1

The Smile Appeal: Emotional Contagion from Smiling Models Affects Consumer Attitudes for Advertisements and Product Packaging Positively

Hanna Berg, Stockholm School of Economics

Magnus Söderlund, Stockholm School of Economics
Annika Lindström, Stockholm School of Economics

Smiling faces appear frequently in marketing communications, but so far they have received scant attention from marketing researchers. This study assesses the effects of including pictures of smiling faces in visual marketing in terms of emotional contagion and attitudes for the marketing stimuli. Two experiments were conducted, one with advertisement stimuli and one with product packaging stimuli. One main finding is that images with smiling human models produced more positive attitudes toward the marketing stimuli than images with non-smiling models. Mediation analysis also indicated that emotional contagion mediated the effects on attitudes.

Emotional Contagion,Advertising,Product Packaging Design

2

Message Strategies of Award-Winning Marketing Communications in Europe

Christos Livas, University of Piraeus

Markos Tsogas, University of Piraeus
Ioannis Lionis, University of Piraeus

This paper aims to contribute to existing knowledge regarding characteristics of successful marketing communications and assess the relationship between message strategy and marketing communication type. A content analysis of 161 award-winning campaign briefs submitted to the Integrated Marketing Communications European Awards from 2006 to 2009, indicated the prevalence of transformational message strategies. Results also show that depending on the marketing communication type employed, award-winning campaigns utilized diverse message strategies. Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature of successful communication messages in Europe and provide valuable directions for practitioners, as regards the design and coordination of effective integrated marketing communication programs.

Communications,Message,Effectiveness

3

Scanning Customers’ Emotions while Watching Advertising: Application of Real-Time Automated Facial Recognition in Market Research.

Niels Neudecker, GfK SE

Martin Einhorn, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
Sven Henkel, University St. Gallen
Harald Schuster, GfK SE
Julia Sauermann, Porsche AG, Germany
Michael Loeffler, Porsche AG, Germany

Measuring a person’s emotional state is one of the most challenging undertakings in marketing. Using automated systems for scanning respondent’s facial expressions is a novel approach to this challenge. Based on a short overview of existing measures we introduce a new approach for real-time automated facial recognition, which is tested in two studies. Study 1 validates our measurement system under laboratory conditions. Study 2 was applied within an international TV commercial pretest in China, US and Germany. Our results underline the validity and functionality of our approach and show that the level of valence is critical to analysis quality.

Facial Coding,Emotions,Tv Commercials

4

Political Advertising in the Shadow of the Financial Crisis: the Use of Emotional Appeals in the Greek 2012 Election Campaign

Eirini Tsichla, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Lia-Paschalia Spyridou, University of Cyprus
Christina Boutsouki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

As an illustrative example of a country facing the financial crisis, the study employs Greece as a case in point for the examination of emotional advertising messages aired during the 2012 election campaign. A sample of 88 television advertisements was content analysed, highlighting the widespread use of emotional advertising and the elicitation of negative emotions in particular, in an effort of the political parties to get the limelight of media and to attract the electorates’ attention. Variations of the emotional strategies employed were also recorded. In particular, pro memorandum parties were likely to instill fear while anti-memorandum parties preferred to evoke hope, warm heartedness and anger. Similarly, conservative parties glamorized the use of fear and pride appeals as opposed to liberal parties that promoted warm-heartedness appeals.

Political Advertising,Emotion,Political Marketing

1

The Influence of “Attitude Toward the Typography” in a Print Advertising Context

Jennifer Amar, University of Bretagne-Sud

Olivier Droulers, Université de Rennes 1 - IGR UMR 6211 CREM

Although the place of writing in communication remains important, surprisingly, little research has been done on the role of typography in an advertising context, especially on attitude toward the ad (Aad). Yet, the interest for research on the relation between typography and attitude toward the ad was highlighted by Childers and Jass in 2002. Our experiment conducted on a print advertisement shows that typeface characteristics influence advertising responses. This work highlights the importance of typography in advertising and enriches it with a new variable: attitude toward the typography.

Typography,Attitude Toward The Typography,Attitude Toward The Ad

2

Icons as Tools of Visual Persuasion in Advertising

Lampros Gkiouzepas, Technological Education Institute of Thessaloniki

Margaret Hogg, Lancaster University / Management School

Although visual rhetoric offered a promising theoretical framework for understanding how visual communication works in advertising, it has not yet provided a systematic understanding of how visual persuasion operates. One of the assumptions which might inhibit the further development of visual rhetoric is the argument that images do not imitate reality. Our counter-argument is that resemblance between visual signs and reality is essential for leveraging consumers’ experiences. The findings of two experiments suggest that individuals not only incorporate their knowledge of the physical world into their interpretation of ad images, but also that the principles of categorisation of physical objects can be used to understand how persuasion works in visual communication.

Advertising,Visuals,Metaphors

3

Evolutionary versus Revolutionary Brand Logo Change: Higher Degrees of Brand Logo Change Hurt Brand Recognition for Highly Brand Conscious Consumers

Bo Van Grinsven, VU University Amsterdam

Enny Das, Radboud University Nijmegen

Two experiments tested the effects of different degrees of brand logo change on brand recognition. Experiment 1 (N=120) tested effects of degree of logo change (original vs. small vs. substantial change). Experiment 2 (N = 148) used a 3 (degree of change: original vs. small vs. substantial change) x 2 (Exposure: 1 vs. 3) between subjects design with brand consciousness as continuous moderator. Results showed that decreases in brand recognition following substantial logo changes were restored after three exposures. Highly brand conscious consumers may need special attention because logo change hurts brand recognition in particular among this group.

Brand Logos,Exposure,Brand Consciousness

4

Could Face Presence in Print Ads Influence Memorization?

Safaa Adil, University of Rennes 1

Olivier Droulers, UNIVERSITY of Rennes 1

A large amount of literature in psychology and neurosciences demonstrates that attention is preferentially and automatically oriented toward faces. This stimulus is fixed longer and processed faster compared to other classes of visual stimuli (objects). This article investigates if and how face presence in print ads affects the memorization of ads content. A folder test procedure was used where ads, with or without faces, were inserted. Findings suggest that face presence in ads image positively influences ads memorization. Implications for advertising conception and promotion campaigns are discussed.

Face,Ads,Memorization

1

On the Persuasiveness of Opinions versus Advice: an Information Diagnosticity Perspective

Matteo De Angelis, Luiss University

Andrea Bonezzi, New York University
Derek D. Rucker, Northwestern University
Alessandro M. Peluso, University of Salento

Consumers can share information about products in the form of either opinions—whereby they merely communicate whether they like or dislike a product—or advice—whereby they also provide explicit suggestions as to how others should behave. Whether opinions are more influential on consumer behavior than advice or vice versa appears unknown. In three experiments, the authors investigate the role of the perceived diagnosticity of the information as a factor explaining when advice is more or less influential than opinions by exploring the effect of two variables, product category and communicator-receiver relationship closeness, that affect how diagnostic information is perceived.

Advice,Opinion,Information Diagnosticity

2

The Effect of Blurbs on Consumers’ Response

Marco Visentin, University of Bologna

Chiara Orsingher, University of Bologna

Blurbs on books have become a common advertising practice in bookstores, but their effectiveness is still questioned by the practice and no evidence can be found in the literature. As an advertisement stimulus, it is expected to affect cognitive and affective responses. Nevertheless, the blurb is aimed at capturing the attention of consumers when they visit a bookstore, so it is also supposed to foster sales. Based on these premises, our study presents an experiment aimed at evaluating the causal relationship between the presence of a blurb on books and the cognitive, affective and behavioral response of consumers.

Blurbs,Consumer’s Response,Experiment

4

Positive and Negative e-WoM of Hedonic and Utilitarian Consumption

Hung-Pin Shih, Hsuan Chuang University

Liang-Chih Yang, Hsuan Chuang University
Jian-Shiun Hu, Hsuan Chuang University
Cheng-Hsiung Chiang, Hsuan Chuang University

Positive (negative) electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is likely (unlikely) to motivate consumers’ purchase decisions. Negative information cues are stronger than positive information cues to affect consumers’ judgments and purchase decisions. However, the literature has not addressed whether the negativity bias can apply to predict the positive-to-negative eWOM of hedonic and utilitarian consumption. We use big data tool (OpView) to analyze e-WOM of hedonic (flight travelling) and utilitarian (Carrefour mall) consumption that posted on forums, blogs, twitter, and facebook. From the survey results, we conclude that a positivity bias is better to explain the review of hedonic consumption, whereas a negativity bias is appropriate to explain the review of utilitarian consumption.

Electronic Word-Of-Mouth,Hedonic,Utilitarian

1

The Effects of Perceived Health Claim Certainty, Manipulation Inferences and Issue Involvement on Food-Related Purchase Intentions

Fanny Dobrenova, Klagenfurt University

Ralf Terlutter, Alpen-Adria Univertsity of Klagenfurt
Sonja Grabner-Kräuter, Alpen-Adria Univertsity of Klagenfurt

This paper examines the effects of consumer perceptions about the level of health claim support, inferences of advertisers’ manipulative intent (IMI) and consumer health issue involvement on purchase intentions related to foods bearing health claims. Findings suggest that higher perceived levels of claim support positively affect purchase intentions. IMI has a negative effect on purchase intention ratings. Issue involvement has a significant interaction term with perceived level of claim support, which negatively effects purchase intentions. If issue involvement is high, higher perceived levels of claim support negatively affect purchase intention ratings.

Health Claims On Food,Perceived Level Of Health Claim Support,Purchase Intentions

2

Suspicion is a Heavy Armor! A Mindset Account for the Carryover Effects of Suspicion on Unrelated Persuasion Attempts

Tina Tessitore, IESEG School of Management

Maggie Geuens, Ghent University
Mario Pandelaere, Ghent University
Elizabeth Cowley, University of Sydney

By conceptualizing suspicion as a mindset, this research investigates the carryover effects of suspicion on the processing of subsequent unrelated persuasion attempts. The first two studies provide evidence for this mindset account by demonstrating its carryover effects on subsequent unrelated judgments and advertisements. A third study shows that unresolved suspicion limits cognitive capacity in subsequent unrelated situations. A fourth study draws on these previous results to demonstrate counterintuitive consequences of suspicion for product placements. This research has practical implications for advertisements or product placements appearing after suspicious television/movie scenes.

Suspicion,Persuasion,Advertising

3

Time Pressure and Time Planning in Explaining Advertising Avoidance Behavior

Jose I. Rojas-Mendez, Carleton University

Gary Davies, Manchester Business School

In this study two factors, central to time allocation theory, are identified as relevant to an understanding of television advertising avoidance behaviour: time pressure and time planning. Drawing from Reactance theory, their significance in predicting two different types of avoidance, mechanical and behavioural, are examined empirically. As attitudes to time allocation are culturally and contextually dependent, two studies are reported, one in the United Kingdom, the other in Chile. In the former, time planning is a significant predictor of mechanical avoidance, and time pressure significantly impacts behavioural avoidance. In the latter behavioural avoidance is predicted by time planning.

Advertising Avoidance,Time Pressure,Time Planning

4

The Impact of the ‘100% Natural Origin’ Claim on Consumers’ Perception of Fragrances

Vanessa Apaolaza, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Patrick Hartmann, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Cristina López, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Jose M. Barrutia, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Carmen Echebarria, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Can consumer knowledge that a scent is 100% composed of natural ingredients influence sensory perception of the fragrance? In the present study, 112 participants were asked to test and evaluate a citric fragrance. Prior to the test and the evaluation of the scent, half of the consumers were informed of the 100% natural origin of its components, while the other half were not provided with that information, even though the individuals were exposed to exactly the same perfume made from totally natural essential vegetable oils. Results found that participants gave a higher mark to the scent when they had been informed that it was completely natural in origin. This study demonstrates that information proclaiming the natural origin of substances comprising a scent may change consumers’ sensory perception of the fragrance. This finding is of great relevance for scent manufacturers and cosmetics companies, enabling them to manage such claims as tools to market their products.

Halo Effect,Claims,Perfumes

1

Latent Growth Curve Analysis and Growth Mixture Models Applied to Automobile Consumers’ Satisfaction

Cristina López Caro, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Petr Mariel, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Companies are very interested in obtaining reliable indicators about Consumer Satisfaction once a product has been purchased and used. This study analyzes consumer satisfaction with 130 models of cars (individuals) observed across three consecutive periods of time and established as a global evaluation made after consumption experience with a product. The aim of this study is to observe the cumulative satisfaction trend over time by employing two different but related methodologies: Latent Growth Curve Analysis and Growth Mixture Models. These methodologies allow for different classes of cars that vary according to the growth means in a different way. The identification of these trends and classes might allow companies enhance product’s attributes and develop new marketing strategies.

Cumulative Consumer Satisfaction,Latent Growth Curve Analysis,Growth Mixture Models

2

Determinants of Contract Plan Choice

Christian Schlereth, Frankfurt University

Siham El Kihal, Goethe University Frankfurt

Service providers frequently offer contract plans and bind consumers for the time of the con-tract length in return for a price discount. These contract plans differentiate between consum-ers who wish to stay flexible and those who are willing to commit to the service provider for the time of the contract length. For the right implementation of contract plans, knowledge about the determinants of consumers’ choice of contract plans is crucial. In an empirical study, we identify these determinants and use a discrete choice experiment to analyse their influence on contract plans’ choice. While factors such as convenience or expectations about future changes on the market do not have an impact at all, we find that interest, flexibility, and price discounts strongly impact consumers’ choice of contract plans and should be considered when implementing contract plans.

Pricing,Contract Plans,Discrete Choice Experiment

3

Investigating The Effects Of Mailing Variables And Endogeneity On Mailing Decisions

Nadine Schröder, Regensburg University

Harald Hruschka, Regensburg University

Determining the optimal amount of mailings being sent to customers is crucial and requires the specification of relevant mailing variables. Therefore we distinguish different mailing types and sizes as contribution over the extant literature. From a modeling viewpoint we use a mixture of Dirichlet processes to deal with unobserved heterogeneity and policy functions to treat endogeneity. For a data set from a mail order company we demonstrate the occurrence of (super-) saturation effects. Finally, we investigate whether and how consideration of endogeneity leads to different managerial implications. To this end we apply dynamic optimization to determine optimal mailing strategies.

Mailings,Saturation,Optimization

1

Stimuli Ordering Effects in Survey Research

Sarah Forbes, University of Birmingham

Mark Avis, Massey University

Although the order of survey questions as a bias on survey results has gained considerable attention, there appears to have been little interest in the effects of the order of stimuli presentation. However, in a recent project, a brand personality scale was used for the evaluation of photographs of three rocks, and the presentation order of the rocks was rotated for different participants. This revealed a surprising finding, which was that there were ordering effects for the rating of the rocks and a main effect of personification on the ratings. Using participant comments on the survey process in addition to analysis findings, the paper considers some explanations for the effects, and also the implications of the research findings.

Ordering,Personification,Priming

2

Analysis The Compositional Data in Marketing Research

Adam Sagan, Cracow University of Economics

Abstract: The paper is devoted to the usage of constant sum scale in marketing research. These scales are popular in attitude and preference modeling. They belong to the broader group of ipsative and compositional data. However, the use of inappropriate statistical model may provide the strongly biased estimates and misleading interpretation of the results. Constant sum scale of means-end preferences among consumption, savings and investments are used in Dirichlet regression models based individual and clustered data.

Compositional_data,Constant_sum,Dirichlet_regression

3

Discriminant Validity Where There Should Be None: Positioning Same-Scale Items in Separated Blocks of a Questionnaire

Bert Weijters, Ghent University

Alain De Beuckelaer, Renmin University of China; Ghent University; Radboud University Nijmegen
Hans Baumgartner, Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State University

In questionnaires, items can be presented in a randomized format (items from one scale are mixed with items from other scales) or in a grouped format (same-scale items are presented in the same block, which enhances discriminant validity). We demonstrate that positioning items in separate blocks of a questionnaire may indeed lead to increased discriminant validity, but this can happen even when discriminant validity should not be present. Splitting an established unidimensional scale into two arbitrary blocks of items separated by unrelated buffer items results in the emergence of two clearly identifiable but artificial factors that show discriminant validity.

Survey Methods,Confirmatory Factor Analysis,Grouping Survey Items

1

Does Out-Of-Home Snacking Lead to Rational Addiction?

Nicolas Glady, ESSEC Business School Paris

Shantanu Mullick, ESSEC Business School

The rise in obesity is caused by a greater frequency of snacks consumed out-of-home and in-home. Out-of-home snacking assumes importance as our food rich environment lead us to indulge. We want to test if addiction to out-of-home snacking can explain the increase in consumption of snacks. Rational addiction theory implies that past purchase quantities can increase current purchases. Using reduced form models to test for addiction to food can yield spurious evidence; hence we use a dynamic structural model with addiction and inventory. We adapt Gordon and Sun (2013)’s model of addiction with endogenous consumption and stockpiling on individual-level consumption data. Our novel dataset reporting out-of-home consumption and total purchase of 18000 households for 196 weeks will allow us to conduct unique analyses.

Addiction,Dynamic Structural Model,Obesity

2

A Finite Mixture Multinomial Probit Model for Choice Based Conjoint Analysis: A Simulation Study

Friederike Paetz, Clausthal University of Technology

Winfried J Steiner, Clausthal University of Technology

In the context of conjoint choice models the use of finite mixture models to estimate and analyze segment-specific consumer preferences is well-established. However, finite mixture models usually do not account for different pairwise similarities of alternatives, which could lead to biased estimates and predictions. In this contribution, we develop a Finite Mixture MNP model that is able to account for such dependencies, and assess its performance in terms of model fit, parameter recovery and forecasting accuracy. As a benchmark for comparison, we use the Finite Mixture IP model which belongs to the same model class but instead assumes independence between alternatives. Our results indicate a significantly better performance of the new Finite Mixture MNP model with respect to (unpenalized) model fit and parameter recovery.

Finite Mixture Models,Heterogeneity,Covariances

3

It's Up to You! - Pay for Performance Incentive Mechanisms in Conjoint Studies

Philip Sipos, University of Hohenheim

Markus Voeth, University of Hohenheim

Incentive-aligned conjoint analysis is one of the core topics in recent preference measurement literature. Even though empirical evidence shows that incentives enhance predictive validity, incentive alignment cannot be applied to every research context, for example, new products that are not yet available. However, as conjoint analysis is often used in that context, we develop a performance-dependent incentive mechanism that is applicable regardless of the availability of real versions of the research object. The mechanism is tested for improvement in predictive validity, compared to a non-performance-based setting. The conjoint experiment is viewed as a hidden action problem that our proposed mechanism can solve. In line with theory, the results show that respondents’ reimbursement should be at least partly performance-dependent.

Conjoint-Analysis,Incentive-Alignment,Market-Research

4

Maximizing vs. Satisficing: How Do Consumers Choose?

Peter Stüttgen, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar

Peter Boatwright, Carnegie Mellon University

This paper adds to the debate on whether consumers are in fact utility maximizers or satisficers by estimating two structurally comparable models on the same data set. Based on Stüttgen et al.’s (2012) satisficing model, we develop a structurally comparable model based on the utility maximizing framework. Both models not only model final choice, but also the information acquisition process. We find that (in the category studied) less than 10% of the participants seem to be utility maximizers. This has important implications for how effectively marketers can affect consumer choice through visual aspects of the product.

