Hyderabad City today is a blend of metro and heritage causing much dilemma to what it offers the visitors. A mixture of the “Nawabi – the good old days city” and “information…
Abstract
Purpose
Hyderabad City today is a blend of metro and heritage causing much dilemma to what it offers the visitors. A mixture of the “Nawabi – the good old days city” and “information technology hub – a new metropolitan city,” has changed the perception of the city. This has blurred the vision of positioning the city. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing city image and the execution of a clear brand message in the face of ambiguous essence of the place.
Design/methodology/approach
The exploratory case study was divided into two parts. In the first stage of the study, an in-depth interview was conducted on tour operators, hotels and hospitality managers, tourists and residents. In the second stage of the study, the review text was scrapped from TripAdvisor. Further text collocate, linked analysis and word trees were done on reviews of Hyderabad city using Voyant tools to find the core attributes of the city image.
Findings
The finding indicates that the city branding is diluted with a blended essence of heritage and metropolis, making the positioning of the city ambiguous. Moreover, the findings reveal that the blend of the two dichotomous characteristics of the city can study out through the implementation of the dual branding and story narration of the city.
Research limitations/implications
The study is no short of limitations, as it is a case-based, subjectivity is inevitable, the selection of the respondents for the interviews was on convenience-based. The number of interviewees for the study is limited thus cannot be generalized. In addition, another limitation of the study is that only few reviews on Hyderabad city were found on TripAdvisor not enough to sustain more elaborated results and, as the reviews were basically from tourists, further there may be some elimination of other important aspects of the city. Text analysis has its own limitation such as it cannot track sarcasm or identify the spelling errors or synonymous. Despite the limitations, the study attempts to shed some light on the city’s needs to rebranding.
Practical implications
One of the important contributions of the study is its implications, for tour operators and policymakers. For the former, the need to communicate and position the brand and develop a strategy that bridges the gap between heritage image and metropolis. In addition, for the later, for setting the national urban policies that conserve the heritage sites and improvise the management.
Social implications
To conserve the culture, tradition and heritage sites in the impetus of the city’s phenomenal urbanization and development.
Originality/value
City as a brand is complex, the present research brings out the complexity based on the essence of the city bridging the gap through an insightful approach. Expanding the body of knowledge, at the same time providing insightful implications for destination stakeholders such as managers, policymakers and destination management organizations.
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Salahuddin Ahmed, Sapna Singh and Nagaraj Samala
Online brand is becoming a popular and major gateway for consumers for booking various services specifically when they travel for several purposes. The present study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Online brand is becoming a popular and major gateway for consumers for booking various services specifically when they travel for several purposes. The present study aims to explore whether exposure to two separate yet similar modes of communication intervene consumer's brand trust and their subsequent loyalty intention toward the brand. The study further aims to investigate whether consumer's price consciousness has any influence on association between brand trust and brand loyalty in the process of decision -making.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study follows a different approach to data collection. The data have been retrieved from online brand (Oyo) page on Facebook through Google Form application. In all, 289 useable responses were retrieved from the travelers aged between 18 and 30. Structural equation modeling using SPSS 25.0 and Amos 26.0 has been applied to examine the effects of brand communication and online reviews on brand loyalty through brand trust.
Findings
Empirical evidence supports that even after having strong brand communication, online reviews play a crucial role in consumer's brand loyalty through brand trust. The study further reveals that price consciousness acts as a significant moderator in the relationship between consumer's brand trust and brand loyalty.
Practical implications
The current research contributes to the online brand and marketing knowledge by empirically showing the pertinence of consumer–brand relationship in an online brand context through a parsimonious model by examining how the two distinct mechanisms of communication influences consumer brand trust and loyalty intention.
Originality/value
The parsimonious framework of consumer–brand relationship adds to explicating the dual marketing challenges of communication and to draw a positive consumer response (i.e. consumer brand loyalty). The study attempts to examine the impact of two distinct yet identical modes of communication which facilitate shaping consumer brand trust that reinforce the strategic value of the circumstance and equips it with solid theoretical structure within an endeavor of the strategic significance of online brand managers.
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The study seeks to analyze the influence of sensory experience on perceived environmental sustainability and word-of-mouth (WOM) of tourists and residents. The study also tests…
Abstract
Purpose
The study seeks to analyze the influence of sensory experience on perceived environmental sustainability and word-of-mouth (WOM) of tourists and residents. The study also tests the moderation effect of satisfaction on the relationship between perceived environmental sustainability and WOM.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted in Sikkim, a state in the northeastern part of India, which is regarded as the world's first organic state. The study was done in two phases. In the first phase, the data were collected from the tourists. And in the second phase, data were collected from the residents. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 700 tourists and residents in Sikkim. Out of these only 484 responses were considered for the study. Multivariate analyses were done using SPSS software and packages like Process Macro, and Amos to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings of the study indicated that sensory experience significantly influences perceived environmental sustainability and WOM. The study model fit with GFI = 0.955, CFI = 0.946 NFI = 0.929 and RMSEA = 0.07. The findings also indicate that satisfaction moderates the relation between sensory experience and word-of-mouth with a p value = 0.018.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted in Sikkim and it used a convenience sampling method. Therefore, the study cannot be generalized.
