buy gifts for certain recipients on certain occasions. This study ' s journey into gift storage finds that some gift-giving practices are initially acquisition-less, recipient-less and/or occasion-less. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a convenience sample of 111, the main functions and motivations for gift storage are described. From a free elicitation process of gift-closet attributes, a first account of the symbolic meanings that gift storage is embedded in is provided. Findings – Seventy-seven per cent per cent of the sample had a gift closet where they stored gifts for which either the occasion or the recipient was not known at the time of acquisition. According to these gift-closet owners, the main purposes of gift closets are convenience, thrift and to have a place for surplus or shopping items. Social implications – While it makes sense to some consumers to prepare for future gift-giving occasions by stockpiling items in gift closets, the results indicate that storage may affect the symbolic value of the gift and, ultimately, the development of social ties. Consumers who gift from the closet believe that there are few negatives involved. However, people who do not have gift closets and receive gifts which they suspect are from storage may perceive a lack of caring and even feel insulted. Originality/value – Due to the unexplored nature of gift storage, the results reported in this paper represent a first exploratory account of gift storage and its possible effects on the relationship-building capacity of gifts.

Reciprocity and gift-giving logic in NPOs

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 513-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamberto Zollo ◽  
Guglielmo Faldetta ◽  
Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini ◽  
Cristiano Ciappei
Keyword(s):  
Service Sector ◽  
Gift Giving ◽  
Charitable Organizations ◽  
Organizational Responsiveness ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Variables ◽  
The Gift ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate, through the lens of the gift-giving theory, volunteers’ motivations for intending to stay with organizations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 379 volunteers from 30 charitable organizations operating in Italy’s socio-healthcare service sector. Bootstrapped mediation analysis was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings Volunteers’ reciprocal attitudes and gift-giving intentions partially mediated the relationship between motives and intentions to stay. Practical implications Policy makers of charitable organizations are advised to be more responsive to behavioral signals revealing volunteers’ motivations, attitudes, and intentions. Managers should appropriately align organizational responsiveness with volunteers’ commitment through gift-giving exchange systems. Originality/value The findings reveal that reciprocity and gift giving are significant organizational variables greatly influencing volunteers’ intentions to stay with organizations. Signaling theory is used to explain how volunteers’ attitudes are linked with organizational responsiveness. Furthermore, this study is the first to use an Italian setting to consider motives, reciprocity, and gift giving as they relate to intentions to stay.

scholarly journals On the ratio of “gift” to “gift-giving” categories

2019 ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
V. O. Riadinska ◽  
Yu. O. Kostenko
Keyword(s):  
Market Price ◽  
Civil Code ◽  
Gift Giving ◽  
Economic Costs ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Costs Of Production ◽  
The Relationship

The article analyzes the relationship between the concepts of “gift” and “gift-giving” as categories of modern legislation of Ukraine. It is noted that although the etymological meaning of the words “gift” and “giftgiving” is equal, the legislator uses these concepts as different categories; in various normative acts either gives them different definitions or operates with these two categories as synonyms. Comparing the signs of a gift and a gift-giving, it is determined that a gift can be provided both free of charge and for a fee, but at a price lower than the minimum market price. In the context of gift and gift-giving features, the ratios of “minimum market price” and “symbolic amount” are investigated. It is justified that the minimum market price is less than the market price, but it takes into account the economic costs of production and sale of goods and the minimum profit, while the symbolic price is formed by the prevailing in the society and concerns the free transfer of things. The ratio of “gift” and “gift-giving” categories in the civil and anticorruption legislation is formulated and its features are defined: 1) the concept of “gift-giving” (Civil Code of Ukraine) is narrower than the concept of “gift” (Law of Ukraine “On Prevention of Corruption”); 2) the main feature of giving is that the gift is free of charge, and the “gift” may be given at a price lower than the minimum market price, while the “symbolic fee” is a category that differs from the category of “price lower than the minimum market price”; 3) the decision to accept “gift-giving” depends on the person who is being presented, but the special subject can accept “gift” only if he or she is permitted by the anti-corruption legislation and is obliged to refuse it and implement a set of appropriate measures in case he or she is prohibited or restricted; 4) the categories “gift-giving” and “gift” are not identical, but when a special subject receives “gifts” from close people, they are “gift-giving”. Keywords: gift, gift-giving, anti-corruption legislation, special subject, minimum market price.

