Digital Commons Network^™

How Do College Students’ Regulatory Focus Shape Their Behavioral Outcome Towards Institutes Of Higher Education? The Role Of Cognitive Flexibility And Social Perceptiveness, Saurabh Singh, Sarath Nonis

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Colleges and Universities across the United States are witnessing a decline in overall freshman enrollments. The latest data suggests that in 2023 there was an overall decline in enrollment of 5% among first year incoming freshman students across the country (Wood, 2024). To generate favorable attitude among current or potential students, institutions of higher education have adopted the use of social media channels for communication with students (Perera et. al., 2023). Through this paper, we address the critical question of how institutes of higher education can maximize students’ commitment, sense of belonging, as well as positive word of mouth intentions …

Systematic Analysis Of Time Use Among Older Consumers, Jack A. Lesser, Minjung Park

AMTP Proceedings 2025

The study of aging consumers is increasingly critical as global demographic shifts underscore their growing economic and societal significance. In the United States, those aged 65 and older constitute a substantial and influential segment of the population, contributing significantly to consumer spending. Despite their impact, the academic exploration of aging consumers is fragmented, with significant gaps in defining their characteristics and understanding their evolving behaviors. This research attempts to bridge these gaps through the analysis of data from the American Time Use Survey (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023), offering insights into the real-world activities and behaviors of different ages …

Thibaudeau’S Paradox: A Revolutionary's Complicity In Napoleon’S Empire, Krystal C. Tan

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This essay explores Antoine-Claire Thibaudeau, a revolutionary who opposed Napoleon's autocratic ambitions yet actively contributed to his empire. Through Thibaudeau's memoirs and other sources, it argues that his ideological resistance gave way to reluctant collaboration, driven by the futility of opposition. His story reveals the complexities of dissent and compliance within Napoleon’s rule, challenging the notion of uniform elite support for the empire.

Judaism In Modernity: Franz Rosenzweig’S ‘On Jewish Learning’ And Its Philosophical Impacts, Simon E. Rosenbaum

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper examines the works from Franz Rosenzweig and other Jewish philosophers to demonstrate how modernity led to religious and philosophical shifts in global Jewry in the early 20 th century.

Colonial Legacies And Co-Ethnic Repatriation: A Comparative Analysis Of Germany And South Korea, Eunjin Yong

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

The paper examines the contrasting approaches of Germany and Korea in handling co-ethnic repatriation during the early Cold War era (1940-1950s). Focusing on Germany’s Federal Expellee Law of 1953 and Korea’s absence of formal policies for Korean-Chinese immigrants, the paper illustrates how colonial histories influenced their respective ethnic projects and provides a nuanced understanding of how repatriation policies are shaped by historical and political contexts.

Cognitive Processing’S Role In Preventing Consumer Scams, Lana Waschka, Marcus Cunha Jr.

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Building on the findings of prior Unconscious Thought Theory (UTT) research, which showed how utilizing unconscious processing allowed participants to better identify lies (Reinhard, et al., 2011), the current work proposes a potential solution for consumers to identify and avoid complex scams and frauds: the use of distraction/ unconscious thought while processing information about scams. Through the course of three studies, we find evidence in support of the hypothesis and identify a moderated (relationship status) mediation (materialism) and that the main relationship is moderated by low self-esteem.

This work contributes to the literature by extending the application of unconscious thinking …

Consumer Insights About Restaurant And Bar Preferences, Griffin D. Burt, Richard Kaminski, Zachary Eckenrode

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study looks at how bar-restaurants, especially in small towns in Central Pennsylvania, can use market research and targeted marketing to attract and keep customers in today’s competitive landscape. As the market becomes more saturated and customer preferences shift, it's clear that offering quality food alone isn’t enough. Instead, businesses need to focus on creating a full dining experience, which includes great service, a welcoming atmosphere, and personalized touches. Using PJs Tavern as a case study, this research explores customer preferences, demographic factors, and the role of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook in driving customer engagement. By …

Exploring Fan Dynamics In Nil Collectives: Insights Into Engagement And Contribution, Tom Hickman

AMTP Proceedings 2025

The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness rights has transformed collegiate athletics, reshaping how fans connect with teams and athletes through collectives that individual fan contributions to support NIL opportunities. This study explores the relationship between NIL, fan collectives, and fan behavior, proposing a 2x2 typology based on concern for social status and the perceived importance of the collective to athlete recruitment. Four fan types are proposed: Passionate Believers, Social Status Seekers, Contributors, and Pragmatic Skeptics. Social identity theory and the theory of planned behavior provide a foundation for understanding how identity salience and subjective norms drive behaviors like NIL-branded …

Demystifying Proactive Customer Helpers: Where Do We Find Them?, Estelle Van Tonder, Sam Fullerton

