Ahmed, F, Evangelista, F & Spanjaard, D 2021, 'The effects of mutuality in exporter-importer relationships', International Marketing Review, vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 1331-1369.
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PurposeRelationship marketing has been playing an important role in the development of marketing theory and practice. Though the concept has been extensively applied in international marketing in understanding the dynamics of exporter-importer relationships, few studies have looked at dyadic data to investigate the impact of mutuality of relational variables on the exporter-importer relationships. The objective of this study is to understand the impact of mutuality of key relational variables on exporter-importer relationship performance. A dyadic model of mutuality is proposed. The model highlights the impact of balance, level and quality of perceptual bi-directionality of relational variables.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested using dyadic data collected from exporter-importer relationships involving Australian exporters and their Southeast Asian import partners through a cross-sectional, quantitative survey. Mutuality of relationship constructs was measured using the perceptual bi-directionality (PBD) method.FindingsThe results support the central hypothesis that mutuality of relational constructs has an impact on relationship performance.Originality/valueThe study is the first to apply the perceptual bi-directionality method to measure mutuality of relational constructs in an exporter-importer setting. The study contributes to the general understanding of international business and exporter-importer relationship performance in particular.
Bajada, C, Singh, S, Jarvis, W & Trayler, R 2021, 'The use of threshold concepts to support student learning through assessment – a case for renewing public trust in business education and qualifications', Higher Education Research & Development, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 676-691.
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Barton, BL, Burke, PF & Waller, DS 2021, 'Effects of anxiety on preferences for generic medicines in Australia', Health Promotion International, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 187-195.
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Abstract Generic medicines have been available to consumers for ∼40 years, with varying degrees of uptake in different countries. Despite offering equivalent therapeutic qualities, generic medicines still struggle to be accepted by consumers. This study examines the role of a consumer’s affective state and framing effects on the purchase of a branded versus a generic pharmaceutical product. These issues are examined in an experiment, with independent manipulations of consumer anxiety levels and the framing of generic alternatives by the pharmacist. The sample comprised 426 men and women within Australia who completed an online survey with a scenario of purchasing a pharmaceutical after visiting a General Practitioner. Results indicate that those consumers experiencing higher levels of anxiety and where the doctor prescribed the branded medicine are more likely to choose branded medicines over cheaper, generic alternatives. The effect of framing the generic alternative as either ‘generic’ or ‘cheaper’ was not significant.
Belli, A, Carrillat, F, Zlatevska, N & Cowley, E 2021, 'The Wellbeing Implications of Maximizing: A Conceptual Framework and Meta-analysis', Journal of Consumer Psychology.
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Borriello, A, Burke, PF & Rose, JM 2021, 'If one goes up, another must come down: A latent class hybrid choice modelling approach for understanding electricity mix preferences among renewables and non-renewables', Energy Policy, vol. 159, no. December, pp. 112611-112611.
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Burke, PF, Masters, D & Massey, G 2021, 'Enablers and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake: An international study of perceptions and intentions', Vaccine, vol. 39, no. 36, pp. 5116-5128.
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The development of COVID-19 vaccines is occurring at unprecedented speeds, but require high coverage rates to be successful. This research examines individuals' psychological beliefs that may act as enablers and barriers to vaccination intentions. Using the health beliefs model as a guide to our conceptual framework, we explore factors influencing vaccine hesitancy and health beliefs regarding risks and severity of the disease, along with individual variables such as income, age, religion, altruism, and collectivism. A questionnaire using newly created measures for various antecedents provided 4303 usable responses from Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, and the United States. A factor analytic and structural equation model indicates that trust in vaccine approval, the perceived effectiveness of the vaccine for protecting others, and conspiracy beliefs are the most significant drivers of intentions to vaccinate. Older people, those seeking employment, and those who have received a recent influenza vaccine are more likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The findings have implications for improving communication strategies targeting individuals about the merits of vaccination, particularly focusing on younger individuals and expanded message framing to include altruistic considerations, and to improve government transparency regarding the effectiveness and side effects of vaccines.
