The Path to Purchase during Shopping

Increasingly shopping behaviour is being seen from the holistic perspective of the entire shopping experience. The experiential view of shopping takes a far more holistic approach to the consumption process, right from involvement to post purchase usage. The decision making process and value perceptions could vary depending on individual shopping orientations, the cultural orientations as well as the economic and competitive environment in which the consumer shops (Woodruffe, Eccles and Elliott, 2002). This study will attempt to understand the impact of the major factors on the purchase behaviour of shoppers by examining purchase paths across different product categories signifying different shopping orientations; across culturally distinct regions; and across different stages of retail evolution.

Spatial patterns of knowledge-intensive business services in cities of various sizes, morphologies and economies

We compare intra-urban localization patterns of advertising and IT companies in three large Czech cities. The main aim of our analysis is an empirically-based contribution to the question to what extent do knowledge bases affect the spatial distribution of various knowledge-intensive business industries. The central research question is: To what extent is the localization of these two industries influenced by different modes of innovation/knowledge bases (symbolic vs. synthetic) and to what extent by contextual factors, such as urban size, morphology, position in the urban hierarchy and economic profile of the given city. We found that the urban contexts shape the localization patterns of advertising and IT companies more than differences in knowledge bases-both industries cluster primarily in the inner cities and urban cores. Formation of more suburban IT "scientific neighborhoods" is limited.Web of Science125art. no. 184

The impact of brand communication on brand equity through Facebook

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to fill the gap in the discussion of the ways in which firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication impacts consumer-based brand equity metrics through Facebook. Design/methodology/approach: We evaluated 302 data sets that were generated through a standardized online-survey to investigate the impact of firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication on brand awareness/associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty across 60 brands within three different industries: non-alcoholic beverages, clothing, and mobile network providers. We applied structural equation modeling techniques (SEM) to investigate the effects of social media brand communication on consumers’ perception of brand equity metrics, as well as in an examination of industry-specific differences. Findings: The results of our empirical studies showed that both firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication influence brand awareness/associations; whereas, user-generated social media brand communication had a positive impact on brand loyalty and perceived brand quality. Additionally, there are significant differences between the industries being investigated. Originality/value: This article is pioneering in that it exposes the effects of two different types of social media brand communication (i.e., firm-created and user-generated social media communication) on consumer-based brand equity metrics, a topic of relevance for both marketers and scholars in the era of social media. Additionally, it differentiates the effects of social media brand communication across industries, which indicate that practitioners should implement social media strategies according to industry specifics to lever consumer-based brand equity metrics

Ambiance Factors, Emotions, and Web User Behaviour:a Model Integrating and Affective and Symbolical Approach

The present paper addresses the efficiency of manipulating music in a merchant website, and it:- proposes a review of the literature on ambiance factors in advertising & shopping behaviour, capitalizing on it to:- propose a theoretical framework that enhances our understanding of the web-user behaviour in specific ambiance factors such as music, with a specific attention devoted to his loyalty, & affiliation behaviour;- a model of is proposed.Ambiance Factors; Emotions; Fit & Symbolism; On-line Behaviour

The effect of context clutter and advertising repetition on attitudinal and behavioral changes toward an online advertisement.

Ng Wing Kei.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-81).Abstracts in English and Chinese.Chapter Chapter One --- IntroductionChapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- The Present Study --- p.4Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature ReviewChapter 2.1 --- The Internet as an Advertising Medium --- p.5Chapter 2.2 --- Advertising Hierarchy of Effects and Internet Advertising Effectiveness --- p.9Chapter 2.3 --- Effect of Context on Advertising Effectiveness --- p.14Chapter 2.4 --- Effect of Clutter on Advertising --- p.18Chapter 2.5 --- Effect of Advertising Repetition --- p.23Chapter Chapter Three --- HypothesesChapter 3.1 --- Primary Hypotheses --- p.28Main Effect of Clutter on Advertising EffectivenessChapter - --- Main Effect of Advertising Repetition on Advertising EffectivenessChapter - --- Interaction Effect between Clutter and Advertising Repetition on Advertising EffectivenessChapter 3.2 --- Secondary Hypotheses --- p.32Chapter - --- Relationship between Attitude toward the Web page and Constructs of Advertising Hierarchy of EffectsChapter Chapter Four --- MethodologyChapter 4.1 --- Operational Definitions of Variables --- p.33Chapter 4.2 --- Pre-Test --- p.38Chapter 4.3 --- Design and Stimuli --- p.40Chapter Chapter Five --- FindingsChapter 5.1 --- Number of Valid Responses --- p.43Chapter 5.2 --- Reliability of Measures --- p.45Chapter 5.3 --- Manipulation Check --- p.47Chapter 5.4 --- Data Analysis --- p.48Chapter 5.5 --- Primary Findings --- p.49Chapter 5.6 --- Secondary Findings --- p.57Chapter 5.7 --- Summary of Findings --- p.58Chapter Chapter Six --- Discussion and ConclusionChapter 6.1 --- Discussion of Findings --- p.61Chapter 6.2 --- Limitations and Future Research --- p.68Chapter 6.3 --- Conclusion --- p.71Reference --- p.73Chapter Appendix 1 --- Pre-Test QuestionnaireChapter Appendix 2 --- Experimental Web page (four versions)Chapter Appendix 3 --- Post-Experiment Questionnair

The Relationship between E-Marketing Strategy and Performance: A Conceptual Framework in a Web Context

While building on the contingency theory, this paper proposes a conceptual framework that links five factors: a) internal forces, b) external forces, c) past web and firm performance, d) current web and firm performance, and e) e-marketing strategy in terms of the strategy defined for the 4Ws (Web-Design, Web-Promotion, Web-Price, and Web-CRM). Future research is encouraged to build on this framework to test how internal and external forces of the firm, along with its past performance, influence the determination of e-marketing strategy and how in turn, e-marketing strategy impacts on performance at the web and firm levels.

Shifting new media: from content to consultancy, from heterarchy to hierarchy

This is a detailed case history of one of London’s iconic new media companies, AMX Studios. Some of the changes in this firm, we assume, are not untypical for other firms in this sector. Particularly we want to draw attention to two transformations. The first change in AMX and in London’s new media industry more generally refers to the field of industrial relations. What can be observed is a shift from a rather heterarchical towards a more hierarchical organized new media industry, a shift from short-term project networks to long-term client dependency. The second change refers to new media products and services. We want to argue for a shift from cool content production towards consultancy and interactive communications solutions

Guanxi, government and Corporate reputation in China: Lessons for international companies

The purpose of this paper is to explore corporate reputation in the transitional Chinese context, and to examine the impact of guanxi on reputation management. China remains a hierarchical guanxi-based society despite the rapid transition to a market-led economy. The decentralised business environment today is more complicated than that in the pre-reform era. As reputation is relationship based, guanxi is an important form of reputation capital. Corporate reputation in China is all about managing relationships with key stakeholders, the most important being the government. Government at the top level is crucial for reputation-building and deal-making. Given the idiosyncratic market conditions and differences in culture, MNCs have to adopt a localisation strategy in corporate communications, showing due respect for the local culture