Time orientation, task characteristics, and customer performance

The present study illustrates that consumer time use preference moderates the effect of satisfaction with the task solution, but has no impact on level of performance. Results show that more complex tasks produce higher (lower) levels of satisfaction for polychronic (monochronic) consumers than simpler tasks. In contrast, prioritizing complex activities increases (decreases) satisfaction for monochronic (polychronic) consumers. Unlike task solution satisfaction, time orientation does not impact on task performance. These findings suggest that online retailers should emphasize site factors related to consumers\u27 tasks that best suit the time use preference of their primary users in order to maximize customer satisfaction

Household decisions on financial services: The role of the wife

As the financial economy has expanded worldwide, financial institutions have increased the number of products they sell to households, such as mortgages, mutual funds, stock trading accounts, loans, insurance and various forms of savings and retirement products. The result has been a profound deepening of households’ involvement in financial market activities (Fligstein and Goldstein, 2012). For example, in credit markets, median household debt levels increased 179 percent from 1989 to 2007 as consumers took on an ever-wider array of credit card, home equity, mortgage, student and payday loans (Wolff, 2007). Similarly, with respect to investment products, the percentage of households with stock equities or equity mutual funds increased in the decade before and after the turn of the twenty-first century and the frequency of transactions more than tripled in this time period (Kremp, 2010). The understanding of household financial decisions requires a review of family decision making. Families represent two-thirds of households in the US, of which married couples and single parents with children account for more than 90 percent (Jacobsen and Mather, 2012). However, after decades of study of family decision-making, it seems clear that when it comes to financial decisions, the disparity in gender roles may lead to families handling their finances less effectively. Survey data has shown that more than half of households’ financial decision making is shared equally between husband and wife (Barrington, 2013)

The Role of Identification in Consumers' Evaluations of Brand Extensions

Brand extension is a widely adopted strategy for firms to take advantage of an existing brand's equity in a new product category. The main goal of this paper is to test the moderating role consumer-company identification plays in the effect of product fit and information on consumers' evaluations of brand extensions. Study 1 demonstrates the moderator effect of identification on the effect of category fit on consumers' purchase intentions for brand extensions and brand alliances. In Study 2, we proposed that identified consumers are not affected by information about the product, while low identified consumers rely more on that information. However, results show that the presence of information about the brand extension is only significant for identified consumers. For marketing managers, our results will help in decisions regarding extension category selection, segmentation strategy, and identification cuing

La Imagen de un Producto Turístico Rural a través del Acceso al Contenido Generado por otros Usuarios en Internet: Diferencias por Género

Los contenidos generados por los usuarios sobre un producto turístico en Internet son utilizados de forma recurrente por otros turistas como una importante fuente de información. Sin embargo, se desconoce la influencia que tienen estos contenidos en la formación de la imagen de un producto turístico, así como si existen o no diferencias de género en cuanto a la percepción de esa imagen. En la investigación actual, se ha utilizado como producto turístico un alojamiento rural y como estímulo la propia web del alojamiento. Los resultados de este estudio demuestran que los contenidos generados por otros usuarios en la web afectan a la imagen percibida del producto turístico. También se observa que las mujeres generan una imagen afectiva y cognitiva más favorable sobre el producto turístico que los hombres. La novedad de esta investigación reside en aportar conocimiento nuevo sobre la relación del contenido generado por otros usuarios y las dimensiones de la imagen de un producto turístico, en un entorno poco estudiado como el turismo rural

Consumer motivations for engaging with corporate social responsibility on social media

