The Impact of Internet Adoption on the International Marketing of the Jordanian Banking Sector

The research aims are to explore the extent of the banking sector’s adoption of Internet applications in Jordan for marketing products and to identify the impact of such adoption on developing international markets. This study also aims to determine the major obstacles restraining banks marketing their products internationally through the Internet and to make recommendations conducive to an effective and optimal implementation of Internet applications for marketing bank products locally and internationally. The statistical software package SPSS was used to analyse data and test hypotheses and from the findings a series of recommendations were formulated for upgrading the banking industry in Jordan. A population frame included banking organisations in Jordan and a research sample of 19 banks was used involving an inclusive field survey. For the unit of analysis, the study analysed information and data gathered through the questionnaire which was distributed to managers and other personnel involved in marketing at banks. Statistical methods used to analyse data and test hypotheses were frequency rates and percentages relevant to the questionnaire, standard deviations and means, and multiple regression analysis. The key results from the statistical analysis have shown that the Jordanian banking sector’s adoption of the Internet has had an impact on the international clients’ commitment towards the banks.

Credit Card Use and Risks in the E-Market

This chapter aims to (1) examine the awareness and experience of undergraduates in Melbourne, Australia of current and potential online risks, (2) explore how undergraduates deal with online incidents, and (3) make policy recommendations on how to enhance e-consumer protection. A total of 802 valid responses were received from the surveys conducted in Melbourne, Australia in 2007-2008. Findings demonstrate that most of the respondents were not aware of online incidents which could lead to credit card fraud. A number of them have encountered online incidents. Also, several respondents would less likely seek help from government and/or non-government organisations when encountering online incidents. Overall, credit card use and risks in the e-market is an under-research area in Australia, and this is a pilot study in this field. Findings from this chapter would contribute to the body of knowledge of credit card use and debt due to online shopping, and e-consumer protection.

Is Social Media Marketing Really Working?

Online social networks have become the fastest growing phenomenon on the Internet and firms are beginning to take advantage of them as a marketing tool. However, the strategic importance of social media marketing is not yet clear, given the novelty and the difficulty of measuring its impact on business performance. This study uses data from 191 Spanish firms from several sectors to measure the impact of the intensity of use of social media marketing on the relationship between the dynamic capabilities of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation, and business performance. The results provide evidence of the moderating effects of social media marketing intensity on the strength of the mentioned relations and the importance of a strong and committed marketing strategy on digital social networks for businesses.

Mobile Marketing

We are living in a world wherein there soon will be more mobile phone subscriptions than people. In 2000 there were less than a billion mobile subscriptions worldwide. Today, there are more than 6 billion. Accordingly, it is predicted by the World Bank that mobile subscription “will soon exceed that of the human population…as it is common in many countries for one person to own multiple SIM cards” (Rosen, 2012). The socio-economic effect of this rapid and expansive diffusion of mobile communication is being experienced more than understood. The focus of this chapter is to examine the emerging character of smartphone usage from both the user and marketing practitioner’s perspective. Specifically, from the consumer perspective, profiles of smartphone ownership and use patterns will be delineated. From the marketer’s and business practitioner’s perspectives, strategic and tactical marketing applications of smartphone technologies will be documented. In addition, speculation on the near future impact of emerging mobile technologies on consumer and practitioner applications will be addressed. The chapter concludes with analysis and discussion of the current state of mobile analytics and mobile measurement. Mobile analytics and mobile measurement have not evolved as rapidly as the proliferation of mobile devices. Measurement and analysis of data generated from mobile usage remains in its nascent state due to the technological challenges of multiple operating systems, devices, and carriers as well as the lack of standards for technology and advertising specifications.

Insights on E-Emerging Practices

The aim of this chapter is to give a vector to the background of e-business, and from that to highlight the areas which have driven the emerging practice of e-business. Every generation views the origins of development from its immediate past; the evolution is often lost in the passion for the future, but it is just this developmental trajectory that predicts the future. This Chapter therefore takes a historical perspective and looks at one root of “e-“ and uses its overview to consider the direction and barriers to global acceptance in the interdependent globalised business community.

