Trade-offs that involve secular values of money and sacred human values are often seen as taboo. This paper aims to examine how consumers avoid making taboo trade-offs with…
Abstract
Purpose
Trade-offs that involve secular values of money and sacred human values are often seen as taboo. This paper aims to examine how consumers avoid making taboo trade-offs with anthropomorphized products, by choosing options that ensure the well-being of the humanized products, even at a financial cost to themselves.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted five experiments, across different marketplace contexts (i.e. repairing, buying and selling), to test the broad generalizability of the extent to which consumers are willing to incur a financial cost due to concern for the well-being of anthropomorphized products.
Findings
The results reveal that consumers are willing to accept financially inferior options to protect the humanness endowed upon anthropomorphized products. The effect is mediated by consumers’ concern for the treatment of the anthropomorphized product. The effect is moderated by consumers’ trait empathy level, such that those low in empathy are willing to sacrifice human value for the sake of greater financial gain.
Research limitations/implications
Future research could examine, in the context of anthropomorphized products, if there are types of human values that are less inviolable, leading consumers to be more willing to trade them off for monetary gains.
Practical implications
The findings have direct implications for second-hand markets. For potential buyers of anthropomorphized products, they should signal concern for the product; for sellers, anthropomorphizing their products can reduce haggling behavior. From a sustainability perspective, consumers may be more motivated to repair or recycle their products if it is framed as “infusing new life” into their products.
Originality/value
This work highlights a novel effect of anthropomorphism: when marketplace decisions are involved, anthropomorphizing a product can introduce a tension between secular monetary values and sacred human values. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is the first to show that consumers are willing to incur a monetary loss to protect the humanness of anthropomorphized product, driven by their concern for the proper treatment of such humanized products.
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Pankaj Aggarwal and Megha Agarwal
This research uses the distinction between communal relationships (based on mutual care and concern) and exchange relationships (based on the principle of quid pro quo) to propose…
Abstract
Purpose
This research uses the distinction between communal relationships (based on mutual care and concern) and exchange relationships (based on the principle of quid pro quo) to propose a framework that predicts differences in the shape of consumer response function to increasing levels of brand transgressions.
Methodology/approach
The paper proposes a conceptual model based on insights from prior research on brand relationships.
Findings
The premise being proposed in this paper is that exchange-oriented consumers, being focused on the balance of inputs and outcomes, base their evaluations on an objective assessment of the final outcome, such that their response function will be relatively proportional to increasing levels of brand transgression. On the other hand, communally oriented consumers are concerned with whether or not the relationship partner cares for them, such that up to a point brand transgressions are overlooked while beyond a threshold there is a sudden negative shift in brand evaluations. These consumers thus exhibit a step-function response to brand transgressions.
Research limitations
This paper proposes a conceptual framework and leaves it to future researchers to test it empirically.
Practical implications
Managers now have a toolkit to better manage instances of product and service failure.
Social implications
Findings from this model can be applied to better manage interpersonal relationships too.
Originality/value of the paper
This paper proposes a model that shows how and why consumers might differ in their response to brand transgressions. Further, this is a dynamic model in that it traces the response function of the consumers at increasing levels of transgressions.
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Varinder S. Kanwar, Naveen Kwatra, Pankaj Aggarwal and Ramesh P. Singh
In developing countries such as India, it is common practice to use low‐quality building materials, the strength of such materials reduce with time, which affects the lifespan of…
Abstract
Purpose
In developing countries such as India, it is common practice to use low‐quality building materials, the strength of such materials reduce with time, which affects the lifespan of buildings. The wind, rain, seepage, and surface runoff are other key factors responsible for building damage and exterior degradation. The increasing industrial growth in and around urban areas is responsible for increasing industrial and anthropogenic emissions that are found to accelerate degradation of the buildings that affects their physical appearance. In an area prone to natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, subsidence, floods, lightning, tornados, and cyclone/hurricanes, huge amounts of damage throughout the globe has been experienced. For the purpose of assuring safety due to natural hazards, it is necessary to monitor the damage for its existence, its location and extent. Undetected damage may potentially lead to risk of vulnerability caused by natural hazards and eventually to catastrophic failure. Hence, rapid structural damage detection is essential and important to save human life due to failure of structures or buildings. Most of the time, human loss occurs due to damage to the buildings. This paper aims to address these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
In the present study, numerous experiments have been carried out on two reinforced concrete building test specimens and on seven existing reinforced cement concrete structures.