Utility-Maximization,Satisficing,Eye-Tracking

1

Multicategory Purchase Incidence with Cross Effects and Co-Incidences

Harald Hruschka, Regensburg University

We investigate cross effects of marketing variables and cross category dependences in 25 categories using data on shopping visits of a random sample of 1500 households. We focus on differences between a full model which includes both cross category dependences and cross effects, and a restricted model which ignores cross effects. Estimation gives evidence to several high significant differences of these two models with respect to cross category dependences. A manager using the restricted model would erroneously expect an increase of average basket value due to features (display) in about 28 % (36 %) of the categories.

Marketing Cross Effects,Cross Category Dependences,Multivariate Probit

2

Introducing Differential Evolution to Product Assortment Planning: Optimizing Variety and Service Levels of Private Labels in Retail Product Portfolios

Charalampos Saridakis, University of Leeds

Stelios Tsafarakis, Technical University of Crete, Department of Production Engineering and Management
George Baltas, Athens University of Economics & Business, Department of Marketing & Communication

Despite the longstanding recognition of the importance of product assortment planning (PAP), existing literature has failed to provide satisfactory solutions to a great deal of problems that reside in this area of research. This article introduces Differential Evolution (DE) in order to facilitate simultaneously, strategic PAP decisions, related to a) optimal variety of private label (PL) product categories, b) optimal service level of PL merchandise within a product category, and hence, c) optimal balance between PLs and National Brands (NBs) in a retailer’s product portfolio. The interrelated issue of assortment adaptation across different store formats is also considered. The proposed mechanism is illustrated through an implementation to an empirical dataset derived from a random sample of 1,928 consumers who participated in a large-scale computer assisted telephone survey.

Product Assortment Planning,Differential Evolution Algorithm,Private Label

3

Words Fly, Documents Rest. Restfull Decision Supportive Documents For Marketing Managers. Towards a Paradigmatic Change in the Interaction Between Managers and Marketing Scientists.

Mihai Calciu, Lille 1 University / IAE Graduate Management School

Andrea Micheaux, University Lille 1

In this paper we argue that browser based web technologies and statistical calculation webs-services have attained a degree of maturity that makes it possible to embed powerful Marketing Decision Support Systems (MDSS) into static web pages. We call such pages Decision Supportive Documents (DSD). Besides solving managerial problems, DSD can be highly illustrative and play an important role in the coproduction, pedagogy and adoption of marketing models. By paraphrasing the latin proverb "Verba volant, scripta manent" in English "words fly, writings remain", we conjecture that, as documents, MDSS tend to remain or "rest" with managers and prolong interactions with marketing scientists in a paradigmatic shift towards MDSS coproduction. This coproduction is substantially facilitated and becomes literally "restfull" due to a very recent initiative to open up statistical calculations as RESTfull web services, REST meaning here REpresentational State Transfer. An application to retail chain CRM is presented.

Models,Web-Services,Decisionsupport

1

Cutting Through the Online Review Jungle – Exploring Strategic Patterns of E-WOM Handling

Sabrina Gottschalk, Freie Universität Berlin

Alexander Mafael, Freie Universität Berlin

Consumers frequently consult online reviews before making purchase decisions. In today’s online environment, however, we find an abundance of online reviews for most products and services. In turn, the quantity of online reviews available often exceeds consumers’ processing capacity. We examine how consumers work their way through the large amount of available reviews on product review sites in a pre-purchase situation. Study 1(n=13) uses a qualitative approach with verbal protocols to gain first insights of consumer strategies when using online reviews. The results serve as basis for Study 2 (n=105) in which a measurement instrument is developed to enable identification of different eWOM handling types. Results indicate that twelve dimensions of eWOM handling play a role and that individuals employ various combinations of these dimensions to process eWOM information.

Ewom,Online Consumer Reviews,Ewom Handling Strategies

2

Consumption of E-WOM: do Acquaintance and Prior Usage Experience Make the Message Fonder?

Alexander Rossmann, Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences

Kumar Rakesh Ranjan, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Praveen S., Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

Word of Mouth communication has gained renewed prominence with the proliferation of electronic Word of Mouth (eWoM). Both types are customer generated sources of information, which are considered more credible, empathetic, and relevant than a marketer’s communication efforts. While the generation of eWoM has received significant attention in existing research, the nomology of what causes engagement with eWoM is less developed. This research complements our current understanding by investigating the consumer-to-consumer context of two different online communities on Facebook. We examine the simultaneous effect of senders’ prior experience of products and services and the extent of their acquaintance with other members on user engagement. The results offer significant insights into community strategies in order to foster user engagement and optimize eWoM communication.

Word-Of-Mouth,Engagement,Consumption

3

Customers, Watch Out! Experimental Insights Into The Detection of Fake Online Reviews

Andreas Munzel, Toulouse 1 Capitole University

Consumers rely on experiences from other individuals expressed online when forming an attitude about a product and making purchase decisions. However, the trustworthiness of consumers’ online opinions is jeopardized through the deceptive behavior of firms in the form of fake reviews. In their interactions with strangers, the readers of online reviews derive the trustworthiness of the reviews from available cues. This research investigates consumers’ ability to identify fake reviews. Three experimental studies were conducted and included different potential detection support mechanisms. The results show that priming self-protection, as well as two of the three tested detection support mechanisms, affect the source’s trustworthiness. This research contributes to the field of online interactions by highlighting the dark sides of the rising practice of fake reviews.

Online Reviews,Deceptive Opinion Spam,Trustworthiness

4

Does Engaging With a Web Site Lead to Telling Other Users About It?

Antonio Hyder, CEU Cardenal Herrera University

Antonio C. Cuenca, University of Valencia
Enrique Bigné, University of Valencia

We propose a model that analyses the relationship between Web site engagement and electronic word of mouth (e-WoM). Three further consequences to engagement relevant for online marketers -return intention, switching intention and purchase intention- are also taken into account in the model. Data were obtained with an online data acquisition Web site specifically developed for this study, and were analysed with partial least square path modelling. Results confirm a direct positive relationship between Web engagement and e-WoM. Engagement also leads to purchase intention and non-switch behaviour when mediated with return intention. Academic and managerial implications are discussed.

Engagement,Ewom,Website

1

Collecting Data Via Smartphones - Exploring Ways How to Reach Respondents

Marie Schulte, Braunschweig University of Technology

The advent and increasing popularity of smartphones open up new approaches to study people and collect primary data. While market researchers are working to develop appropriate methods for collecting data via these mobile devices, research on factors that influence the willingness to participate in such surveys as well as about ways how to increase response rates is still in its infancy. In order to start filling this research gap, qualitative interviews with market research experts have been conducted. The data analysis reveals various influence factors which refer to mobile technology aspects, the survey design as well as to the potential respondent. Based on these findings, practical starting points for increasing smartphone users’ willingness to participate in mobile data collection are highlighted.

Data Collection,Smartphones,Participation

2

Shopping Via Smartphones – An Investigation on Selected Drivers and Consequents of Customers’ Perceived Enjoyment

Stefanie Sohn, Braunschweig University of Technology

Online shops accessible through smartphones present retailers with the challenge to create a shopping environment that effectively complements the conventional online shop. So far, research focuses consumer’s global willingness to shop mobile while neglecting customer’s mobile shopping experience and its determinants. Hence, this study, conducted among mobile smartphone shoppers, attempts to clarify how instrumental aspects of store appearance impact consumer’s enjoyment. The findings highlight the vital role of perceived aesthetics and confirm the impact of ease of use on enjoyment. Accordingly, enjoyment strengthens reuse and purchase intention while prior online shop contact does not moderate the investigated interrelationships.

Mobile Shopping,Smartphones,Perceived Enjoyment

3

What Makes a Video Game Hit? An Empirical Investigation of Three Console Platforms

Andre Marchand, Muenster University

Thorsten Hennig-Thurau, University of Muenster

The video game industry is a branch of the entertainment sector that is of growing cultural and economic relevance. Some video games these days are now produced and marketed with budgets of more than 200m US$ and earn more than a billion US$. Nevertheless, little is known about the factors that make a video game a hit. Building on previous findings in adjacent industries such as the movie industry, the authors develop hypotheses about success factors and test them empirically with a large data set (2,429 cases from 2005 to 2011) of the video game industry.

Prediction,Entertainment,Industry

1

The Impact of Recommendation Agents’ Type of Voice on Perceived Social Presence, Trust and Consumers Intentions

Emna Cherif, University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Jean-François Lemoine, University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne - ESSCA School of Management

This paper aims to demonstrate the influence that recommendation agent type voice may have on consumers reactions. Through experimentation, we compare the effects of human and synthetic voice on perceived social presence, recommendation agent trust and website trust. The findings suggest that the human voice is likely to provide a higher level of social presence and recommendation agent trust. The structural equation model shows that social presence has a positive effect both on recommendation agent trust and behavioral intentions. In turn, recommendation agent trust influences website trust and behavioral intentions. Finally, results show that website trust positively impacts behavioral intentions.

Recommendationagent,Voice,Trust

2

Conveying Customized Nutritional Information: Willingness-To-Pay and Consumer Segments

Benjamin Lowe, University of Kent

Diogo De Souza-Monteiro, Kent Business School, University of Kent
Iain Fraser, School of Economics, University of Kent

Nutritional labels on the food we purchase are designed to combat an increase in food related diseases. However, despite being shown to offer consumers some benefits, their influence is moderated by factors such as consumer heterogeneity. Recent advances in technology might assist retailers and policy makers by providing consumers with the option to examine more customized and targeted information of greater relevance to their needs, and to assist them making better decisions. Using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) this paper develops a model to predict consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for different attributes of customization and accounts for consumer heterogeneity by identifying key consumer segments.

Customization,Nutritional Information,Segments

3

What Effect do Competitors’ Prices Have on Demand in Fashion E-Commerce?

David Heuer, RWTH Aachen University

Malte Brettel, RWTH Aachen University/WIN Chair - Center for Entrepreneurship

We empirically estimate price elasticities in the online fashion retailing industry and quantify individual components stemming from both the own-price as well as competitive effects. In contrast to extant literature, we examine an environment that is not as dependent on price comparison sites. We use a novel data set provided by a leading European e-commerce company and supplement it with competitors’ prices for regression analysis. We find an unexpectedly small influence of the price ranking relative to competition accounting for about 32% of the overall price elasticity. Furthermore, we discuss implications for academics and practitioners.

E-Commerce,Pricing,Competition

1

The Loop Model: Modeling Consumer Interactivity and Trust in Campaigns Coupling Simultaneous Media

Robert Davis, UNITEC Institute of Technology

Bodo Lang, University of Auckland

Based on the responses of 498 consumers, this research simulates the LOOP Model: the consumer’s experience of interactivity and trust when interacting with campaigns simultaneously coupling ubiquitous channels (e.g., smartphone) with other channels of response (e.g., internet, magazines). A CFA and SEM modeling procedure showed excellent discriminant and convergent validity and goodness of fit. All hypothesized relationships were significant. The interactive experience and purchase is optimized because reciprocity and contingency are amplified. Synchronicity and control also play a significant role. The interactive experience is significantly affected by system and vendor trust. The research implications are discussed.

Loop Model,Interactivity,Trust

2

Assessing Effects on Preference for Collaborative Learning of Millennials in the Context of Massively Multiplayer Online Games

Laura Salciuviene, Lancaster University / Management School

Kelvin Lee, National University of Singapore
Veronica Erika C. Buenaventura, Momentum Worldwide

This study explores the relationship between three independent variables (amount, social context of massively multiplayer online game play [MMOG] and motivation) and the dependent variable, preference for collaborative learning. An online survey was conducted with 492 Millennials playing World of Warcraft. The findings suggest that players who are motivated by achievement and immersion and who participate in highly social in-game activities (i.e. raids), have the highest preference for collaborative learning, while the amount of MMOG play was not linked to preference for collaborative learning. Implications for better meeting needs of future employers in a global work environment are offered.

Mmog Play,Motivation,Collaborative Learning

3

Conjoint and Eye-Tracking Experiments in Digital Marketing

Vishnu Menon Ramachandran Girija, Reykjavík University

Valdimar Sigurdsson, Reykjavik University
Hildur Einarsdottir, Reykjavik University
Gordon Foxall, Cardiff University

A conjoint and a subequent eye-tracking experiment was conducted to understand how different attributes, presented in the online environment affect consumer behavior. The first study involved assessing the motivating impact of antecedent stimuli such as price, ordering type, shipping, etc. The second study was an eye-tracking experiment where we examined both direct and indirect manipulations on total time spent on a particular social media page and monitored the fixation time on the price label. Results from the conjoint study showed that the price had the highest impact on the participant’s likelihood of an online purchase. Results from the eye-tracking experiment revealed that fixation on price was not based on the price itself but on other direct as well as indirect manipulations of the price such as the size and positioning of the label and type of model.

Digital Marketing,Eye-Tracking,Consumer Behavior Analysis

4

Influence of Facebook Advertising on Brand Recall, Recognition and Attention

Francisco Rejón-Guardia, University of Granada

Francisco J. Martínez-López, University of Granada and Open University of Catalonia (UOC)
Irene Esteban-Millat, Open University of Catalonia (UOC)
Juan C. Gázquez-Abad, University of Almeria (UAL)

Online advertising is based on direct-response models, and there is considerable debate over the precise way in which brands are constructed via direct-response mechanisms. Consequently, there is a need for studies that examine advertising effectiveness in terms of impact on consumer memory. In this paper we present an experiment for analysing the influence of exposure to different advertising formats and evaluating the effect of advertising pressure on brand recall in social media advertising. We conclude that the video-only format has a greater impact on brand recall than the banner-only format or the combined use of video and banner formats.

Brand Recall,Attention,Sns

1

How do Brand Managers Conceptualise Brands as Complex Phenomena?

Bjoern Asmussen, Oxford Brookes University

The purpose of this research is to investigate how brand managers conceptualise brands as complex phenomena based on in-depth interviews with 20 brand managers across a range of industries and types of organisation. The results show that managers use elements of up to four interrelated key categories when conceptualising brands: meanings, manifestations, internal stakeholders, and external stakeholders. By identifying these categories and the interplay between them the paper makes an empirical contribution to improving the critical issue of concept clarity in brand management research and practice. The findings suggest that brand stakeholders, as well as the meaning and manifestation-related co-creation processes between them, need to be integrated in future brand research to be able to capture and address the full diversity and complexity of brand conceptualisations in management practice.

Brand,Management,Co-Creation

2

Exploring the Relevance of Brand Identity Within a Context of Co-Creation

Catherine Da Silveira, Open University

Cláudia Simões, The Open University Business School
Carmen Lages, Nova School of Business & Economics
Sally Dibb, The Open University Business School

The co-creation perspective has led to the apparent convergence of the notions of brand and brand identity (BI), both increasingly conceptualized as process-based and consumer-driven. Such a development raises questions regarding the relevance of BI within a context of co-creation. Applying seminal theory on organizational identity formation, this theoretical paper suggests that BI encompasses both a socially constructed perspective and a social actor perspective. Under the first view, brand and BI tend to intermingle while, under the second view, BI is a distinct concept that contributes to define the brand and is recursively implicated in generating the brand process. The social actor perspective therefore gives BI continuing relevance.

Brand,Brand Identity,Co-Creation

3

Brand Identity Management Effects on Employees’ Attitudes and Behaviours

Isabel Buil Carrasco, University of Saragossa

Eva Martínez, Universidad de Zaragoza
Leslie De Chernatony, Aston Business School

It is widely recognised that employees play a crucial role in services brand management. To date, empirical studies testing the relevance of brand identity management from the employees’ perspective are, however, limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of brand identity management on employees’ attitudes and behaviours. The model is tested using a sample of 297 employees in the UK financial banking sector. Results indicate that effective brand identity management can increase employees’ identification with their organisations, which in turn positively influences brand citizenship behaviours, job satisfaction and positive word-of-mouth. Further, employee satisfaction enhances word-of-mouth.

Identity,Employees,Banks

4

The Brand Management System: Scale Development, Reliability and Validation Across Five Business Sectors

Mathieu Dunes, Paris Dauphine University

Bernard Pras, Université Paris Dauphine UMR CNRS n°7088 and ESSEC Business School

Brand management contributions to performance are regularly questioned by CEOs. A few studies tried to assess the impact of brand management systems (BMSs) upon brand performance while there are still issues about the reliability and validity of the scale across business sectors. This study develops and tests the reliability and validity of a “grounded-in-practice” BMS scale across five business sectors: cosmetics, convenience goods, industry, bank/industry, media sectors. In particular, it shows the importance of the hierarchical dimension, largely ignored in previous research. The other key dimensions being the implementation and the brand identity and values dimension.

Brand Implementation,Brand Identity,Hierarchical Relationships

1

Examining the Impact of Brand Equity on Customer Equity

Abas Mirzaei, MacquarIE University

David Gray, MacquarIE University
Chris Baumann, MacquarIE University
Steven D'Alessandro, Charles Sturt University
Lester W Johnson, Melbourne Business School

In this study applying two new macro measures of brand equity and customer equity which are objective, and based on publicly available data, we study the impact of brand equity on customer equity quantitatively. Additionally we capture the impact of advertising spending as a main marketing action on customer equity directly and indirectly via brand equity. As a longitudinal study, we estimate and examine the model parameters over a period of 11 years from 2002 to 2012 to capture the pre and post GFC. We apply our model into four industries in service and product industries including airline, banking, fast food, and department store in the US market. The result show that brand equity is positively associated to customer equity and on average one unit change in brand equity can be resulted in up to 0.40 unit change in customer equity. Moreover brand equity can improve the advertising impact on customer equity. Finally it was found that brand equity can considerably explain the variation in brand value from %8 in fast food industry to %20 in banking and department store.

Brand Equity,Customer Equity,Adstock

2

Examining the Relationships Between Integrated Marketing Communications and Brand Equity Dimensions. The Effect of Culture in the Italian Hotel Context

Alejandro Molla, University of Valencia

Seric Maja, University of Valencia
Gil Irene, University of Valencia

Integration of marketing communications has taken on a new imperative and urgency in recent years. One of the most important goals of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is to effectively generate and maintain brand equity through encouragement of brand relationships with the customers. In addition, culture is another aspect that should not remain neglected when creating marketing strategies. This work addresses all these issues by providing empirical evidence in a specific context, i.e. Italian hotel industry. While positive and significant relationships between IMC and brand equity dimensions are found, customer national culture does not exert a significant impact on these relationships.

Imc,Brand,Culture

3

Does Brand Loyalty Decline? Investigating Brand Loyalty Evolution and the Role of Product Category Characteristics

Polymeros Chrysochou, Aarhus University

Gauthier Castéran, Centre de Recherche en Management (CRM-EAC CNRS 5032), IAE Toulouse
Lars Meyer-Waarden, University Toulouse 1, CRM CNRS& EM Strasbourg Business School, HuManiS

The ultimate goal of marketers is to achieve high loyalty toward their brands. However, there is a common belief that brand loyalty declines over time. In this paper we offer insight into this area by examining the evolution of brand loyalty and the reasons that lead to this (possible) decrease. We use purchase data from the GfK panel in Denmark and analyze loyalty evolution for 55 packaged good product categories over a period of six years (2006-2011). We show that on an aggregate level, brand loyalty has not evolved. However, we observe that evolution is product category specific with some product categories showing an increase as well. We further explore the role of certain product category characteristics, such as number of brands and SKUs, private labels, and consumers’ repertoire size on influencing brand loyalty evolution.

Brand Loyalty,Private Label And National Brands,Dirichlet Model

1

Children’s Brand Logo Preference: A Phonetic Symbolism Perspective

Stacey Baxter, The University of Newcastle

Tina Lowrey, HEC Paris

Brand logos play a particularly important role for child consumers. This study investigates children’s preference for inventive brand logos manipulated using phonetic symbolism principles. Using an experimental design, we demonstrate that children prefer brand logos that connote physical product attributes (e.g., size). Age differences were also observed which could be attributable to developmental stages. This research shows that when selecting an inventive brand logo, consideration could be given to the relation between the shape of the image and product characteristics. We believe that our findings are of importance to marketers as they consider different approaches to designing brand logos.

