Search Results (135)

Virtual interactivity in marketing has evolved significantly in recent decades, becoming an essential tool for effectively connecting with consumers in digital environments. Through interactive digital platforms, brands can generate a two-way dialogue with their customers, allowing them to obtain instant feedback and adapt their strategies quickly and effectively. This not only improves but also contributes to strengthening brand love and fostering long-term loyalty. In this context, this research aimed to analyze the effect of virtual interactivity on customer loyalty and WOM through multiple sequential mediation paths, considering the elements of relationship marketing and examining the cognitive (trust–commitment), communicational (communication–conflict management), and experiential (brand love–WOM) mechanisms that operate in digital consumer–brand interactions. A cross-sectional and explanatory study was conducted, considering 417 frequent customers of brands who also follow brands on social media. Participants included women (60.7%) and men (39.3%), ranging in age from 19 to 52 years (M = 30.9 and SD = 6.0). Data were collected using a self-report form on virtual interactivity, relationship marketing, WOW, customer loyalty, and brand love, yielding an appropriate measurement model (α = between 0.791 and 0.908; CR = between 0.791 and 0.916; AVE = between 0.679 and 0.845) which was statistically analyzed using PLS-SEM. The hypotheses confirmed the proposed model, observing the effect of virtual interactivity on important brand factors. This research provides valid results linked to the digital world in banking contexts. Full article

This study investigates the mechanisms through which employees’ green behavioural intention (GBI) translates into employee in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR) in the hospitality sector. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Value-Belief Norm (VBN) theory, we propose an extended model that incorporates four contextual mediators —customers’ environmental attitudes (CEAs), coworkers’ green work climate (CGWC), supervisors’ commitment to the environment (SCE), and environmental organisational policy (EOP)—to explain how the relationship between intentions and behaviours is mediated by these social and organisational factors. Data were collected through a self-administered survey of 497 employees from hotels located in the Canary Islands, a recognised coastal tourism destination facing relevant environmental challenges. The proposed relationships were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that GBI significantly predicts in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR), and all four contextual factors partially mediate this relationship. Among them, EOP and CGWC emerged as the most influential mediators. These findings underscore the importance of aligning individual motivation with supportive workplace environments to foster consistent sustainable practices in hospitality organisations. This research contributes to the growing literature on green behaviours in hospitality by empirically validating a multilevel TPB-VBN-theory-based framework and highlighting key points for hotel managers aiming to strengthen their environmental commitment through employee engagement. Full article

This study explores the link between brand image and Net Promoter Score (NPS) in Iceland’s banking sector using data from three survey waves (2021, 2023, and 2025). While NPS is widely used to track customer loyalty, its relationship with brand image, especially in financial services, remains unclear. Drawing on repeated cross-sectional data (n = 1504), we examine how trust, corporate social responsibility, customer satisfaction, and perceived corruption relate to NPS across three major banks. Results show a consistently strong positive correlation (r > 0.5), with Arion Bank customers showing the highest association (r = 0.68). This suggests that customers with a positive image of the bank are far more likely to recommend it. The findings offer both theoretical and practical value: they reinforce the role of brand image in driving customer advocacy and support a more contextualized use of NPS in brand strategy and customer experience management. Full article

In the context of the Internet, the personalization and diversification of customer demands present a significant challenge for research on the identification, combination, and utilization of personalized demand feature elements. A key difficulty lies in achieving real-time perception, processing, and recognition of customer needs to dynamically identify and understand personalized customer intent. To address the limitations, we propose a Personalized customization-based Neural Network (PerNN), designed to enhance the performance and accuracy of recommendation systems in large-scale and complex information environments. The PerNN model introduces a Personalized Features Layer (PF), which effectively integrates multi-dimensional information—including historical interaction data, social network relationships, and users’ temporal behavior patterns—to generate fine-grained, personalized user feature representations. This approach significantly improves the model’s ability to predict user preferences. Extensive experiments conducted on public datasets demonstrate that the PerNN model consistently outperforms existing methods, particularly regarding the accuracy and response speed of personalized recommendations. The results validate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed model in managing complex and recommendation tasks, offering a novel and efficient solution for personalized customization scenarios. Full article

