Search results

This study aims to identify the impact of affective components on behavioral intentions applying electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and is based on the “cognitive–affective–conative” model. EWOM allows researchers to get new insights about consumers’ behavior and explores new patterns of consumers’ decision-making processes.

This study is based on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), doubled with “cognitive–affective–conative” model (Oliver, 2014). This study applies structural topic modeling to examine the impact of satisfaction dimensions from all the Tripadvisor reviews on consumer behavioral intentions. The research sample covers all restaurants located in St. Petersburg (n = 10,424) and all consumers’ reviews (n = 286,642).

In this study, the dimensions of the affective component were identified. The results demonstrate that dimensions of the affective component (food quality, service quality, atmosphere and cost fairness) affect behavioral intention (willingness to share positive emotions). In total, 20 topics, forming these dimensions, have been indicated. Consumers tend to pay more attention toward food quality and restaurant staffs’ work when they are willing to share positive emotions and tend to point out auxiliary service when they have less willingness to share positive emotions. Random restaurant visits tend to increase the willingness to share positive emotions.

Research originality lies in a new methodological approach which is based on text mining techniques. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to examine consumer behavior through the lens of the “cognitive–affective–conative” model based on eWOM and covers all businesses in the specific economic sphere. This has allowed the researchers to reveal new dimensions of consumer behavior and brought more insights into the consumers’ decision-making process.

The purpose of this paper is to identify ways to develop museum shop product, which will possess competitive advantage, and to recommend what should be done to develop such product so that it has a positive impact on the city brand of St. Petersburg.

In total, 76 museums have been studied through the observation method to describe their shops’ inventory in terms of percentages of each product. Mostly St. Petersburg museums were included in the analysis. The observation method enabled the researchers to analyse the inventory of the museum souvenir shops. The findings of the analysis enabled the researchers to reach conclusions about museums’ strategies of product development.

The research allowed to make the conclusion that although the museum shops in St.Petersburg demonstrate positive tendencies in the development of competitive stores’ products a lot of work is still to be done. Not all museums are characterised by availability of clear strategy for product development. They offer souvenirs (if any) which do not differ from those existing on the market according to topics and functions which are characteristic for them. Recommendations on how to make the product of museum shops more competitive were proposed.

Cities need new and fresh ways to create and promote their brands. Museums can contribute to this significantly with the help of souvenirs production. This research will provide insight into the process of how museums can do this by developing their shops’ inventory strategies. Recommendations to improve strategies for creation of competitive product were offered in the paper.

In today’s competitive conditions, museums are creating augmented products and create museum shops. Nevertheless, the role of museum shops in brand creation is underexplored. Museum shops have a high potential for creating high-quality products that may influence the museum and city brand in a positive way, as souvenirs and visual images of museum artifacts play an essential role in making an impression on tourists.