Phonetic Symbolism,Children,Logo

2

Logo Design: Examining Consumer Response to Figurativeness Across Cultures

Joana César Machado, Catholic University of Portugal

Leonor Vacas-De-Carvalho, Evora University
Anna Torres, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Michel Van De Velden, Erasmus University
Patrício Costa, School of Health Science, Minho University

Literature concerned with logo strategy suggests that the aesthetic appeal of brand logo significantly influences consumer reactions. The main purpose of this research is to study the influence of the different categories of figurative logo designs on consumer response. Through two studies in three countries, this research sheds light on consumer logo preferences, by investigating the psychological properties of the figurativeness of logo design. Results showed that figurativeness is an essential design element that significantly influences affective responses. Moreover, results suggest that natural designs are clearly preferred, and that the appeal of the different categories of figurative designs seems to be universal.

Brand Logo Design,Consumer Response,National Cultures

3

Multidimensional Scaling of Visual Design: An Objective Approach of Determining Similarities

Jan Landwehr, Goethe University

Daniel Wentzel, RWTH Aachen University

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) is a popular technique for the purpose of positioning a product/brand in the competitive space. While MDS has the advantage of transforming complex data into a two-dimensional space, it also has several shortcomings. In the present research, these shortcomings are addressed in one particular field of application, namely product design. In particular, we develop a novel way of measuring the similarities between different product designs. Moreover, this approach is based on a theoretically grounded approach that allows us to make specific predictions about the perceptual space and is validated through an empirical study in the automotive sector.

Mds,Aesthetics,Design

1

Choice-Based, Brand-Anchored Conjoint (CBAC): A New Method for Measuring Brand Image

Henrik Sattler, Hamburg University

Oliver Schnittka, University of Southern Denmark
Mario Farsky, University of Hamburg

The article introduces choice-based, brand-anchored conjoint (CBAC) analysis as a new measurement technique to assess brand image, based on an approach introduced by Louviere and Johnson (1990), in which brands serve as the levels for any attribute. An empirical study tests the validity of the new method compared with (1) Louviere and Johnson’s approach and (2) a method commonly used for commercial applications of brand image measurement (i. e., a direct attribute ratings method). The results indicate superior validity scores for CBAC.

Brand Image Measurement,Brand Anchored Conjoint,Choice-Based Conjoint

2

Branding in Interactive Media: Engagement Platforms and Their Influence on Customer Engagement and Brand Image

Lorena Blasco-Arcas, University of Saragossa

Blanca Hernandez-Ortega, University of Zaragoza
Julio Jimenez-Martínez, University of Zaragoza

Branding in digital worlds has become a critical issue and has shifted from a firm-focused management to a customer-focused one. This is especially relevant in virtual engagement platforms, which are designed to promote customers’ value-creating activities. This research aims to explore whether the active role of customers in engagement platforms (EPs) influences brand image and customers’ purchase behavior through their engagement. Building on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, we also explore the role of emotions as the drivers of the customer perceptions in these platforms. SEM analyses are used to test the hypothesized relationships. Our results corroborate that, during the interaction with the platform, customers experience emotions that influence their engagement. Brand image mediates the effects of emotions and customer engagement on his/her purchase behavior.

Brand Image,Customer Engagement,Emotions

3

The Impact of Selected Image Dimensions of Flagship Stores on Consumer’s Brand Associations

Daniel Keßler, Saarland University

Benjamin Ney, Saarland University
Joachim Zentes, Saarland University

As a part of a company’s marketing-mix, flagship stores play a major role in attracting consumers emotionally and strengthening their brand loyalty. However, few studies have investigated the direct influence of flagship store image dimension on brand equity. Drawing on data from flagship store visitors (n = 110) of a German domestic appliances manufacturer, we analyze the antecedent and consequences of brand equity within the context of a multisensory brand experience. We show that the “infotainment” aspect, as well as the location and the visual appearance of a flagship store, lead to higher brand loyalty.

Flagship,Store Image,Brand Equity

1

What Drives Customers’ Loyalty and Willingness to Pay Over Time: A Comparative Study of the Long-Term Effects of Customer Satisfaction and Customer–Company Identification

Till Haumann, Ruhr University Bochum

Benjamin Quaiser, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management Berlin
Jan Wieseke, Ruhr University Bochum
Mario Rese, Ruhr University Bochum & ESMT Berlin

Previous research has identified customer satisfaction (CS) and customer–company identification (CCI) as two of the most important concepts in relationship marketing. Despite their proclaimed importance, comparative research on their long-term effectiveness is surprisingly scarce. This study makes a first attempt to address this research void and offers a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of CS and CCI in driving important customer outcomes over time. Latent growth analyses of rich longitudinal data from customers over nine measurement points spanning 43 weeks (n = 6930) show that CS and CCI have positive initial effects on customers’ loyalty and willingness to pay (WTP), but differ in their ability to maintain these positive effects over time. While the positive effects of CS decrease more rapidly, the effects of CCI are significantly more persistent.

Customer Satisfaction,Customer–company Identification,Longitudinal Analysis

2

Brand Love: A Unitary or Multiplex Phenomenon?

Jochen Kühn, University of Wuppertal

Tobias Langner, University of Wuppertal
Alexander Fischer, University of Wuppertal

Brand love can be considered as the most intensive consumer brand relationship. It has become a hot topic in research as well as in marketing practice. Surprisingly, the fundamental question whether brand love is a unitary or multiplex phenomenon has not been answered yet. To address this question, we conducted one qualitative and two quantitative studies. Building on Schwartz’s universal value theory, we developed a typology of different brand love relationships. Six distinct brand love types were identified: self-esteem enhancing brand love, hedonic brand love, inner-harmony-creating brand love, self-determined brand love, performance-boosting brand love, and preserving brand love.

Brand Love,Typology,Values

3

Is Brand Loyalty Decline a Buzz-Word or an Empirical Fact? A Longitudinal Analysis of Repeat Purchase Behavior in the UK and the USA

Lars Meyer-Waarden, EM Strasbourg business School (HuManiS) & IAE School of Management Toulouse (CRM), Capitole University

John Dawes, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute University of South-Australia
Carl Driesener, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute University of South-Australia

This research examines long-term loyalty change in a wide variety of packaged good categories in the UK and USA, over time periods between six to thirteen years. The study uses φ, expressed as S, the Dirichlet category switching parameter as the loyalty indicator. The findings provide mixed evidence. Only in 7 out of 15 UK categories and 2 of 6 US categories loyalty is slightly declining. Overall, the correlation between φ and the repertoire size is highly negative indicating that when the number of brands bought increases loyalty decreases. Loyalty decline appears to be product category-specific, rather than a universal phenomenon, and furthermore appears to be a very slight and slow process. The more the number of products (SKU) increases, the less loyal consumers become as the repertoire size rises.

Longitudinal Evolution Of Brand Loyalty,Dirichlet Model,Consumer Panel Data

4

Why do Customer Attitudes towards Loyalty Programs Matter a lot?

Virginie Bruneau, Louvain School of Management

Pietro Zidda, Université de Namur

Recent figures show that, unless rising number of enrollments, consumers become less active and engaged with their loyalty programs (LPs). Firms tend to spend more time and money in enrollment campaigns than in managing relations with program members. As a result, customers are unaware of LP features, do not perceive the benefits and become or stay non-active. In order to build real relationships, firms should first foster favorable attitude towards their LPs. This paper aims to understand how attitudes towards LPs are formed and how they impact behaviors. The results of our qualitative study show that LP attitudes are built up from the associations consumers make about LPs and that they are likely to drive their behavior with the program and the store. By understanding the formation of attitudes towards LPs, firms might create favorable attitudes, increase active memberships and subsequently build long lasting relationships.

Loyalty,Attitudes,Qualitative

1

Multichannel versus Pure E-securities Brokers: Impact of Customers’ Assessment of Website Attributes on E-relationship

Elissar Toufaily, Laval University

Frank Pons, Université Laval

This study compared customers of multichannel securities brokers with customers of pure e-brokers in their evaluations of online website attributes and the attributes’ impacts on e-trust and e-loyalty. An online survey of 339 securities investors on the Internet was conducted. Variance analysis as well as multigroup analysis showed that online trust as well as six features of the website were evaluated more highly for multichannel broker than for pure e-brokers. Findings also showed that Website security/privacy as well as quality support contribute to online trust for both type of brokers, however quality support is the only attribute whose impact is higher for the e-broker. Interactivity, personalization and social presence contribute to online trust only among multichannel brokers. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

Online Relationship,Multichannel Retailer,Website Attributes

2

Social Networking Sites as means to create Customer Loyalty

Noelia Sánchez-Casado, Polytechnic University of Cartagena

Eva Tomaseti-Solano, Polytechnic University of Cartagena
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro, Polytechnic University of Cartagena

In the last few years, Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become very useful for firms, allowing them to attract new customers and to manage the customer-brand relationships. In this context, we consider SNS as a new relationship marketing tool that can potentially improve engagement by helping the user to make his/her personal decision in an increasing range of domains. Then, as other relationship marketing tools accomplish (e.g. loyalty programs), brand pages at SNS provide relational benefits to its customers with the aim to create customer loyalty. In this study we analyze how relational benefits (utilitarian, symbolic and hedonic) perceived by customers engaged in brand pages, affect brand knowledge, brand equity and, ultimately, customer loyalty. The results of the study help managers to design their marketing strategies at SNS.

Relational Benefits,Customer Loyalty,Social Networking Sites

3

Service Adoption and Defection Decisions: Understanding the Effects of Social Influences in Consumers’ Social Networks

Irit Nitzan, Tel Aviv University

Vardit Landsman, Tel Aviv University and Erasmus University

The processes of products' adoption and defection are closely related and are likely to influence each other. We utilize social network information and information regarding customers' adoption and defection decisions of a cellular add-on, to analyze the social interplay between the two decisions. We estimate a multi-event hazard model and find that the likelihood of adoption (defection) decreases with exposure to the defection (adoption) of network neighbors. We term these effects cross-process social effects. Correspondingly, we refer to the influence of exposure to adoption (defection) on the likelihood of adoption (defection) as within-process social effects. We find that adoption decisions are influenced by cross-process social effects and by within-process social effects to a similar extent, whereas defection decisions are substantially more affected by within-process social effects than by cross-process social effects. The social effects discussed were also affected by tie strength and homophily with adopting (defecting) neighbors.

Adoption,Defection,Social Influence / Social Networks

4

The influence of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) on Actual Online Word-of-Mouth

Hans Haans, Tilburg University

Neomie Raassens, Eindhoven University of Technology

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used measurement tool for customer loyalty. While common practice for many companies across multiple industries, academics are not convinced about the NPS method. The major concern is whether the NPS method predicts firm profitability. Against this backdrop, this research aims to provide more insights into the relationship between customers’ NPS and online word-of-mouth behavior. Results from an ordered logit model indicate that there is a significant relationship between the Net Promoter score and social media sentiment (online word-of-mouth). Based on this finding, firms are recommended to invest in better service to increase the NPS score, and in turn its profitability.

Net Promoter Score,Word-Of-Mouth,Loyalty

1

Conversion Backlash? Decision Support and Hasty Action in Consumer Product Search

Radoslaw Karpienko, Vienna University of economics and business

Thomas Reutterer, Vienna University of Economics and Business

Recent studies have shown that product recommendations substantially change the consumer decision process, regardless of the quality of recommendations. Specifically, consumers inspect less alternatives, and make their stopping decision earlier than in unassisted search. In the present Study we investigate in how far such behavioral influences can affect post-purchase evaluation. We use a real-world commercial recommendation agent in an experimental study with three conditions: A baseline condition with no recommendations, a condition with 'fake' recommendations, and a condition with 'real' recommendations. Our initial findings indicate that product recommendations may bias consumer choice, and thus potentially lead to negative effects in the long run.

Recommendations,Decision,E-Commerce

2

Effect of Co-production Process and Outcome on Customer Evaluative Judgments

Anne Merken, Hasselt University

Sandra Streukens, Hasselt University
Sara Leroi-Werelds, Hasselt University

Co-production has increased substantially over the years. Nonetheless, how co-production influences customer evaluations remains vague. As co-production entails customers’ active participation in the production process, the influence of the co-production process should be considered in addition to the evaluation of the outcome. Therefore, we simultaneously examine the effect of co-production process quality and outcome quality on customer evaluations. The present study shows that both process and outcome quality significantly impact satisfaction and repurchase intention, however, we fail to find an interaction effect. Thus, firms should not only focus on designing effective co-production outcomes, but also on creating an enjoyable process.

Co-Production,Process Quality,Outcome Quality

3

How Trust affects the Use of Information obtained through Intra- and Extraorganizational Relationships?

Tamara Keszey, Corvinus University of Budapest

We have limited knowledge on the potential pattern similarities/differences of trust’s role that may exist in information use obtained through intra- and extra-organizational relationships. This study addresses this question by investigating how trust leads to information use. Data from 338 intra-organizational and a sub-ample of 158 interorganizational dyadic information exchange-relationships showed that trust is an important driver of the utilization of market information in both cases. Trust has no direct relationship to information use, instead has a strong indirect effect through a mediator, perceived quality of information. The effects of trust on the use of information obtained through inter- and extra-organizational dyadic relationships proved to be similar.

Trust,Managerial Use Of Market Information,Relationships

4

True or False Customer Engagement Behaviour: What can we learn from Customers’ Touch point Histories?

Helle Haurum, Copenhagen Business School

Suzanne C. Beckmann, Copenhagen Business School/Department of Marketing

Customers’ engagement behaviours are considered an important source of value to the company. So far, the discussion has mainly been conceptual and focused on the company’s perspective. By adopting the customer’s perspective we investigated how customers perceive their service relationship encounters with a company, using in-depth interviews. We found the following key factors driving and explaining customers’ engagement behaviours: (1) transactions matter and inconsistent engagement behaviours are a reality, (2) mundane products and services are still highly relevant for customers, and (3) different degrees of customer experience alignment with services and products exist. Moreover, the distinction between true and false engagement behaviours we suggest indeed is relevant and we could establish their mediating capabilities.

Customer Engagement Behaviours,Customer Dominant Logic,Loyalty Discrepancy

1

A Contingency approach for a Profitable Complaint Management

Iguácel Melero Polo, University of Saragossa

Jesús Cambra, University of Pablo de Olavide
Iguácel Melero, University of Zaragoza
Javier Sese, University of Zaragoza

This study aims to understand whether organizational responses to customer complaints improve customer profitability. To do so, the authors propose a contingency framework in which the effectiveness of organizational responses to complaints and direct marketing in improving customer profitability is contingent upon: relationship strength and type of failure. The framework is empirically tested applying latent class techniques to longitudinal data for a sample of complaining customers. The results reveal that: (1) different complaint-handling strategies have differential effects on profitability; (2) direct marketing can both hinder and enhance the effectiveness of complaint-handling strategies; and (3) there is significant heterogeneity –four customer segments–; the effectiveness of complaint handling and direct marketing is contingent upon the strength of the relationship and the type of failure.

Customer Profitability,Complaint Handling,Relationship Strength

2

Fairness Quality (FQ): A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Firms’ Fairness

Bang Nguyen, East China University of Science and Technology

Steve Chen, Oxford Brookes University
Lyndon Simkin, Henley Business School

To encounter firms’ perceived unfair behavior, we develop a measure of fairness quality (FQ) to assess firms’ fairness. Using the means-end framework, we conceptualize, construct, and test the FQ scale over multiple stages of data collection. The final scale contains 21 items in four dimensions: transparency, associations, moderations, and process. The scale demonstrates good psychometric properties, passing all reliability and validity tests. The study extends existing research on fairness and provides marketers with a reliable instrument so that unfairness may be detected and managed systematically. To the best of our knowledge, we are first to create an FQ scale.

Fairness,Ethics,Quality

3

Agreeableness and Customer Satisfaction: Effects of Customer Personality on the Relationship Between Factor Level and Overall Satisfaction With Banking Services

Sonja Bidmon, Klagenfurt University

Highly satisfied, delighted customers of banking services have higher loyalty, less intention to change the bank and a higher intention to recommend it. It is well established that not all of the banking service attributes have the potential to delight customers. In fact, according to the three-factor theory of customer satisfaction, there are three factors that each affect overall customer satisfaction differently: basic, performance and excitement factors. This paper investigates how personality, especially agreeableness (high vs. low), can influence the relationship between attribute respectively factor level and overall satisfaction with banking services. The results clearly show that factor classification differs between customers high vs. low in agreeableness. The findings have implications for theory and practice.

Customer Satisfaction,Agreeableness,Three-Factor Theory

4

Relational Effects of Athlete Transgressions

Kate Westberg, Rmit University

Constantino Stavros, Rmit University
Bradley Wilson, Rmit University
Aaron Smith, Rmit University

Many professional sports have been challenged by incidents of inappropriate or illegal behavior perpetrated by athletes. These transgressions, and subsequent media scrutiny, can impact on the relationship between the consumer and the sport organization. This study explores consumer expectations of athletes, response to transgressions and the potential impact on the relationship quality with the sport organization. Our work adds to the relational transgression literature by examining incidents involving employees with whom consumers have an indirect relationship. Our findings indicate that depending on the dispositional and situational attributions made by consumers, these transgressions can create conflict and have negative relational consequences.

Transgressions,Sport,Relationship Marketing

1

Playing Isolation Doesn't Pay Off! - A Network Theoretical Approach to Intermediary Performance

Tobias Schlager, University of St. Gallen

Matthias Rüfenacht, University of St.Gallen / Institute of Insurance Economics

The increasing competition and the high connectivity among companies have resulted in a focus on networks, rather than on a single company. Accordingly, literature has emphasized network value as a focal construct. No studies have yet examined the value of network theory on performance outcomes. In this paper, we investigate the importance of applying a network perspective on channel members, namely on the relationship between companies and their intermediaries. We do this by means of a global survey in the financial service industry (n=538). Doing so, we enhance the understanding of the intermediaries performance.

Networks,Intermediaries,Distribution

2

Understanding the Normative Role of Industry Standards in Channel Negotiations

Arnaud De Bruyn, ESSEC Business School Paris

Gary Bolton, University of Texas - Dallas
Bill Ross, University of Connecticut

Regarding pricing policies and negotiation outcomes, industry standards play a significant role in practice, but often appear arbitrary, and are most likely suboptimal from a profit-maximizing perspective. Regardless of their shortcomings, we argue in this paper that such standards play the role of social norms, which are essential to help negotiating parties reach a profitable and sustainable agreement. Absent of social norms, the uncertainty surrounding what the other players will do are such that defensive strategies are favored, to the expense of cooperative strategies. We develop and experimentally test a game in which a manufacturer and a reseller try to reach an agreement, where we manipulate the nature of their relationship and the presence and nature of industry norms. We show that both industry norms and a stable business relationship are required to reach a cooperative solution.

Game Theory,Channel,Negotiation

3

Innovation, Internationalization, Value Chain Position, and Export Orientation in the Petroleum Subsea Industry

Jarle Aarstad, Bergen University College

Inger Beate Pettersen, Bergen University College
Stig-Erik Jakobsen, Bergen University College

We study possible drivers for export orientation in the petroleum maritime subsea industry in the Hordaland region of Western Norway. Consistent with previous research, survey data reveal that product innovation and a majority of international ownership increase the export rate. The use of instrumental variables indicates that both product innovation and international ownership are causes – and not effects – of an export orientation. Our data furthermore show that subcontractors have a lower rate of direct export than system providers. However, international ownership in particular boosts subcontractors’ export rate, probably by decreasing their market dependency on regional system providers. We address the findings’ implications for channel management.