This study explores how small family wineries in the Croatian Split-Dalmatia County integrate social media into their marketing and business strategies, focusing on the interplay between tradition, family identity, and digital innovation. Utilising a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with winery owners to explore their use of social media platforms, their sales and distribution strategies, and their perceptions of Croatia’s EU membership. The results show that social media, particularly Facebook and Instagram, serve as highly personalised, low-cost marketing tools, predominantly managed by younger family members and used to convey authenticity, family heritage, and local identity. Despite limited resources and professional marketing expertise, these wineries take an intuitive, do-it-yourself approach and rely on direct customer relationships, storytelling, and experiential offerings to drive loyalty. While EU membership is generally seen as beneficial for tourism and funding opportunities, bureaucratic complexity remains a significant obstacle. This study highlights the importance of leveraging cultural heritage for digital content and emphasises the need for targeted policy support to improve digital competencies and reduce administrative barriers. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how family-run SMEs can gain and sustain competitive advantage by blending tradition with digital marketing practices in a rapidly evolving business environment. Full article

This study leveraged the Social Categorization Theory to examine the influence of workforce diversity management on employee performance, considering the moderating role of gender diversity in this relationship. This study used a quantitative descriptive research design and a snowball sampling technique to obtain data from 392 respondents. The data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SM) algorithm, bootstrapping a sample size of 5000. The study identified a significant and positive effect of workforce diversity management on employee performance. Likewise, it revealed a significant positive effect of gender diversity on employee performance, enhancing collaboration, innovation, and overall productivity, particularly within diverse teams exhibiting an equitable gender distribution. Finally, the study revealed that gender diversity moderates the relationship between workforce diversity management and employee performance. The findings underscore the necessity of implementing diversity management strategies to enhance employee performance. They prove that hospital environments can effectively leverage gender diversity to achieve superior organizational outcomes through customized solutions. Full article

This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts customer loyalty in the banking sector, focusing on the mediating effects of consumer moral identity (CMI), perceived service quality (PSQ), and relationship quality (RQ). Based on Social Identity Theory and Stakeholder Theory, a theoretical model integrating CSR, CMI, PSQ, RQ, and customer loyalty was constructed and empirically tested using the PLS-SEM method. Data were collected through an online survey, yielding 338 valid samples. Analysis of the data revealed that CSR significantly positively affected CMI, PSQ, and RQ, indicating that the fulfillment of social responsibilities by banks enhances consumers’ moral identity, perceived service quality, and relationship quality. Additionally, CMI, PSQ, and RQ significantly positively influenced customer loyalty, with RQ showing the most prominent effect. Furthermore, CSR also had a significant indirect effect on customer loyalty through CMI, PSQ, and RQ. In terms of practical implications, this study suggests that the banking industry should regard CSR as a crucial strategy for winning customer loyalty, actively engage in CSR activities, and integrate CSR concepts into branding, service, and customer relationship management. Moreover, banks should also focus on enhancing CMI, PSQ, and RQ as critical pathways through which CSR influences customer loyalty. The theoretical significance of this research lies in: (1) expanding the theoretical perspectives on how CSR affects customer responses, addressing the limitations of previous studies that focused predominantly on direct effects or a single mediator; (2) examining the role of CMI in the banking context, enriching the research on CSR and consumer moral identity; and (3) revealing the mechanisms of CSR’s effect in the unique service context of the banking industry. Full article

