Exploring relationship variables and Information and Communication Technologies use in industrial segmentation

Purpose - In tourism, the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (hereinafter ICT) and variables concerning firms' links with suppliers have been recognized as key determinants to improve companies' competitiveness. From the perspective of efficient management of company resources, segmentation has become a key tool and is particularly significant and current in the business-to-business context. The purpose of this paper is to study the segmentation of firms in the tourist industry according to perceived ICT use and relationship value and benefits. In addition, from the management approach, the authors seek to describe the segments that enable the development of differentiated strategies aimed at consolidating relationship benefits in the long term. Design/methodology/approach - Using a sample of 310 travel agencies who evaluated the relationship with their main supplier, the authors attempt to examine the utility of these variables as segmentation criteria for identifying heterogeneous groups. Findings - The estimation of a finite mixture model suggests that these bases are able to discriminate firms into four latent segments with different levels of ICT use and relationship variables. Research limitations/implications - This research contributes to the understanding of the role that ICT and relationship variables have in the segmentation processes of tourism companies. Literature on segmentation in the business-to-business (B2B) context is limited and it is hard to find studies which apply latent methodology using behavioral criteria related to the use of ICT and relationship variables. Practical implications - Segmentation of the tourism organizational market based on valuations of supplier relations and ICT use can help suppliers to design or adapt differentiation marketing strategies. Since agencies place the most value on confidence and value, tourism service suppliers should focus their efforts on improving the elements of service provision that increase perceived trust/confidence and value (i.e. growing the number of contacts, proximity to customers or sincerity, etc.). If agencies feel they can rely more on their providers, they will value their relationship more positively thereby favoring its long-term continuity. Originality/value - The novelty in this work lies in the application of latent segmentation methodology and the simultaneous use of bases associated with ICT and relationship variables in B2B tourism

Analyzing heterogeneity on the value, satisfaction, word-of-mouth relationship in retailing

Purpose - The literature recognizes the need to study differences in consumer behavior in highly competitive and dynamic markets. In this paper, the authors look at how the heterogeneous evaluation of retailing influences customer satisfaction and loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to analyze unobserved heterogeneity on customer value dimensions perceptions in retail establishments, and their potential effects on positive forms of behavioral outcomes considering customer satisfaction as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach - On a sample of 820 retail customers, the authors apply a finite mixture structural equation modeling that analyzes unobserved heterogeneity simultaneously. In this model, the authors study the influence of heterogeneous perceptions of excellence, efficiency, entertainment and aesthetics on customer satisfaction and of satisfaction on word-of-mouth (WOM) referral and WOM activity. Findings - The results show two latent segments where the intensity of causal relations varies, which means that the effect of value dimensions and satisfaction are over or underestimated when heterogeneity is ignored. Originality/value - The main value of the paper has been to analyze the potential heterogeneity of value dimensions (intravariable approach), and their links with satisfaction and some dimensions of loyalty (intervariable approach). Customer heterogeneity must be studied to understand the satisfaction process and WOM responses in order to design more efficient and effective relationship marketing strategies

The interplay between social media communication, brand equity and brand engagement in tourist destinations: An analysis in an emerging economy

The consolidation of Web 2.0 has modified the way people communicate and interact with tourists. User-generated social media communication continues to increase: to the detriment of traditional media channels, where the message is controlled by destination marketing organizations. Moreover, uncontrolled user-generated communication is increasingly considered more reliable than traditional, controlled communication. All this has considerably modified tourist perceptions regarding destination image and brand equity. From a business perspective, a line of thought addressing the study of these interrelationships has emerged in the literature, going so far as to consider their impact on brand engagement. Despite the current prevalence and relevance of social media communication as a loyalty-building factor in a context as competitive as the tourism sector, relatively little literature has addressed it in emerging tourist destination scenarios. Hence, the present paper presents an analysis of how – and to what extent – social media communication, both controlled and uncontrolled by the destination organization, has an impact on destination brand equity and destination brand engagement. More specifically, this study applies it to an emerging economy scenario: Metropolitan Lima, Peru. The implications of our research, presented at the end of the paper, are of interest – both as a contribution to the literature and from the perspective of tourist destination management – and can serve to aid the economic and social development of emerging economies

Effects of value and innovation on brand equity in retailing

This paper analyses retailer brand equity on the basis of two variables that are particularly relevant in marketing: the perception of value, because of its renewed interest for retailing, and retail innovativeness, because it is a recent line of research with interesting challenges. Considering Holbrook's (Consumer value: a framework for analysis and research. London: Routledge, 1999) value dimensions of efficiency, excellence, entertainment and aesthetics, this study investigates the relationship between those values and brand equity as well as the moderator effect of innovation. The study was conducted on a sample of 820 individuals who purchased from various stores selling food, household goods, textiles and electronics. Hierarchical linear regression methodology was applied. The results indicate that value has a direct significant effect on brand equity and entertainment is the dimension with the greatest contribution. In addition, efficiency and aesthetics stimulate brand equity more when perceived innovation is high than when it is low. Given that value dimensions influence brand equity in different ways, retailers should direct their efforts according to the importance of each dimension for the consumer. The study of brand equity and innovation has traditionally focused on the product, and so the novelty of this study lies in the application of these concepts to the services context

