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The purpose of this study was to contribute to merchandising theory development by testing and refining Rupe and Kunz’s Volume per Stock‐keeping unit for an Assortment (VSA) and Assortment Diversity Index(ADI), using multiple merchandising performance measures. Behavioural Theory of the Apparel Firm with a Quick Response construct (BTAF/QR), was used as the theoretical framework for the study. The data were generated by a computer simulation of the merchandising process called Sourcing Simulator. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients and regressions. The VSA had significant correlations with all 14 merchandising performance measures (p < 0:001), and the ADI was a consistent indicator of financial productivity considering all 14 merchandising performance measures. The results of the study supported the proposal of additional assumptions as well as propositions and hypotheses related to merchandising responsibility for BTAF/QR.

Assortment planning, the determination of the range of choices to be made available at a given time, is a primary merchandising function. Many people with different job titles in both apparel manufacturing and retailing make decisions that impact merchandise assortments. The purpose of this paper is to explain the concept of assortment diversity as measured by volume per stock‐keeping unit for an assortment (VSA), describe the relationship of VSA to per cent gross margin (%GM), and propose topics for further research.

The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of supply chain merchandise replenishment strategies to minimize merchandise plan errors when assortments are diverse.

Sourcing Simulator 2.1, a computer simulation of the merchandising process, was used. Sourcing Simulator generated a total data set of 4,320 and determined financial outcomes of the merchandising processes based on multiple scenario inputs.

The impact of supply chain merchandise replenishment strategies on merchandising performance outcomes significantly differed, depending on assortment diversity and merchandise plan errors. The ability of supply chain merchandise replenishment strategies was limited in minimizing problems inherent in diverse assortments and over‐volume errors.

Sourcing Simulator does not necessarily simulate merchandising processes and performance in real retail stores but principles developed through simulation can be applied in retail stores. Future research based on real information is suggested for additional realistic understanding.

The study suggests that apparel and retail firms should develop both up‐front assortment planning and replenishment strategies, considering the level of assortment diversity.

Based on Behavioral Theory of the Apparel Firm, the study contributes to understanding the importance of merchandising functions in an apparel firm. In addition, the study illuminates assortment diversity as an important factor of merchandise planning, especially when apparel and retail firms plan replenishment strategies to minimize merchandise plan errors.

First of two papers which investigate the factors that influence drycleaning performance of commercially available pigskin apparel. Examines two drycleaning solvents and two drycleaning treatments on two colours of pigskin suede and two interlinings. Latent defects were found related to hide selection and processing which may affect apparel performance and consumer satisfaction. When the bond between leather and interlining was permanent, variation in shrinkage was reduced but distortion of garment parts may occur because of differential shrinkage. Pilling of one interlining was so severe it would interfere with overall performance of garments. Manufacturer's recommendation for selection of interlining was not a reliable predictor of performance.

Extant research mainly focused on potentially negative customer responses to service robots. In contrast, this study is one of the first to explore a service context where service robots are likely to be the preferred service delivery mechanism over human frontline employees. Specifically, the authors examine how customers respond to service robots in the context of embarrassing service encounters.

This study employs a mixed-method approach, whereby an in-depth qualitative study (study 1) is followed by two lab experiments (studies 2 and 3).

Results show that interactions with service robots attenuated customers' anticipated embarrassment. Study 1 identifies a number of factors that can reduce embarrassment. These include the perception that service robots have reduced agency (e.g. are not able to make moral or social judgements) and emotions (e.g. are not able to have feelings). Study 2 tests the base model and shows that people feel less embarrassed during a potentially embarrassing encounter when interacting with service robots compared to frontline employees. Finally, Study 3 confirms that perceived agency, but not emotion, fully mediates frontline counterparty (employee vs robot) effects on anticipated embarrassment.

Service robots can add value by reducing potential customer embarrassment because they are perceived to have less agency than service employees. This makes service robots the preferred service delivery mechanism for at least some customers in potentially embarrassing service encounters (e.g. in certain medical contexts).

This study is one of the first to examine a context where service robots are the preferred service delivery mechanism over human employees.

AIEST Les préparatifs du 30e Congrès AIEST du 14 au 20 septembre 1980 à l'Hôtel Son Vida, Palma de Mallorca, sont de façon que le programme définitif a pu être envoyé aux membres début juin, après un rappel de faire parvenir des contributions écrites touchant le sujet principal «Limites du développement touristique» pour être publié dans la publication du Congrès. Celle‐ci sera envoyée aux membres avant le Congrès.

