Sung In Choi, Jingyu Zhang and Yan Jin
This study provides real-world evidence for the relationship between strategic communication from a global/multinational perspective and the effectiveness of corporate message…
Abstract
Purpose
This study provides real-world evidence for the relationship between strategic communication from a global/multinational perspective and the effectiveness of corporate message strategies in the context of environment risk communication. Among sustainability issues, particulate matter (PM) air pollution has threatened the health and social wellbeing of citizens in many countries. The purpose of this paper is to apply the message framing and attribution theories in the context of sustainability communication to determine the effects of risk message characteristics on publics’ risk responses.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a 2 (message frame: gain vs loss) × 2 (attribution type: internal vs external) × 2 (country: China vs South Korea) between-subjects experimental design, the study examines the message framing strategies' on publics' risk responses (i.e. risk perception, risk responsibility attribution held toward another country and sustainable behavioral intention for risk prevention).
Findings
Findings include (1) main effects of message characteristics on participants’ risk responses; (2) the impact of country difference on participants’ differential risk responses and (3) three-way interactions on how risk message framing, risk threats type and country difference jointly affect not only participants’ risk perception and risk responsibility attribution but also their sustainable behavioral intention to prevent PM.
Research limitations/implications
Although this study used young–adult samples in China and South Korea, the study advances the theory building in strategic environmental risk communication by emphasizing a global/multinational perspective in investigating differences among at-risk publics threatened by large-scale environmental risks.
Practical implications
The study's findings provide evidence-based implications such as how government agencies can enhance the environmental risk message strategy so that it induces more desired risk communication outcomes among at-risk publics. Insights from our study offer practical recommendations on which message feature is relatively more impactful in increasing intention for prosocial behavioral changes.
Social implications
This study on all measured risk responses reveals important differences between at-risk young publics in China and South Korea and how they respond differently to a shared environmental risk such as PM. The study's findings provide new evidence that media coverage of global environmental issues needs to be studied at the national level, and cross-cultural comparisons are imperative to understand publics’ responses to different news strategies. Thus, this study offers implications for practitioners to understand and apply appropriate strategies to publics in a social way across different countries so as to tailor risk communication messaging.
Originality/value
This study offers new insights to help connect message framing effects with communication management practice at the multi-national level, providing recommendations for government communication practitioners regarding which PM message features are more likely to be effective in forming proper risk perception and motivate sustainable actions among at-risk publics in different countries.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the key determinants of brand commitment in sports products based on the investment model and seeks to predict consumers’ repurchase…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the key determinants of brand commitment in sports products based on the investment model and seeks to predict consumers’ repurchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from a survey questionnaire (n = 247) were analysed primarily using structural equation modelling techniques.
Findings
The results support the investment model’s hypothesis that brand commitment is weakened by the quality of alternative options but strengthened by consumers’ satisfaction with and investment in the brand. Moreover, brand commitment had a positive influence on consumers’ repurchase intention.
Originality/value
Using the investment model of commitment processes, the study provides useful information on consumer-brand relationships and repurchase intention.
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Paul Tae-Woo Lee, Sung-Woo Lee, Zhi-Hua Hu, Kyoung-Suk Choi, Na Young Hwan Choi and Sung-Ho Shin
The purpose of this paper is to analyze maritime logistics connectivity of ports and shipping networks in the East Sea Economic Rim (ESER) to promote international trade in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze maritime logistics connectivity of ports and shipping networks in the East Sea Economic Rim (ESER) to promote international trade in the context of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), considering centrality, primary flow and clustering interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies a complex network model, using a big data system consisting of an automated identification system, electronic data interchange and distributive and complex data. Three perspectives, including connectivity in trading ports and regions, centralities in the realm of complex network and potential marketing and regional impacts, and sixteen criteria are considered for this analysis. A visual approach has been also applied to highlight port connectivity and ship flows for the reader’s convenience.
Findings
The paper shows that port connectivity and maritime logistics are enablers to promote Korean international trade in Northeast China through the ESER, and 25 major ports are well connected to promote international trade in the region with visual data of ship flows by ship type and by flag.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the lack of port management information systems among the countries in the ESER except Korea and Japan, this paper could not capture cargo types and amounts on board. Port connectivity analysis shows links of the ports in the ESER to major ports in southeast Asia along the Twenty-first Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR). These results contribute to drawing policy implications to promote the ESER and provide suggestions for promoting Korean international trade by enhancing maritime logistics connectivity.
