How customer engagement in the live-streaming affects purchase intention and customer acquisition,E-tailer's perspective

In the emerging retail market, e-tailers operating in developing economies have to cope with the rapid use of the Internet, new electronic purchasing methods and online selling platforms. However, e-tailers do not understand the effect patterns in which customer engagement on purchase intention and customer acquisition. From e-tailers’ perspective, this study explores how customer engagement behaviors are related to both purchase intention and customer acquisition. We obtained live streaming data in the mature e-tail live streaming market environment and found empirical evidence supporting the conceptual framework through regression model analysis. The analysis results show that the specific indicators of the customer engagement are not all positively related to customer purchase intention and customer acquisition, and it is worth noting that the influence of “like” behavior on customer acquisition is no statistical significance. This is expected to encourage e-tailers to rethink their focus on customer acquisition and sales enhancement digital strategies as they operate in emerging markets.     

Managing successful total quality relationships in the supply chain

The importance of relationships between organizations is becoming increasingly recognized as firms try to adapt to an uncertain and turbulent environment. Emphasis is shifting from approaches based upon confrontation towards those that imply greater cooperation and collaboration. Despite the extensive rhetoric that surrounds such models, however, relatively little work has been done on their detailed characteristics, nor on mechanisms for their development and maintenance. One desirable characteristic of such relationships is likely to be the set of values and behaviours associated with Total Quality Management (TQM), especially those involving the development of continuous improvement practices. This paper reviews the possible role of TQM within the supply chain or network of relationships and suggests some early throughts on the emerging patterns of development towards such models. The conclusions draw upon the authors' case study research within the supply network of a major UK purchaser in which eight specific relationships were studied in depth, and point to some directions for further exploration.     

How customer experience incongruence affects omnichannel customer retention: The moderating role of channel characteristics

Although a positive customer experience is known to be an important source of competitive advantage, it is unclear how customer experience can be effectively managed in an omnichannel setting. Drawing on goal theory, this study explores the effect of incongruity between online customer experience and offline customer experience on customer retention in an omnichannel context. It also examines the moderating effects of three channel characteristics: transparency, convenience, and seamlessness. Our hypotheses are tested with online survey data, and the results indicate that in an omnichannel context, customer experience incongruence has a negative effect on customer retention, but channel transparency, convenience, and seamlessness can effectively mitigate this negative effect. The findings have both theoretical implications for research related to omnichannel business and customer experience and practical implications for managers of omnichannel services.     

Services advertising: showcase the customer!

The research presented in this article focuses on the effectiveness of advertising strategies used in services communication. For this purpose, a quantitative study of 50 magazine advertisements for services in tourism and banking/insurance was conducted with a sample of 249 respondents. This research shows that, for both sectors, certain advertising strategies are more effective than others, and that the most effective advertising strategy is one that showcases the service customer. This strategy is more effective than those highlighting competitive advantage, contact staff, a physical representation of the service or the company’s brand image.     

Optimal generic and brand advertising efforts in a decentralized supply chain considering customer surplus

While the previous researches of advertising efforts decisions focus on only the firms' profit target, no literature introduces corporation social responsibility target into advertising efforts decisions of a supply chain (SC). To fill this gap, we consider a two-stage SC with a manufacturer and a retailer where the SC members consider the customer surplus. Both the retailer and the manufacturer can invest in generic advertising efforts to influence and increase the products' sales volumes. This paper investigates the following four scenarios: (1) The retailer cares the customer surplus (Model I); (2) The manufacturer cares the customer surplus (Model II); (3) Both the retailer and the manufacturer care the customer surplus (Model III); (4) We then extend the model III to the case that the manufacturer invests in both the generic and brand advertising efforts (Model IV). The objective of this paper is to determine the optimal retail price, the optimal advertising efforts, and the optimal profits of SC members, and find the influence of customer concern level on the SC performance. Finally, numerical examples are conducted to investigate the influence of the customer concern levels of the retailer or the manufacturer on the profits of the SC members and the entire SC. We also study the joint impacts of the customer concern levels of the retailer and the manufacturer on the SC performance. We find that the SC obtains the highest profits when the retailer's customer concern level and the manufacturer's customer concern level are relatively high, and the best cooperative strategy for the retailer and the manufacturer is that they improve customer concern level simultaneously.     

The impact of IT and customer orientation on building trust and commitment in the supply chain

The application of information technologies (IT) to logistics activities may have benefits beyond cost savings, as it can create bonds between the supply chain partners. The objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of customer orientation on the application of IT to the supply chain and of these on the development of channel relationships based on trust and commitment. A questionnaire-based personal survey was conducted among manufacturers. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesis contained in the theoretical model. The results indicate that customer orientation affects the application of IT to logistics, and IT has a positive impact on manufacturer and supplier commitment to the relationship.     

