Increasing Reading Fluency in Students with Reading Difficulty

Four methods designed to increase reading fluency were employed in a primary level Special Education resource room. The methods were implemented in accordance with the theory and research regarding reading fluency. Each of the four methods effectively increased the students\u27 ability to read fluently. However, the implementation of these methods varied in cost and time

Can consumer privacy concern be a thorn for loyalty programs?

Every day, large amounts of personal information are collected by private companies from consumers through multiple sources. Loyalty programs are one of the most popular tools, used to gather such information. Information that is used to offer more personalised options and to target more effectively their promotions. However, many consumers are still attracted to such programs because of the rewards and other benefits offered. Privacy concerns over loyalty programs seem to take their toll. According to a Colloquy (2015) report the numbers of active members is dropping and one of the main reasons cited in the report is privacy concerns. Declining numbers and increased privacy concerns raise the question of how concerned consumers appreciate the benefits offered by loyalty programs and how their satisfaction and loyalty are affected. Apparently, loyalty programs cannot always guarantee loyalty (Nielsen, 2013) as a large portion of consumers demand better protection of their privacy (Madden, 2014) and decline to subscribe to such programs over privacy concerns (Maritz, 2013). The objectives of this study are firstly to examine the underlying reasons behind consumers’ privacy perceptions and secondly to investigate how such perceptions alter consumers’ appraisal of the benefits offered by the loyalty program as well as satisfaction with the program and consumer loyalty. Based on a review of the relevant literature a set of testable hypotheses was developed. To test the hypothesised relationships, survey data were collected from a sample of 984 consumers through an online panel in US. Structural Equation modelling and mediation analysis were the main statistical techniques used. Analysis revealed a strong effect of privacy perceptions on both the perceived value of the program’s benefits and satisfaction with the program. Results suggested that retailers should place more emphasis on the perceived control of information rather than trying to soften consumers perceptions of the risks related to privacy. Additionally the total effects of perceived privacy to both satisfaction with the program and loyalty are substantial and cannot be ignored by practitioners. One implication is that companies should provide clearer privacy policies, more transparency and more power to their customers. The loyalty program benefit perceptions that are affected more by information control and perceived risk are the symbolic and hedonic benefits. Utilitarian benefits appear to be affected to a lesser extent. In general it was revealed that the total impact of hedonic and symbolic benefits on customer loyalty is significantly higher than that of the utilitarian benefits. Hence, practitioners should look carefully on the structure of the hedonic and symbolic benefits in conjunction to their consumer privacy policy

Explaining Inconsistencies in Implicit and Explicit Attitudes towards Domestic and Foreign Products

Purpose This article examines the inconsistency of explicit and implicit domestic country bias (DCB) across different types of products and in the context of two countries. Design/methodology/approach Two studies in two countries are conducted to examine the inconsistencies in implicit and explicit DCB. The first study collected data through mall intercept survey method in Taiwan and identified 189 valid respondents. The second study applied a mixed (within and between subjects) factorial experiment in China using 200 subjects Findings Results show that explicit and implicit attitudes are moderately related to each other. It also confirms that ethnic product typicality can explain inconsistencies in both explicit and implicit DCB. For ethnically typical products, domestic country bias is more pronounced in consumers’ explicit attitudes than in consumers’ implicit attitudes. On the contrary, for ethnically atypical goods, domestic country bias makes itself present in both explicit and implicit attitudes. Originality/value The results shed new light on domestic country bias and confirm that the bias could divaricate between explicit and implicit attitudes in the case of ethnically typical products

The relational value of loyalty programs in luxury retailing

In the last decade loyalty programs have gained popularity across various industries. However and until recently, it was debatable if loyalty programs can be effective and appropriate in luxury retailing. If loyalty programs were to succeed in the luxury sector they had to deliver the kind of recognition and rewards that make luxury shoppers feel remarkable. Thus, this study examines how the utilitarian, hedonic and symbolic perceived benefits from loyalty programs can influence the satisfaction and trust with the program and consequently store loyalty. These relationships are compared between luxury and low-end retailers through data collected form a sample of 984 consumers from an online panel in US, using a structured questionnaire. Findings support that the effectiveness of loyalty programs is important to both settings but the strength of this effectiveness varies across the two settings. Specifically, hedonic and symbolic benefits found to be more important in the luxury context and utilitarian benefits in the low-end retailing setting. The results of this research address an important research gap and help to better understand customers' perceptions of loyalty program benefits. Finally, findings provide clear guidelines for managers in luxury retailing on how to design effectively their loyalty program rewards

Alignments and misalignments of realized marketing strategies with administrative systems: Performance implications

