Revisiting Sproles and Kendall’s Consumer Styles Inventory (CSI) in the 21st Century: A Case of Australian Consumers Decision-Making Styles in the Context of High and Low-Involvement Purchases

There has been considerable research on the investigation of Consumer Decision-Making Styles (CDMS). However, research designs suggested to date mainly replicate the original study by Sproles and Kendall (1986) proposing eight mental characteristics, the Consumer Styles Inventory (CSI). The research aims to develop this approach further and apply the CSI to different product involvement (e.g., high and low) and compare the relationship between product involvement and consumer decision-making styles. Data were collected from 208 Australian respondents using a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the CSI adapted for high and low involvement purchases. The generalisability of the CSI was tested within this context. Results found significant differences between the two product categories and demonstrated a relationship between products and CDMS and that CDMS are governed by consumers’ perceived product involvement. Furthermore, the original CSI can still be a valuable measure to low involvement purchases; however, it is questionable and requires further modification in relation to high involvement purchases. For instance, the addition of new factors such as “environmental sustainability”, “innovation consciousness”, “corporate social responsibility”, etc. with the original scale would help understand CDMS effectively. The findings of this research will expand the scientific literature on the relationship between product involvement and CDMS. Knowing that Australians are ‘rational’ and ‘quality conscious’ buyers, managers can employ CDMS to analyse consumers’ needs and develop segmented marketing messages and strategies.

Gilt Groupe: Desperately Seeking a New Business Model How Discount Luxury Sites Struggle in the Economic Recovery Era

Gilt Groupe is a favorite website for luxury bargain hunters spending their lunch breaks with style. The company, founded in 2007, already has a well-established reputation and is expected to generate close to $1 billion in annual sales by the end of 2012. Its online platform uses the “flash sales” method, offering limited-time availability of high fashion, travel, home décor, and culinary bargains to its members. Membership, originally by invitation only, is now open to all. The idea of moving “sample sales” online was first realized on a European website, Vente-Privee.com, which now has more than 13 million customers. Following Gilt’s introduction in the United States, flash sales skyrocketed and led to the launching of many new sites, which have proved popular both with consumers seeking impressive discounts on uber-luxury goods, and with exclusive brands wanting to unload their unsold stock quickly

Employer Branding – A Human Resource Strategy for Companies in a Turbulent Environment Based on the Example of Northern Austria

Human capital is a precondition for regional development and influences, to a great extent, the value or worth of a region. Especially in a turbulent environment, human capital is a key factor to keep a region competitive and innovative. This paper addresses employer branding as a sustainable strategy for companies, located in the border region of Northern Austria, to manage their human resources. The region is characterized by mostly small and medium sized enterprises which increasingly face labour shortage because numerous residents commute to more urban areas. Hence, employer branding contributes to regional development by attracting and retaining qualified people who not only live in the region but are also willing to work there and invest their talent into the development of new and innovative products or services. An empirical study was conducted to gain insight into how precious human capital can be secured in order to reinforce regional development and encounter the labour shortage problem. Interesting information about employers’ and employees’ values was discovered. Based on the results, companies in the target region require an enhanced human resource strategy in order to be visible for potential employees and to retain existing employees. That is to say, companies that are noticeable and attractive have better chances to entice qualified people which, in turn, positively influences regional development, as people not only live but also work in the region and invest their potential. Talented people not only spur the innovative strength of a company but also determine the success of an organisation. New approaches towards managing human capital and their impact on the target region are presented in this paper.

The Effect of Marketing Communication on Brand Equity with Brand Image, Brand Trust, and Brand Loyalty as the Intervening Variables

An enterprise organization need good brand equity to survive in a fiercely competitive market. Marketing communication plays an important role in establishing brand equity. The study aims to analyze the effect of Marketing Communication that consists of advertising, sales promotion, and eWOM on brand equity with brand image, brand trust, and brand loyalty as the intervening variables. This study employs a quantitative method with a sample of 314 respondents, who are consumers of smartphones. The data is analyzed with SEM technique with Amos 21 application. Results of the study indicate a significantly positive effect of advertising and eWOM on brand image. eWOM exerts a larger effect on brand image than advertising. However, sales promotion does not affect brand image. Sales Promotion and eWOM have a significantly positive effect on brand trust, while advertising has a significantly negative effect on brand trust. Brand trust has a significantly positive effect on brand loyalty. Nevertheless, the brand image does not affect brand loyalty. Meanwhile, brand loyalty has a significantly positive effect on the brand equity of smartphone products purchased by consumers. Of the three variables of marketing communication studied, eWOM has the largest indirect effect on brand equit.

