Marketing Commons^™

Brand & Celebrity Associations: An Investigation Into Brand & Celebrity Trait Congruence And The Potential For Trait Transference, Pamela S. Merriman

Honors Theses and Capstones

In today’s marketplace, a significant amount of brands are utilizing celebrity endorsers as a marketing tool. Traits of the brand and the endorser are typically not congruent. As a result, trait transference between a brand and a celebrity can occur once the brand and celebrity endorser are linked in the consumer’s mind. Further, celebrity endorsers often endorse multiple brands at one time. Therefore, it may be possible for traits to transfer from one brand to another via a common celebrity endorser. Although research has shown that the traits of celebrity endorsers can influence br and perceptions and vice versa, no …

Why Do Makers Make? Examining Designer Motivations On Thingiverse.Com, Courtney H. Shaw

Honors Theses and Capstones

Technological advancements have made a once fictitious dream into a reality. 3D printing has become a popular manufacturing and design technique used all over the world. As this industry becomes more popular, users of these 3D printers are reaching out across the web to share designs, seek help, and build communities of users with similar interests. This study is meant to look at what motivates 3D printing users to participate in online user innovation communities such as Thingiverse.com. This study will explore motivations such as personal needs, financial gains, approval of peers, skill development, and enjoyment. Moreover, it will assess …

Sports Celebrity Influence On The Behavioral Intentions Of Generation Z, Kayla M. Farren

Honors Theses and Capstones

The research is to determine what the effects, if any, professional athlete endorsers or spokespersons have on the generation Z cohort. There is a relative lack of published research that investigated the influence sport celebrity endorsers had on generation Z. This study primarily focused on the exploration of the role sports celebrities play as vicarious role models for members of generation, as well as touched upon whether sports celebrity endorsers affected generation Z’s behavioral intentions. In addition, the influence sports celebrity endorsers had on females in comparison to males was also studied. It was found that sports celebrity spokespersons or …

Customer Relationship Management In The E-Retailing Environment, Nikki R. Hicks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business enterprise (SBE) managers often lack resources, expertise, and impact when selling in an online environment. SBEs can overcome increased competition by adopting customer relationship management (CRM) into their business model for survival and longevity. Using the conceptual framework technology, organization, environment (TOE), this multiple case study explored effective marketing strategies that small store retail managers use to successfully sell apparel and accessories in online markets. The study population included leaders from independent small online retail enterprises with brick-and-mortar stores located in the Central, Tri-Cities, or Southside areas in Virginia. The data collection process included semistructured, on-site interviews of …

Strategies For Low Employee Turnover In The Hotel Industry, Odetha Antonnett Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover affects the profitability, performance, and customer service of an organization. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that leaders in the hotel industry used to maintain a low rate of employee turnover. Motivation-hygiene theory was the conceptual framework for the study. The study population included 9 hotel leaders from 2 international hotels operating in Jamaica. Methodological triangulation involved the comparison of data from observation of hotel facilities and leaders' interactions with employees, review of company documents, and semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed into emerging themes using a Gadamerian hermeneutics framework of interpretation. Four major …

Market-Entry Strategies Of Startup Owners, Evgeny Tsaplin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Russia's startups fail at high rates. The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand the market-entry strategies used by accelerated startup managers to succeed in business longer than the first 3 years. The target population for this study was 3 startup owners who completed an acceleration program from the Internet Initiatives Development Fund and continued to operate businesses that generated revenue. The participants in the study were located in 3 different cities in Russia: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Tomsk. The conceptual framework for the study was Raheem and Akhuemonkhan's theory of enterprise development and von Bertalanffy's general system …

An Exploration Of Organizational Buying Behavior In The Public Sector, Kevin S. Chase

Theses and Dissertations--Marketing and Supply Chain

This dissertation begins with a comprehensive examination of the current state of research regarding organizational buying behavior. Through this review we identify a significant gap in our existing knowledge regarding organizational buying behavior in the public sector. Due to the high level of impact that government purchasing has on the economy, and the nuances that differentiate public from private sector purchasing practices, I further explore organizational buying behavior in the public sector to make the following contributions.

