Attitudes and perceptions toward affirmative action programs: An application of institutional theory

Due to the continuing controversy surrounding the use of affirmative action programs in organizational hiring and promotion practices, we conducted a study to model individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions toward affirmative action (AA) programs considering social influences and an institutional theory framework. To conduct the study we surveyed 413 managers and supervisors from three large hotel companies in the pacific western and southeastern United States. Results indicate that institutional and social forces positively influenced participants’ general perceptions of AA in the workplace. Influences from social interaction exhibited a negative relationship upon attitudes toward the experience and practice of AA, specifically related to AA hires and organizational issues stemming from AA rather than the legislation itself.     

Alcohol taxes,tax revenues and the Single European Market

This paper addresses the issue of whether tax revenue from alcohol lost through cross-border shopping could be recouped by cutting excise duties. This in turn depends on the elasticity of demand for alcohol. We use data from the Family Expenditure Survey 1978–96 to estimate own- and cross-price elasticities of demand for beer, wine and spirits before and after completion of the Single Market. We find no evidence of a significant change in elasticities after the Single Market. The tax rates on beer and wine are currently below their revenue-maximising rates, implying that a cut in the duty rate on beer or wine would lead to a decrease in indirect tax revenue from alcohol. We cannot reject that the current tax rate on spirits is at the revenue-maximising rate, implying that further increases in the duty on spirits are likely to cause indirect tax revenue to fall.     

Factors Influencing Web Customers’ Willingness to Engage in Online Shopping with an Internet Retailer

This study is an effort to identify and analyze the factors that could potentially influence web customers’ willingness to engage in online shopping with an Internet retailer. Using the primary data collected from a large sample of a web-based consumer survey, researchers developed a structural Equation model that embodied those factors that potentially influenced web customers’ willingness to engage in online shopping with an Internet retailer. Seven constructs were considered to study the effects of those factors on the web customers’ willingness to engage in online shopping with an Internet retailer, including quality of service, inertia to change, economic value, stress reduction, enjoyment in doing business, comfort level with website, and aesthetic appeal. The proposed model is largely supported and validated by several statistical measures and tests.     

Smartphones and the reconfiguration of retailscapes: Stores,shopping, and digitalization

The aim of this paper is to examine and conceptualize how the integration of smartphones is reconfiguring the retailscapes of stores and the implications that this has for retailers and consumers. Departing from an understanding of retailscapes as socio-material assemblages and drawing on an ethnographic study of mobile shopping, this paper shows how the integration of smartphones into the activities of in-store shopping is reconfiguring how store space is enacted. The integration of this digital device reorganizes the activities of shopping, and new informationscapes, socialscapes, and experiencescapes unfold as a result. In the process, stores are reconfigured, agencies change, and the relationship between consumers and retailers is remade.     

Understanding determinants and barriers of mobile shopping adoption using behavioral reasoning theory

Technology has transformed the way retail business is done with leading players shifting to mobile specific platforms. The purpose of this study is to examine the mobile shopping adoption using a novel approach of behavioral reasoning theory, which aims to test the relative influence of reasons for, and importance of reasons against adoption of mobile shopping among Indian consumers. The hypotheses were tested using the representative sample of 237 Indian consumers and analyzing the data using PLS-SEM technique. The findings support that ‘reasons for’ and ‘reasons against’ are prime determinant of attitude and intentions. Among the reasons for, price saving orientation is the major determinant for mobile shopping adoption and among the reasons against, self efficacy is the major determinant against mobile shopping adoption. The findings also confirm that value of “openness to change” significantly influences reasons for adoption and has no impact on reasons against and attitude towards mobile shopping. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of examining both the pro-adoption and anti-adoption factors while developing marketing strategy.     

Online Shopping of Travel Products: A Study of Influence of Each Dimension of travelers' Attitudes and the Impact of travelers' Online Shopping Experiences on Their Purchase Intentions

This study examines the impact of three attributes (perception of convenience, perception of merchandise options, and perception of value) on travelers' attitudes toward different online agencies online shopping for travel products and the impact of online shopping experiences on their online purchase intentions. The collected data arises from an Internet survey of registered members of an online travel service company that caters to leisure travelers. The study finds that perceptions of convenience and value are two valid dimensions that measure travelers' attitudes. Findings also confirm that those two attitudes' attributes and travelers' online shopping experiences exert significant influence on their online purchase intentions. Travelers have a more positive attitude toward travel portal websites than toward companies' branded websites in terms of perception of convenience, perception of merchandise options, and perception of value.     

Understanding fashion communication between Korean middle‐aged mothers and daughters

Daughters can be considered important social role models for middle‐aged mothers in fashion communication such as the clothing purchase or conformity. This study explores antecedents (trust in daughters as fashion informants and internalized social pressure for appearance management) and outcomes (solidarity between mother and daughter, psychological well‐being of mother) of fashion communication (mother–daughter shopping, clothing conformity) between middle‐aged mothers and daughters. The data were collected using a self‐administered online survey of 307 middle‐aged Korean women between ages of 45 and 65. The result shows that mothers’ trust in daughters as fashion informants and internalized social pressure for appearance positively influence mother–daughter shopping and mothers’ clothing conformity to daughters. Next, mother–daughter shopping and mothers’ clothing conformity have a positive influence on the solidarity of mothers and daughters. When solidarity becomes stronger, the degree of the mothers’ psychological well‐being increases.     

Consumer Choice Behavior and Electronic Shopping Systems – A Theoretical Note

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of alternative approaches in modeling consumer choice behavior with respect to making purchases either in the traditional manner or using an electronic shopping system. We concentrate on the effects of two specific features: the amount of time spent on shopping and the shopping experience. We consider a simple two-good situation in which one good is a composite good that consists of all goods purchased electronically, and the other is the composite of all goods purchased in a traditional manner. The models suggest that both time saved and an increase in shopping experience related to Web-based shopping will lead to increased purchasing at a Web shop.     

Predicting Tourists' Intention to Try Local Cuisine Using a Modified Theory of Reasoned Action: The Case of New Orleans

The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of the modified theory of reasoned action (TRA) in predicting tourists' behavioral intention to try the local cuisine in New Orleans. The results indicated that the proposed model had strong predictive ability regarding tourists' intention to try the local cuisine. Attitude and past behavior were significant predictors of tourists' behavioral intention. In addition, the interdependence between attitudinal and normative components was partly supported. Gender had a significant moderating role in the relationships between attitude/past behavior and behavioral intention to experience the local cuisine. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Do Loyalty Groups Differ in the Role of Trust in Online Tourism Shopping? A Process Perspective

Today, Internet use is becoming increasingly prevalent, and people all over the world are shopping online with increasing frequency. While much of the current literature tends to focus on the dependent variable of loyalty on online tourism shopping, this study draws heavily on the moderating role of loyalty. In particular, this study aims to examine the relationships among perceived security, website properties, navigational functionality, trust, and satisfaction, as well as to use a process theory to investigate the differences in these constructs between low- and high-loyalty groups. The results of this study reveal that perceived security, website properties, and navigational functionality significantly and positively affected trust. In addition, loyalty was found to reinforce the relationships among perceived security, website properties, navigational functionality, and trust.