“Conspicuous consumption in the context of consumer animosity”

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 412-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Villy Abraham ◽  
Abraham Reitman
Keyword(s):  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Animosity ◽  
Willingness To Buy ◽  
The Holocaust ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Target Country

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of consumer animosity on conspicuous consumption in two research settings: Israel and Russia. The study also examines: the relationship between susceptibility to norm influence (SNI) and consumer animosity, whether SNI affects consumers’ willingness to buy (WTB) products from a country toward which they harbor animosity, and the relationship between consumer animosity and WTB in contexts differing in the level of animosity harbored toward a target country. Design/methodology/approach To probe generalizability, the hypothesized model was tested in two different contexts: Study 1 was conducted in Israel using the context of the Holocaust and Study 2 was conducted in Russia using the context of the recent political discord with the USA. A convenience sample of Israeli-Jewish (n=264) and Russian (n=259) consumers yielded a total of 523 questionnaires. Findings In both contexts, the results from the SPSS and AMOS analyses indicated a negative and significant relationship between consumer animosity and conspicuous consumption. Moreover, SNI was positively associated with consumer animosity. Finally, the study findings point to a negative association between consumer animosity and WTB, regardless of the level of animosity. Originality/value The research findings suggest that consumer animosity may be a stronger predictor for the consumption of conspicuous products than for the consumption of necessity goods.

Positive moods and word-of-mouth in the banking industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 764-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Che-Hui Lien ◽  
Jyh-Jeng Wu ◽  
Maxwell K. Hsu ◽  
Stephen W. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Banking Industry ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Special Treatment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Functional Value ◽  
Relational Benefits ◽  
Symbolic Value ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of functional value and symbolic value between positive moods and word-of-mouth (WOM) referrals in the context of Taiwan’s banking industry. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effect of relational benefits on the relationship between perceived value and WOM.Design/methodology/approachThe research model was tested using data collected from customers (n=362) of the top 10 domestic banks in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling was employed to test and validate the conceptual model.FindingsPositive moods are found to be an important predictor of functional value, symbolic value and WOM in this banking service study. Four types of relational benefits are identified including social, special treatment, confidence and face. Note that two distinct segments of bank customers are identified in terms of relational benefits: those who appreciate face benefits (n1=169), and those who appreciate general relational benefits (n2=193). The findings reveal the existence of partial mediation between a banking customer’s mood and WOM through functional value and symbolic value in the overall sample (n=362). However, it was found that functional value partially mediates the influence of positive moods on WOM among respondents in the “general relational benefits” segment only. That is, relational benefits are found to moderate the relationship between functional value and WOM.Originality/valueThis study expands the existing body of knowledge on customers’ perceptions of value by differentiating types of value perceptions.

scholarly journals Public relations for peacebuilding: case study from Colombia

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-66
Author(s):  
Ivana Monnard ◽  
Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Peace Treaty ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Peace Agreement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Colombian Government ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to link public relations to peacebuilding. Although scholarship has discussed public relations as relationship management, the nexus between public relations and peace building has been understudied. To address this deficiency, this research studies the negotiations between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP separatist group that lead to the landmark peace treaty between the two entities that had fought for over five decades with thousands of deaths. Three research questions addressed the communication factors that contributed to the two sworn enemies – FARC-EP and the Colombian Government – finally sealing a peace agreement; the specific public relations strategies and techniques that led to relationship building between the two sides leading to the landmark peace agreement; and the use of the indicators of relationship building proposed by scholarship in the negotiations between the Colombian Government and FARC-EP. Design/methodology/approach The case study method was used and a purposive sample of news reports from three national newspapers at specific key dates yielding a final sample consisted of 504 articles was analysed. A codebook with deductive and inductive categories was developed specially to study the existing communication factors (RQ1), public relations strategies and techniques (RQ2), as well as contributions by relationship indicators (RQ3). Given the sensitivity of the issues, only secondary data could be relied upon for this study. Findings The results of RQ1 fall within the scope of Grunig’s (2001), Sriramesh’s (1992) and Hung’s (2001) notion of the personal influence model where the leveraging of individuals’ network is important to facilitate communication. Indeed, the relations already existing and established with third parties are revealed to be fundamental to the success of the negotiation process. As for RQ2, findings demonstrate that the Colombian Government used third-party mediation, principled and distributive strategies, while FARC-EP mainly used contending strategies. But results showed that both used compromising during the whole process, and that both transitioned from one-way asymmetrical strategies, such as principled or contending towards compromising along the peace talks. Finally, findings demonstrate evidence of the four indicators of the relationship and their link with public relations techniques. The most evidenced indicators of the relationship were trust, commitment and control mutuality. Trust was the indicator of the relationship the most evidenced in the Colombian case. The dimension was built during the whole process and evolved continually. Distrust was the total between the two enemies at the beginning of the pre-negotiation. However, as parties entered into a relationship, confidence and trust increased. Research limitations/implications The inability to obtain primary data is the major limitation of this study. It was caused by the sensitivity of the topic. Practical implications This study links public relations to a very practical case that is also vastly understudied/underreported – peacemaking/peacebuilding – while also addressing communication by governments and civil society in Latin America – an area that is largely understudied. Originality/value This is the first study that links public relations with peacebuilding.

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.

