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The present research investigates the influence of brand-based social media marketing (SMM) activities on metrics of consumer-based brand equity (CBBE). Specifically, the study examines the role of consumer-brand social media experiences on attitude toward SMM activities of brands and its consequent impact on brand perceptions.

Paper-and-pencil surveys were administered to undergraduate students in a Southwestern university in exchange for extra credit. Survey questions were adapted from previously validated scales, and measurement adaptations were minimal and only related to the context of questions to assure their relevance with the context of this study. Bi-variate correlation, bootstrapping technique, Sobel test, ANOVA and linear regression were used to test the hypotheses.

The results indicate that brand-based SMM is essential in impacting consumers’ attitudes toward brands and consequently, CBBE reflected via perceived value for the cost, perceived uniqueness and the willingness to pay a price premium for a brand. Additionally, the main reason for individuals to use social media impacts their attitudes toward and receptiveness of SMM activities of brands.

This study used a sample of college students to address the research questions. Considering the higher adoption rate and interest in social media among younger consumer groups, the results may not be representative of the entire population. Much of the existing research on social media, however, has focused on undergraduate college students and is primarily based on studies utilizing the similar research population.

The present research is one of the few studies that empirically examine the impact of consumer-brand interactions/experiences on consumers’ attitudes toward SMM activities of brands, as well as brand-related knowledge and perceptions as reflected by CBBE. The results indicate that the CBBE model of the twenty-first century should incorporate the role of brand-based SMM activities as facilitators of brand knowledge (i.e. brand awareness and brand image) by reinforcing or even shaping important brand-based associations.

Bipolar and depression disorders are some of the most common mental health disorders affecting millions of people in low-and middle-income countries, including those in Africa. These disorders are therefore major contributors to the burden of diseases and disability. While an enhancement in income is seen as a major approach towards reducing the burden of these disorders, empirical evidence to support this view in the African context is lacking. This study therefore aims to examine the effect of per capita income growth on bipolar and depression disorders across African countries.

The study uses data from secondary sources comprising 42 African countries over the period, 2002–2019, to achieve its objective. The prevalence of bipolar and major depressive disorders (depression) are used as the dependent variables, while per capita income growth is used as the main independent variable. The system Generalised Method of Moments regression is used as the estimation technique.

In the baseline, the authors find per capita income growth to be associated with a reduction in the prevalence of bipolar (coefficient: −0.001, p < 0.01) and depression (coefficient: −0.001, p < 0.1) in the short-term. Similarly, in the long-term, per capita income growth is found to have negative association with the prevalence of bipolar (coefficient: −0.059, p < 0.01) and depression (coefficient: −0.035, p < 0.1). The results are similar after robustness checks.

This study attempts at providing the first empirical evidence of the effect of per capita income growth on bipolar and depression disorders across several African countries.

The current Asian crisis has created awareness among Australian companies of the need to reassess their marketing strategy with the goal of becoming more competitive in the market place. This study looks at strategy development among companies with the view of providing insight into the development process. A sample of 850 companies were contacted and 216 useable questionnaires were analysed (response rate of 21.4 per cent). Key findings and strategic implications are discussed .

Promoting sustainable behavior is an elusive task as it is not an innate and natural response of individuals. While a conducive environment that promotes sustainability arguably plays a prominent role in influencing individuals’ belief structure and norms, not much has been done to examine the interplay between environmental, personal and behavioral domains in sustainable consumption. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of the social cognitive theory (SCT) and value–beliefs–norms (VBN), this study aims to contribute to the literature by proposing an integrated framework that examines sustainable consumption.

This study uses a partial least squares structural equation modeling model based on 313 young consumer responses from an eco-friendly institution in Malaysia.

The findings from this study advance sustainable literature by establishing the multidimensionality concept of the personal domain of SCT. Interestingly, an enabling environment that promotes sustainability was found to be more influential in determining young consumers’ beliefs and norms, as opposed to their competencies. This is demonstrated by the sequential mediation of attribution of responsibility and personal norms on the relationship between campus advertisements and pro-environmental behaviors.

Previous research has investigated SCT and VBN as two separate streams of research in examining green behaviors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that integrates SCT and VBN by examining the multidimensionality aspect of the personal construct to provide a more holistic perspective of examining sustainable behaviors.