Camilleri, AR 2021, 'Who doesn't read online consumer reviews, and why?', Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 179, no. September, pp. 110954-110954.
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Camilleri, AR & Sah, S 2021, 'Amplification of the status quo bias among physicians making medical decisions', Applied Cognitive Psychology, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 1374-1386.
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SummaryThe status quo bias (SQB) is the tendency to prefer the current state of affairs. We investigated if experts (physicians) fall prey to the SQB when making decisions in their area of expertise and, if so, whether the SQB is reduced or amplified for experts compared to non‐experts. We presented 302 physicians and 733 members of the general population with a medical scenario and two non‐medical scenarios. In each scenario, participants were asked to make a decision between two options. For half of the participants, one of the options was presented as the status quo. All groups displayed a SQB but physicians displayed an amplification of the SQB but only when making decisions in the medical scenario. Experts may be more swayed by status quo options when making decisions in their area of expertise. We discuss why the SQB may be amplified for experts and the implications for practice.
Deshpandé, R, Mintz, O & Currim, I 2021, '3 Tactics to Overcome COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy', World Economic Forum.
Fettermann, DC, Borriello, A, Pellegrini, A, Cavalcante, CG, Rose, JM & Burke, PF 2021, 'Getting smarter about household energy: the who and what of demand for smart meters', Building Research & Information, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 100-112.
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Healey, J & Mintz, O 2021, 'What if your owners also own other firms in your industry? The relationship between institutional common ownership, marketing, and firm performance', International Journal of Research in Marketing, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 838-856.
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Ho, H, Tien, K-MT, Wu, A & Singh, S 2021, 'A sequence analysis approach to segmenting credit card customers', Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 59, pp. 102391-102391.
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© 2020 Elsevier Ltd This research examines the longitudinal relationships between patterns of customer loyalty behavior and firm financial outcomes in the context of credit card use. By examining credit card users' transactions with a focal bank and its competitors, this study creates a typology of loyalty behavior and employs a sequence analysis to segment customers on the basis of their behavioral patterns exhibited over time. The analysis results in six distinct customer segments: Loyalist, Switching Loyalist, Switching Defector, Defector, Dormant Loyalist, and Dormant Defector. We subsequently estimate the revenue, servicing costs, and profitability associated with each segment, and assess differences across segments. We discuss the implications for managing distinct credit card customer segments and optimizing the bank's marketing resource allocation.
Holden, SS, Zlatevska, N, Parkinson, J, Cadario, R, Dubelaar, C, Lei, J, Moore, E, Sayarh, N, Van Kerckhove, A & Werle, C 2021, 'Unpalatable food for thought: Let marketing research guide effective public obesity interventions', Obesity Reviews, vol. 22, no. 2, p. e13141.
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SummaryThe prevalence of obesity is growing unabatedly despite the considerable efforts directed at the problem. Although abundant research has contributed to our understanding of the multifactorial causes of obesity, there is less attention to research that is relevant for guiding social marketers, public health professionals and policymakers in delivering public health interventions for countering and/or preventing the problem of obesity. This review offers six points for identifying and developing research relevant for guiding community‐wide obesity interventions based on the idea that an applied marketing research perspective offers a better model for identifying effective interventions than more theoretical academic research. Specifically, the research guiding public health and social marketing interventions needs to (1) provide information on ultimate outcomes (weight, health and unintended consequences) more than intermediate outcomes (beliefs, attitudes and behaviour), (2) report on observations collected over the longer term, (3) use natural settings (even at a cost of internal validity), (4) endeavour to overcome observer‐effects, (5) report effect sizes (rather than statistical significance) and (6) use moderator analyses to capture variation in how a population responds to interventions.
Keh, HT, Wang, D & Yan, L 2021, 'Gimmicky or Effective? The Effects of Imaginative Displays on Customers’ Purchase Behavior', Journal of Marketing, vol. 85, no. 5, pp. 109-127.
