Business Commons^™

"Reasonable [Cybersecurity] Measures" For Digital Trade Secrets: Lessons From Marketing, Raj Sachdev

Law Faculty Scholarship

The loss of digital trade secrets in marketing and beyond, often the source of competitive advantage, can have disastrous impacts on brands and companies. Bad actors want to get their digital hands on digital trade secrets, and other actors and factors may also cause a risk to their secrecy. The Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) makes clear that “reasonable measures” must be taken to maintain the secrecy of a trade secret. Likewise, the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) requires “reasonable steps.” However, in a digital age, the definition of what is “reasonable” is even more unclear than in offline settings. …

Factors That Impact Customer Loyalty As Examined In Integrated Marketing Communications Agencies, Terry L. Hapney Jr.

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) agencies report high customer turnover, making it difficult for them to retain customers in the B2B realm. Relationship Marketing Theory informs this study, which centers on IMC firm growth from market share. Market share is a result of customer loyalty. There are factors that IMC agency leaders, such as CEOs and CMOs, can leverage to strengthen customer loyalty, including satisfaction, trust, quality, value, habit, engagement, attachment, image, and reputation. This study examines these concepts collectively for the first time in any context; it also examines them specifically in the IMC agency context for the first time. …

Shaping Strategy In The Digital Age: The Impact Of Consumer Electronic Word Of Mouth On Firm Strategic Emphasis, Brandon Holle, Hang T. Nguyen, Hieu V. Phan

Faculty Scholarship

This research explores how consumer electronic word of mouth (eWOM) influences a firm’s strategic emphasis, focusing on the distinct effects of positive and negative eWOM on value appropriation (e.g., advertising) versus value creation (e.g., R&D). Analyzing over 33 million social media posts covering 39 corporate brands from 2010 to 2020, the authors find that positive consumer eWOM influences firms to prioritize a strategic emphasis on value appropriation, while negative consumer eWOM is associated with a strategic emphasis on value creation. These effects are moderated by product category, market competition, and industry instability. Firms in hedonic categories have attenuated responses to …

Social Media Influencers’ Impact On Curated Subscription Purchases, Ker Xiong

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Subscriptions gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that consumers would have access to their products without human contact. As consumers emerged from lockdown, marketers faced the challenge of whether consumers will continue to purchase subscriptions and how to attract customers now that in-store shopping has resumed. The purpose of this study is to investigate how user generated content (UGC), promotion, and trust impact the purchase intention of curated box subscriptions with social media influencers (SMI) serving as a moderating variable. The stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework was used to model how UGC, promotion, and trust can impact curated subscription purchases …

2025, 2(21)

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Full Issue 2025, 2(21)

Dos Hemisferios: Rebranding Strategy For A Nascent Ecuadorian Wine Market, Jacob Massoud, Vafa Saboorideilami

Barowsky School of Business | Faculty Scholarship

The Ecuadorian winery, Dos Hemisferios, had started as a hobby in 1999 but quickly grew into a business and passion for the Wright family. After receiving an international award in 2009 for its cabernet sauvignon-malbec blend called Paradoja, the winery realized its potential and decided to expand its vineyards and production of wines. As part of the strategy to increase sales, Robert Wright, the Dos Hemisferios President, and his father, Guillermo Wright, developed a rebranding proposal for the next board of directors meeting. This rebranding initiative hinged on the belief that people in the Ecuadorian wine market did not know …

An Evaluation Of Promotional Tools: Trends And Practices, Eve M. Umberger

Honors Projects

It is generally acknowledged that marketers achieve promotion objectives through the optimal use of Advertising, Sales Promotion, Direct Marketing, Personal Selling, the Internet, and Social Media. Nevertheless, there is a widespread misconception when it comes to comprehending what promotion entails. Moreover, the distinction between various promotional tools, including their individual merits and demerits, remains largely underappreciated. Thus, to address this knowledge gap, the current study employed secondary data along with qualitative interviews to examine the application and effectiveness of various promotional tools across different communication contexts. The findings present a rich analysis and description of specific promotional tools, including Advertising, …

