Are inertia and calculative commitment distinct constructs? An indirect test in the financial services sector

Both inert and calculatively committed customers express somewhat similar behaviours that include repeat purchasing despite having negative perceptions and associating in opportunistic behaviours. These characteristics have however resulted in some researchers conceptualising interchangeably the related yet distinct constructs. This paper aims to extend the knowledge on inertia and calculative commitment by examining the extent to which they are distinct. An analysis of data collected online from 376 businesses using a key informant approach indicate that these two constructs demonstrate discriminant validity. Whilst switching costs impact both inertia and calculative commitment, they have differential effects. The implications of these findings are discussed

Modelling trade-offs in students\u27 choice set when determining universities

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing Indonesian students\u27 choice of university by estimating the trade-off students make in selecting a university. Design/methodology/approach - Conjoint analysis was used to examine the relative importance and the part-worth scores of the attributes that influence students\u27 public university preferences in Indonesia. Findings - High-school leavers in Indonesia trade off university preferences and view advice from family, friends, and/or teachers, reputation, and job prospects as important factors for selecting a public university. Two different preference-based segments of prospective students were identified from cluster analysis, and classified as either a social networks-based decision or a rational decision segment. A choice simulator was employed with three propositions, and the segments were found to have dissimilar preferences. Research limitations/implications - While this paper provides insights on higher-education consumer choice, more research is needed that includes samples from different types of higher-education institutions and fields of study. Practical implications - A greater understanding of student choice can help to inform marketing practices and customize marketing strategies for each segment by providing important information to principal parties involved in making university choice decisions. Originality/value - This paper demonstrates the relevance and value of conjoint analysis as an effective analytical tool for the identification of important choice criteria and its potential contribution to the development of more effective marketing strategies

Navigating the platform economy: Crafting a customer analytics capability instrument

The prevalence of the platform economy is rapidly increasing, primarily driven by the incorporation of big data into the digital business environment. Big data contains substantial customer information, necessitating analytics to process such data. Despite the acceleration in customer data, researchers lack knowledge about the tools that constitute Customer Analytics Capability (CAC) within the online retail business context. Through a multi-phase research design, we develop and test an instrument for CAC within the spectrum of the platform economy. We validate a multidimensional and higher-order CAC framework comprising value creation, delivery, and management. We establish the nomological validity by identifying the instrument's significant impact on customer-related performance. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of CAC in shaping customer-centric outcomes within the expanding platform economy

Career development learning in the curriculum: What is an academic’s role?

Career development learning (CDL) is an approach to developing student employability that enables students to reflect on and plan their future careers through engaging in activities outside or within their degree. Building on literature arguing for the benefits of integrating CDL within curriculum, this study examines academics’ perceived roles facilitating CDL. Informed by the principles and processes of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), 55 academics were interviewed from one institution, enabling responses to be examined through a common lens of teaching, policy and governance structures. Findings demonstrate that while some participants broadly understood the value of CDL, the term CDL is not well known. Further, while CDL strategies within teaching contexts occur, they are mostly unplanned or dialogic. This paper presents a taxonomy of current practice, featuring 11 diverse roles for facilitating CDL within curriculum grouped as absent, implicit and explicit approaches. The paper offers recommendations for a university-wide agenda for employability that features CDL strategies embedded across core curricula

An empirical study of the antecedents and consequence of calculative commitment in B2B services

This research proposes and empirically analyses a model that considers switching costs and attractiveness of alternative service providers as antecedents to calculative commitment, and repurchase intentions as one of its consequences. Given that calculatively committed customers are important in fading relationships, we test these constructs amongst dissatisfied business services customers because research on the continuation of troubled business relationships is scarce. Data was collected online from 416 businesses using a key informant approach. Results support the contention that the antecedents of calculative commitment are attractiveness of alternative service providers and switching costs, specifically, benefit-loss costs, customer-service provider relationships costs and post-switching costs. Repurchase intentions was found to be a consequence of calculative commitment

A conceptual model of the antecedents of behavioural loyalty of dissatisfied business services customers

This paper presents a conceptualisation of the factors that lead dissatisfied business-to-business (B2B) customers to stay with their existing service providers. While studies in a B2B context have addressed some important barriers to switching, they have not discussed all of these, and not necessarily under conditions of dissatisfaction. A literature review of previous research, both theoretical and empirical, identified that a gap in the body of knowledge exists regarding the reason that dissatisfied customers are behaviourally loyal, and results from a previous qualitative study unearthed additional barriers that exist. Hence, this paper proposes a model of the deterrents to switching amongst dissatisfied business services customers, including moderators and meditators that are postulated to influence the relationship

Reflecting on providing multiple assignment supports to first-year marketing students in a large class

This paper describes improvements in learning outcomes in a large undergraduate marketing class at the University of Wollongong. The authors reflect on the interventions developed and evaluated, aimed at supporting students in their transition from novice researchers into self-regulated researchers, and producing professional marketing reports in industry recognised report writing genres. The project, and therefore the paper, was focussed on the major assignment and the initial and ongoing supports provided to students. These have been developed through a continuous cycle of improvement – planned, developed in partnership with a central resource development unit, deployed using a website and classroom activities, evaluated and refined over 2 phases in a 12 month period

Exploring Mediating and Moderating Relationships amongst Some Switching Barriers in the Business Services Sector

This paper presents a research model to explore the (i) direct effects of independent variables (interpersonal relationship and attractiveness of alternatives) on behavioural loyalty, (ii) the mediating effects of dependence and calculative commitment on the relationship between independent variables and behavioural loyalty, and (iii) the moderating role of subjective knowledge on the relationship between attractiveness of alternatives and dependence. While the direct effects of interpersonal relationships and attractiveness of alternatives have been examined in a business-to-business (B2B) context, there is no research yet known that investigates these constructs under conditions of dissatisfaction in the B2B services sector. Similarly, there is no research identified that investigates mediating or moderating roles in this context. We attempt to fill this knowledge gap by contributing to a better understanding of how customer loyalty towards service providers is formed under a troubled or dysfunctional relationship

Retention of dissatisfied B-to-B services customers: an empirical test of the mediating effects of dependence and calculative commitment

The literature argues that the alternative outcomes of a customer either ending or continuing a struggling relationship not only depend on the determinant factors or switching barriers, but also on the essential nature of the relationship. This paper adapts a broad social exchange framework to business-to-business (B-to-B) exchange relationships, and explains unjustified persistence or the tendency to remain involved in a B-to-B relationship that is dissatisfying overall. Specifically, the paper extends the knowledge on the mediating factors that influence the likelihood of dissatisfied B-to-B customers who have complained, and considered switching, to continue purchasing from their existing service provider. Data was collected online from 376 businesses using a key informant approach, and analysed using structural equation modelling software AMOS 7.0 with maximumlikelihood (ML) estimation. The findings support all the hypothesised relationships and imply that the potential loss of special privileges, if the customer were to switch from their current service provider, are related to a feeling of dependence on, and calculative commitment to, the service provider. The mediation mechanisms also imply that sunk costs are more related to dependence or calculative commitment than repurchase intentions, and that dependence or calculative commitment continues to play a role in generating customer outcomes