The more,the merrier? An exploratory study into managing channels in UK financial services

Abstract

Following the emergence of retail parks in the late 1970s in Britain, they have grown in number, scale and degree of retail specialisation. Some continue to form concentrations offering primarily ‘bulky goods’ shopping, while others have diversified to offer traditional ‘high street’ functions from stores indistinguishable from their town and city centre equivalents. Consequently, in some cases the emergence of new ‘high streets’ in the suburbs can be posited. In view of the potential impact such developments might have on traditional shopping centres, this study reviews the development of retail parks in Britain in recent years, and examines the commercial impact of a retail park in the process of transition towards a suburban ‘high street’. Evidence from surveys in 2003 and 2004 of the Fforestfach Retail Park in the greater Swansea area indicates that the transition towards a suburban ‘high street’ is beginning to impact significantly on traditional shopping centres of all types. It was evident that even small additions of ‘high street’ functions between the two recent survey dates elicited a statistically significant strengthening of their trading impact. Consequently, it is suggested that upgraded retail parks are likely to become stronger competitive threats to the full range of district, town and city centres if ‘high street’ functions continue to be added to retail parks.     

Segmentation of impulse buyers in an emerging market – An exploratory study

Impulse buying promises to be a dominant buying behaviour in the highly conducive environment of emerging markets like India. However, existing research in these markets is largely within the context of product or market driven factors with inadequate focus on psychological exploration. The present study emphasizes on the role of an individual with underlying personality trait of impulse buying tendency being the focal point of the planned investigation. It uses the knowledge of impulse buying tendency and its contextual indicators as an effective taxonomical tool to profile the retail consumers’ psychologically and capture their demographic diversity. The analysis identifies and profiles three distinct impulse buying consumer segments: proactive impulsive, hesitant-hedonist and pragmatic-rationalist; thus providing manufacturers and retailers an effective marketing tool to address different consumer groups.     

Is rudeness really that common? An exploratory study of incivility at work

Currently, most studies of incivility involve surveys and controlled laboratory experiments that focus on examining the associations between incivility and other variables. This method of investigation is important, but insufficient for developing a comprehensive understanding of such a complex and multifaceted construct. The present study explores employees’ perceptions of rude workplace behavior from the perspective of real employees in managerial roles. It investigates the extent to which incivility is a prevalent issue faced by employees at work, examines the perceived impact of incivility on relational and productivity-related outcomes, and, finally, considers the potential differences between face-to-face rudeness and electronic rudeness. A qualitative interview approach is used to explore and analyze employees’ perceptions and investigate what employees think, feel, and say about their experiences with incivility at work.     

‘What's so special about family business?’ An exploratory study of UK and Irish consumer experiences of family businesses

While family‐owned businesses are considered to have specific advantages in customer relationships, limited research has been conducted into how these abilities are developed or understood by the public. Consumers may indeed perceive family businesses differently from non‐family businesses, but this aspect has received scant attention within the literature. This paper sets out exploratory work designed to gain an understanding of Irish and UK consumer perceptions of family‐owned businesses, within both urban and rural communities. The study provides insight into the meaning of ‘familiness’ in consumers' minds when linked to family businesses, and explores the relationships and experiences that respondents have of family firms. Emerging issues include family business heritage, community bonds and social stewardship, consumer loyalty and generational transfer, distinction, choice and retail heterogeneity. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that researchers should be paying more attention to the positive aspects of family businesses within communities, and concludes with suggestions for future research to further extend this area of study.     

Global competitiveness,consumer choice and ‘country of origin’ effect: an exploratory East–West study

As protectionist sentiments rise in many countries in light of the 2008–2009 financial crisis, it is more important than ever to understand the potential role of homophily on the country of origin (COO) effect in consumer purchases and how it can impact trade and investment. This study examines these attitudes using a sample of 139 university students from different ethnic backgrounds in Vancouver (Canada), one of the most culturally diverse cities in North America. The results confirm the importance of ethnicity in affecting attitudes toward different countries, including the impact of political/cultural ties and current/historical events on their formation. Variations among different ethnic groups were found, however.     

Effects of online retailer after delivery services on repurchase intention: An empirical analysis of customers’ past experience and future confidence with the retailer

This study empirically examines the influence of after delivery services on customer perception of satisfaction, trust, and repurchase intention. Data from 262 survey respondents, analyzed through structural equation modeling, indicate three critical after service factors related to customer satisfaction: product exchange, returns, and refunds. Analyses also indicate significant mediating effects of customer satisfaction and trust with after delivery services upon repurchase intention. Results reveal that customer satisfaction with services also mediate the relationship between after delivery services and consumers’ trust in the retailer. The findings suggest implications for management and future research directions.     

