Scale Development and Validation for Measuring Online Engagement

Although the construct of online engagement has received considerable attention in the consumer behavior literature, academic research lacks clear conceptualization and rigorous measurement of the construct within social media. Further, a lack of consensus remains with regard to the conceptualization and operationalization of engagement in the marketing literature. This study develops and validates a 16-item online engagement scale comprising four factors: conscious attention, affection, enthused participation, and social connection. Strong evidence supports the reliability of the multidimensional conceptualization, as well as its convergent and discriminant validity. The scale offers a framework for future research investigations in an increasingly important area.     

‘Fear of Missing Out’ (FOMO) marketing appeals: A conceptual model

The ‘Fear of Missing Out’ (‘FOMO’) is a well-known concept in popular culture. Consequently, it has been co-opted and successfully utilised in commercial advertising appeals to initiate sales. However, academic research to date has focussed exclusively on FOMO as an individual trait leading to self-initiated FOMO-driven behaviours. By contrast, the success of FOMO sales appeals relies upon consumers’ responses; therefore, it is necessary to understand these response mechanisms. This is the first known academic research to investigate consumer response mechanisms in relation to externally initiated FOMO appeals. In doing so, this research develops an original taxonomy of FOMO appeals; establishes a thematic map of response elements; identifies theory relevant to individuals’ responses; formulates an operational response model; and proposes a future FOMO research agenda.     

Conceptualizing and measuring consumer social responsibility: a neglected aspect of consumer research

Despite the availability of extensive research on a wide range of consumer‐related areas, some socially sensitive consumer issues have still remained relatively unexplored. Since literature review revealed a gap in the conceptualization of consumer social responsibilities, this article conceptualized, developed and validated a measurement scale for consumer social responsibility (CnSR), using a rigorous methodology suggested in the scale development literature. The study responded to the scholarly calls for further research in this area. Using a total sample of 491 respondents (53 respondents for pilot, 207 for exploratory survey and 231 for confirmatory survey), the study proposed a six‐dimensional measurement scale for CnSR, including: (1) social impacts, (2) solidarity, (3) critical appraisal, (4) supporting business growth, (5) environmental impacts and (6) action. It is argued that with ever growing impacts of corporate social responsibility on business practices, the validated measurement scale will contribute to the advancement of research in this nascent consumer area.     

A dynamic market conceptualization for entrepreneurial marketing: the co-creation of opportunities

The entrepreneurial marketing domain should consider opportunity co-creation as a foundational construct for advancing the discipline. This paper integrates emerging views in entrepreneurship with an evolving, service-dominant logic of marketing to develop a market conceptualization for exploring uncertainty in dynamic social and economic environments. With this market conceptualization, opportunities are continually co-created through the development and communication of value propositions, the derivation and determination of value, and the (re)formation of markets. Emerging research around the process of opportunity co-creation is used to create an initial definition and theoretical considerations.     

A Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility Following the Sustainable Development Paradigm

The aim of this research is to develop and validate a measurement scale for consumer’s perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSRConsPerScale) using the three-dimensional social, environmental and economic conceptual approach as a theoretical basis. Based on the stages of measurement scale creation and validation suggested by DeVellis (Scale development: theory and applications, 1991) and supported by Churchill Jr.’s (J Mark Res 16(1):64–73, 1979) suggestions, five different empirical studies are developed expressly and applied to consumers of tourist services. This research involves 1147 real tourists from 24 countries in two different cultural and geographical contexts. A three-dimensional 18-item scale is proposed for measuring consumer perceptions of corporate social, environmental and economic responsibilities. This paper presents the complete development of the scale, as well as the implications and limitations of the main findings and the managerial implications.     

Impact of retail environment extraordinariness on customer self-concept

This research examines the effect of extraordinary retail environments on consumer self-concept. Two between-subjects experiments manipulate the extraordinariness of the retail environment and evaluate participants' self-concept in the environment. In both experiments, high-extraordinariness retail environments elicit a more atypical working self-concept than low-extraordinariness environments. Content analysis of participants' working self-concept in the two environments offers insight into the cognitive processes underlying the effect. The article discusses managerial and theoretical implications of the research.     

Moral Climate in Business Firms: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis and Change

This paper introduces a new conceptual framework for studying moral climate in business firms, offering an alternative to other theoretical models currently in the literature. The framework integrates recent advances in organizational climate theory into a new conceptualization of the moral climate construct that explains how moral climates evolve in organizations and suggests moral climate change.     

