Role of customer attributes on absolute price thresholds

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 589-601
Author(s):  
Saloni Firasta Vastani ◽  
Kent Bourdon Monroe
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Price Change ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Price Range ◽  
Behavioral Price Research ◽  
Price Thresholds

Purpose This paper aims to examine how customer heterogeneity influences absolute price thresholds in a service industry. Design/methodology/approach Customer purchase behavior is studied in the context of a firm’s and competitor’s price changes. Customer purchase behavior is further examined in the context of specific customer attributes such as loyalty, motivation, online purchase channel, gender and frequency of purchase. The study uses a longitudinal data set spanning over 44 months and tracks over 13,000 of a firm’s customers, totaling over 200,000 transactions from a parking services provider. Findings Results show that absolute price thresholds affect purchasing decisions. Customers are willing to pay a range of prices for a considered purchase, and when a price is within customers’ acceptable price range, it does not induce a change in their purchase behavior. However, specific identifiable customer attributes influence the propensity to continue buying and influence the acceptable price range. Practical implications Knowledge from this study can be applied to developing a deeper understanding of customers and their price thresholds to improve customer retention and firm performance after a price change. Originality/value For a better understanding of the consumer choice process, it is essential to understand what factors affect price thresholds. Additionally, very few studies are using transaction-level data to empirically validate concepts from behavioral price research in the service industry, and none that do it at an individual customer level over three years.

The impacts of acquisition modes on achieving customer behavioral loyalty: an empirical analysis of the credit card industry from China

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaxin Ming ◽  
Jing (Elaine) Chen ◽  
Chenxi Li
Keyword(s):  
Credit Card ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Marketing Practice ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavioral Loyalty ◽  
Joint Influence ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Negative Effect

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of acquisition modes on customer behavioral loyalty to enrich our knowledge of the effectiveness of acquisition modes and how to better target customers in the service industry.Design/methodology/approachUsing a data set from a large commercial bank in China, this study conducts a series of empirical analyses to examine the impacts of two types of acquisition modes (i.e. the gift acquisition mode and customer referral) on customer behavioral loyalty.FindingsGift acquisition has a negative effect on customer behavioral loyalty, as measured by the dropout probability, consumption amount and consumption frequency. Furthermore, this negative relationship could be weakened if the customer is referred by an existing customer.Originality/valueAlthough prior studies have investigated the effectiveness of some acquisition modes in terms of customer loyalty, customer acquisition through the provision of gifts, which is widely implemented in marketing practice, has not been well investigated. This study addresses this research gap and identifies the joint influence of acquisition modes on customer behavioral loyalty, further enriching our knowledge of the effectiveness of different acquisition modes.

A model of foreign direct investment flows at the municipal level in South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Okeahalam ◽  
Mark Dowdeswell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Municipal Level

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between South Africa's foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic fundamentals at the municipal level.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a data set and an econometric model to analyze FDI flows at the municipal level in South Africa.FindingsThe empirical results derived from municipal level data support the findings in some of the established literature (which for the most part uses country‐level data) and indicates: that FDI tends to flow to areas with high factor (capital, labour and land) productivity; and that increases in higher labour productivity lead to higher investment.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper has used a cross‐section of municipalities. A further area of research would be to carry out a similar exercise with panel data.Practical implicationsThese findings indicate that FDI flows can be considered at the municipal level and this justifies the need for careful selection of the geographic basis for economic policy and development planning.Originality/valueWhereas most studies on FDI use country‐level data as standard geographic units of analysis, this paper analyzes FDI flows at the municipal level.

Using the eurostat-OECD definition of high-growth firms: a cautionary note

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven-Olov Daunfeldt ◽  
Dan Johansson ◽  
Daniel Halvarsson
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – High-growth firms (HGFs) have attracted an increasing amount of attention from researchers and policymakers, and the Eurostat-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of HGFs has become increasingly popular. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a longitudinal firm-level data set to analyze the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition. Findings – The results indicate that this definition excluded almost 95 percent of surviving firms in Sweden, and about 40 percent of new private jobs during 2005-2008. Research limitations/implications – The proportion of small firms and their growth patterns differ across countries, and the authors therefore advise caution in using this definition in future studies. Practical implications – Policy based on the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs might be misleading or even counterproductive. Originality/value – No previous studies have analyzed the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs.

Professional identity in service work: why front-line employees do what they do

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Echeverri ◽  
Maria Åkesson
Keyword(s):  
Professional Identity ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Service Work ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Contextual Knowledge ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Service Workers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cognitive Understanding

