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The food sector is currently undergoing a process of transition as a result of the increased level of consumers' awareness towards issues related to sustainability. This work aims at analyzing the existence of links between technological innovation and sustainability and its consequences on variables of paramount importance in the retail sector such as store image and loyalty towards the establishment. Moreover, we examine if the strength of these relations differs across store formats.

To achieve the objective of this work, a theoretical model based on the literature is proposed, contrasted through an empirical study carried out in a sample of 510 customers from three food retail formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores.

The results indicate that technological innovation strengthens sustainability. In addition, sustainability is postulated as a dynamic element of the store's image and loyalty. The intensity of these relationships may vary depending on the commercial format.

The implementation of innovative and sustainable practices such as reducing energy consumption, the use of recycled materials to manufacture products, and the participation of retail companies in collective social actions is considered to be of primary importance.

The study sheds light on the knowledge of the relations between customers' perceptions of technological innovation and sustainability in retailing, confirming their influence on store image and customer loyalty. Moreover, the findings reveal the importance of sustainability and innovation for the main types of retail food store format, although with some peculiarities that allow to draw relevant managerial implications for practitioners.

In the current competitive environment in which retailers operate, store equity is seen as a key differentiating factor. In view of the scarce research on the dimensionality and correlates of brand equity related to the retailer, this paper aims to analyze the relationship between store equity and behavioral intentions and the influence of information and communication technology on this relation.

From a sample of 820 customers of store chains, a multigroup structural equation model is estimated considering the level of technological development of the retailer as a moderating variable.

The authors find evidence in favor of the positive influence of store equity on consumer behavioral intentions toward the retailer and the role of technology as a moderator in this relationship.

This paper provides evidence about the multidimensionality of store equity and its positive influence on behavioral intentions towards the retailer. Furthermore, the authors find support for the notion that information and communication technology (ICT) solutions implemented by the retailer contributes to reinforce the positive impact of store equity on behavioral intentions.

Technology may be used to differentiate the retail chain from competitors. The retailer should concentrate its investments in ICT solutions that contribute to enhance the customer experience in the store.

Research on the brand equity concept in the context of retailing is still scarce. The results of this research provide support to the role of loyalty, service quality, product quality and perceived value as the dimensions of store equity. In addition to this, to the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that addresses the role of technology in the relationship between store equity and behavioral intentions.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of candidates’ perceptions of the attributes of a professional certification scheme based on competences, as well as personal factors, that may influence in the behavioral intentions toward such certification program, i.e. intention to participate in the certification process and willingness to pay for the certificate.

Based on a survey of 2,630 professionals about the “Certified Professional” program in eight European countries, the influence of the perceived attributes of the certification program and the personal characteristics of the potential candidates on their behavioral intentions are analyzed.

Difficulty and fairness of the certification process, credibility, innovativeness, international recognition and future usefulness of the professional certificate influence positively on the candidate’s likelihood of applying for being certified and the willingness to pay. Young professionals not holding a university diploma show high probability to participate in the certification process and intention to pay for the certificate.

Promotional efforts to launch a professional certification scheme should concentrate in creating strong associations of the certificate with the notions of international prestige, credibility and usefulness to enhance employability and professional growth. Segmentation criteria to increase communication effectiveness are defined.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of professional certification programs in competences, and literature has advocated the need to investigate the perceived value of such systems in terms of benefits and barriers perceived by potential applicants for accreditation. The present paper aims at addressing this research gap.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the way in which B-to-B relationships are built, based on commitment and trust affecting value co-creation (VcC) and resulting in greater or lesser economic and social satisfaction and the manager’s perception of the delivered value (business customer value) moderating these effects.

Through a means-end approach, a causal model is estimated with PLS using a sample of 268 hotel managers who rate their relationship with their main partner (travel agency or booking center) in Spain.

VcC is a) dynamic because it is episodic, where VcC is a mediator between the trust–commitment relationship and two types of satisfaction (economic and social) and b) synergetic, because when the hotel delivers higher levels of business customer value, the effects in the linkages of VcC–satisfaction(s) are intensified. These effects are not significantly different on economic versus social satisfaction.

The empirical paper collects the perception of a single partner (hotel managers) in a single setting (hotels in Spain). The moderating role of business customer value on the VcC–satisfaction(s) relationship should be further analyzed. The paper contributes to the growing literature on B-to-B VcC by translating empirically the theoretical richness of the VcC concept as being dynamic and synergetic.

