“Us” to co-create value and hate “them”: examining the interplay of consumer-brand identification, peer identification, value co-creation among consumers, competitor brand hate and individualism

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of identity-based relationships, customer brand identification and peer identification, in driving customer outcomes including customer experiential hedonic value, social influence and repurchase intentions through the effects on value co-creation among customers and competitor brand hate, while taking into consideration the moderating impact of individualism. Design/methodology/approach The study integrates social identity theory, identity-based marketing perspective and self-construal theory to develop relationships. The data comprises a web-based survey of customers in the USA and was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Customer brand identification and peer identification are drivers of value co-creation among customers, which leads to favorable outcomes at the customer and brand levels. Customer brand identification drives customers to hate competing brands, which, in turn, motivates customers to exert social influence in favor of their brand and to hold additional repurchase intentions. Customer brand identification and peer identification play different roles in motivating customers to co-create value with their fellows and drive customers to feel hatred toward competing brands contingent on customer individualism. Research limitations/implications Customer brand identification and peer identification play different roles in engaging customers in value co-creation with their peers and competing brands have with their rivals. Individualism self-construal holds a dual role when interacting with customer identification. The study fills multiple gaps in the literature by examining additional effects of customer brand identification and peer identification and exploring a relatively new dimension of the value co-creation process, as well as the role of customers in the competition between brands. Practical implications Brands need to view customers who identify with them as socially active customers capable of participating in value co-creation with other customers and engaging in the rivalry faced by the brands. Moreover, brands are required to build and nurture relationships that are based on social identification to encourage customer brand identification and peer identification which results in favorable customer and business outcomes. Originality/value This study examines the effects of two forms of customer identification on value co-creation between customers and competitor brand hate. In addition, it identifies the dual moderating role of customer individualism on the effects of both social identification forms. The study fills multiple gaps in the literature by understanding new aspects of customer identification, value co-creation and brand hate

Harnessing the Power Within: The Consequences of Salesperson Moral Identity and the Moderating Role of Internal Competitive Climate

The purpose of this research is to examine the notion of salesperson moral identity as a prosocial individual trait and its associated effects on customer and coworker relationships. In addition, this study examines the underlying processes in which these effects occur as well as the moderating role of internal competitive climate. Our empirical investigation of business-to-business (B2B) sales professionals reveals that moral identity has both direct and indirect effects on a salesperson’s customer- and team-directed outcomes. Specifically, our results demonstrate that salesperson moral identity positively affects both salesperson-customer identification and organizational identification, which, in turn, impact customer service provision and teamwork. Our findings also indicate that internal competitive climate exacerbates the positive effects of salesperson moral identity on customer service provision and teamwork

Light at the end of the tunnel: Visitors\u27 virtual reality (versus in-person) attraction site tour-related behavioral intentions during and post-COVID-19

Consumer behavior is changing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus compelling attraction sites to find new ways of offering safe tours to visitors. Based on protection motivation theory, we develop and test a model that examines key drivers of visitors\u27 COVID-19-induced social distancing behavior and its effect on their intent to use virtual reality-based (vs. in-person) attraction site tours during and post-COVID-19. Our analyses demonstrate that visitor-perceived threat severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy raise social distancing behavior. In turn, social distancing increases (decreases) visitors\u27 intent to use virtual reality (in-person) tours during the pandemic. We find social distancing to boost visitors\u27 demand for advanced virtual tours and to raise their advocacy intentions. Our results also reveal that social distancing has no effect on potential visitors\u27 intent to use virtual reality vs. in-person tours post-the pandemic. We conclude by discussing vital implications that stem from our analyses

Consumers’ health-locus-of-control and social distancing in pandemic-based e-tailing services

