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1 – 10 of 47Konstantinos Polymeros, Eleni Kaimakoudi, Maria Schinaraki and Christos Batzios
The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards wild and farmed fish, in order to identify possible distinct consumer groups, and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards wild and farmed fish, in order to identify possible distinct consumer groups, and to examine potential linkages between characteristics of the consumers’ demographic and socio-economic status and marketing aspects in wild and farmed fish.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from an in-person field survey, a TwoStep cluster analysis was employed in order to detect perceived differences among consumers with different profiles.
Findings
The analysis identified two distinct consumer groups differentiated primarily by income: the low-potential aquaculture consumers and the high-potential aquaculture consumers, representing 67 and 33 per cent of the total sample, respectively. The study provides evidence that there is a lesser preference towards farmed fish. Therefore, more efficient marketing strategies are probably needed in order to promote awareness in aquaculture consumption, and potentially contribute in guiltlessness of the whole sector.
Originality/value
There is a lack of detailed empirical research regarding consumer perceptions and particularly potential differentiation for wild and farmed fish. This paper advocates the use of consumer profiles as a basis for the development of consumer-focused strategies in order to improve consumer performance in the sector.
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Aaron Tkaczynski and Sharyn Rundle-Thiele
This chapter aims to compare two data collection methods to ascertain whether the method impacts the segments derived for events. A total of 1,180 onsite surveys were collected…
Abstract
This chapter aims to compare two data collection methods to ascertain whether the method impacts the segments derived for events. A total of 1,180 onsite surveys were collected during a music festival and 522 online surveys were completed by attendees a fortnight after the event ended. Both sets of data were analyzed separately using TwoStep cluster analysis. Four valid segments were identified in both models. In each case 4 segmentation bases and 12 variables represented the final solutions with minimal but observable differences. Of note, a difference in the size of the clusters was identified. Furthermore, in a few instances a category that was ranked first for the onsite approach fell to second, or vice versa. Both online and onsite data collection methods are capable of providing data for segmentation purposes with a high degree of accuracy observed between data collection methods. Researchers must be aware that the choice of data collection will have a minor influence on the segments derived. Ideally researchers should seek to collect data using multiple data collection methods to gain a more holistic view of festival attendees.
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Erika Hlédik and Dávid Harsányi
Hungarian wine culture has been developing steadily over the past decades. The number of wineries offering quality wine is growing as consumer interest in quality consumption…
Abstract
Purpose
Hungarian wine culture has been developing steadily over the past decades. The number of wineries offering quality wine is growing as consumer interest in quality consumption increases. The purpose of this paper is to study the segmentation of the Hungarian wine consumers based on their purchase habits and preferences to identify how this shift towards quality consumption is represented in these segments.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted in Hungary. Nearly 28,000 consumers filled in the questionnaire. The TwoStep Cluster analysis could handle the large database and variables measured on different measurement scales.
Findings
The growing interest towards quality wine in the market is reflected in the study’s segmentation results. The large sample size made it possible to identify a special Hungarian wine consumer group, which has different buying habits than traditional wine consumer segments. Four segments were evolved: ordinary wine consumers, unsophisticated wine consumers, wealthy wine-experts and open-minded consumers. The last two segments seem to be the most valuable groups for high-quality wine producers.
Originality/value
The sample size allowed a relatively novel segmentation, whereby the preferences and purchasing habits of smaller, high-quality wine consumer groups became measurable.
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R. Dale Wilson and Anna M. Stephens
This study aims to demonstrate how marketing analytics can be used to identify the challenges a B2B company faced in the conversion from a hard-copy print catalog to a digital…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to demonstrate how marketing analytics can be used to identify the challenges a B2B company faced in the conversion from a hard-copy print catalog to a digital ordering system. Specifically, an empirical research approach identified the potential issues the company was likely to face in the digitalization of the company’s catalog.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the Qualtrics survey platform, a questionnaire was used to obtain a final sample of 332 customers (a 14.02% response rate) on a variety of issues related to the transition from the company’s current printed catalog to a digital catalog ordering system. A variety of data analysis procedures were used to gain insight and highlight potential issues in the move to a digital format.
Findings
A variety of potential stumbling blocks were identified that suggest the company should move forward with caution. The data analysis was used to suggest areas that needed to be emphasized in the rollout of the new digital ordering system.
