European Journal of Marketing

Morten Heide; Kirsti Lærdal; Kjell Grønhaug

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935442pmid: N/A

Purpose – The concept of atmosphere is often considered vague and difficult to capture, which hampers adequate feedback on atmospheric investments. This paper aims to report a systematic effort to capture the concept and enhancing factors, making adequate feedback for efforts to improve atmosphere possible. Design/methodology/approach – Owing to limited a priori insights, an exploratory, discovery‐oriented approach was chosen. Semi‐structured interviews, supplemented with secondary data, were conducted to gain insight into how managers and design experts think and cope to improve the atmosphere of establishments. The hospitality industry was selected as empirical context. Findings – Investments to improve the atmosphere of establishments can bring significant benefits. However, the positive effects are associated with uncertainty and consequently the risks can be substantial. However, such risks were only recognized by hospitality managers, not by design experts. Research limitations/implications – This study is a first step and was therefore restricted to the supply side of the industry. For practical purposes, the empirical setting was limited to a single country. Practical implications – Care should be taken not to overkill with atmosphere and thereby lose focus on the main service/product offering. Hospitality managers and owners need to be assertive to get the right balance between aesthetic elements and operational requirements because design experts tend to neglect the latter. Originality/value – Given the considerable interest in, and consequently the presumed value of, atmosphere as an intangible asset, this paper provides important insights into an area where there is genuine need for empirical research.

Thorsten Staake; Frédéric Thiesse; Elgar Fleisch

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935451pmid: N/A

Purpose – Trade in counterfeit goods is perceived as a substantial threat to various industries. No longer is the emergence of imitation products confined to branded luxury goods and final markets. Counterfeit articles are increasingly finding their way into other sectors, including the fast‐moving consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries – with, in part, severe negative consequences for consumers, licit manufacturers, and brand owners alike. This paper seeks to shed light on the economic principles of counterfeit trade and the underlying illicit supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive literature review was conducted that comprised contributions from different strands of management research. Findings – Though governments as well as management have clearly identified the problem, very little is known – both in practice and theory – about the mechanisms and structure of the illicit market, the tactics of counterfeit producers, consumer behavior with respect to imitation products and the financial impact on individual companies. The diversity of the counterfeit phenomenon underlines the need for further research in this area and the development of company‐specific measures for fighting product piracy. Research limitations/implications – The clandestine nature of the counterfeit market limits direct accessibility to the phenomenon. Consequently, the existing body of literature does not necessarily cover all aspects of counterfeit activities. The review helps to highlight existing research gaps but may not be able to identify additional aspects of the phenomenon that, thus far, have not been deemed relevant. Originality/value – The paper critically reviews the current state of research across different management‐related disciplines. From an academic perspective it may serve as a starting point for a future research agenda that addresses the current knowledge gaps. From a practitioner's perspective it is helpful for understanding the relevant influence factors and for developing appropriate, state‐of‐the‐art counterstrategies.

Bakr Bin Ahmad Alserhan

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935460pmid: N/A

Purpose – This study aims to investigate and compare the propensity of both Arab and Western customers to bargain in marketing exchange situations in the United Arab Emirates. Design/methodology/approach – The Bargaining Propensity Scale (BPS) developed by Schneider et al. was administered, as part of a self‐administered questionnaire, to a sample of 100 Arab customers and 100 Western customers and their responses to the BPS items were analyzed. Findings – Data analysis shows that both segments – Arab and Western customers – display an overall tendency to engage in bargaining activities, although with slightly different PBS distributions. Research limitations/implications – The sample contained only 15 Arab women as it was very awkward for the male research assistant to talk to women in public places; very few women would risk being seen in public with strangers. Originality/value – This study addresses an important marketing issue – the comparative behavior of customers. It is the first to do so in the region.

Erik A. Borg

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935479pmid: N/A

Purpose – This article aims to consider the usefulness of network theory in examining the marketing of high‐technology products and services. Design/methodology/approach – High‐tech companies are analysed in light of a network approach to marketing. Findings – The research finds that building marketing relationships can improve the viability of high‐tech companies. Originality/value – The article contributes to the development of theory that can enhance the marketing of high‐technology products and services.

Helge Thorbjørnsen; Per E. Pedersen; Herbjørn Nysveen

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935488pmid: N/A

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the properties and attributes of networked services and to propose a general categorization scheme for such services. Design/methodology/approach – Two separate studies were conducted to test the validity and applicability of the categorization scheme. First, industry experts categorized a set of pre‐selected mobile services based on the services' dominant source of value. Second, a large‐scale end‐user study of the same services was conducted for testing cross‐service differences between the proposed service categories in terms of what drives perceived customer value. It is argued that services can be categorized on the basis of whether their dominant source of value stems from intrinsic, user network, or complement network attributes. Findings – The study results largely support the proposed categorization scheme. The two studies suggest that categorizing networked services as driven by either intrinsic, user network, or complement network attributes is fruitful and helps pinpoint fundamentally different drivers of perceived customer value. The drivers investigated in the end‐user study explain 60 percent of the variance in customer value. Research limitations/implications – The current categorization scheme will have stronger and clearer implications when the full array of antecedents and consequences of intrinsic, user network, and complement network attributes have been investigated. Practical implications – The categorization scheme may provide managers with important guidelines regarding the kinds of business models and marketing means that will work best for the three different categories of networked services. Originality/value – The paper contributes with a conceptual framework for understanding and categorizing both extrinsic and intrinsic drivers of service value. It extends and integrates previous work on network effects and adoption research and also offers empirical insight into an under‐researched topic.

