Business Commons^™

An Empirical Study Of The Impact Of Perceived And Experienced Factors On Purchase Intention For Foreign Natural Cosmetics, Raymond Liu, Leon Zurawicki, Jurui Zhang

Atlantic Marketing Journal

There is a growing attention to the “natural” products in personal care and other areas of fashion consumption. Considering the present inflationary economic environment, the study of American consumers’ attitude toward foreign natural cosmetics and important factors determining the purchasing intent of foreign natural cosmetics imported from Asia (Taiwan in this study) with high quality but low price is timely. Based on literature on Purchase Intention and the Theory of Planned Behavior, we proposed a model and a set of hypotheses to uncover the relationship between purchase intent and the determining factors. Our hypotheses are confirmed following a nationwide survey …

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 Membership Business Model: Great For Business But What About Consumers?, Cara Peters, Bradley W. Brooks

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Membership business models are increasingly prevalent, as they appear to be beneficial to companies. However, questions exist about the benefits of the membership business model to consumers. This paper examines consumer perspectives on the membership business model in the context of customer complaints related to Savage X Fenty’s business practices. Data were collected via 692 complaints posted to the Better Business Bureau website and analyzed according to protocols for phenomenology. Eight themes emerged from the data, beginning with membership sign-up and ending with being charged after-the-fact. The themes captured the different frustrations that consumers experienced with Savage X Fenty’s membership …

Covid's Positive Implications On Business-To-Business Salesperson Communication And Customer Interaction, Lucy Matthews, Diane R. Edmondson, Ryan Matthews, Frances Ann Stott, Tammy Bahmanziari

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This article aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on industrial salesperson communication with buyers, specifically focusing on the positive outcomes. The authors use a qualitative data collection approach based on grounded theory. Thirteen executives, primarily from the transportation industry, were interviewed. Based on the executive interviews, this study develops the pandemic-induced customer interaction model for the industrial market, drawing from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and innovation diffusion theory. This study is the first to examine the positive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on business-to-business sales organization communication. This study contributes to the literature through the creation …

The Regional Mall’S Persona Wish List: The Hedonist, The Influencer And The Local Champion, Thomas M. Hickman, Michael Stoica, David P. Price

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study investigates three consumer archetypes (hedonist, influencer, and local champion) and their potential to influence mall revitalization. Results show that a belief in the importance of the mall leads to a more enjoyable shopping experience, a subsequent willingness to pay more for locally owned stores, a greater propensity to spend more at the mall, and to engage in positive word-of-mouth. Findings suggest that local champions and influencers are vital for bringing patrons back to shopping centers in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is argued that the mall and its tenants will benefit from co-marketing; the mall offering …

An Investigation Of The Association Between Tourist Pre-Trip Planning Time And Length Of Trip, Lodging Choice, Tourist Psychographics And Demographics: An Application Of Correspondence Analysis And Cramér’S V Effect Size, James E. Stoddard, George D. Shows

Atlantic Marketing Journal

When performing survey research it is normal to collect descriptive information such as income, gender, highest education attainment, and others. This information is used to categorize the collected research responses into groups. This nominal or ordinal data may also be used to find patterns in the collected data and suggest relationships. As an exploratory research method, it can suggest future research possibilities to confirm these relationships. This paper introduces the use of Correspondence Analysis (CA) as a research technique to suggest possible relationships using nominal or ordinal data, using collected research from a survey performed to measure tourist preferences in …

Nation Branding Through Sports: The Impact Of Qatar’S Ownership Of Paris Saint-Germain (Psg) On Qatar’S Image By French Soccer Fans, Matthieu Bocquet, Vassilis Dalakas

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study examined how French soccer fans perceive Qatar which owns French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). It compared perceptions of the country among PSG fans, fans of PSG’s rival club Olympique Marseille (OM), and fans of other French clubs. Furthermore, it examined how fans’ identification with PSG or its rival OM moderated their perceptions of Qatar. PSG fans had more favorable perceptions than the other fans and highly identified PSG fans had more positive perceptions than low-identification PSG fans. However, rival fans did not have more negative perceptions than the other fans and there was also no difference between highly …

Images In Service Marketing: Does Presentation Style Matter?, Can Trinh

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research presents a pioneering attempt to examine whether the use of abstract images would be more effective than the use of concrete images in the case of service marketing. Based on construal level theory, we hypothesize that relative to the use of concrete images, the use of abstract images in service marketing will better match the intangible nature of services and will thus increase communication effectiveness. Two studies in this research provide evidence to support these propositions by showing that relative to the use of concrete images, the use of abstract images can enhance ad visuals, which in turn …

Marketing Orientation: A Longitudinal Study Of Community Banks, Stephen C. Carlson, Gerald Sullivan, Susanna Warnock, Margaret Ryder

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Marketing orientation has long been touted as a means of improved business performance and a key to success in marketing management (Kotler, Keller & Chernev, 2021). This is a longitudinal study of community banks examining marketing orientation and business performance using a survey instrument based on the work of Narver and Slater (1990) and Kohli and Jaworski (1990).