Research limitations/implications
Like all marketing research, this application is limited by the methods used and the data generated by this study. Its implications suggest the potential use of marketing research before an important change in a B2B company’s marketing approach.
Practical implications
This paper provides an approach that can be used by firms considering a change to digitize key components of their marketing assets.
Originality/value
The research contributes to the B2B marketing literature by demonstrating how data-driven marketing analytics can be used to identify potential issues prior to the development of a new digital marketing approach used by B2B firms.
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Ilaria Buonomo, Marco Piccinini, Paula Benevene, Gabriele Blasutig and Sara Cervai
This research aims to understand whether and how the perceptions that employees build and share over time about training activities and opportunities at work are linked to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to understand whether and how the perceptions that employees build and share over time about training activities and opportunities at work are linked to the knowledge management processes within the organization. This study aims at measuring how different levels of job training satisfaction are linked to employee perceptions of knowledge-sharing (KS) practices at work.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 179 employees from an information and technology firm in Italy took part in the study, by completing questionnaires on job training satisfaction, KS practices and job-related variables (i.e. years of experience, hours of training in the previous year, job role and organizational area of belonging).
Findings
Findings showed that high job training satisfaction is related to positive perceptions of KS practices, so that when employees are satisfied with their job training experiences, they are more likely to value and recognize those practices.
Research limitations/implications
The relation between job training satisfaction and KS practices needs to be extended to different sectors and organizations to be generalized.
Social implications
Training activities within the organization are at the core of knowledge management practices and constitute a main source of sustainable competitive advantage; human resource management should reconsider the importance of monitoring training perceptions inside the organization, to become more conscious of the value and impact of these practices, in particular about training strategies.
Originality/value
Although great attention has been given to single-training satisfaction, only few studies consider the wider impact of job training satisfaction and its possible impact on knowledge sharing.
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Sachiko Nozawa and Midori Takahashi
In Japan, the first state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic was declared from April to May 2020, and it was recommended that people stay home. In this study, parents were…
Abstract
In Japan, the first state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic was declared from April to May 2020, and it was recommended that people stay home. In this study, parents were asked (using an internet questionnaire) how their children spend time at home compared to their usual activities during this period. We conducted a cluster analysis of change patterns of indoor activities among preschool children aged three to six years (n = 1.036). The cluster analysis examined whether watching videos, playing video games, engaging in active play, taking part in art activities, and joint reading of books/picture books increased or decreased compared to normal times. Two-step cluster analysis suggested five subgroups: (1) all indoor activities were almost the same as usual, (2) video viewing and art activities increased, and active play decreased, (3) video viewing, art activities, and active play increased, (4) video viewing, computer games, art activities increased, and active play declined, and (5) video viewing and computer games increased, and all other activities decreased. Of these subgroups, it is considered that particular attention should be paid to the developmental risks of Clusters 4 and 5, who might have spent more time doing digital activities and taken part in fewer interactive activities. In addition, it was indicated that these patterns were related to parental mental health and demographic characteristics. It remains to examine the support in such case considering the possibility that less participation in interactive activities and worse mental health of parents may have negative effects on development of children.
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Alessia Bruzzo and Enrico Ivaldi
The real estate market shows a number of distinctive features that are yet to be clearly understood at the theoretical level, because of the extreme complexity of its nature of…
Abstract
The real estate market shows a number of distinctive features that are yet to be clearly understood at the theoretical level, because of the extreme complexity of its nature of both financial instrument and mere commodity. Moreover, as we know, a long lasting speculative bubble in the housing market was one of the main causes of the great recession. The aim of this chapter is to generate an index to explain how inclusive contextual factors influence the price level of real estate in Genoa, Italy. The authors use the non-parametric methodologies of factor analysis and cluster analysis. The results of the analysis suggest that most of the variability in the fluctuation of the average price of properties is strictly connected to the features of the reference context (such as neighbourhood prestige, type and level of education of residents, access to services, etc.). However, the percentage of unjustified price variability is assumed to refer to the incidence of the intrinsic variables of the estate assets.
