E-Commerce Adoption: Perceptions of Managers/Owners of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand

ABSTRACT

E-commerce can be an important source of competitive advantage for most business organizations, especially small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Recently, researchers have focused on e-commerce adoption both in the United States and other countries. This study examines the factors that influence e-commerce adoption in Thailand. The results show that the major reason behind e-commerce non-adoption is that the organization is not ready to make that change because of cultural, technological, financial, and/or logistical reasons. Additionally, organizational readiness strongly influences e-commerce implementation, and managerial support and financial, logistical, and technological factors weigh heavily in determining if an SME in Thailand can pursue e-commerce implementation. We believe that the e-commerce adoption model in this study will have both managerial implication for practitioners in Thailand, as well as those in other developing countries, and academic implications for researchers who are interested in e-commerce adoption in developing countries.     

Injury incidence,risk perception and product-related safety behavior among 18- and 45-year-olds

Abstract

Adolescents generally have twice the injury incidence of adults. This increased risk of injury may partly be a consequence of the types of activities performed, the level of exposure to products and the safety behavior. The purpose of this paper was to identify possible predictors for the increased injury risk of adolescents compared to adults. To this end, all 18- and 45-year-olds in a major city in Norway received a questionnaire asking for information on injury experience, level of use and risk perceptions concerning 14 specific products, and the adoption of safety measures; 686 18-year-olds and 81 o 45-year-olds answered the questionnaire. The adolescents reported a higher injury incidence as compared to adults for all the listed products. The difference was significant even after controlling for level of use. Adolescents also had higher levels of risk perception and decreased adoption of safety measures as compared to adults. Females reported less injuries but higher levels of risk perception than males. Females also adopted more safety measures. An important finding from this study was that adolescents, as compared to adults, also expose themselves to increased risk levels when ‘ordinary’ products are concerned, and not only in terms of well-known high-risk activities (driving fast, skiing downhill, etc.). This tends to support the idea that more general factors or dimensions of risk-related behaviors may exist which should be accounted for in the planning of injury prevention activities.     

The Niche Portfolio Strategy to Global Expansion: The Influence of Market Resources on Demand for Formula One Racing

ABSTRACT

International products can achieve mass adoption in some countries, while languishing outside the mainstream in other countries. Theoretically, global organizations can manage market entry and divergent demand by practicing a niche portfolio strategy that requires marketers to appropriately prioritize and cultivate key resources in underdeveloped niches while maintaining dominant status in traditional markets. The authors use the international context of Formula One Racing to examine how market resources influence demand for the sport in 19 different geographically defined niches across four continents. Hierarchical regression analysis demonstrates positive incremental demand effects for participant, spectator, and sponsor-based resources, while media-based resources were nonsignificant.     

Organizational culture and adoption of high‐technology products

Research on organizational adoption of high‐technology products has concentrated on two major elements. Researchers have primarily examined whether organizations adopted innovations and whether there are differences between organizations that adopt or do not adopt innovations. In contrast, the present research examines the decision‐making process of adoption of high‐technology products in organizations. Specifically, the paper examines the concept of organizational culture and its relationship with the adoption decision process. A survey of firms that had recently made an adoption decision for a high‐technology product is reported. The results suggest that adoption decision processes are distinct within organizational cultures. The paper explains these results and discusses the implications.     

Social status and country‐of‐origin preferences

This paper explores consumers' attitudes towards products of foreign origin according to consumer social status, particularly when purchases come from countries that have a low‐cost/low quality image. The research question is: for an identical good (same manufacturer, same brand), do consumers belonging to lower social classes ask for a larger price discount than higher social status consumers when they are offered the opportunity to switch from a country of manufacture whose quality image is well established, to a country of manufacture, the image of which is more uncertain (e.g. South Korea)? A structural equations model is used to highlight the fact that social status has only an indirect influence on the discounts for shifting to lower‐image countries. The relatively weak image of Korean products (at least against Germany and Japan) tends to result in higher price rebates asked for the Korean manufacturing origin. But lower social status consumers evaluate Korea more positively as a country‐of‐origin. The normative recommendation for the advertising strategy of “cheap” origins' goods in highly developed markets would be to put emphasis on quality rather than price, especially when modest consumers and lower classes are explicitly targeted.     

Radical Product Innovation in the Dutch Food Industry

Abstract

This paper examines the adoption of radical food production systems in the Dutch food industry. It is argued that radical innovations are of major importance to contribute to the increase of growth and competitiveness. A model was developed to test which factors influence the adoption of radical product innovations, in particular health enhancing food products. It includes organizational and environmental factors derived from literature that influence the adoption of radical innovations. Results indicate that differences in firms' organizational factors determine the adoption of radical product innovations. Implications, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.     

