With the increasing numbers of the elderly people, the aging segment represents a potential huge market. While this trend is obvious, still little literature focuses on this…
Abstract
Purpose
With the increasing numbers of the elderly people, the aging segment represents a potential huge market. While this trend is obvious, still little literature focuses on this group. The study thus fills up this gap. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the aging consumers' journeys from the lens of brand resonance pyramid and has its importance using context-specific theories to understand the elderly consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
Case study method is conducted using the in-depth interview to collect data and inductive method via MaxQda software to analyze. Two types of aging brand (i.e. age-denial and age-adaptive) are investigated (Moody and Sood, 2010). This study interviews 26 elderly consumers, among whom, 12 have experiences in sports gyms (i.e. age-denial) and 14 in hospital services (i.e. age-adaptive). The author also triangulates the results by interviewing two additional experts in these contexts.
Findings
The findings of the paper reveal that (1) brand functional benefit is important for both age-denial and age-adaptive brands while each has different dimensions. Brand experiential benefit (e.g. social, behavioral and intellectual experience) is important motivation for the age-denial brand and brand symbolic and brand psychological benefits are the emotional drivers for the age-adaptive brand. (2) Consequences of this journey include those, for example, brand satisfaction, brand loyalty, word-of-mouth and recommendation and (3) mediating mechanisms, e.g. brand sense of identification, brand psychological attachment and customization for both brand types, with exceptions of diversification and brand psychological attachment, and mutual interaction for the age-denial brand and doctor–patient relationship and consumer inertia for the age-adaptive brand. (4) The current study finds two new concepts for aging consumers, i.e. brand social experience in the age-denial brand and brand psychological benefit in the age-adaptive brand.
Research limitations/implications
(1) Results of the paper are context dependent and generalization issue might occur. (2) While it is analyzed using inductive method via MaxQda software, the interviewer's subjective bias might occur. (3) Interviewees are at their different life stages, i.e. early-old vs mid-old, and thus, these contextual factors might also influence the results.
Originality/value
(1) The current study explores the elderly consumers' experience journeys at three stages (i.e. pre-service, during-service and pro-service/loyalty loop) for age-denial and age-adaptive brands and deepen an understanding of this aging market; (2) offers practical implications to brands targeting at the elderly consumers, particularly the age-denial and age-adaptive brands; (3) uses customer journey theory and brand resonance pyramid as the lens to understand aging consumers, and results also partly echo with the theories and (4) explores two new concepts for aging consumers, i.e. brand social experience and brand psychological benefit, thus adding new dimensions to important constructs, i.e. brand experience and brand benefit.
Details
Keywords
While literature discussed value cocreation, most still has its focus from customer perspective, this study fills up this gap by focusing on supplier perspective. Second, prior…
Abstract
Purpose
While literature discussed value cocreation, most still has its focus from customer perspective, this study fills up this gap by focusing on supplier perspective. Second, prior works discussed the outcomes of cocreation; however, the process mechanisms are still under-explored, this study thus aims to explore these process mechanisms that drive value co-creation in the agro-food industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Case study is used as the method; specifically, six in-depth interviews on an agro-food company and its suppliers (i.e. farmers) are conducted, and data are analyzed using the grounded theory approach.
Findings
(1). Agro-food company and its rice suppliers invest different resource types and resource density, and the agro-food company is a main actor, i.e. resource investor and integrator; (2). While motivations of the agro-food company and farmers are different, they are mutually fit in the sustainability value; (3). Both parties share similar process mechanisms, i.e. co-production, senses of identification and trust, mutual interaction and information sharing and (4). Both parties thus have similar consequences, i.e. sustainability, codevelopment.
Originality/value
This study (1) proposes an innovative model of what and how values are cocreated, particularly in the agro-food industry; (2). uses three theories, i.e. input–process–output (I–P–O) model (McGrath and Kelly, 1986), service-dominant logic (SD-L) (Vargo and Lusch, 2004), cocreation design framework (Frow et al., 2015), to understand this phenomenon and thus demonstrates and enriches these three theories, particularly applied in the agro-food contexts; (3).offfers practical suggestions to agro-food firms and social enterprises, particularly those having food safety and environment issues.
