101 research outputs found
InShopnito: an advanced yet privacy-friendly mobile shopping application
Mobile Shopping Applications (MSAs) are rapidly gaining popularity. They enhance the shopping experience, by offering customized recommendations or incorporating customer loyalty programs. Although MSAs are quite effective at attracting new customers and binding existing ones to a retailer's services, existing MSAs have several shortcomings. The data collection practices involved in MSAs and the lack of transparency thereof are important concerns for many customers. This paper presents inShopnito, a privacy-preserving mobile shopping application. All transactions made in inShopnito are unlinkable and anonymous. However, the system still offers the expected features from a modern MSA. Customers can take part in loyalty programs and earn or spend loyalty points and electronic vouchers. Furthermore, the MSA can suggest personalized recommendations even though the retailer cannot construct rich customer profiles. These profiles are managed on the smartphone and can be partially disclosed in order to get better, customized recommendations. Finally, we present an implementation called inShopnito, of which the security and performance is analyzed. In doing so, we show that it is possible to have a privacy-preserving MSA without having to sacrifice practicality
Contemporary Issues in Digital Marketing
Web-marketing;Customer services;International busines
Emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa
Text in English with abstracts in Zulu and AfrikaansDespite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the
South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’
changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of
giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised
middle class and its potential purchasing power.
This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a
general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to
these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance
sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer
behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural
measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected.
The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current
knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in
using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential
mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological
emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping
shopping decisions.
For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily
explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of
South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’
experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the
study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised
eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the
fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer
relationship management strategy.
x
Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300
retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood
among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality,
convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as
fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural
equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary
regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are
key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending
on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard,
Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable
perceptions among customers.
As Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the
South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’
changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of
giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised
middle class and its potential purchasing power.
This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a
general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to
these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance
sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer
behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural
measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected.
The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current
knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in
using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential
mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological
emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping
shopping decisions.
For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily
explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of
South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’
experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the
study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised
eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the
fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer
relationship management strategy.
x
Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300
retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood
among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality,
convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as
fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural
equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary
regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are
key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending
on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard,
Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable
perceptions among customers.
As a complement to the quantitative research phase of the study, a Self-Assessment
Manikin attitude measure was applied to a sample of 120 customers. This phase of
the study highlighted pertinent emotional elements as key mediators in securing
sustainable retail brand loyalty. In this regard, Woolworths and Pick n Pay recorded
the most favourable perceptions on four stimuli, namely quality, customer rewards,
customer care and brand logos. The study also applied eye tracking and galvanic skin response techniques to a
sample of 10 participants to determine customers’ psychophysiological reaction to
the four stimuli. Galvanic skin response findings showed that customers were
especially engaged with Spar, Shoprite/Checkers and Pick n Pay, while eye tracking
findings showed customers’ higher visual engagement with Shoprite/Checkers, Pick
n Pay and Spar.
A key overall finding of this study was the significant role of feelings and emotions in
driving customer loyalty. Retail brands lose relevance when they fail to connect
emotionally with customers, and without that emotional attachment, brands can
easily be replaced by generic imposters. A comprehensive understanding of
customer behaviour remains a quandary for marketing and business practitioners. In
an attempt to address this limitation, the current study used insights from non-verbal
attitudinal and psychophysiological measures to obtain a more comprehensive
behavioural understanding of retail customers.Nakuba imboni yezitolo ezihwebayo yaseNingizimu Afrika ibonise ukukhula
nokudlondlobala okukhulu futhi idlala indima esemqoka emnothweni wezwe,
ibhekene nezinselelo eziningana futhi ezihlukahlukene, kubandakanya indlelakuthenga
yamakhasimende eguquguqukayo kanye nalokho okulindelwe
ngamakhasimende nezimfuno zawo, ukungenisa ngezinkani kwemboni yokuhweba
nge-intanethi nobuxhakaxhaka bobuchwepheshe besimanjemanje, ukungena
kwezitolo eziyizikhondlakhondla emakethe yezitolo ezihwebayo, kanye nokukhula
kokubaluleka kwabantu abahlala emadolobheni abasesigabeni sempilo
esimaphakathi kanye namandla abo okuthenga.
