Uzma Noor, Mahnaz Mansoor and Sajeela Rabbani
This study aims to investigate the generation of negative emotions and behavior in Muslim consumers from their attitude toward offensive advertising. Mediation of brand hate…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the generation of negative emotions and behavior in Muslim consumers from their attitude toward offensive advertising. Mediation of brand hate between attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation was examined. The conditional indirect impact of religiosity on attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation through brand hate was also realized.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional research design was used using the mall intercept survey technique. Data were collected from 380 respondents visiting the malls in the areas of Pakistan’s twin cities (Rawalpindi and Islamabad) after ensuring appropriateness for the study. Partial least square–structural equation modeling through SmartPLS software was used as a statistical technique to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings confirm that attitude toward offensive advertising affects brand hate and brand retaliation positively. The conditional indirect effect of religiosity on the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation has also proved significant.
Originality/value
The present study has filled a significant gap in the literature of brand hate by introducing brand hate as a mediator in the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation. It further added in the body of knowledge of brand hate by a moderated mediation mechanism of religiosity on the relationship of attitude toward offensive advertising and brand retaliation through brand hate. The present study has considered the non-offensive product being promoted through offensive advertising and explored the impact of attitude toward offensive advertising on brand hate and brand retaliation in Muslim consumers.
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Tariq M. Khan, Fintan Clear, Ahmed Al‐Kaabi and Vahid Pezeshki
The purpose of this paper is to examine the increasingly important area of diversity management in multicultural settings. This paper examines several private organizations in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the increasingly important area of diversity management in multicultural settings. This paper examines several private organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as illustrative examples of the challenges facing global organizations seeking to utilise a hugely diverse labour force. The objective of the investigation is to shed more light on the intervening variables that connect diversity dimensions to personal attitudes on diversity.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 406 employees from ten organizations operating in the UAE were selected based on their length of service and contract type. These participants completed questionnaires as a means of determining their attitudes towards diversity in the workplace. The data were subjected to principal component analysis from which a regression model was derived that associates intervening variables identified from the study with personal attitudes to diversity.
Findings
Three intervening variables (components) are found: commitment to the organization, frustration in the work environment and perceptions of respect and fairness. These are found to be correlated to personal attitudes to diversity in the workplace. Furthermore, location is found to be a differentiating factor in the context of commitment to the organization, with Dubai employees being more committed than those in Abu Dhabi – hence, both emirates expressed different views on diversity in the workplace.
Research limitations/implications
Ensuring reliability of responses on such a sensitive topic, gaining access to a representative set of participant organizations and insufficient literature on related issues all impinged on the research investigation. The research has relevance to managers tasked with overseeing multicultural teams and human resource (HR) issues related to personal well‐being in the workplace.
Originality/value
The identification of intervening variables is an under‐researched area that now can take direction from the results of this investigation. Practitioners will have a better understanding of how to achieve more positive attitudes to diversity and thus, improve group dynamics in the workplace by targeting these intervening variables in HR policies.
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Nandish V. Patel, Tillal Eldabi and Tariq M. Khan
The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing artificial complex adaptive systems, like information systems and organisations, by developing a proof‐of‐concept…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing artificial complex adaptive systems, like information systems and organisations, by developing a proof‐of‐concept conceptual proto‐agent model.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper develops an exploratory proto‐agent model and evaluates its suitability for implementation as agent‐based simulation.
Findings
The paper focuses on understanding the effect of emergence when designing artificial complex adaptive systems and produces a proto‐agent model that identified agents and their behavioural rules for modelling.
Practical implications
In deferred action, agents act in emergent organisation to achieve predetermined goals. Since emergence cannot be predicted, information systems and organisation design approaches that cater for emergent organisation are required.
Originality/value
The deferred action construct is a synthesis of planned approaches and contingency approaches to design information systems. It recognises the effect of emergence on information systems.
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Manijeh Bahrainizad and Azadeh Rajabi
This paper aims to investigate the impact of consumers’ perception of usability of product packaging on impulse buying in terms of its shape, color, material, label and size.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of consumers’ perception of usability of product packaging on impulse buying in terms of its shape, color, material, label and size.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural equation model was used for testing the conceptual model. The present research is an applied research and a descriptive survey. By using non-probability sampling, 388 customers of different malls in Shiraz City (Iran) were selected and surveyed by using questionnaires.
