Examining Antecedents to Supply Chain Security Effectiveness: An Exploratory Study

In recent years there has been increasing emphasis on managing risk and security in supply chains. Despite this emphasis, there have been relatively few empirical studies dealing with this issue. In an attempt to partially address this lack of empirical research, the primary purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between security management practices and the perceived effectiveness of supply chain security. With a resource‐based view of the firm and supply chain integration as theoretical underpinnings, the study utilized survey data to test propositions derived from the security literature. Internal and external integration efforts, a nodal planning focus, and proactive motivations related to security measures were found to be positively related to security effectiveness. The article concludes with implications for security stakeholders including suggestions for future research.     

Antecedents and Performance Consequences of Integrated Brand Management in China: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This study explores the role of integrated brand management in China. Using the survey data for 309 brands, our results show that integrated brand management has a positive effect on business performance in China. We also find that top management emphasis and corporate supportive resources directly foster integrated brand management. In addition, the emphasis of top management indirectly affects integrated brand management through reward system. Furthermore, we find that these relations vary between high- and low-performance brands. The implications for transitional economies are discussed.     

Study of Commitment Antecedents: The Dynamic Point of View

This study adopted a dynamic perspective in investigating the effects of employees’ perception of equity (PoE) and perception of organizational politics (POP) on their trust in organizations and the subsequent effect of such on their commitment. Data were collected from 216 employees from various industries. The positive effect of PoE and negative effect of POP on employees’ trust were confirmed in this study. It is also found that employees’ trust in organizations has a positive effect on their organizational commitment. This study also confirmed the mediation of employees’ trust on the relationships between POP, PoE, and organizational commitment. Besides, the moderation of employees’ trust on the relationships between POP, PoE, and organizational commitment was not confirmed. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

The Moderating Effects of Involvement on the Relationships Between Satisfaction,Trust and Commitment in e-Banking

Most prior research into customer loyalty emphasizes the effects of the dimensions of online satisfaction and trust. However, research into how customer involvement moderates this relationship model – in the online environment – has been less than conclusive. On the basis of a satisfaction–trust–commitment model, and given that involvement is a significant precondition to customer loyalty, this paper explores the interaction effects of customer involvement on the evaluation of e-banking services.Empirical results were collected from an online survey in electronic financial forums, Usenet and mailing lists. Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to estimate the parameters of the interaction effects model.The results support most of the hypotheses and, in particular, confirm the moderating role of customer involvement. The influence of online satisfaction on commitment was significantly stronger for highly involved users; conversely, the effect of satisfaction on trust was weaker. However, customer trust had a stronger effect on commitment for customers with high purchase involvement, and a weaker effect for highly ego-involved customers. The interaction role of customer involvement thus offers a more complete view of the satisfaction–trust–commitment model, providing an initial test of the efficacy of using involvement to understand online decisions. Implications for online marketing management and future research in this area are discussed.     

Social Desirability Response Bias,Gender, and Factors Influencing Organizational Commitment: An International Study

This research is an extension of Walker Information’s (Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, pp. 235–255, 1999) study on employees’ job attitudes that was conducted exclusively in the United States. Walker Information found that the reputation of the organization, fairness at work, care, and concern for employees, trust in employees, and resources available at work were important factors in an employee’s decision to remain with his or her company. Our sample includes 713 students from seven countries: Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa, and the United States. When analyzing the entire sample, our data indicate that both social desirability response bias and gender were significant; however, this was not the case when the data are analyzed by country. On an individual country basis, our data suggest that the generally accepted premise that women are more ethically conscious than men was only true for the samples from the United States and Canada. The data also indicate that, while social desirability response bias was significant for the four factors suggesting ethical components for the sample from the United States, this finding was not universal. Dr. Richard A. Bernardi, Professor of Accounting at Roger Williams University, is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who flew the B-52 and FB-111 aircraft. He has also been a Professor of National Security Affairs at the U. S. Naval War College during 1997 to 1998 academic year. Dr. Bernardi received a PhD from Union College in 1992; since then, he has published over 80 articles and received Teaching Excellence Awards from both Roger Williams University and the State University of New York. Steven T. Guptill graduated from Roger Williams University with a degree in international business. He currently works for State Street Bank in an operations role within the alternative investments umbrella. In this role, he plans and manages the daily workflows of a fund accounting team with several client relationships.     

Commitment and Trust as Drivers of Loyalty in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: Cultural Differences Between the United States and Germany

This study examines differences in loyalty formation within logistics outsourcing relationships between Germany and the United States. A model of loyalty formation on the basis of commitment and trust is developed and differences between Germany and the United States are hypothesized. They are tested based on 795 logistics outsourcing relationships in the two countries using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that these relationships differ depending on cultural traits relating to trust and commitment. The findings are relevant for practitioners and academics as they paint a more globally informed picture of loyalty formation within logistics outsourcing relationships in which to base both managerial decisions and future research.     

