An empirical study of variety and bundling effects on choice and satisfaction : new telecommunication and media services

The purpose of this report is twofold; 1) to review consumer behavior literature on how assortment variety and bundling influence choice related variables, and 2) to present results from an empirical study investigating effects of assortment variety and bundling on choice related variables for TV and Triple play services. Literature related to the characteristics of assortment/bundle, perception of the assortment/bundle, perception of the choice situation, choice, perception of the choice, and experience with the chosen option is reviewed with focus on assortment and bundling. The review is based on an open literature search using keywords as “assortment size”, “assortment variety”, “bundling” and “unbundling” in databases as ISI and Ebsco. In addition, manual reviews of references used in the articles revealed from the databases have also been used to make sure we cover as many relevant articles as possible. The empirical study included five manipulations. First, service categories chosen are TV and Triple play services. Second, the services were offered both “a la carte” and bundled value proposition. Third, the assortments were presented in large and small size. Four, prices were also manipulated as high and low, and finally, five, lock in (subscription) were manipulated as no binding and 12 months binding. Effects of the manipulations were studied on variables such as perceived freedom of choice, choice versus no choice, satisfaction with choice, perceived regret, etc. A sample of 1509 people was recruited from a Norstat Internet panel, representing the population of Internet users in Norway. The results indicate several main effects of assortment size, price, and bundling versus “a la carte”. Some main effects were revealed for service category (TV versus Triple play) while only one main effect (on choice) was found for binding. In addition, several situational and individual factors were found to moderate the main effects. The report is closed with a summary and discussion of the results. Additionally, potentially implications of the results are proposed, pointing in particular to the importance of developing a more holistic model including mediating and moderating effects of individual and situational factors when explaining the main effects reported here

Self service technology : an overview of existing research

The purpose of this working paper is twofold. First the paper presents a review of the literature on self service technology (SST). The review categorizes the literature based on dependent variables studied in existing research. The review finds that most of the studies have focused on antecedents of attitude/intention/usage of SST, satisfaction with SST, and loyalty to SST. Also, the antecedents to each of the three main dependent variables are systemized in the review. The review shows that existing literature on SST hardly include moderating variables in the models tested. None of the articles aiming to explain loyalty to SST have included potential moderating effects in the models tested. The paper also gives an overview of potential dimensions for categorization of SST. Only a few of the articles reviewed gives insight into such dimensions. Given the limited focus on dimensions for categorization of self service technologies, the second purpose was to study how various channels vary along more general channel dimensions. A brief review of such dimensions is reported, and an exploratory study among students at Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) is conducted illustrating how 11 channels are perceived along 16 dimensions. The results show significant differences between the channels in how they are perceived along all of the 16 dimensions studied. Finally, based on the review and the exploratory study conducted, some directions for future research are suggested

Service innovation challenges at the policy, industry, and firm level : a qualitative enquiry into the service innovation system

This report documents the results of an exploratory inquiry into the challenges of service innovation in Norway. It is based on 45 interviews conducted with 63 representatives of the Norwegian innovation system for service innovation reflecting the views of representatives from knowledge intensive service providers, regular service providers, capital market institutions, innovation policy system institutions and research institutions. The report first briefly reviews the challenges expected to be found when using theoretical and empirical studies of service innovation as it is reflected in the research literature. Next, it reports the methodology applied to capture the opinions of the innovation system representatives. Finally, it reports the results at three different levels; the policy level reflecting challenges in innovation policy, regulatory policy and general political decision making affecting service innovation; the industry level reflecting cross sectoral challenges at the industry level, and finally, and most importantly in this report; the business level which covers both the firm and value network levels. Our findings are organized by a framework focusing antecedents, processes, methodologies, types and effects of service innovation. We conclude that the challenges we find at the business level are rather complex and differ somewhat from what was expected from theory and considerably from those derived by market and systemic failure approaches to innovation. We conclude that the challenges at the business level should be approached with an interaction perspective on the dynamic parts of the service innovation system covering knowledge intensive service providers, capital market institutions and traditional service providers. A traditional approach to research driven innovation where the source of the innovation is found in research institutions and where innovation is stimulated through traditional innovation policy instruments does not seem to be equally appropriate in service innovation

The effects of variety and bundling on choice and satisfaction: Applications to new telecommunication and media services

The purpose of this working paper is twofold; 1)to review consumer behavior literature on how assortment variety and bundling influence choice related variables, and 2)to apply this review on an analysis of telecommunication and new services. Literature related to the characteristics of assortment/bundle, perception of the assortment/bundle, perception of the choice situation, choice, perception of the choice, and experience with the chosen option is reviewed with focus on assortment and bundling. The review is based on an open literature search using keywords as “assortment size”, “assortment variety”, “bundling” and “unbundling” in databases as ISI and Ebsco. In addition, manual reviews of references used in the articles revealed from the databases have also been used to make sure we cover as many relevant articles as possible. The articles reviewed are briefly summarized in table 1 (assortment studies) and table 2 (bundling studies). Based on the literature reviewed, the results revealed are applied in a theoretical analysis of the effects of variety and bundling on choice- and post-choice related variables in new telecommunication and media services. Six services are discussed; traditional telephony and broadband services, mobile internet services and applications, services in heterogeneous access networks, multiplay services, TV-channel network services, and online video services. The analyses focus on potential effects of assortment variety and bundling on choice and post choice related variables for each of the six services. Because regulatory authorities typically use variety to stimulate efficient competition, some regulatory issues of relevance for each of the six services are also briefly discussed. The main results from the general consumer literature review on variety and bundling is summarized. A brief summary of what seems to be the most relevant issues related to variety, bundling, and regulatory actions for the six telecommunication and media services analyzed is also presented. The review of the literature and the analyses of the six services show a significant need for research on how variety and bundling influence choice and choice related variables. A discussion of potential routes for future research together with a preliminary draft of a research model closes the discussion of this working paper

