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1 – 10 of over 2000Costanza Nosi, Lamberto Zollo, Riccardo Rialti and Cristiano Ciappei
Building on the theoretical paradigms of consumer free-riding and cognitive dissonance, this study aims to evaluate whether consumers’ cognitive effort when making a purchase…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the theoretical paradigms of consumer free-riding and cognitive dissonance, this study aims to evaluate whether consumers’ cognitive effort when making a purchase decision impacts upon the relationship between free-riding habits and postpurchase cognitive dissonance.
Design/methodology/approach
To explore the relationship between cross-channel free-riding, cognitive efforts and cognitive dissonance, a framework was conceptualized and empirically tested on a sample of 518 Italian consumers. Covariance-based structural equation modeling and bootstrapped mediation analysis was performed with the PROCESS macro.
Findings
Results show that the more cognitively involved a free-riding consumer is, the more he/she will experience postpurchase cognitive dissonance.
Originality/value
Modern consumers habitually finalize their purchase activities through multiple different channels. The abundance of e-commerce/online platforms does indeed offer consumers a plethora of alternatives to physical/offline stores. Hence, consumers have been seen to act as “free-riders.” It is becoming more and more common for consumers to seek information in physical stores and then purchase a product online more conveniently. This notwithstanding, it has emerged that free-riding consumers tend to experience cognitive dissonance – which is a sensation of emotional discomfort – after making their purchases. The causes of this phenomenon are yet to be fully unpacked.
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Free-riding behaviour may threaten the success of teamwork, when one or more group members receive the benefits of other members’ achievements with little effort or cost of their…
Abstract
Purpose
Free-riding behaviour may threaten the success of teamwork, when one or more group members receive the benefits of other members’ achievements with little effort or cost of their own. The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ collaborative behaviour to address the problem of free riders (FRs) in university settings.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is an 11-week field study of three senior finance classes and incorporates mobile learning employing Quip and Google Docs applications to facilitate group work. A comprehensive set of quantitative and qualitative methods analysing students’ perceptions, instructors’ reflections, peer reflections and mobile learning methods are used to answer questions pertaining to group work, the work experience, FRs and ways to minimise the last.
Findings
In this paper, the author shows that students at the university level have positive views of group work despite the presence of FRs. Students like to form their own groups; consequently, peer evaluation appears to be unreliable. The study points to free riding as a serious threat to academic productivity and calls for actions and strategies from institutions and instructors to eradicate this behaviour. Mobile applications enable instructors to track FRs and to some extent discourage their behaviour.
Originality/value
There are limited studies that focus on FRs in higher education and, to the researcher’s knowledge, no such investigation has been applied in the Middle East and North Africa. Likewise, there is little research available on incorporating mobile learning to assess group work in higher education. This study aims at exploring the existence and associated experiences of free riding, along with methods to curtail the problem. The findings of this study provide a good platform for inquiry into the FR phenomenon in higher education and its impact on student learning, as well as the possible roles of instructors and mobile applications. The findings of this study could be developed further through more research with a view to providing a broader perspective of the situation in Middle Eastern and North African cultures.
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This paper aims to explore product pricing and green promotion effort policies and further analyzes the influences of financing interest rate, green promotion effort and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore product pricing and green promotion effort policies and further analyzes the influences of financing interest rate, green promotion effort and free-riding behavior on the optimal strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Research will be conducted with the aid of Stackelberg game research method, considering that the manufacturer has financial constraints and financing from e-commerce platform, and consumers have dual preferences, based on the two models of no green promotion effort for physical store and green promotion effort for physical store to explore dual-channel green supply chain strategies.
Findings
This research puts forward the following findings, in the two models: the rise in financing interest rate leads to an increase in wholesale and selling prices of dual channels and a decrease in demand of dual channels. The green promotion effort has a positive impact on wholesale prices, selling prices and demand of dual channels. The rise of free-riding rate makes offline wholesale and selling prices fall, whereas online wholesale and selling prices rise.
Originality/value
This research results can provide reference for the decision-making in the context of supply chain financing and free-riding.