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Prior research indicates the strategic importance of the store environment in enhancing customers’ shopping experience and their purchase decisions. This article examines the effects of imaginative displays on customers’ purchase behavior. An imaginative display is constructed using multiple units of the same product in a novel or innovative yet aesthetically appealing form, which could be themed (i.e., having a particular shape mimicking an object) or unthemed. Six studies in both lab and field settings show that, relative to standard displays (i.e., non-novel and neutral aesthetics), imaginative displays can increase customers’ purchase behavior and intentions. Importantly, for themed imaginative displays, these effects work through the dual mechanisms of affect-based arousal and cognition-based inferred benefits, which are contingent on congruence between display form and perceived product benefit. Findings from this research not only contribute to the literature on in-store display and store atmospherics but also have significant practical implications for retailers. Specifically, while imaginative displays may appear gimmicky, they can favorably influence customers’ purchase behavior and increase product sales at relatively low costs.
Kim, T, Duhachek, A, Briñol, P & Petty, RE 2021, 'How Posting Online Reviews Can Influence the Poster’s Evaluations', Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 47, no. 9, pp. 1401-1413.
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The current research demonstrates that posting online reviews can influence the evaluations of the individual posting the review. Across four studies, we examine the impact of individuals’ naive theories about the meaning of their own posting on subsequent attitudes. In these experiments, individuals were assigned to write either positive or negative reviews about various products and services and then post them. The meaning associated with posting a review was varied to indicate either high validity (e.g., saving, extending, sharing) or low validity (e.g., deleting, hiding, archiving) with respect to their previously written reviews. When posting was associated with a high validity meaning, it increased reliance on those thoughts polarizing attitudes and behavioral intentions compared with when the posting was associated with a low validity meaning. These findings were mediated by the impact of meaning on thought confidence.
Mintz, O, Currim, IS, Steenkamp, J-BEM & de Jong, M 2021, 'Managerial metric use in marketing decisions across 16 countries: A cultural perspective', Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 52, no. 8, pp. 1474-1500.
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© 2019, Academy of International Business. Research on metrics is consistently designated a priority by academics and practitioners. However, less is known about how culture and cross-national differences can potentially impact metric use, which is theoretically and managerially limiting. This work develops a model that examines national and organizational cultural antecedents while controlling for the decision setting. Testing the model on data collected from 4384 managerial decisions from 1637 firms in 16 countries reveals that both levels of culture are associated with metric use but each has varying effects. Our results enable multinational executives to better understand and increase managerial metric use across different cultures and settings.
Mintz, O, Gilbride, TJ, Lenk, P & Currim, IS 2021, 'The right metrics for marketing-mix decisions', International Journal of Research in Marketing, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 32-49.
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This study addresses the following question: For a given managerial, firm, and industry setting, which individual metrics are effective for making marketing-mix decisions that improve perceived performance outcomes? We articulate the key managerial takeaways based on testing a multi-stage behavioral framework that links decision context, metrics selection, and performance outcomes. Our statistical model adjusts for potential endogeneity bias in estimating metric effectiveness due to selection effects and differs from past literature in that managers can strategically choose metrics based on their ex-ante expected effectiveness. The key findings of our analysis of 439 managers making 1,287 decisions are that customer-mindset marketing metrics such as awareness and willingness to recommend are the most effective metrics for managers to employ while financial metrics such as target volume and net present value are the least effective. However, relative to financial metrics, managers are more uncertain about the ex-ante effectiveness of customer-mindset marketing metrics, which attenuates their use. A second study on 142 managers helps provide detailed underlying rationale for these key results. The implications of metric effectiveness for dashboards and automated decision systems based on machine learning systems are discussed.
Pontes, N & Pontes, V 2021, 'Spillover effects of competitive rivalry on brand extensions', Journal of Brand Management, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 402-412.
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Pontes, N, Pontes, V, Jin, HS & Mahar, C 2021, 'The Role of Team Identification on the Sponsorship Articulation–Fit Relationship', Journal of Sport Management, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 117-129.