First, I highlight the common practice in business-to-government (B2G) and business-to-business (B2B) transactions where buyers limit suppliers’ access to them during the buying …

The Impact Of Childhood Socioeconomic Status On Adult Reactions Toward Quantity Surcharges, Wenjing Li

Theses and Dissertations--Marketing and Supply Chain

Quantity surcharges have been widespread in the marketplace for decades. However, little is known about what kinds of consumers and under what conditions they are more likely to be impacted by this pricing practice. The current research contributes to the existing literature by investigating how a person’s childhood socioeconomic status affects their reaction toward quantity surcharges during adulthood. Across four studies, we find that childhood socioeconomic status has a positive impact on the purchase of a large and surcharged package size. However, when the economic conditions are threatening, the positive effect of childhood socioeconomic status disappears. The current research also …

Projecting Lower Competence To Maintain Moral Warmth In The Avoidance Of Prosocial Requests, Peggy J. Liu, Stephanie C. Lin

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When faced with prosocial requests, consumers face a difficult decision between taking on the request’s burden or appearing unwarm (unkind, uncaring). We propose that the desire to refuse such requests while protecting a morally warm image leads consumers to under-represent their competence. Although consumers care strongly about being viewed as competent, five studies showed that they downplayed their competence to sidestep a prosocial request. This effect occurred across both self-reported and behavioral displays of competence. Further, the downplaying competence effect only occurred when facing an undesirable prosocial request, not a similarly undesirable proself request. The final studies showed that people …

Influence Of Online Consumer Reviews On Brand Choice, Patricia Lui

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Social interaction encourages consumers toshare information in the digital age. Many consumers use online reviews of products and services to supporttheir brand choice. The concept ofreference group explains how peers can influence consumer purchasedecisions. Peers can exert influence onconsumers in the forms of informational, utilitarian and value-expressiveinfluences. This proposed study aims atexamining how these three forms of reference group influence would affectconsumers in using online consumer reviews when making a brand choice decision. It also explores the role of brand trust onthe brand choice. This paper serves thepurpose of providing a conceptual framework for developing further research.

In League? Destination Marketing Organisations And Football Clubs In The Virtual Space, Gerard Dunne, David Proctor, Sheila Flanagan

Articles

Logic dictates that Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs), while representing many stakeholders, should leverage a location’s most visible assets to enhance the attractiveness of the destination at any given opportunity. This study examines the manner and extent to which four major European football franchises are mentioned and promoted on the official digital marketing platforms of their respective cities; Amsterdam, Barcelona, Manchester and Munich. A tailor made content analysis tool is used to conduct a systematic investigation of the virtual platforms over which the DMOs of these cities exert a modicum of control. The content of these platforms is scrutinised from three …

Understanding How Immigrant Entrepreneurs View Business Opportunity Formation Through Ethnicity, Kingsley C. Njoku, Thomas M. Cooney

Books/Book Chapters

Given that international research is now consistently showing higher rates of entrepreneurial activity from immigrants above native people, research regarding our understanding of how immigrant entrepreneurs view business opportunity formation remains underdeveloped. Based upon a review of the literature, this chapter examines how ethnicity relates to business opportunity formation through constant interactions. It also introduces the Visual Mixed Embeddedness Framework as an empirical lens for understanding the differences in the business opportunity formation process models between immigrant and native entrepreneurs. By explaining how factors and traits from both home and host countries impact upon the immigrant entrepreneurial business activity process, …

Atmospherics As A Marketing Tool: The Influence Of The Student Union Dining Atmosphere And Service On Students' Attitudes And Actions, Grayson Beau Huber

