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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 April 2020

Fabio Cassia

Recently, many firms have reshored manufacturing activities back to their home countries to increase customer perceptions of product quality. However, there is no evidence that…

3245

Abstract

Purpose

Recently, many firms have reshored manufacturing activities back to their home countries to increase customer perceptions of product quality. However, there is no evidence that relocating production to the home country improves customer-perceived quality. This study intends to address this gap by assessing the variations between pre- and post-reshoring product quality, as perceived by domestic customers.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a questionnaire, which used the case of an Italian fashion brand that had reshored its manufacturing from Romania to Italy as the stimulus. Two analyses of the collected data (n = 399) were conducted, applying both 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design and partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) multigroup analysis.

Findings

Reshoring increased the level of perceived product quality only for customers that both were aware of the firm's past offshoring decision and had high levels of affective ethnocentrism. For all other customers, no significant variations between pre- and post-reshoring product quality were observed.

Research limitations/implications

This study challenges previous findings, revealing that only a minor share of customers perceived products to be of higher quality after reshoring.

Practical implications

Increasing customer-perceived quality may not be a sufficient motivation to select the reshoring strategy. In addition, when announcing reshoring strategies, producers should appeal to customers' emotions and not use rational arguments about objective product quality.

Originality/value

This is the first study to assess variations between pre- and post-reshoring customer-perceived quality and to identify factors that explain such variations.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2009

Mark S. Rosenbaum and IpKin Anthony Wong

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the return‐on‐marketing framework and its customer equity drivers (value, brand, and relationship) can be combined with service quality…

3872

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the return‐on‐marketing framework and its customer equity drivers (value, brand, and relationship) can be combined with service quality (SERVQUAL) measures to help managers develop strategies for high‐ and low‐ethnocentric Vietnamese customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The services literature is employed to propose a framework. The structure of the framework is evaluated from data obtained from self‐administered questionnaires, which are mailed to an automobile firm's customers. To explore the moderating affect of ethnocentrism, the model's proposed relationships and fit statistics are tested by employing multi‐group comparisons (high‐ and low‐ethnocentrism) through structural equation modeling.

Findings

Ethnocentrism encourages customers to express loyalty and to spread positive word of mouth about Company X, which is a local automobile manufacturer. High‐ethnocentric customers are also less reactive to Company X's value drivers, including product quality, price, and convenience, than low‐ethnocentric customers. However, high‐ethnocentric customers place greater importance on dealership SERVQUAL than low‐ethnocentric customers.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that Southeast Asian managers should consider consumer ethnocentrism a factor that influences marketing planning, as well as ways they can use the return‐on‐marketing and SERVQUAL frameworks for strategic planning. In addition, managers should understand that ethnocentric customers counterbalance their willingness to forgo product quality with augmented expectations of dealership SERVQUAL.

Originality/value

This paper combines the product‐focused return‐on‐marketing framework with the SERVQUAL‐focused SERVQUAL framework to show how these elements influence consumers' future behavioral intentions under the moderating influence of ethnocentrism.

Details

Journal of Service Management, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-5818

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2021

Chandra Sekhar, Swati Krishna, Ghadeer G. Kayal and Nripendra P. Rana

This study's main objective is to investigate the influence of brand credibility on the intention to purchase organic food. In addition, this research studies the moderating role…

1026

Abstract

Purpose

This study's main objective is to investigate the influence of brand credibility on the intention to purchase organic food. In addition, this research studies the moderating role of customer ethnocentricity as well as the mediating role of customer value.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore correlations between brand credibility and purchase intentions, cross-sectional data were collected from 433 Indian consumers. The data were analysed by structural equation modelling.

Findings

The findings indicate that brand credibility is positively related to purchasing intention. The association between brand credibility and purchasing intentions is partially mediated by customer value. Customer ethnocentrism was also shown to have a negative moderation effect. Healthiness, high quality and sensory properties (i.e. natural taste) were found to be some of the most significant organic food characteristics, according to Indian consumers.

Research limitations/implications

The research is confined to India's geographical area, specifically the National Capital Regions.

Practical implications

To increase the purchase frequency of local or global branded organic food, businesses can include rational features in their marketing method such as the health benefits compared to the conventional product, a better emphasis on environmental safety and the social advantages of organic food.

Originality/value

This study develops an integrative model, including brand credibility (PBG & PBL), to predict organic food purchase intentions. This is an important contribution as, according to the results of the literature review, no previous studies have analysed these relationships.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 124 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 July 2012

Piyush Sharma

Offshore outsourcing of customer services is growing rapidly but there is little known about its impact on customer perceptions and behavior. This paper aims to combine the…

3481

Abstract

Purpose

Offshore outsourcing of customer services is growing rapidly but there is little known about its impact on customer perceptions and behavior. This paper aims to combine the learnings from the country‐of‐origin and service research to address this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted by contacting a sample of 5,000 customers randomly chosen out of a database of over 100,000 customers provided by a large American retail financial services company, immediately after they had an interaction with an offshore service representative, resulting in 548 complete and usable questionnaires.

