The new wave of AI-powered luxury brands online shopping experience: The role of digital multisensory cues and customers’ engagement

Academic literature retains a dearth of empirical evidence of the cutting-edge aspect of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital assistance and digital multisensory cues, despite the prospect of these factors on real-life customers' luxury brand online shopping experience. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the significant pathway and effects of AI-powered digital assistance toward customers’ luxury brand online shopping experience. Drawing on S–O-R (Stimulus, organism, and response) and TRAM (Technology Readiness and Acceptance Model) paradigm, a multi-method research design was deployed to investigate constructs. Firstly, semi-structured interviews were utilized to explore customers' online behavior under the luxury brands and information technology aspect. Secondly, survey data were collected and analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The PLS-based analysis of quantitative data confirmed the exploratory insights of qualitative findings, establishing the connections of AI-powered digital assistance, customer engagement, and customers' luxury brand online shopping experience. Research findings also suggest that customer engagement plays a mediation role in the relationship between AI-powered digital assistance and customers' luxury brand online shopping experience. Besides, digital multisensory cues moderate the relationship between AI-powered digital assistance and customer engagement. Further, fsQCA complements the findings of PLS-SEM that reveal the significant combination of factors that lead to the perceptions of customers' luxury brand online shopping experience.     

价值共创引导乡村旅游价值链重构

［目的］通过充分发挥移动互联时代消费者对于价值链、创新链、产业链构建的作用，实现价值共创视角下乡村旅游价值链的重构，解决乡村旅游产业中消费者需求和产业供给不平衡不充分之间的矛盾，推动乡村旅游高效、有序、协调、综合发展。［方法］基于价值共创理论，通过文献研究法和系统论方法，探索性重构乡村旅游价值链。［结果］（1）价值共创引导下的乡村旅游价值链是由基本价值活动、辅助价值活动和价值共创活动共同组成，通过虚拟价值链和传统价值链的互动与融合，实现乡村旅游价值链的新价值创造。（2）价值共创活动是以虚拟价值链为基本特征，以“产消者”创新社区为表现形式，依托移动互联网时代的先进技术，创新性赋予旅游者产品生产者和旅游消费者的“产消者”双重属性，通过将消费者从传统价值链的幕后拉向幕前，实现乡村旅游价值链重构和价值增值。［结论］价值共创引导的乡村旅游价值链需要依托平台思维、共享思维和创新思维进行建设，以消费者需求为导向形成的价值链的开放和互动对于实现乡村旅游供给侧结构性改革具有重大意义。     

品牌认同视角下“生产商-经销商-终端商”价值共创的逻辑再构

随着产业链与供应链的深入与完善,以品牌认同为引领的价值创造再一次引起关注,基于"生产商-经销商-终端商"三位一体的价值共创思维是重塑品牌形象强化品牌认同的关键.研究认为:经销商层面中人口基数、人均可支配收入、配送能力等是实现价值增值的因素,生产商层面中市场费用支持、分销政策支持、品牌战略提升是促进价值提升的关键,终端商层面中客情维护、货龄管理、品牌维护是保障价值实现的途径.     

“I live with terror inside me”: Exploring customers’ instinctive reactions to terror

Terrorist attacks occur mostly at public service-oriented sites. Consequently, their victims are likely to be customers. The present study explores how customers instinctively react toward the reality of terror in a matrix of 2 × 2 aspects concerning terror circumstances: temporal proximity (brief or long) and physical proximity (close or remote) from the terror event. In qualitative in-depth interviews, customers from France and Israel were requested to share their instinctive reactions and coping strategies when approaching hospitality (hedonistic) and transportation (utilitarian) services. Participants (N = 47) comprised customers having a protracted acquaintance with persistent terror threats. The analysis identified differences in reactions, subject to temporal and physical proximities. When terror attacks are physically close, customers’ emotions, cognitions, and behaviors undergo modification with time. However, when terror attacks occur at a location remote from the customer, customers’ emotions and cognitions, but not their behavior, change with time. These reactions were comparable for the two service contexts. Practical implications were elaborated to enable service establishments (i.e., hospitality and transportation) to design and manage their operations for the short and long term to assist customers in the difficult era of terror.     