Purpose COVID-19 and its precautions, including social distancing, have revolutionized traditional retailing- and consumption patterns. In this turbulent environment, the purpose of this study is twofold. First, this paper explores the direct effect of consumers’ internal/external health locus-of-control on their hygiene consciousness, which, in turn, affects their social distancing behavior. Second, this study posits that social distancing, in turn, impacts consumers’ current online grocery shopping behavior and their future online grocery shopping intentions, thus uncovering important insight. Design/methodology/approach To address these gaps, this paper develops a model that links consumers’ internal/external health locus-of-control to their adoption of e-tailing-based grocery services. Data collected through a web-based survey was analyzed by using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that consumers’ health locus-of-control indirectly affects the way they shop for their groceries during the pandemic. In particular, consumers’ internal (external) health locus-of-control drives higher (lower) hygiene consciousness and greater (lower) social distancing behavior. In turn, consumers’ online grocery shopping behavior was found to increase during the pandemic, with their corresponding intent to continue this behavior in the future. Moreover, this study finds the effects of consumers’ social distancing on their current grocery shopping behavior and future intentions to be contingent on consumer age, with stronger effects identified for older consumers. Originality/value This study shows how consumers’ internal/external health loci-of-control exert opposing effects on their social distancing behavior, as mediated by hygiene consciousness. Overall, the empirical analyzes corroborate the association of consumers’ social distancing- and online grocery shopping behavior (for consumers of different age profiles), both during and after the pandemic

How does big data affect organizational financial performance in turbulent markets? The role of customer-linking and selling capabilities

The information age provides vast opportunities for organizations to improve their efficiencies by relying on big data-AI empowered analytics (BDA). The purpose of this study is to address the critical question of how BDA-fit affects organizational financial performance, taking into consideration differences between markets and customer change caused by technology turbulence. Using data collected at the firm level and building on Task- Technology Fit Theory and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, empirical results indicate that BDA-fit is important to drive organizational financial performance through the development of customer-linking and selling capabilities. These results vary across markets, with BDA-fit having stronger effects on selling capabilities and organizational financial performance in highly turbulent markets. BDA allows organizations to upturn challenges and hindrances caused by market turbulence into opportunities to increase sales revenues. Based on the findings, theoretical contributions and managerial implications are provided

Ecolabel Persuasion Effect Across Cultures: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

Purpose: Companies around the world have included ecolabels as a marketing strategy to convince consumers to choose products with lower environmental impact. However, the literature lacks a consensus on the effectiveness of ecolabels in persuading consumers to choose green products. The present meta-analysis addresses this gap by, first, evaluating the net persuasion effect of using ecolabels and, second, investigating the role of cultural orientations, operationalized at the country level, in this effect. Methodology: This cross-cultural meta-analysis analyzed data from 26,116 consumers across 18 countries, encompassing 75 papers published between 1995 and 2023. Univariate and meta-regression analyses were utilized. Findings: The results demonstrate that the presence (vs. absence) of ecolabels has a medium positive persuasion effect. Findings show cultural orientations moderate the persuasion effect of ecolabels in that the effect is stronger in countries with high power distance, individualism, masculinity (motivation towards achievement and success), and uncertainty avoidance orientation, which create contingent conditions to ecolabels’ persuasion. In addition, results show other methodological factors that affect ecolabel persuasion. Contributions and implications of the findings are discussed. Originality: This meta-analysis is distinctive for its global scope, including diverse countries and cultures. It addresses a crucial gap in ecolabel persuasion research, providing insights that reconcile discrepancies in existing studies. It offers practical implications for businesses and policymakers while laying the groundwork for future cross-cultural research in this field

Complementary effects of CRM and social media on customer co-creation and sales performance in B2B firms: The role of salesperson self-determination needs

Highlights Social media, CRM technology & social CRM enrich the knowledge of salespeople. Social media, CRM technology & social CRM support value co-creation efforts. Knowledge mediates the effects of social media, CRM technology, and social CRM. Job autonomy & sales quota ease moderate the effect of knowledge on value co-creation. Value co-creation increases sales performance. Abstract This study examines the effects of salespeople\u27s social media and customer relationship management (CRM) technology use on value co-creation through knowledge and the downstream impact on sales performance. Based on task-technology fit and self-determination theories, the findings reveal that social media, CRM technology, and their interaction support salespeople in their value co-creation efforts through the mediating role of knowledge enriched by these tools. The results indicate a significant moderating effect of salesperson job autonomy and sales quota ease in enhancing the relationship between knowledge and value co-creation. The study concludes by discussing important implications that stem from our analyses