The adoption of direct banking services

The adoption of new products and services is of increasing importance to many industries. This is especially so for those organisations that are marketing technological innovations. In this paper a model of the perceived innovation attributes and the personal characteristics of adopters and non‐adopters was developed, based on literature and consumer research. These are then tested using a questionnaire concerned with the UK market for direct banking services. The results are presented in detail which indicate that the model presented is an excellent predictor of adoption behaviour. From these results a number of interesting implications have been highlighted for marketing practice.     

Critical determinants for mobile commerce adoption in Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the critical determinants of mobile commerce (m-commerce) adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam. A comprehensive review of the related literature leads to the development of a conceptual framework to better understand m-commerce adoption in organisations. This framework is then tested and validated using structural equation modelling on the data collected from 513 Vietnamese SMEs. The study shows that perceived benefits, perceived compatibility, perceived security, organisational readiness, organisational innovativeness, customer pressures, government support, and managers’ IT knowledge are the critical determinants of m-commerce adoption. This study contributes to a better understanding of m-commerce adoption in developing countries, particularly in Vietnam. It can facilitate the development of m-commerce in SMEs by providing evidence-based strategies and policies.     

A Cross-Country Investigation of Recall of and Attitude toward Comparative Advertising

Abstract

The author reports the results of an exploratory study of cross-country differences in recall of and attitude toward comparative advertising. As American companies are increasingly advertising their products in other countries, the issue of cross-country differences in comparative advertising effectiveness is very important. The study found that although recall of comparative ads was high, consumer attitudes toward comparative ads was not very positive, especially in countries where comparative ads are not widely used or are used rarely. Therefore, comparative ads should be targeted at other countries with caution.     

Strategic recommendations for new product adoption in the Chinese market

ABSTRACT

This study extended current understandings of the relationships among domain specific innovativeness (DSI), the desire for unique consumer products (DUCPs), perceived new product characteristics (PNPCs), and Chinese consumers’ new product adoption behavior. It also investigated the indirect effect of vicarious learning behavior on Chinese consumers’ acceptance of new products. Data was collected in Shanghai, China. The results demonstrated that DSI and PNPCs were the primary drivers of new product adoption. The study also showed that PNPCs played a mediating role in the relationship between vicarious learning and the adoption of new products by Chinese consumers. The results confirmed the predictive power of DSI and how PNPCs affect Chinese innovative buying behavior. The results also suggest that PNPCs facilitate Chinese consumers’ new product learning behavior.     

An FsQCA Investigation of eWOM and Social Influence on Product Adoption Intention

Abstract

Following the causal complexity theory, fsQCA has emerged as an advanced methodology in examining hypotheses and creating new theories in social science. However, fsQCA falls short dealing with structural associations and with latent variables when multi-faceted scales are combined into a single indicator by mean. To extend the application of fsQCA, the study demonstrates an approach to investigate a multi-layered problem of eWOM, social influence, and product adoption intention. The findings from fsQCA successfully confirmed the results from the statistical approach that eWOM and social influence have structural associations with customer adoption intentions of new high-tech products.     

Cross-country differences in ICT adoption: A consequence of Culture?

The diffusion of information and communication technology (ICT) has witnessed a surge in recent years. The rate of adoption across countries diverges considerably regardless of the income levels. In this paper, we attempt to explain the differences in ICT adoption rates across countries by using Hofstede's cultural framework. The effect of culture on ICT adoption is explored by applying two different measures of ICT adoption, namely the average share of ICT spending in GDP across 42 countries, and per capita computer across 49 countries. The results suggest that the national culture and the ICT adoption rate of a country are closely related. It appears that most of the Hofstede dimensions are important in influencing ICT adoption, thereby confirming our hypotheses. In particular, the power distance and the uncertainty avoidance dimensions seem to be the most important ones. These results are robust in both datasets, even after controlling for levels of education and income.     

Representativeness and Authenticity in African Craft Exports

Abstract

African countries face opportunities for the export of cultural products. Demand for these products has increased in recent years and has found distribution outlets via American and European mass retailers. The potential for African countries to exploit demand for locally produced crafts and cultural products depends critically on their ability to anticipate and respond to the market. This paper compares and contrasts craft production in Kenya and in Ghana in order to analyze the impact of culture on the countries' ability to exploit export opportunities. Key distinctions are raised in the areas of internally focused versus externally focused production and between products that are subject to local control in their production versus those that are not. Issues of authenticity versus representativeness are also raised relative to demand for craft products.     

