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1 – 10 of 10Xinyu Dong, Cleopatra Veloutsou and Anna Morgan-Thomas
Negative brand engagement represents a pervasive and persistent feature of interactivity in online contexts. Although existing research suggests that consumer negativity is…
Abstract
Purpose
Negative brand engagement represents a pervasive and persistent feature of interactivity in online contexts. Although existing research suggests that consumer negativity is potentially more impactful or detrimental to brands than its positive counterpart, few studies have examined negative brand-related cognitions, feelings and behaviours. Building on the concept of brand engagement, this study aims to operationalise negative online brand engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the results of nine studies that contributed to the development and validation of the proposed scale. Building on the concept of engagement, Studies 1–3 enhanced the construct conceptualisation and generated items. Study 4 involved validation with an academic expert panel. The process of measure operationalisation and validation with quantitative data was completed in Studies 5–8. Finally, the scale's nomological validity was assessed in Study 9.
Findings
The results confirm the multidimensional nature of negative online brand engagement. The validated instrument encompasses four dimensions (cognition, affection, online constructive behaviour and online destructive behaviour), captured by 17 items.
Originality/value
Progress in understanding and dealing with negative online brand engagement has been hampered by disagreements over conceptualisation and the absence of measures that capture the phenomenon. This work enhances managerial understanding of negativity fostering strategies that protect brand engagement and improve firm performance.
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This systematic literature review presents the state of the field of fashion and crisis communication. The quantitative coding offers insight into dominant and emergent themes in…
Abstract
Purpose
This systematic literature review presents the state of the field of fashion and crisis communication. The quantitative coding offers insight into dominant and emergent themes in one of the most crisis-prone industries. This review also offers a framework for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a systematic literature review approach. 205 academic articles were gathered in total using the search term “fashion industry crisis”. Subsequently, they were quantitatively coded using the Diers-Lawson (2016) Crisis Communication Code Book.
Findings
Findings show an increase in the fashion industry crisis with clear emergent themes such as sustainability, emphasising the truly global and multidisciplinary nature of the industry. Findings also reveal a genuine lack of theoretical grounding, with over 80% of the articles coded using no crisis communication theory. The findings also suggest value co-creation ought to be a priority for this agenda moving forward, as it overlaps with emerging themes and is a practical tool and concept to support crisis prevention and management through an extension of the Stakeholder Relationship Model (SRM) Model.
Research limitations/implications
As a largely under-researched area in crisis communication, the findings present a new opportunity to explore fashion within its context and contribute. At this point, the research field is lacking, and there is room for theory testing and hypothesis building. The findings and themes from the research present a development of the original SRM model, SRM Val-Co.
Practical implications
As well as research implications, the proposed framework provides practical solutions for the future of the fashion industry.
Originality/value
As a largely under-researched area in crisis communication, the findings demonstrate a new opportunity to explore fashion within its context and contribute because there is a dearth of research and a lack of theoretical development. Therefore, the proposed framework provides practical solutions for the fashion industry’s future. The findings and themes from the research present a development of the original SRM model, SRM Val-Co.
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Anuradha Yadav, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Ruchi Mishra and Surajit Bag
With gaining popularity, online communities are increasing. It is leading to the data and information overflow. So, there are some challenges like cyber frauds, cyberbullying…
Abstract
Purpose
With gaining popularity, online communities are increasing. It is leading to the data and information overflow. So, there are some challenges like cyber frauds, cyberbullying, etc. while engaging with online communities. Not only this, anonymity of the participants, stress and racism are also big challenges in online communities' interaction. Online harassers' attack tactics have changed over time. In addition, there are challenges like quality of discussion, inequality in participation of the users, etc. may scale online communities towards incitement and activism. Therefore, this study will try to analyse these challenges for overall benefit of the society.
Design/methodology/approach
The underlying fuzzy set theory is employed to handle the fuzziness of users' perceptions since the attributes are expressed in linguistic preferences. Through exhaustive literature review, the authors have identified 15 challenges. These challenges are further categorised as cause and effect by using DEMATEL (Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) approach.
Findings
Lack of strategic planning and uninspired discussions between users has emerged as a major challenge in cause category. This study further demonstrates how individual challenge can be managed and developed to navigate the online communities to maintain a healthy environment in society.
Research limitations/implications
Results are based on limited dataset. Therefore, findings cannot be generalised for all online communities.