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Previous literature on sponsorship-linked marketing have shown that articulation messages lead to more favorable attitudes toward the sponsor brand. However, results from some studies do not entirely support this finding, suggesting that important variables affecting the sponsorship articulation–fit relationship may have been overlooked. Addressing this gap in the literature, the authors show that consumer responses to sponsorship articulation are moderated by the fan’s level of identification with a sports team. That is, fans high in team identification respond differently to various types of articulation messages whereas fans with lower team identification levels do not. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that messages highlighting how fans and sports team benefit from the sponsorship deal elicit thoughts of sincerity which in turn evokes reciprocity and more favorable attitudes from highly identified fans.
Pontes, V, Pontes, N, Greer, DA & Beatson, A 2021, 'Thank you but no thank you: the impact of negative moral emotions on customer responses to preferential treatment', European Journal of Marketing, vol. 55, no. 12, pp. 3033-3058.
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PurposeAlthough preferential treatment has been considered a positive relationship marketing tactic, this research aims to examine how perceived harm to others as a result of preferential treatment invokes consumers’ negative moral emotions and negative attitudes towards the service provider.Design/methodology/approachFour studies are presented in this research. A pilot study first provides empirical evidence that customers who receive preferential treatment are aware of potential harm caused to other customers. Three experimental studies then test the hypothesis that shame and embarrassment mediate the effect of perceived harm to others on consumers’ responses to earned and unearned preferential treatment, respectively.FindingsThe present studies demonstrate that consumers naturally scan the environment and seek out information about others when judging their own experience; consequently, when preferential treatment is perceived to cause harm to others, it can trigger negative moral emotions. In particular, the authors show that shame mediates the effect of perceived harm to others when preferential treatment is earned, whereas embarrassment mediates this effect when preferential treatment is unearned.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this research contribute to the literature on earned and unearned preferential treatment and negative moral emotions. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to show that negative moral emotions may arise because of perceptions of harm to other customers, particularly in the context of earned preferential treatment. T...
Qian, C, Yu, K & Gu, H 2021, 'Flexibility mechanisms in a dynamic distribution network', Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 36, no. 11, pp. 2001-2012.
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PurposeWith the trend toward implementing flexible strategies to channel management, the network sources of flexibility have received increased attention. This study aims to reveal the dynamic mechanisms underlying the relationship between a distribution network and two types of flexibility: adaptive and proactive.Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply agent-based modeling to simulate a three-level distribution network. First, a program of 14 segmentations across 4 stages is developed using NetLogo software. Using data on Company X’s distribution network, the authors simulate a distribution network when either adaptive or proactive flexibility is implemented and compare the performance outcomes of the distribution network. Finally, by using the database generated from an experiment designed with BehaviorSpace, the authors conduct a general linear regression analysis to analyze the effect of network structure on the performance of the distribution network.FindingsThe authors find that the implementation of adaptive flexibility is connected with a higher level of trust and a lower level of inventory, whereas the implementation of proactive flexibility is associated with a higher level of satisfaction but a higher level of inventory. Also, this study’s analyses show that adaptive flexibility emphasizes short-term efficiency, whereas proactive flexibility put more emphasis on long-term effectiveness. In addition, the authors find that network structure has a significant effect on the distribution network by influencing inventory, satisfaction and trust.Originality/valueThe...
Reza, S, Ho, H, Ling, R & Shi, H 2021, 'Experience Effect in the Impact of Free Trial Promotions', Management Science, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 1648-1669.
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Although the use of free samples is extensive across industries, the effects of free samples across individuals with varying levels of usage have yet to be systematically examined. The models discussed in the literature consider targeting only the current nonusers of a product. In this research, we examine the question of targeting the current users both analytically and empirically for an experience good. Our analytical discussions highlight the reasons why some current users may be effective targets for free-sample promotions. We then conduct an empirical analysis using a data set on pre- and post-free-sample promotion mobile data usage provided by a telecom firm. The empirical findings are consistent with our analytical results. Specifically, we find the initial usage level to be a key determinant of both the redemption rate of a free-sample offer and the subsequent change in usage owing to free-sample redemption. In our context, the redemption rate increased from the low-percentile users to the high-percentile users. We also find that the change in usage was (weakly) monotonically increasing up to the [Formula: see text] percentile of usage distribution. Beyond the [Formula: see text] percentile, the effect was generally not significant. We discuss the managerial and policy implications of our findings. This paper was accepted by Juanjuan Zhang, marketing.
