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1 – 10 of 535Shaoyuan Chen, Pengji Wang and Jacob Wood
Given that existing retail brand research tends to treat each level of a retail brand as a separate concept, this paper aims to unveil the holistic nature of a multi-level retail…
Abstract
Purpose
Given that existing retail brand research tends to treat each level of a retail brand as a separate concept, this paper aims to unveil the holistic nature of a multi-level retail brand, considering the distinctiveness of each level and the interrelationships between the images of different levels.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a scoping review approach that includes 478 retail brand articles. Subsequently, a thematic analysis method is applied.
Findings
The brand attributes that shape the distinct image of each retail brand level encompass diverse intrinsic and extrinsic attributes. Moreover, the holistic nature of a multi-level retail brand is formed by the interrelationships between the images of different levels, which are reflected in the presence of common extrinsic attributes and their interplay at attribute, benefit and attitude levels.
Originality/value
Theoretically, this review provides conceptual clarity by unveiling the multi-level yet holistic nature of a retail brand, helping researchers refine and extend existing theories in retail branding, while also providing new research opportunities in this field. Practically, the findings could guide retailers in implementing differentiated branding strategies at each level while achieving synergy across all levels.
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Summer Dahyang Jung, Sahej Claire and Sohyeong Kim
Generation Z will be the leading consumer group in the future. Using convenience stores, the study provides an in-depth analysis on Gen Z’s current experience and future…
Abstract
Purpose
Generation Z will be the leading consumer group in the future. Using convenience stores, the study provides an in-depth analysis on Gen Z’s current experience and future expectations from retail stores. The study further highlights the differences between Gen Z’s perception of convenience stores across three different regions – the USA, South Korea and Japan.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 36 Gen Z participants from the USA (12), South Korea (11) and Japan (13). All interviews were first coded based on a preselected list of themes and were further coded with new themes that emerged from exploratory coding.
Findings
Each regional cohort varied in terms of how they experienced and what they expected from convenience stores. US participants showed negative or utilitarian attitudes toward convenience stores, whereas South Korean participants had a positive, personal attachment to them. In comparison, Japanese participants had a relatively neutral attitude. However, all three groups showed a common preference for smart technology and health concerns surrounding convenience store foods.
Practical implications
Convenience store chains should consider the cultural nuances when designing future services. The chains should further strive to remove the health concerns about the foods provided at the stores and design smart technologies that enhance user experience.
Originality/value
The present study broadens the knowledge in this budding consumer segment where current research is limited. It further sheds light on the variance among Gen Zers across different cultural contexts.
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Rajesh Rajaguru, Margaret Matanda and Christopher Agyapong Siaw
This study examines how formal retail formats (FRFs), and informal retail formats (IRFs) may coexist as substitutes and complements in emerging markets because of store patronage…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines how formal retail formats (FRFs), and informal retail formats (IRFs) may coexist as substitutes and complements in emerging markets because of store patronage driven by customers’ chronic shopping orientations, and differences in salesperson consultation in the two retail formats.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a shopping motivational orientation framework, we develop and test a moderated mediation model using survey data from 515 shoppers of formal and informal grocery retail outlets in India.
Findings
While task-focused and experiential-focused shopping orientations influence both FRF and IRF patronage, store satisfaction mediates these relationships and crucially attenuates the negative impact of task-focused orientation on FRF patronage. Salesperson consultation moderates the mediating effects of satisfaction in the link between shopping orientation and patronage of both FRFs and IRFs.
Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that FRFs and IRFs could coexist as complements and substitutes when patronage is examined as repeated visits determined by shopping orientation, mediated by satisfaction and moderated by salesperson consultation.
Practical implications
For FRFs and IRFs to be complements, both formats must prioritize their distinctive attributes that satisfy a consumer's chronic shopping orientation. Substitution depends on how both retail formats prioritize salesperson consultation and in-store characteristics that appeal to consumers’ chronic orientation during specific shopping trips.
Originality/value
Whilst FRFs must satisfy task-focused shoppers to compete with IRFs, salesperson consultation can inhibit such satisfaction. However, the extent of coexistence between FRFs and IRFs depends on how each format leverages salesperson consultation to enhance satisfaction of experiential-focused shoppers.
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Bianca Maria van Niekerk, Mornay Roberts-Lombard and Nicole Cunningham
This study aims to explore the impact of store atmospherics on urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers’ behavioural intentions to purchase apparel in an emerging African market…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the impact of store atmospherics on urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers’ behavioural intentions to purchase apparel in an emerging African market context. This study also considers purchase antecedents to attitude, perceived behavioural control and social norms as determinants of urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers’ apparel behavioural intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
Using non-probability sampling, specifically purposive and interlocking sampling, data collection was secured from 881 economically active Namibian urban bottom-of-the-pyramid respondents through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Covariance-based structural equation modelling assessed the significant relationships among all constructs in the conceptual model.
