Need for touch and haptic imagery: An investigation in online fashion shopping

Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppers are reluctant to purchase a garment online. Despite the importance of identifying possible compensatory cues for touch information, a lack of attention to this issue has been recognized in the literature. On this premise, this study addresses this research agenda to explain the mechanism by which information presentation influences customers' cognitive evaluations and behavioral responses and the role of individual differences in terms of need for touch (NFT). Specifically, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) paradigm, the study hypothesizes a model investigating whether verbal and pictorial information presentation affect haptic imagery, which in turn is supposed to influence behavioral responses (purchase intention), through a customer's cognitive evaluation (perceived product quality). To validate the research framework, a task-based online experiment was performed. Participants were requested to simulate a purchase experience on an online apparel retailer, after which they completed a questionnaire; 264 valid responses were received. The results support verbal haptic rather than pictorial information as a mechanism influencing haptic imagery and consequently behavioral responses. With regard to NFT, however, the expected moderating effect between haptic imagery, perceived product quality, and purchase intention was not supported.     

The Role of Plant-Based Foods in Canadian Diets: A Survey Examining Food Choices,Motivations and Dietary Identity

Used as a replacement for animal-based protein sources, the market for foods containing plant-based proteins (PBPs) continues to grow across North America. As of now, however, few studies of consumer behaviour focus specifically on the dynamics of this development in Canada and so this study looks at how PBPs fit in the current dietary choices of Canadians. Using data collected through a geographically representative nation-wide survey, the analysis shows that past and current consumption of these products are good indicators of future consumption of PBPs. Relatedly, negative stigma attached to earlier versions of PBPs, sometimes referred to as ‘fake meat’, continues to be an issue with current Canadian consumers. The analysis also demonstrates that personal health and animal/environmental ethics play a significant role in individual decisions to eat PBPs instead of meat. Additionally, issues of availability, affordability and concern over the sensory qualities continue to present barriers to future use.     

The effects of psychological capital,social capital,and human capital on hotel employees’ occupational stress and turnover intention

Occupational stress and turnover intention are a growing and costly concern for the hospitality industry. Drawing on Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, the study developed a research model to simultaneously examine the effects of psychological capital, social capital, and human capital on occupational stress and turnover intention. A sample size of 380 hotel employees in China was used to test the proposed model using the PLS-SEM methodology. The results suggest that occupational stress plays a full mediator role between psychological capital and turnover intention, and plays a partial mediator role between relational social capital and turnover intention. Psychological capital and relational social capital were found to have relatively higher effects on occupational stress compared to other types of capital. The study extends JD-R theory by recognizing that occupational stress functions as a mediator between the three types of capital and turnover intention. The study concludes by offering a set of practical implications stemming from this research for hotel practitioners.     

中职学生就业意向现状及提升策略研究

随着职业教育的快速发展,中职学生的就业问题日益显现。劳动力市场的供大于求是导致问题出现的主要原因,但学生自身的就业意向也严重影响着其就业质量。论文通过问卷调查并进行统计分析,指出当前中职学生就业意向中存在的问题,并提出了改进中职学生就业意向的对策和建议。     

The effect of task-technology fit on purchase intention: The moderating role of perceived risks

Electronic commerce to date has experienced rapid growth, and online purchases have become very popular among online consumers. To successfully attract online consumers and benefit from doing so, e-tail product providers should learn about consumers’ purchase intention, its antecedents, and moderators. This study proposes a research model of purchase intention using perceived performance risk and perceived privacy risk as moderators based on a perspective of task-technology fit. In the proposed model, purchase intention is positively influenced by three antecedents: task-technology fit, perceived navigation, and perceived reputation. Each model path is moderated by perceived performance risk and perceived privacy risk, respectively. Empirically testing using a survey of 749 registered members (consumers) from the database of Taiwan’s largest e-learning commercial website confirms that task-technology fit, perceived navigation, and perceived reputation positively influence purchase intention. The relationship between task-technology fit, perceived navigation and purchase intention are significantly moderated by the perceived performance risk and perceived privacy risk. Finally, managerial implications and limitations of our findings are discussed.     