Export,Innovation,Value Chain Position

4

Franchise Fairs: A Relevant Signal in Franchise Choice

Pilar Huerta Zavala, University of Burgos

Esther Calderon Monge, Universidad de Burgos

This study addresses how potential franchisees who are embarking on their first start-up venture choose which franchise chains they wish to enter into business with. Working within the framework of signalling theory, the study’s aim is to analyse the relationship between franchise choice, and brand, price and participation in franchise fairs. By applying panel data methodology, the analysis yields results that imply that potential franchisees prefer to garner information directly from franchise fairs, as opposed to heeding the other signals under study.

Franchising,Signals,Fairs

1

Private Label Alone? Consequences of ‘Only-PL’ Assortments on Store Switching Intentions

Juan Carlos Gázquez-Abad, University of Almería

Francisco J. Martínez-López, University of Granada and Open University of Catalonia (Spain)
Irene Esteban-Millat, Open University of Catalonia (Spain)
Juan Antonio Mondéjar-Jiménez, University of Castille-La Mancha
Francisco Rejón-Guardia, University of Granada (Spain)

Brand delisting refers to the removal of all items of a single brand, leading to the unavailability of the brand within a store. Recent professional publications indicate that national brand (NB) delistings are not uncommon in food retailing. However, retail boycotts of individual brands might have negative consequences, such as reduced customer satisfaction or increased store switching behavior. This paper analyzes the consequences of a retailer delisting all or a significant number of NBs for the sake of its own brand. To do so, we have designed a controlled online experiment on a large existing consumer panel in the Spanish market owned by IRI Worldwide. Our findings suggest that offering ‘only-PL’ assortments has negative consequences because consumers are more likely to switch to another store to purchase the category. Nevertheless, retailers focused on offering ‘only-PL’ assortments should own a PL with a high-equity positioning as this will reduce the probability of consumers switching to another store

Assortment,Private Label,Delisting

2

Buying Private Label Durable Products: Influence of Perceived Risk and Anticipated Satisfaction

Maria-Jose Miquel, University of Valencia

Eva Caplliure, University of Valencia
Carmen Perez, University of Valencia
Rafael Curras, University of Valencia

Based on the purchase of a plasma television, this present study analyses the influence of general satisfaction with private labels, perceived similarity, in terms of quality between the private label brand and the manufacturer brand, perceived risk associated to the purchase, and anticipated satisfaction with the purchase, on intention to purchase private label brand durables. Anticipated satisfaction with the purchase and perceived risk are not usually contemplated in the literature. Study of a sample of 434 individuals shows the influence of general satisfaction with the private label brand and perceived similarity of quality on risk dimensions and the strong influence of risk and anticipated satisfaction with the purchase on the private label brand purchase intention.

Private Label,Perceived Risk,Anticipated Satisfaction

3

Adopting a Relationship Marketing Approach in Retailing Services Context in Order to Explain Consumers’ Intention to Re-purchase PLBs: A Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Approach

Kalliopi Chatzipanagiotou, Glasgow University / Business School

Spiros Gounaris, University of Strathclyde Business School
Angelos Pantouvakis, University of Piraeus, Department of Maritime Studies

The present study aims to extend our knowledge regarding consumers’ future behaviour towards Private Label Brands (PLBs) by putting together traditionally price-related factors such as price consciousness and deal-proneness and new explanatory factors such as store image, customers’ satisfaction with PLBs, consumers’ trust in the retailer and retailer’s PLBs. In order to do so, the present study leverages the advantages of the novel Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) in order to overcome the methodological limitations of the conventional analyses and draw inferences regarding the causal ‘recipes’ underling consumers’ future intentions towards PLBs. The results of the study provide retailers and manufacturers with insights into effective ways to strategically respond to PLBs growth and performance.

Branding,Relationship Marketing,Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

1

How Online Stores Confuse Shoppers: Conceptual Framework and Empirical Investigation

Marion Garaus, Vienna University

The current research theoretically develops and empirically tests a framework of the antecedents and consequences of electronic Retail Shopper Confusion. Study one uses a projective technique to investigate confusion drivers in online store environments. The identification of nine confusing online store elements provides input for an online experiment employing a writing scenario technique. Online consumers react in a confusing shopping situation with avoidance behavior (e.g., shopping cart abandonment, low repeat visiting intentions). The findings advance the understanding of the elicitation of negative feelings by online store environments and provide an explanation why shoppers react with avoidance behavior in specific online shopping situations.

Online Shopping,Confusion,Online Store Environment

2

The influence of Web Design and Buyer Characteristics on Browsing Behaviour

Prithwiraj Nath, University of East Anglia

Sally Mckechnie, Nottingham University Business School

Although the effects of interactivity and personalisation tools on browsing experience has been the subject of previous research, the impact of variable levels of such features on buyers’ evaluations of trust, attitudes towards websites and feelings of decision satisfaction has received relatively little attention. To address this gap, this study conducts an experiment with 273 subjects to examine these relationships in the context of complex, high risk purchase situations where the seller is new to the market and buyers demonstrate variable risk preference. Findings identify a positive association between website design features and browsing outcomes, and the effectiveness of such features higher for buyers with lower risk preference.

Trust,Decision Satisfaction,Web Design

3

Active Return Management for Online Retailer

Siham El Kihal, Goethe University

Christian Schulze, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
Bernd Skiera, Goethe University Frankfurt/ Electronic Commerce

High product return rates and their associated costs pose major challenges to online retailers. We investigate whether online retailers always benefit from active return management by ana-lysing the potential for profit improvements in diverse product categories, then comparing the suitability of nine return management strategies for realizing that potential. The analyses rely on an extensive data set from a large online retailer, including purchases by of over 166,000 customers over a five-year period. The authors confirm that retailers should focus their return management activities on managing customers, rather than products or some combination. Even the best return management strategy will not benefit every online retailer though: Some product categories stand to experience profit improvements of up to 330% from good active return management, but others will hardly benefit.

Online Retailing,Product Returns,Return Management

4

Is the Decision of SMEs to Establish an Online Shop Influenced by Institutional Pressure?

Matthias Schu, University of Fribourg

Dirk Morschett, University of Fribourg/Chair for International Management
Frank Haelsig, HTW Saarland
Bernhard Swoboda, University of Trier, Chair for Marketing and Retailing

The aim of this paper is to investigate factors that influence the intention of an SME to launch an online shop. A PLS model is used based on the Technology Acceptance Model and is extended with neo-institutionalist elements. Drawing on a sample of 864 SMEs from different sectors of retail and wholesale trade, 52.8 % of the variance of the inten-tion to launch an online shop is explained with the proposed model. The results indicate that the perceived usefulness and mimetic and coercive isomorphism influence the inten-tion to establish an online channel.

E-Commerce,Sme,Tam

1

A Comparison of the Antecedents of Offline, Online, and Mobile Channel Usage

Sebastian Tillmanns, Muenster University

Marcel Stafflage, Muenster University
Carolyn Hall, Muenster University

Little is known about the perception of mobile channel attributes. In this study, a comparison of channel attributes among the online, mobile, and offline channel is conducted. Channel attributes comprise the consumers’ perception of assortment quality, service quality, product price, effort, and risk across channels. Furthermore, this research controls for different product categories (search vs. experience goods). The authors find significant differences across channels with regard to the examined attributes. Products categories only reveal a significant difference across channels with regard to effort. All channel attributes prove to significantly impact consumers’ buying intention. The study provides important implications about how the different attributes should be treated across channels.

Multichannel,Mobile Marketing,Retailing

2

Online Channel Usage: Does it Create Opportunities for Share-of-Wallet Expansion or Entail a Risk of Offline Cannibalization?

Kristina Melis, KULeuven

Katia Campo, KULeuven
Els Breugelmans, KULeuven
Lien Lamey, KULeuven

Does a shift from single to multi-channel shopping affect the allocation of grocery spending across retail chains? Given the increase in operational costs associated with a multi-channel strategy, it is important for retailers to know whether consumers who start buying online will spend a larger share at the chain (expansion) or will merely shift part of their spending at the chain from offline to online (cannibalization). We model the effect of online channel usage on a consumer’s share-of-wallet and explore the underlying drivers of this effect. Preliminary results confirm that online shoppers tend to expand the chain’s share-of-wallet.

Multi-Channel,Grocery,Expansion

3

The Value of the Supermarket: a Cross-Retail Format Study of Holbrook's Typology

Kim Willems, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Sara Leroi-Werelds, Hasselt University
Gilbert Swinnen, Hasselt University

This study addresses the following two research questions: (1) Are different retail formats typically associated with different customer value types?; (2) What is the strategic role of different value types in driving customer satisfaction, repurchase intentions and word of mouth? To address these research questions, Holbrook’s (1999) value typology is used. The results demonstrate that store formats are indeed associated with characteristic value types. Furthermore, this study provides an insight into the relative importance of Holbrook’s value types in generating key evaluative judgments. The managerial relevance of these findings is mainly situated in store format specific positioning strategy advice.

Supermarkets,Customer Value,Retail Formats

4

Should Retailers Integrate Assortments Across Channels to Drive Customer Loyalty? Insights From Mediating Mechanisms and Moderating Conditions

Oliver Emrich, University of St. Gallen

Michael Paul, University of Augsburg
Thomas Rudolph, University of St.Gallen

Building on the concept of diagnosticity, this study investigates through which mechanisms and in which conditions channel assortment integration influences customer loyalty. Results of a 3 (channel structure: full, asymmetrical, none) x 3 (assortment structure: substitutive, complementary, independent) experimental study with 959 participants show that structures are regarded as diagnostic by customers, in that they infer potential benefits from these cues, which mediate the link between structures and loyalty. Whereas full integration enhances loyalty across all assortment structures, asymmetrical integration can have detrimental effects, in particular, for substitutive relations and for customers’ high on personal need for structure. Researchers and managers can use our findings to understand the effectiveness of the diverse approaches of channel integration.

Multichannel Management,Channel Assortment Integration,Diagnosticity Theory

1

Re-Examining the Influence of Service Delivery System Effectiveness on Perceived Service Quality

Giannis Kostopoulos, Leeds Metropolitan University

George Lodorfos, Leeds Metropolitan University
Achilleas Boukis, University of Sussex

This article focuses on the effectiveness of the Service Delivery System (SDS) and re-examines its influence on customers’ perceived service quality. In this study, the influence of SDS effectiveness’ most important dimensions (front line employees’ role performance, their adaptability to individual customer needs, the effectiveness of the coordination and the effectiveness of the process’ control) on perceived service quality is tested, following a hierarchical approach. The results confirm the positive influence of three variables on perceived service quality (role performance, effectiveness of coordination and effectiveness of process’ control). On the contrary, the influence of employees’ adaptability was not found significant.

Service,System,Quality

2

Exploring Effects of Personal Values on Consumer Evaluation of Service Quality: An Empirical Study

Angelos Pantouvakis, University of Piraeus

Spiros Gounaris, University of Strathclyde
Kalliopi Chatzipanagiotou, University of Glasgow

This research examines the effects of personal values measured by Schwartz Value System on the five dimensions of service quality as introduced by SERVQUAL in an attempt to provide a deeper understanding of how and why customers judge service quality. Data from 1500 mobile phone users provide evidence that customers may be grouped in 4 clusters according to their values and that those clusters clearly moderate the importance of SERVQUAL dimensions on assessing overall service experience. Service firms have to move beyond service attributes and incorporate their customers’ values to form an excellent experience.

Servqual,Schwartz,Values

3

Helping Adolescents when Time is of the Essence

Willemijn Van Dolen, University of Amsterdam

Charles Weinberg, Sauder School of Business
Leiming Ma, University of Amsterdam Business School

The authors investigate how duration of a chat conversation impact adolescents’ perceptions of service quality of a child helpline and test whether this impact varies depending upon the seriousness of the issues discussed. The study reveals that duration of the chat positively influences the perceived service quality, but only for adolescents chatting about very serious topics. Furthermore, the study shows that satisfaction with a service encounter can positively influence the well-being of adolescents and their willingness to recommend the service to peers.

Child Helpline,Duration,Well-Being

1

Towards a Re-Conceptualisation and Measurement of Services Brand Identity

Vandana Pareek, The University of Edinburgh

Tina Harrison, The University of Edinburgh
Dahlia El-Manstrly, The University of Edinburgh

The paper focuses on conceptualizing and measuring brand identity in services. We develop a valid and reliable scale to measure services brand identity. The lack of a consumer-based conceptualisation and measure of brand identity is concerning, especially in the context of a new service-dominant logic that regards consumers as “co-creators of value”. We explore and critically examine customers’ understandings of brand identity and refine brand identity as a co-created construct. We then outline the procedures used to develop and test an initial scale that measures this construct. The scale has the potential to be of use in assessing the relationship between brand identity and other branding and consumer behaviour constructs (such as brand loyalty and trust), thus enabling the impact of brand identity to be established.

Brand,Identity,Services

2

Brands as Socialising Agents

Cleopatra Veloutsou, Glasgow University / Business School

Mariza Arvaniti, University of Glasgow

The paper focuses on the growing aspect of consumer-brand communities in the online context and the manner that the engagement of individuals in brand communities can actually support the broadening of the social interaction of individuals outside the online brand community and the brand related context. In the context an on line service, on line strategy games, and using data collected from 384 gamers, it suggests that the relationship that consumers have with the brand and their need to socialise can predict their participation in the online community (community engagement and community identification), while their participation in the on line community, and in particular community identification, can predict their willingness to develop social ties with the other members of the on line community outside the on line environment and the brand related context.

On Line Games,Brand Communities,Brand Community Participation

3

Experiential Marketing in an Entertainment Service: Event-Brand Transfer

Natalia Vila, University of Valencia

Ines Kuster-Boluda, University of Valencia
Mª Carmen Rodriguez-Molina, University of Valencia
Asuncion Hernandez-Fernandez, University of Valencia
Lisa Scribner, University of North Carolina Wilmington

The main aim of this research is to evaluate the effects that experiencing an event has on experience with the promoting brand. The study analysed the musical event MTV Winter Festival, considering the opinion of 127 attendees to discover the impact of experiencing the MTV entertainment television channel event in three areas: improved brand experience, improved brand personality and increased brand reputation. Regarding event experience’s antecedents, “immersion” has been identified as the most important one, and “brand experience” as the most important effect. In addition, it has been found that brand experience has a positive impact on exciting brand personality and exciting brand personality in turn on brand reputation.

Experience,Brand,Event

1

Do Organizational Policies Matter? The Impact of Service Guarantee on Customer Perceptions of Recovery Fairness

Benedetta Crisafulli, Kingston University / Kingston Business School

Jaywant Singh, Kingston University
Francesca Dall'Olmo Riley, Kingston University

Delivering fair service recovery is crucial to restoring customer satisfaction and repatronage. This study contends that organizational policies impact recovery fairness perceptions. Underpinned by signaling and justice theories, the study examines the influence of service guarantees on customer perceptions of recovery fairness. Given that businesses extensively use service guarantees, knowledge on perceptions of fairness towards such policies is relevant to designing effective guarantees. Employing a scenario-based experiment, this study shows that fairness varies according to the type of guarantee payout. The pledge for monetary compensation has differential impact on fairness perceptions, discount offers lower fairness and increase negative motive attributions. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Market Signaling,Service Failure And Recovery,Perceived Justice

2

Do Mystery Callers really Represent Customers?

Janny C. Hoekstra, University of Groningen

Annette Ammeraal, University of Groningen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Dept of Marketing
Peter S.H. Leeflang, University of Groningen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Dept of Marketing; Aston Business School.

Mystery calling is a specific form of mystery shopping that is often applied for evaluating customer contact services. Using data from both customers and mystery callers (MCs), we study the validity of MC data for evaluating customer-related performance measures. Controlling for characteristics of the call, we find no bias in MC’s evaluations of satisfaction and gratitude, and less positive word of mouth. Furthermore, we find that MC’s evaluations are more positive if s/he is a customer and in case of longer calls. More experienced MCs evaluate less positive. We recommend regular refreshment of the composition of the group of MCs.

Mystery Calling,Data Validity,Customer Contact Center

3

What Goes around Comes around: The Impact of Employee Empathy on Service Recovery Performances

Christina Jerger, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

Jens Hogreve, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

This research compares the impact of employee service recovery strategies with focus on affective (i.e., empathic concern) and cognitive empathy (i.e., perspective-taking) on customers’ emotional and behavioral recovery responses over three studies. Multiple regression analyses show employee empathic concern as unique predictor of customer recovery responses, independent from strategies based on cognitive empathy. We confirm empathic concern to strongly affect service recovery performances, thereafter we suggest service firms to develop an emotional path of recovering additional to their behavioral one which can reduce customer negative responses to service failures. The importance of affective recovering and further research issues are discussed.

Service Recovery,Affective Empathy,Cognitive Empathy

1

Don´t Try Harder: Using Customer Inoculation to Build Resistance against Service Failures

Sven Mikolon, Ruhr University Bochum

Jan Wieseke, Ruhr University Bochum
Benjamin Quaiser, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management Berlin

Capitalizing on a large-scale field experimental data set involving 1254 airline customers, this study introduces customer inoculation as a proactive strategy for mitigating negative consequences of service failures on customer satisfaction. By contrast, traditional strategies focus on addressing service failures after they have occurred. This study shows that customer inoculation eases the decrease in satisfaction when customers experience a service failure. Additional analyses indicate that customer inoculation has no harmful effects on customer satisfaction if no service failure occurs. This finding sets inoculation apart from expectation management and underscores the potential inoculation has for marketing practice.

Customer Satisfaction,Customer Inoculation,Service Failure

2

Why Dissatisfied Customers Buy Again? The Role of Self-Attribution

Stefanie Paluch, TU Dortmund University

Soeren Koecher, TU Dortmund University
Andreas Kessenbrock, TU Dortmund University

This paper examines the influence of service dissatisfaction on repurchase intentions and the moderating effect of self-attribution. First, we examine the influence of service performance on service satisfaction, repurchase intentions, and the moderating effect of self-attribution in a self-service setting. In a second step, we investigate the effect of ease of use and usefulness on the self-attribution. We use an experimental approach with 287 undergraduate students. Analysis indicates the link between service satisfaction and repurchase intentions is diminished with an increasing self-attribution. The experiments confirm that perceived ease of use and usefulness generally lead to higher self-attribution of service outcomes.

Self-Attribution,Self-Service-Technology,Service-Failure

3

Antecedent and Consequences of Positive Word of Mouth From WOM Sender’s Perspective: A Conceptual Framework in the Services Context

Rahul Chawdhary, Kingston University / Kingston Business School

Francesca Dall' Olmo Riley, Kingston University Business School

This paper outlines a conceptual framework of the antecedent and consequences of offline positive word of mouth (P-WOM) from the WOM sender’s perspective, as the effect of WOM on WOM’s sender is not well understood. Customer satisfaction (CS) is examined as an antecedent of P-WOM and continuance commitment is purported as a potential moderator of the CS-PWOM relationship. WOM sender’s loyalty & affective commitment are examined as consequences of P-WOM. The tie strength between the WOM participants is proposed as a potential moderator of the P-WOM-service loyalty & P-WOM-affective commitment link. Scenario based experimental research design will be used to test the model. Pre-tests are currently being conducted to validate the scenarios and results of hypotheses testing will be presented at the conference.