Originality/value
Unlike the existing literature showing descriptive and policy-oriented research related to ESER, this paper applied a vigorous method with a big amount of data to analyze port connectivity and ship flows in the ESER, considering China’s BRI affecting the global supply chain system, maritime transportation, and logistics. In addition, the paper shows how the seaports in the ESER are connected along the MSR.
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Dong Hoo Kim, So Young Lee, Yoon Hi Sung and Nam-Hyun Um
This paper aims to examine the differential effects of the type of gift (material vs experiential) offered on Snapchat and Instagram (Study 1) and how the impacts of gift type and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the differential effects of the type of gift (material vs experiential) offered on Snapchat and Instagram (Study 1) and how the impacts of gift type and message type (informational vs emotional) vary by the two different image-sharing social media platform in a business-to-consumer (B2C) gift-giving context (Study 2).
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 used a two (social media: Snapchat vs Instagram) by two (gift type: material vs experiential) between-subject factorial design, whereas Study 2 used a two (social media: Snapchat vs Instagram) by two (gift type: material vs experiential) by two (message type: informational vs emotional) between-subject factorial design. A series of analyses of covariance was conducted to test the suggested hypotheses.
Findings
Study 1 demonstrated that the promotion of material gifts was more effective on Snapchat than on Instagram, while the promotion of experiential gifts was more effective on Instagram than on Snapchat. Study 2 showed that the impacts of gift type and message type varied by social media platform. The promotion of an experiential gift with an emotional ad appeal was found to be more effective on Instagram than on Snapchat, while the promotion of a material gift using an informational ad appeal was found to be more effective on Snapchat than on Instagram.
Research limitations/implications
This research used a college student sample for the experiments. However, to extend the generalizability of the results, it is recommended that future experiments be conducted with nonstudent samples. Also, the current research manipulated the two different social media conditions, Snapchat vs Instagram, by enforcing participants to use their social media and then provided experimental stimuli in a different screen from their social media account. If the stimuli were distributed through participants’ real social media account, the external validity of this research could be enhanced. Finally, future research should apply this framework to other countries with different social media platforms to confirm the generalizability of the study’s findings.
Practical implications
This research can thus contribute to the development of new guidelines for planning social media marketing in the business gift-giving context. By leveraging findings that the fit effect of gift types and advertising appeals differs based on social media platform, practitioners can create a more effective social media plan for their advertising campaigns. Given that copywriting and media plans are among the most important and difficult work in the business of advertising, this study’s findings would assist advertising practitioners in planning and executing the most effective advertising campaigns.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide valuable insights for the development of effective brand promotion strategies for B2C gift-giving via social media.
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Hak Yoon Kim, Joon Hyung Park and Hyun Jeong Kim
The purpose of this study is to identify and explore what leadership characteristics constitute humanistic leadership in the South Korean context. Moreover, this study examines…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify and explore what leadership characteristics constitute humanistic leadership in the South Korean context. Moreover, this study examines how these leadership characteristics are connected to Korean culture.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the information gathered from semi-structured interviews and other sources, including books, case study articles and news articles, this study captures a more comprehensive perspective of Mr. Kook-Hyun Moon, the former CEO of Yuhan–Kimberly.
Findings
The key characteristics of Mr. Moon's humanistic leadership that are identified in this study are: respect for all mankind, benevolence (seeking the greater good), sincerity (building trusting relationships with stakeholders) and continuous learning and innovation (developing self and others). These key characteristics set Mr. Moon apart from other leaders and are connected to the fundamental values and philosophies of Korean culture.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the current leadership literature by identifying and exploring Mr. Moon's humanistic leadership characteristics that enable him to gain respect and contribute to communities and society in the South Korean context. This study also finds that the humanistic leadership characteristics of Mr. Moon reflect three major attributes of Korean culture: the ideology of the Dangun mythology, the principle of Neo-Confucianism in Korea and jeong – an indigenous cultural concept in Korea (these attributes will be discussed in detail in the South Korean values and philosophies section). Such reflection suggests that investigating how humanistic leadership characteristics are connected to local cultural roots is important to enhance the understanding of humanistic leadership.