Honors Theses

Atmospherics have been a focus of marketing research for decades following the research of Kotler (1971). Atmospherics research has revolved mostly around retail settings, with some research focusing on dining settings for consumers. Visual, aural, olfactory, and tactile factors of atmospherics have been studied in order to provide the best customer experience. Positive atmospherics also can relate to future buying habits. This study focuses on the topic of dining atmospherics on a college campus. The purpose of this research was to analyze any changes in students' opinions following the renovation of an on-campus dining option. A survey was available to …

A Comparative Study Of American And French Fashion Conspicuous Consumption Habits On Instagram, Hannah J. Corson

Honors Theses

As social media has become an integral part of every day communications, consumers have begun to conspicuously consume through the Internet. One social media platform, Instagram, puts a central focus on media sharing and allows its users to post photos and videos to their profiles. This makes Instagram an ideal place for Internet users to put their belongings on display. However, a user's nationality and cultural upbringing could influence how one utilizes this platform to conspicuously consume. To determine if this were true, Instagram photos from American and French users were analyzed to find any potential discrepancies. Fashion items were …

Marketing Unhealthy Foods And Beverages: Our Children At Risk, Cheryl Ward, Diane R. Edmondson, Allison Wheeley

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper examines the ethical dilemma created because of the largely ineffective self-regulation of the advertising industry as it relates to children and the corresponding drastic increase in childhood obesity. Unhealthy food and beverage companies are intentionally targeting children who have not yet developed the cognitive skills necessary to discern programming content from advertising. Children, who have many years of consumption ahead of them, can be an appealing target market for companies promoting products high in fat and calories. Given that existing self-regulation policies have been largely unsuccessful, four potential solutions are discussed.

Blogging As Marketing: From Writing To Revenue, Matthew Headland

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research paper explores the evolution of writing from a form of self-expression into a tactic to build community and to earn revenue in the form of web logs, or blogs. A history tracing blogging back to personal diaries and journals operates to set the context for the methods by which current day blogs create persona, community, and revenue. Through research conducted utilizing industry reports, academic texts, and professional blog articles, a thorough examination of 3 types of blogs outlines the methods of creating a successful blog and how each type of blog is monetized. Current trends in personal blogging, …

Traditional And Emerging Ethical Concerns In Advertising, Jennifer Lemanski

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ethical issues surrounding advertising have been well-discussed. However, over time and alongside societal and media changes, different questions have moved to the forefront in the discussion on advertising ethics. This paper presents an overview of traditional ethical issues of importance in the United States, and analyzes the changes that have come about as a result of newer, more interactive media for ad placements. Although many of the traditional ethical dilemmas remain, the more personalized and interactive nature of new media and an expanded landscape for advertisers to stake their claims have introduced new issues that were previously not of concern, …

Barnes & Noble: Business Analysis, Wendy Gregory

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This thesis identifies how to conduct a Business Analysis. The publicly traded company for this project is Barnes & Noble.

The Influence Of Price, Status Consumption And Reference Groups On Consumer Attitude To Purchase Counterfeit Sport Products In Uae, Hamza Salim Khraim

Irish Business Journal

The purpose of this study is to explore factors that influence the consumers' attitude to purchase counterfeit sports products in the UAE. We will examine the influence of price, status consumption and reference groups on consumers’ attitudes to purchase counterfeited sport products in the UAE. A sample of 235 respondents was collected for the study, which was carried out in two famous sports retailers GO Sports and Rebook in the UAE. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS. Different analytical tools have been used including, descriptive statistics, and multiple regression. Results show that price and reference groups have a positive …

Experiential Or Instrumental? The Role Of Shared Responsibility In Academic Success, Joanne T. Cao, Jamye Foster, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Alice Townsend

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2018

This paper explores the notion of shared responsibility in an educational environment. Specifically, this study assesses the relationship between shared responsibility and service outcomes, such as value, satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth, in a university housing context. Using general linear model, we find that students’ sense of shared responsibility affects hedonic and utilitarian value. In addition, students with a higher sense of shared responsibility were more satisfied and willing to recommend on-campus housing to others. Results of the study suggest a positive experience with student housing may increase student retention and offer recommendations for university residential managers.