Mohammadbagher Gorji, Sahar Siami, Louise Grimmer and Martin Grimmer
The purpose of the current paper is to examine the relationship between storescape (retail's physical and social environment factors) and customer loyalty (CL) and how employee…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the current paper is to examine the relationship between storescape (retail's physical and social environment factors) and customer loyalty (CL) and how employee citizenship behaviour towards customer (ECB-C) facilitates this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a descriptive quantitative, non-experimental research method using a cross-sectional design with a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 415 department store customers in Australia responded to the survey through an online panel provider.
Findings
Results confirmed the significance of all relationships between physical and social storescape factors, customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty, except the direct effect of physical factors on CL. The findings also highlighted the interaction effect of ECB-C in the relationship between storescape factors, satisfaction and CL, indicating that these effects are stronger at higher levels of ECB-C than lower levels.
Practical implications
The study provides insights for department store retailers, practitioners and marketing managers into the role of ECB-C in forming and shaping CS and loyalty, especially when there is a lack of storescape effect on CS and loyalty.
Originality/value
This study extends the consecutive relationship of the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model by adding ECB-C as a moderator. The study employed resource exchange (RE) theory to investigate the direct effect of storescape on CL beyond its indirect effect through organism suggested by the SOR model.
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Mohammadbagher Gorji, Louise Grimmer, Martin Grimmer and Sahar Siami
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of physical and social retail store environment, referred to as “storescape”, retail store attachment and employee…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of physical and social retail store environment, referred to as “storescape”, retail store attachment and employee citizenship behaviour towards customers on customer citizenship behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employed a descriptive quantitative, cross-sectional design with a self-administered survey. Data were collected through an online research panel provider from 415 customers of department and discount department stores in Australia.
Findings
The findings show social storescape predicts customer citizenship behaviour directly, and that store attachment mediates the effect of both physical and social storescape on this behaviour. Employee citizenship behaviour towards customers was found to moderate the effect of storescape on customer citizenship behaviour. In addition, the effect of both positive physical and social storescape was found to be greater in discount department stores than department stores.
Practical implications
In addition to highlighting the factors that drive customer citizenship behaviour, the study shows that storescape factors and their effect vary for department stores versus discount department stores.
Originality/value
This study shows the effect of storescape on customer citizenship behaviour. Drawing on resource exchange theory, this study is the first-known to identify storescape as both physical and social resources which can influence retail store attachment and customer citizenship behaviour. The study provides new insights into the differential effect of storescape in department versus discount department stores in motivating customers to engage in citizenship behaviour. Further, the study makes an important contribution by demonstrating the moderating role of employee citizenship behaviour towards customers.
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Gary Mortimer, Martin Grimmer, Louise Grimmer, Shasha Wang and Jin Su
The “off-price” retailing concept is defined as the presentation of limited inventories of products in a “disorganised” retail environment which provides an extra level of…
Abstract
Purpose
The “off-price” retailing concept is defined as the presentation of limited inventories of products in a “disorganised” retail environment which provides an extra level of “challenge” to the shopping experience. Research has identified “off-price” shoppers as those who approach this challenging experience in a purposeful, task-driven way. This current research contributes new knowledge by testing the impact of antecedents (i.e. involvement) on the “off-price” shopper experience and the moderating role of national culture across two distinct cultural groups.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via a self-completed, anonymous, online survey provided to a sample of Australian (n = 355) and Chinese (n = 400) shoppers who were identified as regularly shopping for fashion in “off-price” retail stores.
Findings
The research found that the consumer's level of involvement positively impacted their “off-price” shopping experience in terms of effort/mastery and pride. However, in contrast to current knowledge of East-Asian and Western cultural variances, limited moderation effects were identified. All national cultural dimensions interacted with product involvement in influencing consumer pride. Whilst product involvement decreased with pride in higher individualism, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and indulgence cultures, these reversed in cultures with a lower score in these four dimensions.
Originality/value
This new research extends knowledge of “off-price” shopper behaviour by testing the levels of involvement and experience across two distinctly different cultures – East Asian and Western – and challenges existing knowledge of cultural variances. Further, the work extends the use of achievement goal theory as an approach to delineate these consumers from other cohorts.
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Morgan P Miles, Martin Grimmer and Geralyn McClure Franklin
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the question of how well business school accreditation bodies manage their own brands. It does so by extending research on business school…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the question of how well business school accreditation bodies manage their own brands. It does so by extending research on business school branding by Pitt et al. (2006) to explore how well business school accreditation organizations such as AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs, and the European Foundation for Management Development Quality Improvement System manage their brands.
Design/methodology/approach
An on-line survey of business school deans was conducted during October and November of 2013. SurveyMonkey was used to administer the survey to 1,131 valid e-mail addresses found for the deans of member schools.
Findings
Business school deans face complex decisions in terms of marketing. The selection of which accreditation “co-brand” to seek is both strategically relevant to the market position of the business school and has numerous financial and often career implications. The findings in this research suggest that AACSB is perceived by a broad global sample of business school deans to be generally the strongest brand, and therefore likely the best choice if a school is seeking only one accreditation.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the understanding of business school marketing, strategic planning, and branding in a highly competitive global market.
