Xiaobing Xu, Wei Huang, Lanping Cheng and Haijiao Shi
This study aims to investigate the influence of CEO attire formality on consumers’ perceptions of corporate image, drawing on first impression theory and spillover effect theory.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of CEO attire formality on consumers’ perceptions of corporate image, drawing on first impression theory and spillover effect theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Four experimental studies were conducted to test the proposed effect, the underlying mechanism and the boundary condition.
Findings
The formality of CEO attire significantly influences consumers’ perceptions of corporate image. Specifically, formal CEO attire creates a stronger perception of corporate authority among consumers, mediated by perceived rule-following of the CEO. In contrast, informal CEO attire leads to a stronger perception of corporate friendliness, mediated by perceived psychological distance of the CEO. Moreover, a matching effect exists between the type of industry and CEO attire formality, where consumers perceive a greater match between authoritative industries and formally dressed CEOs, and between friendly industries and informally dressed CEOs. This alignment strengthens consumers’ corporate attitudes.
Practical implications
The findings offer valuable insights for CEOs aiming to foster a positive image through their attire, providing strategic guidance for aligning corporate image with industry characteristics.
Originality/value
This research extends the understanding of how consumers’ perceptions of CEO attire can spill over to affect the corporate image, offering a novel perspective on corporate image communication.
Details
Keywords
Haijiao Shi and Rong Chen
The current study implies self-quantification to consumer behavior and investigates how self-quantification influences consumers' persistence intentions, then indicates the…
Abstract
Purpose
The current study implies self-quantification to consumer behavior and investigates how self-quantification influences consumers' persistence intentions, then indicates the underlying mechanism and examines the role of sharing in social media context.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses are tested by three experimental studies. In study 1, the authors test the main effect of self-quantification on persistence intentions and demonstrate goal specificity as the mediator. In study 2 and 3, the authors explore sharing and sharing audience as the moderators.
Findings
The current research demonstrates that quantifying personal performance increases consumers' persistence intentions because self-quantification makes the focal goal more specific. However, sharing self-quantification performance with others has a negative effect on the relationship between self-quantification and persistence intentions. Building on goal conflict theory, sharing diverts consumers' focus away from the goal itself and toward others' evaluation and judgment, which makes the focal goal more ambiguous. Moreover, the negative effect depends on who is the sharing audience. When consumers share with close others who hold a similar goal with them, the negative effect of sharing is dramatically reversed.
Practical implications
The present research offers guidelines to managers about how to design self-tracking system to increase user's engagement and how to establish social community on social media platform to motivate users' goal pursuit.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the research of self-quantification from consumer behavior perspective. It also enriches interactive marketing literature by broadening self-quantification relevant research from social interaction dimension.