Search results

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of user gender, celebrity gender, and celebrity-user gender congruity on celebrity personality-user personality (CP-UP) congruity, and consequently, brand purchase intention (BPI). Additionally, it delves into the mediating roles of CP-UP congruity and brand personality-celebrity personality (BP-CP) congruity.

A survey research entailing a sample of 709 adult consumers was used to test the framed hypotheses by means of a structural equation modelling.

The results indicate that while celebrity and user gender have a significant positive effect on CP-UP congruity, celebrity-user gender congruity has a negative effect. The study shows a partial mediation of CP-UP congruity in the relationship between gender congruity and BP-CP congruity. Furthermore, BP-CP congruity is shown to have a full mediation effect on the relationship between CP-UP congruity and BPI.

Consistency of the results of this study may be corroborated by employing other methods to estimate congruity scores. Also, the results of the present study may not be generalisable across different product classes with varied consumer involvement.

The findings have major implications for practitioners in understanding the significance of BP-CP congruity among celebrity-user-brand in the formation of purchasing intentions. The results of the study suggest a better CP-UP congruity when the gender of the celebrity is opposite to the gender of the user. This result questions the generalisability of the similarity theory that exhorts a prospect’s customary identification with a spokesperson of her/his own sex and further reinforces the selectivity hypothesis that indicates different information processing of males and females while they make judgements. Therefore, it might be a good idea for advertisers targeting female audiences to employ male celebrities in certain endorsements.

This is the first study that tests for the mediation effect of CP-UP congruity in the relationship between gender congruity and BP-CP congruity, and that of BP-CP congruity in the relationship between CP-UP congruity and BPI.

The purpose of this paper is to compare two competing models denoting two dimensions (hedonic and utilitarian) and three dimensions (hedonic, utilitarian and social) of the construct “value” and investigates their relative influence on satisfaction, future patronage intention (FPI) and word-of-mouth (WoM) in a hypermarket context. Additionally, the study examines if these relationships are contingent upon gender and shoppers’ perception of retail crowding.

The proposed models and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling, across two cross-sectional studies (n1=268, n2=259). The multi-group analysis was used to test moderated relationships.

The study demonstrates that satisfaction mediates the impact of shopping value on FPI and WoM. The model that includes utilitarian, hedonic and social value explains higher variance in satisfaction and WoM than that is evidenced in the alternate model comprising utilitarian and hedonic values. Shoppers’ gender and perceived retail crowding moderate the influence of shopping value on satisfaction.

Retail managers should understand that enjoyable and social shopping experience of the consumers lead to satisfaction, which in turn plays a pivotal role in the formation of FPI and WoM. Managers discern that a moderate level of crowding is better than the extremely low or high level of density.

Amidst a lack of unanimity on the dimensionality of shopping value, this is one of the first studies to evaluate the two theoretical models of shopping value having two dimensions and three dimensions, respectively. An understanding of gender and retail crowding perceptions is crucial in shopping value judgments.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the varying impact of advertising appeals on customers’ impulse buying (IB) for vice and virtue products.

This research used two experiments varying humor/scarcity (high/low) and product category (vice versus virtue).

Humor (scarcity) enhances IB of vice (virtue) products through anticipation of enjoyment (perception of uniqueness).

This research identifies a new antecedent of IB, advertising and additionally, a new moderator, product type (vice/virtue) in the ad appeal–IB relationship.

Practitioners managing vice (virtue) brands may use humor (scarcity) appeals to promote impulse buying.

This paper demonstrates that humor (scarcity) appeals enhance impulse buying of vice (virtue) products and shows the underlying mechanisms behind these effects.

The present study aims to understand small retailers' current use of various low-cost technologies and the factors responsible for small retailers' adoption. Furthermore, these factors of adoption were mapped back to beliefs within the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and an attempt was made to understand if some of the beliefs dominated over the others and their implications.

The study takes a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews and direct observation. The qualitative data were analysed through a thematic analysis to identify technology adoption factors.

Amongst the various technologies (mobile apps), payment and procurement apps were the most widely used. The authors identified eight factors influencing technology adoption: the top being customer demand for payment apps and convenience and cost-saving for procurement apps. The study also highlights the role of the dominant beliefs in technology adoption, which managers could use to improve adoption rates.

The current study is a cross-sectional study and the sample was predominantly of grocery retailers, limiting the generalisability of the results.

Small retailers face stiff competition from organised retail and e-commerce platforms which threatens small retailers' existence. Small retailers' survival is vital as many people depend on the small retail sector for livelihood. Increased use of technology seems the only way for them to stay competitive and increase profitability. The study's outcome could help increase technology adoption amongst small retailers and increase small retailers' competitiveness.

Despite the widespread presence of small retailers in emerging economies, few studies have examined technology adoption amongst them. This study is also the first to use the TPB theory in the small retailer technology adoption context.

This purpose of this paper is to extend the model of goal-directed behaviour by including the potential benefits of webrooming and descriptive norms to scrutinise the consumer's rationale and intent behind webrooming.

A survey instrument was employed to collect the data. A total of 324 usable responses were obtained, and the structural equation modelling technique was used for analysis.

The results of the study revealed that consumers utilised the information collected online to strike better deals offline. Also, webrooming not only stimulated smart shopper feelings amongst shoppers but also assisted them in avoiding certain risks associated with shopping online. Besides, support was also garnered for informative and possession benefits linked with webrooming. The findings demonstrated the positive impact of attitude, anticipated emotions and perceived behavioural control on desire, which in turn positively determined the intentions. Significant mediation impact was also observed between attitude and intentions via desire. However, past behaviour was evidenced to impact only intentions. Surprisingly, descriptive norms emerged as a stronger predictor of consumers' desire as opposed to subjective norms, which was found to be insignificant.

