Business Commons^™

Internal Services Brand Orientation: Comparing The Perspectives Of Managers, Employees, And Customers, Ceren Ekebas-Turedi, Musa Pinar, Paul Trapp, Tulay Girard

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Brand orientation plays an important role in creating competitive advantage. The success of a brand depends on the extent of the harmony between managerially advocated brand orientation, effective implementation of the brand orientation by staff, and appreciation of the brand orientation by customers. This requires brand orientation to be implemented during each touch point of the service delivery process, as the delivery of the brand is experienced by consumers in a process of co-creation with the service provider.

To have a successful brand orientation, it is necessary to examine the perceptions of management, contact personnel, and consumers to discover if …

An Exploratory Study On Ethical And Legal Issues Of Marketing Strategies In The Cigarette Industry: Perspectives On E-Cigarettes, Jason Bruce Kilby, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Cigarette and E-Cigarette companies use different marketing strategies to promote their product. Some of these marketing strategies could be considered by many to be both unethical as well as illegal. Many ethical and legal issues surround the cigarette industry and these same issues could be relevant in the emerging E-cigarette industry. This research organized cigarette industry behavior into a matrix where a behavior was classified on whether it was ethical, unethical, legal or illegal. In order for a behavior to be considered ethical it must meet the minimum standard of being legal except under moral exception. What is considered to …

Materialism And Consumer Purchases An Exploratory Study: Are There Segments Of Materialistic Consumers?, Rick Mathisen, David Burns, Jennifer Hutchins

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Research on materialism has focused on the Richins Materialism constructs. The study focused on the relationship between materialism constructs, the positive and negative affect toward rivals and consumer purchase strategies when a rival purchased a product. Three segments of materialistic consumers were identified. Each segment model had different significant paths from the three short-form Richins Materialism constructs to the affect constructs and purchase constructs. PLSSEM and FIMIX analysis was used to develop the path models and segments by identifying unobserved heterogeneity in the data. The results indicate that not all consumers may exhibit the same materialism profiles as they are …

"No Triclosan Ever!": Effects Of Absence Framing Of Novel Product Ingredients On Consumer Evaluations., Tim Ozcan, Ahmet Hattat, Michael Hair

AMTP Proceedings 2018

We investigated effectiveness of promoting novel ingredients either with presence or absence positioning – both are common in marketplace (e.g. Secret® deodorant visibly claims “aluminum chlorohydrate” while Crystal® promotes “no aluminum chlorohydrate”). Initial study results show that consumers have more positive evaluations and purchase intentions for absence framing than presence framing and this effect is mediated by protection-related goals. After reviewing the literature in green/sustainable product attributes and regulatory focus, we show that absence-framed ingredients have better consumer evaluations when consumers are in the prevention mindset. Conversely, we show that, when customers are in promotion mindset and looking for a …

Impact Of Acculturation And Internal And External Influences On Food Consumption Behavior Among Asian American Ethnic Groups, Ryan W. Kota, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Retail food sales in the United States surpassed $5 trillion annually in 2015 and this number is on the rise. As a growing industry, it is important to understand what factors influence consumption. In this paper, the authors report on data collected from an ethnic segment that is growing in terms of overall population and spending power in the U. S.; Asian Americans. Through analyses of internal and external influences, and measurement of acculturation across 1,284 respondents, the authors are able to suggest that more acculturated individuals are more prone to be influenced by external factors (i.e., other foods and …

An Evaluation Of South African Vehicle Prices And Domestic Market Size, Keith Plekker, Perry Haan

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This study set out to identify what relationship exists between vehicle pricing and market size in a South African context. The research project’s design revolves around a quantitative method, consisting of a non-experimental strategy, with a longitudinal retrospective time horizon. The Box-Jenkins Method was used with auto regression and autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation functions for testing stationarity. The test involved the Rand’s changes against major currencies being related to increases in the advertised new vehicle price. The results of these tests showed weak correlations for the period 2008 to 2016. The conclusion was that no significant correlation exists between the …

Beyond Supplier Relationship Management, Vishal Kashyap, Mee-Shew Cheung, Marla A. Phillips

AMTP Proceedings 2018

In an effort to determine the sources of dysfunction that affect the integrity of supply in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, a research collaboration was created by the academia, business practitioners and regulators. The research used a multi-stage effort that relied on the DMADV (define, measure, analyze, develop, and verify) approach to identify and propose solutions for key issues influencing the reliability of supply chains in an effort to improve existing processes of the participating firms. The data was collected over 3 years and involved 41 executives from 25 participating firms that had either Fortune 500 or Fortune 100 …

