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1 – 10 of over 13000Timothy Lee Keiningham, Roland T. Rust, Bart Lariviere, Lerzan Aksoy and Luke Williams
Managers seeking to manage customer word-of-mouth (WOM) behavior need to understand how different attitudinal drivers (e.g. satisfaction, positive and negative emotion…
Abstract
Purpose
Managers seeking to manage customer word-of-mouth (WOM) behavior need to understand how different attitudinal drivers (e.g. satisfaction, positive and negative emotion, commitment, and self-brand connection) relate to a range of WOM behaviors. They also need to know how the effects of these drivers are moderated by customer characteristics (e.g. gender, age, income, country). The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
To investigate these issues a built a large-scale multi-national database was created that includes attitudinal drivers, customer characteristics, and a full range of WOM behaviors, involving both the sending and receiving of both positive and negative WOM, with both strong and weak ties. The combination of sending-receiving, positive-negative and strong ties-weak ties results in a typology of eight distinct WOM behaviors. The investigation explores the drivers of those behaviors, and their moderators, using a hierarchical Bayes model in which all WOM behaviors are simultaneously modeled.
Findings
Among the many important findings uncovered are: the most effective way to drive all positive WOM behaviors is through maximizing affective commitment and positive emotions; minimizing negative emotions and ensuring that customers are satisfied lowers all negative WOM behaviors; all other attitudinal drivers have lower or even mixed effects on the different WOM behaviors; and customer characteristics can have a surprisingly large impact on how attitudes affect different WOM behaviors.
Practical implications
These findings have important managerial implications for promotion (which attitudes should be stimulated to produce the desired WOM behavior) and segmentation (how should marketing efforts change, based on segments defined by customer characteristics).
Originality/value
This research points to the myriad of factors that enhance positive and reduce negative word-of-mouth, and the importance of accounting for customer heterogeneity in assessing the likely impact of attitudinal drivers on word-of-mouth behaviors.
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William R. Swinyard and Leow Ger Ghee
ATM cardholders and nonholders in the Republic of Singapore have been researched. Cardholders and nonholders are contrasted in their demographic, attitudinal and social…
Abstract
ATM cardholders and nonholders in the Republic of Singapore have been researched. Cardholders and nonholders are contrasted in their demographic, attitudinal and social characteristics and in their experience with technical products. The findings indicate considerable differences between cardholders and nonholders on most measures. Further, the profile of ATM cardholders appears to be consistent with Rogers' (1983) generalisation of the early adopters of innovations.
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Hyejune Park, Chae‐Mi Lim, Vertica Bhardwaj and Youn‐Kyung Kim
The purpose of this study is to identify shopper segments based on benefits sought from TV home shopping and profiled the identified segments in consumer characteristics and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify shopper segments based on benefits sought from TV home shopping and profiled the identified segments in consumer characteristics and market behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 887 consumers who had watched a TV home shopping channel was used. The analyses involved running a factor analysis based on benefits sought, a cluster analysis based on the identified factors, and χ 2test and ANOVA for profiling the segments.
Findings
Four benefit segments of TV home shoppers were identified: convenience seekers, product‐oriented shoppers, uniqueness seekers, and apathetic shoppers. Each consumer segment exhibited significant differences in demographic characteristics (i.e. gender, age, education level), consumer characteristics (i.e. time‐consciousness, price‐consciousness), and behavioral outcomes (i.e. satisfaction with TV shopping, repurchase intention).
Research limitations/implications
This study confirms that benefit segmentation can be a useful tool for targeting TV home shoppers. However, the findings of the current study should be interpreted with caution due to non‐random sampling method and limited number of scale items for benefits sought and variables used in describing segments.
Practical implications
The results provide marketing suggestions for each of the benefit segments of TV shoppers.
Originality/value
Considering that virtually no benefit segmentation research has been conducted on TV shoppers, this study provides a new perspective to the segmentation of TV home shoppers.
