A comparative analysis of differential consumer response across supermarket and specialty store in the candy category

Retailing industry has undergone tremendous change in its complexity and sophistication over the past few years. Globally we are witnessing the evolution of retailing industry from traditionally micro-managed small retail formats like mom and pop store to modern corporate-managed large retail formats like supermarkets. Consumers are also shopping across these various store formats even for the products in similar categories. In this research, we posit that consumer purchases in the similar categories may very well be characterized by differential responses to marketing mix across different store formats. The proposed model accounts for the influences that these diverse response parameters and preferences have on one another as well as consumer heterogeneity. Our results show that sensitivities to marketing mix as well as correlations in preferences do indeed vary across formats for consumer purchases in similar categories.     

Modeling the relationship between firm and user generated content and the stages of the marketing funnel

While research has successfully linked social media to separate customer metrics, an in-depth conceptual and empirical understanding of how social media affects the stages of the marketing funnel is currently lacking. We draw on extant theories of consumer information processing and source credibility to conceptually link and contrast the relationships between firm generated content (FGC) dimensions of neutral valence, positive valence and vividness, user generated content (UGC) dimensions of volume and valence and the marketing funnel stages of awareness, consideration, purchase intent and satisfaction. Using daily aggregate brand-level data for 19 brands across seven industries, our analysis shows that UGC dimensions have a stronger relationship with awareness and satisfaction while FGC dimensions are more effective for consideration and purchase intent. Specifically, we observe that FGC vividness has the strongest relationship with consideration and purchase intent, while UGC valence dominates UGC volume for these stages. Our results also show that brands with higher corporate reputation have stronger relationships between dimensions of FGC and the marketing funnel stages. Findings by consumption category show that UGC and FGC dimensions have larger positive relationships with awareness for durables and non-durables, and with consideration, purchase intent, and satisfaction for services. Thus, overall, our study offers critical managerial insights into social media marketing regarding how to leverage both FGC and UGC in managing the marketing funnel and brand reputation.     

A model for risk classification of banks

This paper deals with designing a bank risk classification scheme based on readily available performance data. This risk rating is referred to as ‘Risk rating’. Due to non-availability of data on CAMEL rating (C rating), R risk rating has potential for studying risk-based premiums insurance policy and for determining optimal frequencies for variable frequency on-site examination policy. A composite non-performance measure is developed to estimate probability of failure of a bank based on performance data available in bank call reports by fitting a Logit curve and estimating its parameters using maximum likelihood method. Division of banks into healthy and watchful types is based on critical dividing value of probability of failure.     

Involvement: Its measurement for retail store research

Several marketing scholars have noted the importance of the concept of involvement with respect to marketing strategy. Various definitions of involvement have been offered. These definitions have resulted in two major measures: the importance measure (importance attached to the attributes of the object under consideration in a choice process) and the “matrix approach”. This paper addresses the reliability and validity of these two measures. The author acknowledges the financial assistance of the Board for Research and Creativity, Bradley University.     

Herding by Foreign Institutional Investors: An Evidential Exploration for Persistence and Predictability

The primary objective of the study is to explore the predictability of herding patterns of foreign institutional investors in the Indian market using high frequency data over a period from January 2003 to June 2014. Herding of an individual stock was measured estimating a simple volume based ratio and persistence of trends was detected using the runs test (Wald and Wolfowitz [1940 Wald, A., and J. Wolfowitz. “On a Test Whether Two Samples are from the Same Population.” The Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 11, (1940), pp. 147–162.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]]) on that ratio. Predictability of herding behavior has been successfully modeled by applying 7 data mining models using various measures of performance. Market regulators may consider our findings to regulate the foreign institutional investors trading to make the financial system more transparent and robust.     

Employee experience –the missing link for engaging employees: Insights from an MNE's AI-based HR ecosystem

Analyzing multiple data sources from a global information technology (IT) consulting multinational enterprise (MNE), this research unpacks the configuration of a digitalized HR ecosystem of artificial intelligence(AI)-assisted human resource management (HRM) applications and HR platforms. This study develops a novel theoretical framework mapping the nature and purpose of a digitalized AI-assisted HR ecosystem for delivering exceptional employee experience (EX), an antecedent to employee engagement (EE). Employing the theoretical lenses of EX, EE, AI-mediated social exchange, and engagement platforms, this study's overarching aim of this article is to establish how AI-assisted HRM fits into an organization's ecosystem and, second, how it impacts EX and EE. Our findings show that AI-assisted applications for HRM enhance EX and, thus, EE. We also see increases in employee productivity and HR function's effectiveness. Implications for research and practice are also discussed.     

Consumers' willingness to pay for corporate social responsibility: Theory and evidence

In an era when consumers believe that businesses should engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR), it is vital to understand how it affects consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for the goods and services offered by such businesses. There is a need for an in-depth study into the relationship between CSR and WTP, and to identify the mediators and the moderators affecting this relationship. To investigate this, we conducted a systematic literature review based on a preliminary search result of 116 unique articles indexed on this topic in four bibliographic databases—Scopus, Google Scholar, Dimensions and Web of Science—published over the previous seven decades. The findings confirm the overall positive effect of CSR on WTP. This study also reveals the indirect effect between CSR and WTP, mediated by variables like Brand Trust, Brand Loyalty, Brand Love, Customer Satisfaction, Brand Attitude, Purchase Intention and Brand Equity. The relationship is impacted by moderators, including demographics, cause-based aspects, company characteristics, personal aspects and types of products. The theory explaining the evidence of each of these aspects provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between CSR and WTP, and the intervening variables. Based on these, a conceptual framework of this relationship involving all the variables is developed. The Theory, Context and Method (TCM) framework is employed to identify gaps and systematically make recommendations for future research. The findings of this study will aid marketers in developing pricing strategies based on a thorough understanding of consumer behaviour in terms of CSR perceptions. Scholars can use this study's conceptual framework to examine previously unexplored relationships. As the literature on CSR and its influence on consumers' purchase behaviour grows, this comprehensive systematic literature review on the effects of CSR on WTP fills an important gap.     

Investigating cross-media effects in a multichannel marketing environment: the role of email,catalog, television,and radio

Marketing Letters - We empirically examine the cross-media effects of personalized and mass media on consumers’ purchase incidence in a multichannel shopping environment. We capture the...