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1 – 10 of over 18000
Article
Publication date: 25 February 2014

Faiza Saeed and Klaus G. Grunert

This paper aims to explore consumers' perception of quality of new processed beef products and the role of expected and experienced quality in the formation of consumer's purchase…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore consumers' perception of quality of new processed beef products and the role of expected and experienced quality in the formation of consumer's purchase intentions. Based on the Total Food Quality Model, a conceptual framework is developed that relates cue evaluation, expected quality, experienced quality, purchase motive fulfilment and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling is used to test the framework with data from a sample of 201 respondents, involving three steps. First, principal component analyses were applied to explore underlying factor structures within each construct. Based on the exploratory factor analyses, measurement models were estimated, with the measured variables as indicators of latent constructs for all the four products. Finally, structural models were estimated for the relationships among the latent constructs.

Findings

Results show that cue evaluations, expected/experienced quality and purchase motive fulfilment are all predictors of purchase intention, but that their weight and causal structure differ between purchase intentions before and after trial.

Practical implications

Implications for the introduction of new beef products are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper is an attempt to quantitatively estimate the relationships between quality cues, expected and experienced quality, and purchase motives as determinants of purchase intention for new products using structural equation modeling.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 116 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2020

Tim Jones, Susan E. Myrden and Peter Dacin

The purpose of this study is to examine the consumer-side effects of “under new management” (UNM) signs. The authors integrate cue-utilization theory and relevance theory to guide…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the consumer-side effects of “under new management” (UNM) signs. The authors integrate cue-utilization theory and relevance theory to guide hypotheses about the conditions under which these signs are and are not beneficial.

Design/methodology/approach

Two consumer-based experiments were used to examine the quality and reputation effects of restaurants signaling a management change on potential and existing customers.

Findings

The results suggest that positive and negative effects are possible. The direction of these effects is contingent upon consumers’ prior experience, type of service (i.e. search/experience) and the relevance of the signal.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to one industry (i.e. restaurants) and examines the effects of market signals on perceived quality and reputation. In addition, this research brought forth the notion of “signal relevance” and suggested that it may be explicitly tied to attributions. However, this assertion must examine multiple signals (relevant/irrelevant) and their contingent effects on consumer perceptions.

Practical implications

The findings advise businesses to use caution when using signals such as an “UNM” sign, as they appear to have different effects depending on the experience of the consumer with the service and the relevance of the signal.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on cue utilization theory to understand the effects of marketplace cues on consumer perceptions. It contributes to marketing theory and practice by proposing a model of cue effects based on prior customer experience, type of service and cue relevance.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2011

Shamindra Nath Sanyal and Saroj Kumar Datta

The purpose of this paper is to find out the relationship between the qualities of generic drugs perceived by the physicians and brand equity of the branded generics and to…

7687

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to find out the relationship between the qualities of generic drugs perceived by the physicians and brand equity of the branded generics and to examine the physicians' perceptions of prescribing generic drugs for selective medical conditions in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was carried out across six major cities in Eastern India with 392 physicians. Here components of perceived quality, i.e. intrinsic cues and extrinsic cues are hypothesized to influence perceived quality of branded generics which in turn influence brand equity. It is also hypothesized that respondents' quality experience is assimilated towards their quality expectations, independent of small variations in objective quality of the drug.

Findings

Results showed that perceived quality of branded generics significantly, but indirectly, affected brand equity through the mediating variables, intrinsic cues and extrinsic cues. The results also showed that physicians' quality experience leads to quality expectations, independent of small variations in drug quality on five common yet serious diseases in India.

Practical implications

Current research finds that for prescription‐based branded generic drugs, perceived quality mainly depends on intrinsic cues; therefore, managers should be interested in intrinsic cues that increase brand equity and necessary marketing actions should be implemented accordingly.

Originality/value

No other scholarly article has been developed, so far, analyzing the effect of perceived quality on brand equity in the Indian branded generic drug segment. Besides providing evidence from the Indian pharmaceutical context about the impact of quality cues, the paper also presents evidence on physicians' quality observation of branded generics on five common yet serious diseases in India.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 23 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2005

Tser‐yieth Chen, Pao‐Long Chang and Hong‐Sheng Chang

The purpose of this work is to elucidate how price, brand cues and customer value are related, and to explore the influence of price and brand cues through service quality and…

5998

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to elucidate how price, brand cues and customer value are related, and to explore the influence of price and brand cues through service quality and perceived risk on customer value, focusing specifically on Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

Samples were collected using a questionnaire which assessed the quality of our measurement efforts by investigating reliability and validity. We then compared our hypothesized model with a rival model based on the overall fit, parsimony, and percentage of model parameters that were statistically significant.

