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The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of source credibility, message credibility and tie strength, on acceptance and subsequent forwarding of electronic word of mouth (EWOM). Forwarding EWOM (FEWOM) also depends on personality traits, which this work investigates in form of moderation effect of individual regulatory focus.

Hypotheses are developed using social exchange theory and the elaboration likelihood model and tested using structural equation modelling. Data were collected online, using a random sample of 324 respondents in India.

Findings indicate that source credibility and tie strength are instrumental in influencing acceptance of EWOM. A strong mediation role of acceptance of EWOM, confirms that people tend to forward information online only if they accept it.

This study represents a unique effort to focus on the combined effects of message credibility, source credibility and tie strength on acceptance and subsequent forwarding of EWOM.

This study provides original insights about antecedents of FEWOM as well as the role of individual regulatory focus as a moderator in the process.

The learning outcomes are as follows: introduce the concept of the decision-making process, decision-making unit and hierarchy of effects and marketing strategy; identify the critical aspect of segmentation, targeting and positioning; and highlight the critical element of pricing and communication media.

In early January 2017, Mr Ashish and Mr Rahul, co-founders of Biziga, a company engaged in training through simulation for management education, was at crossroads. Keeping in view the challenges of the emerging Indian market, Biziga envisioned creating participant-centric business learning simulations. The initial responses and feedback received from several top B-schools were promising. However, the euphoria did not last long. Biziga retained only a few of its initial clients from the Tier-1 B-schools who had adopted the product. But the response received from other categories of B-schools was not very encouraging. Acquiring new clients from these institutes was the major challenge. The founders of Biziga had differences in their thought about the strategic path they should pursue to achieve future growth. There were several options to achieve the goal of a target revenue of INR 1bn in the next five years and be known as a virtual gamification company with a complete bundle of business simulation products. They had to finalize for the financial year 2017-18 the most feasible and promising option/s that would have a long-term impact on the company’s future growth and success in the upcoming meeting scheduled in the last week of February 2017.

Postgraduate students and executive students.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

Marketing/Consumer behaviour.

The case can be used for the postgraduate students and executives in a first-year Marketing Management class for an introductory session on understanding consumer decision in a business-to-consumer context. The case can be also used in a second-year elective course on Consumer Behaviour for the topic on consumer decision-making journey and managing customer experience through service excellence. This case would be most befitting to be used for the first introductory session of 75 minutes to give an overview on consumer behaviour.

The dismal failure of Natasha’s desktop while preparing an important presentation due for submission compels Natasha (the protagonist) to make up her mind to buy a laptop. After consulting her friends and relatives, followed with intense search from different retail stores, Natasha finally decides to buy a Sony laptop from a multi-brand retail outlet with a price discount and freebies. Finally, when Natasha settled down to work on her new laptop on her pending presentation, she confronts some problem. Unable to identify the problem, she contacted the store sales representative to resolve the problem. However, the representative’s ineffectiveness in addressing the problem and promptly delivering the service leaves Natasha in a state of uncertainty and confusion. She seemed to be in a fix and undecided, wondering whether she should immediately rush to the repair centre with her desktop to fix the problem for the time being or she should leave the laptop and wait till the problem gets resolved.

The case aims to provide interesting inputs on various phases of consumer decision-making journey and appropriate marketing strategy for each phase. The objective is to make students appreciate how poor after-sales service results in post-purchase dissonance and conflict in the consumer's mind. The case provides an opportunity for students to come up with possible solutions to resolve the post-purchase dissonance and conflict and share their views or ideas of how a seller can create a lasting impression in the mind of the buyer.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 8: Marketing

This paper aims to provide an opportunity to study organization buying behavior, specifically buying and selling in the B2B context. The case demonstrates the need to understand the expectations of the buyer’s decision-making unit and the challenges involved in acquiring and retaining customers based on the articulated value proposition of the product. The case also provides an opportunity to explore the critical issues related to an organization’s buying process, while emphasizing on the importance of customer relationship management and the challenges involved in sales conversion.

The case is a filed-based study that aims to provide insight on differences between buying and selling in B2B & B2C and an understanding on customer value proposition in B2B buying context.

The case provides a comprehensive overview on the key role of decision-making units and decision-making process in B2B context.

This is an India-specific field-based case study on B2B selling situation. The case provides a framework on salesperson B2B selling approach, techniques and skills in view of the changing business selling environment in the age of technologically advanced digital world.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of patient participation on patient satisfaction and the subsequent effect on patient behavior outcomes

The research employs self-administered survey method to test hypotheses. The convenience sampling approach is used to collected data from 410 patients in metropolitan cities of India. The data are analyzed using SmartPLS to test the proposed model.

The results shows patient participation is positively related to behaviour outcomes and patient confidence and satisfaction mediate the effect of patient participation on adherence.

The study was limited to a small sample which may somewhat limit generalization of the findings. However, the findings, based on primary data, are insightful. Second, the current study was cross-sectional in nature, whereas a longitudinal study could had measured changes in perceptions over an extended time period.

The results provide interesting insights about the significance of patient participation in positive behavior outcome. These insights will enable health care professionals and government to formulate a suitable policy through which to encourage patient participation in health treatment regimes.

The paper demonstrates the influence of patient participation on behavior. There has been little research on this aspect in the Indian context to date, so this study offers an important guideline to the health care industry in relation to introducing customer empowerment into health care regimes.

Superior functionality of smartphones makes them a potential retailing channel, despite their slow adoption. The purpose of this paper is to identify convenience factors that influence consumption experience and intention to continue shopping on a mobile phone.

This study was carried out on students using a survey method. This study was conducted in the National Capital Region of India due to its large and diverse population. A purposive sampling technique was used to contact 380 respondents.

The data were analysed using a structural equation model. The results indicate search and possession convenience to be positively related to consumption experience while search, evaluation and post-purchase convenience are positively related to continuance usage intention. The findings of this study provide evidence that mobile phone is an effective channel for shopping due to search, evaluation, possession and post-purchase convenience.

This study used student population between the age group of 20 and 30 years, thereby limiting the generality of the results.

This study provides insights to retailers and brand managers for crafting their mobile marketing strategies.

This study explores and uncovers, for the first time, convenience dimensions of a mobile shopping channel across various stages of consumers’ purchase cycle.