Shopbots, Powershopping, Powersales: New Forms of Intermediation in E-Commerce - An Overview -

With the advent and proliferation of the Internet many aspects of business and market activities are changing. New forms of intermediation also called cybermediaries are becoming increasingly important as a coordinator of interaction between buyers and sellers in the electronic market environment. Especially the overwhelming abundance of information offered by the Internet promotes the development of new intermediarie like malls, shopbots, virtual resellers etc. This paper provides a detailed overview of different new forms of cybermediation and illustrates their influence on consumer choice, firm pricing and product differentiation strategies.comparison shopping, cybermediaries, e-commerce, shopbots

Research in multi-cultural relationship building

This study aims to explore the ‘missing gap' between the values of an Accounting firm and the preference shown by Maaori on how they would like to be approached when wanting to build a trusted relationship within a business sense. This study makes use of qualitative approaches in which data is collected primarily through interviews and analysed to produce results and recommendations. The study found that Maaori would like to be approached in a way that makes sense to them and also identifies with their cultural proceedings. It also provides insight into how important trust is when establishing a relationship with Maaori. The study recommends that further studies conducted should interview a wider variety of focus groups to add different elements to this research and that FIRM A's small business department's offerings do not align with what Maaori want so need to be rethought to adapt to Maaor expectations

Expanding the education role to narrow the audit expectation gap: exploring the expectation gap’s existence among accounting students

Society perceives and expects more from auditor’s than what auditors can actually achieve. Society has been found to misperceive the role of an auditor, in particular, in regards to fraud, internal controls and going concern issues. Society’s differing perceptions and expectations of the auditing profession is known as the audit expectation gap. This study aims to explore the audit expectation gap’s existence among Wintec accounting students and the effect that education has on the audit expectation gap. This research intends to answer two research questions. First, does an audit expectation gap exist among Wintec accounting students? Second, what is the effect of education on the audit expectation gap? To answer these research questions, 20 Wintec accounting students have been interviewed. Ten students who have received an audit education, and ten students who have not received audit education. Qualitative data was collected from these interviews and analysed using a mixed methods approach. This study found that an audit education exists among Wintec accounting students. This study also found that education reduced the audit expectation gap, in particular, the deficient performance gap and the communication gap. However, while education did reduce the audit expectations gap, it was not eliminated. This study recommends that Wintec provides a more basic auditing education during introductory accounting papers, educating students on the role of an auditor. This study also recommends that education focuses on the practical use of an audit report, to increase student’s understandings of the information in the audit report, and how this information is communicated. Thus, the researcher believes that these recommendations will help to further reduce the audit expectation

Analysis and optimization of distribution logistics for Just Water Company

This report details the various factors that affect the operational efficiency of distribution logistics. The research aimed at studying the existing components involved in the distribution logistics of Just Water. Distribution logistics begins at the end of the production line where the finished product is emerged until it reaches the customers. The literature review explains the key components of distribution logistics in an organisation. This research analyses the existing components of the distribution logistics of Just Water and discusses possible improvements that can be adapted to increase the overall efficiency of the distribution logistics operation. The background of the research is that Just Water faces difficulty with delivering its products on time during peak seasons. The research tries to unveil the reason for this delay and finds that the demands for extra water-out deliveries are interfering with the normal runs of the trucks, therein delaying their regular schedule. One another cause was found to be the shortage of supplies due to slow or less return logistics. The research suggests a change in the existing drop shipping distribution model and recommends the adaptation of intermediary or multi-stage distribution networks, possibly the ‘Last Mile Delivery’ configuration in order to reduce delivery lead-time, reduce transportation costs and improve customer satisfaction

Investigating e-fulfilment in Gulf Cooperation Council business-to-consumer markets