Originality/value
The research findings offer a suitable direction to policymakers to formulate and design policies, laws and regulations to increase user engagement in the online community. The study is beneficial to firms and researchers in understanding the factors influencing effective management of online communities.
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Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai Le, Jungkun Park, Trang Thi Nguyen and Jeewoo Yun
The study explores different types of anti-luxurians on social media (SM), the characteristics of luxury brands, tendencies to disengage and the opposition to them to propose…
Abstract
Purpose
The study explores different types of anti-luxurians on social media (SM), the characteristics of luxury brands, tendencies to disengage and the opposition to them to propose future directions for luxury marketing in the post-pandemic world.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was employed, wherein 979 posts from SM platforms were analyzed with the text analytics software package KH Coder through word-frequency analysis and an inductive technique.
Findings
The analysis identified the presence of eight types of online anti-luxurians: true luxurians, nature-experienced lovers, life simplifiers, anti-haulers, highly expected consumers, natural environment protectors, antidiscrimination consumers and historic-politic antagonists. Their degree of disengagement and opposition were discussed and graphically mapped.
Originality/value
This is the first study to discover various types of anti-luxurians on SM platforms and graphically map their level of disengagement and opposition toward luxury brands. This study fills an existing critical gap in the luxury marketing literature.
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Edgar Romero-Jara, Francesc Solanellas, Samuel López-Carril, Dimitrios Kolyperas and Christos Anagnostopoulos
In a dynamic, continuously evolving sports landscape, social media have become an indispensable tool for sports organizations to cultivate meaningful connections with fans. The…
Abstract
Purpose
In a dynamic, continuously evolving sports landscape, social media have become an indispensable tool for sports organizations to cultivate meaningful connections with fans. The rapid pace of technological advancements has elevated these digital platforms from a supplementary role to a pivotal position within strategic management frameworks. The existing literature explores how football clubs can utilize social media, but analyzing social media strategies within the context of football leagues is lacking. The absence of comparative studies benchmarking clubs across different geographical regions while simultaneously analyzing multiple social media platforms is especially noteworthy. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of social media engagement is undertaken within esteemed football leagues spanning Europe, South America and North America.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on relationship marketing and employing content analysis as a methodological tool, the study examined 10,772 posts from the official accounts of eight football leagues on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Findings
Across the leagues, the findings reveal that content quality drives engagement more than frequency. In addition, several format combinations were identified that facilitate engagement and Instagram emerged as the top social media platform for generating fan engagement.
Originality/value
This is one of the first empirical studies focusing on optimizing the use of social media to amplify fan engagement across various geographies and social media accounts and formats simultaneously.
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Munir A. Abbasi, Azlan Amran, Noor e Sahar and Chia Yon Lim
This study aims to investigate the effects of both internal and external corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) on organizational workplace deviant behaviours (OWDB) by using…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effects of both internal and external corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) on organizational workplace deviant behaviours (OWDB) by using social cognitive theory. The study also explores the role of moral disengagement as a mediator in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from a sample of 321 individuals employed in the textile industry of Pakistan. The study used partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to estimate the relationships within the model.
Findings
The findings indicate that both internal and external CSI have a positive impact on moral disengagement. Secondly, moral disengagement drives OWDB positively. Thirdly, moral disengagement is a significant mediator that mediates between both internal and external CSI and OWDB positively.
Practical implications
This research offers novel perspectives to organizational leaders, highlighting the significance of addressing CSI in conjunction with sustainability endeavours. It is imperative for business managers to prioritize the morality of their employees.
Originality/value
This study’s novelty lies in its confirmation of the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between internal and external CSI and OWDB.
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Amer Al-Atwi, Taeshik Gong and Ali Bakir
This study aims to investigate the influential factors driving customer-oriented constructive deviance (COCD) within the context of the tourism and hospitality industry…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influential factors driving customer-oriented constructive deviance (COCD) within the context of the tourism and hospitality industry. Specifically, the authors explore the role of moral emotions as mediators and moral disengagement as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
In Study 1, the participant pool consisted of 259 frontline service employees hailing from a diverse selection of 54 four- and five-star hotels. Study 2 took an alternative approach, using a scenario-based experiment with 212 participants.
Findings
The results reported that organizational injustice toward customers is positively related to other-condemning emotions and leads to COCD. The results also reported that perceived customer citizenship behavior (CCB) positively relates to other-praising emotions, resulting in constructive deviance from customer-oriented. Moreover, these findings support moral emotions and moral disengagement interactions.
