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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 February 2024

Thomas Koerber and Holger Schiele

This study aims to examine decision factors for global sourcing, differentiated into transcontinental and continental sourcing to obtain insight into locational aspects of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine decision factors for global sourcing, differentiated into transcontinental and continental sourcing to obtain insight into locational aspects of sourcing decisions and global trends. This study analyzed various country perceptions to reveal their influence on sourcing decisions. The country of origin (COO) theory explains why certain country perceptions and images influence purchasing experts in their selection of suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a two-study approach. In Study 1, the authors conducted discrete choice card experiments with 71 purchasing experts located in Europe and the USA to examine the importance of essential decision factors for global sourcing. Given the clear evidence that location is a factor in sourcing decisions, in Study 2 the authors investigated purchasers’ perceptions and images of countries, adding country ranking experiments on various perceived characteristics such as quality, price and technology.

Findings

Study 1 provides evidence that the purchasers’ personal relationship with the supplier plays a decisive role in the supplier selection process. While product quality and location impact sourcing decisions, the attraction of the buying company and cultural barriers are less significant. Interestingly, however, these factors seem as important as price to respondents. This implies that a strong relationship with suppliers and good quality products are essential aspects of a reliable and robust supply chain in the post-COVID-19 era. Examining the locational aspect in detail, Study 2 linked the choice card experiments with country ranking experiments. In this study, the authors found that purchasing experts consider that transcontinental countries such as Japan and China offer significant advantages in terms of price and technology. China has enhanced its quality, which is recognizable in the country ranking experiments. Therefore, decisions on global sourcing are not just based on such high-impact factors as price and availability; country perceptions are also influential. Additionally, the significance of the locational aspect could be linked to certain country images of transcontinental suppliers, as the COO theory describes.

Originality/value

The new approach divides global sourcing into transcontinental and European sourcing to evaluate special decision factors and link these factors to the locational aspect of sourcing decisions. To deepen the clear evidence for the locational aspect and investigate the possible influence of country perceptions, the authors applied the COO theory. This approach enabled authors to show the strong influence of country perception on purchasing departments, which is represented by the locational effect. Hence, the success of transcontinental countries relies not only on factors such as their availability but also on the purchasers’ positive perceptions of these countries in terms of technology and price.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 39 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 October 2018

Vincent M. Thielemann, Michael C. Ottenbacher and Robert James Harrington

The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedents of perceived customer value, such as the perceived quality and perceived sacrifices, and the effects on customer…

11794

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedents of perceived customer value, such as the perceived quality and perceived sacrifices, and the effects on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (CL) in the restaurant industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an extensive literature review, a research model and questionnaire were designed. To assess the hypothesised relationships, data were collected in a field survey. Partial least squares regression (a variance-based regression analysis of SEM) was selected to analyse the relationships within the research model.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that the perceived monetary sacrifice (PMS) and perceived service quality were found to be antecedents of perceived value (PV), whereas PMS was the major precursor of PV. Further, PV was found to have a substantial influence on customer satisfaction and CL.

Originality/value

The study provides a better understanding of the price–value–satisfaction–loyalty relationships in the restaurant context in a more holistic sense and recommendations to move this research stream forward.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. 32 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 March 2024

Tjaša Redek and Uroš Godnov

The Internet has changed consumer decision-making and influenced business behaviour. User-generated product information is abundant and readily available. This paper argues that…

Abstract

Purpose

The Internet has changed consumer decision-making and influenced business behaviour. User-generated product information is abundant and readily available. This paper argues that user-generated content can be efficiently utilised for business intelligence using data science and develops an approach to demonstrate the methods and benefits of the different techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Python Selenium, Beautiful Soup and various text mining approaches in R to access, retrieve and analyse user-generated content, we argue that (1) companies can extract information about the product attributes that matter most to consumers and (2) user-generated reviews enable the use of text mining results in combination with other demographic and statistical information (e.g. ratings) as an efficient input for competitive analysis.

Findings

The paper shows that combining different types of data (textual and numerical data) and applying and combining different methods can provide organisations with important business information and improve business performance.

