Validating the Effects of Brand Quality on Attitude and Purchase Intention in Service–Product Alliances

The purpose of this article is to replicate the findings of previous research studying the effects of brand quality on consumer attitude and purchase intentions in service–product encounters. The main contribution of the current research is to improve the generalizability of the previous findings by basing the experimental inquiry on real-world brands. Drawing on information integration and categorization theories, a set of hypotheses are presented that predict both mediating and moderating relationships between the independent and dependent variables. Results from an experimental study confirm previous findings, demonstrating that the quality of a product brand in a service–product alliance has significant effects on the attitude toward the service brand. Such effects are moderated by the quality of the service brand. Alternatively, service brand attributes do not have the same effect on component product brands included in the performance of that service. Service and product quality exhibit the same effects on purchase intentions as mediated by attitude.     

Determinants of Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intentions With Regard to Genetically Modified Food – Results of a Cross-National Survey

Previous research has shown consumers to be highly sceptical towards genetic modification in food production. So far, however, little research has tried to explain how consumers form attitudes and make decisions with regard to genetically modified foods. The paper presents the results of a survey which was carried out in Denmark, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom to investigate the formation of consumer attitudes towards genetic modification in food production and of purchase decisions with regard to genetically modified yoghurt and beer. Altogether, 2031 consumers were interviewed in the four countries.Results show that attitude formation and decision-making are more comparable among Danish, German, and British consumers than with Italian consumers. Italian consumers turned out to be significantly less negative towards genetic modification in foods than particularly Danish and German consumers. Across countries, the attitude towards genetic modification in food production was deeply embedded in more general attitudes held by the consumers, in particular attitude towards nature and attitude towards technology. These general attitudes were found to influence perceived risks and benefits of the technology. Purchase decisions with regard to the two product examples were almost exclusively determined by attitudes towards purchasing the products. These were, in turn, significantly influenced by the overall attitude towards genetic modification in food production through their effects on beliefs held by consumers regarding the quality and trustworthiness of the products.The results suggest that attitudes towards genetically modified foods are quite strong, despite their lack of basis in actual product experience. Likewise, the strong relation of product-specific attitudes to the attitude towards using genetic modification in food production suggests that at present consumers reject the technology overall rather than evaluate products on a case-by-case basis. This situation may, however, be changed by a possible increased availability of genetically modified food products on the consumer market.     

Determinants of customers’ intentions towards environmentally sustainable banking: Testing the structural model

The increasing urbanization and changing consumption patterns are putting great strain on environmental sustainability. The consumption patterns need to be reformed due to the great contribution to rising carbon emissions. The customers are also becoming aware of the various environmental issues. The current research developed and tested a conceptual framework to scrutinize the antecedents of customers' intentions to adopt environmentally sustainable banking services and activities. Following the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this paper incorporated the constructs namely trust, environmental consciousness, and perceived behavioural outcomes in addition to its basic variables. The data were gathered from a cross-sectional sample of 440 Indian bank customers using a survey method. PLS-based structural equation modelling technique was employed to test the research model. The results indicated that TPB constructs exert significant influence on customers’ behavioural intention. The environmental consciousness was marked as a highly significant predictor of perceived behavioural outcomes which in turn was found to be a significant determinant of trust as well as behavioural intention. Moreover, the attitude was found to be a significant outcome of trust and environmental consciousness. This research puts forth the theoretical as well as managerial implications and provides directions for further research in the concerned thrust area.     

Consumers' switching intention towards E-commerce platforms’ store-to-store pickup services: The application of the extended PPM model

The knowledge of the preference of innovative service consumers is crucial for e-commerce platforms to boost profit, gain a competitive advantage, and achieve remarkable growth. In this research, the consumer's viewpoint was applied. Furthermore, the extended Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) model was integrated into the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) approach to investigate the elements impacting the consumers' attempt of shifting to the store-to-store pickup service developed by e-commerce platforms. Besides, the development of the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) was for the investigation into the reciprocal effects of evaluation dimensions and factors and the development of an influential network relation map (NRM). The DEMATEL-based Analytic Network Process (DANP) was used to calculate the influential weights of these dimensions and factors. It could be seen from the NRM that the first dimension that required improvement and adjustment ought to begin with a push and subsequently a pull, mooring, switching intentions, and inertia. The influential weights from the DANP highlighted inertia as the most impactful dimension, with mooring coming in second. Meanwhile, push held the lowest significance. The next discussion focuses on the theoretical, managerial and practical implications.