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The findings from the brand commitment literature suggest that the outcomes of commitment are not always favorable to the brand. This research aims to integrate the…
Abstract
Purpose
The findings from the brand commitment literature suggest that the outcomes of commitment are not always favorable to the brand. This research aims to integrate the multi-component view of commitment with the relationship investment model to suggest a possible explanation to understand the mixed findings in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
A random mall intercept method was used. A total of 1,000 surveys were distributed to participants to answer and mail back. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
This research finds that consumers in affective and continuance commitment relationships differ significantly from each other both from an antecedent and an outcome perspective. Specifically, affective commitment consumers were more willing to make sacrifices, felt better about their brand relationship, held less favorable impressions about a competitor brand and were likely to continue patronizing the brand in the future. Continuance commitment consumers were unwilling to make sacrifices for the relationship, did not feel that their brand relationship was superior, were not keen on continuing the brand relationship in the future and were more favorable toward a competitor brand.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the development of theory on brand commitment and provides a way to understand the mixed findings in the literature. Importantly, by examining the antecedents and outcomes, a more complete understanding of affective and continuance commitment is possible. The marketing manager benefits by understanding that not all brand commitments are the same. This research might help them to think more broadly about important brand-related outcomes in a service setting.
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Theresa M. Floyd and Wookje (UJ) Sung
Post-merger integration (PMI) success depends heavily on the social and cultural integration of the two legacy organizations. Given that organizational members work and exchange…
Abstract
Post-merger integration (PMI) success depends heavily on the social and cultural integration of the two legacy organizations. Given that organizational members work and exchange information through social relationships, social network analysis can serve as a useful tool to identify key actors, address areas of concern, and measure PMI success. However, few PMI studies have employed a social network perspective or social network analysis. In this chapter, the authors review the current literature on PMI and organizational change, including the few studies that use social networks approach. The authors also identify recent developments in social networks and organizational change research that can improve our understanding of PMI processes and propose promising avenues for future research. Further, the authors identify obstacles for social network research on PMI and provide practical advice for overcoming them.
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Taejun (David) Lee, Yongjun Sung and Federico de Gregorio
The purpose of this research is to examine US and Korean college student consumers' attitudes towards product placements in three different media (films, TV shows, and songs), and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to examine US and Korean college student consumers' attitudes towards product placements in three different media (films, TV shows, and songs), and product placement acceptability based on media genre and product type.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study employed a self‐administered online survey of 471 college students in the USA and South Korea.
Findings
Korean young adult consumers express greater ethical concerns about product placement, particularly in TV shows, and more strongly support governmental regulation than their American counterparts. In contrast, American young adults respond more favorably to product placement's enhancement of setting realism than Korean consumers. Findings also reveal cultural differences in product placement acceptability across a range of media genres and product/service types.
Research limitations/implications
Only two countries were used as a proxy to characterize their respective cultural values and levels of contextuality. In addition, respondents are limited geographically to southwestern and southeastern regions in the USA, and to Korea's capital, Seoul.
Practical implications
Despite the widespread use of standardized product placement practices in different cultural settings, it is recommended, from the findings of this study, that managers should take caution when considering TV for placement in Korea when targeting young adults given their relatively strong concerns regarding the practice. Specific and usable information regarding appropriateness of genre and product type is also provided.
Originality/value
This exploratory cross‐cultural study builds upon and contributes to previous work by serving as a quantitative comparison of attitudinal responses to product placement across three media in the USA and Korea.
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Ga Yoon Choi, Hwan Sung Kim, Hyungkyoo Kim and Jae Seung Lee
In cities with high density, heat is often trapped between buildings which increases the frequency and intensity of heat events. Researchers have focused on developing strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
In cities with high density, heat is often trapped between buildings which increases the frequency and intensity of heat events. Researchers have focused on developing strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of heat in cities. Adopting green infrastructure and cooling pavements are some of the many ways to promote thermal comfort against heat. The purpose of this study is to improve microclimate conditions and thermal comfort levels in high-density living conditions in Seoul, South Korea.
Design/methodology/approach
This study compares six design alternatives of an apartment complex with different paving and planting systems. It also examines the thermal outcome of the alternatives under normal and extreme heat conditions to suggest strategies to secure acceptable thermal comfort levels for the inhabitants. Each alternative is analyzed using ENVI-met, a software program that simulates microclimate conditions and thermal comfort features based on relationships among buildings, vegetation and pavements.
Findings
The results indicate that grass paving was more effective than stone paving in lowering air temperature and improving thermal comfort at the near-surface level. Coniferous trees were found to be more effective than broadleaf trees in reducing temperature. Thermal comfort levels were most improved when coniferous trees were planted in paired settings.
Practical implications
Landscape elements show promise for the improvement of thermal conditions because it is much easier to redesign landscape elements, such as paving or planting, than to change fixed urban elements like buildings and roads. The results identified the potential of landscape design for improving microclimate and thermal comfort in urban residential complexes.
Originality/value
The results contribute to the literature by examining the effect of tree species and layout on thermal comfort levels, which has been rarely investigated in previous studies.