Shopping streets vs malls: preferences of low-income consumers

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tulio Zanini ◽  
Fernando Filardi ◽  
Fábio Villaça ◽  
Carmen Migueles ◽  
Aline Menezes Melo

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the attributes of shopping streets and shopping malls that influence the satisfaction and patronage intention of low-income consumers in order to understand the consumers’ preferences when it comes to shopping in these retail agglomerations.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on quantitative and qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and focus groups with low-income consumers. The research collected data from 396 consumers at 3 retail agglomerations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and used a structured questionnaire to identify 12 attributes as the factors of the agglomerations’ attractiveness.FindingsThe results show that the items “selection” and “value” affect satisfaction and patronage intention at the same intensity in both shopping streets and shopping malls. However, the item “access” proved to be important for shopping malls, and the item “security” proved to be important for shopping streets. The results indicate that shopping streets have a preference for patronage intentions, despite the greater satisfaction generated by shopping malls. In addition, the study looked at consumers’ opinions on these retail agglomerations.Originality/valueThe research findings help to build a conceptual framework on evolved retail agglomerations in comparison to created retail agglomeration, represented by shopping streets and shopping malls, respectively. The findings allow a broader view of low-income consumption, offering insights so entrepreneurs and companies can direct their efforts to better capture value and improve the supply of products and services. Likewise, these findings will help public policy decision-makers to build and provide infrastructure for the preservation of shopping streets, maintaining this option for the consumer.

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 882-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayantunji Gbadamosi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes and behaviour of low‐income women consumers in respect of low‐involvement grocery products.Design/methodology/approachOne focus group and 30 in‐depth interviews on the subject‐matter are conducted with low‐income women in Salford (Northwest England). Given the nature of the topic and the target respondents involved, the subjects are recruited through the use of purposive and snowballing sampling methods.FindingsThe findings suggest that low‐income women consumers' purchases of low‐involvement grocery products are based on habit. They do not show strong loyalty to brands of these products, and do not perceive price as an indication of their quality. Their key motivation underlying their purchases of these products is value‐for‐money. Also they are very sensitive to sales promotional stimuli, albeit in varying degrees according to the respective attractiveness of these tools. However, while they indicate a positive attitude towards buy‐one‐get‐one‐free (BOGOF), free samples, discount and coupons, BOGOF stands out as their best preference; but they are not positively inclined towards gifts and competition.Originality/valueThe paper explores the motivation, attitudes and behaviour of a special group of consumers (low‐income women) in respect of low‐involvement grocery products. It indicates the directions of their sensitivity in terms of marketing stimuli. Hence, it will be valuable for marketing decision making towards providing this group of consumers with the utmost satisfaction needed in this increasingly complex marketing environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Murilo Carrazedo Costa Filho ◽  
Roberto P.Q. Falcao ◽  
Paulo Cesar de Mendonça Motta

Purpose Low-income consumers (LICs) have gained more attention from marketers after Prahalad and Hart (2004) called attention to untapped opportunities among the world’s poorest. Once neglected and seen as price-driven, more recent research has depicted LICs as brand-conscious consumers who are willing to pay a premium for quality. However, because LICs must balance their tight budgets with aspirations for branded items, this perspective may be too optimistic. To address this issue, the purpose of this paper is to investigate brand consideration and loyalty among LICs across a wide range of products. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a qualitative-inductive approach to assess LICs’ brand considerations across ten fast-moving consumer goods. In-depth interviews with 20 Brazilian LICs were conducted. Findings The authors found that brand loyalty among LICs is both context- and category-dependent. Patterns of loyalty are influenced by five factors: perceived differentiation, perceived risk, contextual usage, proportion of the category expenditure to household income and hedonic vs functional consumption. It seems that the interplay of these factors ultimately shapes differently the attitudes and repeated patronage of brands within each category among LICs. Research limitations/implications Generalizability of findings is limited owing to the qualitative method used. Practical implications The authors provide practical insights to managers concerning key attributes that influence brand consideration and loyalty among LICs. Originality/value This paper adds to the yet limited knowledge on LICs and provides a deeper and more holistic understanding of the relation of LICs with brands.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia de Oliveira Campos ◽  
Marconi Freitas da Costa

PurposeThis study aims to further analyse the decision-making process of low-income consumer from an emerging market by verifying the influence of regulatory focus and construal level theory on indebtedness.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental study was carried out with a design 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs prevention) × 2 (psychological distance: high vs low) between subjects, with 140 low-income consumers.FindingsOur study points out that the propensity towards indebtedness of low-income consumer is higher in a distal psychological distance. We found that promotion and prevention groups have the same propensity to indebtedness. Moreover, we highlight that low-income consumers are prone to propensity to indebtedness due to taking decisions focused on the present with an abstract mindset.Social implicationsFinancial awareness advertisements should focus on providing more concrete strategies in order to reduce decision-making complexity and provide ways to reduce competing situations that could deplete self-regulation resources. Also, public policy should organize educational programs to increase the low-income consumer's ability to deal with personal finances and reduce this task complexity. Finally, educational financial programs should also incorporate psychology professionals to teach mindfulness techniques applied to financial planning.Originality/valueThis study is the first to consider regulatory focus and construal level to explain low-income indebtedness. This paper provides a deeper analysis of the low-income consumers' decision process. Also, it supports and guides future academic and decision-making efforts.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Michael D Metzger ◽  
Arch G. Woodside ◽  
John C. Ickis