Anime And Luxury Fashion: Studio Ghibli And Loewe's Unorthodox Brand Merchandizing, Theodore Gournelos, David Marutschke

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

While they might seem counterintuitive to traditional concepts of “luxury,” collaborations between luxury and anime brands are a growing pattern reflecting the growth of both industries for key demographics. This paper argues that luxury brands use these collaborations to establish brand relevance and cultural connection while also positioning themselves advantageously against other brands in an increasingly social and online environment. Through a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of Instagram posts and user comments from Studio Ghibli and the Spanish luxury brand Loewe regarding their three product collaborations, we argue that there is a significant amount of room for differentiation in …

Diverse Bodies, Inclusive Shopping? How Representation Of Body Diversity Shapes Consumer Experiences, Javier Alejandro Martinez

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

This systematic literature review aims to summarize the prior research on the impact of body diversity representation on consumer behaviors in the fashion retailing industry. Deriving from 30 peer-reviewed research articles, we explore how body diversity representation in advertisements and product assortment affects consumer self-evaluation, shopping behaviors, and the nuances within the luxury fashion sector. Consistent with self-congruence theory, findings show that diverse and natural model representation improves body image and purchase intentions. In contrast, idealized portrayals and limited size options reinforce exclusivity, deepen social divides, and harm the self-esteem of excluded consumers, a model that is utilized in luxury …

Selling Trust: The Evolution Of Relationship Selling In The Investment Industry, Kaden N. Kroslak, Frederik Beuk

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This honors research project examines how relationship selling in the investment industry, especially within registered investment advisory firms, has evolved over time. Advisor-client relationships are being shaped by technology, analytics, regulations, and a frenzy of information. This literature review explores whether the stated factors of technology, credibility, regulations, information access, and fiduciary duty, caused change in how investment advisors create, maintain, and grow client relationships within the context of trust. The project styling, in form of a literature review analyzes peer-reviewed studies on financial technology, artificial intelligence, psychological approaches, and regulatory systems. The outcome is a paper which helps fill …

Submission To Ireland’S Electoral Commission- An Coimisiún Toghcháin’S Consultation On Education And Public Engagement Strategy, Brendan K. O'Rourke, Ewan Macdonald, Richard Woodward

Other Resources

An Coimisiún Toghcháin’s establishment and its work is very welcome in a world where democracy is being buffeted by many forces that are undermining it. There is a lack of trust and trustworthiness in the media (O’Neill, 2018). The public sphere is being fractured in the splintering niches of media (Nechushta,2024), in the filter bubbles, echo chambers & behavioural manipulations of the online world (Nguyen, 2020; Zuboff, 2022) and in the increasingly homosocial interactions of most people’s everyday face-to-face encounters. This submission uses, in addressing some of the main issues in democratic participation, the concept of the ‘endarkenment’ danger in …

Uncovering Libraries Instagram Engagement, Kenneth Saito

Library Research Scholars Program Spring 2025

The Binghamton University Libraries utilizes its Instagram platform to engage its audience to share information regarding its resources and services. Current research suggests elements such as color grading, scenic backgrounds, and maintaining a proper online social media presence affect how Instagram users engage with content. However, additional elements such as audience type and how they engage with content may factor into the Libraries’ reach on their platform. This project seeks to identify how the Libraries Instagram platform can maximize engagement based on their audience needs and identified interaction behavior. A literature review determined that a qualitative survey is the best …

Does Ethical Ideology Really Matter In Consumer Responses To Corporate Wrongdoing? The Effects On Trust And Word-Of-Mouth Recommendations, Grzegorz Zasuwa, Alicja Węgierak