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the key elements of professional identity in service work in order to provide more in-depth theoretical explanations as to why service workers do as they do while co-creating service. Design/methodology/approach This study takes a multi-perspective on professional identity, i.e. using both an employee and a customer perspective, arguing that the phenomenon mainly consists of what these interactants jointly do during the service interaction and of the meanings that are attributed to it. The authors draw on a detailed empirical study of professionals working at a customer centre. Methodologically, the study is based on practice theory, which helps us to illuminate and analyse both the micro practices and the meaning attributed to the professional identity of service workers. Findings The key elements of professional identity in service work are outlined within a framework that describes and explains three different facets of the service workers’ professional identity, i.e. as a core (i.e. individual resources, cognitive understanding, interaction), as conditions (i.e. service prerequisites), and as contour (i.e. demeanour and functions). Research limitations/implications The findings are based on an empirical data set from a public transport customer centre. As the results are limited to one context, they do not provide statistical generalizability. Although limited to one service industry, the findings may still be of high relevance to a wide range of service organisations. Practical implications The study shows the significance of managers not just talking about the importance of being service-minded; more exactly, a wide range of service prerequisites, beyond cognitive understanding, needs to be in place. It is crucial that service workers are given the time to develop their contextual knowledge of their customers, and of other parts of the service organisation. Originality/value This study offers original empirical contributions concerning the key elements of professional identity. An alternative conceptualization of professional identity is provided, through which the paper adds to service research, explaining more specifically what kinds of knowledge and skills are in use during the co-creation of services.

scholarly journals Vulnerability to COVID-19 unemployment in the Portuguese tourism and hospitality industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Sofia Lopes ◽  
Ana Sargento ◽  
Pedro Carreira
Keyword(s):  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Economic Downturns ◽  
New Type ◽  
Tourism Activity ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality

Purpose This paper aims to address the immediate effects of the COVID-19 crisis in the Portuguese tourism and hospitality industry by examining whether some specific characteristics make people more vulnerable or more immune to unemployment. Design/methodology/approach Using an extensive micro-level data set of personal and job-related attributes containing all unemployed individuals in the Portuguese tourism and hospitality industry, a logit model with 56,142 observations is estimated to assess how each characteristic contributed to the unemployment odds during the COVID-19 crisis (until the end-July 2020), relatively to the pre-COVID period. Findings The most vulnerable workers to COVID-19 unemployment seem to be older, less educated, less qualified, women and residents in regions with a higher concentration of people and tourism activity. Moreover, the COVID-19 crisis is generating a new type of unemployment by also affecting those who were never unemployed before, with more stable jobs and more motivated at work, while reducing voluntary disruptions. Practical implications Public effort should be made not only to increase workforce education but especially to reinforce job-specific skills. The COVID-19 crisis has broken traditional protective measures against unemployment and separated workers from their desired occupations, which justifies new and exceptional job preservation measures. Policy recommendations are given aiming at strengthening worker resilience and industry competitiveness in the most affected sub-sectors and regions. Originality/value This study extends the current understanding of worker vulnerability to economic downturns. Herein, this paper used a three-level approach (combining socio-demographic, work-related and regional factors), capturing the immediate effects of the COVID-19 crisis and focussing on the tourism and hospitality industry (the hardest-hit sector worldwide).

scholarly journals Negative equity in Ireland: estimates using loan-level data

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Duffy ◽  
Niall O’Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
House Prices ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Equity Analysis ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Younger Age

Purpose – This paper aims to, using a unique loan-level data set, show the extent to which negative equity in Ireland is concentrated in younger age groups. The sharp decline in house prices since 2007 has led to the emergence of widespread negative equity in Ireland. However, little is known about the type of borrower experiencing negative equity. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a unique data set that, for a large sample of mortgages, provides details on both the characteristics of the borrowers and their mortgages. Using this data set, the paper estimates the incidence of negative equity by analysing loans taken out to purchase a primary residence in the period 2005-2012. Findings – The analysis finds the situation in Ireland to be much more severe than that being experienced in other housing market downturns at present, with 64 per cent of borrowers in the period 2005-2012 experiencing negative equity. Analysis by age gives rise to concern, with the majority of those in negative equity aged under 40 years. The paper also points to the large wealth loss experienced by Irish households, in the order of 43 billion, as a result of the fall in property values. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first using loan-level time-series data in Ireland. It highlights the growth in negative equity during the crisis and the extent to which it is concentrated in the younger age groups. It also provides an estimate of the loss in wealth suffered by all households due to the fall in Irish house prices.

Are consumers loyal to home-sharing services?

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 1066-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Xie ◽  
Linchi Kwok ◽  
Jiang Wu
Keyword(s):  
Observational Data ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Acceptance Rate ◽  
Purchase Behavior ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Repeat Purchase

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of host attributes and travelers’ frequency of past stays and their interaction on the likelihood of repeat purchase of home-sharing services at both the host and listing levels. Design/methodology/approach A combination of econometrics analyses using a large-scale, granular online observational data set collected from a home-sharing platform was performed. Findings Travelers exhibit salient loyalty to home-sharing services. At the host level, host attributes including acceptance rate and listing capacity positively affect travelers’ likelihood of repeat purchase; such effects diminish as travelers’ frequency of past stays with a host/listing increases. At the listing level, confirmation efficiency and acceptance rate are critical, and travelers’ frequency of past stays matters. Research limitations/implications Responding to the call for more research on customer loyalty of sharing economy, this study instantiated on a home-sharing website in China and adds a unique perspective to the research domain, but its findings may not be generalized in other settings. Practical implications This study identifies the factors affecting customers’ repeat purchase behaviors at both the host and listing levels, allowing the hosts, webmasters of home-sharing websites and even hoteliers to advance specific tactics to promote repeat purchase among travelers. Originality/value Loyalty was measured with real-time internet-enabled observational data about travelers’ actual repeat purchase behavior on a home-sharing website, rather than assessing consumers’ behavioral intentions through the conventional survey method. Two specific levels of customer loyalty were analyzed, including the ones towards a service provider (host) and a service product (listing).