Details
Keywords
Prior studies on brand relationships tend to overlook the mediator(s) between the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty. Hence, the main purpose of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior studies on brand relationships tend to overlook the mediator(s) between the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty. Hence, the main purpose of this paper is to examine these mediating roles of brand love and brand trust on the brand experience and brand loyalty relationships. While the literature does not examine the distinct dimensions of brand experience and brand loyalty, this study fills up this gap and examines their detailed dimensions and effects on brand loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 237 valid questionnaires on mobile phone brands were collected from respondents aged between 18 and 30, and analyzed using the partial least squares method.
Findings
Sensory experience is the major driver of brand love. Sensory experience mainly drives customers’ brand trust, while intellectual experience has no effects on brand trust. Brand love is the main mechanism in developing customers’ behavioral loyalty, so does brand trust in shaping their attitudinal loyalty. Brand love and brand trust have the mediating effects on the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty.
Originality/value
It demonstrates two mediating roles of brand love and brand trust in the brand experience and brand loyalty relationships, and thus deepens the understanding of the processes in shaping customers’ brand loyalty. It departs from the prior works and examines the distinct dimensions of brand experience and brand loyalty, and thus presents a more detailed examination on these two constructs and their effects, than prior studies. It demonstrates the validities of the brand resonance model, the C-A-B and A-C-B models, key mediating variable model, particularly in mobile phone industry.
Details
Keywords
Long‐Chin Lin, Wen‐Chin Chen, Chin‐Huang Sun and Chih‐Hung Tsai
The IC packaging industry heavily relies on shop floor information, necessitating the development of a model to flexibly define shop floor information and timely handle…
Abstract
The IC packaging industry heavily relies on shop floor information, necessitating the development of a model to flexibly define shop floor information and timely handle manufacturing data. This study presents a novel data model of product manufacturing flow to define shop floor information to effectively respond to accelerated developments in IC package industry. The proposed data model consists of four modules: operation template setup, general process setup, enhanced bill of manufacture (EBOMfr) setup, and work‐order process setup. The data model can flexibly define the required shop floor information and decision rules for shop floor product manufacturing flow, allowing one to easily adopt changes of the product and on the shop floor. However, to handle floor dynamics of the ICD packaging industry, this work also proposes a WIP (i.e. work‐in‐process) system for monitoring and controlling the product manufacturing flow on the shop floor. The WIP system integrates the data model with a WIP execution module. Furthermore, an illustrative example, the MIRL WIP System, developed by Mechanical Industrial Research Laboratories of Industrial Technology Research Institute, demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Details
Keywords
Chin-Huang Huang and Chun-Hung Lee
The Fresh Milk Logo certifies that dairy product sold in Taiwan really is fresh milk. However, the logo represents only a moral pledge by the manufacturer. No method exists for…
Abstract
Purpose
The Fresh Milk Logo certifies that dairy product sold in Taiwan really is fresh milk. However, the logo represents only a moral pledge by the manufacturer. No method exists for inspecting whether products are fresh milk or reconstituted milk, and the label does not represent a commitment to the same level of quality and consumer health protection as found in organic foods. The purpose of this paper is to analyze consumer perceptions of organic certified agricultural standards (CAS) and estimates consumer willingness to pay (WTP) a premium should the Fresh Milk Logo be transformed into an organic CAS certified label.
Design/methodology/approach
Exploratory factor analysis is adopted to extract the main determinants of respondent perceptions and preferences. Additionally, the double-bounded dichotomous choice of the contingent valuation method (CVM) and survival function is used to measure consumer WTP a premium for organic fresh milk.
Findings
Consumer consumption preferences for buying fresh milk extracted four main factorial dimensions: Fresh Milk Logo, price/promotion, organic, and product/brand. Respondents are willing to pay US$21.95 extra per year to buy organic CAS milk and the factors affecting WTP are “Fresh Milk Logo” and “organic”.