Employee strengths use and innovative behavior: a moderated mediation model

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
He Ding ◽  
Xinqi Lin ◽  
Weilin Su
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Innovative Behavior ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strengths Use ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Indirect Relationship ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to investigate the mediating role of positive affect and the moderating role of deficit correction in the relationship between employee strengths use and innovative behavior. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a three-wave research design to gather data. A convenience sample of 189 employees working in diverse organizations in China was applied to examine the hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that employee strengths use was positively related to innovative behavior, and positive affect mediated the relationship between employee strengths use and innovative behavior. In addition, deficit correction enhanced the direct relationship of employee strengths use with positive affect and the indirect relationship of employee strengths use with innovative behavior through positive affect. Originality/value The current study contributes to the existing literature on employee strengths use-innovative behavior relationships by revealing positive affect as a mediator and deficit correction as a moderator between employee strengths use and innovative behavior.

Money as a symbol in the relationship between financial advisors and their clients: a dyadic study

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoardo Lozza ◽  
Cinzia Castiglioni ◽  
Andrea Bonanomi ◽  
Federica Poli
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Finance ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Financial Advisors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Psychological Training ◽  
Symbolic Meanings ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe paper aims to examine whether financial advisors can understand the symbols and meaning that investors associate with money and whether such ability plays any role in enhancing the advisor-investor relationship in terms of satisfaction, level of trust, referral propensity and loyalty.Design/methodology/approach The authors used a dyadic research design. A total of 186 dyads of financial advisors and their clients took part in the study and completed two parallel self-administered questionnaires.Findings The authors found that financial advisors often can detect the emotional associations that their clients attribute to money. Such ability can enhance their relationship with investors.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study is its exploratory nature and the convenience sampling technique that was adopted. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the main findings further.Practical implicationsThe results have implications for the development of ad-hoc psychological training to enhance the relationship between financial advisors and investors. Understanding the symbolic meanings and the emotions that clients associate with money may be a prerequisite for a financial services company to succeed and be competitive in the sector.Originality/valueDespite acknowledging that money is not a neutral object but is layered with symbolic meanings and emotional associations, the behavioral finance literature has so far neglected to study these implications from either a theoretical or a practical point of view. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating the symbolic value of money in the financial services industry.

Vlog and brand evaluations: the influence of parasocial interaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Tingchi Liu ◽  
Yongdan Liu ◽  
Lida L. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Research ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Parasocial Interaction ◽  
Brand Preference ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Evaluations ◽  
Brand Quality ◽  
The Media ◽  
And Behavior

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the marketing results of video blogging (vlogging). In particular, the authors are interested in understanding which video bloggers (vloggers) can better help marketers develop their brand image, which vlog viewers tend to evaluate vlogger-endorsed brands more positively, and how these effects occur.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted with a convenience sample online. A total of 401 valid responses were collected. Regression analyses and bootstrapping were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe authors found that vloggers’ physical and social attractiveness and the audience’s viewing motives (entertainment motive and relationship-building motive) and behavior (time spent on the media) increased the audience’s evaluations of the brands endorsed by the vloggers (perceived brand quality, brand affect and brand preference). The authors also found that these relationships were mediated by the parasocial interaction (PSI) between the vloggers and the audience.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study suggest that marketers can develop relationships with consumers and enhance their brand evaluations via vloggers. This strategy is more effective when brand managers use more attractive vloggers and target viewers who spend a lot of time on vlogs seeking entertainment or hoping to build relationships.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by showing that vlogging can affect brand evaluations through the development of PSI between vloggers and viewers. The authors extended the focus of vlog marketing research from consumers’ watching and sharing behaviors and their perception of vloggers to brand evaluations, from vloggers’ characteristics to viewers’ characteristics and from the Western to the Eastern context.

Job stress and organizational commitment in hospitals

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inas Mohammed Saadeh ◽  
Taghrid Saleh Suifan
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of job stress on perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational commitment in hospitals in Amman, Jordan. It also investigated the mediating role of POS on the relationship between job stress and organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach The study used a cross-sectional, quantitative survey design to collect data from 500 employees in six hospitals in Amman, Jordan. An Arabic version of a reliable and valid measurement instrument was used. A convenience sample was selected from employees in the targeted hospitals. Mediating effect was tested using the approach proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986). Validity and reliability tests were applied, and regression analyses were used to test the study hypotheses. Findings The results revealed a significant negative effect of job stress on POS and organizational commitment. The results also indicated full negative mediating effect of POS on the relationship between job stress and organizational commitment. Practical implications This research promotes hospitals to implement strategies that reduce employees’ job stress, increase levels of POS among employees working at hospitals, which, in turn, will enhance employees’ commitment to their hospitals. Originality/value This study is one of the first to investigate the proposed effects in Jordan in particular, and the Middle East in general. In addition, it contributes to the literature by examining the mediating effect of POS on the relationship between job stress and organizational commitment. Recommendations are provided to practitioners in hospitals based on the study results.

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