Title – Assessing algorithms for selecting countries to market new products to low-income consumers. Subject area – A consulting team to an international food packaging company (SDYesBox) is attempting to decide which algorithm is the most useful for selecting two national markets in Central America and the Caribbean. SDYesBox wants to work closely with its immediate customers – manufacturers in the dairy and food industry and their customers (retailers) – to develop and market innovative products to low-income consumers in emerging markets; the “next big opportunity for the dairy industry” according to SDYesBox. Study level/applicability – New product development and market selection in emerging markets in Latin America. Case overview – Five algorithms are “on the table” for assessing 14 countries by 12 performance indicators: weighted-benchmarking each country by the country leader ' s indicator scores; tallying by ignoring indicator weights and selecting the countries having the greatest number of positive standardized scores; applying a conjunctive and lexicographic combination algorithm; and using a “fluency metric” of how quickly consumers can say each country aloud. At least one member of the consulting team is championing one of these five algorithms. Which algorithm do you recommend? Why? Expected learning outcomes – Learners gain skills, insights, and experience in alternative decision tools for evaluating and selecting choices among emerging markets to enter with new products for low-income (bottom of the pyramid) products ands services. Supplementary materials – Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.


Author(s):  
Amanda Michiko Shigihara

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine restaurant employees’ engagement in identity work to manage occupational stigma consciousness.Design/methodology/approachResearch methods included ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews.FindingsWidespread societal stigma attached to food service work disturbed participants’ sense of coherence. Therefore, they undertook harmonizing their present and envisioned selves with “forever talk,” a form of identity work whereby people discursively construct desired, favorable and positive identities and self-concepts by discussing what they view themselves engaged and not engaged in forever. Participants employed three forever talk strategies: conceptualizing work durations, framing legitimate careers and managing feelings about employment. Consequently, their talk simultaneously resisted and reproduced restaurant work stigmatization. Findings elucidated occupational stigma consciousness, ambivalence about jobs considered “bad,” “dirty” and “not real,” discursive tools for negotiating laudable identities, and costs of equivocal work appraisals.Originality/valueThis study provides a valuable conceptual and theoretical contribution by developing a more comprehensive understanding of occupational stigma consciousness. Moreover, an identity work framework helps explain how and why people shape identities congruent with and supportive of self-concepts. Forever talk operates as a temporal “protect and preserve” reconciliation tool whereby people are able to construct positive self-concepts while holding marginalized, stereotyped and stigmatized jobs. This paper offers a unique empirical case of the ways in which people talk about possible future selves when their employment runs counter to professions normatively evaluated as esteemed and lifelong. Notably, research findings are germane for analyzing any identities (work and non-work related) that pose incoherence between extant and desired selves.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nkosinathi Sithole ◽  
Gillian Sullivan Mort ◽  
Clare D'Souza

PurposeThis paper aims to examine customer experience value orchestrated by non-banks' financial touchpoints to understand how they enhance the financial inclusion of low-income consumers.Design/methodology/approachTwo independent but related studies were conducted using qualitative comparative analyses (QCA) research design with semi-structured interviews to compare and contrast customer experience value at two rural locations in Southern Africa. The interview transcripts were analysed using ATLAS.ti, which is a powerful operating system for analysing qualitative data.FindingsThe results indicate that non-banks in the two countries design financial services that include functional, economic, humanic, social and mechanic customer experience value dimensions.Research limitations/implicationsThe data for this study was collected from financial services customers of retailers and mobile phone network operators in only one research setting in each country. Further research could extend the comparative context for qualitative studies across similar markets. Other limitations are discussed in the paper.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the body of knowledge by highlighting the salient and germane dimensions and components found to be important in understanding financial inclusion using customer experience value. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that incorporates customer experience value dimensions in understanding the financial inclusion of low-income consumers at the base of the social and economic pyramid in emerging markets.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah P. Lonbay ◽  
Toby Brandon

Purpose The increased involvement of adults at risk in the safeguarding process has become a prominent issue within English safeguarding policy. However, there is evidence to suggest that actual levels of involvement are still low. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a PhD study in relation to the benefits of advocacy in supporting this involvement in adult safeguarding for older people. Design/methodology/approach Participants in the study included advocates and social workers who had experience of working with older people through the safeguarding process within two North East England local authorities. A critical realist approach through in-depth interviews was taken with all the participants. Findings The research findings in relation to the benefits of advocacy in supporting older people going through safeguarding processes are reported. The practical limitations and factors which help and hinder advocacy support within the process are also considered. The theoretical implications for power, empowerment, and advocacy are also explored. Research limitations/implications A key limitation of this research is that it did not include older people who had been through safeguarding amongst the participants. Practical implications Key implications for practice and policy are discussed. Originality/value The paper provides an overview and critique of empowerment in adult safeguarding and the role that advocates play in promoting this key principle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuğberk Kaya ◽  
Mustafa Sağsan ◽  
Tunç Medeni ◽  
Tolga Medeni ◽  
Mete Yıldız

