Search Results (656)

The present conceptual paper proposes a purpose-driven experiential marketing framework for film-induced destinations, integrating sustainability and emotional engagement into destination management. The model under discussion comprises five interconnected dimensions, namely integrated experience, branding, people, emotional touchpoints and processes. These are articulated through purpose-driven marketing principles and aligned with selected Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators. This approach positions sustainability as an inherent component of value creation rather than an external policy layer. The framework under discussion was developed through an interdisciplinary literature review and is illustrated through insights from an exploratory case study of Monsanto, a rural Portuguese village recently featured in HBO’s House of the Dragon. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of local stakeholders, including tourists, residents, entrepreneurs and institutional representatives. These interviews were analysed thematically to provide indicative evidence of the framework’s relevance and potential applicability. The findings suggest that emotional engagement, co-creation and territorial authenticity play a central role in shaping memorable film-related tourism experiences that are consistent with destination purpose and stakeholder well-being. The study also emphasises the strategic importance of storytelling, audiovisual narratives and collaborative governance in the strengthening of place identity and the support of sustainable differentiation. Despite its exploratory nature, the framework provides practical guidance for destination management organisations (DMOs), cultural programmers and creative industry actors. The article concludes by identifying avenues for future research, including cross-regional application, digital experimentation and the quantitative assessment of experiential dimensions. Full article

Recommendation systems are popular information systems that help consumers manage information overload. Whilst personality has been recognised as an important factor influencing consumers’ choice, it has not yet been fully exploited in recommendation systems. This study proposes a restaurant recommendation approach that integrates customer personality traits, opinions and preferences, extracted either directly from online review platforms or derived from electronic word of mouth (eWOM) text using information extraction techniques. The proposed method leverages the concept of venue personality grounded in personality–brand congruence theory, which posits that customers are more satisfied with brands whose personalities align with their own. A novel model is introduced that combines fine-tuned BERT embeddings with linguistic features to infer users’ personality traits from the text of their reviews. Customers’ preferences are identified using a custom named-entity recogniser, while their opinions are extracted through structural topic modelling. The overall framework integrates neural collaborative filtering (NCF) features with both directly observed and derived information from eWOM to train an extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) regression model. The proposed approach is compared to baseline collaborative filtering methods and state-of-the-art neural network techniques commonly used in industry. Results across multiple performance metrics demonstrate that incorporating personality, preferences and opinions significantly improves recommendation performance. Full article

Visual social commerce platforms now mediate much of brand communication and conversion, yet managers still lack clear guidance on how brands and creators should technically design posts that consistently achieve high user engagement under budget and platform constraints. Prior research explains why users engage with brands online, but it mainly focuses on individual motives and message features and largely treats the brand–creator–platform relationship and the post-design process as a black box. Drawing on the Technology Affordance Actualization (TAA) framework—which conceptualizes how platform-provided action possibilities (affordances) are selectively enacted through user practices—we develop a Creator–Content–Timing (CCT) perspective on how brands and creators actualize visibility, interactivity, and commercial collaboration affordances into user engagement outcomes. We analyze 138,713 image–text posts from 100 beauty brands on Xiaohongshu using machine learning, text mining, computer vision, and regression and clustering models. The results show that creator tier, brand status, sponsorship, content cues, and posting time have systematic effects on both engagement intensity and a cost-normalized metric, Int_per_cost (interactions per 1000 CNY of estimated advertising cost). Smaller creators and non-sponsored posts achieve higher engagement per impression and higher Int_per_cost than top-tier creators and sponsored posts; moderate text length, non-exclusive brand mentions, human faces, and specific temporal windows are also associated with superior outcomes. The study extends TAA to a creator–brand–platform context by operationalizing affordance actualization as observable CCT configurations at the post level and provides configuration-level guidance on how brands can align creator selection, content design, and scheduling to improve engagement on visual social commerce platforms. Full article