Relational Bonds and Customer's Trust and Commitment - A Study on the Moderating Effects of Web Site Usage

Several relationship marketing theories have suggested that businesses could build long-term customer relationships. The purpose of this study is to develop relational bonding strategies for a financial service business and examine the relationship between the various relational bonds and customer trust and commitment under the moderating effects of corporate website usage. The findings of this study are threefold. First, the relational bonds that foster customer trust and commitment can be categorised empirically into three types: economic, social and structural bonds. Second, all of these bonds are significantly positively correlated with the customers' trust and commitment. Finally, customer use of a corporate website significantly moderates the relationship between the relational bonds and customer relational performance.     

An Exploratory Assessment of Web Site Performance

Abstract

This paper presents findings of an exploratory case study that was undertaken to assess Web performance evaluation in three petroleum energy firms in the Southwest. Findings indicate that firms with clearly defined Web site objectives will tend to have much more comprehensive strategies for Web site performance evaluation. Contrary to our expectations, perceptions of Web expertise was not significantly related to perceived Web site performance. However, there was a clear relationship between perceived Web development expertise and the perceived ability to improve sites. Additionally, our findings suggest a lack of senior management guidance in Web related initiatives has contributed to an inability to successfully link Web performance measures to organizational objectives.     

The Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility and Earnings Management: An Exploratory Study

In this article, we explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings management (EM). Our CSR index, using KLD data, incorporates information from the following issue areas: the community, corporate governance, diversity, the product, employee relations, the environment, and human rights. Results show that more socially responsible firms have higher quality accruals and less activity-based EM, both of which impact financial reporting quality.     

Trust,Satisfaction and Loyalty in Customer Relationship Management

SUMMARY

In an attempt to increase customer loyalty amid increasingly competitive business environments, organizations are looking to customer relationship management (CRM) to help provide a solution. In spite of CRM failure rates cited as being as high as 70%, organizations continue to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars on CRM implementations. Attempts of past research to resolve why failure rates are so high have tended to focus on technological factors such as database integration or factors internal to the organization such as system adoption or organizational culture. While these areas are important, reactions of customers may also play a role. This paper uses justice theory to investigate the potential impact that customer involvement in a CRM implementation may have on customer loyalty. Propositions are provided to guide future research.     

An Investigation of Attitude Toward the Brand,Commitment, and True Brand Loyalty in a Cross-Cultural Context

Abstract

This study utilized data from two geographically separated cultures to investigate relationships involving antecedents to true brand loyalty. A relationship between the consumer's attitude toward the brand and a measure of expressed commitment was found to explain a significant percentage of the variance in commitment. A relationship between commitment and true brand loyalty also was found significant. Both relationships vary somewhat by product and culture. No evidence was found, however, suggesting that they could not be considered generalizable. The underlying components of brand attitude were found to vary by product and country. The culturally related differences-espe-cially those pertaining to the composition and meaning of the underlying components-have interesting managerial implications.     

消费行为、社会关系信任与大学生借贷实证研究

本文基于二元Logit模型与有序多分类Logit模型对影响大学生是否借贷与借贷程度的相关因素进行实证检验,发现个人特质、消费行为与社会关系信任对大学生借贷行为存在不同程度的影响。进一步研究表明:(1)男生与高年级学生借贷参与率更高,但高额借贷发生比却更低;(2)月生活费处于中高水平的大学生与非独生子女大学生更易于借贷,且借贷程度也相对较高;(3)压力催生下的强迫型购买显著提升大学生借贷参与率并增加高额借贷发生比;(4)家庭与学校关系信任对减少大学生借贷有显著正向作用。为此,需对易于产生强迫型消费行为的大学生作心理疏导,重视家庭与学校的积极参与作用,并适当加强对更易于产生不良借贷的女生、低年级学生、月生活费处于中高水平的学生及非独生子女学生群体的关注。     

The Relationship of Communication, Ethical Work Climate, and Trust to Commitment and Innovation

Recently, Hosmer (1994a) proposed a model linking right, just, and fair treatment of extended stakeholders with trust and innovation in organizations. The current study tests this model by using Victor and Cullen's (1988) ethical work climate instrument to measure the perceptions of the right, just, and fair treatment of employee stakeholders.In addition, this study extends Hosmer's model to include the effect of right, just, and fair treatment on employee communication, also believed to be an underlying dynamic of trust.More specifically, the current study used a survey of 111 managers to test (1) whether right, just, and fair treatment influences trust, both directly as well as indirectly via communication, and (2) whether trust influences perceptions of commitment and innovation. Strong support for the study's hypotheses and Hosmer's (1994a) model was found. Such findings support those who argue that moral management may be good management.     

