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Financial ratios are routinely used as predictors in modelling tasks where accounting information is required. The purpose of this paper is to discuss such use, showing how to improve the effectiveness of ratio-based models.

First, the paper exposes the inadequacies of ratios when used as multivariate predictors. It then develops a theoretical foundation and methodology to build accounting-based models. Experiments then verify that this methodology outperforms the conventional methodology.

From plausible assumptions about the cross-sectional behaviour of accounting data, the paper shows that the effect of size, which ratios remove, can also be removed by modelling algorithms, which facilitates the discovery of meaningful predictors and leads to markedly more effective models.

The paper covers cross-sectional modelling only, accounting identities and other interactions between line items are ignored, the methodology is especially appropriate in tasks where the effectiveness of the model is seen as a valued quality.

The need to select ratios among many alternatives is avoided, models become more accurate and robust, less biased and less likely to generate missing values, model construction is less arbitrary.

The paper provides a solid foundation for accounting-based modelling, by developing a whole new methodology that can end the uncritical use of modelling remedies currently prevailing and release the full relevance of accounting information when utilised to support investments and other value-bearing decisions.

The purpose of this study is to explain how cognitive and emotional responses may influence decisions to purchase cause-related products.

An experimental design clarifies how autonomic reactions determine altruistic choices in a simulated shopping environment. Eye-tracking and electrodermal response measurements were set to predict choices of hedonic vs utilitarian cause-related vs unrelated products.

Emotional arousal, pleasure and attention to the cause-related bundle are associated with altruistic behaviour in hedonic choices. When facing utilitarian choices, customers focus on brand logo and donation amount while experiencing pleasure, but emotional arousal does not increase marketing effectiveness in this case.

The experiment may be replicated in the real-world shopping environment, but spurious influences will be difficult to control. Distracting cues such as background music and scents used to increase positive emotions may affect intensity of emotive and cognitive processes.

The results highlight the prominence of automatic reactions in customers’ choices. In the present instance, managers’ effort should be directed to the raising of altruistic visual cues of the donation-based promotion and positive emotional responses through guilt reducing effects.

The study pioneers the use of eye-tracking coupled with skin conductance measurement in experimental designs aimed at clarifying the role of autonomic reactions such as emotional arousal, pleasure and attention in the effectiveness of emotionally charged marketing campaigns.

This paper aims to propose and test a theoretical framework in which attitude towards COVID-19 cause-related campaigns mediates the effects of identification with the cause, donation size, emotional arousal and subjective norms on consumer purchase intention. The authors also explore the moderating effect of religiosity in an emerging nation marked by the dominance of the Islamic doctrine.

Survey data from a sample of 561 consumers from Morocco were analyzed to test the hypotheses using structural equation modeling.

First, attitude toward COVID-19 cause-related campaigns has a significant effect on consumer purchase intention; at the same time, it is influenced by identification with the cause, donation size, emotional arousal and subjective norms. Second, the results confirm the mediating effect of attitude toward COVID-19 cause-related campaigns, e.g. higher emotional arousal triggers positive attitude towards COVID-19 cause campaigns, which shapes consumer purchase intention. Third, Islamic religiosity acts as a moderator, e.g. individuals who feel themselves as highly religious are more likely to develop favorable attitude towards cause brands and therefore form stronger purchase intentions when exposed to COVID-19 cause campaigns.

The findings of this research suggest a number of practical and social implications for both academics and practitioners. Successful cause-related marketing (CrM) campaigns should include facets inducing emotional arousal, superior donation size, identification with the cause and subjective norms, which, in turn, enhances consumers’ attitude toward the campaign, their attitude towards the brand and purchase intentions. Practitioners interested in expanding into majority-Muslim markets should also consider the use of faith-based messages and religious morals when planning CrM campaigns.

While preliminary studies have already attempted to provide knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals’ health and well-being, potential effects on consumers’ decisions and behavior have not been considered much and are yet to be empirically investigated. This original research is among the first to provide insights about the potential use of COVID-19 cause to shape consumer purchase intention and behavior. This will strengthen our cross-cultural appreciation of the disparities in consumer perception of CrM among Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

The purpose of this paper is to extend prior research on the influence of consumer-cause identification on the intention to purchase products from the companies supporting the cause and re-evaluates the role of attitude toward the cause as a mediator of the relationship between identification and intention to purchase.

Using a questionnaire, a sample of 156 Portuguese consumers evaluated their personal identification and attitude to one of four causes. Partial least squares path modeling was used to evaluate the proposed conceptual model.

The results reveal that more than identification, a positive attitude is vital to be able to predict the intention to purchase. Together, consumer-cause identification and attitude explain 35.1 percent of the variance in purchase intention. The findings show also that attitude acts as a mediator in the relationship between the identification with the cause and intention to purchase. Several differences regarding gender and age are also revealed.

While the majority of studies were single cause evaluations, the current results are based on the assessment of multiple causes. Consequently, the findings are more comprehensive and robust, providing important insights to researchers. The conclusions confirm within a wider context the role of attitude as a mediator of the identification and intention to purchase and can further assist companies in designing better targeted cause-related marketing campaigns.

A substantial, albeit scattered, body of research evidence is accumulating in the cause-related marketing (CRM) research stream. Thus, there is a need of a systematic overview of extant literature to map and holistically understand the CRM domain.

To address this issue and make progress in this important area, the authors systematically review and critically examine the state of academic research on CRM.

Based on a systematic review of 105 journal articles published over the past 30 years, the results reveal that CRM research is a vibrant and rapidly growing domain in the broader marketing field. This assessment exercise also shows that the current state of knowledge about CRM is characterized by persisting knowledge gaps, conflicting empirical results, theoretical inconsistencies, as well as by the absence of international marketing research on the CRM domain.

Therefore, the authors critically evaluate the extant CRM research with the aim of increasing its coherence, quality, scope, impact and international dimension. Based on this evaluation, the authors develop an ambitious research agenda that addresses a number of promising research paths embracing different international perspectives. Finally, the authors discuss the contributions to the literature and the implications for both academics and practitioners.

The purpose of this paper is to address the role of legitimacy in internationalization to Africa of a Finnish professional service microfirm, which uses cause-related marketing (CRM) as the business model.

The paper consists of a single case study of a microfirm (two employees) originating from Finland, which has successfully internationalized to many African countries. Due to the uniqueness of the context, the authors use semi-structured interviews to collect founders’ insights to the issue being addressed. Moreover, along with interviews, secondary sources related to football talent scouting in Africa are also utilized in the paper.

The authors found that the case company was established with the aim of helping and uplifting poor African footballers, so the business model is CRM. It has scouted many of them for professional football clubs in Europe. The authors further found that sociopolitical legitimacy plays a major role in dealing with African footballers and local stakeholders, while cognitive legitimacy helped the case firm gain the trust of European football clubs.

Internationalization of microfirms operating in the service sector is a rather under-researched area compared to the internationalization of SMEs and large MNEs. The paper is one of the first to study internationalization of a professional service microfirm involved in scouting football talent in Africa and matchmaking them with European football clubs. It contributes to extant CRM and internationalization literature by being one of the first to analyze a firm whose business model revolves around CRM and discussing specific roles of different kinds of legitimacies needed for internationalization to Africa in this specific service sector.