Search results

Although researchers have investigated thoroughly the consumer’s brand switching behaviour, the probability of confusion regarding “brand switching” is a less travelled road so far. Therefore, the purpose of current study is to investigate and highlight the underlying convincing parameters in relation to not switching from American brands within the context of millennial Muslim consumers in Pakistan and Malaysia.

Data were collected from 704 consumers living in two divergent cultures, who were asked about American brands. Two categories of “reasons to stay” were examined: switching barriers and affirmatory factors.

The main discovery was that staying reasons for specific brands could be different in two different cultures, but they influence the ultimate brand switching behaviour.

This study is important for those firms who have many prospective switchers because it is important to understand why these customers stay and discover to what extent such firms can discourage such consumers from leaving, in both positive and negative ways.

This is the first paper of its kind that examines the brand switching behaviour of millennial Muslim consumers.

Much research looks at why customers switch service organizations but there has been less focus on why customers do not switch service organizations, even though they have seriously considered doing so. In light of this, we present an analysis of the literature and develop a list of potential switching barriers. These switching barriers are then empirically tested within two financial services industries. Results from over 400 consumers enable us to ascertain not only the importance of each switching barrier but also to develop a more parsimonious understanding of these barriers, through factor analysis. The results reveal similar patterns in the two industries in respect to switching barriers. The first of the four factors contains reasons related to apathy, the second factor contains negative reasons for customers staying with their current service provider, the third factor relates to relationship variables and the final factor relates to service recovery. Results clearly indicate that the first two factors are far more important than the latter two in terms of why customers stay even when they seriously considered leaving.

To investigate the determinants of behavioural brand loyalty amongst dissatisfied customers in the business‐to‐business (B2B) services sector.

A qualitative study was conducted, with 28 personal interviews undertaken with managers who are involved in the choice of service providers. The respondents belonged to 24 organisations located in Australia. Template analysis and eyeballing were techniques used to analyse the data collected.

Assessment of the reasons why dissatisfied customers stayed with the service providers resulted in six categories. The categories were found to be, in order of decreasing frequency, impact of alternative providers, switching costs (18), others (17), inertia (14), investment in relationships (13), and service recovery (13). The results not only confirmed factors found in the literature, but also uncovered 11 other factors.

The sample size, whilst appropriate for qualitative research, should be considered adequate only for exploratory analysis and a further quantitative study is needed to validate the study.

This study is important for those firms who have many prospective switchers because it is important to understand why these customers stay, and to what extent such firms can discourage such customers from leaving in both positive and negative ways. For those service firms that are attempting to attract these prospective switchers, an understanding of why they do not switch is important, as it will enable them to develop strategies to overcome these switching barriers and gain market share.

This research is the first study to investigate in a single model a range of barriers to switching in a B2B services context. The results that confirmed categories found in the literature also discovered 11 other factors not evident in the extant literature.

Experiential tourism has surged before the COVID-19 pandemic, and all signs are pointing out to a rapid increase postpandemic. However, it is no longer a question of whether to provide an experience or not, but rather which experience to provide. Travellers are demanding, and the forced pause in travel is fueling the concept of revenge travel but with consumers seeking unique experiences with nature as the center stage. The concept of glass igloo hotel (GIH) taps into the unique experience within a natural setting, offering guests the opportunity to reconnect with panoramic views of the natural surroundings. This research investigates consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for such experience at a GIH. Results collected from 127 participants present hypothetical WTP which appears to be lower than actual rates published at some existing GIHs. Specific attributes sought after by guests in regards to the GIH experience were also investigated. The closeness to nature, view from the igloo, and proximity of the bathroom are particularly important. And while the igloo hotel experience offers the possibility to disconnect form the modern world, the availability of Wi-Fi was deemed important nevertheless. The research was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic which may yet further influence the WTP for such an experience.

This paper presents a large sample study of fire service volunteer motivations in Finland. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the differences between initial motivations to begin volunteering vs motivations to continue volunteering; and second, to examine the differences in motivations as a function of demographic variables and geographic region of the fire brigade (rural vs urban).

An online survey was completed by 747 fire service volunteers throughout Finland.

The initial motivations for joining the brigade differed from those that motivated volunteers to continue in their roles. Significant differences between male and female volunteers’ initial motivations, as well as differences in motivations to continue volunteering as a function of age and region, were found.

The findings support integrating a psychological, functional perspective with contextual and situational factors when considering volunteer motivations.

This study suggests a comprehensive understanding of fire service volunteer motivations and informs improved recruitment and retention practices.

Purpose: This chapter highlights the experiences of domestic violence survivors and service providers, namely firefighters and police, during the pandemic in Guatemala. It includes an overview of violence types seen and experienced during the pandemic, contributing factors to domestic violence, an overview of why individuals may or may not leave their abusers, and why they may or may not report abuses to the authorities. Policy recommendations for supporting victims in the future are provided.

Methodology/Approach: A field-based approach along with snowball sampling techniques was utilized to contact and interview survivors, police, and firefighters. Using grounded theory, interview responses were then organized by research questions and coded into emergent themes.