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Erdener Kaynak and Ugur Yucelt
A number of insights are provided into the characteristics and attitudinal orientations of American and Canadian credit card users with indications that in both countries further…
Abstract
A number of insights are provided into the characteristics and attitudinal orientations of American and Canadian credit card users with indications that in both countries further growth in the development of credit cards is expected throughout the 1980s.
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Sherry Lynn Skaggs and Ivan Y. Sun
The purpose of this paper is to explore factors that shape police behavior in juvenile interactions occurring in rural communities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore factors that shape police behavior in juvenile interactions occurring in rural communities.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data collected in rural Kentucky through a factorial survey instrument, this study assessed the effects of situational, officer, organizational and community variables on officers’ authoritative and supportive behavior toward juveniles.
Findings
Officer background characteristics, such as race, sex, education, and having children, and occupational attitudes, such as rehabilitation and dispositional beliefs, were significantly related to both authoritative and supportive behavior. While organizational variables affected officer supportive actions, they were weakly linked to authoritative behavior. Neighborhood social disorganization was ineffective in predicting both types of police behavior.
Originality/value
Although a considerable amount of research has been conducted in the past several decades to examine police behavior, a relatively small number of studies have empirically assessed factors that shape police behavior toward juveniles with an even smaller number assessing juvenile interactions in rural communities. This research provides a comprehensive theoretical explanation of police-juvenile encounters in rural communities which will allow for a more complete understanding of the factors that account for police attitudes and behavior in these interactions.
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Against a background of rising inequalities in transitional countries, the purpose of this study is to focus on the analysis of the self‐perceived social stratification in the…
Abstract
Purpose
Against a background of rising inequalities in transitional countries, the purpose of this study is to focus on the analysis of the self‐perceived social stratification in the low‐income countries of the South Caucasus.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the recent multi‐country comparative survey conducted in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, this study examines the factors explaining self‐perceived stratification in the region. Ordered logit regression model is fitted to assess the determinants of the stratification.
Findings
One of the most important findings of this paper is that the majority of the people in the examined region consider themselves as middle class, although a considerable share of the general population are actually at the lowest level of society. Self‐perceived social stratification in the countries of this region can largely be explained by a set of factors within the direct social policy domain.
Practical implications
Active promotion of job intensive economic growth, supporting small businesses, improving effectiveness of social protection policies, affordability of healthcare and education, and active integration of migrants and investment in public infrastructure should also be priorities.
Social implications
Addressing the identified policy priorities will permit counterbalancing stratification, supporting the middle class and reducing the poverty in the countries of the region.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies on the self‐perceived social stratification in the region of the low‐income countries of the South Caucasus.
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Xingshan Zheng, Ismael Diaz, Ningyu Tang and Kongshun Tang
The purpose of this paper is to examine optimism and how facets of subordinates’ psychological characteristics, such as their attitudes and personalities, are similar to their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine optimism and how facets of subordinates’ psychological characteristics, such as their attitudes and personalities, are similar to their direct supervisors’ (as person-supervisor deep-level similarity or P-S deep-level similarity) in order to understand their interactions with job insecurity in predicting employee job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical study had been conducted. Sample firms in this study consist of eight state-run electric power companies and 16 licensed chemical companies in central Hubei Province in China. In total, 368 valid samples were included in the analyses (with a valid return rate of 73 percent). All constructs were rated on a five-point Likert-type response scale. In order to diminish the possibility of common method biases, the authors used participants’ dyad supervisors to rate P-S deep-level similarity and P-S guanxi. The authors tested the hypotheses by implementing hierarchical linear regression.
Findings
The results show that when certain demographic variables (e.g. age, gender, education, post, employment type, income proportion, position) and P-S guanxi are controlled, optimism and P-S deep-level similarity significantly interact with job insecurity to predict job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is bolstered when job security increases among those who report a high level of both optimism and P-S deep-level similarity.
Originality/value
Researchers have found that job insecurity has negative effects on job satisfaction (Sverke et al., 2002). But there is a lack of understanding about the mechanism of how job insecurity affects job satisfaction. In this study, the authors found that optimism and P-S deep level similarity could jointly moderate the relation (and direction) between job insecurity and job satisfaction. The work illustrates how positive traits (such as optimism) and psychological factors (such as P-S deep-level similarity) could affect employee job satisfaction with different levels of job insecurity.
