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Stimulated by trends in group purchasing and online social communities, consumers are changing their shopping behavior and increasingly turning to websites for their shopping needs. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how website quality influences shopping websites to create value for the customer and promote loyalty among customers, as well as moderating effects of online shopping experience.

This study collected data from 275 respondents for testing against the proposed research model by means of the partial least squares (PLS) path modeling. ADANCO software was used to assess the reliability and validity of the measurement model, conduct an analysis of the goodness of model fit for the overall model, and test the hypotheses through structural modeling.

Empirical results demonstrate that system quality and electronic service quality (e-service quality) have a significant positive effect on the perceived value of consumer/seller relationship; the perceived value of the consumer/seller relationship has a significant positive effect on online loyalty; online shopping experience does not exert a moderating effect on the relationship between website quality and the perceived value of consumer/seller relationship.

This study applied the PLS path modeling approach using ADANCO variance-based structural equation modeling software to verify that website quality plays an important role in distinguishing a brand from other brands in e-tailing, making it an essential factor of a shopping website’s business success. This study further verified that the amount of previous online shopping experience a consumer has does not interfere with the positive influence that website quality exerts on the perceived value of the consumer/seller relationship. The above indicates that it is imperative for website managers to adopt online shopping experience of consumers as a market segmentation variable so as to enhance website quality, increase the perceived value of consumer-seller relationships, and win consumer loyalty.

The practical application of enterprise mobilization is the use of a wireless network system and equipment to allow employees to update information on demand. This study employs a case study method, using in‐depth interviews of 29 corporate managers and experts to understand the current state of mobilization in the life insurance industry. The study suggests a conceptual framework for mobilization in the life insurance industry, and formulates possible research propositions incorporating a number of variables. The study also suggests a total of ten key success factors for the implementation of mobilization in the life insurance industry.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how customer participation (CP) influences the two contrasting relationship maintenance mechanisms: dedication and constraint, and identifies its antecedents in the context of business-to-business information technology (IT) services.

An empirical study was conducted through a survey of 126 firms receiving IT services in Taiwan. The partial least squares method was used to test the conceptual model of the study.

The results indicated that CP positively relates to IT service quality, thereby influencing satisfaction (i.e. dedication). In addition, CP was also found to be positively associated with switching costs (i.e. constraint). Both satisfaction and switching costs have significant influences on loyalty. Furthermore, IT capabilities, organizational compatibility, and role clarity are positively related to CP.

Longitudinal studies are needed to explore how CP affects the dual mechanisms in different phases of customer-firm relationships.

The study contributes to a thorough understanding of the influences of CP on relationship maintenance.

The recent rise of economic nationalism intensifies consumers' patriotic attitudes toward goods or services and thus encourages enterprises to build patriotic brand images. Nevertheless, few studies have discussed how a patriotic brand image is developed. The purpose of this study aims to fill the gap by examining whether and how a positive corporate image helps a domestic brand establish a patriotic brand image and in turn enhances consumers' purchase intentions in relation to domestic brand products.

A research model identifying the antecedents of patriotic brand image (the components of corporate image) is proposed and empirically tested using structural equations with a questionnaire investigating Taiwanese college students' attitudes toward Taiwanese smartphone brands. Three competing models are also proposed and tested to confirm the appropriateness of the research model.

In addition to the widely recognized impact of perceived quality on purchase intentions, patriotic brand image is found to be effective in enhancing local consumers' intentions to purchase domestic brand products. To shape a patriotic brand image, perceived quality, perceived corporate ability and perceived corporate integrity are the direct approaches, while perceived corporate social responsibility works through perceived corporate integrity, and perceived employer brand enhances only perceived corporate social responsibility.

Potential sampling (college students) and subject (smartphones) biases may limit the generalizability of the presented findings

While patriotic appeals have long been used in marketing communication, they are also likely to precipitate negative brand associations (e.g. nationalism), offending consumers in other countries. By contrast, the development of a positive corporate image serves as an implicit and neutral approach to building a patriotic brand image and can help domestic brands attract local consumers with less harm to foreign markets.

This study is one of notably few studies discussing patriotic brand image and its impacts on purchase intentions. This study also identifies the antecedents of patriotic brand image and how each of them affects patriotic brand image. The findings can help guide domestic brands in building a patriotic brand image.

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is a considerably influential factor for consumers to search for product information. Nowadays, consumers can easily post visual information (e.g. pictures or videos) to convey product information and consumption‐related experiences. Yet, prior eWOM studies focused primarily on the verbal information of eWOM. Few studies have paid sufficient attention to the effects of visual information in eWOM communication. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to employ blogs to investigate the effects of visual information on consumers' perception of eWOM message quality, credibility, product interest, and purchase intention.

The authors conducted two empirical studies in the field of different product categories. Data were collected from subjects ranged in age from 16 to 50 (n=155 for study 1, n=309 for study 2), and analyzed using independent‐samples t test and univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results show that subjects rated eWOM articles in blogs with visual information significantly higher in four areas than identical articles without visual information. Furthermore, there is an interaction effect between product category and visual information on product interest and purchase intention. Compared with experience products, when subjects read the eWOM information of search products with pictures (versus without pictures), they would generate greater product interest and purchase intention. In addition, the effect of visual information is stronger not only for search products (no matter whether utilitarian or hedonic products) but also for experience‐hedonic products than for experience‐utilitarian products.

