Search results

The purpose of this paper is to analyze to what extent and in what ways signaling theory has been explored within the field of international marketing. This paper systematically reviews the use of signaling theory in the field of international marketing. Communication is a core aspect of the international marketing process. Research in this field has explored effective and unique ways of improving the communication flow to reduce the asymmetry of information between international consumers and the firm. This notion is adopted, enhanced and strengthened by signaling theory. Signaling theory has recently received the attention of international marketing scholars.

The systematic review methodology was applied for the purpose of identifying the relevant studies. We extracted academic articles over the last 23 years from the domain of international marketing that directly contribute to signaling theory based on 57 journal articles extracted through the systematic review process.

Based on systematic research the results reveal that the topic has grown and continues to expand within the broader international marketing field. We offer a theoretical conceptual framework to better understand signaling theory in the context of international marketing.

The authors map and critically evaluate the use of signaling theory in international marketing. Relevance of signaling theory in international marketing is growing and authors present an integrative framework that organizes the existing literature, and provides scholars to further expand on emerging themes of the domain. The paper offers some useful future research directions.

This study explores the underlying mechanism of psychological reactance that leads to online shopping hate in social commerce. Based on self-congruity and psychological reactance theory, this study examines the antecedents (symbolic, functional and emotional incongruence) and consequences (online shopping hate) of psychological reactance among online users toward online shopping. Moreover, this study takes trustworthiness as a moderator in the relationship between attitude ambivalence and psychological reactance.

Data were collected from online users.

The results show that symbolic-incongruence and functional-incongruence are responsible for attitude ambivalence, resulting in high psychological reactance. In addition, the study’s findings reveal that psychological reactance is positively linked with online shopping hate. This study extends and contributes to the self-congruence theory and empirically examines the influence of emotional incongruence. The moderating results reveal that trustworthiness moderated the relationship between attitude ambivalence and psychological reactance. The study findings are helpful for marketing managers to develop social commerce strategies.

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

The study findings are helpful for marketing managers to develop social commerce strategies.

This study explains the underlying mechanism of brand hate through psychological reactance.

This paper aims to examine the factors that drive the exporter’s influence toward halal meat supply chain adoption by encompassing the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory in the context of Pakistan.

Using DOI as an underpinning theory, this study evaluates halal supply chain adoption by collecting data from the members of associations from Pakistan. A total of 258 useable responses were received, and PLS-SEM was adopted using SmartPLS.

The exporter’s adoption of the halal supply chain is determined not only by perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility but also by perceived complexity, religious beliefs and awareness.

Though this study has practical and managerial implications, it has few limitations. Further studies need to be conducted in other contexts as well with a larger population.

There are limited studies that have tested DOI theory in the context of the halal meat supply chain in Pakistan. Therefore, the author extends the diffusion theory of innovation in the current work. Further, this paper will be a helpful reference guide for academicians, practitioners and researchers.

Purpose of this study is to explore the nature of relationship between internationalization of firms, sustainability of their supply chains, and the extent of their green innovations. Understanding of the relationship between these constructs is important because of the ever increasing sustainability awareness of consumers in the leading economies of the world. This awareness is now compelling importers of goods from cheap-labor countries to ensure that their suppliers comply with sustainability regulations. This compliance becomes very challenging because of the lack of control on second-tier and third-tier suppliers in a supply chain. First-tier suppliers in this case may drive this effort but need to be motivated enough to do so. In case of environmental sustainability, green innovation (GI) may provide a gradual, and thus more affordable and practical, move toward more eco-friendly ways. As far as the motivation to commit to sustainability and GI is concerned, internationalization and export business expansion may act as one of the most effective motivators for these suppliers. However, the nature of relationship between these three constructs, i.e. internationalization of firms, sustainability of their supply chains and the extent of their GI requires a better understanding.

The work uses a novel data set collected from 146 medium and large textile firms operating in Pakistan. The partial least square-structural equation modeling approach is used for data analysis.

All three constructs of internationalization, GI and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) are significantly associated and thus complement each other.

This work uses a novel agency theory perspective to analyze the relationship between internationalization, GI and SSCM. In that sense, the findings indicate that internationalization could be one of the incentives that can be used by the principals to deal with agents’ goal conflict and information asymmetry.