Government Policy,Continental Collaboration and the Diffusion of Open Source Software in China,Japan, and South Korea

ABSTRACT

The scale of development and deployment of open source software (OSS) in the three Northeast Asian countries–China, Japan, and South Korea–is large enough to be noticed at the global level. OSS has redefined the dynamics of software markets in the three countries and has brought significant structural changes in their software industries. Governments have played a pivotal role in the development of OSS industry in the region. Governments in the three countries have also created impetus for continental collaborations in OSS projects. This paper examines the roles and contributions of governments to the OSS initiative in the three countries in terms of a number of technology visions and goals.     

Re-incorporating usage situation in choice models: a base for future developments

Abstract

Understanding the consumer’s tendency to adopt new products is an ever-present essential for successful marketing campaigns. This paper presents the findings from two empirical studies that investigate the relationship between consumer innovativeness, price-prestige sensitivity, and need for emotion. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data in both studies from a sample of 668 respondents in two cities in England. The findings show that consumer innovativeness is determined by an individual’s sensitivity to price and their need for emotion. While innovative consumers are sensitive in relating price to prestige, this dispositional relationship varies across products. Furthermore, the findings suggest that enjoyment, which facilitates emotional openness and receptivity, influences innovative consumers to take the emotional route, besides the price-prestige route, to the adoption of new products. These findings have a number of important implications for marketers, particularly for the success of marketing campaigns targeted at innovative consumers who find enjoyment in using new products and are prestigiously sensitive to price.     

Electronic Commerce Encourages Differentiation

Abstract

This paper explores why and how ecommerce firms differentiate their products and services. Consumers who shop online are able to do quick and easy comparison shopping, including shopping in an active market for used goods. Since online product search and price comparisons are faster, easier, and involve fewer shopping costs, firms who sell online must differentiate their products and services to a greater extent than those who do not sell online. These product and service differentiations may be certified and rated by host shopping sites and by outside ratings companies.     

Buying Behavior of Western European Food Retailers

Abstract

The aim of this study has been to analyze important aspects of buying behavior of food retailers, i.e., trade buyers' evaluation of product and vendor attributes, based on a number of background variables, when choosing a new supplier of an already well-known product category. The study encompassed the retailers' buying behavior for pork, fish and cheese products. By conducting a conjoint analysis in sixteen Western European countries (15 'old' EU Countries (except Luxemburg), plus Norway and Austria), it is demonstrated that the traditional four Ps are losing ground to some previously neglected attributes, and that it is possible to generalise retailers' buying behavior for different food products across countries, retail organizations, and buyers.     

Weakening the Effect of Unfavorable Country of Origin: A Process- and Parameter-Associated Theoretical Framework

ABSTRACT

The consequence of strategic decisions of Western brands to source their products from offshore countries, largely from the Far East, has added a lot of unfavorable origin countries to their products' labels. Thus, scholars and marketing practitioners are becoming aware of the negative downstream consequences of unfavorable countries of origin in consumers' product evaluation. This research work suggests that, depending on the parameters (cues) that consumers consider along with the country of origin cue, their product evaluation can follow either cognitive, affective, or normative processing. This research study offers a unique framework associated with process-specific parameters that are manifested in weakening the effect of unfavorable country of origin in previous research.     

International Competitiveness: A Case Study of American,Swedish, and Ukrainian Forest Industries

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this article are to assess changes in the international competitiveness of the forest products industries in three countries (Sweden, the US, and Ukraine) during the years preceding, during, and after the recent economic crisis. To deepen the exploration of the three countries’ competitiveness, we propose a Cross-Country Relative Competitiveness Index. The results show that comprehensive measurement of comparative and competitive advantages is essential for determining why a given industry in a given country is doing well or badly. They also provide broad background information for subsequent, more detailed explorations of important changes and trends.     

EDITORIAL

ABSTRACT

The presence of Chinese companies in international markets has increased, and one of their main challenges is to overcome the negative image that Chinese products have in many countries. This study aims to shed light on how sociopsychological determinants affect the perceived attractiveness of Chinese products in Germany, using a sociopsychological approach based on social identity theory and social learning theory. The results indicate that the individual's age, level of education, occupational status, and international experience have significant effects on the perceived attractiveness of Chinese products, whereas the individual's international experience in China does not show such effects. Significant differences between different product categories are revealed.