E-Marketing as an Antecedent to Online Fraud

We live in a new world of constant technological upgrades and their pervasive intrusions especially in trade and commerce. The new e-commerce world order continues to transform the way business interactions occur in dynamic, complex, and adaptive ways. This has opened up ways for new and sometimes less scrupulous dealings in the online marketplace. Key questions answered in the chapter include: what are the new guidelines and best practices that mitigate the risks for consumers and advertisers? What constitutes online deceptive behavior and internet fraud? What explanatory frameworks and concepts from the academic literature can we use to best inform us about safeguarding the erosion of consumer trust that occurs through fraudulent e-marketing? The chapter explores four Australian case studies (each featuring a nexus between e-marketing and fraudulent online transactions) in order to apply a new theoretical framework based on constructionism to the emerging problem of online scams. The main contribution is the application of the Theory of Reality Construction to e-marketing. This innovative perspective includes social, psychological and intellectual dimensions which may be useful to entrepreneurs, policy makers, students, practitioners, researchers, and educators who seek to gain a deeper appreciation of the darker side that exists in the new era of e-marketing.

Ethics and E-Marketing

The use of electronics has made old standards obsolete or at least “Passé.” Therefore, the question of ethics in the use of electronics has not been addressed very well. Common practices are forgotten as well as privacy and separation of work and down time. What this chapter entertains is to set up standards by which the entrepreneur can make best use of e-marketing, use of Internet, e-mails, and other electronic processes that can be used for commerce, while being sensitive to the standards that exist in differing societies and cultures. A starting point must be in distinguishing the needs and cultural standards between developed and developing countries. Another consideration must be the cultural norms of people who live in different places to include religions and moral/ethical standards.

Competitive Advantage in Market Space

The Internet has been playing a key role to prolifically reach the target market. Simultaneously, the implications of Relationship Marketing (RM) to establish, maintain and enhance competitive advantage in the traditional marketplace are widely recognized. However, because of the online, ongoing, and on time communication approach of the Internet (the market space), the application of RM in the market space evolves as more sensitive than the traditional marketplace. From this context, this chapter attempts to recognize the RM perspectives that are standardized as RM indicators of five grown organizations and have been playing a key role to influence their competitive advantage in the market space. Fifteen RM indicators are attributed from the Internet marketing practices of these organizations that could be utilized to sustainably nurture competitive advantage in the market space. The application of these RM indicators emerges as viable across industries and markets.

Exploring the Role of Technology Readiness in Developing Trust and Loyalty for E-Services

Technology readiness relates to an individual’s propensity to embrace new technology. Consumers high in technology readiness are very optimistic about the impact of technology, have high levels of innovativeness, are very comfortable in using technology, and feel less insecure about technology. Previous studies have shown how technology readiness influences a consumer’s evaluation of service quality. The effect of technology readiness can also be on such constructs like trust with the service provider as well as loyalty to the service provider. The present study looks at the impact of technology readiness on the evaluation of e-service quality and its subsequent impact on e-trust and e-loyalty. Users of job-service portals in India were contacted for data collection. A total of 350 respondents replied to the questionnaire. The data was analysed through a path analysis procedure. The study found ample evidence for the impact of technology readiness on e-service quality, e-trust and e-loyalty. However the path from e-trust to e-loyalty as well as from e-service equality to e-trust was not found to be significant. The paper discusses the development of the conceptual model, empirical study as well as the implications. Finally, the practical implications that emerge from the results are also discussed.

New Insights into Consumer Loyalty of Website-Services

This chapter contributes to the study of flow theory development in the online environment by analysing its quadratic effects on consumer loyalty and flow’s role acting in parallel with satisfaction and trust. In doing so, the research reveals efficient key resource allocation implications to enhance consumer loyalty, as well as future research directions to further advance the development of flow theory.