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1 – 10 of over 94000Sandeep Puri, Shweta Pandey and Deepak Chawla
This paper aims to explore factors impacting wearable fitness tracking (WFT) device continued usage intention from perspectives of technology attributes (autonomy benefits)…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore factors impacting wearable fitness tracking (WFT) device continued usage intention from perspectives of technology attributes (autonomy benefits), health attributes (self-health management benefits, diet-control benefits and health self-efficacy), and consumer attributes (age, gender, technological innovativeness, symbolic benefits, social benefits and hedonic benefits).
Design/methodology/approach
The study integrates constructs from the technology acceptance theories and the health promotion model to develop the research model and hypothesis. The empirical analysis was conducted using data from 217 respondents from India. Logistic regression was used to identify factors that discriminate between groups with low and high continued usage intentions.
Findings
Results indicate higher continued usage intention for WFT devices is driven by perceived benefits-health, autonomy, social and hedonic, and individual characteristics-technological innovativeness and perceived health self-efficacy. Further, perceived symbolic benefits, diet control benefits, age, and gender does not discriminate between the groups with low and high continued usage intentions.
Research limitations/implications
The results may be limited to the context of the sample and the factors considered. The study suggests future research areas.
Practical implications
The paper offers insights for marketers, governments, insurance firms, and related healthcare services on promoting higher usage of WFT devices to yield dual benefits of preventive healthcare and higher profitability.
Originality/value
The study extends existing research by examining factors across consumer, health, and technological domains in a single framework and adds to the limited research in the context of usage of WFT devices in developing countries.
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Gerard I.J.M. Zwetsloot, Arjella R. van Scheppingen, Anja J. Dijkman, Judith Heinrich and Heleen den Besten
A healthy and vital workforce is an asset to any organization. Workplace health management and health promotion are therefore increasingly relevant for organizations. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
A healthy and vital workforce is an asset to any organization. Workplace health management and health promotion are therefore increasingly relevant for organizations. This paper aims to identify the organizational benefits companies strive for, and analyzes the ways companies use and manage data in order to monitor, evaluate and improve the achievement of organizational benefits through workplace health management.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study was carried out in four frontrunner organizations in health management in The Netherlands. The benefits the companies strived for were systematically investigated, as were the ways in which the companies used and managed their relevant data.
Findings
The organizations had many data that were potentially useful for managing and evaluating the realization of the intended health and business benefits. However, these data were only available and usable in a fragmented manner. As a result, the business impact of health interventions was neither properly evaluated nor consistently managed.
Research limitations/implications
The research was limited to four frontrunner companies in The Netherlands. The results presented are predominantly qualitative.
Practical implications
Suggestions for improving the management of organizational benefits from workplace health interventions are given here; they were formulated though an iterative process with the companies involved.
Originality/value
Research on the combination of health and business benefits of workplace health management has been rather limited thus far. The present paper provides a complete picture of the benefits strived for by four Dutch frontrunner organizations, as well as the data available to them, which are or could be used for guiding and improving workplace health management.
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Kendall Goodrich, Mark Benden, James Munch and Wakiuru Wamwara
This study aims to examine the impact of college students’ health and wellness orientations on the perceived importance of health benefits for an innovative new brand of standing…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of college students’ health and wellness orientations on the perceived importance of health benefits for an innovative new brand of standing desk, which is hypothesized to positively affect students’ attitudes and intentions. Research in this domain for the college student market is sparse.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted among business students at a large Midwestern US University, with class credit offered for completion. Of the 325 students given the opportunity to participate, 210 completed the survey.
Findings
Health motivation is positively related to calorie reduction importance, whereas wellness orientation is positively related to back health and cognitive enhancement. Calorie reduction and potential cognitive benefits significantly affect attitudes toward standing desks, which positively impact intentions to use, pay a school usage fee and buy the product.
Research limitations/implications
Different health orientation factors are associated with specific health benefits, providing greater insight into consumer attitudinal motivations for health-related products. Future research can further evaluate the generalizability of the results.
Practical implications
Marketers can tailor more effective communications based on underlying consumer motivations for health-related product benefits, resulting in better marketing outcomes.
Social implications
Obesity is a growing societal issue, which could be ameliorated by improved daily behaviors, including the use of standing desks to assist in countering sedentarism.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, neither academic research has yet examined standing desk purchase decision factors for the college student market, nor the effects of different health orientations on perceived health benefits.
Laetitia Livesey, Ian Morrison, Stephen Clift and Paul Camic
The aim of this study is to explore the benefits of choral singing for mental wellbeing and health as perceived by a cross‐national sample of amateur choral singers.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to explore the benefits of choral singing for mental wellbeing and health as perceived by a cross‐national sample of amateur choral singers.