Findings
The results presented here in this study show that the vibration measurements can be used to monitor the health of framed reinforced cement concrete buildings.
Originality/value
The present study is part of doctoral thesis of Varinder S. Kanwar, an original research work.
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Varinder Singh Kanwar, Naveen Kwatra, Pankaj Aggarwal and M.L. Gambir
The need for structural health monitoring systems is continuously growing to maintain existing civil infrastructure. For the purpose of assuring seismic safety, it is necessary to…
Abstract
Purpose
The need for structural health monitoring systems is continuously growing to maintain existing civil infrastructure. For the purpose of assuring seismic safety, it is necessary to monitor the damage for its occurrence, its location and the extent of damage. Information on the damage may be utilized to make decisions on maintenance and structural safety of existing buildings, rapid evaluation of condition of damaged structure after future earthquakes, estimation of residual life of structures, feasibility of repair and retrofitting of structures, partial replacement or demolition of structure and financial planning for renovation and rehabilitation. The purpose of this paper is to present a four‐level scheme of damage detection.
Design/methodology/approach
In the first stage of the four‐level scheme, finite element model has been developed and dynamic parameters are calculated. In the second stage, change in the dynamic properties of farmed reinforced concrete building model is identified from vibration measurements under different level of controlled damage. In the third stage, search for the damaged stories containing the damaged components is carried out of the damaged model by making use of the change in modal properties. Finally, the extent of damage is evaluated by using its frequency response function (FRF).
Findings
The magnitude of FRF decreases with the increase in the level of damage in the RCC building model. The damage index for different levels of damage as calculated from the FRF magnitude indicates that damage index increases with increase in damage. The magnitude of FRF varies with the level of damage in the storey.
Research limitations/implications
Three storey RCC building model without infill wall have been considered. Damage has been induced in the building model by applying static horizontal load at the roof level.
Originality/value
The paper contains only unpublished Information derived from other publications is strictly referenced. Therefore, most of the concepts and experiences presented are new.
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Dandan Zhu, Nina Michaelidou, Belinda Dewsnap, John W. Cadogan and Michael Christofi
This study aims to follow a rigorous approach to identify, critically analyze and synthesize 75 papers published from 2000 to 2022.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to follow a rigorous approach to identify, critically analyze and synthesize 75 papers published from 2000 to 2022.
Design/methodology/approach
The study presents a systematic literature review on identity expressiveness (IE), clarifying and expanding what is currently known about the concept.
Findings
To synthesize current knowledge on IE, the study uses the overarching framework of antecedents-phenomenon-consequences, using this same framework to identify gaps and future research directions. The findings show individual and brand-related factors such as the need for uniqueness and anthropomorphism as antecedents of IE, and eWOM/WOM, impulse purchases and upgrading to more exclusive lines as consequences of IE.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to theory by synthesizing and mapping current understanding of the state of knowledge on the concept of IE while highlighting gaps in the extant literature and paving future research directions for scholars in the field.
Practical implications
The study offers useful insights for practitioners, broadening marketers’ actionable options in identity-based marketing. Marketers can use insights from this study to inform marketing strategy and communication campaigns for different types of brands.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind and offers an integrative review of the current literature on IE, thus enhancing understanding of the concept, its antecedents and consequences. The study also contributes to knowledge by highlighting future research priorities for researchers in this field of enquiry.