As public attention to environmental issues grows, enterprises have begun implementing environment-centered business management. Achieving environmental sustainability requires the participation of all organizational members. This study was conducted in Chinese food manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises located in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, China, and employed a three-wave, time-lagged survey design to collect and match data from team leaders and employees. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test the cross-level hypotheses, and the indirect effect was assessed using Bayesian multilevel mediation analysis. Using cross-level data from both team leaders and team members, this study examines how green transformational leadership impacts employees’ pro-environmental behavior. In addition, this study examines the mediating role of employee value–action barriers and the moderating role of green brand image. The results indicate that (1) green transformational leadership positively influences employee pro-environmental behavior, (2) employee value–action barriers mediate the relationship between green transformational leadership and employee pro-environmental behavior, and (3) green brand image moderates both the correlation between green transformational leadership and employee pro-environmental behavior and the relationship between employee value–action barriers and employee pro-environmental behavior. These findings provide empirical support for the application of social learning theory and offer managerial insights into how managers can more effectively enhance their employees’ pro-environmental behavior. Future research may further test the robustness and applicability of these relationships in other industries and in different regional and national contexts. Full article

This study investigates how next-generation digital infrastructures—terahertz (THz) communication and AI-driven network orchestration—shape perceived service quality, luxury perception, and loyalty within the context of luxury hospitality. An empirical survey was conducted among 693 guests at Torre Melina Gran Meliá (Barcelona) between June 2024 and June 2025. Using a refined 38-item Likert-scale instrument, a three-factor structure was validated: (F1) Network Performance (speed, stability, coverage, seamless roaming, and multi-device reliability), (F2) Luxury Perception (modernity, innovation, and brand image), and (F3) Service Loyalty (satisfaction, return intentions, recommendations, and willingness to pay a premium). The results reveal that superior network performance functions both practically and symbolically. Functionally, it enables uninterrupted video calls, smooth streaming, low-latency gaming, and reliable multi-device usage—now considered essential utilities for contemporary travelers. Symbolically, high-performing and intelligently managed connectivity conveys technological leadership and exclusivity, thereby enhancing the hotel’s luxury image. Collectively, these effects create a “virtuous cycle” in which technical excellence reinforces perceptions of luxury, which in turn amplifies satisfaction and loyalty behaviors. From a managerial perspective, advanced connectivity should be viewed as a strategic investment and brand differentiator rather than a cost center. THz-ready, AI-orchestrated networks support personalization, dynamic bandwidth allocation (i.e., real-time adjustment of network capacity in response to fluctuating user demand), and monetizable premium service tiers, directly strengthening guest retention and brand equity. Ultimately, next-generation connectivity emerges not as an ancillary amenity but as a defining pillar of luxury hospitality in the emerging 6G era. Full article

Establishing a mechanism for ecological product value realizing (EPVR) is a critical component of China’s ecological civilization strategy, aimed at translating the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” into actionable economic policies. Although central government investments in the form of project for EPVR have increased significantly, surpassing CNY 700 billion by 2024, studies rarely focus on these projects and how to evaluate them. Evaluating the performance of EPVR projects is essential for optimizing resource allocation, enhancing project accountability, and ensuring the sustainable realization of ecological, economic, and social values. This study innovatively defines the conceptual connotation of EPVR projects and constructs a comprehensive performance evaluation system based on a “benefit-cost” analysis, comprising a multi-dimensional indicator system, quantifiable calculation methods, and explicit evaluation criteria. As water source protection projects are typical EPVR projects, the comprehensive water environment management project of Hongfeng Lake is selected for an in-depth empirical study. The results reveal that (1) the total annual benefits amount to CNY 923.66 million, dominated by ecological benefits (84.04%); (2) with an investment of CNY 1194.66 million, the project yields a net loss and a moderate performance index (PCPI = 0.77); (3) the project performance is primarily affected by weak economic value conversion stemming from restrictive zoning policies and underdeveloped market mechanisms for ecological services; and (4) integrated development pathways—such as ecotourism, eco-aquaculture, and ecological branding—are proposed to enhance the long-term sustainability of the project. The Hongfeng Lake case establishes a replicable framework for global assessment of analogous projects and delivers actionable insights for enhancing benefit–cost ratios in public ecological initiatives, with costs confined to data collection, modeling, and validation. Therefore, this study contributes a quantifiable and reproducible tool for the full lifecycle management of EPVR projects, thereby facilitating more informed government decision-making. Key findings reveal the following: (1) A comprehensive “Benefit-Cost” performance evaluation framework, pioneered in this study and tailored specifically for individual EPVR projects, surpasses regional-scale accounting methodologies like Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP). (2) A novel consolidated metric (PCPI) is introduced to integrate ecological, economic, and social dimensions with cost input, thus enabling direct cross-project comparison and classification. (3) The framework operationalizes evaluation by providing a detailed, adaptable indicator system with explicit monetization methods for 26 distinct benefits, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical value accounting and practical project assessment. (4) The empirical application to a drinking water source protection project addresses a critical yet understudied category of EPVR projects, offering insights into “protection-oriented” models. Full article