不同企业合作关系下供应链契约选择的博弈分析

供应链契约是一种重要的供应链协调机制。在不同的供应链企业关系中,企业会采取不同的博弈策略,进而会影响供应链契约的选择。本文首先就供应链中的企业合作关系进行博弈分析,引入了一个柔性批量订货契约模型,在此基础上,研究了不同供应链企业关系下的企业博弈问题及供应链契约选择问题,提出了基于供应链企业关系的供应链契约选择策略。研究表明,只有当博弈各方对未来的收益具有足够重视时,双方长久的合作关系才能建立和维持,并会选择着眼于合作的供应链契约。     

The role of buyer and supplier relationships in integrating TQM through the supply chain

Many academics and practitioners have alluded to the importance of total quality management (TQM) principles and the important role the purchasing function plays in the quality process. However, the role of the buyer–supplier relationship in the TQM process has not been directly investigated to any large extent. Three hypotheses concerning the role of buyer–supplier relationships in the success of TQM implementation were tested. The results demonstrate that buyer–supplier relationships are different in firms with successful TQM programs. Hypothesis 1 suggests that those firms with successful TQM programs will have more formal mechanisms for interacting with suppliers. The second hypothesis suggests that business units with more successful TQM programs exhibit a greater degree of competitive focus and single sourcing. The third hypothesis relates to a higher level understanding of internal and external customer needs by successful TQM adopters. All hypotheses were supported. The buyer–supplier relationships in firms with successful TQM programs are different than firms with less successful TQM programs.     

Manufacturing technology and the supply chain: Linking buyer-supplier relationships and advanced manufacturing technology

The literature on advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) implementation and buyer-supplier relationships is reviewed, and the links between the two factors are examined. These links are summarized and highlighted through a causal influence diagram. A major influence is focused on, namely that the adoption of AMT causes adopters to change their relationships with their parts suppliers to more collaborative forms. Empirical data drawn from a recent survey of the Turkish automotive industry demonstrate support for this major influence.     

Implementation of technology and relationships to supply chain performance: apparel manufacturers' perspectives

Apparel manufacturers operate within a distribution channel with suppliers, retailers and consumers. In a competitive market, apparel manufacturers, in transactions with retailers, must make changes. These changes have potential to affect the supply chain and consequently to add or reduce value of products for the retailer. This study investigated changes in products and services associated with implementation of new technologies. A two-stage design used both a qualitative study and a quantitative study. The qualitative study with 10 industry personnel was used to develop the change variable. The quantitative study had US apparel manufacturers (n = 105) respond to a mailed survey about changes their firms had experienced. Findings indicated that implementation of Quick Response (QR) technologies when moderated by the demographics of fashion level, seasonality, and price point of the product did correspond with changes in product offerings and customer services.     

How to date your clients in the 21st century: Challenges in managing customer relationships in today's world

Since its first entry into the literature discussion in the 1980s, customer relationship management (CRM) has found its way into nearly every company. Concepts like personalization, loyalty programs, and customer valuation are used regularly to interact with and prioritize customers. Unsurprisingly, this more widespread use has changed our understanding of CRM substantially and as a consequence, the field has seen a remarkable transformation in the past 3 decades. Yet, the CRM strategies implemented by many firms today are frequently still fundamentally based on an understanding of CRM from the early days. The purpose of this article is to outline the origins of CRM and to present the main wisdoms that firms believed to be true about customers 3 decades ago. I then discuss the key insights that academics and managers have obtained in recent years that increasingly challenge those wisdoms. The article ends with an outlook of CRM in years to come and presents some of the major challenges practitioners and researchers will have to deal with in the near future.     

How ecopreneurs’ green values affect their international engagement in supply chain management

Ecopreneurs are emerging as a new type of entrepreneur who are worthy of much greater consideration than has been given to date. The aim of this paper was to explore how a group of 14 New Zealand ecopreneurs engage with supply chain management issues of an international nature—namely importing, manufacturing and exporting. A case study method was used to collect data from face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the ecopreneurs and a wide range of secondary data such as industry reports, the company’s web sites and items from the media. On the supply side, ecopreneurs considered environmental and social costs of procuring from other countries. However, they had little power to influence supplier practices. Ecopreneurs also wanted to manufacture locally regardless of cost. Likewise, on the demand side, ecopreneurs assessed the environmental costs of exporting and were more in favour of selling locally due to their green values. The study found that various dilemmas of an environmental and social nature emerge as being important in the decisions and practices that ecopreneurs undertake with respect to managing their supply chain internationally. These dilemmas facing New Zealand ecopreneurs may offer a glimpse into future realities for other countries and businesses. We believe that these ecopreneurs are leading the way to a new frontier where environmental issues are likely to become increasingly unavoidable and should be considered in supply chain management. This exploratory research raises a number of important questions that require further research in order to more fully understand their implications for ecopreneurs.     

A review of the progress towards the adoption of supply chain management (SCM) relationships in construction

This paper examines the early progress towards the adoption of supply chain management (SCM) relationships in construction. It is based on a literature review and survey of the views of construction practitioners. We contend that SCM has many of the features associated with a ‘fifth generation innovation’. This paper suggests that although construction practitioners have some knowledge of SCM they need a better conceptual understanding of it and new and more systematic approaches to its implementation.     