Antecedents and Consequences of Mutual Trust in PPPs

This article aims to identify the antecedents and consequences of mutual trust in public-private partnerships (PPPs), making use of the theory of mutual trust to develop the conceptual model. The article then tests hypotheses to find the role of trust in PPPs and also to identify the antecedents and consequences. Data have been collected from personnel working in government, corporate and non-profit sectors related to a post-earthquake psychological rehabilitation program in China. A total of 234 usable responses have been obtained with a return rate of 69.2%. The results of structural equation modeling show that while mutual communication, corporate reputation, and shared value influence mutual trust between partners positively, opportunism exerts negative influence on trust; in addition, trust also influences performance, commitment, and long-term relationships between partners. We conclude that mutual trust eliminates opportunism and increases confidence between partners, leading to improved inter-firm performance. If the partners establish trust in the PPP, they reap all other benefits of cooperation of PPPs.     

Clustering Attitudes and Behaviors of High/ Low Involvement Grocery Shopper

The purpose of this exploratory and quantitative study was to examine the attitudes and behaviors of 14,807 grocery shoppers. These respondents across the US were asked to answer attitudinal, behavioral, and demographic related questions. Shoppers were profiled by analyzing their responses to 16 relevant attitudinal and behavioral questions. A cluster analysis was performed followed by a discriminant analysis to determine attitudinal and behavioral variables explaining cluster membership. A cross-tabulation analysis assessed demographic variables that correlated with cluster membership. Two clusters were identified: high and low involvement grocery shoppers. In an event that has long been perceived as low involvement, a large percentage (53%) can be categorized as high involvement grocery shoppers. These shoppers tend to be younger. They were more likely to enjoy the hunt of finding products/deals, seek the advice of others and perceive that the products they buy reflect upon them. Grocery stores have a significant opportunity to target this high involvement shopper. Grocery stores will need to create an integrative, engaging online and in-store experience to attract high involvement shoppers and ultimately increase store loyalty. The results of this research has significant communication, branding and digital marketing implications.     

Trust and Commitment in Customer/Service-Provider Relationships:

This study highlights the importance of relationships in the marketing of services. Relationships constructs such as Trust, Affective Commitment, and Continuance Commitment are operationalized in a marketing context and used as dependent variables in an empirical study of differences in how males and females approach relationships with three types of service providers (primary care physicians, automobile mechanics, and hairstylists). The data shows that females seek more trust and commitment within the service provider/customer relationship than males. Also, consumers in general place more trust in and are more committed to their doctor and their hairstylist than to their mechanic.     

Materialism and Consumer Ethics: An Exploratory Study

As the issue of marketing's social responsibility grows in significance, the topic of materialism surfaces. While many marketing efforts encourage materialism, the materialism that is encouraged may have negative societal effects. An understanding of the effects of materialism on individuals, families, society, etc., is important in evaluating whether or not it is socially irresponsible for marketers to encourage materialism. However, the adequate empirical work has not yet been done on the overall effects of materialism. The current paper asks and addresses one important empirical question in this area. Do consumers who are more materialistic have different ethical standards than those who are not? Empirical evidence is presented which would indicate that materialism is negatively correlated with people's higher ethical standards as consumers. The implications for this in understanding social responsibility are discussed.     

品牌信任、顾客满意及关系承诺

基于消费者认知与情感层面,可从消费者与品牌的互动关系入手,将品牌信任划分为转移信任、经验信任两种类型。数据分析表明,对品牌信任的这种新划分存在于消费者与品牌的交互过程之中,不仅具有合理性,而且具有深远的理论意义。数据拟合分析结果表明,转移信任对顾客满意的直接作用非常明显,转移信任能够引起顾客满意,同时顾客满意对经验信任的作用也非常强,顾客满意能够导致经验信任。关系承诺与顾客满意度及经验信任之间存在因果关系,但也会受到其他因素影响,因此即使消费者对品牌产品满意或获得了经验上的信任,也不一定会长期使用或推荐某个品牌的产品。鉴于此,为更好地建立、发展并保持消费者与企业间的长期关系,改善品牌管理方面存在的不足,企业要适时调整营销战略与策略。一要重视消费者转移信任的建立,关注实质的产品质量与服务,关注顾客需求,为顾客解决消费过程中出现的问题,通过建立企业品牌信任,提高顾客满意度;二要培养具备专业知识的业务人员,为消费者提供准确而有价值的产品信息,赢得消费者信任,强化企业与消费者之间的关系,维持企业与顾客之间的长久关系;三要选择有效的途径进行品牌传播,举办吸引消费者参与的活动等,从建立品牌信任开始进行新产品、新品牌的市场开拓。