Research limitations/implications
The problems of the CVM include hypothetical and starting point for price bidding. The double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation model and pre-testing can reduce the biases. The survival function is more flexible, yields more information and permits assumptions regarding parametric distributions without additional costs. The collaboration of survival function with the double-bounded method produces a reliable result that incorporates fewer statistical errors.
Practical implications
Consumers are willing to pay a premium for fresh milk with an organic CAS label that certifies its good quality and safety.
Social implications
Marketing managers can use the study findings to develop effective marketing strategies and refine advertising campaigns to promote organic fresh milk to attract more consumers.
Originality/value
Organic food labels certify food safety, and are associated with the trend toward increasing awareness of environmental and health issues. Perception of organic food labels are introduced into double-bounded dichotomous choice CVM to estimate consumers’ WTP, an approach which has successfully dominated traditional methods, using Likert scale-type measurement.
Details
Keywords
Yu-Chin Huang, Li-Hsin Chen, Cih-Wei Lu and Jui-Lin Shen
Previous empirical studies have not documented the link between vegetarians’ dietary constraints and travel intentions. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to utilise a…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous empirical studies have not documented the link between vegetarians’ dietary constraints and travel intentions. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to utilise a mixed-methods approach to examine the interrelationships of this group’s travel motivations, travel constraints, constraint negotiations and behavioural intentions, with special reference to how dietary constraints deter its members from travelling, and its extent.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was administered to outbound Taiwanese vegetarian travellers (n=418), and this was followed by in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n=9) to complement the quantitative data.
Findings
The results indicated that vegetarians’ dietary constraints significantly deterred them from travelling in certain circumstances: notably, in the company of non-vegetarians. Nevertheless, it was found that some vegetarians efficiently negotiated their constraints and persisted in travelling, in some cases, by compromising their dietary preferences.
Practical implications
Travel agents and planners should explore more strategies to meet the needs of vegetarian travellers to increase this group’s travel satisfaction.
Originality/value
This study established the first theoretical model explaining the relationships among vegetarians’ travel motivations, dietary constraints, constraint negotiations and travel intentions.
Details
Keywords
Chao-Chin Huang, Shih-Chieh Fang, Shyh-Ming Huang, Shao-Chi Chang and Shyh-Rong Fang
While the literature attends to how customer retention strategies develop relationship quality (e.g. trust), it does not account for the potential mediator (s) in this…
Abstract
Purpose
While the literature attends to how customer retention strategies develop relationship quality (e.g. trust), it does not account for the potential mediator (s) in this relationship. The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of brand relationship quality (BRQ) in the relationship between relational bonds and brand loyalty in retail service contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 524 valid questionnaires from respondents aged between 15 and 24 are analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
First, BRQ significantly mediates the relationship between relational bonds and brand loyalty. Second, structural bonds are the only driver of attitudinal attachment; social and structural bonds lead to a sense of community. Third, attitudinal attachment is the main influence on both behavioral and attitudinal loyalty.
Research limitations/implications
First, a focus on a single market segment, i.e. 15-24 year olds. Second the dimensions used to measure relational bonds and BRQ might not be applicable to other contexts. Third, does not consider potentially important moderator(s). Fourth, does not distinguish between store and product brands.
Originality/value
This study makes the following contributions to the literature: First, demonstrates the importance of BRQ as a mediator in the relationship between relational bonds and brand loyalty. Second, elucidates the role of BRQ in establishing brand loyalty in three theoretical frameworks applied to retail service contexts. Third, suggests a more comprehensive view of brand loyalty involving both behavioral and attitudinal dimensions. Fourth, proposes the managerial implications of this work for the customer retention strategies of retail service firms.