Stop arguing! How childhood exposure to interparental conflict affects consumer response toward product review dispersion

This paper explores how exposure to interparental conflict (IPC) during one's childhood impacts online buyer behavior later in adulthood. We show that people who report having witnessed higher (vs. lower) levels of IPC as children evaluate products less favorably when they are associated with product reviews exhibiting a higher (vs. lower) dispersion of opinion. This result is driven by a desire to avoid conflict. The research deepens the understanding consumer responses to review dispersion by identifying a novel psychological factor. It also contributes to the developmental psychology and socialization literatures by documenting the long-lasting impact of early childhood family communication processes on adult consumer behavior. Future research avenues are discussed.     

Understanding How the Web Works!

ABSTRACT

Creating dining environments that make customers feel comfortable is a key goal of restaurant designers and operators. By applying basic precepts of environmental psychology to restaurant seating configurations, foodservice managers may be able to enhance the guest experience without sacrificing operational efficiency. This paper reviews the environmental psychology literature related to seating behavior, and analyzes the designs of ten representative chain restaurants to determine if these psychological principles appear to be supported in a successful foodservice operation. It also examines the seating behavior of different cultures, and suggests approaches to foodservice design that may appeal to an international market. While environmental psychology literature rarely addresses foodservice environments directly, many of its findings can be applied to restaurant settings. An analysis of the floor plans of five quick service restaurants and five table service restaurants outlines how some operations have provided seating configurations that assist customers in defending personal territory. Research that examines seating behavior in a wide range of foodservice settings and across cultural groups would be a valuable addition to the literature while providing foodservice managers and designers with excellent data for making seating layout decisions.     

供电企业上网电价分析

随着电力工业体制改革和电力市场的发展,现行电价政策、制定电价的方法等已越来越不适应新形势的要求,暴露出了诸多弊端,本文主要分析了上网电价改革的不足和建议.     

How the number of options affects prosocial choice

Are potential contributors more likely to support a prosocial cause when presented with few contribution options or with many options? Across four studies—an analysis of archival contribution data from the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, a field experiment conducted in cooperation with a grocery store and a snack bar company, and two controlled laboratory experiments—we consistently find that when a fundraiser offers more options to potential contributors, the likelihood of contribution initially decreases and then increases. The result is a U-shaped relationship between the number of contribution options and contribution likelihood. We do not find such an effect for non-prosocial choices. With a fifth study, we offer a preliminary and tentative theoretical explanation for the U-shaped relationship, suggesting that the type of information processing by the decision maker (intuitive rather than deliberate) underlies this effect.     

价值链分析在供应链成本管理中的应用探讨

随着经济的发展、市场环境的变化,现在的竞争已经从单个企业之间的竞争发展成为供应链与供应链之间的竞争.如何进行供应链成本管理成为值得探讨的问题,本文通过对价值链与供应链之间的关联性,探索价值链分析方法应用于供应链成本管理的可行性,并进一步对具体的实施过程展开探讨.     

Approaches to child labour in the supply chain

This paper examines the difficulties of dealing with child labour in the supply chain. It begins by identifying a number of the factors which make global supply chains so difficult to manage. It goes on to outline a framework of different approaches that can be taken to managing the supply chain with relation to child labour, moving from national and international regulation, through to the role of NGOs and the companies themselves. Focusing on an 'engagement' strategy for dealing with child labour, the paper traces a case study of Adidas-Salomon and its attempts to implement their 'standards of engagement' in this area with relation to one of their supplier factories in Vietnam. The research draws on the direct involvement of one of the authors who visited the site and was able to interview staff and observe the operation in practice. Her findings are supported by wider work on the implementation of corporate approaches to human rights at a range of companies interviewed by another of the authors. The paper aims to highlight the issues needing to be addressed for companies considering the 'involvement' approach to child labour. It also aims to develop theory on our understanding of different approaches to corporate rights.     

The impact of new technologies on customer satisfaction and business to business customer relationships: Evidence from the soft drinks industry

Sales technology has been touted as a primary tool for enhancing customer relationship management (CRM) and thus improving overall customer satisfaction. The marketing, IT, and practitioner literatures make numerous references to the impact of CRM on business orientation and performance. However, according to Richard et al. (2007), not many studies have investigated customer relationship technology adopted by a firm and the impact on relationship development. The aim of this paper is to examine the relative impact of new technologies on improving customer relations and overall customer satisfaction within the sales industry. New technologies have revolutionised the workplace and have become an integral part of organisations throughout the world (Forster, 2000). Driving this revolution are two powerful new forces, cyberspace and computing power. This article defines three key terms which include CRM, customer satisfaction and new technologies and evaluates the impact of these emerging technological developments on relationships and customer satisfaction in a sales force/customer context. Primary research was conducted using two focus groups consisting of nine participants from Britvic. The analysis reveals that technology is both beneficial and essential within the sales force industry for both the sales representative and their customers and provides an insight into the impact of technology on the sales force/customer relationship. The paper concludes with reference to new technologies and the future.