This study investigates how consumer brand trust is shaped by the interplay of sustainability disclosure valence (positive/negative), domain (social/environmental), and information source credibility (internet influencer/scientific report). Using a mixed-methods approach, combining a series of focus groups and a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects scenario experiment with a sample of 354 university students, we analyzed both the main and interactive effects of these factors on brand trust via hierarchical regression. The findings confirm that positive disclosures in both social and environmental domains significantly enhance brand trust. We observed a significant synergistic interaction, where consistent positive disclosures across both sustainability domains yield the greatest increase in trust. The study uncovers a domain-specific boundary condition for source credibility. While the source of information significantly moderates the impact of social sustainability disclosures—with influencers failing to generate the same punitive impact as scientific reports regarding social transgressions—source credibility exerts no significant influence on environmental disclosure processing. These findings suggest that consumers process environmental data as technical information (source-neutral) but social data as moral signals (source-dependent). Practically, the results suggest that brands require a holistic sustainability communication strategy and rely on highly credible sources for sensitive social messaging, especially when managing reputational risk or responding to negative disclosures. Full article

In practice, platforms are likely to target popular or niche product markets to introduce store brands (SBs). However, existing studies on horizontal SB positioning mainly focus on product similarity or attribute differentiation and do not clarify how such positioning should be chosen when national brand manufacturers (NBMs) strategically respond through innovation. Motivated by the conflict between the NBs and SBs, as well as the upstream–downstream co-opetition induced by the platform’s dual role, we develop a game-theoretic model to analyze the interplay between the platform’s SB positioning strategy and the NBM’s core category innovation decisions to provide new insights for promoting supply chain coordination. We find that first, when consumers prefer the SB product intended for the popular market, the platform should introduce an SB targeting the popular market if the NBM is expected to either refrain from innovation or allocate innovation efforts to the popular NB product. However, this decision may change if the NBM directs innovation efforts toward the niche NB product instead. Second, when confronting the invasion of SB, the NBM should reduce the wholesale price of the affected NB product and increase innovation efforts for that product. Additionally, under the reselling mode, a “win-win” outcome can only be achieved when the NBM directs innovation efforts to the product categories affected by SB invasion. In contrast, under the agency mode, Pareto optimality can be achieved regardless of whether the NBM allocates innovation efforts to affected or unaffected product categories. Full article

Global crises, from pandemics to geopolitical instability, intensify societal anxiety. Paradoxically, these periods of collective threat often witness surges in luxury consumption. Drawing on Terror Management Theory (TMT), we propose this behavior is a psychological response to the deindividuating nature of such threats. We argue that a collective crisis increases intentions to purchase luxury goods via an intensified need for uniqueness, which functions as a self-affirming mechanism against a threatened sense of personal identity. We test this model using the COVID-19 pandemic as a salient operationalization of a collective threat. We further propose that this effect is counterintuitively moderated by independent self-construal. Findings from an experimental study (N = 276) show that perceived crisis risk increases luxury purchase intention, and this effect is serially mediated by the need for uniqueness. Critically, this indirect effect is strongest for individuals low in independent self-construal, who are prompted to engage in compensatory uniqueness-seeking when their primary buffer of social connection is disrupted. Our findings contribute to consumer behavior research by identifying a novel psychological pathway linking collective threats to consumption and offer insights for brands navigating consumer behavior during periods of widespread uncertainty. Full article

