Business Commons^™

Honesty In Marketing Communications: The Role Of Humor, Can Trinh

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Amid the crisis of trust in the marketplace, there have been increasing calls for advertisers to show more honesty in marketing communications. However, firms are still hesitant to follow suit out of concerns that more honesty may mean more losses than gains. Against such background, there is still scant empirical evidence about the effect of honest marketing communications on marketing outcomes to help provide practical guidance for marketers. The present research helps fill this crucial gap by examining the role of humor in honest marketing communications. Three studies in this research reveal novel insights that an interrelationship exists between humor …

The Impact Of “Humorous” Ads Featuring Social Media Influencers On Perceptions Of The Influencer, Brand, And Purchase Intention, Jason L. Snyder, Robert Forbus

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The present study explored the use of humor in social media ads that featured both a product being advertised and a social media influencer (SMI). Using extant literature and the theory of planned behavior as guides, the goal of the study was to explore the role of perceived humorousness on consumer perceptions of the SMI, the ad, the brand, and consumer purchase intentions. The experiment (N = 292) exposed self-identified males living in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 40 to one of two versions of an ad for a men’s grooming product. The ads were run …

The Impact Of The Anthem Protest Movement And Covid On Nfl Viewership, George W. Stone, Michael A. Jones, Kirsten Passyn

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research is based on 3 different surveys conducted over several NFL football seasons. The first study investigated the impact of the Anthem Protest Movement on the attitude of NFL fans. The “Anthem Protest” reemerged during the 2020 season during the “lockdown” season associated with the COVID epidemic. Co-mingled with COVID and societal unrest, many analysts were predicting irreparable harm to the NFL’s once indomitable position as America’s favorite sport resulting from this confluence of events. Given the importance of the topic in terms of future NFL fan support, this report looks back over the last several NFL seasons to …

Improving Belonging And Connectedness In The Cybersecurity Workforce: From College To The Profession, Mary Beth Klinger

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This article explores the results of a project aimed at supporting community college students in their academic pursuit of an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Cybersecurity through mentorship, collaboration, skill preparation, and other activities and touch points to increase students’ sense of belonging and connectedness in the cybersecurity profession. The goal of the project was focused on developing diverse, educated, and skilled cybersecurity personnel for employment within local industry and government to help curtail the current regional cybersecurity workforce gap that is emblematic of the lack of qualified cybersecurity personnel that presently exists nationwide. Emphasis throughout the project …

2023 - The Fourth Annual Fall Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fall 2023 Symposium of Student Scholars, held in November 2023. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Assessing Employees’ Cybersecurity Attitude Based On Working And Cybersecurity Threat Experience, Norshima Humaidi, Melissa Shahrom

The African Journal of Information Systems

Many cybersecurity problems are caused by human error, which is a worry in the commercial sector. Due to their attitude towards cybersecurity, many employees in the firm do not work in a way that safeguards data. This study seeks to examine employees' cybersecurity attitudes with a focus on their work experience and exposure to cybersecurity threats. Data were gathered through a survey conducted in targeted business firms located in the Klang Valley area, Malaysia. Utilizing ANOVA and two-sample tests, the study analysed 245 data samples to evaluate the hypotheses. The results show significant distinctions in employees' cybersecurity attitudes in relation …

Leading K-12 Community Responsiveness To Cyber Threats Via Education Of School Community, Michele Kielty, A. Renee Staton

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Cyber threats have escalated in recent years. Many of these threats have been direct and vicious attacks on K-12 systems. Educators are rarely trained on how to address cyber threats from a systemic and educational perspective when such challenges arise in their school buildings. This article explains the cyber threats that are looming large for K-12 systems and provides concrete tools for school leaders to employ in order to provide preventive education to their school communities.