Lokhu kudala ubungozi obuvamise ukuba ngaphezu kwamandla nolawulo lwezitolo
ezihwebayo. Ngakho-ke, kunomkhankaso oqhutshwa yizitolo zonkana ezihlose
ngawo ukwakha ubudlelwano namakhasimende kanye nokuqinisekisa
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ukuze zikwazi ukumelana nezimo ezikhona
esikhathini samanje embonini yezitolo ezihwebayo, futhi ekugcineni, ukuze zikwazi
ukusimamisa ibhizinisi lazo liqhubeke njalo futhi likhule lidlondlobale. Kuphawulekile
emibhalweni efundiwe ukuthi ukuqonda kanye nolwazi olujulile olukhona
njengamanje mayelana nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende eNingizimu Afrika
emkhakheni wezitolo ezihwebayo ikakhulukazi kuwumphumela wokukalwa kwezinga
lokuthatha izinqumo ngobuhlakani nokwenza izinto emva kokucabangisisa, kepha-ke
ngakolunye uhlangothi kuvamise ukushaywa indiva ukwenza izinto
kwamakhasimende ngaphandle kokuqaphela nokucophelela futhi ngokuthathela
izinto phezulu noma ngaphandle kokucabangisisa ngalokho akwenzayo. Lolu cwaningo okubikwa ngalo kulo mbiko wocwaningo luzamile ukubhekana naleli
gebe elikhona njengamanje eliphathelene nokuntuleka kolwazi. Lolu cwaningo
lwamanje lufaka isandla esinohlonze kanye nemibono ephusile olwazini olukhona,
ngokusebenzisa amathuluzi asekelayo ajwayelekile kanye nalawo asebenzisa
ubuchwepheshe bokukala ukusebenza kwengqondo, ngaphansi kwedizayini
yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana
kwazo, ngenhloso yokukala imizwa ezwakaliswa ngomlomo, ngezenzo noma
ngeminyakazo yomzimba, okuyinto ebonisa izimo nezici-bunjalo ezisemqoka futhi
ezinomthelela omkhulu eziphathelene nokusebenza kwengqondo kanye nemizwa,
okuyizona ezilawula izinqumo zamakhasimende eziphathelene nokuthenga. Ngenhloso yokuqonda ngokuphelele ukuziphatha kwamakhasimende, lolu cwaningo
lwacubungula futhi lwahlaziya ikakhulukazi izici-bunjalo zemizwa elawula
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende embonini yezitolo ehlelekile yaseNingizimu
Afrika. Ukuze kucutshungulwe futhi kuchazwe kokubili izinhlobo zezitolo kanye
nezimo ahlangabezane nazo amakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezenza
amakhasimende athembeke esitolo esithile futhi athenge kusona ngaso sonke
isikhathi, isigaba socwaningo esiphathelene nolwazi oluphathekayo nolubonakalayo
sasebenzisa idizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza
izinto ngokulandelana kwazo. Le dizayini beyibandakanya ama-semi-structured
interviews enziwa nababambiqhaza bocwaningo abayisishiyagalombili,
okuyizingxoxo ezabe zigxile ekucubunguleni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende
okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwawo kanye nendlela abuka ngayo izinto ngaphansi
kwesimo seqhingasu lokuphathwa kobudlelwano namakhasimende. Ngokususela kwimiphumela eyatholakala kwinhlolovo ebandakanya abathengi
abangama-300 okwaxoxiswana nabo ezikhungweni ezinenxanxathela yezitolo,
ucwaningo lwahlonza izimo nezi-bunjalo ezikhuthaza futhi zihehe amakhasimende
okuyizona ezingasetshenziswa ukuchaza kangcono ukwethembeka
kwamakhasimende ezitolo ezithile, okuyikhwalithi yomkhiqizo, ukufinyeleleka kalula
kwendawo lapho kutholakala khona isitolo, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende,
imikhiqizo ehlukahlukene kanye nokutholakala kwayo, ngokunjalo namanani-ntengo
angambi eqolo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela eyatholakala ohlaziyweni
lwezinqumo ezithathwe ngokubheka ubufakazi kanye nokuqonda okujulile (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling kanye ne-multivariate
binary regression analysis) yabonisa ukuthi ukwethenjwa kohlobo lomkhiqizo,
ukukhanga nokuthandeka komkhiqizo kanye nokwethembeka okuphathelene