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The plague of unethical practices in global businesses has sparked much research on the role of ethics in today’s business and society. One of the most effective tools to…
Abstract
Purpose
The plague of unethical practices in global businesses has sparked much research on the role of ethics in today’s business and society. One of the most effective tools to understand consumers’ motivation and behaviour is segmentation. Hence, the purpose of this study is segment ethical consumers based on consumer-ethics variables (i.e. actively benefiting, passively benefiting, questionable behaviour, no-harm, recycling and doing good).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample from the general population in Australia (N = 517), a TwoStep cluster analysis was conducted using baseline consumer ethics psychographic measures. The analysis resulted in three distinct segments: “The Good Samaritans”, “The Mainstream Ethical Consumers” and “The Unethical Consumers”.
Findings
The results clearly reveal that segments do exist among consumers in regards to their ethical beliefs. The study shows that a large percentage of consumers are ethical, there is also a segment consisting of unethical consumers.
Research limitations/implications
The study shows that only a small percentage of consumers are highly ethical (i.e. The Good Samaritans). This shows an opportunity for educators and public policy makers to push the “Mainstream Ethical Consumers” to become the “Good Samaritans”. The Good Samaritans are consumers who will go above and beyond to be ethical and more likely to do good toward the society.
Practical implications
Unethical consumers comprise a unique segment where researchers, educators and public policy makers need to focus on when addressing unethical consumer behaviour in the society.
Originality/value
This is one of the first few studies to segment consumers based on the consumer ethics scales. By understanding different segments within consumers, the results of this study will assist researchers, managers and public policy makers address unethical behaviour in society.
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Mónika Anetta Alt, Zsuzsa Săplăcan, Botond Benedek and Bálint Zsolt Nagy
Digital technology is revolutionizing insurance distribution allowing the insurer companies to reach customers via multichannel. The aim of this study is to segment potential…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital technology is revolutionizing insurance distribution allowing the insurer companies to reach customers via multichannel. The aim of this study is to segment potential customers of life insurance based on their information search, purchasing channels and personal characteristics in the digital environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses cross-sectional research survey. In total, 422 questionnaires were collected through a convenience sample of the Romanian population. The data was segmented based on consumer information touchpoints (online vs offline), purchase channel preference (offline by a professional vs online by a standardized platform) and personal characteristics (age, marital status and children).
Findings
The channel segmentation analysis revealed that information channel preferences are the most important clustering variables, followed by purchase channel preferences, marital status, having children and age. Four distinct segments were identified: young fully offliners (23.7%), mature fully offliners (31.5%), committed online searchers (23.2%) and cross-channel onliners (21.6%).
Practical implications
Insurance companies should adapt their communication and distribution strategy based on multichannel segmentation and should focus on digital touchpoints with costumers.
Originality/value
Firstly, the paper reveals multichannel and hybrid segmentation for life insurance. Secondly, it extends the already studied retail channels with search engines and companies' websites. Thirdly, it extends the behavioural variables for channel segmentation with technology acceptance behaviour, attitude towards life insurance, knowledge about life insurance, attitude towards personal selling and quality appraisal of online information sources.
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Tarmo Kadak and Erkki K. Laitinen
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between different types of performance management system (PMS) and organizational performance. The main task is based on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between different types of performance management system (PMS) and organizational performance. The main task is based on an empirical typology of PMS to show how the different types of PMS are related to organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical typology is used on the creation on the sample of Estonian and Finnish firms.
Findings
The results show that the highest performance out of the four clusters is achieved by firms from strategy-focused multi-level and strategy-focused one-level clusters. They also show the highest quality of the key characteristics of PMS. Firms from the not-strategy-focused one-level cluster have the lowest performance and quality of the key characteristics of PMS.
Practical implications
The findings give a set of consistent guidelines on how to develop a PMS to achieve high organizational performance in different situations. These give hints, if strategic objectives are important to firm, then for achieving these objectives, also a strong emphasis of strategic aspects in PMS is necessary to gain performance; if the firm suffers from a lack of strategy, the firm should invest on the information aspects of PMS to get more relevant information to increase performance; if the firm, however, decides to move more strategy-oriented, then the strategy aspects of the PMS should get relatively more attention than other aspects in PMS, and they should be developed with care, otherwise performance will suffer.
Originality/value
This paper shows relations between empirically extracted clusters and organizational performance. The results show that clusters of PMS are systematically associated with the level of performance. Firms with different aspects of PMS do not achieve the equal level of performance. Firms with higher performance inside different PMS types have more desirable characteristics and aspects of PMS.
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