Adoption Of Cybersecurity Policies By Local Governments 2020, Donald F. Norris Phd, Laura K. Mateczun Jd

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This paper should be of interest to the readers of this journal because it addresses a subject that has received little scholarly attention; namely, local government cybersecurity. The U.S. has over 90,000 units of local government, of which almost 39,000 are “general purpose” units (i.e., municipalities, counties, towns and townships). On average, these governments do not practice cybersecurity effectively (Norris, et al., 2019 and 2020). One possible reason is that they do not adopt and/or implement highly recommended cybersecurity policies. In this paper, we examine local government adoption or lack of adoption of cybersecurity policies using data from three surveys. …

What You See Is Not What You Know: Studying Deception In Deepfake Video Manipulation, Cathryn Allen, Bryson R. Payne, Tamirat Abegaz, Chuck Robertson

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Research indicates that deceitful videos tend to spread rapidly online and influence people’s opinions and ideas. Because of this, video misinformation via deepfake video manipulation poses a significant online threat. This study aims to discover what factors can influence viewers’ capability to distinguish deepfake videos from genuine video footage. This work focuses on exploring deepfake videos’ potential use for deception and misinformation by exploring people’s ability to determine whether videos are deepfakes in a survey consisting of deepfake videos and original unedited videos. The participants viewed a set of four videos and were asked to judge whether the videos shown …

Generating Clicks: Display Advertising Within Social Media, Ronda Mariani, Thomas Tanner, Loreen Powell

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research study developed a comprehensive social community prototype and tested a variety of display advertising scenarios to determine which scenario motivated social media users to click. Empirical research based upon 503 users of social media led to the development of several independent variables, which were identified in the study as display advertising scenarios. The display advertising scenarios tested in the study were video, animation, engagement, and brand familiarity, as well as the size and location of the display advertising within each social media prototype web page. Data collected identified which display advertisement scenarios motivated a social media user to …

Chatgpt Unveiled: Unleashing Ai Magic In Online Shopping And Digital Marketing, Jianping Huang, Mark J. Sciuchetti Dr.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research paper explores the use of AI, specifically ChatGPT, in interactive activities within

online shopping and digital marketing. The paper examines the potential of AI-powered chatbots

to enhance customer engagement, personalization, and marketing effectiveness. Through a

literature review, case studies, and user feedback analysis, the research highlights the benefits of

AI chatbots in providing real-time assistance, personalized recommendations, and improved

customer experiences. The paper also addresses ethical and privacy concerns associated with AI

implementation and discusses future research directions. The findings are expected to suggest

that AI-powered chatbots have the potential to revolutionize online shopping and digital

marketing by …

Adoption Of Ict To Support Rural Small-Holder Farmers : A Systematic Review, Abdus Salaam Seat, Shaun Pather

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are slowly becoming more available to rural communities given a number of innovative approaches over recent years such as the implementation of Community Networks (CNs). Consequently, ICTs are able to become more meaningful in support of livelihoods of these communities, such as in agriculture production. Potential benefits to smallholder farmers include increase yields and reduced effort. However, there is very little evidence of smallholder farmers integrating ICTs into their livelihood activity. In this paper a Systematic Literature Review is used to explore the challenges faced in this sector. A total of 83 articles …

Anonymity And Gender Effects On Online Trolling And Cybervictimization, Gang Lee, Annalyssia Soonah

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the anonymity of the internet and gender differences in online trolling and cybervictimization. A sample of 151 college students attending a southeastern university completed a survey to assess their internet activities and online trolling and cybervictimization. Multivariate analyses of logistic regression and ordinary least squares regression were used to analyze online trolling and cybervictimization. The results indicated that the anonymity measure was not a significant predictor of online trolling and cybervictimization. Female students were less likely than male students to engage in online trolling, but there was no gender …

Permission-Based Marketing: Using Gis To Create Information Visualizations For Nonprofit Organizations., Mark J. Sciuchetti Dr., Jianping Huang

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

2023- The Twenty-Seventh Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Twenty-seventh Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 18-21, 2023. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Examining The Effectiveness Of Marketing Practices Of A Nonprofit Institution Of Higher Education: Internal Service Provider, Doreen E. Sams, Mary Kay Rickard, Kendra K. Evans