Paper presented at 20th ISL, 5th – 8th July 2015, Bologna Italy This paper reports on a literature review and research objective development pertaining to a current PhD research project on electronic commerce (EC), specifically e-fulfilment, in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) business-to-consumer markets (B2C). The increase in the number of Internet users and GCC government investment has prompted this research to investigate how EC firms provide e-fulfilment services and what kind of logistical processes they implement. This research has also been motivated to explore e-fulfilment logistics in GCC countries, which have similar language, religion and beliefs. The overarching aim of this study is to suggest new strategies to make EC and e-fulfilment more efficient, effective and relevant in GCC countries. The study has the following three research objectives: 1. To investigate extant electronic commerce (EC) and related e-fulfilment logistics processes in GCC B2C markets; 2. To explore differences between international and GCC e-fulfilment purchase and delivery methods; and 3. To determine the extent of a cultural effect on e-fulfilment process in the GCC. This study investigates three categories of actors: pure player (PP) and multi-channel (MC) e-stores, third-party logistics (3PL) service providers, and consumers from different cities within the six GCC countries (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or KSA, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates or UAE, and Bahrain)

Marketers’ Use Of Alternative Front-Of-Package Nutrition Symbols: An Examination Of Effects On Product Evaluations

How front-of-package (FOP) nutrition icon systems affect product evaluations for more and less healthful objective nutrition profiles is a critical question facing food marketers, consumers, and the public health community. We propose a conceptually-based hierarchical continuum to guide predictions regarding the effectiveness of several FOP systems currently used in the marketplace. In Studies 1a and 1b, we compare the effects of a broad set of FOP icons on nutrition evaluations linked to health, accuracy of evaluations, and purchase intentions for a single product. Based on these findings, Studies 2 and 3 test the effects of two conceptually-different FOP icon systems in a retail laboratory in which consumers make comparative evaluations of multiple products at the retail shelf. While there are favorable effects of each system beyond control conditions with no FOP icons, results show that icons with an evaluative component that aid consumers’ interpretations generally provide greater benefits (particularly in product comparison contexts). We offer implications for consumer packaged goods marketers, retailers, and the public policy and consumer health communities

CONSUMERS’ WILLINGNESS TO BUY FOOD VIA THE INTERNET: A REVIEW OF THE LITTERATURE AND A MODEL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

In the first part of the paper, existing studies on consumer propensity to buy via the Internet are reviewed in an attempt to shed light on factors explaining consumer willingness to buy food via the Internet. Following a model by Sindhav and Balazs (1999), determinants relating to medium, product, consumer, firm and environment are distinguished. In order to draw the various results together and provide a coherent framework for future research, we then propose a model which combines the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the lifestyle construct. The model can be used to analyse how beliefs affecting consumers intention to buy food via the Internet are formed and changed due to experience with such shoppingNo keywords;

Critical review of the e-loyalty literature: a purchase-centred framework

Over the last few years, the concept of online loyalty has been examined extensively in the literature, and it remains a topic of constant inquiry for both academics and marketing managers. The tremendous development of the Internet for both marketing and e-commerce settings, in conjunction with the growing desire of consumers to purchase online, has promoted two main outcomes: (a) increasing numbers of Business-to-Customer companies running businesses online and (b) the development of a variety of different e-loyalty research models. However, current research lacks a systematic review of the literature that provides a general conceptual framework on e-loyalty, which would help managers to understand their customers better, to take advantage of industry-related factors, and to improve their service quality. The present study is an attempt to critically synthesize results from multiple empirical studies on e-loyalty. Our findings illustrate that 62 instruments for measuring e-loyalty are currently in use, influenced predominantly by Zeithaml et al. (J Marketing. 1996;60(2):31-46) and Oliver (1997; Satisfaction: a behavioral perspective on the consumer. New York: McGraw Hill). Additionally, we propose a new general conceptual framework, which leads to antecedents dividing e-loyalty on the basis of the action of purchase into pre-purchase, during-purchase and after-purchase factors. To conclude, a number of managerial implementations are suggested in order to help marketing managers increase their customers’ e-loyalty by making crucial changes in each purchase stage

The Impact of Trust on Acceptance of Online Banking

Major benefits of Online Banking include for banks cost savings, and for customers convenience. Nevertheless, many people perceive Internet banking as risky. This paper introduces a tentative conceptual framework. Trust will be integrated into the Technology Acceptance Model – TAM - (Davis, 1989). Recent research showed that Trust has a striking influence on user willingness to engage in online exchanges of money and personal sensitive information. Detailed literature about Online Banking and Trust is provided. TAM is discussed in depth; external variables that are suitable for the Online Banking context is suggested. In addition the theoretical justification for the conceptual framework integration is discussed. Finally managerial implications and recommendations for Online Banking acceptance are suggested