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Amid the growing interest in proactive customer helpers, extant research offers surprisingly little guidance on where to find them. Of interest to this study are proactive helpers taking personal initiative in assisting other customers to avoid harmful brands. Guided by the attitude-behavior phenomenon, selected attitudes and behaviors were examined among 347 customers in the United States using survey research. Latent profile analysis aided in obtaining further clarification regarding the profile characteristics of customers who proactively assist other customers with their brand avoidance behaviors in an anti-consumption context. These profile characteristics are useful, as they provide strategic direction on where to …

Promoting Customer Helping Behaviour In The Service Environment: New Perspective, Estelle Van Tonder

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This research offers a fresh perspective to the current debate on what drives customers to help other customers within service settings. The study surveyed 236 customers who previously received help from another customer when they used a food delivery app. Overall, perceived similarity and trust in the customer helper seemed of less importance in the model. Customers’ emotions take precedence over trust in social exchange behaviours within informal social networks and when assistance is provided in low-involvement situations. Additionally, comfort is mainly influenced by the interaction competence of the customer providing help. Hence, it suggested that service scholars should pay …

To Sleep – Perchance To Dream: Does Reducing Social Media Use Improve Sleep Quality?, Meredith E. David, James A. Roberts

AMTP Proceedings 2025

It is surprising given the increasingly high use of social media use among young adults and the likely relationship between it and deteriorating sleep quality that more research is not focused on the relationship between these two variables. The present study results supported our two a priori hypotheses. Social media use and sleep were inversely associated (H1). Further, our data showed that the level of social media use impacted sleep quality - a causal relationship is indicated between the two variables (H2). The treatment group that reduced its use of social media over a 10-day period reported higher levels of …

South Africans’ Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding Customer Citizenship: The Paradoxical Comparison Of The Primary And The Secondary Data, Christo A. Bisschoff, Sam Fullerton

AMTP Proceedings 2025

The current study compares the extant literature regarding South Africa to a current assessment using primary data to measure the same green phenomenon, namely customer citizenship. Secondary data were used to develop a profile of how external sources perceive South Africa. For the primary data, a sample of 513 consumers in South Africa responded to an invitation-only, Internet-based questionnaire that focused on attitudinal and behavioral issues germane to the five constructs commonly related to customer citizenship within the context of green purchasing and green consumption. The constructs in focus were green mindset, anti-consumption behavior, consumer coaching behavior, green advocacy, and …

Consumer Intentions And Its Influence On Local Rodeo Attendance, Sierra H. Greene, Melinda Mclelland

AMTP Proceedings 2025

The sport of rodeo has been an American fan favorite for many decades. The opportunity to experience western culture is captivating to many consumers. Although the sport has remained popular, there is limited research exploring consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions related to rodeo. Ultimately, this research will explore consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward rodeo via two studies. The objective for study one is to explore how students perceive local rodeos and how this impacts intentions to attend. The purpose of this study is to understand students’ attitudes towards rodeo and their intentions to participate and provide actionable insights to …

Transforming Undergraduate Marketing Research: Building An Industry-Driven Research Incubator, Kristy C. Grayson, David Olsen

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study presents a transformative approach to preparing undergraduate Marketing Research students for the data-driven workforce by creating the Research Incubator Framework (RIF). Drawing on an entrepreneurial philosophy, this adaptable model integrates open-source statistical tools such as Python and Google Colab, collaborative pedagogies, and strategic partnerships with local businesses to create a dynamic and iterative learning environment. Through hands-on projects with real-world datasets, students developed technical proficiency, critical thinking, and actionable problem-solving skills. The incubator emphasized iterative learning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and alignment with industry standards, offering a scalable and cost-effective solution for modern marketing education. This study contributes empirical evidence …

Examining The Roles Of Customer Relationships And Relationship Duration In Enhancing Profitability And Retention, Manisha Mathur

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Marketing experts emphasize the importance of fostering strong customer relationships to drive profitability, recognizing relationship management as a core element of marketing. However, the value of firms strategically prioritizing customers to enhance profitability has been debated in marketing literature. This study presents a conceptual framework that highlights the pivotal role of customer mapping in evaluating the effectiveness of investments in customer relationships and interaction frequency. Through empirical analysis, we seek to demonstrate how customer mapping contributes to explaining the impact of relationship investments on customer retention. Furthermore, our findings underscore the moderating effect of relationship duration.