Background/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus presents significant management challenges, requiring comprehensive glycemic control, patient education, self-management, and routine monitoring. The study aims to evaluate existing tools and develop a customized questionnaire to investigate the multifaceted impact of diabetes mellitus on patients’ lives through a novel questionnaire. Methods: Utilizing Survey Monkey, we efficiently collected data from 150 diabetic patients during annual evaluations over five months (March 2024–July 2024). The sample included 88 men (58.67%) and 62 women (41.33%), with a notable representation of participants having a family history of diabetes (63.42%) and varying levels of education (20% with higher education). Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (Version 20.0), and structural equation modeling (SEM) through Amos, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the instrument and assess its psychometric properties. Results: The questionnaire targets four critical domains: the role of physical activity in diabetes management, the effects of diabetes on social relationships, the emotional status of diabetic patients, and the influence of diet on metabolic control. Conclusions: The findings provide valuable insights into patient attitudes toward diabetes management, emphasizing the importance of physical activity, social dynamics, emotional well-being, and dietary practices in improving health outcomes for individuals with diabetes. Full article

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between social responsibility and risk in international construction projects using corporate reputation and customer satisfaction as mediating variables. This study collected 141 valid data using the questionnaire method and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze the data. The PLS-SEM results showed that, in international construction projects, social responsibility has no direct impact on risk but has a positive impact on corporate reputation and customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction mediated the relationship between social responsibility and risk in international construction projects, but corporate reputation did not mediate this relationship. This study also found that corporate reputation and customer satisfaction have a serial mediating role in this relationship. In addition, the fsQCA results further confirmed that improving customer satisfaction is a necessary condition for mitigating risks in international construction projects. In terms of the different dimensions of social responsibility, the protection of shareholders’ rights is a core condition for mitigating risks in international construction projects. This study provides useful insights for international construction project managers to develop risk mitigation plans from the perspective of social responsibility. Full article

In the platform economy, customers are the primary interaction partners of gig workers, and their behaviors and attitudes significantly influence gig workers’ work experiences and behavioral responses. Based on the stressor–emotion model and social exchange theory, this paper systematically explores the formation mechanism of customer-directed counterproductive work behavior. This study employs structural equation modeling to analyze survey data collected from 385 registered gig workers on crowdsourced delivery platforms in China. The results indicate that customer injustice increases gig workers’ negative emotions, perceived organizational injustice, and customer-directed counterproductive work behavior while decreasing customer commitment. Furthermore, negative emotions, perceived organizational injustice, and customer commitment mediate the relationship between customer injustice and customer-directed counterproductive work behavior. Additionally, job demands act as a buffering mechanism in the occurrence of customer-directed counterproductive work behavior. This study is the first to systematically focus on customer-directed counterproductive work behavior among crowdsourced delivery gig workers, enriching the existing literature. The findings provide practical insights for crowdsourced delivery platforms, aiding in understanding gig workers’ work psychology and optimizing labor management strategies. Full article

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic management framework introduced by Kaplan and Norton in 1992 to address the limitations of traditional performance measurement systems. It integrates financial and non-financial performance measures across four perspectives—financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth. Over three decades, the BSC has evolved into a comprehensive strategic tool adopted across industries and sectors worldwide. While its adaptability and integrative approach are strengths, criticisms include challenges in implementation, assumed cause–effect relationships, and relevance in decentralized organizations. Future research should investigate cultural adaptation; the incorporation of environmental, social, and governance metrics; and advancements driven by artificial intelligence to maintain ongoing relevance. Full article

This study examined the relationship between service quality, trust, and passenger satisfaction in sustainable e-public transportation, using the Doha Metro in Qatar as a case study. Despite its advanced automation, the metro faces low adoption, with less than 30% of the economically active population utilizing it. To address this, this study integrated the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the SERVQUAL RATER model with machine learning techniques to assess commuter perceptions and satisfaction. Neural network and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models outperformed traditional statistical methods, offering enhanced predictive accuracy. Based on the 319 survey responses, key service quality factors were identified, emphasizing customer experience (NI = 100.0%), security (NI = 99.9%), and service reliability (NI = 90.8%). Findings suggested that improving affordability and dynamic pricing could increase metro ridership while reducing private vehicle reliance. Additionally, predictive maintenance and crisis management strategies are recommended to enhance service reliability. This study contributes to sustainable urban mobility by providing data-driven recommendations for efficient and environmentally friendly e-public transportation. Policymakers and urban planners can utilize these insights to improve commuter satisfaction and transit system adoption. Future research may explore multi-city comparisons and hybrid modeling techniques for further refinement. Full article