Purpose The manner in which people, businesses and governments perform is changing because of the spread of technology. Digitalization of governments can be considered a necessity as we are now entering the era of the Internet-of-Things. The advantages and disadvantages of electronic governments have been examined in several research studies. This study aims to examine the attitudes of decision-makers towards e-government. The research aims are as follows: to determine the problems related with e-government usage, to establish the factors which decrease the usage of e-government services and to propose recommendations for the effective application of e-government practices. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative research has been used for the study. Participants were chosen by the snowball sampling method, and face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with all decision-makers. In-depth interviews are more efficient and enable the acquisition of better qualitative information, in-depth knowledge and statistics, as the distance between the interviewer and interviewee is reduced (Stokes and Bergin, 2006). Questions asked can be categorized under two sections, where the questions in the first section are related to the decision-maker’s management style/managerial proposition, and in the second section, technological questions are asked in terms of the preferred communication method and the decision-makers’ attitudes towards e-government practices. Findings Decision-makers perceive electronic government to be important, while the level of importance is observed to be different among the decision-makers. Chronic problems exist in many countries, such as nepotism, where the decision-makers have conflicting arguments about e-government and the resulting effect on nepotism. Furthermore, the study also indicates that decision-makers are aware of the importance of mobile government, although they acknowledge that more time is required, as their country is still developing. Electronic voting is also perceived to be important, although the decision-makers believe that security and privacy issues need to be solved before related projects can be initiated. Originality/value This research can be a benchmark study for the decision-makers of small island developing states by means of e-government. The impediments preventing the effective application of e-government practices are also discussed in the study. This study will be useful to highlight the triggers and obstacles for e-government development in the context of a developing country. Internet penetration has increased significantly since the 2000s, and therefore, decision-makers need to consider the shift in citizens’ behaviour, such as the high usage of smartphones and the emergence of the Internet-of-Things (Kaya and Bicen, 2016; Kumar et al., 2017).


2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 629-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn Mc Dowell ◽  
Una McMahon-Beattie ◽  
Amy Burns

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the importance of structured and consistent practical cookery skills intervention in the 11-14-year age group. This paper reviews the impact and development of statutory and non-statutory cooking skills interventions in the UK and considers limitations in relation to life skills training. Currently practical cooking skills are mainly derived from two sources namely the non-statutory sector (community cooking interventions) and the statutory sector (Home Economics teaching). Design/methodology/approach – The paper compares the two interventions in terms of effective long-term outcomes. Non-statutory cooking interventions are generally lottery funded and therefore tend to be single teaching blocks of, on average, six to eight weeks targeting mostly low-income adults and the literature emphasises a deficit of empirical measurement of the long-term impact. In contrast Home Economics classes offer a structured learning environment across genders and socio-economic groups. In addition it is taught over a substantial time frame to facilitate a process of practical skills development (with relevant theoretical teaching), reflection, group communication and consolidation, where according to current educational theory (Kolb, 1984) learning is more thoroughly embedded with the increased potential for longer term impact. Findings – The review identifies the limitations of too many community initiatives or “project-itis” (Caraher, 2012, p. 10) and instead supports the use of the school curriculum to best maximise the learning of practical cooking skills. Originality/value – This review will be of particular value to educationalists and health policy decision makers.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernie Ko ◽  
Yu-Chang Su ◽  
Chilik Yu

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the multiple anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) in Taiwan and their conflict resolution. The birth of the Agency Against Corruption (AAC) in 2011 created the unintended consequence of sibling rivalry with the elder Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB). Design/methodology/approach – A historical background of these agencies is discussed and followed by an analysis of the diversified conflicts among the prosecutor’s office, the AAC and the MJIB. The empirical sources of this study include 17 in-depth interviews with government officials both at ministerial level and field level, scholars and NGO representatives. Findings – The redundancy of ACAs in Taiwan is a fact, which is extremely difficult to change in the foreseeable future in the light of current political and fiscal constraints. This paper concludes that the conflicts among multiple ACAs and their operational weaknesses will not fade away after a mere directive from their superior, the Ministry of Justice, unless genuine cooperation is put into place in various individual cases. Practical implications – This paper provides a road-map for decision makers to improve collective anti-corruption performance. Taiwan’s AAC serves as the latest example testing the efficacy of the multiple specialized ACAs. Originality/value – This pioneering study provides insights into Taiwan’s anti-corruption policy and practices. More investigative studies should be conducted on the effectiveness of multiple ACAs in other countries.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document