The influence of a retailer's corporate social responsibility program on re-conceptualizing store image

The construct of retail store image is typically built based on a variety of the store's functional attributes. This conceptualization fails to consider the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) polices and practices in forming store image. Results from a study of 460 consumers indicate CSR influences consumer store image. CSR is particularly effective at influencing store image when the retailer experiences a positive performance perception among its customers. Consumers shopping at such stores are more receptive to CSR programs, and experience significant increases in their level of satisfaction and loyalty to the store through the addition of these programs.     

Measurement of Modern and Traditional Self-Concepts in Asian Transitional Economies

This article describes the development and validation of a new consumer self-concept scale created for use in Confucian societies whose economies formerly were centrally planned but are now moving toward a free-market system. Traditional self and modern self are proposed to be the two subconstructs of the perceptions of self. The empirical work involved with the scale development and validation using data from Vietnam and China are presented. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed in this article.     

Big fish: Leveraging the fear of missing out in equity crowdfunding in the post-COVID-19 era

In this article, we look at how to leverage the positive face of the fear of missing out (FOMO) to foster brand community-building in the context of equity crowdfunding in the post-COVID-19 era. Using thematic analysis from 15 interviews with crowd investors across Europe and North America, we investigated how FOMO influences the decision-making of crowd investors. Findings suggest that FOMO is a powerful belongingness facilitator that can support the crowd investor’s self-determination strategies and thus their willingness to take part in a crowdfunding community, sharing in its values and beliefs. FOMO can be used by entrepreneurs to activate identification mechanisms through which they can create a loyal fan base. We conclude by proposing an entrepreneurial action plan to guide the entrepreneur in making the most of FOMO in equity crowdfunding ventures.     

Perceived Omnichannel Customer Experience (OCX): Concept,measurement, and impact

Efforts to measure customer experiences (CX) in multifaceted, omnichannel, retail contexts are crucial but lacking research guidance. Prior service quality literature has established methods for measuring CX in traditional, single-channel contexts but not adapted such measures to omnichannel contexts. With a mixed method research design and studies in eight phases, the authors propose a comprehensive measurement instrument that incorporates a schema- and categorization-based theoretical conceptualization of how customers assess omnichannel retail experiences; they also integrate means–end chain theory to explain perceived omnichannel customer experience (OCX) as a construct. This construct captures multiple omnichannel evaluation dimensions: social communications, value, personalization, customer service, consistency of both product availability and prices across channels, information safety, delivery, product returns, and loyalty programs. Multiple applications of the measurement model empirically confirm the suitability of this instrument in consumer goods omnichannel retail settings. Its 36 items reflect nine first-order quality dimensions that combine to form the overall, second-order OCX construct. The measurement instrument offers sound psychometric properties, as confirmed by several reliability and validity tests, and predicts customer behavior reliably across studies. Thus, the OCX measurement instrument offers utility for theory, management practice, and further research.     

Children's Perceived Value: Conceptualization,Scale Development,and Validation

Perceived value among children is an important concept in consumer decisions, yet surprisingly no research has operationalized value for this consumer group. To address this omission, and following the guidelines of DeVellis (2016), this investigation reports the findings of a seven-stage process to develop a valid and reliable instrument for measuring perceived value among children aged 8–14 years. Value for children is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct capturing perceptions of what is received and what is given up, which differs from adult measures in terms of its composition and complexity. A 24-item scale is developed that shows internal consistency, reliability, construct validity, and nomological validity. We also demonstrate the validity of the new scale beyond an existing adult perceived value measure. Directions for future research and managerial implications of the new scale for studying children's consumer behavior are discussed.     

Consumer cosmopolitanism: Review and replication of the CYMYC scale

Extant marketing literature mainly focuses on explaining why consumers might prefer domestic products and refrain from buying foreign products but, however, is weak in explaining why consumers might intentionally opt for foreign products. Against this background, consumer cosmopolitanism has gained increasing attention as a potentially relevant consumer characteristic for explaining foreign product preference and choice. However, empirical evidence on the impact of consumer cosmopolitanism on consumption behavior remains scarce. This paper identifies the absence of an appropriate measurement instrument as a main reason for this lack of empirical studies by providing (a) a review of cosmopolitanism scales used in other research fields, and (b) a replication with extensions study of the CYMYC scale, the only consumer cosmopolitanism scale currently available. The findings highlight a need for a new scale to measure the consumer cosmopolitanism construct. To stimulate further research in this direction, the paper proposes a conceptual definition of consumer cosmopolitanism along with a nomological network to guide the scale development process.     