Sustainability And Visit Intentions: The Mediating Role Of Identification With The Destination., Nicolas G. Lorgnier

AMTP Proceedings 2025

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework to enhance tourism competitiveness, crucial for recovery post-COVID-19. Despite initial successes, research on SDGs' impact on destination brand image is limited. This study explores SDGs' influence on destination brands and the mediating role of identification in a cross-cultural context, organized around four research questions. The study uses data from online surveys in five countries, analyzed through PLS-SEM. Results show that destination SDGs are the most predictive of visit intention, with tourist SDGs negatively moderating this influence. The study finds that SDG-congruity measures are redundant and do not enhance visit intention …

Augmented Reality In Retail: The Role Of Experiential Value, Zahra Pourabedin, Vahid Biglari

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Augmented reality is being used as a marketing strategy to enhance customer experiences in various retail sectors. This research investigated the dimensions of experiential value that influence customers’ attitudes and purchase intentions. Surveyed data of 200 respondents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that the aesthetics and playfulness of augmented reality influence attitudes toward products. The findings emphasize the importance of augmented reality and provide practical implications for retail marketers to design and apply augmented reality. The study outlines its limitations and suggests directions for future research.

Exploring Digital Training In Sales: Insights From Technical Recruiters’ Professional Development Experiences, Christopher Wilkey, Austin Hostetter

AMTP Proceedings 2025

In today’s fast-moving sales world, keeping skills sharp and learning new ones is key to staying ahead. As digital platforms become more common in workplace training, it raises the question, are they really helping professionals grow? This study dives into the training opportunities available to technical recruiters, focusing on how they’re using digital tools for professional development. By interviewing technical recruiters from a variety of companies across the U.S., this research explores their experiences, preferences, and thoughts on the value of these training methods. The interviews show a clear preference for in-person training over digital programs, which are often seen …

Susceptibility To Online Shopping Influence And Online Shopping Advocacy Behavior: Role Of Trust In Online Retailers, Ainsworth Anthony Bailey, Mojisola Tiamiyu

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Despite the significant increased pace of online shopping, there remains a lack of insights on individual personality factors that drive consumers’ online shopping behaviors and their online shopping advocacy. Consequently, this research project introduces the concept of consumer susceptibility to online shopping influence (CSOSI) and explores its role in driving consumer online shopping advocacy intentions and behavior. The conceptual model contends that CSOSI drives online shopping enjoyment and satisfaction, which in turn affect consumer online shopping disposition; this disposition leads consumers to engage in greater levels of online shopping advocacy. The proposed research study also investigates the moderating role of …

Cross-Selling Life Insurance: Strategies Based On Life Span Theory And Critical Life Events, Jack A. Lesser

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This article develops strategies for cross-selling life insurance to customers who already hold other insurance products. Cross-selling life insurance presents unique challenges due to its association with long-term financial security, mortality, and legacy. Unlike other types of insurance that meet immediate needs, the decision to purchase life insurance is often triggered by critical life events and influenced by life span changes. Drawing on life span theory, this article identifies significant life events, such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement, that increase receptivity to life insurance and proposes theory-based strategies to enhance customer interest. By examining life stages and their associated motivations, …

1 – 1 > 0: Growing The Pie By Reallocating Shelf Space To Small Brands, Jesse Core, Ho Kim

AMTP Proceedings 2025

We examine whether reallocating shelf space to smaller brands enhances total category sales. During a three-month field experiment involving 20 supermarket stores in Arkansas (10 treatment and 10 control stores), we increased shelf facings for smaller brands in treatment stores and reduced facings for larger brands, while maintaining the total shelf space constant. A difference-in-differences analysis reveals that increasing facings for smaller brands significantly boosts total category sales, with an average increase of 960 ounces per week during the intervention. Notably, sales remained elevated by 786 ounces per week after shelf facings reverted to the original level, indicating a persistent …

Exploring The Cosmos From Earth: Terrestrial Space Tourism Destinations, Hilmi A. Atadil, Helena F. Allman, Qiulin Lu, Alison J. Green

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Imagine exploring the wonders of space without leaving Earth. Terrestrial space tourism makes this possible. A place designed to offer travelers unique experiences inspired by space-related activities can be considered a terrestrial space tourism destination. This place can be a city like Merritt Island, a region like Space Coast of Florida or even, if marketed effectively, an entire country. Based on the principles of Social Exchange Theory, the purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to explore the underlying dimensions of the perceived image of a terrestrial space tourism destination, and (2) to evaluate the relationships of these dimensions with …

Fueling The Ideal: The Role Of Energy Drink Marketing In Shaping Body Image On Instagram, Kimberly Flanders, Laurie Lawrence, Natalya Vodopyanova, Darlene Natale

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Energy drink sales in the United States have experienced tremendous growth over the past several decades with projections for continued growth, making effective marketing strategies increasingly important for industry players. Central to these strategies is building brand awareness and targeting the right consumer demographic, particularly young adults aged 18-34, who make up the largest group of energy drink consumers. This demographic is heavily influenced by media portrayals of fitness and success. Red Bull and Monster, two of the leading brands, are dominant in brand awareness, with significant influence through social media platforms like Instagram. This research examines Instagram posts from …

The Influence Of Consumer Dispositions In Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Roles Of Cosmopolitanism, Affinity, Ethnocentrism, And Animosity, Md Abrar Fahad Khan, Attila Yaprak, Andrew Byungwook Chung