Factors influencing local residents’ intentions to conserve the built heritage in Tanzania

This study used the dominant cognitive-based theory of planned behaviour (TPB) complemented by the affection-based attachment theory (AT) to investigate factors influencing local residents’ conservation intentions. Thus, in addition to TPB’s variables, such as attitudes towards conservation, perceived social pressure and perceived control over conservation, the study considered the effects of heritage affection on conservation intentions. Cross-sectional questionnaire-based data gathered from the three historic towns of Zanzibar Stone Town, Kilwa Kivinje and Pangani in Tanzania were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The TPB’s variables and heritage affection all showed a positive and significant correlation with conservation intention. The empirical data therefore supported using the TPB, complemented by the AT, to explain engagement in conservation in the built heritage setting. The study concludes that conservation intention is best viewed as a mixture of cognitive and affective factors. Theoretical and managerial implications as well as suggestions for future studies are provided.     

How do destination social responsibility strategies affect tourists’ intention to visit? An attribution theory perspective

Destination social responsibility (DSR) initiatives have recently received increasing attention as an effective way for destinations to maintain sustainable tourism development and competitive advantages. Through the lens of attribution theory, this study divided DSR strategies into proactive and reactive approaches and explored their influences on tourists' attribution and intention to visit a destination. This study also investigated the moderating role of information sources on the relationship between DSR strategies and tourists' attribution. The results of two experiments indicated that tourists' altruism attribution and visit intention tended to be higher when a destination applied the proactive (vs. reactive) DSR strategy. Tourists who got a reactive DSR message from an internal (vs. external) information source tended to generate stronger visit intention. The findings provide important implications for destinations to adopt appropriate DSR strategies and information channels for inducing tourists’ visit intention.     

“Green cannibalism” or an “organic inside job”? Empirical insights into the rivalry of ethical grocery types

Despite having favorable purchase intentions toward organic groceries, the respective purchase behavior falls often short. This so‐called intention–behavior gap is investigated by exploring the impact of competing ethical products fulfilling green consumption motives (“green fit”) as well or lacking credibility of organic groceries on organic purchase behavior. The first two studies (n ₁ = 225; n ₂ = 321) assessing actual and reported purchase behavior are testing the impact of perceived substitutability of local and fair trade alternatives compared with organic groceries. A third study ( n ₃ = 145) examines the impact of food miles and packaging on perceived product quality and credibility as possible reasons for a lacking “green fit” of organic groceries in terms of an experimental design. Local (fair trade) and organic groceries are perceived as substitute (complementary) alternatives. Additionally, local (organic) “green fit” impedes (enhances) the transformation from organic intentions into a respective purchase behavior. Wrapped organic produces with high food miles are linked to lower quality and credibility perceptions, reducing organic sales rates in favor of local groceries.     

How to enhance the image of edible insect restaurants: Focusing on perceived risk theory

Although edible insects are getting attention all over the world, consumers are still reluctant to visit edible insect restaurants. Thus, the objective of this research is to explore what risks customers perceive in edible insect restaurants and how those risks affect the image of edible insect restaurants. More specifically, First, the results of principal components analysis showed that 21 perceived risk items were divided into seven factors: quality, psychological, health, financial, environmental, time-loss, and social risks. Second, five sub-dimensions of perceived risk had a negative effect on image, with the exception of financial and environmental risks. Lastly, image was found to increase intention to use, word-of-mouth intention, and willingness to pay more.     

Persuasive location-based messaging to increase store visits: An exploratory study of fashion shoppers

Although it appears increasingly important yet potentially challenging to attract customers to physical stores, location-based messaging, i.e., delivering mobile phone messages using data about the recipient's location when that recipient is near the sender, has been said to enable such attraction. Still, existing studies offer very limited insight into which particular location-based persuasion approach retailers should use. Drawing on persuasion theory, this exploratory study aims to investigate and compare the potential of two discrepant persuasion techniques (scarcity and social proof) to influence customers' experiences and thereby stimulate them to visit the retailer's physical store. A factorial survey design was applied to test the research model. Data were collected from a sample of actual customers of a Dutch fashion retailer (n = 579). The results suggest that scarcity is a more effective persuasion technique in the studied context than social proof; scarcity-focused messages appear to be experienced as more informative, more entertaining and less irritating, seem to be valued more because of this, and are thus more likely to incline customers to visit the store. We discuss these findings and their implications for theory as well as for practice.