Word Of Mouth,Services,Experiments

4

Breathing Down Your Neck - The Impact of Queues on Customers Using a Service

Martin Dahm, RWTH Aachen University

Daniel Wentzel, RWTH Aachen University
Walter Herzog, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

Queues are ubiquitous phenomena in many service industries. While a rich body of research in this field focuses on queues from a waiting perspective, the purpose of this paper is to investigate what happens once a consumer reaches the front of the queue and starts using the service. Drawing on social impact theory (SIT) and social pressure literature, this research indicates that the service experience will be less positive as the number of people waiting behind a customer who is currently using a service increases. It is further shown that social pressure is an important issue in this process.

Queuing,Service Encounter,Social Pressure

1

Creating Value-In-Use in B2b Markets: The Role of Customer Resource Integration Readiness

Ilias Danatzis, Free University of Berlin

Michael Kleinaltenkamp, Free University of Berlin

This study explores the role of customer employees’ cognitive and motivational conditions - summarized as customer resource integration readiness - that are required for value-in-use creation in business markets. In addition, customer development efforts are investigated as means on how suppliers can support their customers’ resource integration process. Drawing from Service (Dominant) Logic, buying center and customer socialization literature, we propose a conceptual model aiming at explaining the relationship between customer development efforts, customer resource integration readiness and value-in-use creation on an individual and collective level. Accordingly, two research areas are identified and subsequent suggestions made for future empirical investigation.

Value-In-Use,Resource Integration,Customer Readiness

2

Value Co-Creation with Strategic Customers

Sylvie Lacoste, Neoma Business School

Our research tries to bridge the gap between the Service Dominant Logic (SDL) paradigm and strategic account management (SAM) research to answer the question: how is value “co-created” within a supplier and strategic customer networks? We develop the theory through an interpretative approach and our findings help to better understand how the SDL program of value co-creation translates into supplier and strategic customer networks: the customer network is first used by the supplier to create some understanding of end users’ behaviours and to act upon them whereas the supplier network creates then the “fit” with the strategic customer’s or its end user’s expectations by delivering a service offering targeting at performance or supply chain integration.

Service Dominant Logic,Value Co-Creation,Strategic Customer

3

The Effects of Value Creation and Relationship Quality Co-Alignment on a Firm'S Performance in Business Markets

Jose Angel Lopez Sanchez, University of Extremadura

Maria Leticia Santos Vijande, University of Oviedo
Primitiva Pascual Fernandez, University of Oviedo

This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of how value creation co-aligns with relationship quality, and how this co-alignment affects a firm’s performance. To examine this question a theoretical framework is developed following a configuration theory approach. The unit of analysis is the dyadic relationship between manufacturers and their main distributor. The empirical results reveal that: (i) not all the manufacturers have the same orientation towards their creation of value for the main distributor; and (ii) that the co-alignment between their creation of value for the main distributor and the dimensions of relationship quality yields stronger distributor loyalty. This was not the case, however, with manufacturer’s business performance for which no such relationship was found.

Value,Quality,Co-Alignment

4

Searching for Value Drivers in the Business-To-Business Marketing: the Perception of Health Care Professionals

Ivan Russo, University of Verona

Ivan Russo, University of Verona, Departmente of Management
Ilenia Confente, University of Verona, Departmente of Management
Nicola Cobelli, University of Verona, Departmente of Management

The research provides a better understanding of business relationships between suppliers and industrial buyers. Based on previous research models, we particularly explored the value drivers that interviewed health professionals, as buyers, perceive as relevant in the hearing aids distribution industry. Respondents identified new key-drivers in the relationship between them and the suppliers of hearing aids, enriching previous research. As the boundaries between final customers, industrial buyers, and suppliers become uncertain, understanding the health care professionals’ role and their perspective may not only provide new models to improve business relationships, but also require a fundamental rethinking about how to deliver value and manage marketing strategy today.

Customer Value,Intermediaries,Business To Business Relationship

1

Business Development: A New Organizational Anchorage of Strategic Marketing in B2b Companies?

Jana Poelzl, University of Hohenheim

Anne Theresa Eidhoff, University of Hohenheim
Markus Voeth, University of Hohenheim

Marketing is an established discipline in B2B companies. However, during the last years marketing has experienced a shift from strategic to operational tasks. Since B2B companies still have a need for market-orientation as well as for departments to be in charge of this, the question arises in which departments strategic marketing tasks are performed. One possibility is given by the newly established business development units. So far scarcely any prior research analyzes the scope of tasks of business development in practice. Hence the purpose of this paper is to analyze on the basis of a preliminary qualitative study what tasks, instruments and methods are found in business development with regard to the question if and how business development departments take over typical tasks of strategic marketing.

Business Development,Strategic Marketing,Business-To-Business

2

Conceptualization and Validation of Organizational Networking as a Second-Order Formative Construct

Sabrina Thornton, University of Huddersfield

Stephan Henneberg, Queen Mary, University of London
Peter Naudé, Manchester Business School

This study operationalizes the construct of organizational networking through a rigorous two-stage scale construction and validation process. The measurement model is conceptualized as a second-order formative construct with four first-order reflective constructs based on a four-dimensional view of organizational networking. The scale was evaluated at the first- and second-order levels. A MIMIC (multiple indicators and multiple causes) model was employed to assess the validity of the formative measurement model. The results suggest that all four components significantly contribute to the overarching second-order construct. Thus, our operationalization confirms the uniqueness of the different dimensions of organizational networking that should be configured by managers as a strategy of sensing and seizing the network.

Organizational Networking,Network Management,Scale Development

3

Implementing Key Account Management: Key Dimensions and Outcomes

Spiros Gounaris, University of Strathclyde

Dr. Nektarios Tzempelikos, Anglia Ruskin University
Dr. Michael Macdermott, Northern Kentucky University

Key Account Management (KAM) has emerged as an important concept in business-to-business (B2B) marketing, yet academic research lags in this area. This study based on a review of KAM literature and related research areas, identifies organizational and relational dimensions of KAM implementation, and reports on empirical data from 304 suppliers. It examines the impact of each of the dimensions on KAM effectiveness. The results show that relational mediators positively relate to KA performance and dyadic outcomes from KAM relationships. The findings provide insights into the role of customers in the implementation of KAM. Implications and future research are discussed.

Relationship,Kam,Implementation

4

Drivers of Sales Innovation in Business-To-Business Firms

Thomas Ritter, Copenhagen Business School

Jens Geersbro, Copenhagen Business School

This paper defines the term sales innovation, offers an operationalization of the concept, and discusses antecedents of sales innovation in terms of important internal and external drivers. An empirical analysis of 409 B2B firms identifies the internal drivers of sales innovation as increased top management focus and increased resource allocation as well as increasing customer and competitor dynamics as external drivers. Despite the suggested positive impact of the degree of competitive pressure on sales innovation, the empirical results suggest a significant negative impact, i.e. competitive pressure leads to less innovation in sales. Finally the paper suggests managerial implications as well as avenues of further research in this area.

Sales,Innovation,Dynamics

1

Pattern Your Concessions? An Analysis of Concession Behavior in Buyer-Seller Negotiations

Birte Kemmerling, Potsdam University

Uta Herbst, Potsdam University
Tatjana Becker, University of Hohenheim
Markus Voeth, University of Hohenheim

Concessions are critical in buyer-seller negotiations, since they influence the (non-)achievement of a contractual agreement. Existing research has extensively studied concession behavior in negotiations. However, to date, no study has examined the continuous exchange process of offers and counteroffers between the negotiation parties (e.g., concession patterns) in realistic buyer-seller negotiations. Our study primarily analyzes whether different concession patterns exist, and if so, how they impact the negotiation outcome, especially concerning the opponent’s concession behavior. We identified four different concession patterns and found, among others, that following a specific concession pattern achieves better negotiation outcomes than not applying a specific concession pattern.

Buyer-Seller Negotiation,Concession Behavior,Negotiation Performance

2

The Influence of Negotiators’ Individualism on Disaggregated Outcomes in Multi-Issue Business Negotiations

Tayfun Aykac, ESCP- Europe Business School Berlin

Robert Wilken, ESCP - Europe Business School Berlin

We investigate bargaining teams’ level of individualism as an antecedent of disaggregated outcomes on high- and middle-priority issues (HPIs and MPIs, respectively). French vs. German-French vs. German teams are employed to represent increased levels of individualism. We find that increased individualism increases performance on high-priority issues (HPIs) and decreases relative performance on middle-priority issues (MPIs). More specifically, highly individualistic teams favor the high-priority approach, whereas low-level individualistic teams follow a more balanced approach. The culturally mixed teams combine both approaches and perform best on an aggregated outcome dimension. Thus, we can generally recommend a “multifocal” approach to multi-issue negotiations. To promote such an approach, negotiation teams composed of members with different levels of individualism should be employed.

Individualism,Multi-Issue Negotiation,Team Negotiation

3

Renegotiations in Business-To-Business Practice: A Qualitative Status Quo Analysis

Aline Kugler, University of Hohenheim

Markus Voeth, University of Hohenheim, Institute of Marketing and Management, Chair of Marketing I
Melanie Hein

In recent years, renegotiations have become more prevalent in business-to-business transactions. Although renegotiations have a strong impact on business efficiency and relationships, marketing science has not adequately addressed this topic. Research on renegotiations in business-to-business marketing is thus urgently needed. To address this research gap, we present a qualitative study in which we conducted 17 in-depth interviews with negotiation experts to gain insights into renegotiations in business-to-business practice. In these interviews, we analyzed the appearance, drivers and motives, acceptance and handling, as well as the consequences of renegotiations. We derived several insights that may serve as a valuable basis for further research.

Negotiations,Renegotiations,Business-To-Business Marketing

4

ls There a Better Style to Negotiate? An Analysis of Negotiation Styles and their Impacts on Buyer-Seller Negotiations

Melanie Katrin Preuss, Potsdam University

Uta Herbst, Potsdam University

Given the importance of negotiation outcomes on profits, companies are increasingly investing in negotiation training to optimally prepare their sales and procurement teams and to improve their negotiation performance. In this context, the analysis of different negotiation styles (e.g., dominating, integrating, etc.) has received much attention in the literature. Interestingly, however, to date, there are few insights on which negotiation style is the best to choose, especially concerning the counterpart’s style. This paper analyzes this question by applying an extensive coding system to a realistic buyer-seller negotiation experiment. Among others, our results indicate that applying the dominating negotiation style yields the worst negotiation outcomes – irrespective of the counterparty’s style.

Negotiation Styles,Negotiation Performance,Coding System

1

Are Influential Buying Center Members Really Important for Industrial Purchase Decisions? Further Insights into Buying Center Decision-Making

Uta Herbst, Potsdam University

Timo Andreas Knöpfle, Potsdam University
Markus Voeth, University of Hohenheim

Existing explanatory models and related measurement methods on buying center decision-making do not suggest a differentiated consideration of the influence construct. In this paper we specify the current view of a member’s influence in group decision-making by applying the Social Power Theory. Specifically, we investigate whether an integration of the individual’s motivation to exert influence (e.g. preference intensity) into existing measuring methods is able to improve the estimation accuracy of buying center decisions. The results of two extensive validation studies in different industrial sectors yield improved predictive validities.

Buying Center Decision-Making,Multi-Step Limit Conjoint Analysis,Influence

2

Where Should Fairness Judgment Be Anchored? Fairness as a Decision Heuristic for Achieving Inter-Firm Compliance

Miaomiao Zhu, Free University of Berlin

Michael Kleinaltenkamp, Freie Universitaet Berlin
Ingmar Geiger, Freie Universitaet Berlin

Achieving compliance from business partners is considered to be important for firms, yet the use of influence strategies to elicit compliance is one-sided and sometimes aggressive. Previous channel research suggests that a distributor’s fair judgment on supplier’s initiated project will lead to a compliance with it. This work extends the existing research by exploring the role of fairness judgment regarding overall business relationship in affecting compliance with general requests. A cross-cultural survey was conducted in Germany and China, and the results reveal that distributive fairness judgment, dependence and social bond have positive impacts on compliance. Furthermore, this work also investigates on the sources of inter-firm fairness judgment. General discussion and limitations are provided.

Fairness Judgment,Compliance,Inter-Cultural Study

3

A Reliance-Centered Perspective on Competitive Advantages – Which Promises Matter Most in a Pre-Purchase Setting?

Philipp Johannes Nolte, Düsseldorf University

Bernd Guenter, Düsseldorf University

The article proposes a new taxonomy and managerial approach to competitive advantages. Two central suggestions are made. First, the list of competitive advantages understood as customer advantages and therefore: advantages carried out, i.e. observable value added for customers – should be extended to time-related differences. Second, implemented competitive advantages should to be regarded as evoked and ongoing expectations of fulfilled promises. Reliance understood as the fulfilment of promises consequently acts as a premise for the constitution of a competitive advantage and might even be regarded as an advantage itself. The paper provides empirical insights from a large sample study conducted in a B-to-B pre-purchase setting asking for decision criteria of organizational buyers. The results of this study indicate support for both suggestions.

Reliance,Competitive Advantage,Supplier Selection

4

How Do Organizational Buyers Use Customer-To-Customer Information Sharing in Complex Buying?

Elina Jaakkola, Turku School of Economics

Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, Turku School of Economics

Business focus is shifting away from tangibles towards intangibles such as skills and knowledge which makes buying difficult by complicating buyers’ information search. This paper analyzes how organizational buyers use customer-to-customer (C2C) information gained through e.g. word-of-mouth and references in complex buying. By drawing on extensive qualitative interview research among 46 buyers of knowledge-intensive services, we develop a model that present how buyers use C2C information throughout the process of complex buying, e.g. to formulate their actual needs and evaluate suppliers’ capabilities to generate value. This paper contributes to b-to-b and industrial marketing literature. Insights from this research are broadly applicable to the contexts of knowledge intensive, innovation and solutions business.

Organizational Buying,Customer-To-Customer Information,Complex Offerings

1

Cause Involvement and Brand-Cause Fit as Determinants of Consumer Responses to CRM Campaigns

Zoi Anagnostidou, Business College of Athens

Solon Magrizos, Athens University of Economics and Business

The present research contributes to the CRM literature by examining the interactive effects of brand-cause fit and cause involvement on consumer attitudes and participation intentions towards CRM campaigns. Despite extensive research, the results regarding the role of fit are mixed. The authors take a new perspective in this relationship and postulate that cause involvement should be examined as a determining factor in the relationship between brand-cause fit and campaign attitudes and participation intentions. An experiment was designed and implemented to test the research hypotheses. Findings suggest that brand-cause fit is an important evaluating factor for CRM alliances only for high involved consumers. Implications for the study are discussed.

Cause-Brand Fit,Cause Involvement,Crm

2

Is Good + Bad = Neutral? How Consumers Integrate Information to Form Ethical Brand Perceptions

Katja H. Brunk, European School of Management and Technology

Cara De Boer, European School of Management and Technology

Companies are increasingly concerned about their ethical image and that of their brands. This research builds on the recently emerging literature on consumer perceived ethicality (CPE) and quantitatively explores how consumers form moral impressions of brands. Our analysis suggests that the process is consistent with the configural model of impression formation rather than following an algebraic information integration approach. We furthermore provide empirical evidence for the presence of a negativity bias by showing that unethical information is highly diagnostic in CPE formation.

Brand Perceptions,Impression Formation,Consumer Perceived Ethicality (cpe)

3

The Magnitude of Company Image Improvement through Cause Related Marketing

Tutku Eker Iscioglu, Istanbul Kemerburgaz University

Tutku Eker Iscioglu, Istanbul Kemerburgaz University

This study investigates to what extent the company image would improve for a company after applying a cause related marketing (CRM) campaign. It is suggested that the magnitude of company image improvement would be influenced by: (1) company trustworthiness; (2) the type of CRM campaign (being either a strategic or a tactical campaign). To test the hypotheses, repeated measures MANCOVA was used with a sample of 600 respondents in Istanbul, Turkey. The results show that, only the type of CRM campaign improves the company image and surprisingly tactical CRM campaign results in more image improvement than does strategic CRM campaign.

Cause Related Marketing,Company Image,Company Trustworthiness

1

Consumer Perceptions of Greenwashing: The Role of Third-Party Labels, Brand Positioning, and Type of Ad Appeal

Barbara Dupont, Catholic University of Louvain

Catherine Janssen, IESEG School of Management, France
Valérie Swaen, Université Catholique de Louvain, LSM, Belgium & IESEG School of Management, France

Numerous companies today engage in greenwashing, which tends to create confusion for consumers and leads to negative consumer responses. Yet, current literature seldom investigates how consumers’ perceptions of greenwashing emerge. This research seeks to address this gap. Through two experiments, we show that the positioning of the company with respect to CSR and the type of appeal (emotional versus rational) used appear to play key roles in determining consumers’ perceptions of greenwashing, whereas the use of third-party labels has no main significant effect on consumers’ greenwashing perceptions, and can even lead to negative consumer responses.

Greenwashing,Perceptions,Credibility

2

Green Marketing Orientation: Introducing a New Construct

Karolos - Konstantinos Papadas, Athens University of Economics and Business

George J. Avlonitis, Athens University of Economics and Business
Kalipso Karantinou, Athens University of Economics and Business

The literature reflects little effort to develop a framework that embodies all organizational prerequisites that companies should satisfy in order to build a green marketing strategy. The authors synthesize knowledge on the subject and provide a foundation for future research by introducing the construct of Green Marketing Orientation, the organizational perspective of green marketing, and delineating its basic dimensions. The paper draws on the occasional writings on the subject over the last 20 years, work in related disciplines, and 22 in-depth interviews with key informants in diverse organizations, aiming to provide a foundation for the systematic development of a theory of green marketing orientation.

Green Marketing,Green Marketing Orientation,Environmental Orientation

3

Can Evoking Nature In Advertising Mislead Consumers? The Power of ‘executional Greenwashing’

Beatrice Parguel, Paris Dauphine University

Béatrice Parguel, CNRS / Université Paris-Dauphine
Florence Benoît-Moreau, Université Paris-Dauphine
Cristel Russell, Kogod School of Business, American University

‘Executional greenwashing’ refers to the use of nature-evoking elements in advertisements to artificially enhance a brand’s ecological image. Based on classic models of persuasion, a first experiment reveals that evoking nature does mislead consumers, especially if they have low knowledge of environmental issues in the product category. Two complimentary experiments, based on current international policies, show that whereas a raw figure featuring the product objective environmental performance is not sufficient to help non-expert consumers revise their judgment, accompanying the figure with a traffic-light label eliminates the ‘executional greenwashing’ effect amongst both experts and non-experts. Theoretical and regulatory implications are discussed.

Greenwashing,Advertising Execution,Environmental Labeling

1

Developing a Portfolio of Sustainable Labels: Consumer Perceived Ethicality and Patronage Benefits for Retailers

Valéry Bezençon, University of Neuchâtel

Reza Etemad-Sajadi, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)

Retailers increasingly distribute products with a label guaranteeing that certain environmental or social criteria are met. These sustainable labels contribute directly to the creation of product value. This research investigates how they contribute indirectly to develop the retailer’s overall perception of ethicality. Anchored in the branding literature, this research shows through a consumer survey that the scope of the portfolios of collective and retailer-owned sustainable labels affects the consumer perceived ethicality of the retailer. Also, a greater perceived ethicality of the retailer leads to more consumer patronage. Implications for theory and retailers are discussed.

Label,Sustainability,Portfolio

2

Understanding The Motives For The Adoption of Sustainable Practices: The Role of Expected Rewards, Risk Perception, and Risk Tolerance

Dianne Hofenk, Wageningen University

Joost Pennings, Wageningen University
Andrés Trujillo-Barrera, Wageningen University

The purpose of this study is to examine firms’ motives underlying the adoption of sustainable practices. In particular, we focus on expected economic, social, and personal rewards. In addition, we examine the roles of owner-managers’ risk perception and risk tolerance. We find that the adoption of sustainable practices is affected by expected economic rewards, but not by social and personal rewards. The results also show that perceived risk is a major barrier to the adoption of sustainable practices and that risk tolerance strengthens the effect of expected economic rewards on the probability to adopt sustainable practices.