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

The purpose of this study is to better understand how the ethical ideologies of consumers influence their responses to perceived corporate social irresponsibility (CSI), focusing on trust and word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations. Data were collected through a survey involving 627 car owners in Poland, using a real-life case of CSI concerning a major car manufacturer fined for misleading consumers about diesel emissions. The analysis employed partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that moral idealism amplifies the negative effects of CSI on WOM, while moral relativism produces neutrality towards CSI. Specifically, it appears that highly idealistic individuals are …

Introducing Sustainable Development Goals In College Curricula: A Way Forward, Christy Ashley, Jason D. Oliver, Hillary Leonard

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The commentary proposes a blueprint to help guide curriculum innovations, partnerships, and teaching interventions that incorporate the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) into the curriculum. It suggests the utilization of AACSB’s Societal Impact Canvas with Ancona et al.’s (2007) Leadership Capabilities (Sensemaking, Relating, Visioning, Inventing) to provide a blueprint for mission-aligned SDG integration at a local level. It provides an illustrative example from the University of Rhode Island (USA), where the focus is on the Blue Economy. It aims to provide practical guidance for how a college or university can efficiently organize to gain stakeholder input that helps enhance …

The Impact Of Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai) On Employer Branding, Doaa Ayoub, Sherine Fathy El-Fekey, Malak Walid

Business Administration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing Human Resource Management, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and strategic capabilities as companies want to stay competitive in the global market. In recent years, AI has transformed numerous facets of business operations, especially in the development of employers’ branding strategies. Additionally, one-third (36%) of HR professionals anticipate a high use of AI in the next two years, while 61% expect at least moderate use within a year. AI enhances employers’ branding - fostering a work culture that attracts and retains top talent in the global market. Furthermore, the contribution of AI in improving employers’ branding strategies has …

You’Ll Be Back: Sensory Cognition’S Influence On Audience Retention, Tia Dimicelli

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores the impact of sensory elements – specifically ambient scent and music – in theatrical lobbies on audience satisfaction and likelihood of returning. Two general surveys were distributed to gauge what audiences expect from lobby spaces, and what they describe as memorable experiences. Then, two experiments were conducted using a test/control group design during live performances in New Hampshire. Participants completed surveys assessing their perception of the lobby environment, satisfaction with the performance, and likelihood to return to or recommend the venue. While the initial general surveys indicated that participants believed sensory elements would enhance their experience, no …

Age Segmentation In The Life Coaching Industry: A Needs-Based Approach, Timothy Reisenwitz

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Life coaching is the second-fastest-growing industry in the world. Most previous research has used a results-based approach with relatively small sample sizes. The current research uses a needs-based approach to identify whether older or younger consumers are better candidates for a life coaching session or program. A hard-copy questionnaire used existing scales based on industry indicators to identify viable life-coaching clients. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data, with gender as the covariate or moderating variable. Results showed that younger consumers are generally better candidates for life coaching, while gender was only significant for one …

Buying Green On A Student Budget: How Sustainability Shapes Gen-Z Grocery Habits, Tyler Martin, Diane R. Edmondson, Lucy Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Sustainability is increasingly prioritized by consumers, but concerns arise about whether Gen-Z college students with limited financial means translate sustainable attitudes into purchasing behaviors. This study surveyed 496 undergraduate students at a southeastern public university to assess attitudes, motivations, and actions regarding sustainable grocery shopping. Results reveal strong environmental concerns among students but a notable gap between beliefs and purchasing behaviors, attributed mainly to financial constraints. Gender, political affiliation, and religious affiliation significantly influenced sustainable behavior. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.