Findings

Service quality is found to be positively affected by brand cues, whereas perceived risks are negatively influenced by price cues. Exactly how customer value is affected by the service quality and perceived risk is considered. Brand cues notably indirectly affect customer value through service quality, whereas price cues notably indirectly affect customer value through perceived risk.

Research limitations/implications

For future research, how other external cues may influence perception of quality and risk with extrinsic information should be discussed.

Practical implications

In practice, bank managers can hone the relevant cues and optimize investments to raise service quality or lower consumers' perceived risk.

Originality/value

This study provides a new perspective of the “structural” relationships among price and brand cues, service quality and perceived risk.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 July 2020

Sophia Soyoung Jeong, M. Audrey Korsgaard and Daniel Morrell

The authors test the proposition that there are dark sides to conscientiousness that are revealed when examining lower-level facets. The authors propose that potentially…

Abstract

Purpose

The authors test the proposition that there are dark sides to conscientiousness that are revealed when examining lower-level facets. The authors propose that potentially dysfunctional behavior is triggered by context cues that are relevant to duty versus achievement striving.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted two laboratory experiments designed to test how context cues that are specific to duty and achievement striving influence the relationship between these facets and quality versus quantity dimensions of task performance.

Findings

In Study 1, the authors found that normative quality cues led to a stronger relationship between duty and discretionary quality performance. In Study 2, achievement striving was associated with lower levels of quality performance in the presence of competitive feedback cues.

Research limitations/implications

The findings illustrate that the dark side of duty and achievement striving emerges in two ways. First, when there is normative pressure for quality, dutiful individuals are apt to sacrifice efficiency. Second, when there is competitive feedback, achievement striving individuals focus on performance standards at the detriment of quality.

Practical implications

The findings point to the importance of precision and specificity when using personality measures for staffing. Equally important is the informational content of cues conveyed by the social, task and organizational context, in leveraging the impact of personality in the workplace.

Originality/value

This paper clarifies the dark side and bright side contradiction of conscientiousness, adding to the growing literature on unique and often competing consequences of duty and achievement striving. The authors also draw attention to the importance of the content of contextual cues, in trait activation of personality.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 50 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2000

Tilman Becker

A model for analysis of consumer behaviour towards food is developed. This model is intended to bridge the gap between the objective quality approach pursued in food sciences, the…

7253

Abstract

A model for analysis of consumer behaviour towards food is developed. This model is intended to bridge the gap between the objective quality approach pursued in food sciences, the product characteristics approach, and the subjectively perceived quality approach, the product attribute approach as pursued in the consumer behaviour literature. The focus is on the information processing by the consumer. Information on the product quality is supplied to the consumer in the form of cues received while shopping or consuming. A distinction is made between extrinsic and intrinsic cues, and between search‐, experience‐, and credence‐quality attributes. Within the credence attributes, three categories are distinguished: food safety, health, and all other credence quality attributes. It is demonstrated that public policy should use minimum standards for regulating food safety, information and consumer education on health issues and definitional standards to regulate the other credence qualities. In the case of search quality, no public intervention is needed. In the case of experience quality, reputation is a means of reducing the quality erosion inherent for experience quality attributes. In the case of those foods which are not sold prepacked over the counter, these means are restricted. Here the public regulators could consider backing up the private quality policy efforts on labelling by implementing traceability schemes and defining the requirements for specific label claims.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 102 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 March 2020

Karen C. Kao, Sally Rao Hill and Indrit Troshani

The study investigates how the congruence of online deal popularity and star rating influences service quality expectation in online group buying (OGB) websites. It also…

Abstract

Purpose

The study investigates how the congruence of online deal popularity and star rating influences service quality expectation in online group buying (OGB) websites. It also investigates the role of authenticity perceptions of online cues.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments are used to assess the effects of congruence between deal popularity and star rating on service quality expectation for service deals in an OGB website.

Findings

The findings suggest that a combination of congruently high deal popularity and high star rating has a stronger effect on expected service quality than a combination of congruently low cues. The findings further suggest that expected service quality is greater under the combination of high deal popularity and low star rating than the combination of low deal popularity and high star rating, showing the differences between incongruent cue combinations. The findings also show the moderating effect of consumer authenticity perceptions of cues on the expected service quality.

