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1 – 5 of 5Different cultures believe that some numbers are “lucky” and other numbers are “unlucky”. The purpose of this paper is to determine to what extent hotels follow numerological…
Abstract
Purpose
Different cultures believe that some numbers are “lucky” and other numbers are “unlucky”. The purpose of this paper is to determine to what extent hotels follow numerological superstitions in their floor and room numbering, if more accidents or complaints occur on unlucky hotel floors compared to other floors and if more accidents or complaints occur in unlucky hotel rooms compared to other rooms.
Design/methodology/approach
For the first research objective, an audit of hotels in a particular destination, Hong Kong, is taken capturing the number of floors and rooms on each floor and determining if “unlucky” numbers are used. For the second and third objectives, the accident and complaint database of one upscale hotel in Hong Kong across a five-year period is investigated.
Findings
The authors find that hotels do follow superstitious numbering, with “unlucky” numbers not being included in floor or room numbering. Chinese superstition is more likely to be followed than Western superstition. The non-inclusion of “unlucky” numbers is more likely for hotel floors than for hotel rooms. In the case study hotel, they found no significant differences in the number of accidents and complaints between unlucky and other rooms and floors across the five years of analysis.
Originality/value
Superstitions surrounding numbers can affect decisions made by individuals and businesses and can have significant economic consequences. There is little academic research into how the hotel sector is impacted by numerology superstitions.
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Bahri-Ammari Nedra, Sandhir Sharma and Aymen Dakhli
This paper aims to study the determinants of consumer purchasing behaviour of organic product in the emergent countries. These variables are related to products such as…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the determinants of consumer purchasing behaviour of organic product in the emergent countries. These variables are related to products such as perception, attitude, motivation (health and environmental concern), implication and purchasing intention.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on exploratory and confirmatory analysis that seeks to purify and to get a new scales structure. The study shows the effect of perception and motivation on the purchasing behaviour of the consumers who intend to buy an organic product. The authors used the structural equation modelling to confirm the different relationships.
Findings
Purchasing intention, implication and motivation (health and environmental concerns) have a strong direct and positive effect on the purchasing behaviour of organic products. However, the relationship between the motivation and the attitude, on the one side, and between attitude/purchasing intention and attitude/purchasing behaviour, on the other side, are not significant.
Research limitations/implications
The research and investigation were carried out in a limited geographical zone (Tunisian country), on a specific category of products and on a particular sampling procedure by convenience.
Practical implications
The firm can adopt an efficient green strategy that allows it to ensure a good segmentation and a best positioning compared to conventional product. Tunisian marketers must focus on the factors influencing the behaviour of the Tunisian consumer. They should raise consumer awareness through a suitable communication.
Originality/value
This paper is added to studies of consumer behaviour towards bio-products in emerging countries. The results could serve as a guideline for organizations for understanding the factors and green strategy adopted. This one need to ensure a good segmentation and positioning of biological products compared to conventional product.
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Walter Bataglia, Adilson Aderito Silva and Elvio Correa Porto
Using the industry as an approximation of the external environment of companies, Dess and Beard proposed the construct organizational task environment (OTE). If the precision of…
Abstract
Purpose
Using the industry as an approximation of the external environment of companies, Dess and Beard proposed the construct organizational task environment (OTE). If the precision of the definition of industry is desirable, it involves a multiplicity of elements that restrict the ability of generalization. This paper aims to contribute by identifying clusters of industries with similar environmental profiles. As the discriminant validity of the OTE construct was tested only by Harris in US manufacturing industry, not supporting it, this study also seeks to contribute by assessing the OTE construct validity for the Brazilian manufacturing industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Authors collected data from all manufacturing sectors in Brazil, between 1996 and 2003; they used confirmatory factor analysis with the multi-trait multi-method matrix approach to assess the construct validity and ran environmental dimensions' factorial scores through the cluster analysis to find out natural groupings of industries.
Findings
The results support the convergent and discriminant validity of the construct OTE, suggesting that further replication should be conducted in the US economy and in different economic contexts.
Research limitations/implications
The study identified four groups of industries with similar environmental conditions, increasing possibilities of generalization of researches. The limitations stem from measurement in an extended period of time and not measuring changes in the environment.
Practical implications
To expand the analytical capabilities of managers for decision making on the sharing of skills between businesses in different industries.
Originality/value
The main contributions of this work are to further discussions on the validity of the OTE construct and to identify industrial clusters of homogeneous environments.
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Trang P. Tran, Christopher P. Furner and Pia A. Albinsson
Mobile computing is an emerging trend. Building on motivational theories, brand attachment and mobile application literature, this paper tests a conceptual model with the aim to…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile computing is an emerging trend. Building on motivational theories, brand attachment and mobile application literature, this paper tests a conceptual model with the aim to provide insights into antecedents and outcomes of consumer brand attachment in a mobile app context.
Design/methodology/approach
A model is developed in which antecedents and outcomes of brand attachment in a branded mobile app context are examined. Data collected from 228 mobile app users were analyzed using PLS-SEM.
Findings
The results confirm that hedonic motivation is positively associated with brand attachment. Nevertheless, the effects of utilitarian motivation and social motivation on brand attachment are not supported. As anticipated, brand attachment is positively associated with three outcomes, including continuance intention, purchase intention and word-of-mouth communication.
Originality/value
The paper extends the Mobile Application Stickiness paradigm by including brand characteristics, which had not previously been explored. Also, in terms of attachment in a mobile context, only affection has been explored; this study includes connection and passion to investigate how those components enhance desired outcomes.
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Robin Hickman and David Banister
Purpose – To consider the potential for transport CO2 reductions in Oxfordshire. It examines the CO2 baseline within the county and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, assessing the…
Abstract
Purpose – To consider the potential for transport CO2 reductions in Oxfordshire. It examines the CO2 baseline within the county and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, assessing the high and low emitters in terms of relative transport CO2 emissions. A target for the county is developed at 1.2 tCO2 per capita by 2030, and ultimately 0.5 tCO2 per capita by 2050, and scenario analysis is used to assess the potential interventions, policy packages and different pathways available for CO2 emission reduction.
Methodology/approach – The central Oxfordshire transport model (COTOM) is used to quantify the likely impacts of different policy areas over the long term to 2030. It is illustrated how the strategic policy direction can be set within transport, and attempts are made to quantify the scale of likely impacts from the options available.
Findings – Current interventions and levels of funding for sustainable transport are not strong enough to significantly reduce transport CO2 emissions in line with the national UK targets and there is a significant underestimation of the scales of change required. There is a major discontinuity between the ‘greenwash’ of the conjecture at the national governmental level and the level of funding necessary to actually implement effective actions at the local level.
Originality/value – The chapter is original in illustrating how the strategic policy direction can be set within transport at the regional level and also in attempting to quantify the scale of likely impacts.
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