This research examines how interpersonal rapport influences sustainable customer relationships during service failures, with a focus on customer empathy as a mediating factor and emotional intelligence and service authenticity as moderating variables. In the context of sustainable service management, analysis of data from 672 respondents through structural equation modeling reveals that rapport significantly affects both cognitive and emotional dimensions of customer empathy, subsequently enhancing satisfaction and long-term loyalty outcomes. This study demonstrates that emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between rapport and cognitive empathy, while service authenticity moderates rapport’s associations with both empathy components. This investigation advances sustainable service recovery theory by illuminating customer empathy formation within rapport-building processes and validating the moderating effects of emotional intelligence and service authenticity. The findings contribute to the sustainable service management literature by empirically confirming these relationships within the rapport–empathy–loyalty framework, suggesting that service providers should emphasize developing meaningful interpersonal connections to ensure sustainable customer relationships, particularly during service recovery situations. This research provides valuable insights for developing sustainable service practices that enhance both social and economic aspects of service organizations, while offering quantifiable metrics for measuring socio-emotional sustainability in service recovery contexts. This approach aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by promoting responsible consumption and production patterns in service industries, while fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth through enhanced service quality and customer relationship management. Full article

Service quality forms the foundation of customer experience value and is a key competitive edge for service-oriented organizations. In response to increasingly diverse service demands, proactive customer service performance (PCSP), which can improve service experience, has captured the attention of researchers and managers. While research on factors influencing PCSP is plentiful, there is a noticeable gap in discussions around organizational-level factors, especially concerning a high-commitment human resource system (HCHRS) designed to enhance positive relationships between organizations and employees. This study collected data from frontline service employees in China and their managers through a questionnaire survey grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), conservation of resources theory (COR), and social exchange theory (SET) and used hierarchical multiple regression and a mediation effect test to investigate the impact mechanism of the HCHRS on PCSP. This study reveals that the HCHRS directly influences PCSP and positively impacts it by bolstering mission valence (MV) and work meaning (WM). Furthermore, MV and WM serve as serial mediators of the process through which HCHRS affects PCSP. This study enriches research on the antecedent mechanisms of PCSP and offers valuable insights for management practices. Full article

The hotel industry has faced significant challenges in both the short and long term, particularly due to the impact of COVID-19, highlighting the need for strategic adjustments to ensure sustainability and growth. This study investigates the strategic elements emphasized in CEO messages published on hotel company websites and their relationship with current and future corporate performance. Utilizing text mining techniques and the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) framework, this research classifies key strategies into financial, customer, internal business processes, learning and growth, social responsibility, and security and safety perspectives. Empirical analysis using the 2SLS regression model reveals several critical findings. First, strategies emphasizing financial and customer perspectives positively influence future corporate performance, though no significant impact is observed on current performance. Second, internal business processes and learning and growth perspectives show no statistically significant relationship with either current or future corporate performance. Third, social responsibility initiatives have an immediate positive effect on current performance, but their long-term impact is negligible. Finally, security and safety perspectives negatively affect both short-term and long-term corporate performance, largely due to the associated costs. However, additional network analysis demonstrates that security and safety factors are interconnected with other strategic elements, suggesting their complementary importance for overall operational stability. The study highlights the critical role of transparent information delivery through CEO messages as a tool for communicating corporate vision and strategy, offering insights into how stakeholders can utilize this information for decision-making. These findings provide valuable theoretical and managerial implications for sustainable hotel management in a post-pandemic environment. Full article