Branded vs. Generic drugs: the role of self-perceived seriousness of disease

Purpose -This study aims at exploring the role of perceived disease seriousness in consumers' preference for generic versus branded drugs, by shedding light on new factors impacting consumer purchase behaviour for pharmaceutical products. Design/methodology/approach - An exploratory study based on a quantitative analysis has been conducted with a sample of 100 participants who have been presented with two different scenarios: one related to more serious disease (as in cardiological disease) and one related to less serious disease (as in the seasonal flu). This paper considered Italy as a research setting where the recent mandatory prescription of the active ingredient by doctors leaves the final purchase decision in consumers' hands Findings-Results show that, although consumers are free to choose whether to buy a branded or a generic prescribed active ingredient, their choice is mainly driven by the role of the brand. Consumers' intention to buy generic drugs is higher in the case of diseases perceived as less serious, while the intention to buy branded drugs is higher in the case of disease perceived as more serious. Originality/value - This study contributes to marketing research and practice by proposing that consumers' perceived seriousness of their disease should be considered as a further factor in identifying new marketing strategies in those contexts in which the choice between branded or generic drugs is free

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Business: Implications, Applications and Methods

The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a business-disruptive technology has developed in academic and professional literature in a chaotic and unstructured manner. This study aims to provide clarity over the phenomenon of business activation of AI by means of a comprehensive and systematic literature review, aimed at suggesting a clear description of what Artificial Intelligence is today. The study analyses a corpus of 3780 contributions through an original combination of two established machine learning algorithms (LDA and hierarchical clustering). The review produced a structured classification of the various streams of current research and a list of promising emerging trends. Results have shed light on six topics attributable to three different themes, namely Implications, Applications and Methods (IAM model). Our analysis could provide researchers and practitioners with a meaningful overview of the body of knowledge and research agenda, to exploit AI as an effective enabler to drive business value

Analyzing the innovative start-up opportunity to sustain innovative entrepreneurship in Southern Italy: Evidences from the Apulian area

The purpose of this paper is to investigate entrepreneurs’ adoption of the “innovative start-ups” as legal tools introduced in Italy to sustain entrepreneurship by, considering Southern Italy (Apulian Area) characterized by an economic fabric made of SMEs in the primary and tourism sectors, and few large industries as a research setting. A qualitative analysis has been carried out investigating public databases reserved for companies benefiting government subsidies, by considering a period ranging from the 1st January 2014 to the 31st December 2020. Findings suggest that the start-up legal tools helped entrepreneurs both in building up their business and revitalizing traditional business. Results also reveal a tendency to invest in a new business idea, supporting the reconversion of a regional economic fabric, highlighting how such innovation patterns and economic performance affect the different industrial structures, and the relevance of the start-up to sustain innovative entrepreneurship

Students learning outcomes and satisfaction. An investigation of knowledge transfer during social distancing policies

uring the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers discovered that a billion students accessed digital channels, thus confirming the centrality of digital technologies in education. Considering that student satisfaction refers to a short-term attitude resulting from an evaluation of the educational experiences lived and that the perceived quality of an educational background is a consequence of student satisfaction, this paper investigates the role of e-learning practices in a knowledge transfers environment, such as the university. Mainly, through an exploratory analysis, the paper gives some specific insights, investigating students satisfaction in terms of interaction between students, technology, and original contents. The results show how digital technologies are transforming the education experience by shedding light on e-learning outcomes and students satisfaction. The principal managerial implications of the paper focus on the begin to understand the need to acquire digital infrastructures in Universities, reducing the technological gaps, and considering the implementation of online learning solutions

Elderly consumers and financial choices: A systematic review

The purpose of this paper is to investigate elderly choices and behaviors in financial services markets. A systematic review of a five-decade period (1970–2019) of academic research in the marketing field was carried out in order to identify elderly consumers’ decisions regarding financial asset management and legacy, highlighting the main findings of extant research and practical implications for marketers. Results shed light on financial asset management in terms of welfare, retirement planning, and investments for old age, as well as legacy practices in terms of special possessions, charities, and rites of passage. The study underlines the need to consider the heterogeneous nature of elderly consumers’ values and lifestyles in designing strategies for financial services and products, emphasizing that demographic differences alone are not adequate to effectively define market segments. Furthermore, the role of mixed marketing approaches considering elderly choices are discussed, together with implications for companies that want to target such consumer target