Research limitations/implications

The paper shows that combining different types of data (textual and numerical data) and applying and combining different methods can provide organisations with important business information and improve business performance.

Originality/value

The study makes several contributions to the marketing and management literature, mainly by illustrating the methodological advantages of text mining and accompanying statistical analysis, the different types of distilled information and their use in decision-making.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 53 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 July 2021

A. Celil Cakici and Sena Tekeli

This study aims to reveal the impact of consumers’ price sensitivity on their purchase intention within the scope of supermarkets. Besides, the study aims to examine the impact of…

9731

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to reveal the impact of consumers’ price sensitivity on their purchase intention within the scope of supermarkets. Besides, the study aims to examine the impact of consumers’ price sensitivity on their price perception level and emotions and the impact of consumers’ price level perception and emotions toward supermarkets on their purchase intention. It also aims to detect the mediating effects of consumers’ price level perception and emotions toward supermarkets between their price sensitivity and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The quota sampling method was used to form the study sample. The population was 20–69-year-old consumers. The study sample included 513 consumers, 276 of whom were men, and 237 of whom were women. Data were collected via a questionnaire by the researchers in Mersin’s (Turkey) five central counties. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation models were used to analyze data.

Findings

Consumers’ price sensitivity, perception of cheapness, perception of expensiveness and positive emotions toward supermarkets affect their purchase intention. Besides, price sensitivity affects their perception of cheapness while it does not affect their perception of expensiveness. It influences negative emotions, but not on positive emotions. Consumers’ perception of cheapness and perception of expensiveness have impacts on positive emotions toward supermarkets. It was additionally discovered that perception of cheapness and perception of expensiveness affected negative emotions toward supermarkets. A contributed finding was that perception of cheapness had a partial mediating role between price sensitivity and purchase intention.

Practical implications

The study provides managerial implications in terms of understanding consumers’ behavioral changes, developing effective pricing strategies and achieving competitive advantages over the other retailing companies.

Originality/value

The study illustrates that consumer behavior can be explained by a theoretical construct considering the price perception levels and emotions toward supermarkets in examining the effect of consumers’ price sensitivity on their purchase intention. Therefore, it contributes to explain consumers’ behavior by bringing the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model into a theoretical construct.

研究目的

本研究旨在揭示在超級市場的研究範疇內,消費者的價格敏感度對其購買意圖的影響。此外,本研究亦擬探討消費者的價格敏感度對其價格水平感知及情緒的影響,以及消費者的價格水平感知及對超級市場的情感對其購買意圖的影響。本研究亦旨在檢測在消費者的價格敏感度與購買意圖之間,其價格水平感知及對超級市場的情感兩者的仲介效果。

研究的設計/方法/理念

本研究用了配額抽樣法來建立研究樣本。研究的對象為20嵗至69嵗的消費者。研究樣本包括513名消費者,其中276人為男性,237人為女性。數據由研究人員透過一項問卷調查在梅爾辛省 (土耳其) 的五個中心縣取得。使用探索性因素分析,驗證性因素分析及結構方程模型來分析數據。

研究結果

研究結果顯示,消費者的價格敏感度,廉價感,對昂貴的看法及對超級市場的正面情緒,均影響其購買意圖。此外,消費者的價格敏感度會影響其廉價感,唯其對昂貴的看法則不受影響。價格敏感度對負面情緒帶來影響,但正面情緒則不受影響。消費者對廉價的看法及對昂貴的看法均影響他們對超級市場的正面情緒。研究亦發現,廉價感及對昂貴的看法均影響消費者對超級市場的負面情緒。貢獻的發現是:廉價感於價格敏感度與購買意圖之間扮演部分仲介角色。

實際的意義

本研究對管理有其作用。研究結果幫助管理人員更了解消費者行為的改變,發展有效的定價策略,以及比其它零售公司更能發展競爭優勢。

研究的原創性/價值

本研究闡明消費者行為是可以利用一個理論構建來說明的,而這個理論構建是透過考慮價格水平感知及對超級市場的情感來探討消費者的價格敏感度對其購買意圖的影響。因此,本研究透過把「刺激 – 機制 – 反應」模型變成為一個理論構建來說明消費者的行為, 在這方面,本研究是有其貢獻的.