nendlela-kubuka kuyizibikezeli ezisemqoka zokuziphatha kwamakhasimende
okuhambisana nokwethembeka emikhiqizweni ethile. Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho,
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende kuyehluka, futhi lokhu kuncike ekuhehelekeleni
kwamakhasimende ezitolo enkulu ezihloliwe. Mayelana nalokhu-ke, abakwa-Pick n
Pay, Massmart kanye nabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers yizona zitolo ezibonise
ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende. Njengendlela yokweseka nokunezezela phezu kwesigaba socwaningo
olukhwantithethivu olwenziwe, kwasetshenziswa isikali sendlela-kubuka esibizwa
nge-Self-Assessment Manikin kwisampula yamakhasimende ayi-120. Lesi sigaba
socwaningo saqhakambisa izimo nezici-bunjalo eziphathelene nemizwa ezifanelekile
njengezinto ezisemqoka kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende
esitolo esithile ngokuqhubekayo. Mayelana nalokhu, abakwa-Woolworths kanye
nabakwa-Pick n Pay babonisa ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende mayelana
nezici-bunjalo ezihehayo futhi ezikhuthazayo ezine, okuyikhwalithi, imivuzo
yamakhasimende, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende kanye nemibala egqamile,
igama elidumile nezimpawu zesitolo. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa futhi nezindlela zokucwaninga eziphathelene nokulandela
umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende kanye nezimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende
ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo, okuyizindlela zocwaningo
ezasetshenziswa kubabambiqhaza bocwaningo abayi-10 ngenhloso yokuhlonza
indlela-kusabela kwamakhasimende ephathelene nengqondo nomzimba kulezi zicibunjalo
ezikhuthazayo futhi ezihehayo ezine ezishiwo ngenhla. Imiphumela yendlela
yocwaningo ebheka izimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni
semizimba yawo yabonisa ukuthi amakhasimende ahehelekela ikakhulukazi
kwabakwa-Spar, Shoprite/Checkers kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay, kanti ngakolunye
uhlangothi imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka futhi ilandele umkhondo
wamehlo amakhasimende yabonisa ukuheheka kwamehlo okuphakeme ezitolo
zabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay kanye nabakwa-Spar. Umphumela omkhulu futhi osemqoka otholakale kulolu cwaningo yindima ebaluleke
kakhulu edlalwa yimizwa ekukhuthazeni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende. Izitolo
zilahlekelwa yiwozawoza yazo kumakhasimende uma zihluleka ukuxhumana
namakhasimende ngokwemizwa, futhi ngaphandle kwalokho kuxhumana
ngokwemizwa nokuzwana, izitolo zingazithola kalula zisesimweni lapho indawo yazo
isithathwe yizitolo-mbumbulu ezingosandanezwe. Ukuqondakala okuphelele
kwendlela aziphatha ngayo amakhasimende futhi enza ngayo izinto kusalokhu
kuyinkinga nesithiyo esikhulu kwizazi nezisebenzi ezenza umsebenzi wokukhangisa
nokuqhuba ibhizinisi. Njengomzamo wokubhekana nalesi sithiyo, lolu cwaningo
lusebenzise ulwazi nokuqonda okujulile okutholakale kwizikali zendlela-kubuka
yamakhasimende kanye nezikali zesimo sengqondo nesomzimba samakhasimende
ukuze kutholakale ukuqonda okuphelele futhi okujulile okuphathelene nokuziphatha
kwamakhasimende athenga ezitolo kanye nendlela enza ngayo izinto.Ondanks sy stewige groei en aansienlike bydrae tot die landsekonomie, het die
Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsbedryf met verskeie uitdagings te kampe. Veranderinge
in kliënte se koopgewoontes en verwagtings, groeiende e-handel,
reusekleinhandelaars wat die kleinhandelsmark betree, die toenemende invloed van
die verstedelikte middelklas en sy potensiële koopkrag is enkele hiervan.
