Matthew Liu, IpKin Anthony Wong, Rongwei Chu, Guicheng James Shi, James L. Brock and Ting-Hsiang Tseng
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives influence internal customers’ preference and turnover intention. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives influence internal customers’ preference and turnover intention. The mediating effect of brand preference on the relationship between CSR initiatives and turnover intention has also been studied.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted and questionnaires were distributed to a sample in Macau in 2012. Out of these, 138 valid samples were collected among casinos’ mid- and senior-level employees having managerial positions (hereafter “managers”). Regression tests were performed in order to validate the hypotheses.
Findings
Managers’ preference for the casino brand of their employer can be enhanced by perceptions associated with CSR initiatives. Two CSR initiatives (CSR to stakeholders and to society) significantly decrease managers’ turnover intentions, with the impact of CSR directed at stakeholders exerting a stronger influence. Brand preference is a significant mediator of perceptions associated with CSR initiatives and turnover intention.
Originality/value
The current study tries to not only investigate how perceptions associated with CSR initiatives influence an internal customer's turnover intention but is also aimed at understanding how brand preference as a mediator influences turnover intention. Extending the realm of study is important because multiple theories predict different benefits, and assessing the value of CSR therefore requires multiple approaches.
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Matthew Tingchi Liu, Ipkin Anthony Wong, Guicheng Shi, Rongwei Chu and James L. Brock
This paper aims to investigate how corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance (i.e. to the environment, society and stakeholders) and perceived brand quality influence…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance (i.e. to the environment, society and stakeholders) and perceived brand quality influence brand preference. The mediating effect of perceived brand quality on the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference is also studied.
Design/methodology/approach
In 2011, 243 valid responses to questionnaire surveys were collected from a convenience sample in China. Regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Customers’ brand preference can be enhanced by CSR performance. Performance in each of the three CSR domains (i.e. environment, society and stakeholders) positively impacts brand preference, although to different degrees. The impact of CSR on stakeholders has the strongest influence on Chinese customers’ brand preference among the three CSR domains. Perceived brand quality was found to be a mediator of the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference.
Research limitations/implications
This research studies the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference. Results show CSR performance is not the strongest predictor of branding outcomes, its explanatory power is comparatively weaker than that of perceived brand quality. Additionally, we found a mediating effect of perceived brand quality on the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference.
Practical implications
Brands can be more attractive to Chinese consumers when brands take appropriate investments in CSR activities. A socially responsible brand is not guaranteed to yield a competitive advantage. Instead a competitive advantage will more likely result through the employment of the appropriate CSR strategies, with a focus on stakeholders’ interests.
Originality/value
The current research contributes to the literature by finding that not all CSR activities are equally effective. Customers in emerging markets still appear to be focused more on the quality of brands and, to some extent, stakeholder CSR practice, as these provide direct benefits to customers. Findings of this study also support the notion that Chinese consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate brands.
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Matthew Tingchi Liu and James L. Brock
This study seeks to investigate the relationship among attractiveness of female athlete endorsers, product/service match‐up, and consumers' purchase intention within the context…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to investigate the relationship among attractiveness of female athlete endorsers, product/service match‐up, and consumers' purchase intention within the context of China.
Design/methodology/approach
A 3×2×2 between‐subject experimental design enabled a 12‐scenario study depicting a purchase experience manipulated by endorser attractiveness levels (high/middle/low), endorser‐product match‐up (high/low), and two different product types (to prevent single‐product bias). Differences between female and male samples are also compared.
Findings
In terms of the generation of purchase intent, there is no difference between a middle attractive female athlete endorser and a low‐attractive one when both are in a low match‐up condition. While the use of middle attractive female athlete endorsers works only in a high match‐up condition with female consumers, it is certain that high attractiveness always works better than low attractiveness. In total, the results suggest that female athlete endorsers' attractiveness affects Chinese consumers' purchase intention more than match‐up.
Originality/value
The results not only compare the relationships between attractiveness and match‐up, but also push traditional endorser theories one step farther by examining the concept of middle level attractiveness and by probing the effect of a middle‐attractive female endorser. The cultural influence of Chinese traditional philosophy, The Doctrine of the Mean, on Chinese consumers is discussed and considered. The influence of middle attractiveness endorsers on study subjects of different genders is also discussed.
Matthew Tingchi Liu, James L. Brock, Gui Cheng Shi, Rongwei Chu and Ting‐Hsiang Tseng
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how perceived benefits, perceived risk, and trust influence Chinese consumers' online group buying organized by institutional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how perceived benefits, perceived risk, and trust influence Chinese consumers' online group buying organized by institutional initiators.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 578 valid samples were collected via an online survey. Multiple regressions were used to test the research model.
Findings
The results show that three perceived benefits (price benefit, convenience benefit, and recreational benefit) and three factors that together represent trust of the initiator (perceived reputation, structural assurance, and website trustworthiness) significantly positively influence consumers' attitudes toward online group buying.
