The effect of dynamic retail experiences on experiential perceptions of value: an internet and catalog comparison

The authors introduce cognitive continuum theory (CCT) as a theoretical framework to examine the effect of consumer shopping tasks and retail information display properties on consumer perceptions of experiential value. In this empirical investigation, the nature of a consumer’s shopping task is found to exert a direct influence on consumer perceptions of efficiency, economic value, and shopping enjoyment, all active dimensions of value. In addition, congruent interactions between shopping task and retail information display properties exert an enhancing effect on the reactive dimensions of value, as evidenced by perceptions of visual appeal, entertainment value, and service excellence. Future application of CCT is outlined and managerial implications are discussed.     

A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Endorsement of Ethical Leadership

The western-based leadership and ethics literatures were reviewed to identify the key characteristics that conceptually define what it means to be an ethical leader. Data from the Global Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (GLOBE) project were then used to analyze the degree to which four aspects of ethical leadership – Character/Integrity, Altruism, Collective Motivation, and Encouragement – were endorsed as important for effective leadership across cultures. First, using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses measurement equivalence of the ethical leadership scales was found, which provides indication that the four dimensions have similar meaning across cultures. Then, using analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests each of the four dimensions were found to be universally endorsed as important for effective leadership. However, cultures also varied significantly in the degree of endorsement for each dimension. In the increasingly global business environment, these findings have implications for organizations implementing ethics programs across cultures and preparing leaders for expatriate assignments. Christian J. Resick is Assistant Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Florida International University. His research is aimed at understanding how people interact with and influence various aspects of their work environments, including cultures, climates, leaders, and teammates along with the implications for various aspects of organizational behavior. A particular focus of Christian’s work examines ethical leadership and the critical linkages between leadership and organizational ethics. He received his Ph.D. from Wayne State University. Paul J. Hanges is a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland and the head of the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program in the department. He is an affiliate of the Cognitive Psychology program and the R. H. Smith School of Business. Paul’s research focuses on three topics (a) social cognition, leadership, and cross-cultural issues; (b) personnel selection, test fairness, and racial/gender discrimination; and (c) research methodology. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Psychology and The Leadership Quarterly and is a fellow of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Marcus W. Dickson is Associate Professor of I/O Psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit. His research generally focuses on issues of leadership and culture (both organizational and societal), and the interaction of those constructs. He is a former Co-Principal Investigator of the GLOBE Project, and his work has appeared in Journal of Applied Psychology, Applied Psychology: An International Review, and The Leadership Quarterly, among others. Jacqueline K. Mitchelson is a doctoral candidate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Wayne State University. Her current research areas are leadership, organizational culture, individual differences and work-family conflict.     

Buyer-supplier relational characteristics and joint decision making

This paper explores propositions dealing with the influence of buyer-supplier relational characteristics on their joint decision making. Specifically, the proposed conceptual framework focuses on the link between three relational constructs (trust, commitment, relationship maturity) and two types of joint decision making (strategic and tactical). Strategic decisions are those that “expand the pie” for both parties (integrative decisions), and tactical decisions are those that “divide the pie” between the two parties (distributive decisions). We propose that the effect of relational characteristics on joint decision making is likely to be moderated by the characteristics of the supplier organization (such as team orientation) and its environment (such as competitive intensity). We conclude with a brief discussion of the implications and possible extensions of the theoretical model.     

Asymmetric competition in retail store formats: Evaluating inter- and intra-format spatial effects

Our study aims to analyze the role of store format in retail competitive interactions, specifically, the relationship between growth, location strategy, and market response. To assess this relationship, we propose an extension of the classic models of spatial interaction, which incorporate the asymmetric competitive effects linked to the concept of store format. An empirical application allows us to confirm greater spatial rivalry within store formats (intra-format) than between store formats (inter-format). This implies a certain hierarchical organization when consumers select a retail store, first choosing the type of store at which they will shop and later a particular store within this format. The results are important for retailers who want to configure an optimal network of store locations as well as public administrators who must regulate commercial activity.     