Originality/value
This paper shows that an organization’s injustice of external parties, such as customers, may provide important information that employees use to shape their moral emotions (e.g. other condemning emotions) and behavior toward the organization (e.g. COCD). Furthermore, this study confirms that perceived customer citizenship behavior contributes to COCD through other-praising emotions.
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Célia Santos, Arnaldo Coelho and Alzira Marques
When a company practices greenwashing, it violates consumers' expectations by deliberately deceiving them about their environmental practices or the benefits of their…
Abstract
Purpose
When a company practices greenwashing, it violates consumers' expectations by deliberately deceiving them about their environmental practices or the benefits of their products/services. This study investigated the effects of greenwashing on corporate reputation and brand hate. Furthermore, this study explored the mediating effects of perceived environmental performance and green perceived risk.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey design using cross-sectional primary data from 420 Portuguese consumers who identified and recognized brands engaged in greenwashing was employed. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling techniques.
Findings
This study's findings show that consumer perceptions of greenwashing may damage brands. The results show that greenwashing has a negative effect on corporate reputation through perceived environmental performance and green perceived risk. Additionally, greenwashing has a positive direct effect on brand hate and a negative effect on green perceived risk. Therefore, reducing greenwashing practices can improve consumers' perceptions of corporate environmental performance, buffer green perceived risk, and ultimately enhance corporate reputation. This can lead to positive relationships with customers.
Originality/value
Based on signaling and expectancy violation theories, this study develops a new framework highlighting the detrimental effects of greenwashing on brands. The combination of these theories provides the right framework to understand how greenwashing may lead to extreme feelings like brand hate and negative perceptions of corporate reputation, thus advancing the current research that lacks studies on the association between these constructs.
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Sai Ma, Qinghong Xie, Jiaxin Wang and Jingjing Dong
Customer referral programs (CRPs) are popular; however, they often generate low referral rates. The authors propose that certain CRP referral tasks may hinder consumers’ referral…
Abstract
Purpose
Customer referral programs (CRPs) are popular; however, they often generate low referral rates. The authors propose that certain CRP referral tasks may hinder consumers’ referral likelihood. This study aims to explore the effects of referral tasks (communication content and approach) on customers’ referral likelihood on social platforms and the role of self-construal.
Design/methodology/approach
This study establishes a theoretical model based on online social platforms and conducts three scenario-based experiments. The authors obtain data from consumers on Sojump platform and test the hypotheses using analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis and mediation analysis in SPSS. The valid sample sizes for these three experiments are 288, 203 and 214, respectively.
Findings
Three experimental studies indicate that communication content and approach have a significant effect on referral likelihood. Furthermore, the effect of communication content on referral likelihood depends on the communication approach. Self-construal plays a moderating role in the effect of communication content and approach on perceived social costs.
Originality/value
CRPs typically involve tasks and rewards; consumers are asked to complete a referral task and then receive a reward. Both tasks and rewards can affect an individual’s willingness to participate; however, existing studies on CRP focus primarily on the reward component. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to systematically investigate the role of referral tasks (communication content and approach) in CRPs. The authors extend the related research by examining the impact of referral tasks on consumers’ willingness to recommend. In addition, this study introduces self-construal into CRPs research.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the consumer response to brands offering gendered product differentiation (i.e. products “for her” or “for him”).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the consumer response to brands offering gendered product differentiation (i.e. products “for her” or “for him”).
Design/methodology/approach
Across three experiments, the effect of gendered (vs gender-unrelated) product differentiation on perceived brand sexism and word-of-mouth intention was tested. The moderating effects of feminist identity (Studies 1 and 2), endorsement of sexist beliefs (Study 2) and basis (stereotypical vs biological) for product differentiation (Study 3) were also tested.
Findings
Consumers perceive brands that offer gendered product differentiation as sexist, which in turn leads to negative word-of-mouth intention. Moreover, consumers with a strong feminist identity are more likely to perceive brands that offer gendered product differentiation as sexist, whereas consumers who endorse sexist beliefs are less likely to do so. Finally, consumers respond negatively when the gendered product differentiation is based on a gender stereotype, but much less so when it seems based on a biological difference between sexes.
Originality/value
Although multiple brands offering gendered products have been denounced by consumers as sexist, no research has examined this phenomenon. This paper pioneers in examining the consumer response to brands offering gendered product differentiation and in demonstrating that consumers perceive such brands as sexist.
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