Practical implications
An emphasis on building an organic brand image can positively impact the local community. A study of this kind will encourage the community to work toward sustainable development.
Originality/value
The study is unique as it explores the evaluation of destination environmental sustainability. And it is one of the first to test the impact of satisfaction in the relationship between the independent and dependent variables in the context of the tourism experience.
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Nagaraj Samala and Sapna Singh
Millennials are more fashion conscious, relate themselves to the fashion brands they wear. This concept of brand engagement with self-concept (BESC) studies with other marketing…
Abstract
Purpose
Millennials are more fashion conscious, relate themselves to the fashion brands they wear. This concept of brand engagement with self-concept (BESC) studies with other marketing variables yields interesting results. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of BESC with brand love and brand advocacy of millennials toward their favorite fashion brands. The study also tests the moderating role of millennials’ involvement and knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected from 621 graduate student millennials of a university. Hayes process macros is used to test the moderated-mediation model.
Findings
The study confirms the complementary mediating role of BESC and enhances the moderating role of involvement and knowledge. Millennials with high involvement and knowledge enhance the positive relationship between brand love, BESC and brand advocacy.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the existing literature of self-concept theory and provides useful insights for fashion marketers about millennials.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of perceived risk, which influence consumers’ purchase intention toward the retailers’ private labels. Based upon the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of perceived risk, which influence consumers’ purchase intention toward the retailers’ private labels. Based upon the previous literature, majorly four dimensions of the perceived risk have been considered for the study. These include – perceived functional risk, perceived financial risk, perceived physical risk and perceived psychological risk.
Design/methodology/approach
Data have been collected by proceeding with mall intercept method and approached shoppers with the questionnaire at the outlets of large Indian retailers – Reliance retail, Aditya Birla’s More, Big Bazaar and Spencer’s. A total of 352 valid questionnaires were obtained, wherein responses were recorded on Likert-type scale anchoring five-points where 1 indicates strongly disagree and 5 indicates strongly agree. Then, the analysis was carried out by using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis.
Findings
Findings of this study revealed that perceived functional risk, perceived financial risk, perceived physical risk and perceived psychological risk have the direct negative and significant effects on consumers’ intention to purchase retailers’ private labels. Thus, all the hypotheses were accepted and all the findings of this study were in line with previous studies.
Research limitations/implications
A limited set of product categories and brands were analyzed.
Practical implications
This study is of great interest for large retailers who wish to increase their private labels’ value proposition, with an in-depth understanding of these risks it could alter their value proposition accordingly and create more successful private labels in the market place.
Originality/value
This study is one among the very few studies which addressed the research on purchase intention toward private labels in Indian context.
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Jithendran Kokkranikal, Alastair M. Morrison and Vanessa Gowreesunkar
Harjit Singh, Geetika Jain, Alka Munjal and Sapna Rakesh
The purpose of this paper is to determine the stakeholders’ acceptance on blockchain and to investigate the model fit by using “Technology Acceptance Model” with special reference…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the stakeholders’ acceptance on blockchain and to investigate the model fit by using “Technology Acceptance Model” with special reference to corporate governance through cryptography to resolve the decades-old problems of financial record-keeping.
Design/methodology/approach
The whole analysis has been performed in the two steps, i.e. confirmatory factors analysis and structural equation modeling, to prove model fit between behavioral intention and actual behavior for using blockchain technology. Total 223 respondents have been selected, and the selection of the respondent is primarily on the basis of their previous experience with trading corporate equities.
Findings
The study determines empirically all the mentioned relationships of attitude, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness with the behavioral intention as per the conceptual model to prove the relationship. The results of the manuscript shows the model fit indexes for various constructs are prove the model fit as per the theorized model. The values of the various indexes are found to be under the permissible range which explains the relationship of various constructs based on the theorized model.
Research limitations/implications
Despite, the limitations in terms of selection of sampling methods, outcome and the interpretation, the results proves the fit with the theoretical framework. The major implication is to understand the real-time use of blockchain technology for the transfer of shares from one party to other.
Practical implications
Stakeholders in corporate governance namely customers, creditors, suppliers, community, employees, owners, investors, trade unions and social activists could benefit in different ways. Investors could benefit from being able to purchase equity at low price and to sell them into a market with greater liquidity, but they would found it difficult to camouflage their trades.
Social implications
The study opines that virtually all aspects of the corporate governance can be improved through the adoption of this technology resulting in greater transparency, improved liquidity and lowering costs.
Originality/value
This study will be a reference for global players in the financial industry that have started investing in this innovative technology vis-à-vis recent announcement of adoption of blockchain by global exchanges including NASDAQ, NYSE and Deutsche Borse, as a new method for trading, tracking ownership and monitoring systemic risk for strengthening corporate governance mechanism. This study will have a significant index for future reference where the technology adoption will be tested to have better corporate governance which will be useful for academics and professionals.