Over the past decade, gamification’s popularity has broadened into many industries and has become embedded in consumers’ lives. As privacy protection and how firms utilize users’ data has been at the forefront of consumers’ minds, practitioners and academics alike need to understand consumers’ perceptions of the ethics of gamification. This paper aims to explore and provide preliminary evidence on young consumers’ perceptions of gamification and the ethics involved in these strategies used by firms.

The authors conducted two studies using a mixed-methods approach to gain a foundational understanding of young consumers’ perceptions of gamification. In Study 1, interviews provided initial insights and helped inform an exploratory survey administered in Study 2 to 161 young consumers attending a university in the southwest region of the USA.

The findings indicate that consumers have positive attitudes toward gamification tactics as long as the rewards are sufficient. Further, consumers do not find gamification as unethical as long as they have control over having the ability to opt-in.

Previous research has examined gamification from several contexts including health care, education and the workplace. However, there is little research that focuses on gamification from the consumers’ perspective, specifically the young consumer. As more firms are using gamification tactics such as on their mobile applications, it is critical to understand how young consumers perceive gamification and how that can impact the consumer-brand relationship. This research offers two studies as a first step in investigating young consumers’ perceptions of gamification tactics firms use and offers several future directions.

The instalment of customer friendly technology (such as menu driven automated teller machines, telephone and Internet banking services) as a means of delivering traditional banking services has become commonplace in recent years as a way of maintaining customer loyalty and increasing market share. Traditional brick and mortar banks are using technology to meet the competitive challenge posed by online banks, as well as a method of reducing the cost of providing services that were once delivered exclusively by bank personnel. The present research investigates some of the various roles technology plays in the US banking sector and how technology in general impacts the delivery of banking service. The authors developed a grid that might prove useful to bank managers when making decisions concerning the priority of implementation of service‐oriented technology. Key strategic implications are discussed to include ways banks can improve the level of technology‐based service they provide to their customers.

The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ perceptions of online vs traditional (face-to-face) course offerings at the business school of a liberal arts university in southwest USA. The research compares perceptions of students who have been subjected to online education along with those who have not been exposed to online education and examines likelihood to take online courses.

Paper and pencil surveys were distributed in different classes in business classes at a university in southwest USA. The target group was undergraduate students.

The results indicate that overall, students have neutral perceptions about online courses, while favorable perceptions are strongly associated with likelihood to take online courses. Moreover, prior exposure with online courses is not a significant factor in forming favorable perceptions about online courses.

The present research is limited in generalizability and the institution surveyed in the southwest region is new to online courses offering in their curriculum and not all the participants had prior experience with online courses.

Although this paper compares online education with traditional, another option for methods of education include hybrid models incorporating both. A possible third option not discussed through this research is a hybrid or blended learning course, a combination of both online and traditional courses. This opens the options for the student, as hybrid courses can be built with many different options. One includes using technology for “screencasts” or lectures online.

The study aims to review the literatures on the effect of fiber length on the mechanical response of natural fiber composite will help the researchers to know about the perspective of the various natural fibers in making of composite concerning fiber length. The review summarized the work of the other researchers, thereby unambiguously précised suitability of a specific natural fiber for a matrix in use. Thus, one can identify the use of the same fibers–matrix combination to obtain composites with different properties with the control of fiber/matrix interface.

The review work proposes a new kind of diagrammatic representation that expresses the influence of fiber length. This work has not been explored before in this specific format. The chronology of work may help to select natural fibers for use in composites for a specific matrix.

The length of the fiber perception in terms of “critical” length decides the need for pre-treatment process of natural fiber to improve shear stress at the interface for various matrices.

The current review paper attempts to shed light on the association between the fiber length of natural fiber and the mechanical response of natural fiber composite. Moreover, it probes the concepts of critical fiber length as a persuadable factor.

Intense competition for full‐fee‐paying foreign students in higher education in many countries mandates the need for the identification of the criteria considered important by this customer group for the purpose of strategy development. Past research in this area has overlooked the needs of this important segment and has focused mainly on either administrators or the faculty’s perspective. A sample of potential students from Indonesia participated in this study and a number of choice criteria were identified. Also discusses strategic implications.

The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the reader to three papers discussing the role of atmospherics within predominantly hedonic service settings.

This editorial introduces the papers in this special section.

Atmospherics plays a significant role in determining how consumers and patrons perceive and interpret hedonic services.

The first study examines how atmospherics can impact the overall meanings patrons attach to visiting a hedonic facilities. The second study looks at the role of promotional materials on setting the tone for fringe festivals. The third study investigates the role of atmospherics in green consumerism.