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1 – 10 of 44Seung‐Eun Lee and Grace I. Kunz
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…
Abstract
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.
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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…
Abstract
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.
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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.
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Research limitations/implications
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.
Practical implications
The study suggests that apparel and retail firms should develop both up‐front assortment planning and replenishment strategies, considering the level of assortment diversity.
Originality/value
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.
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Sara J. Kadolph, Grace I. Kunz, Shari A. Stout and Lena Horne
First of two papers which investigate the factors that influence drycleaning performance of commercially available pigskin apparel. Examines two drycleaning solvents and two…
Abstract
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.
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Ann Marie Fiore, Seung‐Eun Lee, Grace Kunz and J.R. Campbell
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…
Abstract
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.
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Ann Marie Fiore, Seung‐Eun Lee and Grace Kunz
Mass customization entails the mass production of individually customized goods and services. Co‐design is a mass customization option where a product's design is based on the…
Abstract
Mass customization entails the mass production of individually customized goods and services. Co‐design is a mass customization option where a product's design is based on the customer's selections from a range of design feature offerings. A model comprised of relationships between individual differences, motivations for using co‐design, and willingness to use co‐design was proposed and statistically supported using 521 university subjects from different regions of the USA and the analysis of moment structures (AMOS) statistic. As hypothesized, optimum stimulation level (OSL) predicted two clothing interest factors: experimenting with appearance (EA) and enhancement of individuality (EI). As proposed, OSL and EA predicted the two motivations, trying co‐design as an exciting experience and using co‐design to create a unique product, whereas EI only predicted using co‐design to create a unique product. Both motives were mediating variables between individual differences and willingness to use co‐design, but using co‐design to create a unique product had a stronger effect. Theoretical and marketing implications were discussed.
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Francisco Muñoz-Leiva, María Eugenia Rodríguez López, Francisco Liebana-Cabanillas and Sérgio Moro
This study aims to discern emerging trends and provide a longitudinal perspective on merchandising research by identifying relationships between merchandising-related…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to discern emerging trends and provide a longitudinal perspective on merchandising research by identifying relationships between merchandising-related subdomains/themes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study sourced 657 merchandising-related articles published since 1960, from the Scopus database and 425 from Web of Science. After processing and normalizing the data, this study performed co-word and thematic network analyses. Taking a text mining approach, this study used topic modeling to identify a set of coherent topics characterized by the keywords of the articles.
Findings
This study identified the following merchandising-related themes: branding, retail, consumer, behavior, modeling, textile and clothing industry and visual merchandising. Although visual merchandising was the first type of merchandising to be used in-store, only recently has it become an emerging topic in the academic literature. There has been a further trend over the past decade to understand the adoption of simulation technology, such as computer-aided design, particularly in supply chain management in the clothing industry. These and other findings contribute to the discussion of the merchandising concept, approached from an evolutionary perspective.
Research limitations/implications
The conclusions of this study hold implications at the intersection of merchandising, sectors, new technologies, research methodologies and merchandising-practitioner education. Research trends suggest that, in the future, virtual reality and augmented reality using neuroscientific methods will be applied to the e-merchandising context.
Practical implications
The different dimensions of merchandising can be used to leverage store managers’ decision-making process toward an integrated store-management strategy. In particular, by adopting loyalty merchandising tactics, the store can generate emotional attachment among consumers, who will perceive its value and services as unique, thanks to merchandising items designed specifically with that aim in mind. The stimulation of unplanned purchases, the strategic location of products and duration of each merchandising activity in the store, the digitalization of merchandising and the application of findings from neuroscience studies are some of the most relevant practical applications.
Originality/value
This study provides the first-ever longitudinal review of the state of the art in merchandising research, taking a holistic perspective of this field of knowledge spanning a 60-year period. The work makes a valuable contribution to the development of the marketing discipline.
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Valentina Pitardi, Jochen Wirtz, Stefanie Paluch and Werner H. Kunz
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…
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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).
Findings
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.
Practical implications
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).
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to examine a context where service robots are the preferred service delivery mechanism over human employees.
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Kai-Yu Wang, Wen-Hai Chih, Li-Chun Hsu and Wei-Ching Lin
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…
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Research limitations/implications
This research establishes the relationship between PFR and coping behaviors and shows the mediating role of emotional empathy in this relationship.
Practical implications
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.
Originality/value
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.
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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…
Abstract
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.