Richards, J, O’Shea, M, Spanjaard, D & Garlin, F 2021, '‘You can rent it for a while, but it is our house’: Sports fans’ experience of returning ‘home’ to a new multipurpose stadium', International Review for the Sociology of Sport, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 981-996.
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Understanding how stadium landscapes are constructed and used, how their elements relate to the broader local fan community is to understand a good deal about the culture, values and concerns of the people who use it. Yet, despite the unique role sports stadiums have in facilitating a memorable match-day experience, theorising this space remains underdeveloped. This research investigates contemporary stadium design and use from a fan perspective by examining the factors that enhance and inhibit the experience in a newly built multipurpose and shared stadium space. The research illustrates how transitioning to a new stadium involves a complex paradox between old traditions and new spaces. This paper has two objectives. First, it explores how the fans of an Australian rugby league team reimagine the concept of ‘home’ in a newly built multipurpose and multi-tenanted stadium. Second, the paper explores how this sense of home and, by extension, belonging was amplified by the club’s ‘dressing’ of the stadium. We argue that in the resettlement of fans, the use of symbols and rituals provides a scaffold for supporters to build an emotional connection to a new stadium, whilst also understanding that they, too, are active in the process of reimaging the stadium space.
Vesal, M, Siahtiri, V & O'Cass, A 2021, 'Strengthening B2B brands by signalling environmental sustainability and managing customer relationships', Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 92, pp. 321-331.
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Resource depletion and environmental pollution concerns are forcing manufacturers to pay greater attention to environmental sustainability. This is especially so for business-to-business (B2B) manufacturing firms who intensively use natural resources in their operations and are blamed for observable impacts on the environment. Despite investments in environmental sustainability practices by B2B manufacturers, studies provide little explanation about the extent B2B manufacturers obtain a positive brand image and superior market performance through environmental sustainability. Furthermore, research has not identified organisational practices that strengthen the path from environmental sustainability to market performance. Drawing on signalling theory, the customer relationship management (CRM) literature, attitude theory, and data collected from B2B manufacturers and their customers, we show that environmental sustainability practices provide positive benefits to B2B manufacturers' brand image, which, in turn, impacts market performance. Further, effective CRM and working with business customers with positive environmental attitudes are essential boundary conditions that strengthen the path from environmental sustainability practices to market performance.
Waller, DS & Casidy, R 2021, 'Religion, Spirituality, and Advertising', Journal of Advertising, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 349-353.
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This article introduces the special section on Religion, Spirituality, and Advertising. A person’s belief in a religion or their spiritual identity can have a direct influence on the way they live and their attitudes and values. This can also impact an individual’s perception toward an advertiser’s message and images or advertising in general. While studies on the topic of religion and spirituality in the marketing literature are on the rise, there is still a substantive research gap on this topic, particularly on the theoretical and empirical developments pertaining to the influence of religion on various aspects of advertising topics. For this special section, the Call for Papers resulted in 37 submissions, which finally resulted in five articles that present a different focus on the topic and aim to encourage new discourse into the area of religion, spirituality, and advertising.
Waller, DS & Waller, HJ 2021, 'Heritagisation of pop culture by museums and an analysis of visitor feedback', Arts and the Market, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 258-274.
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PurposeIn recent years, there has been a “heritagisation” of pop culture, including music, whereby cultural institutions, such as galleries and museums in primarily Western countries, have run exhibitions based on pop culture to successfully market to a new audience of visitors. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the issue of the “heritagisation” of pop culture by museums and observe visitor response to a specific music-related exhibition, linking intangible and tangible elements of the exhibition to provide a framework to understand the visitor experience.Design/methodology/approachThe purpose will be achieved by observing the “heritagisation” of pop culture in the literature and past exhibitions, proposing how cultural institutions have linked the intangible and tangible elements of music in pop culture for an exhibition and observe visitors' feedback from online comments posted on Tripadvisor undertaken during the original “David Bowie is” exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London.FindingsFrom the Leximancer analysis, a new conceptual framework for visitor experience at an exhibition was developed, which contains three visitor-related categories: pre-exhibition, exhibition space and exhibition experience, with five themes (tickets, exhibition, displayed objects, David Bowie and visitors) and 41 text concepts.Practical implicationsFor cultural institutions the implications are that there can be opportunities to curate exhibitions on pop culture or music-related themes, which can include intangible and tangible elements, such as songs, videos, ticket...
