Search Results (76)

Purpose—This research paper examines the critical factors in customer satisfaction while purchasing fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets. Design/methodology/approach—This study was conducted using a prepared questionnaire to collect data on a random sample of 235 customers of farmers’ markets in the state of Maharashtra, India. The research was carried out in the year 2023. Seven hypotheses were tested concerning the relationships between the variables of interest. The variables of convenience, variety, quality, price, health and hygiene, and service conditions were used as independent constructs and were proxied by reflective indicators. Customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were treated as an exogenous variable and an endogenous variable, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the model relationships and confirm the theoretical model. Findings—The findings validate all the reflective indicators used in the study. The latent variables of convenience, variety, quality, price, health and hygiene, and service conditions positively and significantly affect customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction positively and significantly affects customer loyalty toward farmers’ markets. The structural equation explains approximately 55% of the variation in customer satisfaction related to convenience, variety, price, quality, health and hygiene, and service conditions. Significance—The study results provide insights into the factors that influence consumer behavior and attitudes toward farmers’ markets. By identifying these predictors, this study can help farmers’ markets and other stakeholders develop effective marketing strategies to attract and retain customers, ultimately promoting sustainable food production and consumption. Additionally, the results can inform policymakers on how to support and promote farmers’ markets as healthy and sustainable food sources. Practical implication—By implementing the practical suggestions derived from the implications of this research, farmers’ markets can optimize customer satisfaction, boost customer loyalty, and reinforce their position as valuable contributors to local communities’ well-being and sustainability. Originality/value—The acceptance of farmers’ markets in India as an alternative shopping destination for fruits and vegetables is gradually increasing. This exploratory study conducted on farmers’ markets examined several factors, including price, in assessing customer satisfaction and farmers’ markets’ effectiveness at positioning themselves as shopping destinations for consumers in India. Full article

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relationships among perceived price fairness, consumer attitude, and loyalty in the context of egg consumption. In addition, the study examines the moderating effects of tariff-related concern and education level on these relationships. Data were collected through an online survey administered via the Clickworker platform, resulting in a sample of 311 U.S. consumers. The proposed hypotheses were tested using Hayes’s Process Macro (Model 7). The results reveal that both perceived price fairness and consumer attitude have significant positive effects on loyalty toward eggs. Moreover, a strong positive association was found between consumer attitude and loyalty. The analysis also identifies the moderating roles of tariff concern and education level, particularly in the relationship between price fairness and loyalty. This research contributes to the existing literature by offering insights into the dynamic interplay of five key variables in the context of consumer behavior within the egg market. Also, this research proposes practical implications focusing on various stakeholders. Full article

This study examines how Chinese tourists perceive the value of sustainable practices implemented in five-star hotels in Phuket, Thailand, through the lens of the perceived value theory and the service experience framework. While luxury hotels increasingly adopt green initiatives, research exploring how tourists evaluate these efforts across the full guest journey is limited. Addressing this gap, this study aimed to examine how attitudinally distinct tourist segments perceive sustainable practices across three service stages: pre-consumption, consumption, and post-consumption. A cross-sectional survey of 400 Chinese tourists was conducted, applying k-means clustering to segment respondents by sustainability attitudes, followed by multi-group structural equation modeling. Two segments emerged: environmentally engaged travelers and conventional comfort travelers. The results indicate that the emotional value dominates during the stay, the functional value drives pre-stay decisions, and the ethical/social value shapes post-stay reflections. Environmentally engaged tourists were more responsive to ethical and social cues. The findings highlight sustainability as a multidimensional, stage-specific construct moderated by guest attitudes. Theoretically, this research extends perceived value frameworks by mapping sustainability perceptions across the guest journey. Practically, it offers actionable insights for hotel managers seeking to design value-aligned green strategies and segmented communication. Tailoring sustainability initiatives to tourist profiles can enhance satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy in the luxury hospitality sector. Full article