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Geetika Jain, Harjit Singh, K. R. Chaturvedi and Sapna Rakesh
The study is an attempt to explore much talked but less understood issue of “blockchain in logistics industry” in modern perspective. The customers' acceptance of blockchain…
Abstract
Purpose
The study is an attempt to explore much talked but less understood issue of “blockchain in logistics industry” in modern perspective. The customers' acceptance of blockchain technology in logistics and supply chain is tested through “Technology Acceptance Model” by using attitude, perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), behavioral intention and use behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Data has been collected through online and offline medium, where active 240 responses have been collected finally using convenience sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out for data analysis.
Findings
The customers' acceptance of blockchain technology in logistics and supply chain is tested through “Technology Acceptance Model.” The findings reveal model fit where PEOU, PU and attitude are the major constructs of the model to realize the substantial gains in logistics process efficiency.
Research limitations/implications
Convenience sampling has been considered for the study to collect the data of online users of various technology applications for tracking and shipment detail, whereas a more specified method sampling can be considered for the future research. The study has been conducted in the Indian context, which has been considered as the limitation pertaining to generalization across countries and industries.
Practical implications
The findings of this study will be helpful for market practitioners to build transparency between customers and industry to overcome the frictions in logistics. Blockchain will help in monitoring the performance history and previous commitments of logistics professionals resulting in selecting a responsible logistics solution provider. Access to critical data by the authorized member of the supply chain will reduce unsubstantiated disputes.
Social implications
Blockchain technology will be available to everyone on the network. This will bring transparency and help logistics professionals such as carriers, shippers and brokers to detect early frauds and prevent thefts. It will increase customer trust toward any financial transaction for tracking the ownership of titles.
Originality/value
Blockchain technology is envisioned to be a technology that could be a game-changer for decentralizing infrastructure, introducing transparency and building trust in the supply chain. The current study is a novel addition to the literature where blockchain technology enables the indisputable storage of verified data that was previously kept in safeguarded silos.
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Sapna Arora, Krishna Prabha, Vijay Singh Sharanagat and Vijendra Mishra
In a developing country like India, consumers are shifting from high-energy diet to balanced nutritional diet, which enhances the metabolic, physiological, functional and health…
Abstract
Purpose
In a developing country like India, consumers are shifting from high-energy diet to balanced nutritional diet, which enhances the metabolic, physiological, functional and health benefits of consumers. The growing self-care and health-embracing population made the probiotic sector as lucrative market for functional food manufacturers and suppliers. Therefore, an analysis is required to understand consumers’ knowledge and buying behavior regarding probiotic products for product innovation and development.
Design/methodology/approach
Awareness, knowledge and consumption patterns of probiotic products were investigated among randomly selected 306 consumers in the Sonipat city of Haryana, which comes in the proximity of national capital, i.e. Delhi, India. A structured questionnaire with exploratory characteristics was developed and face-to-face interviews were conducted as a part of data collection.
Findings
The inference is that there is immense potential for the probiotic fruit beverage market as a higher proportion of the population was interested in probiotic products delivered with fruits as a base matrix followed by dairy products. Further, government’s initiation and support are required not only for manufacturing such health-beneficial products having therapeutic value but also to spread awareness regarding the necessity of including such products in the meals of the growing children.
Originality/value
The study shows changing customer attitudes toward probiotic products and sheds light on consumers’ preference on the medium (food matrix) of probiotic delivery, thereby exploring market opportunities in the area of the functional food sector.
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Neeraj Dangi, Sapna A. Narula and Sandeep Kumar Gupta
This paper aims to investigate the determinants of organic food buying behaviour in an emerging economy like India, where organic food yet has low market share in spite of its…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the determinants of organic food buying behaviour in an emerging economy like India, where organic food yet has low market share in spite of its potential. Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as the underlying basis, it attempts to explain the effect of attitude, subjective norms and the perceived behaviour control (PBC) on buying intention towards organic food among respondents in Delhi-National capital region, India. Additionally, it attempts to discriminate functional and constructive attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative questionnaire survey approach was used on 306 respondents and multiple linear regression was used to validate the research model.
Findings
Attitudes and PBC have a significant positive impact on the intention to purchase organic food. This paper found subjective norms to be weak and barely significant to intention. The results conclude that health motives, past purchase behaviour, knowledge, affordability and trust in organic certification label are the main facilitators in organic food purchase. Primarily, the respondents see buying organic food regularly as being of value and enjoyable to them. A more favourable appearance vs conventional food was negatively related to behavioural intention.
Originality/value
This research could aid all stakeholders in the organic food sector, particularly emerging economies like India where the organic market is still nascent. It could be an essential driver to improve customer involvement and thus aid them in the decision-making process to choose organic food over conventional food. It also attempts to establish the usability of TPB in assessing functional attitudes based on constructive attitudes for organic food purchase.