Impact of Reputation and Promotion on Internet Auction Outcomes: Finnish Evidence

The purpose of this article is to explore the impact of seller’s reputation and promotional methods on auction outcomes in the Finnish online auction website, Huuto.net. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses are used to test a set of hypotheses. The dataset consists of 227 auctions of iPhone 4S 16 GB mobile phones posted for auction by 138 individual sellers. The main finding is that sellers who have acquired a free identification from Huuto.net achieve a hefty increase in the final sales price. Sellers who have not established an online reputation achieve considerably lower closing prices at auction. An increase in negative feedback points reduces the final sales price. Purchasing display-enhancing promotional options does not increase the price but may improve probability of sale. Establishing reputation, avoiding negative feedback, and acquiring identification pay off. The promotional options associated with fonts and colors are not worth the cost.     

Supervising the Unethical Selling Behavior of Top Sales Performers: Assessing the Impact of Social Desirability Bias

This study measures social desirability bias (SD bias) by comparing the level of discipline sales managers believe they would administer when supervising unethical selling behavior with the level of discipline they perceive other sales managers would select. Results indicate the presence of SD bias; the sales manager respondents consistently claimed that they would be stricter while their peers would be more lenient. Using an analytical technique that takes social desirability bias into account, it appears that sales managers use of discipline is affected by the sales performance of the salesperson being disciplined resulting in more lenient discipline for top sales performers. In addition, the more lenient treatment for top sales performers persists even when there is a pattern of a prior ethical infraction and the existence of an explicit organizational policy proscribing the act in question. Sales managers believe that, like themselves, others would be stricter when an unethical act is committed for the second time but not as strict as they personally would be. A within-subjects interaction effect indicates more SD bias under the condition of the unethical act being committed for the second time.     

An Empirical Investigation Into the Effect of Music Downloading on the Consumer Expenditure of Recorded Music: A Time Series Approach

The downloading of music from the internet has been proliferating over the past three years. The recording industry believes that this phenomenon is responsible for the decline in recorded music sales since the year 2000, and to a certain extent this is supported by consumer surveys and previous studies that have used panel or cross-sectional data. In this analysis, an econometric, time-series model of consumer spending on tapes, LPs, and CDs is estimated which takes into account factors that are posited as effecting the consumption of recorded music, but not used in previous studies. The most significant finding is that music downloading, subsequent to 2000, affects consumer spending on tapes, LPs, and CDs through the price elasticity of demand. Falling DVD prices have also served to reduce the demand of recorded music during this same period.     

Trends in the technology and economics of air transport

The past half-century of developments in air transport are assessed and the current state of air technology and the economics of air transport assessed, particularly the trends since the 1973 ‘oil crisis’. The role of government in the industry in viewed as critical for its future health.     

The Effect of Overconfidence and Underconfidence on Consumer Value

Although the effect of knowledge miscalibration (i.e., the inaccuracy in subjective knowledge relative to objective knowledge) on consumer purchase decisions has been investigated, its effect in the usage stage of consumption is little understood. This paper examines the effect of knowledge miscalibration in terms of both overconfidence (i.e., when subjective knowledge is inflated) and underconfidence (i.e., when subjective knowledge is deflated) on the dimensions of consumer value (i.e., efficiency, excellence, play, and aesthetics). The paper makes the case that overconfidence and underconfidence should be treated separately as they trigger different consumption consequences. Several hypotheses are tested through two studies: a covariance‐based study (Study 1) and an experimental study (Study 2). In Study 1, overconfidence and underconfidence are measured, while in Study 2 they are experimentally manipulated. Findings of both studies show that underconfidence negatively influences efficiency, excellence, and aesthetics, and overconfidence negatively influences play. Also, Study 1 finds a negative effect of underconfidence on play and Study 2 finds a negative effect of overconfidence on excellence and aesthetics. Findings reveal that knowledge miscalibration negatively impacts consumers’ usage experiences. This implies that in designing product or service experiences suppliers benefit from ensuring that consumers achieve a reduced level of knowledge miscalibration.