Elodie De Boissieu and Damien Chaney
The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific characteristics of consumers’ lived experience in a brand museum within a luxury context. While previous research has…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific characteristics of consumers’ lived experience in a brand museum within a luxury context. While previous research has investigated this experience through the lens of brand heritage, the unique attributes and prestigiousness of the luxury field have not yet been examined. The authors argue that these distinctive features may alter the brand heritage experience in significant ways.
Design/methodology/approach
To understand the dimensions of a brand heritage experience in a luxury context, the authors applied a qualitative method using reflexive introspection. Specifically, the authors used 89 reflective introspections of 29 visitors of nine different luxury brand museums.
Findings
The findings indicate that a brand heritage experience in luxury is based on four dimensions: aesthetic, authentic, scientific and mythic. The data also reveal the heterogeneous aspect of the experience, which varies according to the level of consumers’ brand familiarity as well as whether the museum visit is led by a guide or not.
Originality/value
The authors contribute to the literature by emphasizing a new dimension of a brand heritage experience in luxury: a mythic dimension. This study also unveils the impact of contextual factors on the brand heritage experience.
Details
Keywords
Elodie de Boissieu and Patricia Baudier
Social robots are invading our daily lives. Recently, thanks to artificial intelligence, humanoid social robots have been developed and influence individuals on social media. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Social robots are invading our daily lives. Recently, thanks to artificial intelligence, humanoid social robots have been developed and influence individuals on social media. This paper aims to understand the perception of luxury consumers regarding human-like virtual influencers (VI) in a multicultural context.
Design/methodology/approach
Conducting a qualitative method, the authors interviewed 32 Chinese and French consumers of luxury products from the Gen-Z and millennial generation about their perception of human influencers and human-like VI after following them on social media specific platforms.
Findings
Using source credibility theory, this research unveils the different ways in which consumers perceive human-like VI according to their physical or content attractiveness, expertise, similarities and trustworthiness. The results suggest that the perception of human-like VI by millennials and Gen-Z is closely related to their cultural setting and their familiarity of the technology in a luxury context.
Originality/value
Considering Gen-Z and millennials' willing for para-social interactions and given the importance to the credibility of the source or the emotions displayed by VI, the intercultural empirical setting of this study introduces the ambivalence of the perception of social robots versus human-like influencers in a luxury digital context.
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Elodie de Boissieu, Galina Kondrateva, Patricia Baudier and Chantal Ammi
Most businesses strive to control the efficiency of their supply chains; however, luxury firms face additional challenges from counterfeit, gray market and copycat products…
Abstract
Purpose
Most businesses strive to control the efficiency of their supply chains; however, luxury firms face additional challenges from counterfeit, gray market and copycat products. Blockchain technology can address these issues and enhance firms' supply chain management, guaranteeing the traceability and origin of luxury products. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the utility and contexts influencing the implementation of blockchain technology to optimize supply chain management and prevent fraud in the luxury industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses a qualitative approach based on the grounded theory method. Data are collected by semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders working on blockchain applications in the luxury business sector.
Findings
Highlighting the problems faced by luxury brands' supply chains, this study presents blockchain technology as a solution for disintermediation, traceability and transparency in the luxury goods sector. The constraints faced by luxury brands incorporating this technology into their ecosystem include the knowledge gap, the multiplicity of third parties involved in the production process and bias toward short-term returns on investment.
Originality/value
Blockchains promote greater transparency and efficiency within supply chains, which builds consumer trust and improves brand revenue. Considering luxury brands' reluctance to adopt blockchains, this study suggests that luxury firms adopt a staggered implementation of private blockchain networks starting with a small number of third-party suppliers.