Four survey datasets cover the period preceding the Great Recession (2003-2005), the Great Recession and its fallout (2008-2010), a Post–Great Recession period (2014-2016), and the COVID-19 period (2020). Survey responses were gathered from a selected set of community bank CEOs in the …

Happy Campers Or Unhappy Prisoners: How Materialism Punishes Us In Lockdown Times, Banwari Mittal

Atlantic Marketing Journal

COVID-19 and the resulting lockdowns created an unprecedented upheaval in consumers’ daily lives and lifestyles. The purpose of this research was to understand the psychological experience of life under lockdowns and the role of individual difference variables in that experience. Using survey data from U.S. consumers, the research identified two opposite feelings, coexisting: happy camper feeling or unhappy prisoner feeling. Younger, lower income, and less educated consumers felt more like prisoners than campers. Ability to maintain life as usual, and positive pre-pandemic life conditions (health, social network, and job satisfaction) led to happy camper feelings. In contrast, pre-pandemic materialism led …

The Impact Of Insult Ad Reads On Podcast Listeners, Jason L. Snyder, Mark D. Cistulli

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Audio podcasts have grown in popularity. Forty-six million Americans tune into an average of six podcasts each week (Nielson, 2020) and ad revenues are projected to top $4 billion by 2024 (IAB, 2022). To enhance the appeal of ads, many podcasters use humor in their ad reads. Although humor can be effective (Weinberger & Gulas, 1992) and reinforce the parasocial relationship between podcaster and audience, are there times when that humor has negative consequences? In this study, we are concerned primarily with the use of insult advertising in which the podcaster uses humor that targes the brand/product being endorsed. Participants …

2023 April, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for April of 2023.

Hard Seltzers In Europe: A Sparkling Opportunity? An Analysis Of The Market Potential For Hard Seltzers In Europe, Amanda R. Harper

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to uncover the potential for the hard seltzer category in the European alcohol market. First, through secondary research, it establishes the conditions of entering the European alcohol market by looking at the challenges of entering markets abroad, the challenges of entering the European market, and the history and current state of alcohol in Europe. Second, this thesis will analyze the history and characteristics of the hard seltzer category. This will include profiles of seven key brands: White Claw, Truly, Bud Light Seltzer, Vizzy, Topo Chico, Mike’s Hard Seltzer, and Pure Piraña. Next, this thesis will analyze primary …

Noodz: A Strategic Communication Plan For A Startup Restaurant Targeting The College Market, Payton M. Fronapfel

Senior Theses

Advertising has evolved significantly throughout the past decade, lending to the current usage of direct response, social media, and online methods of advertising. Considering how these tactics have changed in recent years and how restaurant marketing, specifically, changes in response to a college demographic, companies must consider more in-depth communication plans. This thesis will identify the most effective methods of marketing restaurants in the United States and determine how a college demographic changes the techniques utilized in marketing communication plans. Furthermore, this thesis will develop a comprehensive strategic communication plan for a new Asian restaurant, Noodz, located in Columbia, South …

But This Rewards Me! An Examination Of Consumer Status And Social Dominance Orientation In The Donation Of Reward Points, Clancy R. Slay, Katharine Howie

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

A newer development in rewards programs allows consumers to donate points rather than personally receive benefits. Research on the topic is virtually absent and represents a significant opportunity for worthy causes to receive new streams of financial support. Reward programs are uniquely characterized by hierarchical or “tiered” consumer status. Social dominance orientation represents the degree to which consumers support status inequities and is highly relevant in a reward context. This individual difference characteristic is studied to gain insight into which consumers are willing to donate earned rewards and why. Implications for understanding consumer decision making and encouraging charitable giving are …

Insights Into The Accuracy Of Social Scientists’ Forecasts Of Societal Change, Sangsuk Yoon

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

How well can social scientists predict societal change, and what processes underlie their predictions? To answer these questions, we ran two forecasting tournaments testing the accuracy of predictions of societal change in domains commonly studied in the social sciences: ideological preferences, political polarization, life satisfaction, sentiment on social media, and gender-career and racial bias. After we provided them with historical trend data on the relevant domain, social scientists submitted pre-registered monthly forecasts for a year (Tournament 1; N = 86 teams and 359 forecasts), with an opportunity to update forecasts on the basis of new data six months later (Tournament …