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Aksel I. Rokkan and Sven A. Haugland
Argues that relational exchange is dependent upon both effectiveness and power considerations. The primary objective is to study the effect of power and effectiveness on the…
Abstract
Argues that relational exchange is dependent upon both effectiveness and power considerations. The primary objective is to study the effect of power and effectiveness on the relational exchange process between voluntary retail chains and their vendors. In particular, proposes that relational exchange between the chain and the vendor is dependent on (1) the chain’s ability to obtain necessary coordination and limiting free‐riding within the chain system, as well as (2) creating a symmetrical dependence structure that fosters trust and long‐term commitment. The first issue is related to effectiveness, while the second issue concerns aspects of power. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of relations between voluntary retail chains and their suppliers in Norway. Results suggest that free‐riding within the chain, number of chain members and asymmetry of market position are negatively related to relational exchange.
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Yuanhua Yang, Dengli Tang and Peng Zhang
Fiscal fund is the key support of carbon emissions control for local governments. This paper aims to analyze the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions by spatial…
Abstract
Purpose
Fiscal fund is the key support of carbon emissions control for local governments. This paper aims to analyze the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions by spatial Durbin model (SDM), and verify the existence of “free-riding” phenomenon to reveal the behavior of local governments in carbon emissions control.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the provincial data of carbon emissions from 2005 to 2016 in China, this paper uses spatial exploratory data analysis technology to analyze the spatial correlation characteristics and constructs SDM to test the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions.
Findings
The results show that carbon emissions exhibits significant spatial autocorrelation in China, and the increasing of fiscal decentralization in the region will increase carbon emissions in surrounding areas and on the whole. Then, by comparing the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions and industrial solid waste, it is found that “free-riding” phenomenon of carbon emissions control exists in China.
Practical implications
Based on the spatial cluster characteristics of China’s provincial carbon emissions, carbon emissions control regions can be divided into regions and different carbon emission control policies can be formulated for different cluster regions. Carbon emissions indicators should be included in the government performance appraisal policy, and carbon emissions producer survey should be increased in environmental policies to avoid “free-riding” behaviors of local government in carbon emissions control in China.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to fill this gap and fully considers the spatial spillover characteristics of carbon emissions by introducing spatial exploratory data analysis technology, constructs SDM to test the impact of fiscal decentralization on carbon emissions in the perspective of space econometrics, and tests the existence of “free-riding” phenomenon in carbon emissions control for local governments in China.
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Torsten Steinbach, Carl Marcus Wallenburg and Kostas Selviaridis
This research focuses on the role of customer behavior in service outsourcing relationships that are governed by outcome-oriented contracts. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
This research focuses on the role of customer behavior in service outsourcing relationships that are governed by outcome-oriented contracts. The purpose of this paper is to explain how non-collaborative customer behavior impedes the effectiveness of outcome-oriented contracts to align the goals and incentives of the customer and service provider, and leads to service provider opportunism.
Design/methodology/approach
Nine hypotheses are developed regarding customer behavior and the reaction of the service provider to this. These are tested using structural equation modeling with data from 213 service outsourcing relationships.
Findings
Outcome-orientated contracts in service outsourcing may have unintended consequences because they create value attribution ambiguity. This ambiguity induces non-collaborative customer behavior, which, in turn, results in service provider opportunism. This reveals a paradox, where customer behavior aimed at curbing service provider opportunism instead induces such opportunism. This chain of effects can be counteracted by increased outcome attributability, which reduces the ambiguity and, thus, the motivation for non-collaborative customer behavior.
Originality/value
This research extends the existing literature by stressing that non-collaborative customer behavior is a key reason why outcome-oriented contracts fail in effectively governing outsourcing relationships, and that this can be counteracted by increased outcome attributability.
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Sourabh Arora and Sangeeta Sahney
Recent statistics concerning webrooming shoppers is indicative of the trending webrooming phenomenon, and points toward the dire need for the addressal of the issue. The purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent statistics concerning webrooming shoppers is indicative of the trending webrooming phenomenon, and points toward the dire need for the addressal of the issue. The purpose of this paper is to reason the consumer’s intentional visit to an online store prior to making purchases offline by linking it with perceived channel benefits and uncertainty reduction approach through an application of the theory of planned behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey instrument was administered online, and a total of 374 responses were obtained. Respondents were queried with respect to the webrooming sequence, if at all they were into webrooming. The PLS-SEM was used to test the formulated hypotheses.