This study aims to explore the impact of the green marketing mix (at the macro and micro level) implemented by outdoor brands on the attitudes and brand loyalty of Millennial and Generation Z (MZ generation) consumers toward these outdoor brands. Additionally, it seeks to examine the moderating effect of MZ generation consumers’ involvement in outdoor activities on the relationship between the green marketing mix (macro level) and brand attitudes. Using a cross-sectional research design, a quota random sampling method was employed to extract a sample of 500 MZ generation consumers who had purchased an outdoor brand at least once in South Korea. To evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement model, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, followed by a bifactor structural model analysis with a moderator of outdoor involvement to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that the green marketing mix implemented by outdoor brands had a significantly positive effect on consumers’ attitudes toward outdoor brands. Specifically, green products, green pricing, and green promotion positively influenced consumers’ attitudes toward outdoor brands. Furthermore, the level of involvement in outdoor activities significantly moderated the effect of the green marketing mix on brand attitudes. Notably, the higher the MZ generation’s involvement in outdoor activities, the stronger the impact of the green marketing mix on their attitudes toward outdoor brands. Finally, brand attitudes were found to have a significant positive effect on brand loyalty. Based on these findings, meaningful theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Full article

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots represent a transformative tool in digital customer engagement, reshaping customer–brand relationships. This paper explores AI chatbots on customer–brand interactions by analyzing key features, such as interaction, perceived enjoyment, customization, and problem-solving. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research investigates how these attributes influence perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, customer attitudes, and ultimately, customer–brand relationships. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, this study begins with qualitative interviews to identify key engagement factors, which then inform the design of a structured quantitative survey. The findings reveal that AI chatbot features significantly enhance customer perceptions, with ease of use and usefulness in shaping positive attitudes and strengthening brand connections. The research further underscores the role of AI-driven personalization in delivering sustainable customer engagement by optimizing digital interactions, reducing resource-intensive human support, and promoting long-term brand loyalty. By integrating TAM with customer–brand relationship theories, this study contributes to AI and sustainability research by highlighting how intelligent chatbots can facilitate responsible business practices, enhance operational efficiency, and promote digital sustainability through automation and resource optimization. The findings provide strategic insights for businesses seeking to design AI-driven chatbot systems that improve customer experience and align with sustainable digital transformation efforts. Full article

The popular perception of Matilda of Canossa (1046–1115) is one which is typically filtered through the events of the Investiture Controversy and the famed 1077 meeting at Canossa and is thus prismatically reflected through the legacy of two men, Emperor Henry IV (1050–1106) and Pope Gregory VII (1020–1085). Though not an atypical journey through time for any female figure of history, it is a historiographical transformation which has altogether subverted studies of Matilda’s agency and authority. This has obfuscated studies of Matilda’s own agency and authority, where her oft contentious attitude toward and relationship to the regnum has typically been classified as a side effect of her extreme devotion to the papacy, rather than its own effort. This paper will begin to unwind the evidence of Matilda’s personal rebellion from the king by examining the biography produced at the end of her lifetime, the Vita Mathildis (Vatican City, Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana, MS. Vat. Lat. 4922). The examination of both the text and illuminations of the manuscript makes clear that Matilda’s rejection of the regnum was not merely a side effect of lifelong loyalty to the papacy but was also part of a conscious rejection of imperial authority, evidence of which can be found through vigorous textual and visual analyses. Full article

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), transforming consumer behavior in retailing and arousing the interest of scholars in studying customer responses to these technologies in retail settings. However, owing to variations in specific contextual factors, the results of related research have been mixed, which impedes retailers’ capacity to gain a systematic understanding of the formulation of well-informed marketing decisions in the context of AR and VR retailing. To address these gaps, this systematic review synthesizes extant empirical evidence with 1099 effect sizes from 111 published studies with 136 datasets and 547,415 sample sizes. This study is based on well-established theories, including the technology acceptance model, the customer journey theory, and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, which are extended to create a more comprehensive framework that is adapted for the customer journey in AR and VR retailing. Our findings reveal significant and positive correlations for all the proposed constructs, including the experience; intrinsic, extrinsic, hedonic, and utilitarian factors; and customer experience, attitude, intention, and loyalty, and verify the significant moderating effects for technology and product types. From a management perspective, our findings provide a systematic understanding of enhancing retailers’ integrated sustainable marketing strategies in the context of AR and VR retail and propose a forward-looking research agenda. Full article

Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms face high churn rates and substantial revenue losses from SVOD content piracy, all of which limit their ability to invest in acquiring/creating content compelling enough to win and retain subscribers. Based on social exchange theory, this study argues that platforms can improve relationships with SVOD content users by offering tiered discounts in exchange for advertising/loyalty and by promoting anti-piracy messages with a prosocial (threatening) approach that emphasizes harm to filmmakers (punishment for pirates). We hypothesize that these incentives enhance subscription intention when the incentive specifications (advertising levels, loyalty levels, message approach, and message credibility) match the public’s heterogeneous dispositions (advertising attitude, loyalty attitude, justice sensitivity, and fear of punishment). In a survey on the intention to subscribe to a hypothetical new platform, we confirmed the hypothesized interactions for advertising-based discounts, loyalty-based discounts, and prosocial messages, but did not find support for threatening messages. Further exploration showed that the evaluation of platform content was much more influential than any other incentive and that tiered loyalty discounts had a remarkable capacity to enhance subscription intention. This study’s findings may help shape incentives that are more satisfying to users and ultimately more profitable for platforms. Full article

This study aims to find a correlation between tourist motivation and satisfaction to provide several recommendations for developing tourist facilities according to tourist needs. Data mining was conducted in-depth through a phenomenological approach and inductive data analysis. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews are aimed at gathering information related to the motivation for traveling, perceptions and assessments of tourist attractions, activities, tourist expectations, and the attractiveness of cultural tourist attractions. This study found a linear correlation between cultural tourism motivation, tourism assessment, intensity of cultural tourism activities, acquisition of cultural tourism experiences, and tourist satisfaction. Tourism motivation also creates tolerance, fosters understanding and respect between cultures, and lowers expectations of tourism conditions so that tourists quickly get satisfaction. High tourist satisfaction creates a positive image of tourism, which may create loyalty. Tourist satisfaction can build a relative attitude related to repeat purchases, which in the context of tourism is the intention to revisit or recommend a tourist attraction to others. This study shows a tendency for tourist activity patterns based on cultural motivation in tourism practice. Tourism activity patterns, tolerance, and tourist satisfaction information can be essential in cultural tourism development programs. Full article

The digital advancement of “as a service” models has led to the rapid emergence of mozbility as a service (MaaS) in transportation. This study aims to identify the motivational factors used among users of integrated mobility application services and empirically determine their attitudes regarding use and customer loyalty over the long term. To do this, four motivations for using integrated mobility mobile application services—social, habit-congruence, economic, and innovation acceptance—were identified. A total of 311 actual users of integrated mobility app services in South Korea were sampled and analyzed. Social motivation was found to have the greatest impact on positive attitudes and behavioral intentions to use integrated mobility apps. This is followed by habit-congruence motivation, which users perceived as essential for use determination. It was found that active users of integrated mobility apps, who have used them for years, have a positive attitude about them, viewing them as part of a regular transportation system of daily life rather than an innovative service. This study suggests practical implications for integrated mobility applications and service strategies for transportation-related governments and businesses. Full article

In China, the integration of livestreaming into restaurant marketing has transitioned from mere entertainment to a vital business tool. This study examines the influence of social sharing value (SSV) on customer attitudes and behavioral intentions within the context of restaurant livestreams, applying the stimulus-organism-behavior-consequences (SOBC) model. Analyzing data from 1139 livestream viewers using partial least squares-path modeling (PLS-PM), the results reveal that SSV significantly enhances viewers’ trust, satisfaction, word of mouth (WOM), and behavioral intentions. Trust was shown to elevate satisfaction, which, in turn, positively impacts WOM and purchase intentions. Among the SSV’s components, brand intimacy emerged as highly influential. Notably, behavioral intention was found to significantly influence WOM activities, underscoring the critical role of proactive customer behaviors in promoting the brand. This study extends social exchange theory by quantifying relationship quality and adapting it to digital consumer interactions in the restaurant industry. The findings highlight the importance of cultivating SSV to bolster customer trust and satisfaction, thereby enhancing loyalty and advocacy. Effective engagement through livestreaming can amplify brand intimacy, establishing it as an indispensable strategy for maintaining competitiveness in the restaurant sector. Full article