Does corporate diversification create value in emerging markets? New evidence from Chile

Using a sample of 85 Chilean firms listed in the Santiago Stock Exchange from 2005 to 2013, we analyze the impact of corporate diversification on firm value. We consider voting rights of the main shareholder and institutional investors’ influence on firm value. We report firm‐value destruction for diversified firms. Regarding ownership concentration, we report a negative relation between the largest shareholder ownership and firm value. Separation between voting rights and cash flows rights of this shareholder is negatively related to firm value. While Pension Fund Administrators (AFP) mitigate firm value destruction in diversified firms, other institutional investors do not play an active role in controlling value destruction. Finally, if the largest owner is a family, we report firm‐value creation in diversified firms. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cost Analysis of Calcium in Store Brand versus National Brand Grocery Products

Objective: This study was to determine if calcium fortification yields a higher price per serving in grocery store products. Researchers compared store brand to national brand grocery products in relation to cost in order to examine if calcium values were similar between store brand and national brand products. Methods: A total of 112 store brand and 211 national brand grocery products were collected from three low (national chain store), middle and high priced (Virginia and North Carolina regional store) grocery venues. Products were compared using price and calcium percentage per serving. ANOVA was used to determine between store brand and national brand for price per serving and calcium content, and between grocery venues. Results: National brand fortified products had a significantly lower mean price per serving when compared to national brand non-fortified products (p = 0.0002). There was no statistical difference between store brand fortified and non-fortified products (p = 0.9256). Low priced store brand products had the lowest mean price per serving ($0.34 ±0.24). Conclusions: This study found store brand products have similar calcium content as national brand products. Product cost was lower at low priced store compared to middle and high priced stores.     

The importance of consumer multihoming (joint purchases) for market performance: Mergers and entry in media markets

Consumer “multihoming” (watching two TV channels, or buying two news magazines) has surprisingly important effects on market equilibrium and performance in (two‐sided) media markets. We show this by introducing consumer multihoming and advertising finance into the classic circle model of product differentiation. When consumers multihome (attend more than one platform), media platforms can charge only incremental value prices to advertisers. Entry or merger leaves consumer prices unchanged under consumer multihoming, but leaves advertiser prices unchanged under single‐homing: Multihoming flips the side of the market on which platforms compete. In contrast to standard circle results, equilibrium product variety can be insufficient under multihoming.     

Greater patience and monetary expenditure: How shopping with companions influences purchase decisions

Shopping with companions plays a crucial role in daily consumer activities. However, only a few studies have explored the influence of this factor on consumers’ patience. We conducted four studies, including two field studies, to investigate the effects of shopping with companions (e.g., friends and peers) on purchase decisions. We found that consumers exerted greater effort when shopping with friends and peers by spending more money and being willing to wait longer for a product. This effect could be explained by three mediators: positive emotions, negative emotions, and perceived value, in which the hedonic and social value, unlike the utilitarian value, played essential mediating roles. This study elucidates the underlying psychological processes involved in purchase decisions shaped by companions. Retailers should encourage shopping with companions to increase sales and customer retention.     

How novel actors achieve a positive reputation: A case of prep schools with elite‐level hockey programs

How are novel organizations able to build a positive reputation while attempting to enter into a system with established organizations? To address this, we examined the field of elite‐level amateur hockey. Private Secondary Schools (PSS) are novel in that they offer a nontraditional pathway for players with respect to fielding elite‐level hockey teams. Findings from interviews with PSS with elite‐level hockey programs revealed that PSS highlight their Selection Processes, Player Development Practices, and the enhanced Player Experience in an effort to build a positive reputation. This study contributes to the literature on reputation by showing that novel organizations can build a reputation through highlighting the unique value they add. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

重塑自然资源管理新格局：目标定位、价值导向与战略选择

研究目的:立足新时代党和国家机构改革背景,分析自然资源管理改革目标定位和面临挑战,明确未来自然资源管理改革价值导向与战略选择。研究方法:文献研究法,综合分析法。研究结果:自然资源管理改革的目标定位是实现"五统一",即统一调查评价、统一确权登记、统一"多规合一"和用途管制、统一资产管理和统一督查监管。针对当前自然资源管理理论储备不足、开发利用伦理缺乏科学引导、开发和保护矛盾冲突长期存在、新管理体制效能有待实践检验等挑战,自然资源管理改革亟需注重"公平效率"、强调"永续利用"、融合"三资一体"、构建"有效市场",切实重塑自然资源管理新格局。研究结论:新时代自然资源管理改革应该以权籍为基础,完善自然资源市场体系;以规划为龙头,构建国土空间规划体系;以"三线"为底线,推进全域国土空间用途管制;以整治为抓手,推进"山水林田湖草"生命共同体综合治理;以法制为保障,构建自然资源管理法律体系,从而塑造"三体系一管制一治理"的自然资源管理新格局。