Information search and switching costs associated with webrooming have not been considered in this study. A larger sample size would help draw broader generalisations.

While online retailers can utilise the findings of the study to convert webrooming shoppers into buyers, alternatively, offline stores can use the key insights to retain webroomers. Additionally, educators can use the findings of the study to teach the students about the changing retailing dynamics.

The present study emerges as the first one to incorporate cognitive, affective and habitual factors collectively for a better understanding of the webrooming phenomenon.

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of materialism on credit card (CC) use and impulsive buying (IB) and compulsive buying (CB) behaviour. Furthermore, it assesses whether CC use and IB behaviour mediate the relationship between materialism and CB behaviour.

Data were collected from adult consumers with CCs via an online survey. For model assessment, a two-step approach was followed. First, a measurement model was created and tested using maximum likelihood estimation and validity of the study constructs was assessed. This was followed by structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses.

Materialism influences CC use and increases the propensity for IB (IB), which then precipitates CB habits. Reduction in CC use can decrease both IB and CB. Out of the six hypotheses assessed, only the one linking CC use to CB was not supported, requiring further investigation. Mediation relationships were identified, where CC use and IB act as mediators between materialism and CB.

The paper captured responses from adult consumers of India. Hence, the findings may not be generalised across geographies and age groups. The study contributes to the debate on the impulsive–CB paradigm by showing that impulsive and CB are not distinct constructs. In fact, the former could lead to the latter.

CC use in itself need not necessarily lead to CB. The only way CC could cause CB is through IB. Hence, firms must promote responsible buying habits, as there has been an increase in IB, which, if not controlled, could lead to debt trap resulting from CB. The findings of this paper will help both retailers and CC institutions to better understand the spending pattern of consumers. Those will also help the policymakers to chalk out ways to the curb indiscriminate issuance of CCs without educating users.

The findings confirm that IB and CB exist on two ends of a continuum, and not as two distinct theoretical constructs. IB acts as a mediator between CC use and CB as well as between materialism and CB.

The objective of the study is to understand the reasons for the resilience of rural periodic markets. Small retailers patronise these markets, and by identifying the reasons for their continued market participation, an attempt has been made to explain the continued existence of these traditional evolved retail agglomerations.

A qualitative research design was adopted for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 small retailers, and responses were used to identify the reasons for their continued market participation. A mix of purposeful and snowball sampling was used to select the respondents.

In a novel endeavour, this study presents rural periodic markets as an evolved retail agglomeration. It identifies six factors responsible for the continued participation of small retailers in these markets. Seven attributes of the rural periodic market, an evolved retail agglomeration, were also identified which contribute to the resilience of these markets.

This study contributes to the literature on retail agglomerations and identifies the reasons for the continued market participation of small retailers, suggesting some trends about their future in emerging economies.

Rural periodic markets have affected the overall well-being of surrounding villages by providing opportunities to participate in many ways. This has been identified as a reason for the economic growth of the area.

To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore the resilience of periodic markets from the perspective of small retailers by identifying the reasons for their continued market participation.

Drawing on the self-congruity theory and customer engagement literature, this research accounts for the influence of the three dimensions of customer self-congruity on customer engagement with global brands by uncovering the mediating mechanism of brand psychological ownership and moderating mechanism of global connectedness. The research framework is tested across developed and developing country contexts to highlight any cultural differences in the drivers of customer engagement with global brands.

Data were collected from developed (USA; n = 270) and developing (India; n = 273) countries through two online surveys and tested, employing structural equation modeling, across the two markets to investigate cross-cultural variations.

Social self-congruity has the strongest influence on customer engagement for USA consumers, while all three forms of self-congruity are equally important in India. Psychological ownership consistently works as the mediating mechanism across both contexts. While global connectedness accentuates the relationship between self-congruity and brand psychological ownership for Indian consumers, it attenuates the relationship amongst USA consumers.

While prior literature mainly establishes a direct link between self-congruity and customer engagement, this study provides a deeper understanding of the self-congruity–customer engagement relationship by: a) investigating the mediating role of psychological ownership; b) examining the moderating role of global connectedness and c) studying all three forms of self-congruity (i.e. actual, ideal and social) simultaneously. The study, testing the framework in developing and developed country settings, highlights cultural nuances in forming customer engagement with global brands.

The learning outcomes of this paper are as follows: to understand the context of seaport logistics and supply chain design structure, to apply Monte Carlo simulation in the interface of the supply chain and to analyze the Monte Carlo simulation algorithm and statistical techniques for identifying the key seaport logistics factors.

It was 9:00 p.m. on November 10, 2020, and Nishadh Amonkar, the CEO of OCTO supply chain management (SCM) was glued to the television watching the final cricket match of the Indian Premier League, 2020. Amonkar’s mobile phone rang and it was a call from Vinod Nair, a member Logistics Panel of Ranji Industries Federation. Nair informed Amonkar that it was related to the rejection of several export consignments of agricultural products from Ranji (in the western part of India). The rejection was due to the deterioration in the quality of the exported agricultural products during transit from Ranji to various locations in Europe.

This course is suitable at the MBA level for the following courses: Operations research (Focus/Session: Applications on Monte Carlo Simulation). SCM (Focus/Session: Global SCM, Logistics Planning, Distribution Network). Logistics management (Focus/Session: Transportation Planning). Business statistics (Focus/Session: Application of Hypothesis Testing).

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 9: Operations and logistics.