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 November 2023

Sarah Franz, Axele Giroud and Inge Ivarsson

This study aims to analyse how multinational corporations (MNCs) organise value chain activities to penetrate new market segments. It contributes by expanding traditional…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyse how multinational corporations (MNCs) organise value chain activities to penetrate new market segments. It contributes by expanding traditional decisions regarding the vertical fine-slicing of value chain activities (whether performed internally or externally) and the consideration of resource-sharing decisions (integration or separation) for each value chain function.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on primary data collected from two case study firms operating in the large emerging Chinese market: Volvo Construction Equipment AB and Epiroc AB. In-depth cases illustrate how foreign MNCs expand into new market segments and simultaneously target both the lower-priced mid-market and the premium segments in the Chinese mining and construction industry.

Findings

The results reveal that product diversification creates challenges for managers who must oversee new (vertical) value chains, often simultaneously. Beyond geography and modes of governance, managers must decide whether to integrate or separate value chain activities for the new product lines. The study identifies four main strategic choices for firms to address this complexity, focusing on the decision to internalise or externalise (i.e. within or across organisational boundaries) and integrate or separate value chain activities between different product lines.

Originality/value

This study builds upon the internalisation theory and recent international business contributions that focus on value chain configurations to explain MNCs’ product diversification as a growth strategy in a host emerging market. It also sheds light on the choice of conducting new activities in-house or externally and elucidates firms’ managerial decisions to operationally integrate or separate individual value chain activities. The study provides insights into the drivers explaining managerial decisions to configure value chain activities across product lines and contributes to the growing body of literature on MNC activities in emerging economies by highlighting that product diversification impacts entry mode diversity and resource sharing across units.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 September 2018

Marco Hubert, Markus Blut, Christian Brock, Ruby Wenjiao Zhang, Vincent Koch and René Riedl

This study aims to develop a comprehensive adoption model that combines constructs from various theories and tests these theories against each other. The study combines a…

21808

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a comprehensive adoption model that combines constructs from various theories and tests these theories against each other. The study combines a technology acceptance model, innovation diffusion theory and risk theory. It develops this model in a smart home applications context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an online survey consisting of 409 participants, and the data are analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Each theory provides unique insights into technology acceptance and numerous constructs are interrelated. Predictors from innovation diffusion and risk theory often display indirect effects through technology acceptance variables. The study identifies risk perception as a major inhibitor of use intention, mediated through perceived usefulness. Results reveal that the most important determinants of use intention are compatibility and usefulness of the application.

Research limitations/implications

Studies which do not examine different theories together may not be able to detect the indirect effects of some predictors and could falsely conclude that these predictors do no matter. The findings emphasize the crucial role of compatibility, perceived usefulness and various risk facets associated with smart homes.

Originality/value

This study broadens the understanding about the necessity of combining acceptance and adoption drivers from several theories to better understand the usage of complex technological systems such as smart home applications.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 53 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 August 2020

Bernhard Fabian Bichler, Birgit Pikkemaat and Mike Peters

Quality in foodservices has become essential, and new methodological ways of determining service quality enable a better representation of service processes and help to increase…

26789

Abstract

Purpose

Quality in foodservices has become essential, and new methodological ways of determining service quality enable a better representation of service processes and help to increase revisits. This paper focuses on the foodservice context and explores the relationship between staff-related service dimensions, atmosphere, food quality and revisit in a full-service setting.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines an often neglected mystery guest approach with partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to shed more light on customers' service perceptions. The mystery guest approach has been updated with a digitally supported smartphone questionnaire (e-mystery) that provides more reliable results since previous measurements experienced difficulties of feasibility in time-limited settings (N = 247).