Motives,Sustainability,Rewards

3

Commitment to Sustainability In Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: The Influence of Market and Entrepreneurial Orientations

Johan Jansson, Umea University / Umea School of Business and Economics

Jonas Nilsson, University of Gothenburg, School of Business, Economics and Law, Business Administration
Frida Modig, Research institute for Sustainability and Ethics in Business, Umeå School of Business and Economics
Gabriella Hed Vall, Research institute for Sustainability and Ethics in Business, Umeå School of Business and Economics

During the last few decades, ecosystem degradation has grown to become a major topic among several actors in society. While larger companies are generally incorporating environmental practices to varying degrees, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often argued to be lagging. Given this development, this study examines the role of two important strategic orientations, market orientation (MO) and entrepreneurial orientation (EO), and their contribution to commitment to sustainability. Questionnaire responses from 450 SMEs were analyzed showing that both MO as well as EO significantly impacts commitment to sustainability, but in different ways. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.

Strategic Orientation,Commitment To Sustainability,Market Orientation

4

"Walk the Talk!" Building Corporate Sustainable Brand Strength through a Sustainable Supply Chain

Darlene Farina Whitaker, Saarland University

Victoria Lonnes, Institute for Commerce & International Marketing, Saarland University
Joachim Zentes, Institute for Commerce & International Marketing, Saarland University

Accusations made against green-washing within the corporate branding context have steadily increased. Few studies have investigated the integration of social and environmental aspects in the corporate brand substance, yet. Based on a qualitative pre-study as well as a quantitative business survey, this paper investigates the extent in which the supply chain and its contribution leads to a coporate sustainable brand strength (CSBS). We show that transparency within the supply chain, as well as cooperations with supply chain members are able to enhance sustainable performance, and finally lead to higher CSBS. We further demonstrate that the form of organisation significantly influences the factors which were examinded in our model.

Corporate Social Responsibility (csr),Sustainable Brand Management,Sustainable Supply Chain Management

1

Do CSR Enhance Premium Customer Preference and Loyalty? An Empirical Study

Matthew Liu, University of Macau

Ipkin Wong, Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau
Rongwei Chu, Fudan University
Ting-Hsiang Tseng, Feng Chia University

This study investigates how perceptions associated with corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives influence customers’ preference and loyalty in a controversial consumer market. We use of questionnaire surveys delivered to a convenience sample in the city of Macau. A total of 616 valid samples were collected among casino players in a high bet limit area in six major casinos. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses formulated for carrying the study forward. The findings indicated that customers’ brand preference can be enhanced by their perceptions on CSR. Two CSR initiatives (stakeholders and society) significantly increase loyalty intention, although to varying degrees. The impact of CSR on stakeholders has the stronger influence on customers’ brand preference. In addition, the study also found brand preference is a partial mediator of perceived CSR initiatives and customer loyalty.

Csr Initiatives,Customer Loyalty,Brand Preference

2

SME CSR and Performance: The Moderating Role of Stakeholder Salience

Solon Magrizos, Athens University of Economics and Business

Eleni Apospori, Athens University of Economics and Business

This paper focuses on the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) actions and firm performance investigating the moderation effect of the salience each stakeholder who benefits from CSR has for the firm. The study focuses on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) due to their collective importance for the economy and their unique CSR characteristics. Based on the data collected from 140 SMEs, the study identifies a positive effect between social and financial performance which becomes more intense as the salience of each stakeholder increases. Implications provide a useful instrument for practitioners seeking to successfully manage their CSR strategy

Csr,Smes,Stakeholders

3

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Truth - How Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Violations Affect Marketing Effectiveness

Michael Riechert, Kühne Logistics University

Raoul Kübler, Özyegin University
Sönke Albers, Kühne Logistics University

Although that managers may not intend to act unethically, situations can arise in which consumers interpret ordinary business decisions as a CSR violation. Research so far only focused on the direct negative outcomes of CSR violations like i.e. image and sales losses. However, a violation could also hurt the effectiveness of a company’s marketing instruments like the price- or the product performance elasticity. The present study is based on the answers of 600 participants in four Best/Worst-Scaling experiments. The study investigates the impact of two CSR violation scenarios for hedonic and functional products. The results show a significant decrease in price and product performance sensitivity for the violating company. Contrary, the non-violating company benefits from apositive price elasticity but also suffers from a decrease of the product performance elasticity.

Corporate Social Responsibility Violations,Marketing Effectiveness,Best/worstscaling

4

The Hierarchy of Effects Model to Understand Customer Responses to CSR in a Recession

Andrea Pérez, University of Cantabria

Ignacio Rodríguez Del Bosque, University of Cantabria

The authors of this paper propose a hierarchy of effects model to study how corporate social responsibility associations impact customer affective and conative responses in the crisis context of the Spanish banking industry. A Structural Equation Model is tested using information collected from 476 customers. The findings demonstrate that corporate social responsibility associations impact customer identification with the banking company and satisfaction positively. Identification, emotions and satisfaction also influence recommendation behaviour positively although only satisfaction determines repurchase behaviour. These results suggest that banking managers facing an economic recession should especially care about corporate social responsibility associations and customer satisfaction in order to benefit from high-involvement customer behaviours such as repurchase behaviour.

Csr Associations,Loyalty,Banking Industry

1

Consumers’ Self-Connection to Group-Referent Brands Across Consumption Situations: A Cross-Cultural Study

Burak Tunca, University of Agder

Individuals self-enhance using brands that are associated with reference groups. The current study extends research on this phenomenon by examining the influence of consumption situations and cross-cultural differences. The study was conducted across two distinct cultural settings, namely, Norway and Zambia. In accordance with the theories of self-concept malleability, we find that Zambians have a higher inclination to construct and communicate their identities with group-referent brands in a public consumption situation compared to a private one. On the other hand, we find that Norwegians’ self-brand connections were consistent across consumption situations. Findings indicate that self-concept stability is imperative in integration of brands into the self-concept.

Self-Brand Connection,Reference Groups,Self-Brand Connection

2

Factors Affecting the Switching Behaviour for Mobile Service Users in Egypt: A Proposed Conceptual Framework

Esraa Karam Moharram, Cairo University

Wael Kortam, Cairo University
Mohamed Sobhy Temerak, Cairo University

The rapid growth of services has arguably changed the conditions of business in terms of customer attraction and retention. Slow or rapid market growth makes markets more competitive, thus, firms are more likely to attempt to maintain their market share by focusing on the customer retention and aiming to block switching behaviour. This conceptual study aims at exploring and identifying the main factors that lead to customer switching behaviour in the telecommunications industry for mobile users in Egypt. This study is planned to be followed by another paper on empirical testing of propositions to determine the significant effect of each factor on the customer switching behaviour and find out the differential effects among different factor groups.

Switching,Telecommunications,Egypt

3

The Impetus of Ancient Tribal Systems for Modern-Day Consumer Tribes

Joerg Finsterwalder, University of Canterbury

Alastair Tombs, University of Queensland

This paper investigates the phenomena of consumer tribes by reflecting on a traditional tribal system, the New Zealand Māori, to uncover tribal structures, ways of interacting and how resources are utilised within a community. We map contemporary conceptualisations of the consumer tribe against that of a traditional tribe. We focus on the traditional tribal structure and its concept of place to explain the creation, retention and distribution of resources in contemporary consumption communities. We propose that tribalism is an appropriate metaphor to explain the integration of people and structure of groups within contemporary societies. As such, it is also possible that the way a tribe’s resources are developed, enhanced, maintained and used by its constituents may explain the similar mechanisms within consumption communities.

Tribes,Māori,Consumer

4

Movie theatres and Barriers of Attendance: An Exploratory Study of the Spanish Cinemagoers’ Segments

Nela Filimon, University of Girona

Manuel Cuadrado-García, University of Valencia
Nela Filimon, University of Girona
Finola Kerrigan, Birmingham University
Juan Montoro-Pons, University of Valencia

The sharp decrease of cinema attendance and the emergence of new ways of watching movies invites to a deeper insight into the behaviour of films’ consumers. We analyse the Spanish filmgoers with a special focus on the type of movie theatre and the barriers of cinema attendance. The exploratory latent class methodology suggests four segments of film goers: the commercial cinema audience; the elitist film goers who prefer movie theatres and films in original version (V.O. art film audience.); the omnivore cinemagoers, who prefer both multiplexes in the centre of the city and movie theatres; and the film goers who prefer films in V.O. in multiplexes (V.O. multiplex audience). Findings on probabilistic patterns of film consumption barriers and socioeconomic covariates are consistent with the existing research evidence on film audiences.

Cinema Audiences,Barriers Of Attendance,Latent Classes

1

Focusing on Details Results in Tolerance: How Construal Level theory Relates to Consumer Ethical Beliefs

Begum Yetiser, Ghent University

Maggie Geuens, Ghent University
Tine Faseur, Leuven University

To get a better idea of when consumer misconduct is most likely, we relate construal level (CL) to consumers’ tolerance towards ethically questionable consumer practices. Prior research on CL and more severe moral transgressions (outside a consumer context) shows inconsistent findings, possibly because of the use of specific manipulations and scenarios. To avoid such idiosyncratic effects, we measure respondents’ chronic construal level by means of a general scale and we use a consumer beliefs scale designed to cover a wide variety of ethical consumer behaviors. A US study shows that the lower consumers’ chronic level of construal, the more tolerant they are towards ethically questionable acts. This result was replicated in a Turkish sample. Inducing abstract processing could thus be a way to inhibit consumer misbehavior.

Consumer Misbehavior,Construal Level,Consumer Ethics

2

Reward Alleviates Moral Licensing Effect

Liyuan Wei, City University of Hong Kong

Xiaohua Zeng, City University of Hong Kong
Na Wen, City University of Hong Kong

Past psychology research has found an increased tendency to act unethically after people have already behaved in an ethical way, known as moral licensing effect. In this research, we propose that rewarding the initial ethical behavior is a viable device to reduce the licensing effect. Supporting this hypothesis, three experiments demonstrate that people who received an external reward for a first ethical behavior acted significantly more ethically in their subsequent choice than those who did not, because receiving the reward reduces the moral credentials earned from the first good deed, threatening people’s moral self-regard, thus motivating them to make ethical choice at the next opportunity.

Reward,Moral Licensing Effect,Ethical Consumer Choice

3

Small Urban Retailers: A Motivational Approach to the Spanish Case

Sandra Tena Monferrer, James I Univesity

Juan Carlos Fandos Roig
Javier Sánchez García

The word “motivation” comes from the Latin word “movere” meaning “to move”. On that basis, this paper proposes a scale of measurement of the motives that move a consumer to shop in small urban retailers. Considering the impact of this type of retailers on cities’ growth, economy and wellbeing, it’s necessary to develop more appropriate strategies to continue attracting consumers and fight the crisis situation. With the results obtained we can ratify the working hypothesis that consumers’ motivation to shop in small urban retailers has a multidimensional character, formed by three dimensions and how the underlying economic situation in Spain influenced the emergence of the moral approach.

Motivation,Consumer Behaviour,Retail

4

Worse Than Bad: Predicting inferences about Product Quality from Memory

Yvetta Simonyan, University of Birmingham

Daniel Goldstein, Microsoft Research

Could brands associated with mostly negative information–those with poor reputations–be perceived as superior to unrecognized brands? A reasonable consumer should value reputation; however, it is also sensible to put a heavy weight on brand recognition. To investigate this question, the authors study consumers’ inferences about brand quality in five domains. Results suggest that brands associated with predominantly negative information are indeed perceived as of higher quality than unrecognized brands. In addition, when consumer inferences are predicted based on different memory cues, the frequency of encountering a brand dominates what people profess to know about it. The authors explore the ecological rationality of this strategy by studying the relationship between expert-judged quality and consumer knowledge.

Inferences,Communications,Branding

1

Predicting the intention to Buy Locally Produced Food: the Role of Attitudes and Store Atmosphere

Elisa Martinelli, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Jeffrey M. Campbell, The University of South Carolina/Department of Retailing
Ann Fairhurst, The University of Tennessee/Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management

The research aims to investigate the predictive role of attitudes and perceptions of store atmosphere in explaining consumers’ intentions to purchase locally produced food. Survey methodology and structural equation modeling using AMOS 22.0 was used to test the measurements and hypotheses. Results evidence that the model presented is supported and that positive attitudes towards locally produced food can directly affect purchase intentions and the perception of store atmosphere, while the latter also exerts an impact on the intention to buy locally produced food. Managerial implications for retailers as well as future research directions for academics are outlined.

Locally Produced Food,Attitudes,Store Atmosphere

2

"You Feel Like My Blood, So I Buy Your Food" Can Consumers' Experience of Kinship Account for Preferring Local Foods?

Harri Luomala, University of Vaasa

Hanna Leipämaa-Leskinen, University of Vaasa
Henna Syrjälä, University of Vaasa
Sami Kurki, University of Helsinki

In this study, local food consumption is viewed for the first time from the perspective of kin selection theory. Two large surveys were conducted to explore the links between consumers’ experience of kinship (genetic vs. psychological) and preferring local food products. First, the grocery shop intercept study (n=501) revealed that consumers’ kinship experience is associated with preferring local cheese, cereal, tinned meat and biscuit brands to non-local ones. Second, a web-survey (n=828) produced further evidence suggesting that consumers’ psychological kinship experience is more strongly related to preferring local foods than their genetic kinship experience. These novel results spur several theoretical and managerial implications and lay down a rich avenue for future research.

Food,Kinship,Responsibility

3

Fact Or Fiction? the Impact of Framing Product information on Consumer´s Attitude towards A Food Supplement

Jessica Aschemann-Witzel, Aarhus University

Klaus G Grunert, Aarhus University, MAPP
Lisa E Bolton, The Pennsylvania State University

Food marketers have to decide whether scientifically sound, but cumbersome health claims are to be preferred over claims triggering health-related associations in a non-scientific, storytelling fashion. Both types of claims were assessed by US and Danish respondents on a food supplement in an online survey. Attitudes were measured and repeated after respondents had been presented with information contradicting the claims. The results show that story-related claims favourably influence attitudes. Contradictory information has a negative effect on attitudes. However, in the presence of a scientific claim, the contradictory information made respondents reduce favourable attitudes to a lesser extent.

Framing,Health,Food

4

The Moderator Role of Self-Efficacy in the intention-Behavior Gap.

Julio D. Vecino Gravel, University of Seville

María A. Ramón-Jerónimo, Pablo de Olavide University

Social psychologists and marketing researchers have found great success in using Ajzen’s (1991) behavioral intention model. However, few studies have found significant support for the moderator role of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977) in the intention-behavior gap (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2010). In this study the moderator effect is supported. We apply Latent Moderated Structural Equations (LMS) in a sample of 500 fish’s consumers to show how for consumers with lower intentions higher levels of self-efficacy favor the apparition of higher levels of real consumption. In consequence, self-efficacy appears as a key factor for fish consumption and those interested in develop this behavior must drive their efforts not only to the creation of an intention, but also giving consumers the necessaries tools to perceive that they are able to evaluate the quality of the fish.

Intention-Behavior Gap,Fish Consumption,Latent Moderated Structural Equations (lms)

1

Dimensions and Effects of Consumer Subjective Financial Deprivation

Laurent Bertrandias, University of Toulouse

Manu Carricano, EADA, Barcelona
Alexandre Lapeyre, University of Toulouse III

Subjective financial deprivation (SFD) is a psychological discomfort emerging from social ascendant comparison and/or from the perception of a loss of buying power in comparison with a salient period in the past. Existing literature studies the effects of SFD without making the distinction between these two different origins. The objective of this paper is to go beyond this conceptualization. Through two studies, we show first that the two-dimension model of financial deprivation is more relevant than the one-dimension model. Second, we demonstrate that SFD prompt distinct effects on consumer behavior depending on the social or temporal origin of deprivation.

Financial Deprivation,Social Comparison,Buying Power

2

When the Need for Affiliation Heightens Consumers’ Susceptibility to Persuasion Tactics

Loes Janssen, Radboud University

Ilja Van Beest, Tilburg University
Nicole Mead, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Two experiments tested whether social exclusion increases consumers’ susceptibility to advertising strategies that appeal to the need to belong. Socially excluded (vs. socially accepted) participants appeared to be more vulnerable to social proof tactics, arguably because those consumers were on the hunt for social connection. Indeed, tactics that did not connote social connection (e.g., expert endorsement) were moot. The present work reveals how one of humans’ most fundamental motivations, the need to affiliate, influences consumers’ vulnerability to marketing tactics, thereby contributing to a growing body of knowledge on social motivations driving consumer behavior.

Social Exclusion,Persuasion,Social Proof

3

All Charity Is Not Created Equally: the Role of Target Affect and Agentic (vs. Communal) Orientation on Consumer Willingness to Contribute Time (vs. Money)

Rhiannon Macdonnell, City University London

Across 4 studies, we assess both what (time vs. money) and to whom (a sad/empathetic target vs. a happy/less empathy-provoking target) consumers are asked to give, showing communal (vs. agentic) orientation moderates helping. Social approach, the preference for close (vs. distant) helping, is proposed as a mediator.

Donation,Volunteer,Prosocial Behavior

4

Originality: Perception and Preference

Shibiao Ding, Ghent University

Mario Pandelaere, Ghent University

Originality appeals are ubiquitously applied in marketing campaigns. However, the effect of originality on preference is still not well understood. In a series of 3 studies, the authors examine the effect of entry order and of non-uniqueness on originality perception and preference. The results demonstrate that entry order affects originality perception, but preference only accrues to the very first entrant from relative originality advantage. Moreover, the perception of non-uniqueness affects preference. Specifically, self-generated non-uniqueness lowers evaluation, but other-generated non-uniqueness does not. Originality perception underlies the process of preference formation. The results also reveal that the effect of originality on preference is weakened when goal of identity-expression is attenuated.

Order Effect,Social Categorization,Originality Perception

1

From Sustainable Consumption to Sustainable Practices

Maud Daniel, Lille II University

Maud Daniel, IMMD Université Lille 2
Lucie Sirieix, Supagro Montpellier

This study examines the sustainable practices adopted by private individuals. Ten households observation, twenty-two face-to-face interviews and three hundreds questionnaires highlight a number of daily practices combining sustainability-oriented and individualistic motivations. Three spheres of sustainable practices (purchases, habits and share/transmission) three patterns (occasional adoption, integration and compensation) and different consumer clusters appear. Recommendations for sustainable marketing are provided.

Sustainable Practices,Sustainable Consumption,Practice Theory

2

Eco-Consciousness of Celebrities: A theoretical Exploration into how Celebrities Affect Sustainable Consumption

Outi Lundahl, University of Vaasa

Celebrities have become spokespeople for the environment. They have raised people’s interest and awareness of sustainability. However, this has also depoliticised and individualised sustainability. Celebritisation has also deradicalised the cries for anti-materialism and together these developments have led to an emphasis on various eco-products. These commodified solutions are the antithesis of what many commentators argue is the real answer to environmental problems. Theoretical contributions include bringing celebrity influence, status and the symbolic meanings of celebrities into the realm of sustainable consumption research. This means directing the discussion of celebritisation of global issues to sustainable consumption and exploring what are the processes by which celebrities affect sustainable consumption behaviour.