Originality/value

The novel contribution of the study is to extend cue congruence theory to explain how congruent online information cues and the consumers' authenticity perceptions of the cues influence consumers' judgment of online deals. The contribution is validated empirically in the context of OGB. The findings advance current knowledge concerning how consumers use online information cues.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 May 2008

Hooman Estelami

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of use of the price‐quality cue in financial services, and to uncover some of its drivers. The drives studied are: advertising…

2495

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of use of the price‐quality cue in financial services, and to uncover some of its drivers. The drives studied are: advertising exposure, product complexity, and consumer price knowledge. The use of price as an indicator of quality has been a well‐documented phenomenon in consumer goods markets. However, the existence of this relationship has not been tested in services, and in particular in financial services markets.

Design/methodology/approach

A consumer survey of over 200 individuals contacted through intercept interviews was conducted. The use of the price‐quality cue and its drivers were measured using multi‐item scales, for six financial services categories: checking accounts, financial advisory services, automobile insurance, home insurance, life insurance, and tax accounting.

Findings

Significant variations in the use of price as an indicator of quality across financial services categories are identified. Furthermore, it is found that both consumer price knowledge and advertising exposure increase the use of the price‐quality cue, while product complexity was found to have no significant impact on price‐quality cue utilization for financial services.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could expand the array of variables which drive consumers' use of the price‐quality cue. In addition, a wider range of financial services categories could be studied.

Practical implications

Knowing the extent by which consumers depend on the price‐quality cue in their decisions is critical to optimal positioning of a financial brand. This paper provides specific managerial recommendations on how to approach the pricing and marketing of each of the six financial services categories studied. In addition public policymakers may find the findings of interest due to quality perception biases that may result from financial services providers' pricing tactics

Originality/value

While previous research studies in price‐quality cue utilization have primarily focused on manufactured goods, this paper is the only study that has examined the dynamics of price‐quality cue utilization by consumers in financial services. This is an important inquiry due to the large volume of consumer expenditures in financial services categories, and the significant impact that these categories have on the financial stability and well‐being of the public.

Details

Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 July 2021

Phil Longstreet, Stoney Brooks, Mauricio Featherman and Eleanor Loiacono

The purpose of this paper is to determine which design and operational attributes of e-commerce websites consumers use to assess website quality. Cue utilization theory is used to…

2270

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine which design and operational attributes of e-commerce websites consumers use to assess website quality. Cue utilization theory is used to examine the explanatory power, robustness and relevance of the WebQual model. Results indicate which WebQual dimensions are the most relevant and salient to website users. These dimensions are categorized by their perceived and confidence values. A second study is conducted about how website users evaluate and utilize the WebQual dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey methodology was utilized to provide insight into the nomological validity of the WebQual model by examining it through a cue utilization lens.

Findings

The first study categorizes the WebQual dimensions on their ability to provide a diagnostic measure of website quality, and consumer confidence in their ability to use these cues when judging the website's overall quality. The second study presents results of each dimension in relation to the quality evaluation of an actual e-commerce website. Additional analysis also revealed gender differences in cue utilization.

Originality/value

This study provided insight into WebQual-based research and identified original differences in cue utilization across genders. Results suggest that it may be beneficial for brand managers to focus on a subset of quality dimensions, rather than assume that consumers are comfortable using all website attributes to formulate quality judgments. These, results contribute to multiple literatures by providing a model that developers can utilize to focus on the deterministic characteristics of overall website quality. Further, the cue utilization perspective provides additional avenues for fruitful further research into consumer decision-making in the e-commerce context.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2000

James R. Northen

This paper develops a conceptual framework, based on quality attributes and quality cues, to demonstrate the necessary requirements for effective communication of quality cues to…

4341

Abstract

This paper develops a conceptual framework, based on quality attributes and quality cues, to demonstrate the necessary requirements for effective communication of quality cues to customers in the supply chain and consumers at place of purchase. The “perceived quality” approach to product quality is adopted and the links between intrinsic/extrinsic cues and experience/credence attributes of a product are developed. The framework is applied to the UK meat sector by considering which attributes/cues are altered by farm assurance schemes and, hence, which type of cue is needed to signal these attributes, and what elements are necessary for effective signalling of this type of cue. It is shown that the necessary requirements for effective communication of each type of cue (intrinsic and extrinsic) vary considerably. Farm assurance schemes are shown to affect credence attributes; hence extrinsic cues must be used to signal these standards. It is concluded that the credibility of scheme standards and inspections to those standards is of crucial importance for the assurance scheme extrinsic cue (certificate/label) to be effective in predicting these credence attributes.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 102 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

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