From Backlash To Brand Loyalty: How Self-Congruity And Generation Shape Consumer Intentions After A Failed Influencer Campaign, Dexter L. Purnell, Kimberly V. Legocki, Steven R. Barnes, Jessica Chapman

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study examines consumer responses to corporate social advocacy (CSA) surrounding Bud Light’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. We fielded a cross-sectional survey of U.S. beer drinkers (N = 386) measuring actual and ideal self-congruity, generational cohort, and purchase intention. Using PROCESS Model 4 with bootstrap confidence intervals, we tested whether self-congruity mediates the relationship between generation and purchase intention. Self-congruity strongly predicted purchase intention, and indirect effects of generation via both actual and ideal self-congruity were statistically significant. Conditional (contrast-specific) indirect effects were observed only for Gen X, indicating cohort-specific pathways from CSA to purchase intention through identity …

Omnichannel Retailing: An Exploratory Study Of Limiting The Customer Journey In A Digital-First Context, Terence L. Holmes, Edward C. Brewer, Elizabeth Patterson

Atlantic Marketing Journal

A recent retail trend is the rise of “digital-first” firms, where their merchandise is sold primarily via online efforts. In this exploratory study we describe our investigation of the customer journey for a digital-first seller of cosmetics and personal care products. We collected qualitative and quantitative data from a customer survey and follow-up interviews. Results indicate that personal connections and actual product use are the two most important touchpoints customers consider in first discovering the seller and then building a relationship with the brand. We describe practical applications of the findings and suggest ideas for future research.

Podcast Advertising And Its Role In Higher Education Marketing, Mark D. Cistulli, Jason L. Snyder

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Podcast advertising has become an important component in marketing campaigns for organizations to reach their target audiences. With the explosion of popularity of podcasts, so too does the opportunity for marketers to promote their products and services. In this study, we are focusing on the impact of a graduate program ad on attitudes and behavioral intentions associated with the university in the ad. Participants were exposed to part of a podcast with the ad embedded mid-roll and then responded to a survey about their evaluation of the ad and subsequent intentions to consider attending graduate school at the university advertised. …

Posting About Goals On Social Media: The Unexpected Effect Of Posting Goal-Intention Photos Rather Than Goal-Pursuit Photos On Goal Attainment, Kelly Eunjung Yoon, Cornelia Pechmann

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Can posting photos online help individuals achieve their goals? Past research has generally found that posting about goals on social media increases motivation to achieve those goals. However, little is known about the consequences of posting different types of goal-related content. This research uses real-world Instagram data to test the effects of posting photos about goal pursuit (i.e., goal enactment behaviors) versus goal intention (i.e., goal planning or setting) on goal attainment. Our findings indicate a positive and significant relationship between posting goal-pursuit photos and goal attainment. Conversely, posting goal-intention photos yields no measurable effect. This finding challenges the generalized …

Teaching Social Marketing Concepts Through Prosocial Behavior Lenses, Bela Florenthal

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study investigates the educational value of a prosocial project embedded in a college-level marketing course. Framed through a humanistic and holistic lens, the initiative integrated acts of kindness (AOKs) to engage students in real-world application of social marketing concepts. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through student reflections and surveys, revealing high levels of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement. Students developed empathy, compassion, and self-awareness, reinforcing the importance of integrating experiential learning into business education. The project also addressed AACSB’s emphasis on societal impact and aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by promoting emotional well-being and civic …

Quota Fairness, Procedural Justice, Turnover Intentions, And Turnover: A Multi-Path Model Of Salesperson Perceptions, Support, And Trust, James Deconinck, Julie Johnson-Busbin

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study investigates how salesperson perceptions of quota difficulty, quota fairness, and procedural justice influence perceived organizational support (POS), organizational trust, and ultimately turnover intentions. Drawing on social exchange theory and fairness heuristic theory, we propose and test a multi-path model in which quota-related justice perceptions shape salesforce attitudes and behavior through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Data from 313 business-to-business salespeople and their 142 managers reveal that perceived quota difficulty significantly predicts fairness, which in turn is positively related to POS and organizational trust. While fairness was a significant predictor of turnover intentions, procedural justice was not directly related …

The Interplay Of Morality, Emotional Labor, And Customer Injustice: How Salesperson Experiences Shape Job Satisfaction, Omar S. Itani, Colin B. Gabler, Ashish Kalra, Khashayar Afshar Bakeshloo (Kash), Raj Agnihotri