This paper adds quantitative evidence to theoretical assumptions on VcC as dynamic and synergetic. The quantitative modelling proves VcC as a true mediator, in a chain of variables in a B-to-B setting.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically a model that reflects the different types of relational benefits perceived by customers, as well as the benefits obtained by the organization in terms of customer loyalty.

In order to achieve the aim of this paper, a quantitative analysis through a personal survey to consumers for four types of retailing activities is performed. Data are analyzed through factor analysis and a structural equation model is estimated.

Confidence benefits and special treatment benefits have major influence on customer loyalty towards the retailer. These results are consistent across retail activities.

The present study is limited in its scope and a first approach is considered that it might inspire further research adding new constructs into the model in order to deepen into the analysis of the relationship between customer and retailer relational benefits.

Since the benefits related to purchase risk reduction and confidence are the most influencing on customer loyalty, the retailer should concentrate his efforts in offering guarantees for his products and carrying out communication campaigns for improving corporate image. Also actions providing special treatment benefits might have a positive influence on customer loyalty.

Relational benefits and results for the retailer are studied in four different retail activities.

The present study attempts to contribute to the knowledge of how customer orientation (CO), service orientation (SO) and job satisfaction (JS) are defined and relate to each other. It explores the relationships between CO and JS by analysing a company providing intermediation services to the banking sector, in its external finance division.

After the literature review, the method of empirical analysis consisting in quantitative intervention with an ad hoc survey using a structured questionnaire was developed. Regression analysis with mediation is used to contrast the hypotheses on the links between the constructs analysed.

Both reliability and factorial analysis of the scales used provided satisfactory results. CO was found to produce mediated effects, through SO, on overall JS. The mediator role was identified as human resources management practice, service systems practice and service leadership practice. In addition, in all cases, a direct, positive association was found between SO practices and CO.

First, the use of just one company invites a repeat study in other companies in the sector and in other service contexts. Second, cross‐cultural approaches to the constructs analysed would be interesting. Third, it may be relevant to use longitudinal approaches for a better understanding of the dynamic behaviour of the variables analysed. Fourth, attaining all of data from employees invites to future measures of the constructs taken from different sources. Future research needs to be done on the service profit chain theory to incorporate both customer and financial performance variables.

The results should lead managers to consider the importance of emphasizing those organizational cues that help build a SO climate in their organizations.

This paper further acknowledges the links between the constructs being studied, on the basis of employees' perceptions. It was found that CO produces mediated effects, through SO, on overall JS.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the main causes for complaining behaviour intentions expressed in three dimensions: private response, complaining response and complaining to third parties. The objectives are, first to study the direct influence of a set of antecedents and complaining behaviour intentions and second, to analyse the moderator effect of previous restaurant experience on subsequent relations.

A quantitative research method was used based on a self‐administered ad‐hoc questionnaire on a sample of 388 individuals who remembered an unsatisfactory experience in a restaurant.

The results show that the following variables have significant effects on intentions: attitudes towards complaining, level of information and complaining experience, level of dissatisfaction and likelihood of success with the complaint. An increased effect of attitudes towards complaining has been found in customers with no previous experience of the restaurant.

This work shows that the customer's previous experience is important in the formation of complaining behaviour intentions and therefore research is needed on new variables which may play a moderator role.

Now‐a‐days, logistics research focuses on the ability of logistics to deliver a quality service and generate greater satisfaction with the delivered service. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the quality, satisfaction, and loyalty sequence in the logistic service delivery context, with the purpose of considering the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in this chain of effects.

After reviewing the different approaches given by the literature, SEM analysis is used to contrast the hypotheses for the analyzed constructs in the presence of high/low ICT level. A questionnaire based on personal survey was conducted among manufacturers. The study collected data from 194 companies. Structural equation modeling was applied to these data to test relationships among the variables in the study.

The reliability and validity tests show satisfactory results. The conclusions confirm this chain of consequences, and emphasize the incidence of ICT in the description and intensity of these relations.

As non‐probabilistic sampling methods have been used, in subsequent research, it would be useful to obtain a more representative population sample. In future, works relations between the variables proposed would be analyzed contemplating the sectoral nature of the sample, accepting that relationship intensity may be modified according to the company's sector of activity.

This paper describes a framework to explore the relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in the supply chain from the perspective of ICT.