Tourism, Mapping, Retail And Recreational Trails: A Case Study Of Connectivity Between Trails And Adjacent Downtowns In Anniston, Alabama, Usa, Jennifer Green

Theses

This study examines the estimated increase in economic impact on a geography’s local economy by creating cross-marketing efforts between expanding an established outdoor recreation trail to a closely located city downtown commerce district. This research will analyze the resulting potential rise in sales/lodging tax revenues for that city by mapping the trail and downtown district, and cross-marketing the other to users of both or either venue. Potential increase in economic impact will be estimated utilizing IMPLAN methodology by assessing the economic impact on the local economy that a percentage range of increased spending resulting from this cross-marketing effort could generate.

Physical And Emotional Impact Of Lighting Conditions In Higher Education Classrooms, Robert P. Mcdonald, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

The literature review shows that researchers in different fields have long explored the impact of the physical classroom environments (e.g., lighting, temperature, classroom layout, and furniture) to identify the ideal classroom environments. When the lighting condition is poor (i.e., light levels below standards), it can cause drowsiness, leading to lower concentration and motivation, and elevated student stress. However, most studies focused on K-12 learning environments. Therefore, this study aims to specifically focus on the lighting conditions in educational facilities around a university campus in the Southeastern United States and to explore whether these lighting conditions impact students’ mental well-being, their …

Effects Of Online Consumer Ratings On Persuasion, Magdoleen Ierlan

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Online product review websites have become very important in the purchase decisions of consumers. Word-of-mouth communication was once limited to the passing of information using verbal means, however, it now extends into text messages and web dialogue, such as online profile pages, blog posts, message board threads, instant messages and emails. The type of review will influence the consumer differently. Also, the need for cognition will impact the way the type of review the consumer requires to decide.

Analysis Of Collegiate Athlete Social Media Engagement On Instagram, Noelle Magann

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Since its founding in 2010, Instagram has developed into one of the world's largest social media platforms. In 2022, $33.3 billion was spent on instagram advertising by companies, firms, etc. Additionally, almost $5 billion was spent on Influencer marketing in 2022, a 27.8% increase from 2021 and a 34.7% increase from 2019. These statistics show the vast importance influencers have on marketing in today's business world and society as a whole. For this project, I looked into the engagement rates of SunBelt Football athletes. I used at least 2 athletes from each university that had over 1,000 followers on instagram, …

Differences In Consumers’ Green Consumption Mindsets And Behavior Across South Africa, South Korea And The United States Based Upon Measures Of Hofstede’S Cultural Dimensions Theory, Sam Fullerton, Estelle Van Tonder, Jungki Lee

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Samples of 513 South African consumers, 292 South Korean consumers, and 938 consumers in the United States were drawn using identical, but appropriately translated, questionnaires. The data collection instrument addressed a number of psychographic considerations germane to consumption – and anti-consumption – decisions. Using the index scores from Hofstede’s Theory of Cultural Dimensions as bases for differentiating among the three countries, meaningful differences related to issues germane to sustainability were identified. The three cultural dimensions used for comparative purposes were individualism (versus collectivism), indulgence (versus restraint) and long-term (versus short-term) orientation. Differences were documented for all eight of the sustainability-related …

Examining The Product And Service-Centric Website Features And Functions Offered By European Fashion Retailers Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Richard Heiens, Ravi Narayanaswamy

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Considering the significant pressures faced by fashion-oriented e-commerce retailers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand what modifications, if any, these retailers may have made to their online retail stores, and the impact that these changes may have had on their effectiveness during this time frame. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine the various product-centric and service-centric features and functions found on the websites of European fashion retailers both before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined the conversion rates, the average ticket values and customer demographics for …

Social Media Influencer Perceived Source Credibility Scale Validation And Consumer Attitudes Toward The Brand: An Exploratory Study In Urban India, James E. Stoddard, Lubna Nafees, Christy M. Cook

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

This study explores the relationship between social media influencers (SMIs) perceived source credibility and the formation of brand attitudes of their followers from an urban Indian sample. SMIs have become a channel in shaping consumers’ brand perceptions for products and services across multiple industries worldwide. Using survey data from India, this research delves into the dimensions of SMI perceived source credibility and attitudes towards the brand. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the concept that SMI perceived source credibility is a second order construct that is comprised of SMI perceived expertise, goodwill and trustworthiness. Also, that partial least squares structural …