The Uphill Battles For Non-Profit Organizations, Dave Mcmahon, Samuel Seamon, Michael Mccall

AMTP Proceedings 2018

As all nonprofit managers can attest, reaching out to potential customers using traditional marketing tools can often be frustrating at best and ineffective at worst. To better understand the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations this paper reviews several specific issues confronting nonprofit organizations: the adoption rate of websites, and the website types chosen by these nonprofits. These issues are explored through the lens of 3117 nonprofit organizations. The types of websites to consider by size of the organization and focus of the organization are discussed. The managerial implications address possible ways to optimize the use of resources for small and …

Predicting Turnover Of Direct Sellers, Robert A. Peterson, Gerald Albaum, Victoria L. Crittenden

AMTP Proceedings 2018

As an industry, direct selling is ubiquitous. An estimated 5.3 million people were direct sellers in the United States in 2016. Of those 5.3 million direct sellers, 4.5 million were part-time and 800,000 were full-time. Moreover, in 2016, direct selling generated an estimated US$35.54 billion in retail sales that, in turn, had a US$83.11 billion impact on the United States economy. In a broad sense, direct selling is simultaneously considered to be a distribution channel, an industry, and a business model. Traditional major modes of direct selling include person-to-person and party-plan selling at a home or in the workplace, with …

Exploring Online Sales Personas: Toward A Model Of Online Strategic Relationship Development, April Kemp

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This paper explores academic literature of online behaviors through typologies and social styles and the potential impact on relationship development in the B2B sales process. A conceptual model and online persona matrix are offered. The paper concludes with discussion and detailed propositions for future research.

Tracing, Security, And Safety: The Problem With Wild-Caught Seafood Supply Chains, Stephen Lemay, Dave Mcmahon, Jeffrey Periatt

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This article explores the difficulties associated with long, complex, supply chains in seafood markets. It does a brief literature review, discusses some of the issues raised by the long supply chain, and then compares one long seafood supply chain to a short, problematic supply chain.

Incorporating Professionalism Labs Into Marketing Curriculum, Tatia Jacobson Jordan

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This article discusses how to address present challenges in marketing education as a result of evolving student demographics and external conditions that leave students unprepared for the job market. Strategically incorporating professionalism labs, or career classes, into marketing department curriculum allows matriculating marketing students to hone the soft-skills that they need to transition successfully into professional positions.

Generosity As An Individual Difference Variable: Preliminary Steps Towards A New Measurement Scale, Leisa Reinecke Flynn, Jami Steen, Ronald E. Goldsmith

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Generosity is giving more real value to another entity than the giver expects in return. It is seen as the height of humanity by philosophers, and as non-rational by economists, and is not only encouraged but also mandated by religious institutions. Altruism, the motivator of generosity is called the main problem in sociobiology (Ridley & Dawkins 1981). Interest has been shown in generosity and altruism for centuries. Marketers are primarily interested in generosity as it drives support of non-profit causes, but it also has potential value in understanding complaint behavior, service failures, and tipping of service workers.

This paper represents …

Beyond Endorsements: How Celebrity Creative Directors Influence Consumers’ Attitudes Toward The Advertisement, Kendra Fowler, Veronica L. Thomas

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Many marketers are beginning to expand the roles that celebrities play in support of brands. Connections now go beyond the typical endorsement relationship to include employing celebrities as Creative Directors. It is imperative to understand the implications of these new relationships, as they may have different outcomes for the brand. Relying on research from the brand alliance literature, theories on the associative network model of memory, and cultural transfer of meaning, we suggest that hiring celebrities to act in the capacity of Creative Directors may have additional positive ramifications for the brand that go beyond simply utilizing celebrities as brand …

What Happens After You Are Shocked? An Investigation Of Emotional Response, Brand Attitude, Attitude Toward Ad And Purchase Intention Of Shock Advertising In Chinese Consumers, Shuo Yan, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2018

The goal of this paper is to validate the emotion toward the ad scale among Chinese consumers as well as test several well-accepted hypotheses in advertising literature in shock advertising setting. The results of our study suggested that emotion was correlated with attitude toward ad (Aad), the casual relationship between Aad and Attitude toward brand (Ab), and the correlation between Ab and purchase intention (PI). A validated emotion scale was also proposed to measure emotions after viewing ads in Chinese consumers. A 17-item feelings toward ads (emotion) scale was finalized by using EFA. Suggestions for future research were discussed.