This study examines the effects of trust in AI, willingness to accept AI, and perceptions of AI performance on brand loyalty in the hospitality industry. The study further posits that purchase intentions mediate the relationship between understudied independent variables and brand loyalty. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model, Unified Theory of Acceptance Use of Technology UTAUT, and Trust–Satisfaction theory as the theoretical foundation, the study posits seven hypotheses. Data were collected via an online platform; ultimately, 183 participants participated in the survey. The study tests the hypotheses using Hayes’s Macro PROCESS Model 4 mediation, where the direct and indirect effects were established. The study observes that the direct and indirect effects of trust in AI and the perceived performance of AI on brand loyalty were significant. However, only the indirect effect was significant for the willingness to accept AI on brand loyalty. These observations show that the use of AI-enabled services enhances a stronger intention to book, leading to an improved brand loyalty. The results extend the body of knowledge in this area by linking the unified framework of trust in AI, AI perceived performance, and willingness to accept AI to brand loyalty in the hospitality industry. For managers and hoteliers, this finding is clear, emphasising that the transparent and reliable use of AI enhances purchase intentions and improves brand loyalty. Full article

As the fashion industry accelerates its digital and sustainable transformation, the European Union’s policy development on Digital Product Passports (DPPs) has attracted growing attention. However, there is still a lack of systematic research into whether consumers, particularly those outside Europe, are willing to adopt this emerging technology for greater transparency. To address this, this study develops an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by integrating three individual-level consumer variables, Ethical–Sustainability Orientation (ESO), Circular Value Orientation (CVO), and Technological Awareness (TA), to examine how these factors work in concert to shape consumers’ intentions to accept Digital Product Passports (DPPs). Data were collected from US consumers through an online survey, yielding 425 valid responses. Participants were recruited from a professional consumer panel managed by a market research firm. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the proposed research model and hypotheses. The results reveal that Perceived Usefulness (PU) emerges as the most influential determinant of consumers’ acceptance of Digital Product Passports. Both Ethical–Sustainability Orientation (ESO) and Circular Value Orientation (CVO) demonstrate significant direct effects on adoption intention and indirect impacts through PU. Technological Awareness (TA) exhibits only a modest direct effect, suggesting that its role in shaping adoption behavior is comparatively limited. This study broadens the geographic and cultural scope of existing research on Digital Product Passports (DPPs) by providing empirical evidence on consumer acceptance in a non-European context. The findings advance the theoretical understanding of DPP adoption while offering practical implications for fashion brands and policymakers seeking to facilitate the global implementation of DPP systems within the fashion industry. Full article

Background: The use of pesticides among smallholder farmers, agrochemical sellers, and agricultural officers involves a complex interplay of knowledge, economic factors, and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, this study explores the patterns, practices, and socio-environmental dynamics of pesticide use among smallholder farmers and agro-input sellers in Iringa and Njombe. Method: This study employed a qualitative, phenomenological design, guided by the socio-ecological model (SEM), to explore the lived experience of farmers, agro-dealers, and extension officers. It involved a total of 23 interviews performed in the Njombe and Iringa regions. Data were collected between October 2024 and March 2025, using a combination of in-depth phenomenological interviews, key informant interviews, and field observations, and were categorized into themes and subthemes analyzed using InVivo. Results: The study involved a total of 23 participants drawn from the Iringa and Njombe regions. The gender distribution was nearly balanced, with 52.1% male and 47.8% female respondents. The mean age of participants was 33 years (95% CI: 29.3–37.3). In terms of education, over half (52.17%) had completed primary school. The findings show that smallholders in Iringa and Njombe widely use mixed pesticides and fertilizers, rely on trusted brands, and adapt to climate impacts, but face challenges with regard to unsafe mixing, poor storage, fake products, and weak regulation, highlighting the need for better education, market oversight, and safer practices. Conclusion: Using the socio-ecological model, the findings indicate that pesticide use among smallholder horticultural farmers in Iringa and Njombe is influenced by a complex interaction of socio-economic constraints, market forces, climate variability, and institutional shortcomings. Although farmers have some awareness of safe practices, systemic barriers continue to limit the adoption of sustainable pesticide management. Full article