Findings

The findings of this study confirm the direct effects of the service quality dimensions reliability, attentiveness and atmosphere on revisit intention and highlight the mediating role of food quality. In detail, the findings showed significant results for service employees' reliability and attentiveness and underlined the role of atmosphere for revisit intention.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper supplements that mystery guest approaches represent a reliable alternative to convenience sampling, especially in combination with a digitally supported questionnaire (e-mystery). Thereby, this paper suggests the further application of e-mystery for the hospitality and tourism industry. In terms of implications, this study highlights the importance of securing food quality by fostering specialized schools and training programs for career starters. Since the findings stress the importance of service quality and atmosphere, managers need to ensure that employees are trained in culturally sensitive communication and services to excel in service-related dimensions.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 4 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 October 2023

Francie Lange, Anna Peters, Dominik K. Kanbach and Sascha Kraus

This study aims to investigate different types of platform providers (PPs) to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and underlying logic of this group within…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate different types of platform providers (PPs) to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and underlying logic of this group within collaborative consumption (CC). As CC occurs with three groups of actors (PP, peer service provider and customer) and is predominantly viewed from the customer perspective, this study offers insights from the under-researched PP perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This research applies a multiple case study approach and analyzes descriptively and thematically 92 cases of CC PPs gathered through the Crunchbase database.

Findings

The authors derive four archetypes of CC PPs, namely, the hedonist, functionalist, environmentalist and connector, that differ in their offered values, dominating motives and activities across industries.

Research limitations/implications

The authors conceptualize CC by clearly describing the four archetypes and their characteristics. However, further research would benefit from including databases other than Crunchbase.

Practical implications

PPs need to understand their value offerings and customer preferences to develop convincing value propositions and offer engaging activities. PPs would benefit from a more active social media presence to build strong relations with customers and peer service providers to effectively communicate their values.

Originality/value

The paper is pioneering as it encompasses the perspective of CC PPs and operationalizes the concept of CC. The authors address the lack of research on CC by conducting an extensive case study.

Details

Management Decision, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 April 2020

Ken Miyajima

Determinants of credit growth in Saudi Arabia are investigated.

1587

Abstract

Purpose

Determinants of credit growth in Saudi Arabia are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A panel approach is applied to macroeconomic and bank-level data spanning 2000 ‐15.

Findings

Bank lending is supported by strong bank balance sheet conditions (high capital ratio, and growth of NPL provisioning and deposits), and higher growth of both oil prices and non-oil private sector GDP. Lower bank concentration also helps, likely through greater competition, so does stronger institution. Consistent with the literature, lending by Islamic banks may be more responsive to economic activity. Lending remained robust in 2015 despite oil prices having declined, helped by strong bank balance sheets and as banks reduced their holdings of “excess liquidity”. To support bank lending in the period ahead, bank balance sheets need to remain strong. Fiscal adjustment and a reduced reliance on banks to finance the budget deficit would support credit provision to the private sector.

Originality/value

The paper is first to analyze in detail determinants of bank lending in Saudi Arabia applying a panel approach to bank level data, and draws critical policy implications.

Details

Islamic Economic Studies, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1319-1616

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 July 2021

Qi Shi, Shufang Xiao, Kaiwen Chang and Jiaying Wu

With the accelerated technological advancement, innovation has become a critical factor, which affects the core competitiveness of a company. However, studies about the…

1411

Abstract

Purpose

With the accelerated technological advancement, innovation has become a critical factor, which affects the core competitiveness of a company. However, studies about the relationship between internal stock option mechanisms and innovation productivity remain limited. Therefore, this paper aims to examine the impact of stock options and their elements design on innovation output from an internal mechanism perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 302 stock option incentive plans announced and implemented between 2006 and 2016, this study uses the propensity score matching and difference-in-difference model to find out whether the implementation of stock options improves the innovation outputs of enterprises.

Findings

Based on the statistical analysis, it is concluded that: stock options can stimulate corporate innovation; a stock option may drive innovation outputs through two ways, performance-based incentives and risk-taking incentives, with the latter one playing a more dominant role and the risk-taking incentives of stock options, could be optimised when the non-executives granting proportion is larger, the granting range is limited, the incentive period is longer, the exercisable proportion is increasing, the price-to-strike ratio is lower and relatively loose performance assessment criteria are applied.

Originality/value

The conclusion reached in the study may provide valuable information to listed firms in designing and implementing the stock option plans.

Details

Nankai Business Review International, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8749

Keywords

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