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Philip J. Kitchen, Sharifah Faridah Syed Alwi, Norbani Che-Ha and Pei Yee Lim
The purpose of this paper is to examine differing attitudinal characteristics (attitude and subjective norms) and perceptions of coupon characteristics (coupon value and coupon…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine differing attitudinal characteristics (attitude and subjective norms) and perceptions of coupon characteristics (coupon value and coupon expiration date) towards coupon redemption based on psychological and demographic segments of consumers who may well differ in their purchase motivations and accompanying decision making.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a detailed literature review, the characteristics are examined by means of a structured questionnaire administered via “mall intercept” to a convenience sample in major shopping areas in Malaysia.
Findings
Following a variety of statistical tests, the findings support the use of coupon proneness, value consciousness, price consciousness and brand involvement as separate variables underpinning coupon usage propensity and indicated the value of coupons if used judiciously in relation to pre-identified segments.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations associated with convenience sampling apply here, that is the findings cannot be generalised.
Practical implications
The basis for sound parameters for the use of coupons are of value to marketing management.
Originality/value
The paper offers an unique insight into coupon propensity and usage from a little-known economy. Its value lies in the degrees of support offered to findings from more advanced economies and a basis for differentiation in the Malaysian context.
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Mara Thiene, Luigi Galletto, Riccardo Scarpa and Vasco Boatto
Under investigation is Prosecco wine, a sparkling white wine from North‐East Italy. Information collection on consumer perceptions is particularly relevant when developing market…
Abstract
Purpose
Under investigation is Prosecco wine, a sparkling white wine from North‐East Italy. Information collection on consumer perceptions is particularly relevant when developing market strategies for wine, especially so when local production and certification of origin play an important role in the wine market of a given district, as in the case at hand. Investigating and characterizing the structure of preference heterogeneity become crucial steps in every successful marketing strategy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the sources of systematic differences in consumer preferences.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper explores the effect of inclusion of answers to attitudinal questions in a latent class regression model of stated willingness to pay (WTP) for this specialty wine. These additional variables were included in the membership equations to investigate whether they could be of help in the identification of latent classes. The individual specific WTPs from the sampled respondents were then derived from the best fitting model and examined for consistency.
Findings
The use of answers to attitudinal question in the latent class regression model is found to improve model fit, thereby helping in the identification of latent classes. The best performing model obtained makes use of both attitudinal scores and socio‐economic covariates identifying five latent classes. A reasonable pattern of differences in WTP for Prosecco between CDO and TGI types were derived from this model.
Originality/value
The approach appears informative and promising: attitudes emerge as important ancillary indicators of taste differences for specialty wines. This might be of interest per se and of practical use in market segmentation. If future research shows that these variables can be of use in other contexts, it is quite possible that more attitudinal questions will be routinely incorporated in structural latent class hedonic models.
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L. Michelle Bobbitt and Pratibha A. Dabholkar
Technology‐based self‐service is growing at a tremendous rate all over the world, but a strong unifying theory to understand this form of service is lacking. Proposes a…
Abstract
Technology‐based self‐service is growing at a tremendous rate all over the world, but a strong unifying theory to understand this form of service is lacking. Proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework that incorporates several well‐known attitudinal theories to explain the pivotal role of attitudes in influencing intentions and behavior related to technology‐based self‐service. The framework makes it possible to understand and predict better consumer decisions related to using technology‐based self‐service by thoroughly examining underlying consumer attitudes. Uses the Internet to illustrate how our framework can be applied to study consumer behavior related to a specific technology‐based self‐service. Draws on insights from the extant literature on technology‐based self‐service and also incorporates the many unique characteristics of the Internet that have implications for theory. Discusses practical implications of our model for marketers and provides directions for future research on technology‐based self‐service in general and the Internet in particular. With its integrative approach to theory, also contributes to the attitudinal literature.
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