Sustainability,Celebrities,Commodification

3

Paradoxes of Sustainable Food and Consumer Coping Strategies

Romina Moruzzi, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lucie Sirieix, Montpellier SUPAGRO - UMR 1110 MOISA

This study aims to approach consumers’ behaviours towards the paradoxes of Sustainable Food. A qualitative research was carried out with non engaged individuals in France and Italy and, in a second step, with consumers who have already engaged in the local purchase network. Results show different coping strategies among non engaged French and Italian consumers in compliance with the environmental and cultural conditions; on the contrary engaged participants evocate a supranational culture, as well as the same practices and representations.

Sustainable Food,Paradoxes,Coping Strategies

4

Turning Shopping Habits of Young Consumers into Green

Svetlana Bialkova, University of Twente

Sanne Van 'T Erve, University of Twente
Joris Van Hoof, University of Twente

Ad Pruijn, University of Twente
Accepted and Notified

Consumers have strong shopping habits, and although being aware of sustainable issues, they hardly do green shopping. Therefore, a challenging question is: how to break the old shopping habits and turn those into green? The current study addresses this question looking at barriers and potential stimulators for green purchase. Respondents (N=267) participated in a multi-component survey. The results show that barriers in purchasing green are availability (e.g., money, time, green products), while receiving benefits (e.g., health, personal, local community) are among the stimulators. These outcomes are base to build-up efficient communication tools in encouraging green shopping.

Shopping Habits,Green Purchase,Marketing Communication Tools

1

Shopping Situations Elicit Arousal in Excessive Shoppers

Benjamin Serfas, Vienna University

Oliver Büttner, Vienna University
Arnd Florack, Vienna University

The present study is the first that contrasts the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In a laboratory experiment we measured pupil dilation while participants rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that excessive shoppers, get more aroused in shopping situations than prudent shoppers. This is true for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, this effect did not emerge in non-shopping contexts. Hence excessive and prudent shoppers are similar aroused in non-shopping contexts.

Impulse,Shopping,Arousal

2

Does one Step forward Seem Larger Than one Step Back? Evidence of a Progress Illusion in Goal Monitoring

Caleb Warren, Texas A&M University

Margaret C. Campbell, University of Colorado, Boulder

While many theories emphasize goal monitoring as a critical step in successfully pursuing goals like saving money or losing weight, surprisingly little research investigates whether consumers accurately monitor their progress. We contribute to the literature by identifying a tendency for consumers to show a progress illusion in goal monitoring. Consumers perceive that goal-consistent behaviors, like saving $30 or resisting an unhealthy snack, help their progress more than equivalent goal-inconsistent behaviors, like spending $30 or eating an unhealthy snack, hurt it. Four experiments show this progress illusion in goal monitoring across a variety of goal domains including finance, exercise, healthy eating, and gambling.

Goals,Self Regulation,Biases

3

Reminders of Friendship Enhance the Self-Control of Compulsive Buyers: An Fmri Study

Eline De Vries, Carlos III University

Debra Trampe, University of Groningen
Bob Fennis, University of Groningen
Tammo Bijmolt, University of Groningen
Jan-Bernard Marsman, University of Groningen

We identify the beneficial influence of friendship reminders on the self-control of compulsive buyers. In doing so, we focus on two processes that constitute self-control: consumers’ capacity to identify conflict and their capacity to implement control. Dependent on whether reminders of friendship improve conflict identification and/or control implementation, we expected enhanced activation in the ACC and/or DLPFC when consumers are reminded of friendship. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), our findings suggest that reminders of friendship increase activation in both brain areas. The effect is particularly pronounced for compulsive compared to non-compulsive buyers and renders important insights for consumer welfare.

Compulsive Buying,Friendship,Fmri

4

Can Take My Eyes off - Making a Shopping List Reduces Visual Distraction in Shopping Situations

Oliver Büttner, Vienna University

Markus Kempinski, Vienna University
Benjamin Serfas, Vienna University
Arnd Florack, Vienna University

This research examines how shopping lists influence consumers’ susceptibility to impulsive purchases. It is argued that making a shopping list activates an implemental mindset, which reduces the distraction by task-irrelevant products already at the level of visual attention. Results from an experiment using eye-tracking support this hypothesis. In a simulated shopping task, participants who made a shopping list allocated more attention toward a focal product and less attention toward task-irrelevant distractor products compared to participants who did not make a list. The effect occurred independent of whether the shopping list was relevant for the shopping task or not.

Impulsive-Buying,Shopping-List,Attention

1

Cannibalize and Combine? Antecedents and Outcomes of Two Key Organizational innovation Attitudes

Nukhet Harmancioglu, Koc University

Maria Sääksjärvi, Delft University
Erik Jan Hultink, Delft University

How can a firm ensure its survival and success in the pursuit of both radical and incremental new products? We propose that the answer to this question lies in the establishment of two important organizational innovation attitudes: willingness to cannibalize and product knowledge integration. Using multiple respondent data from 199 Chinese firms, we develop and test a model on the environmental antecedents as well as outcomes of these two organizational innovation attitudes. Our findings indicate that: (1) uncertain, turbulent and competitive environments make willingness to cannibalize as well as product knowledge integration necessary; (2) ambidextrous innovations require both willingness to cannibalize and product knowledge integration; and (3) firms must develop a balanced portfolio of new products for higher performance.

Ambidextrous Innovation,Willingness To Cannibalize,Chinese Market

2

Organizational Antecedents of Responsive and Proactive Customer Orientation

Cansu Oral, University of St. Gallen

Carla Thaper, University of St.Gallen
Dennis Herhausen, University of St.Gallen
Marcus Schögel, University of St.Gallen

Firms gain a competitive advantage by innovating and creating superior value for their customers. Prior studies revealed that customer orientation affects innovativeness and customer value positively. Customer orientation can either be responsive (RCO) or proactive (PCO). Until now, studies have neglected differences between the antecedents of RCO and PCO. Thus, this paper investigates potential antecedents and their relative impact on PCO and RCO. Results of a survey among 365 managers illustrate that firms should focus on strategy communication, decentralization, customer-oriented leadership, and a customer interaction culture to improve their RCO. By contrast, data intelligence and new customer knowledge lever PCO. Firms might either invest in the levers of PCO to foster their innovativeness or in those of RCO to strengthen customer value.

Responsive Customer Orientation,Proactive Customer Orientation,Innovativeness

3

Organizational Factors as Antecedents to Innovation Capability in the Hotel Industry

Maria Leticia Santos Vijande, University of Oviedo

Primitiva Pascual Fernández, University of Oviedo
José Ángel López Sánchez, University of Extremadura

This paper analyses the interactions existing among innovativeness, market orientation and internal marketing in hotels, and the effect that these factors exert on innovation capability. The proposed conceptual model has been assessed using a system of structural equations based on a sample taken from 256 hotels. The results show that: (1) innovativeness and internal marketing constitute the organizational antecedents to market orientation, (2) market orientation promotes the innovation capability within the hotel industry, (3) innovativeness and internal marketing in themselves do not exert a significant influence on the development of innovative activity of the hotels, and (4) innovation capability within hotel companies leads to the acquisition of positive organizational performance.

Innovation,Performance,Hotels

4

Improvisation for Fast-Paced Product innovation: the Moderating Role of Team Expertise

Kyriakos Kyriakopoulos, Alba Graduate Business School at the American College of Greece

Marcel Van Birgelen, Radboud University Nijmegen / Nijmegen School of Management

Fast new product development (NPD) is a top priority in rapidly changing markets. Improvisation, a form of unplanned action in which composition and execution converge in time, has emerged as a competence for accelerating NPD in face of uncertainty. Yet, research has failed to explore this potential. To fill in this void, we seek to explore how various types of team expertise shape the speed outcomes of improvisation in NPD. Specifically, we explore the moderating role of expertise diversity, declarative expertise, and transactive expertise. The results of a survey of NPD projects from 118 manufacturing firms show that expertise diversity and declarative expertise weaken while transactive memory strengthens the impact of improvisation on new product speed.

Improvisation,Expertise,Speed

1

Alliance Market Orientation and New Product Performance in High-Tech Industries

Pelin Bicen, Pennsylvania State University

Market orientation has traditionally been examined as an intra-firm concept. However, as firms often collaborate with other firms to create offerings that have superior value to customers, there is a burgeoning need to explore market orientation as an inter-firm phenomenon. Consequently, this paper conceptualizes alliance market orientation (AMO) as a relational capability that enables an alliance to (1) jointly and systematically gather market intelligence, (2) inter-organizationally coordinate and disseminate the knowledge gleaned from the market intelligence gathered, and (3) efficiently and effectively respond to the knowledge that is coordinated and disseminated. Using data from 246 dyadic new product alliances in high-tech industries, the authors find that AMO has a significant positive effect on the new product creativity of alliances and that it completely mediates the effects of its antecedents on new product creativity and performance.

Alliance Market Orientation,Idiosyncratic Resources,New Product Performance

2

Entrepreneurial Orientation and New Product Performance: the Moderating Role of Formal Control Systems

Civilai Leckie, Swinburne University of Technology

Heath Mcdonald, Swinburne University of Technology

An organisation with a strong Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) is characterised by risk-taking, innovativeness and pro-active behaviour. Prior studies have substantiated the importance of EO in improving organisational performance, particularly in developing new products. This is somewhat at odds, however, with another stream of research that has argued the importance of two formal control mechanisms to effective product development: Stage-Gate system (SGS) and Product Management (PM). This paper examines whether an organisation that adopts an entrepreneurial orientation can still benefit from using formal control mechanisms in their new product development processes. We examine the impact of EO, SGS and PM on both decision-making comprehensiveness (DMC) and new product performance. Results suggest that SGS strengthens the relationship between EO and decision-making comprehensiveness (DMC) while PM weakens such a relationship. However, the implementation of both SGS and PM strengthens the relationship between EO and DMC.

New Product Performance,Entrepreneurial Orientation,Stage-Gate System

3

Business Development: Measurement and Performance

Hans Eibe Soerensen, University of Southern Denmark

Business development tasks and processes span a growth opportunity's planning phase and implementation phase. This exploratory study aims at clarifying and empirically verifying the business development construct and addressing its unique organizational design and performance implications. On the basis of 198 CEO responses from growth enterprises and growth entrepreneurs, the results indicate that business development and its two components – business planning sophistication and developer support – have differential effects on firm performance. The research and managerial implications are discussed.

Business Development,Measurement,Performance

1

Building an Innovation Community: An Empirical Analysis of How to Encourage External Stakeholders to Participate in the Firm’s NPD Process

Johanna Brunneder, Geneva University/HEC Geneva

Marcel Paulssen, HEC Geneva

The integration of external stakeholders in firms’ NPD process has found increasing interest in business research and practice. Central to this topic are virtual innovation communities managed by firms in order to facilitate the exchange with external stakeholders and in order to involve them in the different stages of the NPD process. To date empirical research on the drivers of participation of these external stakeholders in virtual innovation communities is lacking. The authors test a comprehensive model of how perceived benefits, individual member characteristics and relational characteristics influence members’ participation behavior in virtual innovation communities. The results indicate that hedonic benefits, competence and affective commitment to the virtual network play a crucial role in determining participation behavior in innovation communities.

Innovation Community,Stakeholder Participation,Community Commitment

2

Should I introduce My Partner?: Exploring the Effects of Stakeholder Cocreation on Consumers’ New Product Valuations

Kande Kazadi, University of Antwerp

Annouk Lievens, University of Antwerp
Dominik Mahr, Maastricht University

An emerging stream of research explores the effects of involving consumers during new product development. Yet, in recent years firms have started to cocreate products with multiple types of stakeholders, not just consumers. This paper examines the effects of stakeholder cocreation on consumers’ valuations of new products in two studies. Contrary to extant research, the results show that in the context of complex products, consumers value cocreation with multiple stakeholders, rather than cocreation with only consumers. Furthermore, the results reveal the underlying process that explains this relationship. Consumers perceive firms, that cocreate with a highly diverse group of stakeholders, as more capable in creating innovative products and are subsequently willing to pay more for those products.

Stakeholder Cocreation,Consumer Cocreation,New Product Valuation

3

Open Innovation: A Double-Edged Sword?

Sören Köcher, TU Dortmund University

Stefanie Paluch, TU Dortmund University
Sarah Küsgen, TU Dortmund University

Innovation contests have become a widely-used open innovation instrument to gather new product ideas. This research examines positive and potential negative effects of this open innovation technique by analyzing the impact of a successful and unsuccessful participation in idea competitions on three key performance figures, namely purchase, word-of-mouth, and loyalty intentions. Experimental results demonstrate that – besides positive effects of a successful participation – unsuccessful participation entails adverse side effects triggered by negative emotions.

Open Innovation,Emotions,Negative Effects

4

If You Are Attractive and Fair, I’ll Do it Myself! Assessing Mass Customization Processes in the Light of Product Aesthetics and Perceived Fairness.

Ursula Scholl-Grissemann, Innsbruck University

Karin Teichmann, Innsbruck University
Nicola E. Stokburger-Sauer, Innsbruck University
Benedikt Schnurr, Innsbruck University

This research analyzes the impact of different mass customization toolkits (i.e. functional, aesthetic, and supreme toolkits) and mass customization toolkit options (many vs. few) on customers’ process enjoyment and satisfaction with the company. It further analyzes whether customers’ evaluation of the mass customization process differs in a fair vs. unfair scenario. Product category involvement and product category expertise and their moderating effects are assessed. Results from three experimental studies demonstrate that process enjoyment with an aesthetic toolkit is higher than with a functional toolkit, and that a supreme toolkit does not increase process enjoyment further. Moreover, the paper reveals that perceived fairness plays a significant role in customers’ satisfaction with the company. Important implications for managers are discussed.

Mass Customization,Product Aesthetics,Perceived Fairness

1

Diminishing Returns to New Product Announcements: How the Past Shapes Investors’ Expectations of Firms’ Innovative Output

Nooshin Lotfi, Texas A&M University

Alina Sorescu, Texas A&M University

As firms’ innovation activity increases, investors’ expectations of firms’ future innovative output also increase. How do these expectations form and what is their impact on investor reactions to firms’ new product announcements? Using a comprehensive sample of new product announcements we show that the magnitude of the stock market reaction to a new product announcement is negatively related to a set of firm and market characteristics. Furthermore, we verify that firms’ past history of new product announcements is incorporated in their market value measured prior to each new announcement. Our research can help managers select and time new product announcements in a manner that increases the impact that these announcements have on the value of their firms.

New Product Announcement,Event Study,Stock Market

3

Come and See What We‘ve Found: Reconsidering Uncertainty in Preannouncements

Roland Schroll, Innsbruck University

Reinhard Grohs, Innsbruck University

Before a firm undertakes a particular action, such as a product launch, information asymmetry and uncertainty exist about the exact details. While existing preannouncement literature views uncertainty as generally negative and, thus, suggests to avoid uncertainty at all times, this paper argues for a more nuanced understanding of uncertainty in preannouncements. Findings demonstrate that uncertain preannouncements lead to higher market anticipation (curiosity, excitement, and interest) than certain preannouncements. Therefore, instead of always avoiding uncertainty, firms should strategically manage uncertainty in preannouncements, but need to take into consideration the level of uncertainty they communicate in their preannouncements.

Preannouncements,Uncertainty,Product Launch

4

Accelerating Innovations: When Do they Pay off?

Max Philipp Backhaus, University of Cologne

Kai Luegger, University of Muenster
Robert Wilken, ESCP Europe

Accelerated innovations occur frequently, as (a) time to introduction of subsequent generations decreases; or (b) innovations diffuse faster. Although generally viewed as a chance rather than a threat, accelerated innovations are not necessarily beneficial, because decreased time to introduction does not always accompany accelerated diffusion. In this light, we investigate the effects of accelerated innovations on the profitability of a first-generation innovation (G1) replaced by G2. A case study on the DRAM industry provides the basis for a Monte Carlo simulation, which considers combinations of diffusion, cost, and price parameters. Costs and diffusion of G1 influence its profitability most. Interestingly, G2 diffusion parameters are much less influential; the mere early introduction is more decisive on the profitability of G1.

Accelerated Innovation,Norton/bass Model,Monte Carlo Simulation

1

What do Students Really Think? Understanding Postgraduate Students' Perceptions of Service Quality

Anna Ackfeldt, Aston University

Benjamin Klitzke, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Laura M Chamberlain, Aston University
Anna-Lena Ackfeldt, Aston University

This paper explores the components of Service Quality in HE from the Business School Postgraduate student perspective. A six-dimensional scale measuring Service Quality is developed based on focus group and survey data. Our findings highlight that postgraduate students are highly outcome oriented; the award of a reputable degree to gain employment is more important than learning for life. Whilst developing employable graduates, Business Schools must not neglect the core service; teaching & learning. In the long-term this contributes to employability rates and the reputation of institutions. However, as student satisfaction is an increasingly paramount objective, balancing the core service and factors perceived as important by postgraduate students is key.

Service Quality,Higher Education,Postgraduate Students

2

Time of Submission: An Indicator of Procrastination and a Correlate of Performance on Undergraduate Marketing Assignments

David Arnott, University of Warwick

Scott Dacko, University of Warwick

Research that relates academic procrastination to student performance relies on self-completed questionnaires. This study seeks to identify an immediate, non-intrusive indicator (based on actual behavior) of procrastination. The three hypotheses exploring time of submission versus marks awarded are supported, thus demonstrating a significant relationship between time of submission and academic performance. The study further contributes by demonstrating that delayed but still pre-deadline submission due to procrastination has serious and detrimental effects on performance. Our conclusions suggest that if this poor study habit can be eradicated in the students’ first year, it may aid their degree classifications and employability.

Procrastination,Performance,Timeliness

3

Formation of Expectations for Online MBA Units and its Impact on Satisfaction

Lars Groeger, Macquarie Graduate School of Management

Lara Moroko, Macquarie Graduate School of Management

Interest in online MBAs has grown rapidly over the past decade. We seek to explore student expectations as a driver of student satisfaction, in the context of online MBA learning. Following expectation-confirmation theory (ECT) we set out a two stage research agenda to explore how MBA students undertaking online courses form their expectations, and subsequently, how online learning environments should be designed to respond to better address these expectations.

Online Mba,Expectations,Satisfaction

1

Clickers: Educational Applications in University Teaching

Lidya Jareño Macías, University of Granada

Myriam Martínez Fiestas, ESAN University
Francisco Liébana Cabanillas, University of Granada

The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by students has been broadly studied over time. Until now, many innovations have been introduced on a continuous basis, including among others, multimedia tools, wikis and even microblogging networks. Using clickers as a new teaching tool will improve the quality of education, favor involving students in classroom activities, and, consequently, improve their performance. However, there are not sufficient studies that examine the factors that influence and determine student’s intention to use or not this system in their classes. This paper examines this issue based on a survey applied (N=297). Our findings show usefulness is the main consideration mentioned by students for using the Q-Click software, followed by subjective considerations and the device’s user-friendliness.

Educational Technology,Interactive Learning,University Education

2

The CMGS (Case Method With Guest Speakers) Project: Developing Experienced Learning in Sales Management Education

José Luis Ruíz de Alba, University of Málaga

Estefania Almenta López, University of Malaga
Maria L. Vallespin Aran, University of Malaga

The implementation of the CMGS (Case Method with Guest Speakers) Project in Sales Management courses provides Marketing undergraduate students with first-hand practical knowledge about how a sales manager can deal with a wide variety of professional scenarios. In order to apply this methodology, eight sales managers were invited to a Sales Management Course as guest speakers. Students were required to prepare the sessions, gathering information about the sector and identifying areas of special interest to be discussed. This provided an opportunity for interaction between students and sales professionals. Findings suggest the desirability of employing this methodology in other courses.