Findings
This study found that for favourable apparel behavioural intentions of urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers to occur, apparel retailers should emphasise trust, perceived awareness and self-identity through apparel assortment and groupings, easy-to-read visible signage, together with competent, friendly and respectful sales personnel in their store atmospherics.
Practical implications
The findings of this study may guide apparel retailers in other emerging African markets to develop regional integration, market-based solutions and inclusive economic growth focusing on “non-essential” products, such as apparel, among urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers.
Originality/value
This study expands the intellectual boundaries of urban bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers’ behavioural intentions towards “non-essential” products. The theoretical framework supports the integration of both the stimulus-organism-response model and the theory of planned behaviour into one single model for empirical investigation. Additionally, adopting a novel theoretical framework helped identify the impact of store atmospherics from a bottom-of-the-pyramid perspective in an emerging African market context, such as Namibia.
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La Ode Nazaruddin, Md Tota Miah, Aries Susanty, Maria Fekete-Farkas, Zsuzsanna Naárné Tóth and Gyenge Balázs
This study aims to uncover apple preference and consumption in Indonesia, to disclose the risk of non-halal contamination of apples and the importance of maintaining the halal…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to uncover apple preference and consumption in Indonesia, to disclose the risk of non-halal contamination of apples and the importance of maintaining the halal integrity of apples along the supply chain and to uncover the impacts of food miles of apples along supply chain segmentation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted mixed research methods under a fully mixed sequential dominant status design (QUAN → qual). Data were collected through a survey in some Indonesian provinces (N = 396 respondents). Samples were collected randomly from individual consumers. The qualitative data were collected through interviews with 15 apple traders in Indonesia. Data were analysed using crosstab, chi-square and descriptive analysis.
Findings
First, Muslim consumers believe in the risk of chemical treatment of apples because it can affect the halal status of apples. Second, Indonesian consumers consider the importance of halal certification of chemical-treated apples and the additives for apple treatments. Third, the insignificance of domestic apple preference contributes to longer food miles at the first- and middle-mile stages (preference for imported apples). Fourth, apple consumption and shopping distance contribute to the longer food miles problem at the last-mile stage. Fifth, longer food miles have negative impacts, such as emissions and pollution, food loss and waste, food insecurity, financial loss, slow development of the local economy and food unsafety.
Practical implications
This research has implications for the governments, farmers, consumers (society) and business sectors.
Originality/value
This study proposes a framework of food miles under a halal supply chain (halal food miles) to reduce the risk of food miles and improve halal integrity. The findings from this research have theoretical implications for the development of the food mile theory, halal food supply chain and green supply chain.
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Sujo Thomas, Viral Bhatt and Ritesh Patel
This study examines the influence of consumer skepticism on cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign participation intentions of Generation Z consumers from emerging market…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the influence of consumer skepticism on cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign participation intentions of Generation Z consumers from emerging market perspective. This study was undertaken due to the paucity of relevant literature in the public domain to directly investigate whether and how consumers' skepticism affects CRM participation intentions, specifically in the luxury retailing context.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among 552 Generation Z consumers and path analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of skepticism. The mediation and moderation analysis was used to explore and test the authors' hypotheses via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS SEM).
Findings
The authors' findings provide empirical evidence that corporate social responsibility, religiosity and cause involvement positively affects consumer participation intentions, and this link is also established indirectly through skepticism toward the CRM campaign. These findings provide novel theoretical contributions by establishing skepticism's complex role in determining the CRM participation intention in the Generation Z consumers' context. This study further demonstrates the moderating effect of gender and luxury store format on consumer skepticism and CRM participation intentions.
Originality/value
The Generation z group will represent a quarter of the Asia–Pacific region's population by 2025. However, little is known about Generation z consumers' CRM participation intentions. This research would help practitioners, including luxury retailers, CRM managers and advertising professionals, to effectively design CRM campaigns. The paper contributes by highlighting the theoretical implications and managerial implications based on the current findings in the emerging market context.
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Laura Lucantoni, Sara Antomarioni, Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica and Maurizio Bevilacqua
The Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is considered a standard for measuring equipment productivity in terms of efficiency. Still, Artificial Intelligence solutions are rarely…
Abstract
Purpose
The Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is considered a standard for measuring equipment productivity in terms of efficiency. Still, Artificial Intelligence solutions are rarely used for analyzing OEE results and identifying corrective actions. Therefore, the approach proposed in this paper aims to provide a new rule-based Machine Learning (ML) framework for OEE enhancement and the selection of improvement actions.
Design/methodology/approach
Association Rules (ARs) are used as a rule-based ML method for extracting knowledge from huge data. First, the dominant loss class is identified and traditional methodologies are used with ARs for anomaly classification and prioritization. Once selected priority anomalies, a detailed analysis is conducted to investigate their influence on the OEE loss factors using ARs and Network Analysis (NA). Then, a Deming Cycle is used as a roadmap for applying the proposed methodology, testing and implementing proactive actions by monitoring the OEE variation.