Design/methodology/approach
Data consisted of written responses to open‐ended questions. These were derived from 169 participants selected from a larger dataset reporting high and low levels of emotional wellbeing on the WHOQOL‐BREF questionnaire. A majority of participants were female and aged over 50. A thematic analysis was followed by a content analysis and Pearson chi square analyses. Comparisons were made between different ages, genders and nationalities and participants with high and low reported emotional wellbeing.
Findings
The analysis revealed multiple themes covering perceived benefits in social, emotional, physical, and cognitive domains. There were no significant differences in frequency of themes across any of the participant sociodemographic and wellbeing categories. The results indicate that benefits of singing may be experienced similarly irrespective of age, gender, nationality or wellbeing status.
Research limitations/implications
Implications for further research include future use of validated instruments to measure outcomes and research into the benefits of singing in other cultures. The results of this study suggest that choral singing could be used to promote mental health and treat mental illness.
Originality/value
This study examines a cross‐national sample which is larger than previous studies in this area. These findings contribute to understanding of the complex and interacting factors which might contribute to wellbeing and health, as well as specific benefits of singing.
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Eleftherios Giovanis, Oznur Ozdamar and Burcu Özdaş
Unemployment can negatively affect individuals, their families and communities in various ways. When individuals are out of work may experience mental and physical health…
Abstract
Purpose
Unemployment can negatively affect individuals, their families and communities in various ways. When individuals are out of work may experience mental and physical health problems, material deprivation and poverty. This study aims to examine the impact of unemployment benefits on health and living standards in Turkey.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ a structural equation modelling (SEM) to consider the simultaneous relationships among the unemployment benefits and the latent variables of health and Standard of Living (SoL). We propose a fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Design (FRDD) and a Regression Kink Design (RKD) within the SEM framework to infer causality. For the empirical analysis, the authors employ the panel Income and Living Conditions Survey (ILCS) in 2007–2015.
Findings
The authors’ findings suggest that those who receive these benefits are more likely to report higher levels of health and improve their living standards compared to the non-recipients. Furthermore, unemployment benefits replacement rates are associated with improved levels in health and living standards. The authors’ results indicate a substantial heterogeneity on the impact of unemployment benefits since males, low educated individuals and those belonging to the lower levels of income are affected more in terms of their health status and living standards.
Originality/value
The majority of earlier studies have focused on the impact of unemployment benefits on labor outcomes. The originality of this study is that we implement the FRDD and RKD within the SEM framework to explore, simultaneously, the impact of unemployment insurance on health and living standards. Moreover, future research studies can implement this framework to infer causality and explore the impact of related policies and reforms.
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Heleen van Dijk, Ellen van Kleef, Helen Owen and Lynn J. Frewer
The aim of this study is to identify and explore consumer preferences and information needs regarding the simultaneous communication of risks and benefits associated with food…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to identify and explore consumer preferences and information needs regarding the simultaneous communication of risks and benefits associated with food consumption. The focus is on the net health impact of risks and benefits on life expectancy, quality of life, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs).
Design/methodology/approach
Focus groups were conducted in four countries (Iceland, The Netherlands, Portugal, UK). All sessions were audio‐taped, transcribed and content analyzed.
Findings
Current risk‐benefit communication is perceived as “asymmetrical”, confusing, and often distrusted. Participants expressed a preference for more balanced and scientifically derived information. Information about the net health impact on both life expectancy and quality of life was found to be meaningful for food decision making. DALYs were thought too complicated.
Research limitations/implications
Findings confirm the importance of incorporating consumers' viewpoints when developing communications about risk and benefits. The results provide insights into potential issues related to the communication of risk and benefit information. The limitations of the qualitative approach adopted in this study suggest that further research utilizing nationally representative samples is needed, which may explore additional metrics to communicate net health effects to consumers.
Originality/value
Common measures for assessing both risks and benefits are expected to facilitate the communication of the results of risk‐benefit assessment as part of risk analysis. However, research incorporating consumers' perspectives on this issue is scarce. A better understanding of how consumers perceive these measures may promote the development of more effective integrated risk benefit communication.
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Lizone Chang and Rian Beise‐Zee
The article seeks to study consumer evaluation of the health benefits of a health‐promoting destination. Health‐promoting destinations often attempt to scientifically prove health…
Abstract
Purpose
The article seeks to study consumer evaluation of the health benefits of a health‐promoting destination. Health‐promoting destinations often attempt to scientifically prove health benefits. It is suggested that health destinations should instead attempt to reflect consumers' preconceived health beliefs, rather than reform them. The aim is to test the applicability of the expectation‐disconfirmation theory to health promoting destinations and to offer recommendations for place marketing of destinations which are positioned as proving health benefits.