The role of ICT, eWOM and guest characteristics in loyalty

Purpose - This study aims to examine how technologies contribute to consumer loyalty in the tourist industry. To achieve this objective, information and communication technology (ICT) development and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) are analysed to explore their direct and indirect effects on satisfaction and loyalty dimensions. The moderating role of customer characteristics (personal and experience-related variables) is also considered to study the complex relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative study based on a questionnaire structured was developed. The survey was conducted with 386 guests from Spanish hotels. SEM methodology is applied to estimate the structural equation model and multi-group analysis. Findings - Results confirm significant relationships in the sequence 'ICT advancement-satisfaction with ICT-satisfaction with hotel-loyalty', the mediating effect of eWOMand the moderating effects of the customer characteristics. Practical implications - ICT can be a key element to improve loyalty and differentiate from competitors. Managers should recognise that customers will have different loyalty behaviours according to their personal characteristics and type of experience. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the recent and still scanty research line on ICT advancement from the consumer perspective. The novelty lies in the relationships between ICT, satisfaction and loyalty in hotels with particular attention to WOM (both personal and electronic) and the inclusion of different moderating variables

El efecto del sector de actividad en el proceso de satisfacción con la tienda

El presente trabajo aborda el estudio de los antecedentes y consecuencias de la satisfacción en el ámbito del retailing a partir de dos variables de especial relevancia, como son la innovación y la imagen de la tienda. Diferenciando entre innovación en marketing y en tecnología, en particular, se persigue analizar la cadena de efectos “innovación en marketing – innovación tecnológica – imagen – satisfacción – boca-oído” y estudiar el papel moderador que ejerce el sector de actividad en estas relaciones. A partir de una muestra de 820 clientes de diferentes comercios minoristas de alimentación, textil, hogar y electrónica, los resultados confirman las relaciones de la cadena y que la categoría de producto comercializado modera la influencia de la imagen en la satisfacción. Se derivan importantes implicaciones académicas y para la gestión empresarial, así como interesantes líneas de investigación para avanzar en este campo.This paper deals with the study of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction in retailing through two variables of special relevance, innovation and store image. Innovation is differentiated in innovation of marketing and technology, and our aim is to analyze the chain of effects "innovation in marketing - technological innovation - image - satisfaction – word-of-mouth" and to study the moderating role of the activity sector in these relationships. From a sample of 820 customers from food, textile, home and electronics retailers, the results confirm the chain of relationships and the product category moderates the influence of the image on satisfaction. There are important academic and business implications, as well as interesting lines of research to advance in this research field

Causas y consecuencias sociales de la satisfacción de los clientes con hoteles

In order to make evidence the social dimension of satisfaction process, we propose a causal model where satisfaction and value are central constructs, with two antecedents (service quality and social value) and two consequences in the form of loyalty (electronic word-of-mouth and global word-of-mouth). The model is contrasted between 386 Spanish hotel guests and confirms the effect of social variables, social value and word-of-mouth, on loyalty process. Important implications for management and future developments for academic research are presented.Con el objeto de evidenciar la dimensión social del proceso de satisfacción, proponemos un modelo causal donde la satisfacción y el valor son constructos centrales, con dos antecedentes (calidad de servicio y valor social) y dos consecuencias en forma de lealtad (boca-oreja electrónico y boca-oreja global). El modelo es contrastado entre 386 huéspedes de hoteles españoles confirmándose el peso que tienen en el proceso lealtad las variables de carácter social: valor social y boca-oreja. Se presentan importantes implicaciones para la gestión y futuros avances para la investigación académica

Customer-based brand equity and customer engagement in experiential services: insights from an emerging economy

The aim of this research is to analyze links between customer-based brand equity and customer engagement in the field of experiential services (e.g., private health clinics)—taking an emerging economy context as our reference. The authors put forth a chain of effects—based in Social Capital Theory—to test the impact of customer-based brand equity on customer engagement, mediated by satisfaction and customer reputation. Causal model estimation results suggest that customer-based brand equity has both a direct, positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer reputation and an indirect impact on customer engagement. The final section of the paper presents theoretical discussion of the results and the main implications for business practice

Role of marketing and technological innovation on store equity, satisfaction and word-of-mouth in retailing

Purpose - Despite the importance of innovation in business performance, investigation into innovation in services is scanty and lacking consensus. In retailing, it is a topic that has been awakening considerable academic and business interest in recent years. In this study context, this work aims to analyse innovation in retail experiences from two aspects - marketing innovation and technological innovation - to understand the role it exercises in satisfaction and subsequent recommendation. Design/methodology/approach - The authors' objective is to investigate the direct and indirect influence of marketing and technological innovation on satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM) through three core constructs: store image, consumer value and store brand equity. SEM methodology is applied on a sample of 820 retail customers of grocery, clothing, furniture an electronics store. Findings - The results show that technological innovation is more important than marketing innovation in shaping image, value and satisfaction. At the same time, store image is the variable that most influences customer satisfaction and that satisfaction is a very significant antecedent of WOM behaviour. Practical implications for retail managers and further research are presented. Originality/value - The main value of this work has been to go deeper into the study of retail innovation, both in marketing and technologies, and its direct and indirect effects on satisfaction and subsequent recommendation through store image, consumer value and store brand equity. It is a new line of study, which is still fragmented and with little empirical evidence

From retail innovation and image to loyalty: moderating effects of product type

This study aims to analyse value-satisfaction-loyalty relationships in retailing by examining the contribution of image and innovation and understanding value as a multidimensional construct. Furthermore, to identify possible differences in these relationships the moderating effect of the type of product marketed in the store is examined. On a sample of 820 customers from four types of stores, SEM methodology and multigroup analysis were applied. The results confirm that image has more influence than innovation on the dimensions of value and that entertainment and excellence are the main antecedents of satisfaction. Some relationships have also been found in which the type of product marketed in the store has a moderating effect