Findings
The method proposed in this work has also been tested in an automotive company for framework validation and impact measuring. In particular, results highlighted that the rule-based ML methodology for OEE improvement addressed seven anomalies within a year through appropriate proactive actions: on average, each action has ensured an OEE gain of 5.4%.
Originality/value
The originality is related to the dual application of association rules in two different ways for extracting knowledge from the overall OEE. In particular, the co-occurrences of priority anomalies and their impact on asset Availability, Performance and Quality are investigated.
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Elina Jaakkola and Matthew Alexander
Existing research on customer journeys has tended to focus on the customer’s purchase decision-making and firm-controlled touchpoints, overlooking indirect touchpoints where…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing research on customer journeys has tended to focus on the customer’s purchase decision-making and firm-controlled touchpoints, overlooking indirect touchpoints where customer resources and behaviors influence the firm and other actors, beyond financial patronage. This article develops the concept of engagement journeys and discusses their implications on journey design and management.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual article synthesizes the customer journey and engagement literature to delineate the concept of engagement journeys. Insights from engagement research are reflected in the current journey management orthodoxy to provide novel implications for the management of engagement journeys.
Findings
The engagement journey is defined as the customer’s process of diverse brand-related resource investments in interactions with the brand/firm and/or other customers, reflecting the customer’s cognitive, emotional and behavioral disposition. The analysis outlines the manifestations and nature of different types of touchpoints along the engagement journey, and the novel requirements for journey management.
Research limitations/implications
The developed conceptualization opens up new avenues in both journey and engagement research.
Practical implications
Some commonly held assumptions regarding journey quality and management do not hold true for engagement journeys, so there is a need for new approaches.
Originality/value
Despite the proliferation of both journey and engagement research, only a handful of studies have considered the link between the concepts. The proposed novel conceptualization of an engagement journey breaks free from a predominant focus on purchase decisions. The analysis of engagement journeys and their management advances both customer journey and engagement research.
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Kemal Yildirim and Menşure Kübra Müezzinoğlu
This study researched the effects on the perceptual evaluations of participants for the physical environmental factors of cafés using curvilinear, rectilinear, and mixed forms to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study researched the effects on the perceptual evaluations of participants for the physical environmental factors of cafés using curvilinear, rectilinear, and mixed forms to provide for the spatial states of belonging, to increase the pleasures, and to extend the periods of remaining in the space.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used virtual reality (VR) technology to model the cafés designed by using curvilinear, rectilinear and mixed forms as an experimental environment. After experiencing the virtual images of the experimental spaces, participants filled out a “spatial perception” questionnaire. Perceptual evaluations of 415 participants regarding the environmental factors of cafés designed using curvilinear, linear and mixed forms were analyzed in a computer environment.
Findings
According to the analysis of the questionnaire data, the cafés using mixed forms were perceived as more positive for the factors of appeal (inviting, restful, warm and sincere), planning (well-planned) and space freedom (roomy, uncluttered, uncrowded, large, wide and free space) compared with the cafés using curvilinear and rectilinear forms. Furthermore, the cafés using curvilinear forms were perceived as more positive for all elements compared with the cafés using rectilinear forms. However, there was a more negative approach in the perceptual evaluations of participants connected to increases in level of education.
Originality/value
The research results clearly demonstrated that the different interior and furniture forms frequently encountered in cafés cause significant effects on users’ perceptual evaluations.
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Abhay M. Vyas and Gyaneshwar Singh Kushwaha
This study explores consumers' perceptions of purchasing fast food items through online platforms. The central idea of this research is to practically assess the various elements…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores consumers' perceptions of purchasing fast food items through online platforms. The central idea of this research is to practically assess the various elements impacting the consumers’ perceptions of online purchasing of fast food items and find out the factors with high importance and performance value.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research approach was used to collect data from 402 participants in the form of a pen-and-paper-based method using a 5-point Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and importance-performance analysis. Theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model form the basis for this research.
Findings
The findings indicate that constructs such as convenience, perceived quality and perceived healthiness positively influence consumers' perceptions of online purchasing of fast food items. On the other hand, competitive prices, discounts and promotions (CPDP) and online shopping experience have no significant impact on perceived value for money.
Research limitations/implications
A constraint of this study is that it was done in a particular geographical location, which restricts the generalizations of the findings. The study only examined consumers' perceptions of online fast food purchasing, and future research could explore consumers' actual behaviors toward personalized fast food recommendations by online sellers.
Originality/value
The research supports and extends the existing literature by comprehensively understanding consumers' perceptions of purchasing fast food online. These findings can help online fast food sellers improve their services and develop targeted marketing strategies.
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