Findings
Results showed that appropriate material, shape and labeling of packaging have a significant positive influence on consumers’ perception of usability of product packaging, while color and size of packaging do not have an impact on consumers’ perception of a product usability. Moreover, results showed that consumers’ perception of the usability of packaging has a significant positive influence on impulse buying. Consumers’ mood and time pressure had also positive influence on impulse buying, but their moderating role in their influence of consumers’ perception on impulse buying decision was not supported.
Research limitations/implications
Although this research contributes to the product management literature, it has some limitations. For instance, the research model was tested in only one city in Iran (Shiraz). Besides, it is specific to only two product categories and concentrates mainly on consumers’ mood and time pressure as moderating factors.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first research which examines the structural relationship of packaging elements on consumers’ perception of reusability of packaging and impulse buying while considering consumers’ moods and time pressure as moderator variables.
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Ritab Al-Khouri and Abdul Ahad Abdul Basith
This research examines the bidirectional relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) voluntary disclosure engagement and financial performance of a panel of…
Abstract
This research examines the bidirectional relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) voluntary disclosure engagement and financial performance of a panel of banks extracted from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banking industry, covering a period of 11 years (2007–2017). We find that GCC banks, and in particular Islamic banks, voluntarily disclose low level of information related to ESG activities. Using system GMM methodology, we provide evidence that ESG disclosure adversely affects bank performance, regardless of the bank performance measure used. Thus spending on ESG turns out to be costly for GCC banks, a result that is consistent with the agency problem, where managers are likely to reduce long-term expenditures related to ESG actions in order to boost short-term profits. As managers' compensations often relate to short-term financial performance, managers tend to reduce their spending on ESG activities. Furthermore, contrary to previous research, our results indicate that the relationship between ESG and financial performance is bidirectional and dynamic. We also find evidence that ESG disclosure positively affects performance only for well-diversified banks. Finally, although conventional banks disclose significantly more information related to ESG activities, we do not find any significant differences between the two types of banks in the relationship between ESG disclosure and performance. Our suggestion is that these results are consistent with what we call “clientele” and “gravitation” effects, where a customer tends to choose to deal with the bank that reflects his religious beliefs (gravitation effect) and with the bank that provides him with the best services (clientele effect) regardless of its ESG disclosure.
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Shadma Shahid, Mohammad Ashraf Parray, George Thomas, Rahela Farooqi and Jamid Ul Islam
Due to a staggering growth rate in the recent past, halal products have attained a significant attention of marketers across countries. However, marketing practitioners seek to…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to a staggering growth rate in the recent past, halal products have attained a significant attention of marketers across countries. However, marketing practitioners seek to have detailed understanding of what drives consumers of different demographics towards this product category so as to better market and position themselves in the competitive landscape. Correspondingly, this study aims to provide insights into the Muslim women consumers’ halal cosmetics purchase behaviour and examines the variables (and their interplay) when purchasing such products.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for the study were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 371 Muslim respondents from India. The data were analysed through structural equation modelling using AMOS 22.0 SEM software.
Findings
The findings of this study reveal that religious knowledge, religious commitment and halal certification(s) affect consumers’ actual purchase behaviour of halal cosmetics, which subsequently drives their repurchase intention. The findings further reveal a non-significant effect of religious orientation with both the actual purchase behaviour and repurchase intention towards halal cosmetics. Additionally, actual purchase behaviour of halal cosmetics is found to positively affect customers’ repurchase intentions.
Originality/value
Despite the recent growth of overall beauty industry, this particular segment of halal cosmetics has a huge potential given the phenomenal preference that Muslim consumers have shown in such niche. Therefore, this paper contributes towards examining the key factors influencing consumers purchase behaviour towards halal cosmetics in India that can be capitalized on.
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This study aimed to investigate the learning strategies adopted by Saudi university students and explore the differences in the use of learning strategies due to gender and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the learning strategies adopted by Saudi university students and explore the differences in the use of learning strategies due to gender and academic achievement.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive analytic approach and adopted the brief “ACRA-C” learning strategies scale. The study sample consisted of 365 students enrolled at a Saudi university selected using the random clustering technique.
Findings
The study revealed that microstrategies and study habits are the most preferred strategies by Saudi university students. Statistically significant differences in the use of learning strategies were found between male and female students in favor of the female students. The study also found that learning strategies are a significant predictor of students' academic achievement.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to one college in one Saudi university. Future studies should use larger samples from different colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia and incorporate a variety of measures of academic achievement, such as students' grades in specific courses rather than the overall grade average.