Examining the impact of celebrity endorsements across consumer segments: an empirical study of Tiger Woods’ endorsement effect on golf equipment

This paper empirically examines whether endorsement effects differ across consumer types–expert vs. novice. The study uses aggregate sales data from the golf equipment industry covering two unique retail channels (on-course and off-course) to estimate endorsement effects for Tiger Woods. The study finds that Tiger Woods’ endorsement of Titleist woods had a greater effect in the off-course retail channel frequented by novice golfers than the on-course channel frequented by experts. I determine that such an effect led to over 28 thousand more Titleist woods being sold and an additional $9.2 million in revenue for the 9 months prior to Tiger Woods switching to endorse Nike apparel and equipment. I also determine that Tiger Woods’ endorsement led to over $500,000 in additional profit for each of the last 5 months of his endorsement contract with Titleist, which provided a 49% Return on Investment from US sales of Titleist woods, putters, and irons. Lastly, I present preliminary evidence to explain a possible reason why the observed endorsement effects varied by consumer types—Tiger Woods’ endorsements were informative to consumers. Specifically, I find support indicating Tiger Woods’ endorsement was more informative to novice golfers than experts.     

An exploratory study of examining students’ expectations of training in a laboratory class: Factor analysis of affective heuristic features

When developing effective training programs, it is important to know students’ expectations of laboratory classes. The authors collected 170 surveys from students in one laboratory class to investigate the underlying dimensions of their expectations of training. Factor analysis identified the following six dimensions of students’ expectations: climate, courtesy, credibility, entertainment, relevance, and structure. These dimensions of training expectations were used to cluster students into two groups: serious and enthusiastic. Thereafter, these two clusters were compared using chi-square tests to determine whether there were statistical differences among them. The findings suggest instructors should consider students expectations to improve students’ learning from laboratory classes.     

To be different,or to be the same? An exploratory study of isomorphism in the cluster

Entrepreneurial firms are argued to struggle between being different and being the same. To join the debate, we asked this question: How can entrepreneurial firms in a geographically concentrated locale gain both competitive advantage and legitimacy, given the competitive pressures for differentiation and the institutional pressures for conformity? Drawing from the network perspective, we conducted the research in a furniture cluster in Southwestern China. Based on qualitative and quantitative data, we found that peripheral firms tended to be institutionally and competitively isomorphic, while central firms could avoid the tradeoff between institutional conformity and competitive differentiation by creating and using their networks to innovate and at the same time to shape the institutional environment.     

An exploratory study of determinants for restaurant servers’ actual tip earnings: Individual characteristics and work conditions

This exploratory study investigates two different types of determinants for servers’ actual tip earnings (individual characteristics versus work conditions) using readily available organizational data. Unlike previous studies that measured servers’ tips by asking subjects (servers or customers) to report tip amounts, we measure the actual tip earnings of each server extracted from the point of sale system. The results show that work conditions (daily work hours, weekend work hours, and immediate supervisors’ characteristics) have stronger relationships with servers’ tip earnings than servers’ individual characteristics (gender, tenure, and job satisfaction). This study represents an initial attempt to use objective data to measure servers’ tip earnings and explore its potential relationship with work conditions compared to its relationships with individual characteristics which have been frequently examined in previous studies.     

Green tea quality attributes: a cross-cultural study of consumer perceptions using importance–performance analysis (IPA)

This study examined consumer perceptions about green tea quality attributes and consumers’ green tea consumption behavior within major green tea-producing and consuming countries including China, Japan, and Korea. Five factors of green tea quality attributes were revealed through the exploratory factor analysis and were analyzed using importance–performance analysis (IPA). Safety, health, and sensory factors perceived by Chinese consumers as being important and well-performed were positioned in the “Keep Up the Good Work” quadrant. Safety and sensory factors were perceived by Japanese and Koreans as being important, but were less-performed and were placed in the “Concentrate Here” quadrant. Japanese and Koreans considered the health factor as less important and less well-performed and were positioned in the “Low Priority” quadrant. The price/utility and production factors were less important by all consumers. Chinese consumers perceived all five factors as performing very well. However, Japanese and Koreans perceived other factors as performing less acceptable except for the production factor for Korean respondents and the price/utility factor for those Japanese respondents. The production factor was the most influential for drinking frequency and spending for green tea in all three countries, also for the amount purchased by Chinese and Japanese consumers.     