Salesperson moral identity and value co-creation

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of salesperson moral identity centrality in value co-creation. This study identified and tested an extended identity-based formation process of selling orientation, customer orientation and value co-creation. This was accomplished by examining the role of inclusion of others in the self and circle of moral regard in the mechanism through which moral identity centrality impacts selling orientation, customer orientation and value co-creation, taking into account the contingency role of salesperson self-construal. Design/methodology/approach An extended identity-behavior model grounded in identity theory and the social-cognitive perspective of moral identity centrality was tested. The study used survey data from business-to-business salespeople. Data collected was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The results show that a central moral identity to a salesperson’s self-drives higher expansion of the salesperson’s circle of moral regard. This process facilitates the mechanisms for salesperson moral identity centrality to decrease selling orientation and increase customer orientation and value co-creation, leading to higher sales performance. Independent self-construal is found to deteriorate the positive effects of salesperson moral identity centrality on the inclusion of others in the self, expansion of the circle of moral regard and customer orientation. Research limitations/implications Through the conceptualized and tested framework, the study opens the door for additional research to inspect the role of moral identity centrality in sales. Practical implications Findings have implications for the human resource side of sales organizations in the areas of recruitment, mentoring, coaching and training. Moral identity centrality plays a vital role in the interface between salespeople and customers, leading to improved behavioral and sales outcomes. Sales managers must look for their salespeople’s moral identity centrality to improve morality in the attitudes and decision-making of their salesforce. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to uncover the vital impacts of salesperson moral identity centrality on selling orientation, customer orientation and value co-creation. Through the conceptualized and tested framework, the study opens the door for additional research to inspect the role of moral identity centrality in sales

Social media use in B2b sales and its impact on competitive intelligence collection and adaptive selling: Examining the role of learning orientation as an enabler

Highlights Findings of the study suggest that social media is one way to enhance sales performance, but its use alone does not guarantee such enhancement. Social media use will affect performance of salespeople through affecting their competitive intelligence collection and adaptive selling. Perceived usefulness of social media was not significantly related to salesperson social media use. Results support linking collection of competitive intelligence to a salesperson’s adaptive selling behavior. Abstract This paper examines the use of social media by business-to-business (B2B) salespeople to assist in their job functions. The authors propose that a salesperson\u27s attitude toward social media usefulness, as well as a salesperson\u27s learning orientation, will influence how much a salesperson uses social media to assist in day-to-day job tasks. Additionally, the impact that the use of social media has on collecting knowledge about competitors, adapting to customers, and sales performance is considered. Accordingly, a broad literature review is provided to introduce extant theory contributing to the proposed model. The practical uses of social media by salespeople will be described, and then the theoretical foundation is built, encompassing social media use, goal orientations, and adaptive selling theory. Results of an empirical model are provided, followed by a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications

The Impact of Environment Concern and Attitude on Green Purchasing Behavior: Gender as The Moderator

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between environmental concern and attitude towards green purchasing behavior from a Lebanese consumer perspective. This study is based on socialization theory, which suggests that individual behavior is shaped by gender expectation in relation to the cultural context. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from Lebanese consumers with independent purchasing power. A total of 326 complete questionnaires were analyzed in this study. The moderating effect of gender was found to be significant and affect both environmental concern and attitude towards green purchasing behavior. The results of this study provide insights for both practitioners and scholars. The findings revealed that green marketers could benefit from increasing the level of environmental concern and attitude among both males and females. It is recommended that marketers, educators and policymakers understand the uniqueness of each market to promote green behavior. Future studies should examine the new social role of females and how it affects the green behavior. Keywords: Environmental Attitude, Environmental Concern, Gender, Green Purchasing Behavior, ECEA To cite this document: Grace K. Dagher, Omar Itani, and Abdul Nasser Kassar , The Impact of Environment Concern and Attitude on Green Purchasing Behavior: Gender as The Moderator , Contemporary Management Research, Vol.11, No.2, pp. 179-206, 2015. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/cmr.1362