On the basis of intended marketing strategy plans, firms design administrative systems to support strategy implementation. In increasingly turbulent business environments-characterized by complexity, scarce resources, and escalating competitive opportunities and threats-firms are forced to alter intended and realize emergent strategies more frequently than ever before. The eventualities of realized marketing strategies may lead to misalignments between the strategy and the existing administrative system designed to support it. To examine performance implications of such misalignments we use Slater and Olson's (2001) taxonomy of marketing strategies. We distinguish between intended and realized plans and we propose an administrative system framework of structural (i.e., centralization, formalization, and specialization) and dynamic (i.e., interdepartmental connectedness and strategic control mechanisms) parameters for the effective implementation of realized strategies. We propose three-way interactions between realized marketing strategies and the dynamic parameters of the system. Research hypotheses on performance implications and responses from 215 marketing executives show performance differences across strategy types and (mis)alignments of the administrative system. Our findings confirm three-way interactions among strategy types, interdepartmental connectedness, and control mechanisms for all realized strategy types

The effect of cultural value orientation on consumers' perceptions of luxury value and proclivity for luxury consumption

This paper investigates the effect of Schwartz's (1992) four cultural value orientations on the values consumers ascribe to luxury products. In response to well-documented criticisms of assessing cultural values as aggregates measured at the nation level, this study examines the effects of value orientation measured at the individual level. Using survey data from U.S. consumers, the study shows that cultural values influence consumers' perceptions of the usability, uniqueness, quality, and social luxury values. Self-enhancement and social luxury values are the key drivers of consumers' proclivity for luxury consumption. A post hoc analysis reveals four luxury consumers groups: “unconcerned,” “functionalists,” “moderately-eager,” and “luxury-enthusiasts.” People with high self-enhancement and self-transcendence values are more likely to be luxury-enthusiasts, whereas functionalists and unconcerned share similar cultural value profiles. Luxury-enthusiasts have the highest proclivity for luxury consumption, followed by moderates and functionalists. These findings have marketing implications for segmenting luxury customers in a cross-cultural setting

Meta‐analysis of social media influencer impact: Key antecedents and theoretical foundations

This meta-analytic review offers a comprehensive framework for studying social media influencers by integrating multiple theoretical perspectives and measures. It analyzes 250 effect sizes from 53 studies, highlighting the significance of credibility, trustworthiness, and perceived expertise of social media influencers in shaping attitudinal outcomes. Source Credibility Theory emerges as the most robust explanatory framework, while Parasocial Interaction Theory and Congruity Theory also play essential roles. For behavioral outcomes, Source Credibility Theory and Congruity Theory remain influential, with moderate effects observed for homophily and variables from the two-step flow model. Methodological diversity, geographical context, platform context, product context, and influencer type contribute to variations in effect sizes. These findings provide insights into social media influencer influence dynamics and guide future research. Moreover, they contribute to theory development by shedding light on the mechanisms and conditions underlying social media influencer influence on consumer attitudes and behaviors

Cultural antecedents and consequences of luxury brand personalities

Purpose This paper aims to examine whether brands derive their personalities from their culture of origin, the stereotypes about their cultures of their origin or the cultures of their buyers. It also examines which of a culture’s personality traits are more transmittable to brand personalities (BPs), as well as the consequences of the BP resemblance to the personalities of the brand’s culture of origin and consumers’ culture on BP’s clarity and consumer attachment to the brand. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were developed and tested on survey data from a sample figure of 1,116 US consumers of luxury brands on 23 luxury brands originating from France, the USA, Britain, Italy and Germany. Trait by trait and personality profile analyses were performed using hierarchical model analysis (linear mixed effects models) and Cattell’s (1969) pattern similarity coefficient. Findings The culture of a brand’s origin accounts for differences of different brands personalities. The personality profiles of a country’s brands are distinct from the BP profiles of brands from other countries. The conscientiousness trait of a culture is the most transmittable to BPs. BPs derive their characteristics from stereotypes of a culture’s personality than the actual personality of the culture. The assimilation of a brand’s personality to consumer’s culture is not supported. The similarity of a BP to both real and stereotypical personality of the culture of the brand’s origin enhance perceived clarity of the BP. Research limitations/implications The study’s focus is limited to established luxury brands coming from countries that are the traditional producers of luxuries. Empirical evidence also comes only from American consumers of luxury brands. New luxury brands from countries that have recently emerged as luxury producers need to be included. Practical implications Brands retain a significant space to differentiate their personalities beyond the influence of their culture of origin on BPs. With the exception of conscientiousness, personality traits of culture are not automatically inherited or transmitted to the brands. Cultural stereotypes find their way into BPs easier than real personality traits and managers should focus on them. BP matching with the personality of a culture is a good way for managers to increase the perceived clarity of their brands’ personality. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the culture’s influence on BP using a compatible to the BP construct cultural framework, McCrae and Terracciano’s (2005a) personality of a culture framework. Three cultural meaning transfer processes are examined (cultural inheritance, cultural stereotyping and acculturation to the consumer’s culture) within the same study from a trait-by-trait and a configurational (i.e. personality profile) perspective. The consequences of BP similarity to the brand’s culture of origin as well as consumer’s culture on the BP’s appeal are also assessed