Ömer Torlak, Müjdat Özmen, Muhammet Ali Tiltay, Mahmut Sami İşlek and Ufuk Ay
The purpose of this paper is to theorize and empirically investigate the formation of consumer’s consumption ritual experiences and discourses associated with Feast of Sacrifice.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to theorize and empirically investigate the formation of consumer’s consumption ritual experiences and discourses associated with Feast of Sacrifice.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have approached the data from assemblage theory perspective. By use of ethnographic participant observation and in-depth interviews, seven themes are uncovered and discussed: meaning of Qurban, preparation of the ritual, Qurban choice, meat, Qurban ritual, marketplace and framing of discourses.
Findings
This study provides a theoretical development in which it depicts that assemblage theory can be used in the context of religious rituals such as the Feast of Sacrifice. This suggests that parts forming the social phenomena include different meanings and functions in different assemblages to the ritual, which has a structure with a particular process, roles and content scenario. This implies that even the most structured social phenomena as religious rituals can be accepted as social assemblage where every individual experiences his/her own ritual with the parts that have ever-changing material and expressive roles.
Originality/value
This study will contribute to the literature on religious rituals and practices through viewing ritual as an assemblage including material and expressive features as well as human and non-human actors. Besides, this study aims to find out whether there is a constant consumer and the concept of ritual by focusing on buying experiences of consumer in Feast of Sacrifice in Turkey.
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Keywords
Ömer Torlak, Cevahir Uzkurt and Müjdat Özmen
The purpose of this paper is to determine the difference between service quality dimensions of supermarkets and discount stores.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the difference between service quality dimensions of supermarkets and discount stores.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper focuses on service quality dimensions of customers in supermarkets and discount stores. The study has selected one store from each retailer type located in Eskisehir, Turkey and used the scale of the service quality of retail stores. The research has employed a face‐to‐face questionnaire for collecting data from customers on different days and at different hours of the week. A total of 891 questionnaires, 682 for supermarkets and 209 for discount stores, have been analysed.
Findings
Results indicate that the customers of the supermarket and the discount store differ in their perception of some service quality dimensions. While the supermarket customers perceive physical aspects and store policy dimensions at a higher level, the discount store's customers give more priority to interaction with personnel dimension.
Research limitations/implications
Further qualitative studies can provide deeper insights about service quality dimensions of supermarkets and discount stores. The results are also a starting point for further academic research about the different retailer types.
Practical implications
The paper contributes to the understanding of behaviours and attitudes of supermarket and discount store customers. Retailers in Turkey will primarily benefit from the study.
Originality/value
The paper compares the customer perception of service quality dimensions of two different types of grocery retailers; a supermarket and a discount store.
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Omer Torlak and Umut Koc
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has continuously been an important issue for almost three decades. In contrast with the high interest in OCB, the effects of materialism…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has continuously been an important issue for almost three decades. In contrast with the high interest in OCB, the effects of materialism on OCB have not attracted sufficient attention in the literature. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the materialistic attitudes of salespeople working in pharmaceutical and household white goods and furniture (HWGF) sectors and their OCB.
Design/methodology/approach
It is hypothesized that materialistic attitude is one of the dispositional variables which is an antecedent of OCB. A total of 199 salespeople who work for pharmaceutical and HWGF sectors in Eskisehir, Turkey were surveyed. The questionnaire consisted of two scales to measure materialistic tendencies and OCB, respectively.
Findings
The results of the study early indicate that materialistic attitude is one of the antecedents that have negative impacts on OCB. There are negative correlations between all dimensions of OCB and materialistic attitude.
Research limitations/implications
Self‐reporting for both materialistic attitudes and OCB may inflate correlations. Since the differences in cultural context between Turkey and Western countries and between the sectors can make it difficult to generalize the results universally, there is need for further research in different cultural contexts and sectors.
Practical implications
According to the literature and previous research, managers’ evaluations of performance, organizational effectiveness, and customer perceptions of service quality are positively related with OCB. Sales managers must pay more attention to decreasing salespeople's materialistic tendencies and increasing the OCB.
Originality/value
This is the first study that shows a relationship between materialistic attitude, as a dispositional variable and an individual characteristic, and OCB.
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Nuri Gökhan Torlak, Cemil Kuzey, Muhammet Sait Dinç and Ali Haydar Güngörmüş
The paper aims to analyze the relationships between ethical leadership (EL), job satisfaction (JS), affective commitment (AC) and turnover intention (TI) that might make…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to analyze the relationships between ethical leadership (EL), job satisfaction (JS), affective commitment (AC) and turnover intention (TI) that might make accountants quit withdrawal and become productive and useful in private organizations operating in Istanbul.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through an online survey using a simple random sampling methodology, obtained from 153 accountants working in companies in Istanbul. The methodology included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, structural equation modeling and mediation analysis.
Findings
Concerning direct relationships between EL, JS, AC and TI, EL has significant positive associations with JS and AC, whereas EL has a significant negative association with TI. JS has a significant positive association with AC, whereas JS has a significant negative association with TI. Also, AC has a weak significant negative association with TI. Given indirect relationships among EL, JS, AC and TI, JS and AC mediate the relationship between EL and TI. Finally, a similarity is found when comparing Generation X and Generation Y in terms of overall JS, AC and TI.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited solely to companies functioning in Istanbul and incorporates a low number of respondents. Therefore, the results cannot be considered to be accurate for the whole country. The study might guide both private and public organizations in which owners/managers develop strategic plans.
Originality/value
The study fills the gap in research on organizational behavior where little has existed until now that probes the EL–JS–AC–TI links in Turkey. A few studies measure the TIs of accountants. Furthermore, EL and AC are rarely evaluated in the field of accounting in Turkey.
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Taylan Budur, Halil Demirer and Chnar Abdullah Rashid
Current article aims to investigate the positive link between knowledge sharing (KS), innovative culture (IC), quality of work life (QWL) and innovative behaviours (IB) at higher…
Abstract
Purpose
Current article aims to investigate the positive link between knowledge sharing (KS), innovative culture (IC), quality of work life (QWL) and innovative behaviours (IB) at higher education institutions in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.
Design/methodology/approach
The study's data was gathered from academic staff at various universities in Iraq's Kurdistan Region. A total of 212 data were collected via survey questionnaire and analysed using structural equation modelling.
Findings
It was discovered that KS has direct and significant positive effects on IC, QWL and IB; IC had direct positive effects on IB; QWL had no considerable influence on IB and IC had a significant mediation and moderation roles between KS and IB. As a result, it is advised that universities in the region are strongly support IC to increase IB among academicians.
Research limitations/implications
Firstly, the data has been collected during the crises time that the lecturers were not receiving regular salary. This might change their quality work life perception. Secondly, data has been collected only from Sulaymaniyah city; other parts of the Iraq could have different perceptions. Lastly, sample size might be another limitation of the study.
Practical implications
It is recommended that universities in the region should strongly support IC to increase IB among academicians, in terms of providing flexible working schedule and conditions, fair opportunities for promotion, and share decision making responsibilities.
Social implications
KS and IC has significant impacts on IB among the academicians. Accordingly, university administrative should improve policies increase KS behaviours and provide IC that academicians feel more comfortable culture to be innovative. Therefore, current paper recommends, tolerance to failure, openness to new ideas and participation to the decisions to improve IB among the academicians.
Originality/value
The paper is important that investigate KS and IC at the higher education institutions in Kurdistan region. Further, QWL perception has been investigated respectively. However, it has been observed that lecturers do not have quality of life perception at the investigated period of time.