Examining the influence of corporate website favourability on corporate image, corporate reputation, consumer company identification and loyalty: a study of consumers’ perception in the context of the financial setting in the United Kingdom and Russia

The main aim of this study is to add to the current knowledge about the corporate website favourability within the discipline of marketing by developing a rigorous conceptual framework of factors that influence corporate website favourability, and to explore how corporate website favourability contributes to building corporate image, corporate reputation, consumer-company identification and loyalty within the context of the financial setting in the UK and Russia. This research addresses two main questions: 1) what is the impact of the specific antecedents of corporate website favourability on corporate image, corporate reputation, consumer-company identification and loyalty? 2) what are the main favourable influences of corporate website favourability on corporate image, corporate reputation, consumer-company identification and loyalty? To achieve the goals of this research, the thesis adopts a mixed method research design - a predominantly quantitative approach, which is supported by insights from an exploratory phase that embodies in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The thesis draws on attribution, social identity and signalling theories. Based on the multi-disciplinary approach, this study resulted in the introduction of a validated conceptual framework that explains the phenomenon of corporate website favourability. The conceptual framework was supported and enhanced by a qualitative study (in-depth interviews and focus groups) that added three factors which influence corporate website favourability: customer service, website credibility and perceived corporate social responsibility. The conceptual framework was empirically evaluated through the insights from 555 questionnaires in the UK and 563 questionnaires in Russia. The sample of respondents permitted multivariate data analysis to be conducted in both contexts. The data from two contexts (consumers from HSBC in the UK and Sberbank in Russia) were analysed separately. This research employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA), cronbach’s alpha, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to ensure that the scales developed and adapted were robust in terms of validity and reliability. Afterwards, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to conduct the hypothesis testing for each context. The model confirmed a good fit to the data, good convergent, discriminant and nomological validity and stable reliability in both contexts. The proposed conceptual model showed that 17 hypotheses in the UK and 14 hypotheses in Russia were supported out of the 19 hypotheses. Thus, overall, the research framework was generally supported in both contexts. The results indicated that navigation, information, security, availability, perceived corporate social responsibility, and perceived corporate culture influence corporate website favourability in the UK and Russia. Furthermore, the findings showed that the usability factor does not influence corporate website favourability in either country. Unexpectedly, the visual, customisation, website credibility, and customer service factors were rejected in Russia, but accepted in the UK. Additionally, corporate website favourability was found to have a direct positive affect on corporate image and satisfaction in both the UK and Russia. However, the relationship between attractiveness and corporate image was only supported in Russia, and not in the UK. In addition, in both contexts, corporate image was positively related to corporate reputation, corporate reputation was positively connected to consumer-company identification, and, finally, consumer-company identification was positively related to loyalty. This study is the first systematic research which has conceptualised and operationalised the notion of corporate website favourability, its antecedents and its consequences. It is anticipated to be of value in advancing existing knowledge by proposing a threefold theoretical contribution to the literature: 1) theoretical extension (level of conceptualisation and measurement); 2) assessment of theory; and 3) investigation of generalisation. Additionally, it is hoped that the findings of this research would make a substantial managerial contribution to the understanding of marketing and communication managers and website designers regarding the entire association among corporate website favourability, its antecedents and consequence. Furthermore, it is expected that this examination will enhance the knowledge of company decision-makers, communication professionals and website specialists about the building of a favourable corporate website in line with the corporate identity strategy of the company. Corporate website favourability should be adopted by companies, as part of the overall corporate identity management

Tourist's destination image through regional tourism: from supply and demand sides perspectives

As an outcome of the phenomenal development of the place branding in the travel industry, scrutinizing its potential influences on tourism and travelers destinations is of supreme prominence. The aim of this study was to identify how branding of places influences both supply and demand sides’ perspectives, and leads to changes in travelers’ behavior towards Tatarstan, Russia. Based on 78 interviews with tourists (22), managers (34) and 3 focus groups (22), a conceptual model was designed which illustrates that the tangible and intangible factors of place identity influence archetypical nation trait and reginal place brand, which further results in a positive place image, authentic lifestyle, and entrepreneurship. Implications for tourism planning and management are provided

Horndeski Genesis: strong coupling and absence thereof

We consider Genesis in the Horndeski theory as an alternative to or completion of the inflationary scenario. One of the options free of instabilities at all cosmological epochs is the one in which the early Genesis is naively plagued with strong coupling. We address this issue to see whether classical field theory description of the background evolution at this early stage is consistent, nevertheless. We argue that, indeed, despite the fact that the effective Plank mass tends to zero at early time asymptotics, the classical analysis is legitimate in a certain range of Lagrangian parameters.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF LINGUOCULTURAL ARCHETYPES AND STEREOTYPES IN MODERN COMPARATIVISTICS

The principles of the analysis of an archetypical concept FIRE are defined in the article. Semantic, onomasiological, functional principles, on the basis of which the complex technique of reconstruction and comparison of motivational signs of its nominators are developed; among them are those which express stereotypical ideas of fire in consciousness of English and Ukrainian language native speakers