Ahmad Jamal; Kyriaki Anastasiadou

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935497pmid: N/A

Purpose – Very little research has investigated the effects of service quality dimensions on customer loyalty. Also, up to now, no research has investigated the direct effect of expertise on loyalty and the moderating effect of expertise on the link between satisfaction and loyalty. This paper seeks to fill these gaps in the literature and to investigate the effects of individual dimensions of service quality in creating and enhancing customer loyalty via customer satisfaction. It also aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of customer expertise on customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a causal modelling approach and proposes a conceptual model after an extensive review of the literature. The paper is based on a sample of 200 bank users in Greece who completed a self‐administered questionnaire. The paper uses exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to analyse and confirm the conceptual model proposed in this research. Findings – The paper finds that reliability, tangibility and empathy are positively related to customer satisfaction, which in turn is positively related to loyalty. Furthermore, while expertise is negatively related to loyalty, it positively moderates the link between satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value – The paper discusses implications for brand managers in terms of targeting and advertising strategies and suggests future research directions.

Manuela Silva; Luiz Moutinho; Arnaldo Coelho; Alzira Marques

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935505pmid: N/A

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the impact of market orientation (MO) on performance using a neural network model in order to find new linkages and new explanations for this relationship. Design/methodology/approach – This investigation is based on a survey data collection from a sample of 192 Portuguese companies. A neural network model has been developed to identify the effects of each dimension of MO on each dimension of performance. Findings – Relationship among MO and performance was corroborated but MO's impact is poor and based on its first dimension, market intelligence generation. Research limitations/implications – Further research in this field should be conducted using other tools offered by neural network modelling. Practical implications – Managers should give more attention to cross‐functional co‐ordination in order to improve market intelligence dissemination and responsiveness and, thus, global performance. Originality/value – The paper presents the development of a neural network model to analyse this relationship.

Carlos M.P. Sousa; Frank Bradley

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935514pmid: N/A

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key factors that influence price adaptation in export markets. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual model was tested empirically using data collected by mail questionnaire in a sample survey of 140 firms. The results were analysed using structural equation modelling and the method of estimation was maximum likelihood (ML). Various statistical tests show that the results were reliable and valid. Findings – The results reported here suggest that while controlling for the size of the firm, the degree of price adaptation is strongly influenced and conditioned by the degree of product, promotion, and distribution adaptation as well as by the differences that exist between the home and the foreign market. Originality/value – Despite calls for research on the adaptation of pricing in export markets little headway has been made in understanding the issue in the literature. This study adds to the limited empirical research work done in this area. Although past research points to a link between product adaptation and price adaptation and between distribution adaptation and price adaptation, empirical research that includes simultaneously the link between the three elements of the marketing mix (product, promotion, and distribution adaptation) and price adaptation is largely missing in the literature. These relationships have been tested in this paper and found to be relevant to the understanding of pricing in international markets.

Aidan Daly; Stephen J. Grove; Michael J. Dorsch; Raymond P. Fisk

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935532pmid: N/A

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the value of improvisation training, as used in schools of acting, in preparing front‐stage service employees perform their roles when interacting with customers as cabin crew in Aer Arann, a regional Irish airline. Design/methodology/approach – To discern the relevance and impact of improvisation training, a case study methodology was employed. The subjects of the investigation were seven recently hired cabin crew personnel for Aer Arann. Data for the case study were collected from the new hires at three different times. Findings – The study shows that participants both enjoyed the improvisation training and found it to be very valuable as preparation for their roles in the airline. A key finding was that the new hires strongly recommended that improvisation training be incorporated into the airline's regular induction training programme. Specifically, participants felt the improvisation training improved their confidence, effectiveness, ability to adapt, spontaneity and comfort in successfully handling unique situations. Research limitations/implications – As with many case studies, the study presented here focuses on a single company for its data generation. Further, because of the realities of commercial life, the subject pool is quite small, i.e. due to the demands of their position, only seven new hires were available for the 12 hours needed to conduct the training, as well as the subsequent assessment activities. Nevertheless, the case study enabled the authors to gain meaningful insights into the utilisation of improvisation training in a real‐world setting. Originality/value – The research makes several key contributions. First, it links theory and practice by demonstrating in a real world context the efficacy of framing service as theatre. Second, based on the service theatre literature, the paper details the utility of improvisation training as a means of preparing front‐stage service employees for the rigours of their jobs. Finally, the research presents new, empirically based insights regarding the value and contribution of improvisation training in the services sector.

Chanaka Jayawardhena; Andreas Kuckertz; Heikki Karjaluoto; Teemu Kautonen

doi: 10.1108/03090560910935541pmid: N/A

Purpose – This paper's aim is to develop a conceptual model to examine the influence of four antecedent factors (personal trust, institutional trust, perceived control and experience) on consumers' willingness to participate in permission‐based mobile marketing. The model is to be tested empirically across three European countries and gender. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected from surveys of consumers in Finland, Germany and the UK. The partial least squares (PLS) approach is utilised to test the model fit. Findings – The main factor affecting the consumers' decision to participate in mobile marketing is institutional trust, which is a significant factor in all three countries and across gender. The influence of other antecedent factors are less pronounced. On the whole, it is found that the more experienced consumers become with mobile marketing, the less influence perceived control will have on permission. There are notable variations across gender, with perceived control being an important determinant of permission for men, while it is not so for women. Research implications/limitations – The results indicate the relative importance of four antecedents in the likelihood of consumers giving their permission to companies to send mobile marketing messages. Practical implications – As institutional trust is the most important determinant of permission based mobile marketing, mobile marketers should focus on building a strong and positive media presence and image, and thereby influence consumers' likelihood of giving permission to mobile‐based marketing. Originality/value – This is the first international empirical investigation of the different antecedents of permission‐based mobile marketing.