The findings of this study provide useful knowledge for internet marketers to develop effective eWOM marketing and thus increase consumer trust in eWOM and intention to purchase products. Although visual information is found to be important, different product categories should take advantage of visual information in different degrees.

Strong evidence suggests that word‐of‐mouth (WOM) communication varies in its influence according to product type; however, empirical research remains deficient. The purpose of this paper is to propose a procedural model to examine the influence of product type on both the effect and spread of related WOM information at the same time.

Using a self‐administered questionnaire, a sample of 895 consumers across 16 different products was collected; results were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

WOM was found to be more influential and more widely spread for services than for goods. In addition, although the level of receivers' perceived risk (PR) is generally assumed to be a significant antecedent of WOM influence (WI), the results of the study indicate that PR is not a direct function of WI. Instead, WOM request (WR) mediates the effect of PR on WI.

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between product type and WOM from a dyadic perspective. Moreover, the authors introduced two important mediators – namely, PR and WR – in the model in order to identify different potential effects of WOM in a seeker‐initiated context. The results of this study will enhance knowledge about the influences of WOM information.

The purpose of this research is to explore, through the lens of a resource‐based view and dynamic capability theory, how new ventures in high‐technology industries accumulate resources to survive and sustain competitive advantage.

This study used the multiple case study approach completed for three integrated circuit (IC) design companies in Taiwan by conducting in‐depth interviews with senior executives in each case. Through the aforementioned case studies, the paper was able to summarize and verify the key elements and steps to find the customer and achieve the firm growth.

It was found that three core elements, technology, networking and legitimacy are necessary. In addition, there are emerging and embedding steps adopted by each case in this study for new ventures to successfully penetrate the market and sustain the competitive advantage.

The findings are focused on one country, and three cases of a specific industry in Taiwan. Future research can be conducted in different cultural contexts and different industries.

New ventures in high‐technology industries can follow the elements and steps suggested in this research paper to accumulate their initial resources. The strategy has been proven by the case studies therein and can be considered highly applicable.

The paper concludes that three key resources for sustaining a company's competitive advantages are necessary. Moreover, a well‐orchestrated management is especially essential for new ventures in high‐technology industries to succeed.

Enterprise mobilization refers to the provision by an enterprise of the means for its employees to update information at any time and any place through the use of a wireless network system and related equipment. The implementation of enterprise mobilization can be separated into two main methods, non‐enforceable and enforceable. Non‐enforceable implementation refers to those situations where, although an enterprise encourages its employees to use a mobilized system, it does not enforce such use, whereas the reverse is true in the case of enforceable methods. Aims to examine this situation.

Since this is a relatively new research topic with very little previous research having been undertaken in this area, this paper employs a triangulation. This method enables integration of both quantitative and qualitative data, to investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of non‐enforceable mobilization by enterprises. The data were collected by means of in‐depth interviews with corporate managers and specialists from 29 enterprises and comprise 126 samples of employees currently using mobilization systems.

The study reveals a total of six CSFs for the implementation of non‐enforceable mobilization by enterprises, comprising: cooperation with a good solution “value added reseller”; appropriate planning and the support of senior management; user participation and minimization of any resistance to the installation of the system; open communication channels; enhancement of the understanding of mobilization itself and of employee requirements; and effective mobilization equipment.

This paper will be of interest to organizations looking to implement a wireless network system. The results provided can be used as references for industry and businesses in general, to support their decision‐making processes concerning the introduction of mobilization.

Market segmentation is a topic that has already produced significant results in conventional marketing research but appears to be still novel in the field of Internet marketing. This triangulated study, integrating both qualitative and quantitative techniques, is based on in‐depth interviews with managers and professionals from nine enterprises based in Taiwan. It focuses on 137 employees engaged in Internet market segmentation (IMS) projects such as verification, to explore the critical success factors of enterprises currently implementing IMS. The results reveal a total of six critical success factors: scientific statistical analysis, a good segmentation plan, action on results, SWOT analysis, sufficient project resources, morale and communication.

This study aims to explain why e‐mails trigger emotional response states in receivers and to explore the influence of e‐mail formats on the receivers' intention to forward e‐mails.

Data were collected from 305 undergraduate and EMBA students in one university in Northern Taiwan. Participants were asked to fill out the questionnaire based on any forwarded e‐mail that they had recently received.

This study reveals that people will have a stronger intention to forward e‐mails that make them feel positive emotions, display richer information, are greater in length, or include audio and visual information.

This study shows that e‐mail forwarding function maintains guanxi with others, supporting the social psychology theory that personal emotional states will trigger specific behaviors. Also, this paper extends the explanation of the “information richness” theory concerning the influence of format on receivers' e‐mail forwarding intentions.

This study can assist marketing managers in developing e‐commerce by exploiting the special features of e‐mails identified in the study.

This study provides a behavioral model of the type of e‐mails most likely to be forwarded. Enterprises can use this model in developing better guanxi with their customers.