The effect of fervid attachment to religious rites on tourism: evidence from the Holy Week in Southern Italy

Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is aimed to examine natives’ Fervid Attachment to religious rites, as a part of cultural heritage, in its extrinsic (sense of belonging, rituality) and intrinsic (intimate bond, emotionality) characteristics, by shedding light on how leveraging on these characteristics could be emphasized to promote sustainable local development. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the principles of an ethnographic research approach based on observational methods, this paper analyzes the rites of Holy Week in Taranto, a city located in the Southern Italy, by capturing individuals’ behavior according the concept of Fervid Attachment. Findings – Results show that tourism destinations preserving their traditions and religious rites as part of their cultural heritage can satisfy tourists’ spirituality needs and, by promoting the interaction with the local population (natives) in terms of relationship between them and tourists, supporting local communities’ development. Moreover their Fervid Attachment in terms of sense of belonging, rituality, intimate bond and emotionality could be empathized to promote sustainable local development. Practical implications – Our results provide suggestions on how local policymakers and tourism marketers could leverage natives’ attachment to religious rites to boost religious tourism. Originality/value – This paper shows from a new perspective based on the concept of natives’ Fervid Attachment how local people are relevant in promoting a tourism destination

Active ageing of elderly consumers: insights and opportunities for future business strategies

Recent studies have focused on the emerging scenario of ‘active ageing’ as a series of positive actions aimed at fostering elderly adaptability by supporting emotionally close relationships and removing age-related structural barriers. Active ageing may be stimulated not only by leveraging technological and scientific innovations, but also by implementing new business strategies that reflect a better comprehension of elderly new roles and behaviours. To aid in that effort, through a literature review of marketing and management contributions across a five-decade period (1970–2020), this paper investigates elderly consumers’ new roles and related implications for business strategies, from a consumer behaviour perspective. Results present a structured classification of the most prominent streams of research by highlighting five promising changes (5Cs): changes in elderly consumers’ roles in markets and societies; changes in self-care resulting in fashion purchases and cosmetic surgery; changes in elderly consumers’ expenditures on specifically designed products and services; changes in the perception of risks resulting in preferences for either extremely prudent or hazardous behaviours; and changes in general elderly characteristics due to the so-called ‘ageless society’. We highlight the heterogeneity of elderly consumers’ new values and lifestyles, and the importance of incorporating their needs into innovative business strategies, by describing for each section the main findings of extant research and practical implications

Omnichannel Shopping Experiences for Fast Fashion and Luxury Brands

This chapter explores how luxury and fast fashion brands have been affected by omnichannel strategies, which refer to the opportunity to integrate online and offline channels to create a seamless shopping experience aimed at engaging customers. Through a quali-quantitative research approach, the study examines the potential effects of the implementation of omnichannel activities on the perception of luxury and fast fashion brands. Interestingly, consumers perceive omnichannel strategies as something projected for luxury brands, thus as a way for them to improve the luxury shopping experience. Consequently, when applied to fast fashion brands, omnichannel strategies may lead consumers to perceive such brand as more prestigious, activating a sort of “luxurization.” For a luxury company, omnichannel strategies may represent an opportunity because they can increase the perceived luxuriousness of the brand, but also a threat because they may help fast fashion brands to be perceived as luxurious, thus “imitating” luxury companies

New technologies in luxury consumption experiences: The role of individual differences

Technology represents a relevant challenge for today’s luxury brands. However, although new technologies like smart objects might be useful to improve luxury consumption experiences, their effectiveness from a consumer perspective is still unexplored. In particular, no studies have to date investigated the role of status consumption into the acceptance of new technologies in luxury settings. To fill this gap, two experiments have been conducted to investigate the perceived usefulness of Voice Assistants (VAs) in the contexts of luxury hotels and luxury yachts. The experiments examined the interactive effect of consumers’ openness to technological innovation - operationalized as either consumer’s risk propensity or openness to change - and status consumption orientation on perceived usefulness of VAs. Results showed that openness to technological innovation exerted a positive effect on perceived usefulness, yet this effect decreases in magnitude when consumers have a greater status consumption orientation. Relevant managerial implications for luxury marketers interested in implementing new technologies are discussed