Business Commons^™

Understanding The Influence Of Follower Count On Purchase Behavior And Consumer Perception In Influencer Marketing, Emaan Aziz

Honors Theses

In recent years, influencer marketing has emerged as a popular strategy for brands to connect with consumers on social media. This study examines the impact of influencer follower count on consumer purchase behavior and perception of influencers in the context of influencer marketing. A qualitative research approach was employed, surveying 60 participants familiar with the concept. The findings suggest a relationship between influencer follower count and consumer perceptions of influencer attractiveness indicating that influencers with larger followings are more likely to be deemed attractive to social media users. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on influencer marketing …

Expanding On Experiential Differentiation In Crowded Markets: Success Through Understanding And Addressing Intangible Consumer Needs, Mitchell Hibbs Hibbs

Honors Theses

This thesis project focuses on exploring and elucidating how businesses in crowded markets achieve their respective success. Markets include personal care, skin products, cosmetics, perfume, and others, to name just a few relevant to this work. I argue that by focusing on customers' intangible needs and engaging them through experiential means, businesses can create a substantial, sustainable, and compelling niche, differentiating themselves from the crowd. I propose an original model, EIND (experiential and needs-based differentiation), and a working structure to implement, analyze, and design using EIND principles.

Consumers' Acceptance To Buy And Dispose Of Recycling Textile Products, Roa Alsayed

Theses and Dissertations

The textile industry is the second most polluting worldwide, following food manufacturing. It is one of the industries that is rarely scrutinized in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This work analyzes the fashion industry from the perspective of consumer attitudes towards the purchase and disposal of clothing, and their behavior with regards to old garments. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, two countries that achieved similar results in the fashion industry. The methodology is divided into three phases. First, the manuscript begins with a review of topics such as sustainability, consumer behavior in the …

A Study On The Incentives And Barriers For The Adoption Of Electric Vehicles In South Alabama, Marianne Loes, Daniela Wolter Ferreira Touma, Jennifer C. Zoghby

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2024

ABSTRACT

Through a series of public policy incentives and consumer demand, more electric vehicles are being sold nationwide than ever before. Although electric vehicles (EVs) are being adopted nationwide by many consumers in recent years, car-buyers across South Alabama have not followed the trend. This research considers different stakeholders in the complex consumer buying process of car purchases, and it uses the extant technology adoption models to assess the public policy incentives, as well as statewide roadblocks, to EV adoption.

Three Essays On Anti-Consumers: Conpcetualizing, Envisioning, And Expanind Based On Self-Construal And Political Ideology, Soochan Choi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The current dissertation is designed to contribute to our understanding of anti-consumers and their behaviors. Although past literature on anti-consumers gets attention from researchers and marketers, it lacks a deeper understanding of who and how anti-consumers behave societally and ideologically against targeted companies. Given this lack of understanding of anti-consumers, this dissertation conceptualizes anti-consumers, develops anti-consumer measurements, tests marketing strategies to attenuate their behaviors, and adds additional type of anti-consumption behavior, switching behavior, for marketers to maximize profits. The first essay develops a typology of anti-consumers by drawing on the literature on political ideology and self-construal. The essay suggests that …

Great Expectations: Consumer-Brand Relationships And Their Influence On The Organizational Outcomes Of Brand Transgressions, Sabrina Viscomi

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The business landscape has shifted from simply delivering quality products and services to creating shared value. It does this by fulfilling consumers’ deeper needs and meeting their increasingly high expectations. Brand transgressions inhibit organizations’ ability to meet consumers’ demands, complicating the consumer-brand relationship. As a result, brands are often unprepared to deal with the consequences of transgressions, which can be costly. The purpose of this research is to explore the influence of prior consumer-brand relationships on the organizational outcomes of brand transgressions through the lens of social contract theory. This systematic review synthesizes 39 articles to derive five analytical themes: …