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract - Quality education is the sum of Institutions of Higher Education’s (IHE) parts, including classroom instruction and internal services, that are key to a student’s success during and after college. The purpose of this study is to address an understudied sector in the nonprofit marketing literature (i.e., Institutions of Higher Education internal service providers). The current study extends Dakouan et al. (2019) work by examining the marketing efforts of an IHE’s career services center’s effectiveness in creating awareness and increasing attendance at career events. The study focuses on outbound marketing strategies addressing the research question “to what extent are …

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: …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Privacy And Security Information Awareness And Disclosure Of Private Information By Users Of Online Social Media In The Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, Funmilola Olubunmi Omotayo, Joy Oluwabukola Olayiwola

The African Journal of Information Systems

The purpose of this paper is to investigate information privacy and security awareness among online social media (OSM) users in the Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. Building upon the social exchange theory, some factors that could influence the disclosure of private information on social media were identified. Findings from the analysis of data of 255 respondents revealed that most were aware of information privacy and security measures available on OSM, and the risks associated with the disclosure of private information on OSM. Privacy and security awareness, the perception of benefits associated with the use of OSM, the perception of risks associated with …

Brand Activism In The Age Of Black Lives Matter Movement, Peter M. Mwencha, Reuben K. Njuguna

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study provides a review of brand activism phenomenon against the background of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is informed by the growing number of activist customers, leaders and corporations that are taking a stand on divisive social and political issues that exists in today’s America. It finds that while socially-conscious consumers respond better to brands that support socio-political causes that they identify with, leaders and corporations should exercise caution when engaging in activism due to its divisiveness as well as the difficulty in aligning a brand’s public stance on an issue and consumers’ beliefs. The study recommends that …

Emotional Intelligence Training And Professional Salespeople, Tracey Honeycutt Sigler, Charles D. Shepherd Ph.D

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Emotional intelligence (EI) has long been considered a significant success factor, especcially in careers like personal selling that involve considerable social. contact (Goldman, 1995). As a result, a series of studies have investigated the link between EI and sales performance. The results of these studies indicates that EI can positively impact sales performanace. As a result, researchers (Deeter-Schmelz & Sojka, 2003) have called for its integration into sales training programs. However, to this point, no research has established an effective approach to EI training in sales. This study begins to rectify that shortcoming by indentifying best practices in general EI …

Small Value-Add Local Food Retailer’S Covid-19 And Post-Covid-19 Strategies, Timothy L. Schauer, Denise Ogden, Doc Ogden

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The pandemic came as a blow to retailers that were already under pressure from online competitors that offered low prices and provided the convenience of shopping from home. The media tended to cover the plight and challenges for larger chain stores and big box retailers. However, the small local food providers and retailers also faced challenges and had to manage without the luxury of having dedicated staff and deep pockets with which to navigate through the pandemic. This paper explores the experiences and strategies used by 20 small local value-added food providers and retailers as they navigated the pandemic. Additionally, …

Textbook Publishing For Secondary And Higher Education, Sherry Roberts, Lucy M. Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Given the number of high school and college students in need of textbooks, there is an opportunity for individuals interested in becoming textbook authors. The process begins with conducting research to determine the appropriate type of book and the market for that book. The research for secondary education includes understanding curriculum standards for the given subject. Understanding the market for the book is important to also determine the appropriate publisher for the proposed textbook. Next, it is time to prepare the items needed for the prospectus. These items include the table of content, end-of-chapter exercises, and likely a few chapters …

2022 - The Third Annual Fall Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fall 2022 Symposium of Student Scholars, held on November 17, 2022. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Brides And Bridal Stores: Online Or Brick-And-Mortar, Libby C. Jones, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper explores the growing global bridal industry and the different trends, traditions, and aspects of specific countries' bridal industries. It outlines western and eastern traditions and how globalization contributes to their spread. A deeper focus is dedicated to the United States' bridal industry and the issues brick-and-mortar bridal boutiques face as more brides have started shopping at online bridal stores. The relationship between brick-and-mortar and online bridal stores is explored based on various propositions about the bridal industry's emerging challenges. These propositions include trust issues in the retail environment, convenience, selection of bridal gowns in different retail formats, incorporating …