Originality/value
This study is the first one to specifically focus on how perceived benefits and perceived risks influence consumers' attitudes toward online group buying.
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Matthew Tingchi Liu and James L. Brock
This paper aims to identify the factors affecting the redemption of reward points, a form of customer loyalty program used by many Chinese credit card issuers. In addition it also…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the factors affecting the redemption of reward points, a form of customer loyalty program used by many Chinese credit card issuers. In addition it also assesses Chinese credit card users' level of awareness about the reward‐point programs.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 401 telephone surveys were conducted in five major cities in China in 2007. Regression analysis was also conducted in the exploratory study.
Findings
Results show both low customer awareness about point‐based reward programs and, not surprisingly, low redemption rates. More specifically, lack of awareness about the reward points programs and the redemption procedure was shown. The important conditions positively affecting redemption of reward points were found to include awareness of the reward point program, a positive attitude about the incentives, and average frequency of credit card usage. Also, redemption rates were higher for cards that had been issued more recently.
Practical implications
The paper suggests that credit card marketers could communicate with their customers more effectively in order to spread and reinforce awareness about point‐based reward programs and encourage them to experience their benefits.
Originality/value
The study provides an original insight into an important element of consumer behavior with credit card reward programs in the banking industry serving a lower‐middle‐income segment in a developing region such as China. Guidance is also offered for marketing managers responsible for promoting credit card usage and reward programs.
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President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton…
Abstract
President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton presidency, systematically have sought to undermine this president with the goal of bringing down his presidency and running him out of office; and that they have sought non‐electoral means to remove him from office, including Travelgate, the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, the Filegate controversy, and the Monica Lewinsky matter. This bibliography identifies these and other means by presenting citations about these individuals and organizations that have opposed Clinton. The bibliography is divided into five sections: General; “The conspiracy stream of conspiracy commerce”, a White House‐produced “report” presenting its view of a right‐wing conspiracy against the Clinton presidency; Funding; Conservative organizations; and Publishing/media. Many of the annotations note the links among these key players.
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Alexandra L. Ferrentino, Meghan L. Maliga, Richard A. Bernardi and Susan M. Bosco
This research provides accounting-ethics authors and administrators with a benchmark for accounting-ethics research. While Bernardi and Bean (2010) considered publications in…
Abstract
This research provides accounting-ethics authors and administrators with a benchmark for accounting-ethics research. While Bernardi and Bean (2010) considered publications in business-ethics and accounting’s top-40 journals this study considers research in eight accounting-ethics and public-interest journals, as well as, 34 business-ethics journals. We analyzed the contents of our 42 journals for the 25-year period between 1991 through 2015. This research documents the continued growth (Bernardi & Bean, 2007) of accounting-ethics research in both accounting-ethics and business-ethics journals. We provide data on the top-10 ethics authors in each doctoral year group, the top-50 ethics authors over the most recent 10, 20, and 25 years, and a distribution among ethics scholars for these periods. For the 25-year timeframe, our data indicate that only 665 (274) of the 5,125 accounting PhDs/DBAs (13.0% and 5.4% respectively) in Canada and the United States had authored or co-authored one (more than one) ethics article.
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Amanda B. Nickerson, Stephen E. Brock and Katherine V. Margiotta
In response to a critical need for uniform school crisis preparedness and response efforts across districts, the National Association of School Psychologists developed PREPaRE, a…
Abstract
In response to a critical need for uniform school crisis preparedness and response efforts across districts, the National Association of School Psychologists developed PREPaRE, a model and training curriculum aimed to equip school-based professionals to engage in comprehensive school crisis prevention and intervention practices. The PREPaRE acronym stands for: Prevent/Prepare for psychological trauma; Reaffirm physical health, security, and safety; Evaluate psychological trauma; Provide interventions (and) Respond to psychological needs; and Examine the effectiveness of prevention and intervention efforts. The model spans four crisis preparedness phases: Prevention, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. This chapter provides a detailed overview of the development and structure of the PREPaRE model's core components and the organizational framework of the Incident Command System. It delineates elements of the basic school crisis response plan, assessment of mental health risk following a crisis event, and the provision of crisis interventions within a multitiered system of support framework. Additionally, it summarizes ongoing effectiveness and implementation research used to evaluate and improve the model based on immediate training outcomes assessed through pre and postmeasures and training transfer to applied school contexts. Implications for research and public policy regarding school safety and crisis prevention and intervention, as well as the future of PREPaRE curriculum development, are discussed.
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The British North American colonies were the first western economies to rely on legislature-issued paper monies as an important internal media of exchange. This system arose…
Abstract
The British North American colonies were the first western economies to rely on legislature-issued paper monies as an important internal media of exchange. This system arose piecemeal. In the absence of banks and treasuries that exchanged paper monies at face value for specie monies on demand, colonial governments experimented with other ways to anchor their paper monies to real values in the economy. These mechanisms included tax-redemption, land-backed loans, sinking funds, interest-bearing notes, and legal tender laws. I assess and explain the structure and performance of these mechanisms. This was monetary experimentation on a grand scale.