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Morgan P. Miles, Geralyn McClure Franklin, Martin Grimmer and Kirl C. Heriot
The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an exploratory survey designed to measure AACSB member deans’ perceptions about the recently revised 2013 Association to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of an exploratory survey designed to measure AACSB member deans’ perceptions about the recently revised 2013 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accreditation Standards. In April of 2013, AACSB International released a major revision of its accreditation standards to better reflect the increased globalization of management education.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study surveyed AACSB member school deans via e-mail using SurveyMonkey during October and early November of 2013. A total of 1,131 valid e-mail addresses were found for the deans/heads of member schools (accredited and non-accredited). In total, 259 surveys were completed, resulting in a 23 per cent response rate for member schools with valid e-mails (n = 1,131).
Findings
The present study found that the AACSB membership largely perceives that AACSB accreditation is a basic requirement to be a credible and competitive business school, is an indicator of a quality education and is linked to enhancing a business school’s ability to be effective in faculty recruitment and student placement. Even business school’s holding association of MBA (AMBA) and the European Foundation for Management Development’s International Accreditation Program (EQUIS) accreditation seemed to think that AACSB accreditation is a basic requirement to be a competitive business school. The most notable finding of this study is that most deans indicated that they will be able to meet the 2013 standards.
Originality/value
Although at the time of the survey no business school had been subject to review under the new standards, member deans largely felt that the guiding principles and values and the accreditation standards themselves are achievable. In addition, there was widespread agreement that AACSB accreditation is valuable, meaningful and essential in today’s globally competitive environment.
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Dallas Hanson and Martin Grimmer
The purpose of this article is to determine the mix of qualitative and quantitative research published in major marketing journals.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to determine the mix of qualitative and quantitative research published in major marketing journals.
Design/methodology/approach
This study involved a content analysis of 1,195 articles published between 1993 and 2002 in three prominent marketing journals.
Findings
It was found that 24.80 per cent of articles employed qualitative methods in some form, and 46.28 per cent quantitative research. The main justification provided for use of qualitative methods was the ability to provide more insight or a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. No increase was seen, however, in the amount (year by year) of qualitative research published over this period. This paper accounts for the continued dominance of quantitative research using linked historical, social and practical arguments.
Practical implications
The issue of method is central to marketing research. Understanding of the actual (as distinct from espoused) orientation of marketing researchers and journals is an aid to researchers intent on publishing their work.
Originality/value
This is the largest content analysis conducted of research in marketing and, in addition to the findings of the analysis, the explanation offered for the dominance of quantitative methods is of value to researchers.
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Gemma Kate Lewis, John Byrom and Martin Grimmer
The purpose of this article was to explore why small wine producers in one of Australia’s premium wine regions engage in horizontal networking within both their sub-regions and at…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article was to explore why small wine producers in one of Australia’s premium wine regions engage in horizontal networking within both their sub-regions and at a state-wide level. The benefits of these formal network relationships are investigated from a collaborative marketing perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 33 wine producers. Industry informant interviews and secondary data collection enabled triangulation of the research findings.
Findings
Overall the study found that producers join horizontal networks for commercial, social and strategic reasons. These motivations evolve over time as the owner/managers gain experience and presence in the region. Horizontal networks assist regions to build goodwill and industry norms, and share knowledge. Such social capital encourages collaboration among wineries and enables networks to effectively pursue shared objectives. Horizontal networks at a sub-regional level also play a key role in establishing and promoting wine tourism.
Practical implications
The paper shows how horizontal wine networks develop over time and the key motivations for membership. Those looking to establish networks can benefit from knowledge of the key drivers which influence and enhance participation.
Originality/value
To date most network studies in the sector have focused on informal relationships between wineries, or networks and clusters comprising firms vertically integrated in the supply chain. The paper contributes to understanding why small wine producers join horizontal networks and examines how collaborative marketing can assist boutique and developing wine regions to increase the competitiveness and market penetration of their products.
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Ömür Kılınçarslan and İbrahim Efe Efeoğlu
Digitalization has become more central in organizations than ever before. Traditionally, organizations were places where employees spent most of their time. With digital…
Abstract
Digitalization has become more central in organizations than ever before. Traditionally, organizations were places where employees spent most of their time. With digital organizations, working life has become flexible in terms of time and space, and the way of doing work has changed radically. While it has become difficult for employees to keep up with technological change and transformation, various digital conflicts related to technology have emerged within the organizations. This chapter deals with digital conflicts that occur in digital organizations. Digital conflicts could affect both the efficiency of organizations and the attitudes and perceptions of employees toward the organization. However, studies on the understanding of digital conflict management in digital organizations are quite limited. In this chapter, therefore, the causes and organizational consequences of digital conflicts in terms of organizational behavior are reviewed. The study indicates that digitalization, which is expected to increase workplace effectiveness and efficiency, could lead to destructive conflicts if not managed well, reducing socialization and job satisfaction of employees. The study also has shown that a well-managed digitalization process could increase efficiency and productivity for digital organizations and could increase job satisfaction by providing flexibility to employees. The chapter ends with suggestions for digital organizations to manage digital conflict management successfully.