Adherence to customer loyalty programmes and changes in buyer behaviour

This study examines the factors that influence the effectiveness of customer loyalty programmes to cause a change in consumers' behaviour in retailing services. In particular, three explanatory variables are analysed: the quality of service offered to the customer, her/his trust in the company, and her/his attitude towards loyalty programmes. The results obtained indicate that a change in the buyer's behaviour is directly influenced by her/his loyalty to the retailer and by her/his attitude towards loyalty programmes. Furthermore, an indirect effect on changes in buyer behaviour caused by the quality of service and the consumer's attitude towards loyalty programmes is observed.     

Services supporting female entrepreneurs

There are many public initiatives that fund services which support women entrepreneurship. In order to help them improve, this paper takes a closer look at the characteristics of female entrepreneurs, their motivations, and the difficulties they face in their ventures. Through a literature review and the results of a Delphi study with 25 technicians from an EU-funded support programme, this research concludes that policies for the support of women entrepreneurs should aim at strengthening pull motivators and concentrate in designing programmes specifically tailored to the type of business, focusing on long-term policies rather than short-term initiatives.     

Editorial

Abstract

In this paper we summarize and comment on the papers published in issue 6.4. The papers reviewed are ‘Migrants and International Economic Linkages: A Meta-Overview’ by Peter Nijkamp, Masood Gheasi &; Piet Rietveld; ‘A Lustrum of SEA: Recent Research Trends Following the Creation of the Spatial Econometrics Association (2007–2011)’ by Giuseppe Arbia; ‘Do Natural Amenities Attract High-Tech Jobs?: Evidence From a Smoothed Bayesian Spatial Model’ by Jeffrey Dorfman, Mark Partridge &; Hamilton Galloway; ‘Testing for Cross-Sectional Dependence in Regional Panel Data’, by Peter Jensen &; Torben Schmidt; and ‘Modelling Regional Welfare Efficiency Applying Conditional Full Frontiers’ by George Halkos &; Nickolaos Tzeremes.

RÉSUMÉ Dans la présente communication, nous récapitulons les communications publiées dans le numéro 6.4, et nous présentons des commentaires. Les communications examinées sont les suivantes : « Migrants et liens économiques internationaux : un aperçu général » par Peter Nijkamp, Masood Gheasi &; Piet Rietveld ; «Étude sur une période de cinq ans sur l'Association d’Économétrie spatiale (SEA) : tendances des travaux de recherche récents à la suite de la création de l'Association d’Économétrie spatiale [Spatial Econometrics Association (2007–2011)]», par Giuseppe Arbia; « Les agréments naturels attirent-ils des emplois dans la technologie de pointe ?: démonstration découlant d'un modèle spatial bayésien ajusté », par Jeffrey Dorfman, Mark Partridge &; Hamilton Galloway ; « Essais de dépendance transversale dans des données de panel régionaux », par Peter Jensen &; Torben Schmidt ; et « Modélisation de l'efficacité sociale régionale comportant l'application de frontières intégrales conditionnelles », par George Halkos &; Nickolaos Tzeremes.

EXTRACTO En este trabajo resumimos y hacemos comentarios sobre los ensayos publicados en la edición 6.4. Los ensayos revisados son: ‘Migrants and International Economic Linkages: A Meta-Overview’ (Emigrantes y vínculos económicos internacionales: una meta-perspectiva general) de Peter Nijkamp, Masood Gheasi &; Piet Rietveld; ‘A Lustrum of SEA: Recent Research Trends Following the Creation of the Spatial Econometrics Association (2007–2011)’ (Un lustro de SEA: tendencias investigativas recientes después de la creación de la Asociación Econométrica Espacial (2007–2011)) de Giuseppe Arbia; ‘Do Natural Amenities Attract High-Tech Jobs?: Evidence From a Smoothed Bayesian Spatial Model’ (¿Atraen las amenidades naturales empleos de alta tecnología?: Evidencia derivada de un modelo espacial bayesiano homogéneo) de Jeffrey Dorfman, Mark Partridge &; Hamilton Galloway; ‘Testing for Cross-Sectional Dependence in Regional Panel Data’ (Prueba de la dependencia transversal en datos regionales de panel) de Peter Jensen &; Torben Schmidt; y ‘Modelling Regional Welfare Efficiency Applying Conditional Full Frontiers’ (Modelación de la eficiencia de servicios sociales regionales aplicando fronteras condicionales completas) de George Halkos &; Nickolaos Tzeremes.