Design/methodology/approach
Cognitive dissonance is a central theoretical concept in the model of consumer evaluation of the health benefits of a health‐promoting destination. The authors suggest that low cognitive dissonance between subjective health beliefs and the characteristics of a destination results in positive customer evaluations of the destination. This hypothesis was tested through regression analysis of data collected via a survey of 240 visitors at seven hot spring resorts in Taiwan.
Findings
The study suggests that the subjective beliefs of tourists regarding what is healthful are important criteria for tourists to evaluate the health benefits of a destination.
Research limitations/implications
The expectation‐disconfirmation theory is successfully applied to the tourism sector and health care.
Practical implications
Based on the results, consumer research about what is believed to be beneficial to health is important when designing and promoting a health place.
Originality/value
Destinations have been mostly studied as wellness destinations. However, many destinations promote scientific health benefits. The effect of consumer health perceptions on the attractiveness of health‐promoting destinations has received little attention. While common in tourism, the results are a novel approach to health care destinations.
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Faith Bontrager and Kimball P. Marshall
This paper aims to provide a literature review of corporate wellness programs to develop recommendations for effective internal marketing of healthy behaviors in work environments.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a literature review of corporate wellness programs to develop recommendations for effective internal marketing of healthy behaviors in work environments.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of research literature published since 2000 addresses corporate wellness programs’ justifications and best program design practices.
Findings
Corporate and employee benefits documented in the literature are reviewed and best practices from published literature are identified to guide the design of wellness programs. These include framing clear messages, alignment of corporate culture and business strategy with wellness program goals, senior leader support, clear objectives and evaluation, incorporation of peer support and enjoyable activities, utilization of effective priming for healthy choices and consideration of legal and ethical incentives.
Research limitations/implications
Further research is needed, including how to frame messages for diverse work groups, how to carry out effective program assessments, what types of marketing appeals are effective, what wellness activities lead to healthy behavior change and how is increased employee productivity related to quality of life. Additional questions include how priming encourages healthy behaviors, what promotes healthy workplace cultures and what social marketing appeals promote healthy behaviors.
Practical implications
Senior managers can implement findings to create effective wellness programs benefiting employees and firms through improved employee health and productivity and reduced corporate health-care costs.
Social implications
Effective wellness programs reduce overall health-care costs for society and provide improved participants’ quality of work, personal and family life.
Originality/value
This research uniquely applies internal marketing, social marketing and marketing exchange concepts to best practices from the wellness literature and applies these to recommendations for effective corporate-based wellness programs.
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C. Richard Baker and Rick Stephan Hayes
Investigates the negative effect on employee welfare caused byeconomic decisions taken by corporate managements which they attributeto the adoption of an accounting standard…
Abstract
Investigates the negative effect on employee welfare caused by economic decisions taken by corporate managements which they attribute to the adoption of an accounting standard, focusing on the case of McDonnell Douglas Corporation, which ended health‐care benefits for non‐union employees as a result of adopting the Financial Accounting Standards Board′s Statement 106 (FASB 106). It is estimated that the adoption of FASB 106 caused $148 billion in charges to earnings to be recorded by companies in the Standard & Poor′s 500 Index. Despite the large negative effect on earnings, FASB 106 had little or no impact on the economic condition of the affected firms. Nevertheless, managements have taken economic actions that have negatively affected employee welfare, and these actions have been attributed to FASB 106. Some of the hardest hit are employees at older industrial companies with mature workforces hired during the 1950s and 1960s. Some companies ended retirement health plans abruptly, while others required workers and retirees to pay more towards insurance premiums, or prevented new hires from receiving retirement health coverage.
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Jean C. Darian and Louis Tucci
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relative importance to consumers of different health benefits of food.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relative importance to consumers of different health benefits of food.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses conjoint analysis to investigate the relative importance of five health benefits to consumers in their intention to buy a food.
Findings
The results suggest that the single most important health benefit influencing purchase intentions is high nutritional value. If two health benefits are to be promoted, for the total sample the most effective combination would be high nutritional value and the potential to reduce cancer, followed by high nutritional value and proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. However, for those respondents with less than a college education, the most effective combination would be high nutritional value and the potential to reduce arthritis.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size is small – 238 respondents.
Practical implications
The results can be used to help food marketers offer and promote health benefits of their products.
Social implications
More effective marketing of health benefits of foods should increase consumption of healthy foods, which will enhance consumer welfare.
Originality/value
Conjoint analysis has not previously been used in studies of this topic. The advantage of conjoint analysis over other analytical techniques is that it incorporates realistic trade‐offs when measuring consumer preferences.
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