Service robots with (perceived) theory of mind: An examination of humans’ reactions

In the near future, it is expected that we humans will receive an increasing part of various services from robots. Many observers, and several existing studies, indicate that we react more positively if our robots have humanlike attributes and capabilities, and the present study examines one such capability: theory of mind. It has to do with the ability to impute mental states to others, which is essential for human-to-human interaction (including interactions in service settings). More specifically, the present study examines the effects of perceptions of service robots' theory of mind capabilities in human-to-robot interactions when the main downstream variable is perceived service quality. Several mediators are also examined. To this end, two empirical studies comprising human-to-robot interactions in a domestic setting were conducted. Both studies indicate that a service robot with more as opposed to less perceived theory of mind enhances perceived service quality, and that this effect is mediated by perceived humanness and perceived usefulness in relation to the robot. It may be argued that a robot's theory of mind capability can also be seen as creepy, which may reduce perceived service quality, because a competent mind reader can create serious harm to others. In the present study, however, robotic theory of mind capabilities did not influence creepiness perceptions.     

The impact of customer experience on consumer purchase intention in cross-border E-commerce——Taking network structural embeddedness as mediator variable

This study investigates the mediator effect of network structural embeddedness between customer experience and consumer purchase intention in the context of cross-border e-commerce. 321 copies of online questionnaires unfold cross-border online shopping experience. The structural equation model is built to analyze the mediator effect of network structural embeddedness. Network density, Network centrality separately plays a mediating role between website ease of use, website relationship service and consumer purchase intention. In contrast, both of them play a mediating role between customer cost and consumer purchase intention. The research suggests developing the relationship between consumers and e-commerce websites for cross-border e-commerce platforms from a network standpoint, but not only marketing.     

What predicts skill transfer? An exploratory study of goal orientation,training self‐efficacy and organizational supports

Results from a study examining the predictors of skill transfer from an instructional to a work environment are presented. Prior research indicates that skill transfer is a function of both individual and contextual factors. A total of 186 employees from a work organization were surveyed on individual dimensions (goal orientation, training self‐efficacy) and contextual factors (supervisor and peer support). Pre‐training motivation was proposed as proximal training outcome and further connected to the distal outcome, skill transfer. Analyses with structural equation modeling using EQS indicate that individual dimensions, such as mastery‐approach goal orientation and training self‐efficacy, are related to pre‐training motivation. Also, contextual factors, such as peer support, predicted both pre‐training motivation and skill transfer, while supervisor support was unrelated to either pre‐training motivation or skill transfer. Pre‐training motivation, in turn, was related to skill transfer. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

Auction or agent (or both)? A study of moderators of the herding bias in digital auctions

Recent research has shown that buyers in digital auctions are susceptible to the herding bias—gravitation toward listings with existing bids and inconsideration of listings without any bids, manifested in categories of listings that are either coveted or entirely overlooked by buyers. This article investigates two specific types of moderators of herding bias: auction attributes (volume of listing activity, and posting of reservation price) and agent characteristics (seller and bidder experience), and increases our understanding of mechanisms underlying this bias. Practical implications for participants and organizers of digital auctions are discussed, and promising future research opportunities are highlighted.     

Transferring Enterprise Operational Mechanism—An Interview with the President of CNACC

The China National Arts and Crafts Import and Export Corporation is a foreign trade undertaking specializing in the import and export of arts and crafts. Since 1990, it has ranked 12th among the 500 top corporations with large import and export volumes. During the first six months of 1993, its exports were     

Women's self-employment: An act of institutional (dis)integration? A multilevel,cross-country study

In this paper we investigate the extent to which gender equality disintegrates women's self-employment choice (compared to that for men) and whether this is contingent upon a country's development stage and industries. We rely on symbolic interactionism to argue that employment choices emerge from an interactive conversation between individual and social institutional processes. Using data from 61 countries, we find that overall gender equality is associated with the gender gap in men's and women's self-employment choices and that this association depends upon the country's development stage and industries. Contributions are made to women's entrepreneurship and institutional theory.     

CETC International, An International Brand with the Highest National Qualifications——An Exclusive Interview with Yan Lijin, GM of CETC International

On 21st February 2006, when Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf visited China, CETC International Co., Ltd., was awarded two projects contracts in Pakistan, including the urban railway project named Karachi Mass Transit Corridor 1("KMT-1") valued at US$289 million, and Motherhood TV Channel project valued at US$25 million. China's Foreign Trade journalist then inter-viewed CETC International's General Manager(GM)Yan Lijin after the signing ceremony. The follows are Yan's story. -By Editor     

A Wise Frenchman with Chinese Wisdom——An Exclusive Interview with Jorge Mora,CEO of Veolia Environnement Asia

You are Rose Yan?Whv Rose? You are Chinese and in China!Mr.Jorge Mora,now the CEO of Veolia Environnement Asia,asked aloud when I handed my card to him English-side up as I usually do with other foreigners.However,his unusual