Search results
1 – 2 of 2Emerging public discourses on Islam and Islamophobia in Western countries have led to religious discrimination among this group. This exploratory study aims to understand how…
Abstract
Purpose
Emerging public discourses on Islam and Islamophobia in Western countries have led to religious discrimination among this group. This exploratory study aims to understand how marketers promote anti-discrimination efforts against Muslims on the notion of future collective unity.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory study uses Social Identity theory to explain the behaviour and attitude of vulnerable Muslims. The dimension of racialisation, the Whiteness theory, the oppression model and the ethnocentrism theory were synthesised to explain the practice of racism and oppression. The theory of customer diversity, equity and inclusion was synthesised to understand the importance of inclusive marketing. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 15 senior marketing executives.
Findings
This study observed how the minority Muslims had influenced the marketers' behaviours in combating anti-religious discrimination through various tactics such as extending the corporates' products and services offerings, being inclusive and avoiding stereotyping in their marketing communication styles and shifting the company's processes and systems to meeting this group's cultural needs.
Research limitations/implications
While this study sample's demographics were motivated by senior marketing executives' profiles, most of the participants were highly educated, had similar cultural backgrounds and were mainly from the West.
Originality/value
This study attempts to shed light on the understanding of Muslims’ discrimination or Islamophobia in non-Muslim majority countries. It is hoped that this study acts as a catalyst for collective unity and would galvanise communities, including marketers to tackle discrimination through a better understanding of a targeted group like Muslims in the marketplace. In this current time of racial and religious tension, business leaders and marketers can act as mediators of social change to normalise more positive relations between minority and mainstream consumers.
Details
Keywords
Zazli Lily Wisker and Zoe Morgan
This study aims to understand the consequences of the decision by some hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic to contract their accommodation to be used as managed isolation and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand the consequences of the decision by some hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic to contract their accommodation to be used as managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities. Specifically, this study aims to understand the impact of this decision in terms of corporate brand image, brand loyalty, negative word of mouth (NWOM) and purchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a quasi-experimental research design and was analysed through a t-test.
Findings
This study hypothesises that the use of a hotel brand as a COVID-19 MIQ facility will be detrimental to its corporate brand image because of the expectation disconfirmation theory and attribution theory, thus reducing brand loyalty and increasing NWOM. The result supports the hypotheses.
Research limitations/implications
This study does not factor in a time period for the observed effects. While the results indicate that hotels used for MIQ purposes have reduced corporate brand image, brand loyalty and purchase intention, this study does not establish the duration of the damage.
Originality/value
This study provides insight into consumers' perceptions of hotel brands that served as COVID-19 MIQ facilities. The originality lies in the discovery that the decision by hoteliers to opt to use their facilities for COVID-19 MIQ facilities was detrimental to corporate brand image and brand loyalty.
Details