The effect of social media communication on consumer perceptions of brands

Researchers and brand managers have limited understanding of the effects social media communication has on how consumers perceive brands. We investigated 504 Facebook users in order to observe the impact of firm-created and user-generated social media communication on brand equity, brand attitude and purchase intention by using a standardized online survey throughout Poland. To test the conceptual model, we analyzed 60 brands across three different industries: non-alcoholic beverages, clothing and mobile network operators. When analyzing the data, we applied the structural equation modeling technique to both investigate the interplay of firm-created and user-generated social media communication and examine industry-specific differences. The results of the empirical studies showed that user-generated social media communication had a positive influence on both brand equity and brand attitude, whereas firm-created social media communication affected only brand attitude. Both brand equity and brand attitude were shown to have a positive influence on purchase intention. In addition, we assessed measurement invariance using a multi-group structural modeling equation. The findings revealed that the proposed measurement model was invariant across the researched industries. However, structural path differences were detected across the models

Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction and Its Level among the Mobile Customers in United Kingdom (UK)

In the present days of market economy, proliferation of ICT, convergence of technology and perceptual changes in the mind set of the new generations it is becoming crucial to maintain customer satisfaction. The behavioural footing in customer satisfaction management and maintenance it is becoming important to identify the important factors effecting customer satisfaction. In this research I have found that customer satisfaction level varies among brands of mobile operators and it is seen that a significant number of the young and also the matured are using more than one SIM. It is also found that Service quality, Perceived Value, Price Fairness, Customer Service, Complaint Handling, Trustworthiness, Internal Satisfaction, Knowledge on Customer needs and wants, demographics, and image etc. affect customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction can give loyal customers and helps in customer retention, which ultimately gives profitable customers.Among the respondents female were comparatively higher than male. Among the present network used by the respondents O2 is highest and followed by Vodafone and Orange. 95% were found to be using mobile and 52% of them use more than one SIM. In case of performance the respondents viewed Vodafone as the top performer in case of Service Quality, and Marketing Communication, whereas, Virgin performed best in case of Customer Care. In all the three parameters of Service Quality, Customer Care, and Marketing Communication Orange performed on the second levels than Vodafone and Virgin. O2 performed third in case of Service Quality, and Marketing Communication. Keywords: Customer satisfaction, ICT, Mobile Company, United Kingdom, etc

Customer relationship management with perspective to Indian Mobile Industry and its Statistical Analysis

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Mode-agnostic mobility contracts: identifying broker/aggregator models for delivering mobility as a service (MaaS)

Mobility as a service (MaaS) promises a bold new future where bundled public transport and shared mobility options will provide consumers with seamless mobility on par with and exceeding that of private vehicle ownership. Whilst there is a growing body of work examining the market and end user demand for MaaS, there remains a limited understanding of the supply-side around new business models for delivering these integrated mobility services. Mobility broker/aggregator models have been proposed, but to date there exists no quantitative evidence to empirically test the conditions around which interested businesses might invest or supply in this new entrepreneurial model. In this paper, we propose the idea of mode-agnostic mobility contracts as the interface for bringing together specialised businesses as part of the new MaaS ecosystem. We identify the relevant attributes and attribute levels defining these contracts through an extensive interview and participatory research program with key stakeholders including MaaS operators, conventional transport operators, public transport authorities and consultancies, with a focus in the Nordic countries where such schemes are presently well advanced. These mobility contracts were then incorporated as part of a stated choice survey, and we document the face-to-face pilot used to finesse the survey instrument prior to the main survey. A preliminary mixed logit choice model based on collected data (n=202) is presented to showcase the potential of our stated preference survey to reveal what the market is willing to deliver in terms of MaaS and how the future service delivery ecosystem might look

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN ROMANIA

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main opportunities and limitations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The survey was defined with the aim to involve the highest possible number of relevant CSR topics and give the issue a more wholesome perspective. It provides a basis for further comprehension and deeper analyses of specific CSR areas. The conditions determining the success of CSR in Romania have been defined in the paper on the basis of the previously cumulative knowledge as well as the results of various researches. This paper provides knowledge which may be useful in the programs promoting CSR.Corporate social responsibility, Supportive policies, Romania