This study examines how digital nomads act as unintentional brand ambassadors shaping destination image via lifestyle content. Although nomads influence place perceptions through blogs, vlogs, and social media, tourism institutions rarely acknowledge their role. We theorize this diffuse effect as ambient influence—the cumulative, non-promotional impact of lifestyle posts—and test whether nomads operate as unintentional brand intermediaries affecting destination image and travel intention. A multi-method design includes a survey of 487 international travelers modeling links among exposure, perceived authenticity, destination image, and travel intention; an experiment with 210 participants comparing nomad versus influencer videos; and interviews with 14 DMO professionals examining institutional responses. Results indicate that nomad content improves destination image and travel intention via perceived authenticity and relational trust. Relative to influencers, nomads are viewed as more credible and less commercially motivated. However, qualitative evidence shows that DMOs often overlook this influence due to ambiguity, control-oriented branding, and reliance on performance metrics ill-suited to informal media. The study formalizes ambient influence to capture the cumulative, non-promotional impact of nomad content and identifies a strategic blind spot in institutional engagement. It contributes by reconceptualizing influence beyond formal marketing and offers guidance for tourism management, including broader recognition frameworks and updated evaluation of user-generated content. Full article

The present paper deals with community participation in destination planning, using the small town of Koroni in Greece and the associated Maniatakeion Foundation as a case study. Benefiting from the author’s consulting experience and based on interviews with the foundation’s owner and the local community, on local press articles and a business plan on the development of Koroni, the paper aims at exploring the following: (A) how the participation of the local community in destination planning can lead to concrete plans and actions towards achieving sustainable development; and (B) the role of civil society organisations to this end. At first, the existing development model of Koroni is outlined. Then, the new development model of Koroni, based on the Mediterranean Diet, is analysed: how it was crafted; how it was implemented; what the role of the Maniatakeion Foundation was; and whether it was embraced by the local community groups. It is shown that (A) Koroni managed to shift from a mass tourism development model towards an alternate model that is rooted in sustainable development. Also, the fact that Koroni, which had no brand name (even on a local level), succeeded in acquiring an international brand name through the inscription of the Mediterranean Diet on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List; (B) the destination planning process was initiated, coordinated, and operated by the local civil organisation Maniatakeion Foundation. The key lesson of broader application to be taken is that civil society organisations can build integrity and capacity and play a leading (and not only a supportive-supplementary) role in destination planning. Full article

In the current disruptive business landscape, there is a disconnect between the practical traction of digital revolution approaches and their academic rigour, exacerbated by a lack of collaboration between practitioners and academics. In this study, this issue is addressed by systematically analysing the Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP) concept for Exponential Organisations (ExOs). The significant success of the MTP among practitioners highlights an urgent need to translate this construct into management science to gain a deeper understanding. Through a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework and Gioia methodology, this study synthesises available knowledge from the concept’s original authors and the practitioner community. The findings reveal that the MTP is central to an ExO’s brand core, profoundly influencing its internal and external dimensions and its competitive advantage. This study makes several theoretical contributions as follows: (i) refining the definition of the MTP; (ii) providing a data structure that links antecedents, dimensions, and outcomes; and (iii) offering a framework to guide both academic research and managerial practice. Full article