Marketing Faculty Publications

Despite the significant role emotions play in business-to-business (B2B) sales transactions, the impact of salesperson emotional labor on well-being, specifically job satisfaction, has garnered limited attention. To address this gap, the present study examines the relationships among salesperson moral identity, emotional labor strategies, customer injustice, and job satisfaction. An analysis of responses from B2B salespeople reveals that moral identity internalization is positively related to deep acting and negatively to surface acting, whereas moral identity symbolization is positively related to both deep and surface acting. Furthermore, surface acting has a stronger unfavorable effect on customer injustice compared to deep acting, which …

Marketing The Message: Maximizing Engagement With Digital Publications Through Social Media, Email, And Analytics, Rich Evans

AADEJ - The Communicator

This article outlines a strategic approach for professional associations to enhance engagement with their digital publications in today's digital-first environment. Drawing from the Michigan Dental Association (MDA)'s transition to a fully digital Journal, it emphasizes the vital role of marketing and analytics. Key recommendations include leveraging social media for strategic visibility (e.g., summarizing articles, tagging authors, video pitches), implementing direct email delivery to members (e.g., monthly digests, audience segmentation), and ensuring easy website integration for accessible content. The piece also stresses the importance of mobile-responsive design, clear formatting, and multimedia embedding to improve the digital reading experience. It suggests evaluating …

How Personalized Chatbots Win Customer Loyalty, Jaeha Lee, Dooyoung Choi

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The study applies affordance theory to investigate how perceived personalization influences loyalty through cognitive, affective, and social drivers. Data was collected from 220 participants who watched a video of a chatbot interaction and then assessed their loyalty intentions. While all paths were significant between personalization and consumer’s willingness to stay, the effects of personalization on consumer’s willingness to recommend the retailers to others were slightly different. If companies aim to capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing, it will be better to prioritize cognitive and affective qualities of chatbot over social qualities, because the latter did not contribute significantly to word-of-mouth intentions about …

“Swap What No Longer Serves”: An Exploration Of Zero Waste Fashion Communities Online And Irl, Rosemary Leger

Open Access Dissertations

As sustainability concerns grow within the fashion industry, consumer-based communities play a critical role in shaping more responsible consumption practices. This dissertation explores how individuals engage with zero-waste fashion both online and in physical practice, offering a deeper understanding of their motivations, behaviors, and visions for a more sustainable fashion future.

Through a two-study approach, this research investigates the communication and knowledge-sharing practices within digital zero-waste fashion communities and explores the experiences of individuals participating in offline zero-waste initiatives. Study 1 employs netnography to analyze online zero-waste fashion discourse, identifying how consumers exchange knowledge and promote sustainable practices in digital …

The Effect Of Distance On Persuasion In International E-Mail Marketing Campaigns, Peter Magnusson, Stanford A. Westjohn

Marketing Faculty Publications

We investigate the relative effectiveness of different persuasive appeals in international e-mail customer acquisition marketing campaigns. We conducted three separate experiments, including two lab experiments and one field experiment, to examine the impact of different persuasive appeals on customers. Our research specifically focuses on consensus and authority-focused persuasive appeals. Our findings consistently show that when there is a small cultural distance between the seller and potential buyer, consensus appeals are more effective. On the other hand, when there is a large cultural distance, authority appeals are more effective.

How Art Centers In Michigan Use Social Media To Communicate Mission, Alexandria Milot

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The use of social media for marketing purposes has become a widespread practice for nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Social media can assist in communication efforts in many ways, including communicating an art center's mission. However, with limited documentation of the use of social media marketing within these organizations, it can be challenging to know how current art centers are using social media and if their social media marketing strategy is reaching their intended audiences. This research explores how art centers in Michigan use social media to communicate their mission to their audience and if it matches the organization’s original purpose …