Communication skills at job interview: pedagogical insight into the problem

The aim of the study is to justify the need of teaching students how to use communicative skills in foreign language during the job interview; to demonstrate how to form the corresponding verbal competences based on the analysis of the certain communicative situation. Methods. The complex of complementary research methods are used in order to achieve the set goal: theoretical methods – analysis, synthesis, generalization of research papers; empirical methods – discourse-analysis of institutional communication; methods of data collection and storage; experimental methods – experimental learning, implementation. Results and scientific novelty. It is shown how to build up pupils’ competence of speech behavior during business dialogue, proceeding from a communicative situation. For the first time the job interview was described from the communicative point of view (strategic goals and verbal behavior of both communicators) based on the recordings of real job interviews. Practical significance. The study results presented in the paper may be used in direct teaching communicative skills at the job interview, in theoretical courses (delivering lectures on cross-cultural education, teaching foreign languages, the language of the specialty, etc.)Цель статьи – обосновать необходимость обучения студентов навыкам общения на иностранном языке во время собеседования-интервью. Методы. В исследовании применялся комплекс взаимодополняющих методов: теоретических – методов анализа, синтеза, обобщения научно-методических работ, соответствующих теме работы; эмпирических – дискурс-анализа институциональной коммуникации, сбора и накопления данных; экспериментальных – опытного обучения, внедрения. Результаты и научная новизна. На конкретных примерах показано, как формировать у учащихся компетенции речевого поведения во время делового диалога, исходя из коммуникативной ситуации. Впервые на материале серии записей реальных собеседований рассмотрена и изучена коммуникативная структура собеседования-интервью, продемонстрирован процесс выбора его участниками стратегических целей и возможных вариантов поведения. Практическая значимость. Материалы, представленные в статье, могут быть использованы в учебном процессе при непосредственном практическом обучении студентов навыкам общения на собеседовании-интервью, а также в теоретических лекционных курсах при обучении межкультурному общению, методике преподавания иностранных языков, языку специальности и т. п

K-inflation: the legitimacy of classical treatment

In this paper we consider general theory of k-inlation and find out, that it may be in strong coupling regime. We derive accurate conditions of classical description validity using unitarity bounds for this model. Next, we choose simple toy model of k-inflation and obtain the explicit condition, which guarantees that the generation of perturbations is performed in a controllable way, i.e the exit from effective horizon occurs in the weak coupling regime. However, for the same toy model the corresponding experimental bounds on a non-linear parameter $f^{\text{equil}}_{\text{NL}}$ associated with non-Gaussianities of the curvature perturbation provide much stronger constraint than strong coupling absence condition. Nevertheless, for other known models of inflation this may not be the case. Generally, one should always check if classical description is legitimate for chosen models of inflation.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figure

The Philosophy of the Game in the American Ludic Novels of Pre-Digital and Digital Era

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc. by R. Coover and Remade by N. Stephenson offer differing views of the evolving concept of “game” in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The purpose of the study is to reveal the implications of the game theme in these novels as well as the transformation of the game concept in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Coover’s novel analysis in parallel to Kant’s concepts of a man’s ability for reasoning reveals how the imaginary world of the game can become selfsufficient and reduce the creator of the game to no more than one of its participants. Having got out of control the game imposes its own logic on all participants including its creator. It no longer obeys the creators will and the decision center moved to the analogue of Kant’s hypothetical super intelligence phenomenon. Stephenson’s novel offers an example of the gaming reality creation in globalization era. Stephenson’s game presents a dialectical contradiction: it replaces reality but simultaneously serves as a tool for escaping to this reality. Advanced digital technologies create the necessary gaming infrastructure and provide users with the material culture, socio-economic mechanisms for the distribution of online and offline resources, and spiritual culture. This makes the game world as a multidimensional form of reality. The survey has revealed several tendencies of digital technological development such as the set of technological tools available to the designer of the virtual world, the less this game world will differ from authentic reality. In the digital era, the online game becomes a way of active and intensive interaction with the external world rather than an escape from reality. Keywords: game, digital technologies, American literatur

Cues adopted by consumers in examining corporate website favorability: an empirical study of financial institutions in the UK and Russia

The purpose of this paper is to explore, reconcile and depict corporate website favorability (CWF), its antecedents and consequences in the financial setting in the UK and Russia context. To achieve the goals of this study, the research adopted a mixed method research design by using a survey, which is supported by insights from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied to gain insight into the various influences and relationships. The paper develops and empirically validates the framework of CWF antecedents and consequences. The paper indicates essential guidance for cross-functional managers and designers regarding the integrated and holistic utilization of building favorable corporate websites as part of the corporate identity management. The paper adds to the understanding of CWF and discusses the antecedents of CWF by drawing upon the existing literature. Furthermore, it offers possible consequences of CWF and provides a framework for future testing