The Power Of Algorithms And Big Data: A Marketing Perspective On Consumer Manipulation In Business, Jordan C'Rene Reuille-Dupont

University Honors Theses

In marketing, predictive analytics molds big data into tools that can create demographics, target pleasurable neuromodulator chemicals like dopamine, and influence individual and societal behavior patterns. Professionals and scholars alike can use machine-based computation to transform big data into usable knowledge that accurately represents and tracks human behavior. In the past couple of decades this has led to the acceleration of the attention economy and has fueled the age of information. It has pushed countries to not only enforce new laws and regulations, but also race to secure control over data science technologies. The research for this thesis will ultimately …

The Consumer Behavior Impact Of Data Capture Through Artificial Intelligence, Sally Emory Hiott

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Artificial intelligence is changing the way consumers search for information and purchase items and, thus, how people behave across generations. Due to the nature of this cutting-edge technology, organizations are investigating how much to wisely invest, but the artificial intelligence offerings are outpacing the research. Academic scholars and marketing professionals have issued timely prompts for additional studies to supplement the existing literature, which is limited. This research provides insights into privacy concerns surrounding the data collection of artificial intelligence and whether people feel exploited or served by it. Across two articles, surveys were deployed and collected to provide quantitative data …

Comparing The Effects Of User Generated Video Reviews And Brand Generated Advertisements On Consumer Decisions On Youtube, Vaibhav Shwetangbhai Diwanji, Jaejin Lee

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This empirical study examines the effects of user generated vlogs (UGV) versus brand generated ads (BGA) on consumer decisions on YouTube. UGV refers to any type of review video content about brands or products, created and published by users on YouTube. BGA refers to brand generated advertisements on YouTube. Guided by the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion, this online experimental research involved a 2 (source: UGV versus BGA) X 2 (involvement: high versus low) X 2 (gender: male versus female) between-subjects research design. Results showed that UGV elicited significantly greater effects on consumer brand attitudes and purchase intentions than BGA, …

Examining Customer Loyalty Among Omni-Channel Users In The Age Of Disruptions In Retailing, Sheeraz Yar Khan, Jawaid A. Qureshi

3rd IBA SBS International Conference 2024

Amid tech-disruptions and the pandemic, COVID-19, the world has witnessed swift growth in omni-channels. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence the customer loyalty among omni-channel users. Omni-channels are famous platforms that connect customers with the brands. Firms strive hard to keep this channel more interactive and supportive in order to satisfy customers and create loyalty among them. Although it is an important aspect in modern business, fewer studies have been conducted in this area to provide a comprehensive model that not only helps to create satisfaction but also loyalty among users. The data for this study was …

Covid-19 And The Subsequent Change On Buyer Behavior, Chloe J. Chadwick Miss

Honors Capstones

The purpose of this Honors Capstone research project is to gain insight and understanding into how buyer behavior may or may not have changed after by the COVID-19 Pandemic through the perspectives of sales professionals, marketing professionals, and consumers themselves. This research project compared data from literary based research, 1:1 interviews, and three unique mass surveys dispersed on LinkedIn to gather information from multiple touch points. There were limitations to this research given the Pandemic is ongoing and there continues to be adjustments to this global phenomenon. Additionally, data collection from interviews and surveys was strictly voluntary and survey responses …

A Historical And Practical Analysis For Neuromarketing In Business Practices Today, Scott Wicinski

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

What thoughts come to your mind when you think of the term neuromarketing? In a digital age where personal privacy seems to be diminishing and data exploitation appears to be rising, many people are skeptical about businesses' attempts to combine neurology, psychology, and business. This skepticism is unfortunately, legitimate. Our history reveals plenty of occasions where businesses have exploited their customers through unethical means and traded valuable relationships and resources for profits. However, despite the flaws business can introduce, business is arguably still the most powerful tool for creating value in a community. Through business, customers have had access to …

Facilitating The Choice Of College Major Using The Consumer Decision Process, Content Marketing, And Social Media, Julie M. Pharr

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022

This paper demonstrates how digital content and patterns of online engagement may be used at every stage of the consumer decision process to influence and inform the choice of college major. Implications and recommendations for college and departmental websites concerning how they can best assist prospective students in choosing a college major are highlighted throughout the paper. With its focus on process, this paper concretely shows how colleges and their academic departments can effectively leverage digital marketing and the consumer decision process to facilitate the college major choice process.