Dit gee aanleiding tot risiko’s wat grotendeels buite die beheer van kleinhandelaars
is. As gevolg van die hedendaagse dinamiek in die bedryf, poog kleinhandelsmerke
om kliëntlojaliteit te verstewig en hulle eie volhoubaarheid te verseker. Dit blyk uit die
literatuur dat die kleinhandelsektor se siening van kliëntgedrag in Suid-Afrika op die
meting van rasionele gedrag berus, en dat die onbewuste gedrag van kliënte
verontagsaam word. Hierdie tesis doen verslag van ʼn studie om hierdie leemte in die huidige kennis te
probeer aanvul. Dit lewer ʼn bydrae deur aanvullende tradisionele en
neurobemarkingsinstrumente in ʼn opeenvolgende gemengde metode as
navorsingsbenadering te gebruik. Verbale, nieverbale en fisiologiese emosies is
gemeet aangesien hulle die kognitiewe en emotiewe faktore is wat inkopiebesluite
bepaal. Hierdie studie het hoofsaaklik die emosionele antesedente van kliëntlojaliteit in die
Suid-Afrikaanse formele kleinhandelsbedryf verken om ʼn grondige begrip van
kliëntgedrag te kry. Ten einde kleinhandelsmerke en kliënte se ervarings van die
drywers van kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit te beskryf en te verken, is ʼn opeenvolgende
gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp gevolg. Dit het uit agt halfgestruktureerde,
private onderhoude bestaan. Hierin is gekonsentreer op die grondslae van gedragsen
houdingslojaliteit teen die agtergrond van ʼn kliënteverhoudingsbestuurstrategie. Op grond van die bevindings van ʼn kwantitatiewe winkelsentrumopname onder 300
kleinhandelskliënte, is die motiveringsfaktore met die grootste waarskynlikheid
aangetoon. Hulle is produkgehalte, ʼn gerieflike ligging, kliëntesorg,
produkverskeidenheid, beskikbaarheid en billike pryse, en bied die aanneemlikste
verklaring vir kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Volgens die bevindings van die inferensiële
ontleding (struktuurvergelykingmodellering, tweestaptrosontleding, optimale
skalering en meerveranderlike binêre regressieanalise) is merkvertroue, merkaffek
en houdingslojaliteit betroubare aanwysers van bedragslojaliteit. Afgesien hiervan
verskil kliëntlojaliteit na gelang van kliëntpredisposisie jeens kleinhandelsmerke wat
getoets is. Kliënte was vir vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg
en merklogo’s) die ontvanklikste vir Pick n Pay, Massmart en Shoprite/Checkers. Aanvullend tot die kwalitatiewe navorsingsfase van hierdie studie is ʼn
selfasseringsmodelhoudingmeting op ʼn steekproef van 120 kliënte toegepas. Hierdie
fase het die aandag gevestig op pertinente emosionele elemente as
sleuteltussengangers in die opwekking van volhoubare kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Vir
die vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) was
kliënte se persepsies van Woolworths en Pick n Pay die gunstigste. Hierbenewens is oogvolg- en galvaniese velreaksietegnieke op ʼn steekproef van 10
deelnemers toegepas om hulle psigofisiologiese reaksie op die vier stimuli te bepaal.
Die galvaniese velreaksietoetse het aangedui dat kliënte besonder ontvanklik was vir
Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay, en volgens die oogvolgtoetse visueel meer
aangetrokke tot Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay was.
Hierdie studie het bevind dat emosies in die algemeen ʼn deurslaggewende rol in
kliëntlojaliteit speel. Kleinhandelsmerke raak irrelevant as hulle nie ʼn emosionele
band met kliënte smee nie. Sonder hierdie emosionele verbintenis kan generiese
bedrieërs maklik die plek van kleinhandelsmerke inneem. Bemarkings- en
sakepraktisyns het nie ʼn deeglike begrip van kliëntgedrag nie. Om dit reg te stel, het
hierdie studie nieverbale houdings- en psigofisiologiese toetse toegepas om die
gedrag van kleinhandelskliënte beter te begryp.Business ManagementD. Com. (Business Management
Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns
Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse
Using eCommerce to Improve Product Marketing and Profitability in Nigeria
Small and medium enterprises in Nigeria rarely use eCommerce, which has led to lagging market shares and profitability compared to firms in other countries that use eCommerce. Approximately 90% of boutique fashion businesses shut down their businesses due to the inability to operate outside their business location. The social exchange theory was used in this multiple case study to explore how some small business owners in the boutique fashion industry use eCommerce to improve product marketing and profitability in Nigeria. The target population for this study was 5 fashion boutique owners based in Lagos State, Nigeria with a significant record of profitability by using eCommerce in product marketing. The data collection was through semistructured face-to-face interviews with 5 business leaders; each from different fashion boutiques in Lagos. Data collected was first coded to maintain confidentiality of participants, the digital recordings was transcribed into a Microsoft word document, and Nvivo 10 software was used to analyze and generate emerging themes. The data analysis was supported by methodological triangulation and member checking to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretations. Two of the themes that emerged from the study were generating sales to improve profitability and strategic store locations. Use of eCommerce may contribute to social change through an increase in successful startups, increased employment, and the positive impact such companies have in the societies and communities they operate. Leveraging eCommerce may enable small- and medium-sized enterprise leaders to operate sustainable businesses
Who are we and how do we fit in? – Fostering international students’ positive identity and sense of belonging in British society.
