A decision support model for buying battery electric vehicles considering consumer learning and psychological behavior

Developments in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have received more and more attentions in the last decades due to alleviating carbon emissions and energy crisis. Consequently, how to rank alternative BEVs to assist consumers make better purchasing decisions is a worthy research study. However, there are still some defects in the existing studies for ranking of BEVs: 1) the evaluation index system of BEVs is not comprehensive; 2) the determination of criteria weights cannot be well applied to the actual purchase scenarios; and 3) the psychological behavior of consumers is ignored. To address those shortcomings, this paper proposes a decision support model to assist with consumers to buy BEVs. First, a systematic evaluation criteria system of BEVs including quantitative and qualitative indicators from parameter configurations and online reviews is constructed. Then, a weight algorithm considering consumer learning is proposed to determine the criteria weights. Furthermore, a decision support process considering consumers' regret avoidance behavior is proposed. Finally, an actual BEV purchase case is given to illustrate the practicability of the decision support model. This can be seen in case studies the proposed support model can be well applied to consumers with different regret avoidance behaviours.     

Website quality and users' intention to use digital libraries: Examining users’ attitudes,online co-creation experiences,and eWOM

This research aims to examine how the website quality affects the intention of digital library users to use the website by considering factors of user's attitudes, online co-creation experiences, and electronic word-of-mouth. The statistical population of the research is composed of the users of Astan Qods Razavi digital library, which is one of the oldest digital libraries in Iran. Data was collected from 402 participants who use the library and analyzed in SPSS and PLS softwares. Construct validity was assessed and confirmed using convergent validity and divergent validity. Data reliability was assessed and confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. The research confirms that website quality affects the attitudes of users towards the website and their intention to participate in online co-creation and eWOM. The effects of user's attitudes to the online co-creation experience, eWOM, and intention to use the library, as well as the effects of the online co-creation experience and eWOM on the intention to use the digital library were also confirmed. Considering the results of the research, it is recommended to digital libraries to provide an efficient user-friendly website designed to increase user participation and establish close contact with them and in this way increase their intention to use digital library services.     

The role of influencer–follower congruence in the relationship between influencer marketing and purchase behaviour

Over the last decade, influencer marketing has become one of the most important tools for companies and brands to increase awareness, sales, or image strength. Since consumers prefer brands and companies whose image is congruent with their actual or ideal self, we could expect that consumers tend to prefer influencers whom they can compare themselves with. Therefore, congruence between consumer and influencer is imperative in influencer marketing and may indicate whether the influencer will be able to promote products to the target audience in an appealing way. Using a quantitative empirical study, we surveyed more than 7500 individuals measuring how they perceive a specific influencer's credibility, content usefulness, congruence, and purchase behaviour. The results suggest that if there is a congruence between an influencer and the follower, the impact of the influencer's experience and its content usefulness on purchase behaviour is stronger.     

The influence of anthropomorphic appearance of artificial intelligence products on consumer behavior and brand evaluation under different product types

While artificial intelligence products are widely used in the market, their anthropomorphic appearance design is becoming a frontier issue in product strategy and consumer behavior research. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of anthropomorphic appearance on consumer behavior and brand evaluation under different AI product types. It was conducted in China, a new but rapidly-growing country in the field of Internet, AI technology and AI product consumption. This study conducted four situational experiments with a 2 (anthropomorphic design: anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic) × 2 (product type: hedonic vs. utilitarian) between subjects’ experimental design. Data was collected from 1172 Chinese “Digital Natives” by using a structured questionnaire. The findings revealed that for hedonic AI products, anthropomorphic appearance improves consumers' purchase intention and brand evaluation through perceived entertainment, and intelligence level significantly moderates the mediating effect of perceived entertainment; while for practical AI products, anthropomorphic appearance improves consumers' purchase intention and brand evaluation through perceived usefulness, and intelligence level does not significantly moderate the mediating effect of perceived usefulness. There is no significant moderating effect of intelligence level on perceived usefulness. The study contributes to development and validation of a more comprehensive understanding and theoretical foundation of anthropomorphism, and furthermore explores the impact of anthropomorphic appearance on consumer behavior and brand evaluation under different AI product types. This study also provides insights for companies to apply anthropomorphic strategies.     

