Proposal and validation of a financial protection perception scale

This article proposes and validates a financial protection perception scale (FPPS) from the perspective of the financial services consumer. The scale was applied to a sample of 1137 individuals residing in Brazil and validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and standard multivariate validation methods. The FPPS, composed of 14 items, allows the development of an indicator that defines the level of protection perceived by the consumer of financial services, evaluated along the dimensions of transparency, suitability, security, and complaints. The tests and fit indices indicated the reliability and validity of the FPPS. With this scale, researchers, managers, and policymakers can assess the extent to which consumers feel protected when using financial services.     

What does the future hold for giving? An approach using the social representations of Generation Y

• Nowadays, not‐for‐profit organizations and charities face the ageing of donors and a growing debate over monetary donation collection methods. They need to find solutions to attract younger generations of donors. Could this be done using the same methods applied to older generations? This present research investigates social representations (SRs) of giving by younger generations to understand how not‐for‐profit organizations and charities should approach them. The study focuses on SRs of a French sample of 276 individuals from Generation Y born between 1979 and 1991. It uses the free association technique. The results show paradoxical representations of giving. Institutionalization of giving is salient as representation of it as a freely consenting act. The paradox relies also in the strong presence of a relationship with others that parallels the gift as an individualistic choice.
• Generation Y individuals appear to be sociable, yet they evoke more sharing and solidarity than charity. Institutionalized forms of giving, particularly via charities and not‐for‐profit organizations, are rejected. These individuals seem to express their individuality through practices that resemble sharing rather than giving. From a managerial point of view, these results shed light on the factors liable to cause members of this generation to give, such as (i) the use of social networks, (ii) appealing to pleasure, festivities and efficiency rather than to guilt and duty, and (iii) encouragement to “work within the not‐for‐profit organization”.

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Substitution between leisure activities: a quasi-natural experiment using sports viewing and cinema attendance

The allocation of time between leisure activities and work has been extensively analysed in academic literature. However, leisure time is limited and there may not be sufficient time to enjoy all the leisure activities desired. Hence, this article considers the allocation of time between substitute leisure activities. International football tournaments provide an opportunity to consider consumers’ preferences for watching football and films in a quasi-natural experimental setting. A trade-off between these leisure activities is identified using a difference-in-difference methodology. Using an original, four-country data set, a large and robust negative effect of mega sports events on cinema admissions is identified.     

THE EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING STRATEGIES

This paper contributes to the very limited literature examining the factors determining tobacco companies' advertising strategies. The paper explores whether firms in the UK tobacco market significantly changed their advertising expenditure in the face of proposed changes to the UK and European Commission tobacco advertising legislation. The results suggest that changes in legislation have little impact on firms' advertising strategies for existing brands, but that legislative changes impact upon product launch dates. Our results also offer some information on the nature of firm interdependencies in the UK tobacco industry.     

Restricted electricity use among poor urban households

For a variety of reasons, this article argues, electricity must be seen by policy‐makers in South Africa not as the sole provider of all future household energy needs, but rather as one component of an energy mix which includes such ‘transitional’ fuels as coal, gas and paraffin. The reasons for this are that electricity is expensive for poor households; it is subject to power failures and disconnections for non‐payment; the poor find it difficult to monitor and to control their consumption; appliances are expensive and several are required to make best use of electricity; people prefer other fuels because they are familiar and have strong personal and cultural associations, and because Eskom is not trusted owing to its past ties to illegitimate local authorities and misunderstanding of electricity and how its use is monitored and charged for. Further, it is mistaken to equate ‘development’ with total electrification: most developed countries have fuel mixes which include gas and coal, particularly for cooking and heating. Accepting an affordable fuel mix for the poor in particular would focus attention on the problems currently associated with paraffin, gas and coal, namely fires, poisoning and air pollution.     

DHL Bangladesh: Managing headquarters‐subsidiary relations. Comment on DHL Bangladesh: Managing headquarters‐subsidiary relations

This case revolves around Nurul Rahman, a DHL Bangladesh (DHLB) manager who must recommend which of the two human resource information systems (HRISs) DHLB should adopt to alleviate the escalating workload on its human resources (HR) department. The choice between these systems is difficult: the HRIS favored by regional headquarters is significantly more expensive and likely unsuited to DHLB's unique needs, whereas the HRIS favored by DHLB—although likely effective —seems to be incapable of meeting headquarters' strong preference for streamlining human resource systems across disparate Asian subsidiaries. Rahman must carefully balance conflicting stakeholder interests and do so against the backdrop of a politically powerful headquarters that can “make or break” managerial careers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cigarette pack and advertising displays at point of purchase: community demand for restrictions

Tobacco promotion influences tobacco consumption. Traditional forms of tobacco promotion have been heavily restricted in response to the harmful effects of tobacco. Tobacco displays at the point of purchase are increasingly important as a means of communicating brand imagery for the tobacco industry, especially when advertising is restricted at these points. Previous research has demonstrated that children exposed to tobacco advertising at the point of purchase have inflated perceptions of availability, use and popularity of tobacco. Internationally, laws are being debated and implemented to prohibit or restrict the display of tobacco at the point of purchase or put tobacco out of sight. Such measures would reduce tobacco product exposure and, hence, tobacco marketing among youth and the community. In South Australia, a ban on all cigarette advertising at the point of purchase was introduced in 2005. This study was designed to assess community support for restrictions on cigarette displays and advertising at the point of purchase. A telephone survey was conducted with a random sample of 2026 South Australian adults (aged 18 years and over) in July 2005. Overall, 63% of the community approved of a hypothetical total ban on cigarette displays at the point of purchase, with over three‐quarters believing this should happen in the next 12 months. A further 24% believed that cigarette displays should be restricted and 82% would approve of a ban on displays in stores that sell confectionary. Only 7% of adult smokers reported making their decision about the brand of cigarettes to buy at the point of purchase and 90% made their decision before they even entered the shop. The results strengthen arguments that cigarette displays are not necessary to maintain brand loyalty or to encourage brand switching of established smokers. Instead, the results make arguments more credible that cigarette displays normalize and promote smoking among young people and may also promote unplanned purchase or increased consumption among less frequent smokers or former smokers. Placing cigarettes out of sight would be unlikely to impact on brand choice for most smokers, who have already made up their mind before they enter the store.