Findings

Consumer ethnocentrism has a negative influence on the attitude towards offshore outsourcing and the perceived service quality and customer satisfaction with offshore call centers. Customer satisfaction also mediates the influence of perceived service quality on customer complaint behavior, brand image, brand loyalty, and repeat purchase intentions.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on the effects of consumer ethnocentrism and attitudes towards offshore outsourcing on several perceptual and behavioral variables in a B2C context with American customers and Indian customer service executives. Hence, its findings may not apply to the B2B context and other country settings.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the need for greater employee training as well as customer education for firms using offshore customer service centers, to minimize customer complaints and protect their brand image, loyalty, and repeat purchase intentions.

Originality/value

The study offers new insights on the impact of consumer ethnocentrism and attitude towards offshore outsourcing on customer perceptions and behavioral intentions, mediated by customer satisfaction and perceived service quality.

Article
Publication date: 29 June 2020

Hsiang-Ming Lee, Tsai Chen, Yu-Shan Chen, Wei-Yuan Lo and Ya-Hui Hsu

The purpose of this research is to survey whether consumer ethnocentrism and animosity will affect consumers' perceived betrayal and cause negative word-of-mouth (NWOM).

1613

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to survey whether consumer ethnocentrism and animosity will affect consumers' perceived betrayal and cause negative word-of-mouth (NWOM).

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a 2 (consumer ethnocentrism) × 3 (consumer animosity) between-subject experiment design to test the hypotheses. Comprised of 380 respondents, this study used ANOVA to examine the data.

Findings

The results showed that if a brand violates the perception of fairness, ethnocentrism and animosity will have a positive effect on perceived betrayal. In addition, low consumer animosity revealed a significant consumer ethnocentrism effect and low ethnocentrism revealed a significant animosity effect, while the relationship between perceived betrayal and word of mouth is negative.

Originality/value

The current research adds to the understanding about how the reaction to a domestic brand's marketing strategies that are viewed as unfair and hurt the domestic consumers' expectations.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 August 2014

Madhurima Deb and Himadri Roy Chaudhuri

– The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of firm ' s reputation and ethnocentrism on young consumer ' s attitude toward products with foreign origin.

1302

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of firm ' s reputation and ethnocentrism on young consumer ' s attitude toward products with foreign origin.

Design/methodology/approach

To attain the above objective “Mixed Method Approach” is employed. In the present study mixed method research is proposed by integrating qualitative and quantitative technique for data analysis for better breadth and depth of understanding.

Findings

Reputation of the firm is found to have a significant impact on young consumers as it minimizes animosity and develops positive attitude toward products with foreign origin.

Research limitations/implications

To collect data from the respondents vignettes/story boards were used which led to certain manipulation and hence it could be a limitation.

Practical implications

The findings will be useful for the marketers to design their positioning strategies more specific to their target segments for better results.

Originality/value

The present study made two significant academic contributions. First, the present study added to the literature of consumer behavior by studying young consumer ' s product preference using an integrated model that depicts variables relevant to the context of globalization, with better predictability. Second, by integrating qualitative research method and quantitative research method to develop better breadth and depth of understanding on customer ' s product preference, the study also contributed to the literature of advanced research methodology in consumer behavior.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2010

Richard Lee, Jane Klobas, Tito Tezinde and Jamie Murphy

The purpose of this paper is to draw on self‐categorisation theory and nation branding to investigate the social identities and influences which underpin consumer preferences for…

4546

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw on self‐categorisation theory and nation branding to investigate the social identities and influences which underpin consumer preferences for national brands.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey in Mozambique, an underdeveloped African country, compared a domestic mobile phone company whose brand contains the country name against a European brand. Consumer ethnocentrism might arise identifying with the national brand or with Mozambican personalities endorsing the brand. Value‐expressiveness might arise from consumers associating with celebrity endorsers. A dichotomy of youth versus older consumers moderated the relationships between social identities and brand preference. Bayesian structural equation modelling using Monte Carlo simulations estimated the path coefficients from a sample of 611.

Findings

Across age groups, ethnocentrism is stronger than value‐expressiveness in determining preference for national brands. Moreover, ethnocentrism is stronger with the older rather than younger consumers. Consumer ethnocentrism stemmed mainly from injunctive influence (IN) with both age groups. With older consumers, value‐expressiveness related significantly to descriptive influence, but not to IN. With youth, neither social influence significantly related to value‐expressiveness.