A better method to estimate price change in single family housing

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-391
Author(s):  
Donald Epley
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Price Index ◽  
Price Change ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Repeat Sales ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Price Changes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
True Value

PurposeThis paper aims to compare a median‐to‐median estimate of residential price change to the FHFA home price index composed of repeat sales. Further, it seeks to use the complete population of closed sales. The conceptual issue is the use of a “typical” or average comparison through time as opposed to properties where attributes and their marginal prices are held constant.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses the total population of closed sales rather than a sample. A time series for median price changes is compared to the FHFA time series. The medians for the complete population are the benchmarks, as the median parameter is the true value.FindingsThe study finds that the quarterly FHFA price changes do not capture market movements following a major external shock such as a tropical storm. Further, the FHFA data originate in mortgage applications which are not characteristic of the local market. The conclusion is that a median comparison is better, all deed recordings should be used, and repeat sales are not always a valid tool.Research limitations/implicationsAcquiring the data set of all deed transactions involved a budget which may be available to all analysts.Practical implicationsThe practical applications are enormous. The results cast doubts on the FHFA home price index and the Case Shiller index. The paper supports the method used by the National Association of Realtors.Social implicationsAll researchers interested in local real estate markets are concerned about the best method to measure changes in local demand and supply market conditions. This project presents a method to use that is sound conceptually and statistically. The reason is that the goal is to measure changes in the “typical”, or average, property over time.Originality/valueThe literature abounds with repeat sale papers. This paper gives an alternative and avoids the many flaws with paired sales. It should have a wide readership.

Adults with learning disabilities known to local authorities in Scotland: a national dataset

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23
Author(s):  
Claire Stuart ◽  
Andrew McKeown ◽  
Angela Henderson ◽  
Chloe Trew
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Analytical Potential ◽  
Adults With Learning Disabilities

Purpose – Learning Disability Statistics Scotland collects information on adults with learning disabilities who are known to local authorities in Scotland and the services they use. The data collection supports national and local government policy making and is focused on monitoring the implementation of learning disability policy. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Individual level data are requested from all 32 local authorities on adults aged 16-17 who are not in full-time education and those aged 18 and over. Annual data guidance is developed in conjunction with local authorities prior to the collection and is issued to standardise the process and manage avoidable error. The collated data are extracted from local authority administrative data and records are provided on each adult regardless of whether they are currently receiving a service. Anonymisation takes place prior to upload and strict guidelines are followed to ensure it is not possible to identify individuals. Findings – The paper provides insights to the project's processes, uses, challenges and future plans. It details the position of the data outputs within a policy context and the role these might play within a broader research agenda. Research limitations/implications – This data includes only adults known to local authority services. Originality/value – The value of the project lies in its strength as a national social care data set comprised of individual level data. This methodology increases the analytical potential of the data set. This paper will be of interest to those interested in data on learning disability and those with an interest in the analytical potential of an individual level national data set.

The asymmetric price-volume relation revisited: evidence from Qatar

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walid M.A. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Trading Volume ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Return Volatility ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Future ◽  
Volume Relation

Purpose This study aims to revisit the stock price–volume relations, providing new evidence from the emerging market of Qatar. In particular, three main issues are examined using both aggregate market- and sector-level data. First, the return–volume relation and whether or not this relation is asymmetric. Second, the common characteristics of return volatility; and third, the nature of the relation between trading volume and return volatility. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the OLS and VAR modeling approaches to examine the contemporaneous and dynamic (causal) relations between index returns and trading volume, respectively, while an EGARCH-X(1,1) model is used to analyze the volatility–volume relation. The data set comprises daily index observations and the corresponding trading volumes for the entire market and the individual seven sectors of the Qatar Exchange (i.e. banks and financial services, consumer goods and services, industrials, insurance, real estate, telecommunications and transportation). Findings The empirical analysis reports evidence of a positive contemporaneous return–volume relation in all sectors barring transportation and insurance. This relation appears to be asymmetric for all sectors. For the market and almost all sectors, there is no significant causality between returns and volume. By and large, these findings lend support for the implications of the mixture of distributions hypothesis (MDH). Lastly, the information content of lagged volume seems to have an important role in predicting the future dynamics of return volatility in all sectors, with the industrials being the exception. Practical implications The findings provide important implications for portfolio managers and investors, given that the volume of transactions is generally found to be informative about the price movement of sector indices. Specifically, tracking the behavior of trading volume over time can give a broad portrayal of the future direction of market prices and volatility of equity, thereby enriching the information set available to investors for decision-making. Originality/value Based on both market- and sector-level data from the emerging stock market of Qatar, this study attempts to fill an important void in the literature by examining the return–volume and volatility–volume linkages.

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