Experiential Or Instrumental? The Role Of Shared Responsibility In Academic Success, Joanne T. Cao, Jamye Foster, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Alice Townsend

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This paper explores the notion of shared responsibility in an educational environment. Specifically, this study assesses the relationship between shared responsibility and service outcomes, such as value, satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth, in a university housing context. Using general linear model, we find that students’ sense of shared responsibility affects hedonic and utilitarian value. In addition, students with a higher sense of shared responsibility were more satisfied and willing to recommend on-campus housing to others. Results of the study suggest a positive experience with student housing may increase student retention and offer recommendations for university residential managers.

Spies!, Sam Fullerton, Roger Brooksbank

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This article comprises two distinct components. First is the delineation of a typology that encompasses the various approaches by which marketers can track the behavior of an individual in the marketplace. A total of 17 broad approaches were identified. Associated with each technique is the issue of whether personal information is being extracted via the tracking process, whether consumers’ involvement is voluntary, and – if voluntary – what action was required on the part of the consumer. The 17 approaches are far from reflecting a homogeneous approach to the data gathering process. The second part of the study focused on …

Money, Marketing, And Missions: Ethics And The Structure Of Not-For-Profits, Karen Barbee, Stephen Lemay

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This article explores the relationship between the structure of not-for-profit organizations and the ethical issues, moral hazards, and public perceptions they are likely to face. It offers a preliminary taxonomy of organizations based on their structures and relates key ethical issues to each of those categories. It also ties these issues to the role that marketing plays in both creating and dealing with ethical issues.

How Customer Engagement And Customer Participation Translate Across High-Involvement Purchases (Like Higher Education), Wendy T. Gillis, Douglas Johansen, Shiri D. Vivek

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Previous research suggested that customer participation resulted in greater customer satisfaction for the service provider. Specifically, earlier research differentiated Service Customer Engagement (CE) from Service Customer Participation (CP), where the former was ideation and the latter was practical application/execution. In other words, CE was more psychological, where customers think, feel, and trust. Conversely, CP was more behavioral, or physical, where customers act and do.

The point of this research is to translate previous learning to other high-involvement purchases. Research indicates that services high in credence, high contact, as well as high-involvement (Sharma and Patterson 1999) seem to be particularly relevant …

The Use Of Epistemology, Transactional Cost Analysis And Herding Behavior Theories To Explain Ethical Leadership, Mohammed Y.A. Rawwas

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This study examines the relationship between ethical leadership and employee creativity with mediating role of trust in leader and moderating role of openness to experience. Data were collected from 205 supervisor–subordinate dyads in cellular mobile operator companies across Pakistan. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the distinctiveness of variables used in our study. The results also confirmed that ethical leadership promotes creativity at workplace, while trust in leader mediates the effect of ethical leadership on creativity. Furthermore, the results also confirmed the moderation of openness to experience on the relationship between trust in leader and employee creativity. As expected, the relationship was …

Psychological Contract Breach And Customer Satisfaction: A Study Of Online Shopping, Hua Chang, Lingling Zhang

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular among customers in recent years. It offers customers numerous advantages and benefits, such as convenience in terms of time and place, better prices, and a variety of options. However, the number of customers who complain about online shopping is also increasing. Therefore, it is important for online retailers to better understand how customers respond to failures in customers’ online shopping.

Prior research on service failures and customer complaints has largely used expectation-dissatisfaction model to explain the phenomenon (e.g., McCollough, Berry, and Yadav 2000) and suggests approaches to address customer complaints (e.g., Hess, Ganesan, and …

Toward A Better Understanding Of Organic Products Consumption: The Key Role Of Consumers’ Involvement, Nataly Levesque, Frank Pons, Mahshid Omid

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Food consumption is at the base of human needs and represents an important part of our everyday life (Gottschalk & Leistner, 2013). Furthermore, the organic food market is probably the most promising sector of the global food industry (Tarkiainen & Sundqvist, 2009). However, the gap, often mentioned in the literature, between positive attitude towards organic products and actual behavior regarding these products still represents a major issue. Thus, in this paper, we propose to address this issue using an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behavior to explain parts of this gap and to highlight the crucial role played …

Travel Motivation Influence Attitudes Toward Cultural Souvenirs And Travel Intentions, Wei Wang, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Pauline Sullivan, Brigitte Burgess

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This study identifies structural relationships between tourists’ travel motivations and attitudes toward cultural souvenirs and travel intentions. An online survey fielded through Amazon Turk yielded a purposeful sample of 893 respondents who were representative of the population of interest. Results reveal respondents prefer to travel during summer rather than during spring, winter, and fall seasons. Additionally, they desire to purchase souvenirs on family trips. Also, data analysis indicates travel motivations positively influence tourists’ attitudes towards cultural souvenir and travel intentions. Physical, relaxation, and pleasure motives influence travel motivations.