Brand and customer experience in service organizations : literature review and brand experience construct validation

Commoditization of goods and services has generated a need for providing customer value beyond functional attributes and benefits. The concepts of brand and customer experience have therefore gained increased interest among marketing scholars and practitioners. The experience literature is primarily descriptive and managerially oriented, for the most part ignoring the conceptual nature of experience, its underlying dimensions, and its relationship with other key brand concepts. Following a literature review of how brand and customer experience have been conceptualized and empirically studied, this paper presents a study with the purpose of testing a recently published brand experience scale. In addition to validating the established dimensions of the measurement scale, the study tests an additional dimension; relational experience, which is proposed as particularly relevant for service brands. The study also reports results of a test of the relationship between experience and other brand-related scales

Service Innovation Methodologies II : How can new product development methodologies be applied to service innovation and new service development? : Report no 2 from the TIPVIS-project

This report presents various methodologies used in new product development and product innovation and discusses the relevance of these methodologies for service development and service innovation. The service innovation relevance for all of the methodologies presented is evaluated along several service specific dimensions, like intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, perishability, information intensity, and co-creation. The methodologies discussed are mainly collected from the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) glossary. The main conclusions of the report are that several methodologies have been identified that may be applied to service innovation with no or minor adjustments. However, it seems that most of the relevant methodologies are process oriented methodologies focusing the open front end of the innovation process. Fewer methodologies are found for the stimulation of innovation conditions for service innovation, for service innovation value assessment or outcome evaluation and for specific types of service innovations. This implies that service innovation methodologies must be developed and validated for the elements of service innovation not currently well supported by appropriate methodologies

Implementation of uniform information on fetal movement in a Norwegian population reduced delayed reporting of decreased fetal movement and stillbirths in primiparous women - a clinical quality improvement

Background. Delayed maternal reporting of decreased fetal movement (DFM) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Inconsistent information on fetal activity to women during the antenatal period may result in delayed reporting of DFM. We aimed to evaluate an intervention of implementation of uniform information on fetal activity to women during the antenatal period. Methods. In a prospective before-and-after study, singleton women presenting DFM in the third trimester across 14 hospitals in Norway were registered. Outcome measures were maternal behavior regarding reporting of DFM, concerns and stillbirth. In addition, cross-sectional studies of all women giving birth were undertaken to assess maternal concerns about fetal activity, and population-based data were obtained from the Medical Birth Registry Norway. Results. Pre- and post-intervention cohorts included 19 407 and 46 143 births with 1 215 and 3 038 women with DFM respectively. Among primiparous women with DFM, a reduction in delayed reporting of DFM (48 hrs) OR 0.61 (95% CI 0.47-0.81) and stillbirths OR 0.36 (95% CI 0.19-0.69) was shown in the post-intervention period. No difference was shown in rates of consultations for DFM or maternal concerns. Stillbirth rates and maternal behavior among women who were of non-Western origin, smokers, overweight or >34 years old were unchanged. Conclusions. Uniform information on fetal activity provided to pregnant women was associated with a reduction in the number of primiparous women who delayed reporting of DFM and a reduction of the stillbirth rates for primiparous women reporting DFM. The information did not appear to increase maternal concerns or rate of consultation. Due to different imperfections in different clinical settings, further studies in other populations replicating these findings are required

Sedimentary ancient DNA from Lake Skartjorna, Svalbard: assessing the resilience of arctic flora to Holocene climate change

Reconstructing past vegetation and species diversity from arctic lake sediments can be challenging because of low pollen and plant macrofossil concentrations. Information may be enhanced by metabarcoding of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). We developed a Holocene record from Lake Skartjørna, Svalbard, using sedaDNA, plant macrofossils and sediment properties, and compared it with published records. All but two genera of vascular plants identified as macrofossils in this or a previous study were identified with sedaDNA. Six additional vascular taxa were found, plus two algal and 12 bryophyte taxa, by sedaDNA analysis, which also detected more species per sample than macrofossil analysis. A shift from Salix polaris-dominated vegetation, with Koenigia islandica, Ranunculaceae and the relatively thermophilic species Arabis alpina and Betula, to Dryas octopetala-dominated vegetation ~6600–5500 cal. BP suggests a transition from moist conditions 1–2°C warmer than today to colder/drier conditions. This coincides with a decrease in runoff, inferred from core lithology, and an independent record of declining lacustrine productivity. This mid-Holocene change in terrestrial vegetation is broadly coincident with changes in records from marine sediments off the west coast of Svalbard. Over the Holocene sedaDNA records little floristic change, and it clearly shows species persisted near the lake during time intervals when they are not detected as macrofossils. The flora has shown resilience in the presence of a changing climate, and, if future warming is limited to 2°C or less, we might expect only minor floristic changes in this region. However, the Holocene record provides no analogues for greater warming