Current internationalisation and international business (IB) theories are silent on the intermittent internationalising experiences of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) from emerging economies (EEs). The aim of this chapter is to examine the role that networks play in facilitating SMEs from EEs subsequent behaviour following intermittent (exit and subsequent re-entry) internationalising experiences, and to build the theory of this process. Internationalisation of SMEs is a complex phenomenon. Utilising qualitative interview-based data from 15 Pakistani and Chinese SME entrepreneurs, industry experts and government representatives, this study concludes the following: SMEs from EEs continuously reconfigure existing products, resources and markets through networks while reducing and reviving levels of commitment with partners in international markets. Additionally, entrepreneurs from these markets proactively choose to dissolve existing relationships, withdraw from foreign markets to seek new partnerships and diversify resources to reduce foreign market uncertainty. However, some SME entrepreneurs seek to re-enter into previous markets utilising prior relationships and networks. Hence, successful management of network relationships over time is a challenge for internationalising SMEs.

Optimum utilization of investments has always been considered one of the most crucial aspects of capital markets. Investment into various securities is the subject of portfolio optimization intent to maximize return at minimum risk. In this series, a population-based evolutionary approach, stochastic fractal search (SFS), is derived from the natural growth phenomenon. This study aims to develop portfolio selection model using SFS approach to construct an efficient portfolio by optimizing the Sharpe ratio with risk budgeting constraints.

This paper proposes a constrained portfolio optimization model using the SFS approach with risk-budgeting constraints. SFS is an evolutionary method inspired by the natural growth process which has been modeled using the fractal theory. Experimental analysis has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of the proposed model by making comparisons with state-of-the-art from domain such as genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, simulated annealing and differential evolution. The real datasets of the Indian stock exchanges and datasets of global stock exchanges such as Nikkei 225, DAX 100, FTSE 100, Hang Seng31 and S&P 100 have been taken in the study.

The study confirms the better performance of the SFS model among its peers. Also, statistical analysis has been done using SPSS 20 to confirm the hypothesis developed in the experimental analysis.

In the recent past, researchers have already proposed a significant number of models to solve portfolio selection problems using the meta-heuristic approach. However, this is the first attempt to apply the SFS optimization approach to the problem.

The purpose of this paper is to examine e-service quality (E-SQ) of online shopping in Pakistan using “E-S-QUAL scale.” Moreover, in this study, the relationship of E-SQ with e-customer satisfaction (E-CS) and e-customer loyalty (E-CL) has been studied.

Following a quantitative research methodology, data were collected from 298 respondents using convenience sampling and survey research design was followed. In order to develop the model and test the hypotheses, structure equation modeling (SEM) was done through AMOS.

Findings indicate that all of the first latent constructs are significant where E-CS and E-CL (dependent variables) are influenced by E-SQ (independent variable). Using SEM, statistically fit structural model was developed on the basis of confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis shows that there is a strong positive relation between E-SQ and E-CS and E-SQ and E-CL.

Asian markets have been identified as the fastest growing e-commerce markets in present era. Similarly, retail sector in Pakistan is booming, at the same time an exponential increase is being observed in the number of internet users and online shopping. It is important for marketers and retailers to explore new horizons and enter the age of e-commerce for expansion of their businesses.

The increasingly wide use of the internet is influencing everything around the globe and these emerging e-commerce trends have tremendously changed the mode of shopping from brick and mortars to e-stores. The study explores the e-commerce and focuses on E-SQ and its impact on E-CS and E-CL in the context of a developing economy, i.e. Pakistan, uncovering the key dimensions and attributes.

This study aims to find the determinants of internal and external customer satisfaction of Islamic banks of Pakistan through service quality indicators that are assurance, reliance, empathy, tangibility, responsiveness. Compliance has also been added as a determinant of customer satisfaction. In this study, customers are divided into two groups, internal customers are those who are an employee in the Islamic bank and also an account holder. While external customers are account holders only in Islamic banks of Pakistan.

In this study, a quantitative research approach is used for analyzing the behavior of internal and external customers of Islamic banks in Pakistan. The instrument which is used to analyze the study’s data, is a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The structural model was analyzed with the help of the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach.

This study concluded that internal customers of Islamic banking are well aware and have full information and their level of satisfaction is positive toward the bank’s services. While external customers feel satisfied while using the Islamic banking services in Pakistan. Service quality indicators are positively and significantly related to customer satisfaction in the external customer model. On the other hand, some of the indicators are not showing a significant impact on the internal customer multi-group analysis shows a difference of coefficients are insignificant between internal and external customers.

This study helps policymakers, to understand the behavior of internal and external customers of Islamic banking in Pakistan for creating favorable policies for an interest-free banking service.

This research study provides an analysis of the customer satisfaction of Islamic banks in Pakistan by dividing Islamic bank customers into two groups (internal and external customers). The purpose for dividing Islamic bank customers into two groups is that this study wants to highlight that external customer’s perception is the same as internal customers or not? Before this study, it is difficult to find single research on this topic, whereas only one study is find-out on the factors that affect internet banking adoption among internal and external customers.