Do firms still need to be social? Firm Generated Content in social media

The aim of this paper is to investigate how firm-generated content (FGC) impacts consumer brand awareness, brand loyalty, and electronic word of mouth (eWOM), and how this, in turn, influences consumer purchase intention. In order to test this conceptual framework, statistical analysis was carried out employing structural equation modelling. The findings indicate that FGC has a positive impact on brand awareness, brand loyalty, eWOM and purchase intention. Furthermore, the results reveal that a link exists between consumer eWOM behaviour and brand awareness and loyalty. This study also demonstrates that company communication through Facebook and Instagram has a positive effect on consumer purchase intention. Finally, it has been shown that, regarding eWOM and purchase intention, firm-generated content posted on Instagram has a greater impact on its users than that posted on Facebook. Consumer purchase intention is increasingly impacted by the growing use of social media (SM) by companies and marketers. This changing environment has opened up new challenges. However, there is still much work to be done in understanding the full effects of firm-generated content communication, and how this influences consumer brand perception and purchase intention

Female self-gifts buying behaviour: impulse purchase and product involvement

This research examines the effect of product involvement on impulse buying behaviour for self-gifts. An experiment based on a factorial design was conducted among 152 females. Product involvement and self-gift giving context were manipulated by using two scenarios. The dependent variable of impulse buying behaviour was measured with a 6-item impulsivity scale. Results indicate that impulse self-gifting is likely to happen when consumers want to reward themselves after a success. Impulse buying tendency is found to be the best predictor for impulse self-gifting. The higher the level of product involvement is the more impulsive the purchase of a self-gift

Improving SMEs competitiveness with the use of Instagram Influencer Advertising and eWOM

Under Saudi Vision 2030, there will be a forthcoming increase in support to small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the current 20 percent of GDP to 35 percent. Thus, SMEs’ access to finance will become easier. At the same time, the cosmetics retail industry is expected to rapidly grow in the next few years because of the already mounting demand and availability of cosmetics through online channels. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of beauty Instagram influencers in advertising as a tool to increase competitiveness for SMEs. An exploratory research design was employed, and in-depth interviews conducted to gain a better understanding of female Saudi young adults’ perceptions of trust towards Instagram influencers, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), and advertising. Implications for SMEs managers are also discussed

Applying FCM to Predict the Behaviour of Loyal Customers in the Mobile Telecommunications Industry

Using empirical data from the Kuwaiti mobile telecommunications sector, this study models a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) to investigate the reciprocal effects of customer loyalty and its antecedents in an emerging market context. This study investigates the effect of perceived service quality, perceived service value and brand equity on customer loyalty and the simultaneous analysis of the reverse causality of these variables. Data pertaining to 350 subscribers were analysed. According to the results, the model reaches the equilibrium when brand equity and customer loyalty are increased and reach an optimal level. Based on these findings, the authors provide implications for managers in the mobile telecom industry

Determinants of physicians' purchase intention for innovative services: Integrating professional characteristics with technology acceptance model and theory of planned behaviour

© 2015 Imperial College Press. This paper seeks to explore the factors that influence physicians' purchase intention for supplementary professional services that have been recently introduced to the market. For that reason, a model has been developed and empirically tested using data collected from 100 physicians regarding an innovative e-detailing service. Results show that physicians' purchase intention is significantly influenced by five factors. Three of them derive from the integration of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), i.e., perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and professional image. The rest, namely work experience, working status and innovativeness, refer to physicians' professional characteristics. Work experience and innovativeness were found to have a significant effect on physicians' perceptions of the innovative service, whereas, physicians' current working status was not found to have significant influence on either their perceptions of the innovative service or their purchase intention

Antecedents of online services’ perceived usefulness: an empirical research

The present study explores the factors that determine doctors' perceptions of the usefulness of online professional services and the latter's influence on their purchase intention. The study's conceptualization is based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the incorporation of professionals' individual differences as well as the nature of the online service. On this basis, a theoretical framework is developed and empirically tested using data collected from 100 physicians through personal interviewing. During the interviews each of the physicians was asked to provide information on the study's variables for two different types of innovative online services commercial or educational. The results indicate that perceived usefulness is positively related to four major variables: perceived ease of use, social influences, individual differences as described by the physician's level of education, work status and self-efficacy and the nature of the service. Finally, in agreement with former studies, the relationship between perceived usefulness and physicians' purchase intention was also found positive and significant. Based on the study's results, important implications for managers and suggestions for further academic research are presented