Building knowledge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote tourism: lessons from comparable tourism initiatives around the world

This report aims to build knowledge about what issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may need to consider in remote tourism by reviewing, compiling and drawing insights from comparable tourism initiatives around the world.The report is based on information from a range of sources that highlight remote tourism issues at many different levels of strategy and development , from the micro level of ensuring engagement with local service providers, to the broad level of collaboration strategies with diverse interest groups. The examples identify a wealth of remote tourism roles available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, demonstrating that remote tourism is complicated and people should examine which roles are appropriate and achievable.The report covers the main remote area landscape settings: remote arid and semi-arid areas (deserts), remote rainforests, remote high altitude mountainous areas, and remote cold and warm water islands. Each section discusses a collection of cases and other tourism initiatives by people s indigenous to the respective remote landscape settings. Many cases illustrate the desires of people around the world to preserve natural and cultural qualities while sharing remote areas through tourism. Summaries from each case identify issues that progressively build further insight into the challenges and strategies people from around the world have applied to remote tourism.A limitation of the report is that the review provides a snapshot of remote tourism activity throughout the world; it has not been able to say which of these activities are sustainable. Nevertheless, this approach uncovers the gravity of challenges faced by Indigenous peoples around the world involved in remote tourism, with the common dependence on external sources particularly noted. While presenting the strategies used in the various international contexts to contend with the challenges, the report suggests that local knowledge and insight cannot be underestimated as a major factor in developing successful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism businesses

EFFECTS OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS VARIATIONS ON LOYALTY AMONG FAST FOOD CONSUMERS IN MAKURDI METROPOLIS

The study examined the effects of product characteristics variation on loyalty among fast food consumers in Makurdi metropolis. Each of the products was varied at three levelsas follows: quality; increase quality, maintain quality, decrease quality, price; increase price, maintain price, decrease price, size; increase size, maintain size, decrease size. A 3x3x3 factorial experimental design was adopted involving 27 experimental conditions which were made by combining the three levels of each independent variable. Four hypotheses were tested in the study. The study population was 24,183 undergraduate students of Benue State University Makurdi who are consumers of fast food products. The sample of 270 participants was selected through stratified and systematic sampling techniques. Purposive selection technique was used to select five faculties of Benue State University Makurdi. Data were collected through an instrument named ‘Consumer Product Loyalty Inventory’ (CPLI). Validity of the manipulated experimental conditions was done using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) which showed that the manipulations made were actually effective and perceived by the respondents as intended. The 3-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for data analysis, with scores of the pre-manipulated product loyalty scale used as covariate. Fisher’s Least Square Difference (LSD) was used to determine the specific effect in the mean differences of product variation on product loyalty. Results revealed that there was significant effect of quality variation on product loyalty among fast food consumers in Makurdi metropolis [F, (2,270) = 174.150, p = 0.000<0.001] and accounting for about 70 percent (eta-squared = 0.698) variance in consumer loyalty, with increase quality being the most effective. There was significant main effect of price variation on product loyalty among fast food consumers in Makurdi metropolis[F, (2,270) = 33.116, p = 0.000<0.001] and accounting for about 32 percent (eta-squared = 0.318) variance in consumer loyalty with decrease price being the most effective. There was significant effect of size variation on product loyalty among fast food consumers in Makurdi metropolis [F, (2, 270) = 55.124, p = 0.000<0.001] and accounting for about 48 percent (eta-squared = 0.475) variance in consumer loyalty, with increase size being the most effective. There was a significant interactional effect of product variation on product loyalty among fast food consumers in Makurdi metropolis [F, (6, 270) = 7.193, p = 0.000<0.001] and accounting for about 14 percent (eta-squared = 0.135), with increase price, size and quality as the most effective. The study recommended that in order to achieve high loyalty levels, fast food restaurants have three viable options to leverage on: either to simultaneously increase price, size and quality; or to simultaneously maintain size, decrease price and increase quality; or simultaneously maintain size, decrease price and maintain quality. When there is rising cost of raw materials; the most viable option for the operators is to simultaneously decrease size, increase price and increase quality to maximize profit