Mass customisation, defined as the mass production of individually customised goods and services, aims at providing products and services that are more suited to the needs or desires of today’s fragmented consumer markets. Mass customisers should identify how needs or desires of the fragmented market shape the customisation of not just the product and service, but also the mass customisation experience. Towards this end, the authors examined whether an individual’s preferred level for environmental stimulation defined as optimum stimulation level (OSL) was associated with the types of products, services and experiences desired from mass customisation of apparel. As the authors hypothesised, OSL had significant positive correlations with willingness to use co‐design services to create a unique design, trying co‐design as an exciting experience, overall commitment to using co‐design, and trying body scanning as an exciting experience. OSL did not have significant correlations with the more banal willingness to use body scanning services for better fitting products or overall commitment to using body scanning. There was also a significant positive correlation between OSL and interest in customising experiential products, but not between OSL and interest in customising utilitarian products, as hypothesised. Results support research of the influence of OSL on consumer behaviour. Implications for the industry include considering experience aspects and environmental stimulation when developing a mass customisation programme.

This research investigates whether and how perceived firm remorse (PFR) influences consumers’ coping behaviors in the digital media service recovery context. It also examines how an apology should be delivered to generate PFR.

In Study 1, 452 mobile application service users were recruited for a survey study, and Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. In Study 2, 1,255 mobile application service users were recruited for an experimental study.

Study 1 shows that PFR negatively influences blame attribution and positively influences emotional empathy. Emotional empathy negatively affects coping behaviors. According to this study, blame attribution and emotional empathy do not have any serial mediation effect on the relationship between PFR and coping behaviors. Only emotional empathy mediates the effect of PFR on coping behaviors. Study 2 finds that response time and apology mode jointly influence PFR.

This research establishes the relationship between PFR and coping behaviors and shows the mediating role of emotional empathy in this relationship.

Service providers should consider response time and apology mode, as the two factors jointly influence the extent of PFR, which affects consumers’ coping behaviors through emotional empathy. A grace period, in which PFR does not decrease, is present when a public apology is offered. Such an effect does not exist when a private apology is offered.

This research explains how PFR influences coping behaviors and demonstrates how apology mode moderates the effect of response time on PFR in the digital media service recovery context.

This chapter explores children’s agency in using mobile technologies at home and in school. Supporting children’s agency has been offered as a rationale for adopting personalised education worldwide. Children’s agency is also drawn upon as a justification for children’s use of personal mobile devices. This chapter considers children’s agency in light of the personalised education in one UK primary school and the children’s use of mobile technologies at school and at home. The findings are based on eight days of observations of classroom practice and interviews with six case study children in the Year 6 classroom. In sessions that were supported with mobile technologies, children’s learning was personalised to each child, but constrained by the amount of time that the activity lasted and that the technology was available for. Based on children’s accounts, their use of mobile technologies at home was constrained by their parents’ restrictions and monitoring practices. The chapter discusses the reality of children’s agency in light of adults’ mediation and children’s actual experiences of personalised learning.

C'est un lieu commun que de réaffirmer ici l'importance croissante des mouvements touristiques dans le monde actuel sur les plans économique, social, culturel ou politique. Dans le domaine économique seulement, leur développement entraˆne des conséquences décisives tant sur les relations économiques internationales (le problème des balances des paiements se pose différemment maintenant que les échanges de personnes viennent compléter les échanges de marchandises) que sur l'orientation des activités économiques internes (citons, par exemple, les investissements touristiques — hôtellerie ou moyens de transport — les changements de la consommation par suite de la croissance dans les budgets familiaux du poste distractions et voyages — l'amélioration du niveau de vie — le développement du secteur tertiaire, commerce et services — l'urbanisation, dont le tourisme est, en tant qu'évasion hors des grandes agglomérations, une des conséquences, etc.). Et en face de ce fait: il n'est pas un secteur de l'activité économique qui ne soit transformé, plus ou moins profondément, par l'essor du tourisme — une constatation amère: ce phénomène décisif, économique, social, démographique, culturel n'occupe encore qu'une place tout à fait insignifiante, quand elle n'est pas nulle, dans l'enseignement supérieur de la plupart des pays. Il serait cependant très désirable qu'une meilleure connaissance de ces phénomènes, sans nul doute appelés à poursuivre encore leur développement, soit plus largement répandue parmi les jeunes destinés à former les cadres supérieurs, c'est‐à‐dire l'élite des nations. De ce point de vue, le bilan que l'on peut dresser aujourd'hui ne laisse pas d'être fort affligeant.