Racial Composition In Advertisements And Its Effects On White Consumers' Perceptions And Purchase Intention, Chung-Ting Wang

Honors Program Theses

Previous marketing research has generally not examined how ethnic majority consumers perceive advertisements featuring mixed racial compositions of model groups. This paper presents an investigation into how White consumers’ perceptions and purchase intentions change depending on the racial composition of the people represented in an advertisement. The study uses a single 12-condition experiment, in which we examine the type of advertisement (product vs. social advocacy advertising), racial composition (all-White vs. diverse mix vs. all-Black), and racial priming effects (racially-primed vs. racially-neutral message). Additionally, consumers’ levels of self-referencing to the ad and strength of ethnic identification are explored as possible mediation …

Gift Giving Behavior Among Millennials, The Use Of Photo Elicitation Interview To Discover Consumer Insight, Hera Rachmahani, Sony Kusumasondjaja

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Manuscript type: Research paper Research Aims: This paper aims to explore gift-giving activities among millennials at the perspective of gift-giver using the photo elicitation interview. The typology of the relationship between gift givers and recieversand the effects of this relationship to the types of products given in gift-giving activities are also evaluated. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is using phenomenological approach and photo elicitation interview with purposive convenience sampling method to obtain gift-givers decision making process in searching gift products. Research Findings: The process of searching, preparing, and delivering of gifts is influenced by several factors, namely the closeness of the relationship, …

The Effects Of Companies’ Social Irresponsibility On Consumers’ Negative Emotions Toward The Brand And Their Behavior, Seyyed Mohammad Tabataba'i Nasab, Masoome Abikari

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Consumers’ negative emotions may be the main cause of behaviors such as complaining, negative word of mouth, and brand switching. In this regard, factors other than brand can produce negative or positive emotions toward a brand. One such factor is corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR). This study seeks to extract negative emotions toward a particular brand (auto brand). The results show that consumers’ negative emotions toward the auto brand are mainly characterized by anxiety, discontent, and anger. Also, the study model indicates a significant positive correlation between consumers’ negative emotions and their behavioral approaches (e.g., complaining, negative word of mouth, brand …

Perceived Usefulness As Key Stimulus To The Behavioral Intention To Use 3g Technology, Andy Susilo Lukito Budi, Efendi Efendi, Rayini Dahesihsari

ASEAN Marketing Journal

A new technology usually faces the challenge to be accepted by consumers. Because of the unique features of new technology, it needs certain approaches to enhance its acceptance. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is widely used to study the behavior of organizations and consumers in ac-cepting a new technology. A modified TAM model is applied in the current study to test the impact of advertising appeals of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and social factors on behavioral intention to use 3G technology. Experimental method is utilized on four groups (30 people each) of undergraduate students of Atma Jaya Catholic Univesity. …

Customer Value, Satisfaction And Behavioral Intentions: The Effects Of Consumer Search Behavior, Wahyuningsih Wahyuningsih

ASEAN Marketing Journal

This study develops and tests an integrative model to examine the relationships among customer value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions based upon a typology of consumer search behaviors. The model was tested using surveyed data from 546 customers of car insurance in Melbourne, Australia. The findings demonstrate that each type of consumer (passive, rational-active, relational-dependent), performs differently on the relationships among customer value, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. The identification of value, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions within each search behavior allows managers to deliver optimal value and satisfaction to their consumers.

