The Influence of Collaboration in the New Product Development Process

Consumers expect greater involvement in the product and service offerings of firms. In response, the integration of collaboration in the new product development (NPD) process has become of interest to researchers across disciplines. Collaboration can be viewed as a looking glass technique, which fosters an enhanced sense of shared identity by promoting a we versus an us-them orientation. Drawing from social identity and exchange theories, the central purpose of this dissertation is understanding ways that collaboration influences perceptions during the NPD process to help shape consumers\u27 identity with the firm. Essay 1 employs a mixed-method approach across three studies to discover the elements and consequences of collaboration that are the most meaningful to consumers; to test how collaboration moderates consumer outcomes with changes in marketing strategy elements; and to identify a significant mechanism underlying trust-building. Essay 2 demonstrates across four experiments how collaboration that is implemented in each stage of the NPD process affects consumers\u27 cognitive and behavioral responses. Findings indicate that collaboration outcomes differ as a function of consumers\u27 involvement with the product. Additionally, collaborator-specific (e.g., collaboration motivation) and firm-specific (e.g., brand trust) differences show that, while each form of collaboration along the development timeline may be objectively similar, consumers\u27 subjective interpretation of each stage varies significantly in favor of collaboration that occurs earlier in the NPD process (e.g., idea generation). Utilizing structural equation modeling methodology, Essay 3 expands upon conceptual models to ascertain how the effects of collaboration are mediated by perceived social distance, while concurrently examining attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The final structural model explains 57 percent of the variance in consumers\u27 purchase intentions, and generally suggests collaboration as a favorable way to influence perceptions of trust toward the product, the brand, and the firm

Nutrition Labeling in the United States and the Role of Consumer Processing, Message Structure, and Moderating Conditions

It has been since 1990 that the landmark Nutritional Labeling Education Act (NLEA) was passed in the United States, and since 1969 that the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health occurred. In the time since these important events, considerable research has been conducted on how U.S. consumers process and use nutritional labeling. An up-to-date review of nutritional labeling research must address key findings on the processing and use of nutrition facts panels (NFPs), restaurant labeling, front-of-pack (FOP) symbols, health and nutrient content claims, new labeling efforts (e.g., for meat products), and claims not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Message structure mediates the ways in which consumers process nutritional labeling while moderating conditions affect research outcomes associated with labeling efforts. The most recent policy issues and problems to be considered (e.g., by the FDA) include nutritional labeling as well as identifying opportunities for consumer research in helping to promote healthy lifestyles and reducing obesity in the United States and throughout the world. For example, several unanswered research questions remain regarding how the proposed changes to the NFPs—beef, poultry, and seafood labeling; restaurant chain calorie labeling; alternative FOP formats; and regulated and unregulated health and nutrient content claims—will affect consumers. Researchers have yet to examine not only these different labeling and nutrition information formats, but also how they might interact with one another and the role of key moderating conditions (e.g., one’s motivation, ability opportunity to process nutrition information) in affecting consumer processing and behavior

Sharenting in an evolving digital world: Increasing online connection and consumer vulnerability

Sharenting (using social media to share content about one's child) is a progressively common phenomenon enabled by society's increased connection to digital technology. Although it can encourage positive connections to others, it also creates concerns related to children's privacy and well-being. In this paper, we establish boundaries and terminology related to sharenting in an evolving digital world. We conceptualize a modern sharenting ecosystem involving key stakeholders (parents, children, community, commercial institutions, and policymakers), by applying consumer vulnerability theory to explore the increased online connection that occurs as work, school, and socialization become increasingly more virtual. Next, we expand the characterization of sharenting by introducing a spectrum of sharenting awareness that categorizes three types of sharenting (active, passive, and invisible). Finally, we provide a research agenda for policymakers and consumer welfare researchers.</p