Originality/value
While there are a number of studies that investigated the use of learning strategies by students, there is a lack of such research in the higher education context of Saudi Arabia. Hence, the current study contributes to closing this gap in the literature by looking at the use of learning strategies by university students in Saudi Arabia and the relationship between strategy use, gender and academic achievement.
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Junaid Ansari and Syed Irfan Hyder
This paper aims to understand the religio-spiritual insights of the consumers and investigate their relationship with the consumers’ attitude towards advertising and its…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the religio-spiritual insights of the consumers and investigate their relationship with the consumers’ attitude towards advertising and its antecedents. Religious festivals, such as Ramadan, are celebrated with high religio-spiritual contemplations, which are often targeted by intensive marketing campaigns. During these religious festivals, consumers’ attitude toward advertising is influenced when television commercials contain “unnecessary” entertainment, “inappropriate casting” of celebrities with less credibility, “cluttered” information, “phony claims” related to good for economy and “annoying content” increasing consumers’ irritation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study developed a higher-order construct of religio-spiritual insights and used “Theory of Reasoned Action” for measuring the effect of religio-spiritual insights on consumers’ attitude toward advertising. Exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was used to develop and validate the instrument. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted during i-depth analysis phase to generate themes and questionnaire. During instrument validation phase, 839 Muslim consumers were surveyed by using the questionnaire, and instrument was validated by using the co-variance-based structural equation modeling approach.
Findings
This study develops and validates the instrument of religio-spiritual insights and identifies its significant direct and mediating effects between the consumer’s attitude toward advertising and its determinants.
Originality/value
The newly developed instrument of religio-spiritual insights is based on six dimensions, namely, “beliefs and practices,” “association with higher power,” “interconnectedness,” “self-actualization,” “heart and mind involvement,” “knowledge and meanings.” This instrument of religio-spiritual insights was validated and then tested by using a conceptual framework based on the several variables, such as attitude toward advertising, irritation, good for economy, entertainment, credibility and information.
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the process of interaction with the Muslim customers in developing new Islamic financial services in a secular and non-Muslim majority…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the process of interaction with the Muslim customers in developing new Islamic financial services in a secular and non-Muslim majority emerging country, India.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a multiple case study methodology in which the service managers of 23 financial service firms and their customers were interviewed. A total of 46 managers and 31 Muslim customers provided data for this paper.
Findings
A service firm must interact with its Muslim customers to obtain key input and information for developing new Islamic financial services, particularly in a Muslim minority country. The Muslim customers are willing to work with the financial service firms for the purpose of new service development and are a good source of information for new Islamic financial services.
Practical implications
The paper has implications for the financial service firms interested in achieving growth and prosperity by developing and marketing new services to the growing population of Muslim customers in the emerging markets, particularly India.
Originality/value
The issue of customer interaction in new service development is a key concept in the extant literature, yet no study has explored this concept for the Islamic banking and financial products in a non-Muslim majority emerging market. This is the first paper that has applied the customer interaction in new service development theory to the interaction process of Muslim customers in a non-Muslim majority country and, thus, addressed a worthwhile research gap.
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Muhammad Talha Salam, Nazlida Muhamad and Vai Shiem Leong
Research on Muslim consumers has increasingly highlighted the significance of measuring religiosity. However, there is an apparent lack of uniformity in measuring religiosity…
Abstract
Purpose
Research on Muslim consumers has increasingly highlighted the significance of measuring religiosity. However, there is an apparent lack of uniformity in measuring religiosity across literature on Muslim consumer research. This paper aims to critically review the approaches used to measure religiosity in existing research on Muslim consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviewed 39 studies selected from the Journal of Islamic Marketing from 2010 to 2017. Based on critical reviews of these studies on Muslim consumers, a number of observations and recommendations were made on approaches to measure religiosity.
Findings
Evident influence of religiosity on Muslim consumers was observed across the spectrum of the reviewed studies. The main issues in selecting the measures of religiosity include limited discussion on rationalizing the choice of a particular measure of religiosity and little consideration of the Islamic context.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the review, it is recommended that the process of searching, selecting and adopting a particular religiosity construct should be rationalized based on Islamic context. Adoption of Western scales should be done carefully with expert reviews. Also, researchers may consider using Islamic religiosity constructs and alternative measures such as qualitative measures of religiosity and spirituality-based constructs.
Originality/value
As Muslim consumer research is gaining momentum, this paper presents a critical review of the important aspect of measuring religiosity among Muslim consumers. The critical review and recommendations in this paper offer a much-needed theoretical clarity on selecting and using religiosity measures.