Relationship Value in Business Markets: The Construct and Its Dimensions

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the concept of relationship value has attracted increasing attention among marketing researchers and practitioners alike. Despite a growing body of literature in this area, no generally accepted conceptualization of relationship value has emerged from the marketing literature. The present paper investigates the theoretical foundations of relationship value and identifies seven underlying dimensions. It is suggested that relationship value should be conceptualized as a formative, multi-dimensional, higher-order construct. This conceptualization is tested using data from a cross-sectional survey among some 200 purchasing managers from manufacturing companies. The scale development process is presented and directions for future research are discussed.     

Global convergence of consumer spending: Conceptualization and propositions

The convergence versus divergence debate has persistently presented a puzzle in the scholarly literature. Forces of globalization created a wave of convergence. Yet, the recent worldwide events have changed the course of globalization, slowing its seemingly unavoidable forward direction. It is, therefore, incumbent upon international business scholars to reexamine the convergence versus divergence debate in the contemporary world economy. Despite the central role that global convergence plays in international business decisions, the literature is lacking a conceptualization of the convergence construct in terms of consumer spending behavior. Offering a new perspective derived from the convergence-divergence-crossvergence (CDC) framework and the coevolution theory, the authors define and conceptualize the convergence construct associated with consumer spending behavior. The proposed conceptual framework is comprehensive, offers refinements to the convergence phenomenon, and leads the way for further development of new theories in the international marketing domain.     

Redefining Confidence for Consumer Behavior Research

Although quintessential to market exchange and trade, consumer confidence evokes little interest from marketing scholars, and largely persists as an untapped dimension in consumer behavior research. Nevertheless, the dearth of confidence research provides a most useful foundation for investigating how it is both relevant and informative to the study of consumer decision making and behavior. Following a comprehensive review of the theoretical foundations of confidence, an integrated conceptualization is mapped out, and examples of consumer behavior research areas deemed to benefit from a more honed study of confidence are highlighted.     

Enhancing brand coolness through perceived luxury values: Insight from luxury fashion brands

Consumers of luxury brands have been described as seekers of products that can offer a signaling value to present to others but also a value for their self-concepts in an existentialist spirit potentially linked to being “cool or not.” Prior studies have conceptualized brand coolness and evaluated its impact on consumer responses to brands. However, few studies have contextualized the construct of brand coolness concerning luxury brand realism. We assessed the semiotic tension that luxury brand consumers feel between self-concept and self-presentation to others via a theoretical consideration of four antecedents of brand coolness: individual, social, financial, and functional luxury values; and one intentional outcome such as consumers' passionate desire to use luxury fashion brands. Our findings indicated that luxury values positively influence brand coolness, and brand coolness positively influences passionate desire. We further confirmed that brand coolness plays a complementary mediating role between luxury values and passionate desire. A final contribution is to invite brand managers to consider how luxury values and brand coolness might be used proactively to drive consumers' passionate desires in the relationships with luxury fashion brands.     

Cents of self: How and when self-signals influence consumer value derived from choices of green products

Consumers choosing between green and conventional products often believe such choices imply trade-off decisions, such that green products provide morally-related advantages but embody price or quality-related disadvantages compared to standard products. We study the consequences of such trade-offs for consumer value in the context of privately consumed green products. To develop our theoretical model, we draw from the perspective of self-signaling – consumers' act of signaling information about their internal qualities to their own self through choice. We explore how and when self-signals from such trade-off decisions influence consumer value gained from comparative choices of green versus standard products. Six studies were conducted, using divergent measures of the dependent variable, multiple product categories, and measured as well as manipulated self-concept clarity (SCC). We find a joint effect of self-signals from comparative choices and self-concept clarity on consumer value, such that positive self-signals lead to incrementally higher satisfaction and willingness to pay for consumers with low SCC but not significantly so for those with high SCC. Results show that this joint effect may occur for consumers with low SCC because they gain incremental value from perceived self-concept alignment – a state that is construed from the perception that a self-signal is aligned with the consumer's self-concept. This study contributes to marketing research by proposing and testing a novel mechanism that can underlie self-signaling.