Factors affecting consumers’ intention towards purchasing halal food in South Africa: a structural equation modelling

This research study highlighted the factors that influence the intention of consumers to buy halal food products. In this study, the researchers have chosen to address the gap in the literature pertaining to non-South African consumers’ purchase intention. Non-South Africans are foreign people who reside in South Africa including immigrants, workers, and students. Through utilising the theory of planned behaviour, this study aims to determine the attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control, and awareness of non-South African towards purchasing halal food products. This also attempts to identify the strongest factor that influences the purchasing intention of halal food by non-South African consumers. The sample of the study consisted of 230 non-South African consumers in Cape Town. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to identify the structural relationships among the constructs identified and to test the study hypotheses. The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant relationship between awareness and buying behaviour. Interestingly it found that only the attitude dimension of TPB had a significant relationship with purchase intention, whereas subjective norms and perceived behavioural control did not show a significant relationship with the consumer intention variable.     

Price premiums for organic menus at restaurants: What is an acceptable level?

This study identifies acceptable premium price levels that customers would be willing to pay for organic menu items at restaurants in the United States. Previous literature indicates that health-related and socio-demographic characteristics significantly influence consumers’ intentions to purchase organic food. To advance our understanding of how different consumers respond to changes in organic food prices, this study examines the moderating effects of the level of health consciousness (high versus low), gender (male versus female), and age (young versus old) on the relationship between premium price levels and purchasing intentions. In addition, this study further investigates acceptable premium price levels for different consumer segments at two types of restaurants (casual dining versus fine dining). The results of this study provide guidelines for menu design and strategies for restaurateurs to devise effective price premiums for organic menu options.     

Is the Impact of CSR Similar Across Borders? An Exploratory Study Comparing Young Adults' Perceptions of CSR Between Puerto Rico and United States

This study aimed to explore how young adults in Puerto Rico perceive and respond to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in comparison with young adults in the United States. It explored the awareness of CSR, the importance placed on four CSR dimensions (economic, legal, ethical, philanthropic), and how such perceptions potentially link to individuals' behavioral intentions. An online survey found that Puerto Rican respondents perceive themselves as having a higher level of awareness of CSR than young adults in the United States; however, the level of CSR awareness among these demographic groups was low in both countries. Puerto Rican respondents placed more importance on the economic dimension of CSR, while U.S. respondents placed more importance on the legal dimension of CSR. CSR awareness was positively linked to behavioral intentions only among U.S. respondents. The allocated importance of CSR was a critical factor for respondents in Puerto Rico to show more favorable behavioral intentions.     

Examining the influencing factors of intention to share accommodations in online hospitality exchange networks

ABSTRACT

CouchSurfing is a free social-network-based online hospitality exchange network, aptly representing a new sharing economy phenomenon. Based on social capital theory and previous literature, this study attempts to answer why hosts help strangers without any expected economic benefit within online hospitality exchange networks. An empirical study based on a Web survey conducted with CouchSurfing hosts reveals that the most identified antecedents (enjoy helping, shared narratives, desire to make friends, and reciprocity) are significantly related to hosts’ intention to share accommodations. Interestingly, the overshadowing effect of trust in CouchSurfing on the intention to share accommodations is also found.     

What influences consumers’ intention to purchase organic personal care products? The role of social reassurance

Green and organic markets have grown rapidly in recent times, thanks to the increasing global popularity of having a healthier lifestyle. Rising consumer awareness of the risks of synthetic chemicals for humans as well as the environment have boosted the demand for organic personal care products (PCPs). To better understand the micro-mechanisms guiding the organic PCPs buying process, this study builds on the social proof theory by examining the drivers leading this process in two different national contexts. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to conduct a multigroup analysis on a sample of 473 consumers (n = 266 from Spain, n = 207 from Italy). Findings reveal the significant role of environmental value, product knowledge, convenience & quality, and information adoption. Furthermore, the study introduces and validates the new construct ‘social reassurance’ explaining the psychological mechanisms leading the organic PCPs buying process.     

创业失败经验对连续创业意愿的影响——创业失败学习与市场动荡性的作用

基于经验学习理论，探究创业失败经验如何通过创业失败学习影响创业者连续创业意愿，以及市场动荡性的调节作用。对176位有失败经历的创业者进行问卷调查，结果表明：创业失败经验对创业失败学习和连续创业意愿均有显著正向影响；创业失败学习在创业失败经验与连续创业意愿关系间起中介作用；市场动荡性负向调节创业失败学习与连续创业意愿的关系，即市场动荡性越高，创业失败学习与连续创业意愿间的关系越弱。研究结论对于拓展创业失败经验与连续创业意愿研究、帮助创业者从失败中复原，以及激励连续创业具有重要理论价值和实践意义。