Yan, L, Keh, HT & Chen, J 2021, 'Assimilating and Differentiating: The Curvilinear Effect of Social Class on Green Consumption', Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 914-936.
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AbstractBuilding on optimal distinctiveness theory, this research examines the effects of social class on green consumption. Across six studies, we find a curvilinear effect of social class on green consumption, with the middle class having greater propensity for green consumption compared to the lower and upper classes. This effect can be explained by tension between need for assimilation (NFA) and need for differentiation (NFD) that varies among the three social classes in establishing their optimally distinctive identities. The lower class has a dominant NFA, the upper class has a dominant NFD, and the middle class has dual motivation for assimilation and differentiation. Concomitantly, green consumption has the dual function of assimilation and differentiation. The middle class perceives green consumption as simultaneously assimilating and differentiating, which satisfies their dual motivation and enhances their propensity for green consumption. By contrast, the lower class perceives the differentiation function of green consumption as contradicting their dominant NFA, and the upper class perceives the assimilation function as contradicting their dominant NFD, which lower both their propensities for green consumption. Furthermore, these effects are moderated by consumers’ power distance belief. These novel findings have significant theoretical and practical implications on building a more sustainable society.
Yan, L, Keh, HT & Wang, X 2021, 'Powering Sustainable Consumption: The Roles of Green Consumption Values and Power Distance Belief', Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 169, no. 3, pp. 499-516.
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© 2019, Springer Nature B.V. As human consumption is one of the key contributors to environmental problems, it is increasingly urgent to promote sustainable consumption. Drawing on the agentic-communal model of power, this research explores how the psychological feeling of power influences consumers’ preference for green products. We show that low power increases consumers’ preference for green (vs. conventional) products compared to high power (Studies 1a and 1b). Importantly, we identify two factors moderating the main effect of power on green consumption. Specifically, we find that the effect of power on green consumption is more salient among those with high green consumption values (Study 2). In addition, the effects of power are dynamic as a function of power distance belief (PDB), such that low power (vs. high power) promotes green consumption in the low-PDB context while high power (vs. low power) promotes green consumption in the high-PDB context (Study 3). Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into understanding green consumption from the perspectives of social power, green values, and PDB. Besides contributing to the literature, the findings have significant implications for marketers and policy-makers in promoting green campaigns, bridging the attitude-behavior gap, and building a more sustainable society.
Zhang, Y & Gu, HD 2021, 'How is table tennis used to boost the development of Shanghai? Interviewing the executive director of Shanghai Table Tennis Association', International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 179-195.
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PurposeScholars have examined the relationship between sports and urban development and proposed to use sport programs and events as a catalyst to revitalize communities, upgrade urban infrastructure, promote city image, shift economic structure, nurture an active lifestyle, and enhance societal harmony and solidarity. Yet, previous studies were usually focused on mega sport events and were typically conceptual, theoretical and lack of practical applications. This study was designed to attain in-depth understanding on how a specific sport, table tennis, can be systematically organized and utilized to influence urban development through a qualitative research injury.Design/methodology/approachThis investigation was carried by conducting in-depth interviews of the executive director of the Shanghai Table Tennis Association, on-site observations and comprehensive review of literature. Development of interview questions took into consideration the conceptual framework postulated by Preuss (2007) that contains six structures of urban development through sports. Triangulation analyses were conducted to cross validate the three information sources to generate themes and assertions.FindingsWhile the identified practices were consistent with Preuss' (2007) framework, specific management activities earnestly practiced in Shanghai are centered on utilizing cultural and historical heritage, star power, branding strategies, staging tournaments, hallmark events, technical innovation and government relations to achieve the objectives of table tennis as a sport and the objectives of urban development through table tennis.Ori...