The Influence Of Consumer Habits In The Customer Journey: How The Habit Loop Can Change The Game, Charla F. Brown

AMTP Proceedings 2018

The role of consumer habit can be an undervalued predictor of purchase behavior. Habit literature gleans from psychology that the simple influence of a habit in relation to purchase behavior can be an ingrained act. Facets of habit literature recognize the driving influence of habits in consumer decision making, but there remains a disconnect between habit perpetuation and a marketer’s ability to influence it. What is often overlooked is the automatic response involved in the customer’s decision-making process. While there is intense focus in marketing curricula on consumer behavioral marketing, the extent of habit’s impact on consumer purchase decisions can …

#Fomo: How The Fear Of Missing Out Drives Consumer Purchase Decisions, Michelle Van Solt, Jessica Rixom, Kimberly Taylor

AMTP Proceedings 2018

The fear of missing out (FOMO), defined as “a pervasive apprehension that others may be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent” (Przybylski et al., 2013), has been seen as a motivator for individuals to take action. This paper focuses on consumers’ experiential purchase decisions motivated by FOMO. More specifically, we explore the situational factors that can lead to higher levels of FOMO including the social group (i.e., close vs. distant) and type of experiences (i.e., ordinary vs. extraordinary). We also distinguish FOMO from anticipated regret. Given that there is little empirical consumer research on FOMO, it is important …

Community Behind “In Return For An Honest Review”, Ania Izabela Rynarzewska

AMTP Proceedings 2018

With prevalence of online shopping, consumer reliance on consumer generated reviews increased tremendously over the last 22 years. It was Amazon.com, an online retailer who started consumer generated review in 1995. It has since been a major success and source of consumer trust. However, over the years, Amazon.com, academics and the news media noticed an increase of fake reviews whose purpose is to motivate consumers into purchasing a product based on those fictitious reviews. Amazon.com has been on a spree to catch numerous fake reviewers and fake review providers while academic research focused on how to recognize fake reviews, distributions …

Why I Purchase What I See On Facebook: Comparing The Impact Of Electronic Word-Of-Mouth Between Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Consumers, Nivia Escobar, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This study aims to explore the role of the adoption and consumption of Facebook on Electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWOM) among Hispanics versus African Americans, Asians, and Non-Hispanics Whites in the United States, whilst exploring the impact of attitudes towards eWOM on the likelihood to purchase something because of the “Likes” on Facebook. A national panel was used to collect the data and an ANOVA test was conducted to test the hypotheses. The results indicated Non-Hispanic White consumers were significantly less likely to use WOM than Hispanic, African Americans and Asians. Overall, Hispanics were found to be more likely than any other …

Understanding Differences In The Dimensions Of Brand Loyalty Among Generational Cohorts In The Carbonated Beverage Category, Neleen Leslie, Petula Senior

AMTP Proceedings 2018

This study explores generational differences in the antecedents of brand loyalty in the carbonated beverage category. Eight loyalty dimensions were examined across three generational cohorts: Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers. Results indicate partial support for the study hypothesis. Significant generational differences were only observed for some loyalty dimensions and in most of those cases, Baby Boomers recorded significantly higher scores than Millennials but were not significantly different than other groups. There were also very few differences between Millennials and Generation X.

A New In-Store Digital Landscape: Effect On Engagement, Innovativeness, And Unplanned Grocery Shopping Outcomes, Dale Cake, Vikas Agrawal, Douglas Johansen

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Digital technologies are having a profound effect on the path to purchase in a grocery retail environment. Secondary research data on shopping habits is used to analyze the relationship of consumer digital technology use, a consumer’s innovativeness, and consumer engagement with unplanned grocery shopping behavior within a grocery store environment. Findings indicate that all of three variables have a direct, significant effect on unplanned grocery shopping outcomes and that innovativeness has a direct effect on engagement. Future study will consider the impact of key market segments, shopping situations and digital technology types.

Growing Apart: Collectivism And Acculturation, Sean Sawicki, Sindy Chapa

AMTP Proceedings 2018

Geert Hofstede’s cultural research serves as a guide to understanding how the different dimensions (collectivism/individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, indulgence, and short-/long-term orientation) vary between cultures and ethnicities. However, little research exists to show the relationship that exists between acculturation and these dimensions—specifically, with collectivism. Because Hispanics rank exceptionally high with collectivism, this research aims to explore the relationship between acculturation of Hispanics and collectivism. Suggestions as it pertains to findings as well as future research are included.