     

元搜索引擎研究

该文对元搜索引擎进行了界定,阐述元搜索引擎的特征、分类及其运作原理,研究了元搜索引擎几项关键技术,并讨论了它的未来发展方向。     

The reward gap in hierarchical loyalty programmes: how to enhance bottom-tier customers’ loyalty without alienating top-tier customers

ABSTRACT

Reward gap is the difference in the number and nature of rewards allocated to specific customer groups (or tiers) in a hierarchical loyalty programme. Building on the social comparison, equity and attribution theories, and two experiments conducted in a retailing context, we investigate the effect of reward gap size and visibility on both bottom-tier (BT) and top-tier (TT) customers. Findings from Study 1 show that a large reward gap reduces loyalty to the programme in BT customers, while it enhances it in TT customers. These effects are mediated by perceived fairness and perceived control. Findings from Study 2 show that a non-visible large reward gap increases loyalty to the programme in BT customers without affecting it in TT customers. This effect is mediated only by perceived fairness. Altogether, the findings highlight the mechanisms that explain the effect of the reward gap on BT and TT customers’ loyalty to the programme.     

Employee ownership and firm performance: a meta‐analysis

Employee ownership has been an area of significant practitioner and academic interest for the past four decades. Yet, empirical results on the relationship between employee ownership and firm performance remain mixed. To aggregate findings and provide potential direction for future theoretical development, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 102 samples representing 56,984 firms. Employee ownership has a small, but positive and statistically significant relation to firm performance ( = 0.04). The effect is generally positive for studies with different sampling designs (samples assessing change in performance pre‐employee–post‐employee ownership adoption or samples on firms with employee ownership), different performance operationalisation (efficiency or growth) and firm type (publicly held or privately held). Suggesting benefits of employee ownership in a variety of contexts, we found no differences in effects on performance in publicly held versus privately held firms, stock or stock option‐based ownership plans or differences in effects across different firm sizes (i.e. number of employees). We do find that the effect of employee ownership on performance has increased in studies over time and that studies with samples from outside the USA report stronger effects than those within. We also find little to no evidence of publication bias.     

Does Market Structure Influence Price Transmission in the Agro‐food Sector? A Meta‐analysis Perspective

There exists a large literature on price transmission in agro‐food sectors. However, a great majority of empirical studies focus on the existence of asymmetry and, by and large, do not investigate the reason for its presence or absence. This is in sharp contrast to the theoretical literature that provides a number of explanations of why we should expect (a)symmetry. In response, this paper investigates the reasons for asymmetric price transmission in the agro‐food chain, using meta‐analysis of existing studies. Our focus is on the organizational and institutional characteristics of the agro‐food supply chain. Our findings suggest that asymmetric price transmission in farm–retail relationships is more likely to occur in sectors/countries with more fragmented farm structure, higher governmental support and more restrictive regulations on price controls in the retail sector. On the other hand, more restrictive regulations on entry barriers in the retail sector and the relative importance of the sector tend to promote symmetric farm–retail price transmission. The latter is also more likely in the presence of a strong processing industry.     

Measurement and Management Issues in Customer Satisfaction Research: Review,Critique and Research Agenda: Part Two

Abstract

A two-part article was designed to review the main areas of agreement and disagreement in the debate over customer satisfaction and its measurement. The preceding article presented a synthesis of views in regard to the definition of customer satisfaction; the similarity, difference, and causality between customer satisfaction and service quality; and the use of the Expectancy-Disconfirmation Paradigm in the measurement of customer satisfaction. This second article undertakes a critical review of the debates relating to the reliability and validity of the Performance alone and the Weighted Importance-Performance models in assessing customer satisfaction. Further discussions pertaining to culture-satisfaction relationship, who should determine satisfaction (the researcher or the customer) and whether the measurement of customer satisfaction is an end in itself are presented. Finally, possible barriers that exist in the way of developing and implementing effective satisfaction improvement programmes are reviewed, and suggestions for future research are provided.     

UK intermediate financial accounting courses: a survey

This paper reports the results of a survey carried out in 1991/92 inquiring into intermediate (usually second year) financial accounting courses, taught in UK accounting and/or finance degree programmes. The areas reviewed were: course objectives, syllabus, lecturers' perceptions of syllabus, textbooks used, other teaching aids (including computers), student contact hours, follow-on courses and assessment. The response rate was 79%. The courses tended to be integrated combinations of accounting theory and practice. The growing number of accounting standards did not prove to be a significant problem as most lecturers did not aim for comprehensive coverage. Over half the respondents used computers in teaching their course.     

Teaching financial literacy: a survey of community‐based educators

A nationwide online survey of financial educators in adult community‐based financial education programmes in the US was conducted to examine teaching beliefs, related curriculum and teaching strategies used to reach underserved populations. A transformative learning theoretical framework was used to discover how financial education engages learners in relation to their own lives. Survey findings indicate in community‐based settings financial educators are largely White, female, college educated and with multiple years of experience; believe their role is to provide expert information to help learners make informed financial choices; and often adapt published materials to reflect the life circumstances of learners. Learners are more racially diverse than educators, most having attended high school, who identify their own financial need to attend the programmes. Programmes do not often target specific groups, are frequently free and can take place in a variety of face‐to‐face settings. Implications indicate best practices for financial educators require inclusive, culturally responsive pedagogies.