Characterizing And Categorizing The Essence Of Sport Consumption Behavior: A Thematic Analysis, Sid Terason

The Qualitative Report

Sport consumer decision making is a complex process in which an individual evaluates, acquires, uses, or disposes of sport products or services. This qualitative study aimed to identify, understand, and describe the essential characteristics of sport products consumption behavior among professional athletes in Thailand. In-depth interviewing was carried out on 25 professional athlete consumers who responded to semi-structured questions regarding their sport goods consumption. Thematic analysis was performed on the transcripts to describe the essential characteristics of the consumption and to identify overarching topics. Following social constructionism, three themes (i.e., acquisition, use, and disposal) were analyzed and eight categories (i.e., …

The Effect Of Superstitions On Consumer Luck, Horoscope And Evil Eye-Oriented Purchasing Behavior: A Study In Turkey, Ibrahim Avci, Salih Yildiz

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Superstitions have taken an important place in people's lives since the past. Despite the increase in the educational level of people, superstitions still exist. Superstitions, which have been researched especially by studies in the field of psychology, have not been adequately studied in the field of marketing. However, it is known that superstitions have an effect on the behavior of consumers. In this context, the aim of the research is to determine the effect of the superstitions of consumers on their chance-oriented, horoscope-oriented and evil-eye-oriented purchasing behaviors. Data were collected through an online questionnaire due to the pandemic. The survey …

From Home To The Store: Combined Effect Of Music And Traffic On Consumers Shopping Behaviour, Luigi Piper, Lucrezia M. De Cosmo, Maria I. Prete, Gianluigi Guido

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This study provides a theoretical framework to assess the combined effect that traffic stream and music could have on consumers’ shopping behavior throughout their journey to the stores. Through the Virtual Reality (VR) simulation of a car journey, two traffic conditions (light/heavy) and two types of music (relaxing/energizing) were tested, evaluating the effects on the time spent during shopping and on consumption choices (in terms of expense, number of items purchased). Moreover, participants’ physiological reactions have been analyzed by measuring their heartbeat variation (ΔHR). The results indicate that regardless of the type of music listened, heavy traffic leads consumers to …

A Comparison Of Implicit And Explicit Error Detection And Their Effects On Purchase Intention And Judgments Of Quality, Rachel Fernandes

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In an online study of purchase intent based on Chinese menu inspection, explicitly noticing grammatical errors by hotspot click was more detrimental to judgments of quality than implicit detection by error estimation. When they estimated errors in a survey question (ordinal measure), participants who reported many (more than nine) errors had lower purchase intent and ratings of quality compared to those with few (about six) or no errors. However, with the more novel, continuous measure based on hotspot detection, participant purchase intent did not decrease as the number of errors noticed increased. Importantly, there were no differences between the hotspot …

Politics Of Privacy: The Role Of Individual Political Views In Consumer Data Privacy Concerns, Connor Neill

Honors Theses

Today, every choice that is made, from where to shop to what music to listen to, has turned into a reflection of one’s political views and identity. The main purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between an individual’s political views and his or hers attitudes toward the security of personal information in the consumer realm. Two studies were conducted in the form of surveys. The first study aims to measure the consumer’s trust and risk beliefs for a company of a certain size as well as their feelings toward the dimensions of control, collection, and awareness of …

The Effects Of Corporate Social Responsibility On Consumer Behavior And Buyer Attitudes, Bailey Dial

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the size and scope of Corporate Social Responsibility’s (CSR’s) presence in corporate America and beyond, this thesis dives into the history, composition, and application of a CSR framework within an organization. This thesis also reports the results of a survey of students to apprehend the framework’s external impacts on consumers, including brand perceptions and purchase decisions. Most individuals have experienced some degree of exposure to CSR in their professional lives. Levels of awareness and liking towards both the CSR framework and its application demonstrate a direct impact on consumers’ buying processes and company judgements.