Findings: Emotional, psychological, and physical violence were all experienced during the pandemic. While typical, these experiences often started before the pandemic. However, they grew in intensity, as individuals experienced various forms of stress and negative emotions while being locked down in the same household together. Domestic violence was also vicarious, impacting the whole family. Most left their abusers once the lockdown was lifted; however, many stayed due to financial insecurities. Others stayed due to a fear of not being able to see their children anymore. Similar justifications were given for why individuals did not report abuse to the authorities. While a few simply mistrusted the police and believed the law was not on their side, this was not the primary reason for not reporting domestic violence. However, they did believe that current laws and policies needed to provide better services, as the law was thought to support their abuser more than them.

Originality/Value: This study contributes to our knowledge of domestic violence during pandemics by expanding on previous research in Guatemala. It also highlights how various limitations and resources which are not addressed in non-pandemic times may result in exacerbating violence during future pandemics.

The purpose of this qualitative comparative study was to explore the brand-switching behavior of Muslim consumers in selected cities from Pakistan and Malaysia.

Data were collected through interviews which were conducted with 30 participants including universities (5), shopping malls (5) and restaurant locations (5) of each country. The constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results revealed that a demonstration of awareness of American brands, their image and perceived quality causes Muslim consumers to switch away from American brands to non-American brands. In addition, this study also showed that the certain reasons compel consumers to stay with American brands.

The findings are helpful for American brands in reconsidering their strategies while segmenting the Muslim consumers as target market.

This is the first paper of its kind to explore Muslim consumer brand-switching behavior by using a qualitative method.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key issues of concern for asylum seekers in the UK by focusing on their in depth talk about their experiences, a so far neglected element in the current debate about asylum seeking.

The study involved thematic analysis of asylum seekers’ accounts of their lives in their country of origin, their journeys to the UK and experiences following arrival. Nine participants took part in semi-structured interviews.

Analysis resulted in seven themes; the importance of safety, negative experiences of the Home Office, support, emotional effects, significance of family, hopes for the future and the positive experiences of living in the UK.

Asylum seekers largely left their countries of origin to escape conflict, persecution, violence, arranged marriages and rape. They reported safety as a key concern and for this reason they were scared to return home.

The research found Asylum seekers have fled traumatic situations and then have a difficult time in the UK. A more compassionate and supportive approach is needed. Policy recommendations are made with the aim of improving service responses.

The research demonstrates that the public understanding of asylum seeking does not match asylum seekers’ experiences and increased knowledge may help to improve this (mis) understanding.

There is currently a lack of literature and empirical investigation of this subject area, so this research makes a contribution to the field of understanding asylum seekers’ experiences. The paper's focus is original and important combining asylum seekers’ accounts of their experiences following arrival in the UK. This subject is strategically important due to the pressing need to develop holistic and culturally sensitive research, which bridges and informs academia, more sensitive service responses and civil society.

The purpose of this paper is to provide managers and researchers a comprehensive view of the root causes of customer departure and empirically test the attitudinal and behavioural consequences of failed service quality in a retail banking context.

A quantitative study was conducted among retail banking customers who had defected from a large retail bank provider. Data from 989 usable responses to a questionnaire filled through a telephone survey were applied to model estimation through structural equation modelling.

Findings demonstrate the effect of failed service quality on customers’ negative attitudes towards the retail bank provider (dissatisfaction and lack of commitment), the direct negative impact of failed service quality on loyalty (the opposite of defection), as well as its indirect negative impact on loyalty through negative attitudes. The moderating role of customers’ switching costs and subjective knowledge of the bank’s products is revealed and the relative impact of each failed service quality factor on negative attitudes and behavioural intentions is assessed.

Key areas causing customer dissatisfaction and eventually defection are shown to bank managers, providing direction for implementing strategies and mechanisms in order to effectively reduce the defection rate.

The theoretical model, which was in large confirmed through the empirical data, offers for the first time empirical evidence regarding the extent to which the general categories of reasons to defect in a service context identified in the literature are indeed causing customer exit.

To address critical research gaps in the extant literature, the present study develops a model that links language constraints in hotel attributes—core and facilitating––with consumers' offendedness (CO) and examines the consequent behavioral intentions of an offended consumer. For this purpose, it investigates (1) the role of language constraints in core and facilitating attributes in shaping CO, (2) how CO relates to adverse behavioral outcomes and (3) the moderating role of attribution of service failure (ASF) between language constraints and CO.

The present research used convenience sampling and collected data from 398 inbound tourists in Beijing through a survey questionnaire. The study performs measurement and structural evaluation by employing Amos Graphics 24.0 and moderation analysis through IBM SPSS 25.0.

The study examines language constraints in China's hospitality context, which restricts its generalizability. However, it serves as a better approach to examine the tourists who visit other Western hotels in China and unveils the factors contributing to CO.

The study examines language constraints in Chinese hotels, which restrict its generalizability. It serves as a better approach to examine the tourists who visit other Western hotels in China and unveils the factors contributing to CO.

Few studies validate communication barriers in service encounters in hotel services and apprehend related outcomes. The present study takes a unique initiative in the context of China and examines the role of language constraints in core and facilitating hotel attributes in service encounters at Chinese hotels. This study informs the Chinese hotel industry and international destination firms to understand the language constraints in service encounters to further their strategies to overcome threats and tap potential opportunities.