Findings
The factor “Access to reviews online” emerged as the prime perceived search benefit which drives consumers’ to first visit an online store, while factors like “access to touch and feel the product,” “better post-purchase services offline” and “immediate possession of product” induced customers to later purchase offline. Factors like “E-distrust” and “perceived risks related to purchasing online” notably determined consumer’s movement to the physical store for purchasing the product in the second phase of the webrooming sequence.
Research limitations/implications
A small sample size limits the authors from drawing definitive generalizations. Due to the lack of studies, individually examining webrooming conduct, a prior qualitative exploration can be conducted to draw more insights.
Practical implications
The findings of the study can be utilized by the online retailers for devising strategies to push the webroomers to make purchases online.
Social implications
The study creates awareness as to what motivates consumers to webroom, which has been realized as one of the serious issues being faced by the online retailers today.
Originality/value
This study addresses a key concern “webrooming phenomenon,” which has emerged as a critical challenge in the present retailing dynamics.
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The focus of this paper is on altruism and coordination among agents with different income levels. A special form of altruism (fairness based or ethical altruism) is investigated…
Abstract
The focus of this paper is on altruism and coordination among agents with different income levels. A special form of altruism (fairness based or ethical altruism) is investigated by means of experiments. The definition of altruism used here follows from A. Sen’s concept of obligation, i.e. behaviour that produces advantage for someone whose welfare is not important at all for the agent’s well-being. In this sense, the paper investigates altruism without reciprocity. A second hypothesis investigated is that the extent of ethical altruism is influenced by gender and by income differences within the population.
Neha Sharma, Amit Sharma, Nirankush Dutta and Pankaj Priya
This article undertakes a literature review on showrooming, offering an exhaustive overview of research publications and future research objectives that will contribute to…
Abstract
Purpose
This article undertakes a literature review on showrooming, offering an exhaustive overview of research publications and future research objectives that will contribute to extending the understanding of the phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
The showrooming literature has been collected from journals indexed by SCOPUS and ranked by ABDC. This was later analysed with the SPAR-4-SLR framework and the TCCM methodology (theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies) proposed by Paul et al. (2021) and Paul and Rosado-Serrano (2019).
Findings
The insights of this review include bibliometrics of showrooming research and the number of explored showrooming theories, methodologies, and contexts from which the phenomenon has been studied. It also highlights the various aspects that might be considered while building an optimal approach.
Research limitations/implications
Articles published in SCOPUS-indexed and ABDC-ranked journals between 2012 and August 2022 were considered. Some articles published in conference proceedings and journals, not fulfilling the aforementioned criteria, might have been missed.
Practical implications
SPAR-4-SLR and TCCM methodologies would aid the researchers in further exploration of this phenomenon and suggest options for enhancing customer experience (CX) eventually leading to customer retention. Retail channel managers will find this knowledge handy in “encouraging loyal showrooming” and ensuring business sustainability.
Originality/value
This study uses the novel SPAR-4-SLR framework to structure the review, while TCCM methodology sheds light on the showrooming from the perspective of various theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies. The scope for further research identified through the above-mentioned framework and methodology would be of high value to the researchers and practitioners alike.
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Sourabh Arora, Kunal Singha and Sangeeta Sahney
Recent multichannel research suggests that consumers use multiple channels to reap attribute-based benefits which have led to showrooming phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent multichannel research suggests that consumers use multiple channels to reap attribute-based benefits which have led to showrooming phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reasons for consumers’ showrooming behaviour and propose a comprehensive model based on application and extension of the “Theory of planned behaviour”.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the probability sampling approach, 278 complete responses were obtained via web-based surveys for analysing the showrooming behaviour. The research model was tested using the “Partial least squares method” which follows a variance-based structural equation modelling approach.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that “touching and feeling the product” and “sales staff assistance” motivated customers to visit the physical store before buying online. “Better online service quality” and “lower prices online” induced customers to later purchase online. Price conscious customers and those with the ability to use multiple channels were more likely to engage in showrooming behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
The generalization of the findings may be limited because the data were collected from a small sample size. The subject calls for more extensive research for drawing generalizations due to lack of the substantive literature on the core area of study.
Practical implications
The model proposed will help retailers in understanding the showrooming phenomenon which recent researchers have considered as a threat to retail. The study provides basis for devising strategies to defend showrooming customers.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the body of knowledge in retailing by proposing a model on showrooming which is an emerging area of research in the present retail landscape.
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