Moral foundations theory proposes that individuals with conflicting political views base their behavior on different principles chosen from a small group of universal moral foundations. This study proposes using a set of widely accepted moral foundations (fairness, in-group loyalty, authority, and purity) as proxies to determine the degree of radicalization of online communities. A fifth principle, care, is generally surpassed by others that are higher in the radicalized groups’ moral hierarchy. Moreover, the presented data-driven methodological framework proposes an alternative way to measure whether a community complies with a certain moral principle or foundation: not evaluating its speech, but its behavior through the interactions of its individuals, establishing a bridge between the structural features of the interaction network and the intensity of communities’ radicalization regarding the considered moral foundations. Two foundations were assessed using the network’s structural characteristics: in-group loyalty measured by group-level modularity, and authority evaluated using group domination, for detecting potential hierarchical substructures within the network. By analyzing a set of Pareto-optimal groups regarding a multidimensional moral relevance scale, the most radicalized communities were identified among those considered extreme in some of their attitudes or views. An application of the proposed framework is illustrated using real-world datasets. The radicalized communities’ behavior exhibited increasing isolation, and their authorities and leaders showed growing domination over their audience. Differences were also detected between users’ behavior and speech, showing that individuals tended to share more “extreme” in-group content than they publish: extreme views get more likes on social media. Full article

The increased popularity of social media has greatly affected the marketing-communications activities of companies. This study seeks to understand how influencers promoting products affect their followers’ purchasing intentions and attitudes towards endorsed products. Our main interest is to get an insight on differences between two generations (X and Z). We construct a structural model, based on the theory of credibility. Findings suggest that influencer endorsements have an impact on both age groups, with a more noticeable effect observed in the younger generation. The loyalty towards influencers emerges as a constructive intermediary factor, amplifying the influence of credibility on purchasing intentions across both generations. When considering attitudes towards the brands endorsed by the influencers, loyalty’s impact is comparatively modest. The results provide a building block in understanding the influencers’ activities in marketing-communications, and how they can be used for communication with different generations. Full article

Brand experience, brand love, and brand behavior outcomes hold significant importance in management research. Their relevance extends to shaping strategic decision-making, fostering a customer-centric approach, and providing insights into the competitive landscape. These concepts are pivotal in understanding the complex dynamics of consumer-brand relationships, enabling organizations to make informed decisions, prioritize customer satisfaction, and stay competitive in the market. The present study aims to authenticate and assess the consistency of the Brand Experience (BE) scale and Brand Love (BL) scale in relation to the LIDL brand, comparing Portugal and the Czech Republic. Additionally, it delves into the connections between Brand Experience, Brand Love, and Brand Behaviour Outcomes (BBO): Positive Word of Mouth (+WOM), Brand Loyalty (BLYT), (Re)purchase Intention (RI), Affective Commitment (AC), Active Engagement (AE), and Perceptions of Attitudes Towards a Brand (PATB). The results demonstrated that the measurement tools used to gauge the variables under scrutiny are dependable and valid. Achieving measurement invariance across countries, convergence, and discriminant validity further validated the study. Positive correlations were identified among all the variables explored. The conceptual model tested exhibited a good fit and remained consistent across both countries. These findings hold significant implications for both academics and practitioners in the field of brand management. Full article

The numerous organisations voicing their concerns show that concern for the environment has increased compared to earlier times. This study aims to investigate the relationship between green brand innovation and green perceived value, along with its impact on green brand loyalty within the Ethiopian banking sector. Based upon previous research, this study delves into the distinctions between innovation and innovativeness, exploring their respective influences on brand loyalty. Additionally, this study introduces the roles of green perceived value as a mediator and consumer green knowledge as a moderator in shaping green brand loyalty. To assess the conceptual model, a survey was conducted using convenience sampling among 600 customers using internet banking services across nine reputable banks. This approach aimed to capture a representative sample for the conceptual model. Subsequently, data analysis was performed using a structural equation model (SEM). The results indicated that consumers’ perceptions of green value have indirect effects on green brand loyalty and direct effects on green brand innovation. In addition, green knowledge moderates the relationship between green brand innovation and green perceived value in a significant way. Therefore, in order to increase customer loyalty to green brand innovations, organisations should focus on improving consumers’ environmental literacy and cultivating positive attitudes towards green businesses. Full article