Analysis of the Functioning of Clusters in Poland

The cluster concept has gained special significance after the publication of the works of M. Porter “The Competitive Advantage of Nations”(1990). But the most popular definition of industrial cluster was formed eight years later, when he wrote that clusters are:“geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, firms in related industries, and associated institutions (e.g. universities, standards agencies, trade associations) in a particular field that compete but also cooperate”(Porter, 1998, p. 197). A cluster as a regionally focused form of economic activity generates positive effects for business and the region. Global researchers suggest that clusters help to increase the innovation and competitiveness of the country in which they are located. Since the 90s clusters have become an increasingly important element of economic development and innovation strategy of the European Union and its Member States. In years 2007–2013, clusters are expected to one of the objectives of support for EU regional policy. EU funds destined for cluster initiatives will help to take concrete actions by entrepreneurs interested in the cluster activity. Poland has recently joined the countries interested in popularizing the idea of clusters. Some specialized cluster studies have been carried out in Poland identifying clusters. This article gives an overview on policy support, formation and the functioning of clusters in Poland.

Free Competition and Fiscal Policy in European Union

Fiscal policy and the harmonization of tax laws are extremely important in order to prevent distortions of free competition in UE. The process of European Union construction is based on integration and liberalization of markets in order a loyal and free competition. This issue is really important in order to crisis superaction. In this context the fiscal policy has a very significant impact on countries economics in EU and on company’s management, especially for those most exposed to globalization. The impact of taxes on free competition, economic growth and employment is quite evident since the EU foundation. So, it would be expected a more significant progress towards fiscal harmonization among EU countries. However, until now the question of tax harmonization had no results. It remains a sensitive question in EU. Almost two decades after the entry of the Euro, after a deep economic crisis that endangered the European project, face to BREXIT, we raised some questions as base to this work: what are the political and institutional limitations to tax harmonization in EU? Why there are no further progress was made in the field of tax harmonization, at least, in company’s income? How does this affect social cohesion? What are the effects on economic and social cohesion? This study intends to reflect on the political and institutional constraints of the tax harmonization, quite necessary to the effective process of economic and social integration within the EU. As methodology, we will use a comparative study about income taxes in several EU countries and the relation to GDP, as well the deductive method to analyze the results we find and some reference studies on the subject. In conclusion, we will present the analyze the results and try to answer to these questions. With this study we pretend give a contribution in order to find an answer to the investigation questions.

Measuring Societal Vulnerability to Critical Infrastructure Failure due to Extreme Weather Events

Climate change and the associated more frequent and unpredictable occurrence of extreme weather events are according to the Global Risk Report (2020), published by the World Economic Forum, among the top five risks today. Although the effects of extreme weather vary around the world and in regions, their effects on social – economic and natural systems are becoming increasingly important and require an active solution. In this context, it is important to address the individual areas of human society vulnerability, as their assessment is the basic information necessary for improving risk reduction and preparedness to extreme weather events. The paper underlines the importance of critical infrastructure as an asset or system whose disruption or destruction could have a range of serious implications for the performance of economic and social functions of the state and thus on the inhabitants in terms of their life, health, security, property and environment protection. It provides selection of past cases of extreme weather events having impacts on critical infrastructure in sector energy and transportation throughout Europe and their impacts on society. Subsequently own approach to measuring societal vulnerability due to impact of extreme weather event on critical infrastructure is presented. In conclusion recommendations supporting the proactive approach to building resilient critical infrastructure which contributes to resilient society are presented.

Charging the Budget of the City Wroclaw With Urbanisation Costs (Poland)

The paper deals with the issue of charging local authorities with the costs of realisation of the provisions contained in local spatial development plans in Wrocław (Poland). Considering the planned spatial development in the area of the city Wrocław, the urbanisation costs that are chargeable to the municipality budget were identified. The economic effects of preparing areas designated for development in the residential programme offer were analysed. The paper provides an analysis of the cost of realisation of investments that belong to own duties of the municipality, including the cost of building municipality roads, sewage and water supply networks, arranging public greenery and purchasing land for public investments. The analyses were performed within the administrative borders of the city. The prognosed costs of the realisation of local spatial development plans demonstrate significant expenditure that Wrocław has to incur for the construction of sewage network and municipal roads. Additionally, the development of new areas will require the city of Wrocław to take over the real properties on which public goals are planned to be realised. One should thoroughly consider the actual need for new investment areas in the city. Demographic forecasts demonstrate that the areas designated for development significantly exceed the demand.

Social Learning Theory Application on Bullying Phenomenon

This paper aims to examine the social learning theory utilization in countering the bullying phenomenon in Egypt. The paper investigates the consequences of bullying on mental and emotional health of the bullied person. The purpose of this research is to shed light on the bullying incidents happening in Egypt and its relationship with the social learning theory.

Influence of E-Procurement on the Performance of State Corporations in Kenya

The purpose of study is to investigate the influence of e-procurement on the performance of state corporations in Kenya. Descriptive research design is adopted with the use of questionnaire as tool for primary data collected. The data yielded a response rate of 95.2 percent from a sample size of 62 used, which were drawn mainly from senior procurement managers of Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). The data collected was statistically analysed to test content validity and reliability. In addition, a simple regression model was used conducted to test relationship between e-procurement and the performance of state corporations in Kenya. From the findings it was found out that e-procurement has transformed all routine purchasing transactions within KeRRA. However, it was established that e-procurement does not reduce the costs of acquiring materials and freeing up KeRRA resources. It was also noted that e-procurement positively increases the performance of state corporations.