Innovative Teaching,Case Method,Experienced Learning

3

Using the Rasch Model for the Development and Assessment of Multiple-Choice Tests in Marketing: Some Practical Guidelines

Udo Wagner, Vienna University

Marion Garaus, University of Vienna

Recent developments in university education lead to marketing courses of hundreds of students. To cope with the challenge of efficient and fair test assessment, lecturers have switched to easily processable multiple-choice exams. In order to overcome the criticism of unfair and superficial multiple-choice tests, this paper suggests continuously evaluating such tests by the use of the Rasch model. Practical guidelines about the estimation and the interpretation of the Rasch model are outlined. Implications for marketing education research and possible explanations for different item functioning among two scrambling groups are discussed.

Multiple Choice Tests,Test Development,Rasch Model

1

Negative Emotions and Pro-Social Persuasion: The Role of Anxiety Toward Death in Charities’ Campaigns Success

Jeanne Albouy, ESC - Pau Groupe Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Pau

This paper is intended to enlighten one of the mechanisms which underlie the efficiency of shocking charities’ campaigns. Through the “death anxiety” concept, we especially focus on the relationship that the benefactor (and not the beneciary) has with his own death. Based on the Terror Management Theory, we develop a set of hypothesis which are tested by a quantitative experiment (n=600). The results show that death anxiety has not a conditional role but operates as an antecedent of the negative emotions elicited by the charitable appeal. Negative emotions then mediate the effect of death anxiety on charitable attitudes and intention to give. This particular perspective of the emotion-based prosocial persuasion is discussed.

Negative Emotions,Prosocial Persuasion,Death Anxiety

2

Multiple Charity Support Behaviour over Six Months

Philip Stern, University of Exeter

Margaret Faulkner, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, University of South Australia
Jenni Romanuik, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, University of South Australia

Charitable organisations play an important role in providing services for communities, with most reliant on the support of individuals. Recessions internationally have increased the challenge of attracting and retaining supporters. The support behaviour shown toward charities is considered different to that displayed in for-profit markets, thus requiring specific models to explain behaviour. We check this assumption with online data of a broad range of support activities to charities over six months. We find supporters are polygamous rather than solely loyal, with around 5 charities supported. This challenges assumptions held by charity marketers and suggests the model can help marketers to inform their decisions to optimise precious marketing resources in the charity sector.

Charity,Support,Portfolio

3

The Moderating Role of Service Failure Magnitude Perceptions in Influencing the Impact of Caregiver Dissatisfaction on their Desire for Revenge and Negative WOM

Luisa Andreu, University of Valencia

Enrique Bigné, University of Valencia
Vicente Martínez-Tur, IDOCAL-University of Valencia
Anna S. Mattila, Pennsylvania State University
Carolina Moliner, IDOCAL-University of Valencia

This research examines managers’, employees’ and caregivers’ perceptions of the magnitude of the service failure in a context of non-profit organizations catering to people with mental disabilities. Building upon the social exchange, equity and prospect theory, we hypothesize that the gaps in the magnitude of the service failure play a moderating role on the negative effects of caregiver dissatisfaction and their desire for revenge and negative WOM behaviour. A group of 118 managers, 937 contact employees and 876 caregivers were surveyed. Hierarchical regression analyses support our hypotheses. Theoretical and managerial implications of the results are discussed.

Service Failure,Dissatisfaction,Word-Of-Mouth

1

Social Desirability and its Impact on Audience Research

Sigrid Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Paula Maria Bögel, Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Andreas Heinen, Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Social desirability bias (SD bias) describes research participants' tendency to adapt response behavior to perceived social norms. SD bias can affect the validity of studies. However, as of yet, researchers have barely addressed SD bias by studying fine and performing arts as part of cultural sector research. This study provides the first empirical evidence for high trait desirability (TD) in the cultural sector and the existence of a resulting SD bias. In addition, it shows that SD bias affected audience inclination to positive response in the cultural sector.

Social Desirability Bias,Trait Desirability,Audience Research

2

Eliciting Consumer Decision-Making in Health Care - A Qualitative Study on Hospital Choice Behavior

Sophia Fischer, Dresden University of Technology

Sebastian Gurtner, Dresden University of Technology
Ines Weinhold, Dresden University of Technology

During the last decade, the traditional paternalistic approach to decisions in the realm of health care has been progressively replaced by the understanding of patients as sovereign consumers of medical services. However, patients’ decision strategies with regard to hospital choice are barely explored. This study fills this gap by developing a comprehensive, behavior-oriented hospital choice model. Based on an exploratory, qualitative approach, the model links relevant situational and patient-related factors with key strategies in the hospital choice process. Finally, the derived propositions complete the framework and highlight further research potential.

Decision-Making,Health Care,Hospital Choice

3

“No Goal Conflict!” Using Experience Design in Museums to Achieve Marketing Objectives in Combination with their Institutional Objectives

Nadine Ober-Heilig, Lueneburg University

Sigrid Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, Lueneburg University

The survival of museums in the leisure market is challenged by a growing experience economy. However, many still refrain from strategic experiential marketing strategies because they fear to contradict their objectives as educational institutions. In our study we analyse the effects of an experiential museum design on both marketing objectives and non-profit objectives of museums. In an experiment we tested the effects of an experiential versus a non-experiential museum design on visitors and non-visitors using computer simulations. The results of this study show a positive impact of the experiential design on both types of museum objectives. As a conclusion museums can use strategic experiential design to improve both their market and societal position.

Experiential Marketing,Museum Marketing,Audience Development

4

An S-D Logic Based Communication Strategy to Inform New Zealand Women of Zero Alcohol in Pregnancy

Mathew Parackal, University of Otago

Sherly Parackal, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland

Effective communication of messages is integral to achieve social changes. Commonly used tools are mass media but they are expensive. Within the marketing literature there is movement towards service as the dominant logic popularly referred to as S-D Logic. In this paper the results of a study that aimed to identify network partners to communicate “zero alcohol in pregnancy” is presented and discussed in the light of the S-D Logic context. Thirteen information sources specific to the target audience were subjected to factor analysis, which produced four categories (health care providers, electronic media, conventional media and public services). The paper suggests the network partners to be employed to communicate messages to the target audience, in the context of S-D Logic.

S-Dlogic,Communication,Alcohol

1

Under Which Mood and Deal Proneness Conditions Do Price Promotions Really Lead to High Purchase Intentions?

Laura Massera, University of Fribourg

Silke Bambauer-Sachse, University of Fribourg

This study examines effects of consumers’ mood and deal proneness on purchase intentions for price promotions with different saving formats. For less deal prone consumers, positive mood and “% off” elicit higher purchase intentions. For highly deal prone consumers, positive mood produces higher purchase intentions independently of the saving format.

Promotion,Mood,Purchase

2

Collectible Free Gifts Programs as Promotional Measures in Retailing

Sascha Daniel Sohn, Kaiserslautern Technical University

Stephan Roth, Kaiserslautern Technical University

Promotional program effectiveness relies on its design. We examine the design of a new promotional program observed in the retail industry, called a collectible free gift program, in which collectible reward points are replaced by uncertain non-economic incentives. The main objective is to examine its characteristics, impact on consumer behavior, and retailers’ objectives. Specifically, we examine the empirical findings on design elements, building a conceptual framework and provide guidelines for further research on the design of promotional programs.

Promotions,Collecting,Retail

3

The Long-Term Impact of Sales Promotions on Customer Equity

Herbert Casteran, EM Strasbourg Business School

Polymeros Chrysochou, Aarhus University
Meyer-Waarden, EM Strasbourg Business School, HuManiS & University Toulouse 1, CRM CNRS

Sales promotions’ effectiveness for short-term sales is proven. However, for long-term sales, possible adverse effects have been suggested. To bridge this gap, we apply stochastic models (BG/NBD model) in 74 packaged good categories of a Danish consumer panel and measure the cumulated long-term effects of promotions at the customer portfolio level by computing purchase frequencies, attrition and customer equity. Promotions have a mitigated impact: while the effect on purchase frequencies is overall positive, the impact on retention and lifetime duration is only positive in half of the categories. Finally, the effect on customer equity is positive in 62% and negative in 38% of the product categories analyzed.

Customer Equity,Promotions,Customer Lifetime Value

4

If "Advertising Attracts Dummies", Could It Be Bad to Advertise? Exploring How the Third-Person Effect Impacts Consumer Reactions to Information that a Brand Will Advertise

John Karsberg, Stockholm School of Economics

Micael Dahlén, Stockholm School of Economics
Nina Åkestam, Stockholm School of Economics

This paper builds on the third-person effect (TPE) to test whether consumers expect that advertising will attract "others" that are less smart and sophisticated than them, and thus react negatively to information that a brand advertises. Testing this notion in an experiment, we find that information about a brands’ intentions to advertise indeed has a negative effect on the image of the consumer of the brand, which in turn has a negative impact on brand evaluations. We hereby extend the research on TPE to include also the effects of non-controversial advertising.

Third-Person Effect,Advertising,Advertising Effects

1

Memory Effects of Past Sponsorships

Alexander Edeling, University of Cologne

Stefan Hattula, University of Stuttgart
Torsten Bornemann, University of Stuttgart

Despite considerable interest in the long-term effects of sponsorship, few studies examine the ongoing effects when sponsorships have expired. This article fills this research gap by developing and empirically testing a conceptual model that shows (1) the time-lagged attitudinal benefits of the recall of a past sponsorship and (2) the antecedents determining this recall. Using primary (survey; n = 271) and secondary data from German professional soccer, the analysis shows that the present recall of a past sponsorship has a positive impact on the attitude toward the sponsor’s brand—an important precursor of actual buying behavior. In addition, this research finds that management (e.g., duration of the engagement), individual and group (e.g., perceived fit between the past sponsor’s brand and the sponsored object), and market factors (e.g., number of follow-up sponsors) determine the present recall of a past sponsorship.

Sponsorship,Recall,Attitude

2

Sponsorship and Ambush Marketing Effectiveness: a Field-Experimental Analysis of Print and Online Advertisements

Regina Viola Frey, German Graduate School of Management & Law

With rising sponsorship expenditures every year, marketing practice has an essential need for information of sponsorship effectiveness. Traditional sponsorship is becoming increasingly threatened by creative ambush marketers seeking to position themselves as official sponsors, however, without paying license fees. We analyze print and online campaign effectiveness in the surroundings of the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Championship and the UEFA European Championship in two field-experimental studies. Applying MANOVA and regression analyses, our findings yield heterogeneous findings in terms of brand attitude, sponsorship awareness, word-of-mouth and brand equity for print and online advertisements; suggesting that sponsors not necessarily outperform ambush marketers.

Sponsorship,Ambush Marketing,Marketing Effectiveness

3

The Development of an Integrated Corporate Communication Scale: Validation and Reliability Assessment

Lucia Porcu, University of Granada

Salvador Del Barrio Garcia , University of Granada
Philip J. Kitchen, ESC Rennes School of Business

This paper aims to conceptualise Integrated Corporate Communication (ICC) as a multidimensional concept and to develop and validate a scale for its measurement. Based on an extensive literature review and a Delphi study, ICC is defined, four dimensions are identified (namely, tactical consistency, interactivity, stakeholder-centred strategic focus and organisational alignment) and a 25-item scale is developed. To test the proposed scale, data were collected via an online questionnaire survey to top managers in the Spanish tourism industry. The findings proved the reliability and validity of the proposed ICC scale, providing a valuable instrument for future research.

Integrated Corporate Communication,Delphi Method,Scale Validation

4

How Employees’ Distance to Headquarter Affects the Influence of Internal Vs. External Communication on Employee Behavior

Sven Henkel, University of St. Gallen

Dennis Herhausen, University of St.Gallen/Institute of Marketing
Philipp Scharfenberger, University of St.Gallen/Center for Customer Insight

This study examines the effect of internal and external communication on commitment and brand behavior of employees. The authors propose that distance to headquarter moderates the impact of internal and external communications, so that the positive relationship for internal (external) communication is stronger for employees in roles that are more (less) proximal to the headquarter. Results from an empirical study of 1,291 employees from 6 subsidiaries of a large industrial organization support this notion. The findings of this study suggest that external communication is important to increase employees’ commitment and their willingness to behave on brand.

Employee Communication,Distance To Headquarter,Construal-Level Theory

1

Antecedents of Community Engagement in Online Loyalty Programs

Ana María Gutiérrez, University of Valladolid

Rebeca San José, University of Valladolid
Angel Domínguez, University of Valladolid

Engagement is a concept which is currently proving to be of enormous interest in both academic as well as business fields. In addition to providing further insights into the notion, or more specifically into community engagement, the current work is pioneering in applying the concept to the analysis of online loyalty programs (OLP), considered as brand communities. The research pinpoint the main antecedents and seeking to gain a greater understanding of how OLP work, knowledge of which remains scarce. Findings show that program identification, program satisfaction, and consumer perceived benefits of OLP are antecedents of community engagement. Among the typology of perceived benefits, hedonic and social symbolic benefits prove significant.

Online Loyalty Program,Community Engagement,Consumer Identification

3

It's not the Quality but the Effort Itself that Matters? Advertiser Effort and Consumer Perceptions of Equitable Exchange

Stefan Szugalski, Stockholm School of Economics

Lars Bergkvist, Nottingham University Business School China
Micael Dahlén, Stockholm School of Economics

Introducing the concept of equitable exchange to advertising, this paper tests the popular notion that "advertising needs to earn consumers' attention". Drawing on equity theory, we hypothesize that higher advertiser effort generates more favorable ad attitudes, brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Two experiments support the hypotheses, and find that the positive impact of advertiser effort increases with consumer effort to take part of the advertising.

Equitable Exchange,Marketing Signals,Advertiser Effort

1

Effects of Advertising for Future Products on the Consumer’s Attitude

Faidon Sylvestros, University of Valencia

Marcelo Royo Vela, University of Valencia

This exploratory work focuses on the consumer’s responses to the effect of advertising for preannounced products and tries to extend the model of Dahlen et al., (2011) by analysing the possible effects for the brand, the consumer’s attitude towards the brand and the predetermined outcomes that this influence can have on the consumer’s buying intention. It is expected that advertising for future products will create more uncertainty than advertising for current products and that consumers will show anticipation, thus demonstrating a greater willingness to purchase the future product than the current one. Two experiments were conducted to measure different brand evaluations. One experiment was related to the advertising campaign implemented before a new car was launched on the market and the other was designed to detect the possible effect of product availability over the consumer’s anticipation and evaluation.

Adeffects,Attitude,Brand

2

Same Message, Different Ad Framing: The Moderating Role of Need for Cognition

Lars Erling Olsen, Oslo School of Management

Samuelsen Bendik Meling, BI Norwegian Business School
Tarje Gaustad, Oslo School of Management

Advertisers choose among different ad claims when framing messages about new entrants. This paper proposes that different claims evoke different memory structures (semantic vs. episodic), and that these structures require different types of cognitive processing (system 1 vs. system 2). Two experiments, using need for cognition as a dispositional trait of level of cognitive processing, show that experiential claims are less favorably evaluated when consumers engage in system 2 processing, than when consumers engage in system 1 processing. The better performance of functional claims, may managerially implicate that experiential claims can potentially be a dangerous positioning strategy.

Semantic And Episodic Memory,System 1 & 2,Need For Cognition

3

Comparative Advertising’s Novelty and Persuasion Outcomes: Insights from France, United Kingdom and United States

Dan Alex Petrovici, Kent Business School

Christian Dianoux, University of Lorraine - Cerefige
John Ford, Old Dominion University
Jean-Luc Herrmann, University of Lorraine - Cerefige
Jeryl Whitelock, Bradford University

Considering that novelty increases information processing but decreases perceived believability as well, we conducted a cross-national study in three countries (France, UK, and USA) to examine the effects of two comparative ad formats (Direct and Indirect Comparative Advertising) on persuasion outcomes for an unknown brand. Based on a representative sample of 789 “real” French, UK and USA consumers, the results mainly support the role of comparative advertising’s novelty on persuasion outcomes and call for a deeper understanding of both perceptions of comparative advertising in different countries as well as the cultural differences able to be at work at an individual level.

Comparative Advertising,Novelty,Information Processing

4

Phonetic Symbolism Effects on Consumer Evaluations of Spokesperson Characteristics

Jasmina Ilicic, The University of Adelaide

Stacey Baxter, The University of Newcastle
Alicia Perkins, The University of Newcastle

This study investigates the effect of phonetic symbolism on consumer evaluations of abstract spokesperson characteristics, namely, friendliness, masculinity and attractiveness. Two between subjects experiments were undertaken to test the effects of the vowel sound contained in a spokesperson name (front vs. back) on perceived spokesperson characteristics. Whilst results are in some aspects inconsistent with prior psycholinguistic research, results across both experiments showed consistent psycholinguistic effects when spokesperson name was considered. Results showed that consumers perceived a spokesperson with a name containing a back vowel sound as friendlier, more masculine and more attractive.

Phonetic Symbolism,Spokesperson Name,Attractiveness

1

Co-Creation: A Case Study of a ‘focused’ Business Model Approach

Pennie Frow, The University of Sydney

Adrian Payne, University of New South Wales

This paper explores focused co-creation, one of three broad business model approaches to co-creation. The paper briefly outlines these approaches and then examines focused co-creation in Burberry, the luxury fashion brand. Recently, this company has focused on engaging employees and customers in co-promoting and co-experiencing value in unique ways, blurring the distinction between physical and digital platforms. The result is a transformation of this business. The case illustrates the advantages of a granular assessment of co-creation and the importance of adopting an appropriate business model approach that relates to specific co-creation goals.

Co-Creation,Burberry,Case

2

Stakeholder Marketing: Theoretical Foundations and Consequences for Marketing Capabilities

Bas Hillebrand, Radboud University

Paul Driessen, Radboud University Nijmegen
Oliver Koll, University of Innsbruck

Building on multiplicity theory, this conceptual paper presents a revised theoretical perspective on the marketing discipline, contrasts it with the prevailing perspective on marketing, and shows why the revised perspective better fits the current reality. It argues that the core of this perspective consists of viewing stakeholder environments as continuous multiplicities rather than discrete multiplicities. The revised perspective explains three transitions in marketing practice: (1) exchange becomes complex rather than being dyadic, (2) tension between stakeholder interests becomes explicit rather than staying implicit, and (3) control over marketing activities becomes dispersed rather than centralized. The paper conceptualizes specific capabilities that are required for each transition.

Stakeholders,Theory,Capabilities

3

Is Entrepreneurial Marketing a New Paradigm? Understanding Better the Entrepreneurial Versus Managerial Marketing Decision Making Processes

Elisabete Sampaio De Sá, Minho University / School of Economics and Management

Minoo Farhangmehr, Universiy of Minho
José Carlos Pinho, University of Minho

This paper intends to contribute to the development of the entrepreneurial marketing theory. It proposes shifting the focus from the marketing activities themselves to what shapes them, that is, the marketing decision making process, which is forged by both the entrepreneurial context, and its contingencies, and the mindset of the entrepreneur. Based on such conceptualization, the paper draws on the cognitive approach to entrepreneurship, particularly the effectuation theory. Results from the research, using the Critical Incident Technique to explore entrepreneurial decisions, present the entrepreneurial marketing process, showing the differences from the managerial marketing process. Results suggest that entrepreneurial and managerial marketing rely on different decision making logics and that they can work in a complementary manner or alternatively in different circumstances.

Entrepreneurial,Marketing,Effectuation

4

Stakeholder Theory as a Mean to Understand Customer Orientation if there is more than One Customer Population

Sebastian Alexander Schubach, University of Passau

Nicole Jasmin Heß, University of Passau
Jan Hendrik Schumann, University of Passau