Details
Keywords
Jing‐Jing Fang, Yu Ding and Su‐Chin Huang
Based on the knowledge of professional pattern makers, this paper aims to propose an expert‐based automation technique of darts generation by aligning and drawing close meshes in…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the knowledge of professional pattern makers, this paper aims to propose an expert‐based automation technique of darts generation by aligning and drawing close meshes in basic pattern in Part I. Single dart development, such as waist‐fitting dart, shoulder dart, armscye dart, side dart, and their select combination are also presented.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, 3D garment surface is first approximated by a finite number of meshes. Patterns are developed by aligning and rotating of the flattened meshes under the constraint of overlay avoidance. The envelop areas between the developed patterns and the curved surface are dramatically reduced from 5 percent of basic pattern to below 3 percent after darts development.
Findings
The development patterns are varied in their association with the subject's body figures and the designed garment. Darts in a different location can reduce the total area difference between the flattening undevelopable surface and the original curved surface.
Research limitations/implications
At the present stage the pattern development method cannot guarantee the uniqueness of pattern outline. Moreover, the pattern maker's knowledge inputs in this paper can only apply to the subject whose waist girth is less than hip girth in circumference.
Originality/value
The embedded pattern maker knowledge provides certain rules for pattern development from 3D design. Moreover, it is practical to be used and exported to modern 2D pattern software for further editing and revision. The same person is also used as a model after the patterns have been sewn into clothes.
Details
Keywords
Purpose – Intersections are hazardous locations and to improve their safety we need to understand the factors contributing to crashes at these locations and provide evidence-based…
Abstract
Purpose – Intersections are hazardous locations and to improve their safety we need to understand the factors contributing to crashes at these locations and provide evidence-based recommendations to reduce them. This chapter provides a summary of the findings on infrastructure-related factors contributing to crashes at urban and rural intersections and some discussions on the implications and potential countermeasures.
Approach – A review of the literature on intersection crashes was performed to identify the infrastructure-related crash-contributing factors. Some discussions on the implications and potential countermeasures are then provided.
Findings – The factors contributing to road crashes are diverse and complex. While the safety effects of a few factors (e.g., exposure and speed) are relatively consistent, many factors have different impacts on crash frequency and severity (e.g., types of intersection) and different impacts on urban and rural intersections (e.g., bus stops).
Research Implications – More studies are needed on developing a stronger theoretical or conceptual foundation on the effects of roadway designs and traffic controls on different dimensions of safety (e.g., exposure, frequency, severity, etc.), types of crashes (e.g., head-on, rear-end, etc.) or road users involved (e.g., drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).
Practical Implications – Transport engineers need to be aware that some treatments may have different effects on different crash types and road users involved. Even though the overall safety may be improved by the treatments designed, they need to consider and mitigate any unintended consequences to satisfy the Pareto improvement principle and the social equity criterion.
Details
Keywords
Daniel Miravet, Aaron Gutiérrez and Antoni Domènech
Tourism reconfigures the metropolitan dynamics and the patterns of use of the urban systems. The seasonal nature of tourism produces an impact on the urban hierarchies, since it…
Abstract
Tourism reconfigures the metropolitan dynamics and the patterns of use of the urban systems. The seasonal nature of tourism produces an impact on the urban hierarchies, since it affects the labor, residential, and recreational markets. As a result, people move to and in the destination and it challenges the supply of sustainable modes of transport such as public transport. This research is set within the context of three demanding challenges that tourist destinations need to face-up: to increase environmental sustainability, to enhance destination competitiveness, and finally to assure quality and comfort of public transport services for the local resident population. Camp de Tarragona region, where Costa Daurada (one of the most important Spanish tourist brands) is located, is analyzed to illustrate how different data sources can aid to confront the aforementioned challenges. Given that seasonality is a dynamic phenomenon, suitable data should be flexible in terms of its time framework. To this end data from smart travel cards provided by the consortium that manages the public transport system in the region has been analyzed. Data unveiled the impact of seasonality on the evolution of demand throughout the year, the type of transport tickets used, or changes occurred in the geographical distribution of the mobility Alternative data sources such as surveys and passive mobile positioning data have also been examined, and their pros and cons have been addressed.