The Digital Engine Model: Lead Generation Through Applied Dcm Strategies, Kyle A. Huggins, John D. Hansen

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Digital Content Marketing (DCM) has become a primary tool for marketers in driving lead generation in today’s digital marketing world. Leading brands are creating and curating content in order to develop brand equity, connecting content to brand story and narrative. And while strong theoretical models of content marketing have been discussed in the marketing literature, like Hollebeek and Macky (2019), there is a dearth of understanding about the application and direct impact of organic digital content strategies on marketing directives. This paper investigates an applied model, called The Digital Engine, which provides instruction on proper digital content marketing instruction and …

Consumer Decision-Making On Golf Equipment: Impact Of Emerging Strategic Organizational Goals And Supply Chain Intricacies, Faith A. Hopkins, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

The game of golf is incredibly historic and enjoyed by many people from numerous different age groups across many parts of the world. The research involving the game of golf is often limited to the topics of golf club engineering and injury prevention within the game. The consumer decision-making process for golf equipment has been primarily under-researched. This study explores the consumer decision-making process involving golf equipment and provides propositions to achieve strategic organizational goals. Propositions are made concerning supply chain intricacies containing the inclusion of personalization and customization and including women's equipment displayed in marketing activities. There is room …

The Effect Of Ordering Method On Consumer Return Intentions, Garrett M. Kemp, Laura Boman

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

With the rise of Covid-19, mobile ordering has become one of the most popular ways to get food. At its height, Covid-19 caused restaurants to shut down and forced businesses to move to a more mobile and delivery-friendly plan. Now, venues for concerts, large events, and sports have started to offer the option of mobile ordering food to be delivered directly to your seat. Mobile ordering has made the food service industry even more accessible; however, it has also brought to light the issue of tipping. Traditionally, tipping was only done at full-service restaurants. Now, businesses like Starbucks, Mcdonald's, and …

A Comparison Of The Green Mindset And An Array Of Green Customer Citizenship Behaviours Of Adult Residents In South Africa And The United States, Christo Bisschoff, Estelle Van Tonder, Sam Fullerton

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Independent samples of 513 South African and 938 American consumers responded to an invitation-only, Internet-based survey that captured behavioural and attitudinal data regarding five constructs germane to customer citizenship. The five constructs were green mindset, anti-consumption behaviour, consumer coaching, green advocacy, and customer helping behaviour. Multi-item scales for all five constructs that had been shown to produce a high degree of reliability in prior research were gleaned from the literature. Results from South Africa and the United States were compared. High degrees of reliability were in evidence for each scale in each country. A comparison of the mean scores documented …

Student Satisfaction With Learning Experience And Its Impact On Likelihood Recommending University: Net Promoter Score Approach, Musa Pinar, Coleen Wilder, Matthew Luth, Tulay Girard

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

Universities, just like any business, realized the importance and relevance of student satisfaction as well as getting recommended by their students for their long-term success, survival, and growth. This study intends to examine university students’ satisfaction with various aspects of their college learning experience, recommending a university as measured by Net Promoter Score (NPS), and the influence of factors related to student satisfaction on the likelihood of recommending the university. The results of the survey based on 220 responses from current students identify students’ satisfaction with the factors included in the study, where students had the highest satisfaction with feeling …

Choose Your Channels Strategically: How Gender Plays A Role In The Receiving Of Online Brand Activism Ad Campaigns, Jana Stupavsky

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

The successful launch of a new online brand activism ad campaign focused on gender-sensitive issues can be distorted if the content is delivered through poorly thought-out channels. Companies with access to their customer data should learn more about their existing customer base to strategically select the campaign communication channels. When engaging in activism, brands should consider framing their campaign messaging positively and appear authentic. Otherwise, they risk loss in brand equity and corporate reputation. The following analyses present results from a secondary consumer demographic and behavioral characteristics database anchored in source credibility theory. Its goal is to explore differences in …

How Political Ideology Impacts Political Brand Image: Analysis Of The 2016, 2018, And 2020 Elections, Kristina M. Harrison, Shawn Thelen, Boonghee Yoo

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

The U.S. presidential elections of 2016 and 2020 have both been characterized as “An Election like No Other” (Goodman 2020; Smith 2016) unparalleled to previous ones. The 2016 election saw an outsider, not an established politician, win the support of a major political party and eventually the presidency. The 2020 election was influenced by a once in a century pandemic that diminished all traditional election issues and greatly affected the nature of campaigning. This research examines whether political ideology played an invariant and stable role in shaping the brand image of the presidential election candidates. Analysis of 2016, 2018, and …