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This paper investigates how socio-demographic factors, cultural variables, and attitudes interact with positive and negative consumer dispositions—cosmopolitanism, affinity, ethnocentrism, and animosity—to influence pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase behaviors. Anchored in five key theories—attitude theory, laddering theory, social identity theory, self-identity theory, and identity theory—the study highlights the mediating roles of these dispositions in cross-cultural consumer behavior. Positive dispositions such as cosmopolitanism and affinity foster openness to foreign brands, while negative dispositions like ethnocentrism and animosity deter purchases of foreign products. This integrated framework offers a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior by bridging socio-demographics, cultural influences, and psychological dispositions. The study contributes …

Out Of Many: The Study Of African American Diasporas On Social Media, Brianna M. Savage, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study uses a one-ad experimental design to test the effect of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) on Black Twitter, employing an online survey with a convenience sample. It examines cultural differences within Black African co-cultures, emphasizing how language variation influences consumer behavior in social media advertising. The findings indicate that Black consumers with positive attitudes toward advertisements featuring AAVE are more likely to engage with the content on Twitter and subsequently purchase the promoted brand. This supports attitude theory (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) and social distinctiveness theory (Grier, 2001), demonstrating a significant correlation between ethnic resolution and purchasing behavior.

Crafting Connections: Language Use And Cultural Resonance In Marketing Campaigns For The Hispanic Market, Santiago Reyes, Alessandra Noli Peschiera, Kristina Simon, Melany Sarcevic

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Considering the rapid growth and relevance of the Hispanic market in the U.S., this study explores strategies employed by brands in their communication efforts to connect with this consumer base. Through a qualitative content analysis, the study analyzes emerging themes and patterns in terms of language use and cultural values employed in marketing and advertising campaigns directed to the U.S. Hispanic market. Results reveal a prevalent use of Spanish, with a rise in the use of English reflective of changing demographic trends of Hispanics in the U.S. Cultural values resonant with Hispanic identity are also employed in campaigns. Important implications …

Membership Support For A Professional Organization Based On Member Satisfaction, Value, And Commitment, Shawn F, Clouse, Simona Stan, Nader Shooshtari

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Members of professional associations join these associations for reasons that include benefits and services to members, advocacy and lobbying on behalf of members and their interests, networking opportunities and a sense of community and identification with fellow association members. Members are likely to commit to the association and remain as members to the extent they are satisfied with what the association provides and if they perceive the benefits to exceed the cost (not just monetary) of membership. This survey of members of a professional association investigates the relationship between personal benefits, professional benefits, customer service satisfaction, membership satisfaction, membership value, …

Exploring The Effects Of Strategic Orientation Combinations: The Moderating Role Of Industry Context, Mohammad Elayyan, Zonghui Li, Douglas Johansen, Caitlin Sockbeson, John Shaw

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Prior studies have explored the effect of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance separately. However, when making strategic decisions, firms often integrate marketing activities and entrepreneurial initiatives, which indicate various combinations of strategic orientation. This study employs an integrated perspective to examine the impact of various market and entrepreneurial orientation combinations on firm performance. In addition, it argues that the impact of strategic orientation on firm performance is contingent upon industry context. Using a sample of 182 manufacturing firms listed on the S&P 500, this study explores the joint effects of strategic orientation combinations (i.e., market orientation, entrepreneurial …

Enhancing Marketing Student Success With Ai-Guided Experiential Learning: A Case Study, Lisa C. Troy

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Today’s educators face the challenges of arming students with subject matter knowledge, helping them develop the human-centric soft skills that recruiters seek, dealing with increasing class sizes and multiple formats, and keeping up with rapid changes in AI technologies. This two-phase case study demonstrates how the implementation of a generative AI-powered experiential learning platform enhanced student success via increased subject matter knowledge competency and development of key soft skills. Specifically, phase 1 shows how the implementation of the learning platform, in a large online course. resulted in significantly higher levels of marketing knowledge and perceived course effectiveness versus the same …

The Listening Challenge: Fostering Soft Skill Development Through A Four-Week Practice And Reflective Journaling Assignment, Monica A. Hodis, Patricia L. Wollan

AMTP Proceedings 2025

In response to the growing emphasis on soft skills in business, this study addresses the persistent gap between employer needs and graduates’ abilities by introducing the Listening Challenge. This four-week individual learning assignment, grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning model, aims to enhance students’ listening skills through intentional practice and reflective journaling. Conducted over three semesters with 101 undergraduate students in a Personal Selling course, the study utilized qualitative data analysis to assess the effectiveness of the assignment. Results indicate significant progress in students’ listening abilities, increased self-awareness, and heightened motivation to improve. Students reported enhanced listening self-efficacy and expressed intentions …