Multiple Identities In Sport Fandom: Balance, Conflict, & Negotiation, Aaron Mansfield

Doctoral Dissertations

Simultaneous to the sport industry’s ascent, obesity has become an issue of growing societal concern. Scholars have explored the role of social-psychological identification in both fandom and physical health, but have not yet explored the intersection of the two. Throughout life, individuals must negotiate all of their identities, including their attachment to sport teams, yet understanding of role identity within sport management is limited. Likewise, scholars have noted the need for greater illumination of the relationship between fandom and physical well-being. I address these gaps through three studies. In Study One, I completed semi-structured interviews with individuals who consider both …

Advertising During The Covid-19 Global Pandemic: The Rise Of Influencer Marketing Strategies In A Recession, Bre Tenhulzen

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States in January of 2020 and has since impacted nearly all industries, including advertising. Consumers, the guiding factors for all advertising strategies, faced drastic lifestyle changes and behavior shifts which sent current strategies askew. The virus has created insurmountable unknowns, thus advertising and marketing experts must rely on historical and recent data to develop strategies for brands forging ahead. COVID-19 is the first global crisis in the age of social media which has both helped and hindered communication during the crisis. Additionally, emerging influencer marketing strategies are proving more effective than ever as brands …

Immersive Media & Books: Consumer Behavior And Experience With Multiple Media Forms, Panorama Project, Rachel Noorda, Kathi Inman Berens

English Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is the first study to capture data about how people engage with books, video games and TV/movies. The study’s main emphasis is on behavior with books, with demographic data in three age groups, five U.S. regions, and seven racial/ethnic groups. Books exist in a connected media ecosystem where the most important customers are avid: avid book engagers (4+ books per month), but also avid consumers of other media. It is possible that these people are the ones who drove the 8.2% increase in book sales during 2020. This study finds that customers who engage avidly with books do so …

Who Buys Our Brand? The Influence Of Consumption Values And The Congruity With Brand Benefits On Brand Identification, Trust And Loyalty, Sol Namkung, Seong-Yeon Park

Asia Marketing Journal

This paper explores how the positive effect achieved when consumption value matches brand benefit can increase brand loyalty. Prior research on consumption value mainly focused on perceived value; these studies omit consumers’ views of consumption value. Therefore, this study examines the effect of congruence between consumption values (functional, emotional, social, and ethical value) and perceived brand benefits (enabling, enticing, symbolic, and socially responsible benefits) on consumers’ brand identification, trust, and loyalty. We find a positive effect on brand identification and brand trust when a consumer’s value is similar to a brand benefit, particularly between functional value and enabling benefit, and …

Understanding The New Wealthy: Ideologies, Consumption Patterns, And Organizational Strategies For A New Generation Of High-Net Worth Individuals, Ana Brant

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that the Ultra High-Net Worth (UHNWI) belong to the wealthiest, most powerful, and influential group of consumers in the society, and nearly 70% created wealth on their own, current marketing approaches fail to consider what drives consumption behavior of this group of consumers and how can brands maximize their socio-economic impact. Across two studies, I develop a model that guides theory and practice regarding this consumer group. The first part of the first study deployed netnography and grounded theory to understand the ideologies of 30 self-made UHNWI derived from self-presentation on 3,393 Instagram posts. To ensure self-made …

Effects Of Demography On Opportunistic Product Return Behaviors In E-Commerce, Nikhila Anand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College student consumers are an increasingly important segment for marketers and scholars, particularly with the advent of online shopping. This research aims at exploring the effect of college students' decision-making styles on online purchase and return behavior. An online questionnaire survey was conducted on 1100 college students at the University of Central Florida to understand how respondents' return behavior changed with various scenarios and demographic factors. Analysis shows that scenarios involving late arrivals are the highest drivers of returns, while guilt and post- purchase regrets drove far fewer returns. Statistically significant differences in return behavior were found between demographic groups. …