Research limitations/implications

Single‐item measures might be less effective than multi‐item measures for psychological concepts of social identities and influences.

Practical implications

Understanding the role of social identity in consumer preferences for national brands may help managers heighten consumers' social identities and increase their loyalty for national brands. Shedding light on under‐researched African consumers may help firms doing business in these emerging markets as well as African governments that are attempting to strengthen the perceptions of their nation brand.

Originality/value

This paper bridges research in social psychology and international marketing by investigating the social identities and influences that underpin consumer preferences for national brands.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 October 2021

Jiaqi Ma and Changju Kim

Drawing on the philosophy of retail service quality, this study aims to empirically investigate how salespeople’s personal interaction affects customers’ positive word-of-mouth…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the philosophy of retail service quality, this study aims to empirically investigate how salespeople’s personal interaction affects customers’ positive word-of-mouth (WOM) intention through the lens of affective customer experience and consumers’ cross-cultural attitudes toward domestic or foreign products.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesis was tested with a two-step structural equation model using survey data obtained from 529 shopping center customers in China.

Findings

The positive impact of salespeople’s personal interaction on customers’ positive WOM intention is fully mediated by affective customer experience. In addition, consumer ethnocentrism strengthens the positive impact of salespeople’s personal interaction on affective customer experience, whereas this study fails to find the moderating effect of foreign product affinity.

Practical implications

To increase customers’ positive WOM intention, store managers need to encourage their frontline sales personnel to personally interact with customers to support customers’ problem-solving. Also, frontline salespeople should pay more attention to consumers’ cross-cultural attitudes such as consumer ethnocentrism when interacting with their customers.

Originality/value

By linking affective customer experience and consumers’ cross-cultural attitudes of ethnocentrism and affinity toward domestic or foreign products, this study further extends the knowledge of retail service quality on the relationship between salespeople’s personal interaction and customers’ positive WOM intention.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 16 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2015

Piyush Sharma and Zhan Wu

This paper aims to explore the moderating effects of consumer ethnocentrism and intercultural competence on the impact of service outcome and perceived cultural distance…

2169

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the moderating effects of consumer ethnocentrism and intercultural competence on the impact of service outcome and perceived cultural distance, respectively, on interaction comfort and perceived service quality in intercultural service encounters.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with university students was used, using service encounter scenarios to manipulate service outcome (failure or success) and photos of service employees to manipulate perceived cultural distance (low vs high).

Findings

As hypothesized, the impact of service outcome on interaction comfort and perceived service quality is moderated negatively by consumer ethnocentrism, whereas the impact of perceived cultural distance is moderated positively by intercultural competence.

Research limitations/implications

An experimental design using imaginary service scenarios was used in a single service context (i.e. restaurant) with university students as participants, which may restrict the generalizability of our findings.

Practical implications

Managers in service firms with multicultural customers should try to recruit service employees with high intercultural competence and low consumer ethnocentrism. They should also develop employee training programs that help minimize the adverse impact of these variables on interaction comfort and service quality in intercultural service encounters.

Originality/value

This paper extends prior research by exploring the moderating effects of consumer ethnocentrism and intercultural competence on the direct and indirect effects of service outcome and perceived cultural distance on interaction comfort, service quality and satisfaction.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 29 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2014

Ibrahim Abosag and Maya F. Farah

The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of religiously motivated boycotts, such as the one conducted in Saudi Arabia against Danish companies, on corporate brand…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of religiously motivated boycotts, such as the one conducted in Saudi Arabia against Danish companies, on corporate brand image, customer loyalty and product judgment. Despite a growing research interest in understanding the effects of different types of consumer animosities on companies’ performance, there appears to be a scarcity of studies addressing the specific effects of religious animosity. Religious animosity is considered as an additional type which may have more stable and longer-term impacts than other animosities on behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on a two-stage design: an exploratory qualitative stage involving 11 in-depth interviews, followed by a more comprehensive quantitative stage designed to test a proposed theoretical model. Data was collected from Saudi customers of the Danish company Arla Foods in Saudi Arabia. Data was analysed using structural equation model (LISREL 8).

Findings

The model confirms that boycotting have strong negative impact on brand image and consumer loyalty but does not influence consumers’ product judgment.

Practical implications

Religious boycotts have significant consequences on both corporate profits and brand image. The study provides clear steps for companies to combat the influence of religious boycotts especially in relation to brand image and customer loyalty.

Originality/value

The study tested the influence of consumer religious boycotts on brand image and customer loyalty. Religious animosity was found to cause a more persistent boycott that negatively impacts brand image and weakens customer loyalty. However, by and large, boycotting was found not to have any significant impact on product judgment.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 48 no. 11/12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

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