This is an extended conference abstract for the Netnocon 2024 Conference.N/
The ‘Big Four’ price promotions in predicting decision utility and efficacy
One way that retailers help the consumer make choices is via promotions – price framing methods that explicitly offer a price reduction of value for money off the regular retail price (RRP). However, there is a growing body of research that has indicated that merely the word ‘promotion’ or ‘deal’ can increase purchase intentions despite the deal offering no savings. Despite these findings, almost no research has quantifiably considered which, how and to what extent different promotional methods can bias decisions. Furthermore, very little is known about how consumers go about making promotional decisions or which psychological factors impact the decision-making process. Considering a broad range of decision-making frameworks and psychological theories, this thesis aims to explore the extent that promotional practices influence decision-making outcomes. Furthermore, it will consider how psychological traits like financial literacy, experience and brand relationships moderate any found effects. To achieve these objectives the effect of the four most common promotional practices on decision utility will be tested in light of: the previous literature on decision-making and promotions (Chapter 1); expert interviews describing the traits or behaviours important in developing promotional strategies (Chapter 2); the effect of information processing on promotional decision making (Chapter 3); how prices are internalised (Chapter 4); and consumer relationships (Chapter 5). Finally, the results of each chapter will be used to create and test a framework of promotional decision-making. Creating and testing this framework in an experimental and more ecologically valid setting, i.e. a virtual supermarket will be the sole purpose of Chapter 6. The aim of creating and validating the framework will be to significantly contribute to: academia, by adding some novel research to the growing promotional literature; and practice, by considering how the practices specific effects to decision making can impact fair pricing practices and consumer education
Determinants of Brand Sensitivity in Organizational Buying Contexts
Business-to-business (B2B) marketing practitioners are increasingly relying on branding strategies though academic researchers have been slow to study branding in organizational contexts. By integrating existing conceptual models and research findings, this study examines the noteworthy differences between the B2B and the consumer market contexts and the implications of those differences on the formulation of B2B brand strategies. We introduce a conceptual model that suggests the conditions that are likely to increase or decrease organizations’ propensity to select branded products versus lesser-known or generic products when selecting suppliers, otherwise referred to as brand sensitivity. The proposed model is grounded in risk theory and posits that buying center, purchase situation, and product/relationship variables influence an organization’s brand sensitivity. Finally, we present the findings and implications of the multi-method research approach that was utilized to test the model of the determinants of brand sensitivity in organizational buying contexts. Results suggest that the level of intangibility is the key determinant of brand sensitivity in such settings
A Qualitative Investigation of Polish Consumers’ Retail Experiences during the Transitional Period: 1989-2001
The general objective of this dissertation is to investigate the most current phenomenon in the Polish retail environment and the recent Polish consumers’ retail experience. Specifically, by examining information search behavior, shopping behavior, and post-purchase behavior, themes emerged in terms of how the changes in the retail environment influenced the patronage and consumption behavior of Polish consumers. An exploratory research approach is used to conduct this research due to the lack of existing knowledge on Polish consumers and the ever-changing nature of the market environment in Poland. Moreover, qualitative research method with naturalistic inquiry was used to present the Polish consumers’ point of view on their retail experiences.
The data are analyzed in two simultaneous stages: 1) an open coding analysis, and 2) a thematic analysis. The findings indicate that Polish consumers shopping behavior as well as consumption behavior have been influenced by the dramatic changes in the retail environment, retail experiences in the past, and the time perception. The data appear to provide empirical evidence that the changes in time perception appear to have an impact on Polish consumers’ consumption behavior. The findings also present that Polish consumers may have adapted the retail environment under free market economy but their attitudes and behaviors remain to be heavily influenced by their retail experiences under the planned economy.
This research presents a contribution to the body of knowledge by taking a significant step and addressing several untapped issues. This research provides a theoretical foundation for better understanding of Polish consumers’ attitudes and behaviors, which is beyond the descriptive information presented by the previous studies. For practitioners, this research highlights the need for better understanding of consumers in countries undergoing political and economic transition in order to achieve the promising performance by formulating and implementing the sufficient retail strategies. Replication of the study on consumers in the other parts of Poland would further strengthen the conclusions. Future research should also explore the alternative research methods due to the nature of the unknown group of consumers. Following research topics are also suggested for the further investigation: 1) effectiveness of retailer’s advertising/promotion campaigns in Polish market; 2) Polish consumer’s in-store shopping behavior; 3) search behavior; 4) influence of time perception on purchase behavior; and 5) conceptualization of Polish consumer satisfaction response to retail experience
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