Purpose – This study aims to analyze consumer motivations to share information about corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities through electronic word of mouth. It examines the roles of self-enhancement, identity signaling and social bonding as antecedents of consumers’ CSR engagement on social media. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach is used with a single-factor between-subjects experimental design in which the presence vs absence of CSR information on a company website is manipulated. The hypotheses are tested through structural equation modeling. Findings – Results show that after viewing the company’s CSR message on its website, consumers who generated more CSR associations were more motivated to engage with the CSR information to satisfy fundamental personality traits (need for self-enhancement) and social relationship motivations (social bonding), which increased their intention to share the information. Research limitations/implications – This study is restricted to CSR information on websites. Further research should consider what happens if such information is shared on social media, as consumers are more likely to spread CSR messages when they are shared by other public social network sites. Practical implications – The study highlights the relevance of including CSR information on websites and offers insights into the importance of considering consumers in disseminating CSR information. Consumers share information when they have personal motivation for doing so. Social implications – This study put the focus on the role of consumers in the diffusion of corporate information. Originality/value – The results show the importance of personal motivations such as self-enhancement and social bonding in sharing CSR information on social media. Propósito – El estudio analiza las motivaciones que tiene el consumidor para compartir información sobre acciones de responsabilidad social corporativa (RSC) a través de boca oído electrónico (eWOM). En particular, las motivaciones de mejora del auto-concepto, necesidad de mostrar una identidad deseada y la vinculación social. Metodología – Se utiliza un diseño experimental entre sujetos donde se manipuló la presencia vs ausencia de información sobre la RSC de la empresa. Las hipótesis se contrastaron mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados – Los resultados muestran que los consumidores con más asociaciones de RSC comparten más la información de RSC motivados por satisfacer la mejora del auto-concepto y vinculación social. Implicaciones prácticas – El estudio destaca la importancia de generar contenido de RSC en el sitio web de la empresa, y la importancia de los consumidores en la difusión de información de dicha información. Limitaciones – El estudio está restringido a la presencia de información de RSC en el sitio web de la empresa. Sería interesante evaluar lo que sucede si dicha información se comparte en redes sociales, en la medida en que los consumidores tienen mayor tendencia a compartir la información procedente de redes sociales. Originalidad – Los resultados muestran la importancia de las motivaciones personales como la mejora del auto-concepto y la vinculación social a la hora compartir información de RSC en las redes sociales. 目的 – 本研究分析了消费者通过电子口碑分享企业社会责任（CSR）活动信息的动机。它研究了自我提升、身份信号和社会联系作为消费者在社交媒体上参与企业社会责任的前因的作用。 方法 – 采用单因素主体间实验设计的定量方法, 对公司网站上企业社会责任信息的存在与否进行操纵。假设通过使用R软件包lavaan的结构方程模型进行检验。 研究结果 – 结果显示, 在观看公司网站上的企业社会责任信息后, 产生更多企业社会责任联想的消费者更有动力参与到企业社会责任信息中, 以满足基本的人格特征（自我提升的需要）和社会关系动机（社会纽带）, 这增加了他们分享信息的意向。 实践意义 – 该研究强调了将企业社会责任信息纳入网站的相关性, 并对在传播企业社会责任信息时考虑消费者的重要性提出了见解。消费者在有个人动机的情况下会分享信息。 研究局限性 – 本研究仅限于网站上的企业社会责任信息。进一步的研究应该考虑到社交媒体, 因为当消费者在其他公共社交网站上分享企业社会责任信息时, 他们更有可能进行传播。 原创性 – 研究结果表明, 在社交媒体上分享企业社会责任信息时, 自我提升和社会联系等个人动机的重要性

The economics of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: does sustainability make financial sense?

The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals is a global priority, but one whose full implementation is vulnerable to the high costs associated with it. This raises the question: does the implementation of the SDGs make financial sense? This article addresses this question and outlines the need to raise awareness of the economic benefits of implementing the global goals. Further, it presents and discusses the main financial gaps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

Decision-making processes on sustainable packaging options in the European food sector

Food packaging improves shelf life and allows longer transportation distances in global food supply chains, but it is also responsible for huge volumes of waste. The transition to sustainable packaging by food companies has often been slow and inconsistent. How decisions on (sustainable) packaging are made within companies in the food sector remains mostly opaque to research. To explore the decision-making process and identify barriers for cleaner, more resource efficient food packaging, we carried out 17 interviews in four European countries across different food sectors using the theoretical decision-making process of Nutt (1984) as an analytical framework. Through qualitative content analysis, we found that decision-making processes often lack structure and extend over long stretches of time. Frequently, they are initiated in response to packaging material manufacturers or suppliers. Switching to more sustainable packaging often implies costly investments into new machinery. Economic sustainability takes precedence over ecological sustainability. We recommend companies move to life-cycle cost models for packaging decisions, commit to mono- and other recyclable materials, and establish structured decision-making processes with clear cut-off criteria so as to streamline implementation decisions. Our results further support a call for progressive legislation towards a circular economy in the packaging sector.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI