User Perceptions of Mobile and Online Channels for Purchasing Financial Products

ABSTRACT

This study investigates users' perceptions of costs and benefits of mobile versus online, PC-based, channels for accessing financial information and completing financial transactions. Results indicate that, in the financial services context, the mobile channel has no perceived advantages over the online channel. The older online channel does have several perceived advantages related to transaction cost, risk, ease of use, meeting financial goals, and information accessibility. The channels are similar on four dimensions, but most of the similarities arise because the online and mobile channels enable purchase of the same financial products. Finally, users are more willing to use the mobile channel for less risky tasks (accessing information) than they are for more risky tasks (buying financial products).     

Expectations and Perceptions of Overseas Students in a Post-graduate Corporate Accounting Subject: A Research Note

This study examines the expectations and perceptions of overseas students undertaking the post-graduate corporate accounting subject taught at an Australian university. An understanding of students' perceptions and expectations in learning of the subject is important in assisting accounting academics to enhance their teaching programmes, and to manage the diverse student cohorts which are now a feature of university classrooms in Australia. The findings show that overseas students expected the post-graduate corporate accounting subject to be challenging and interesting. Moreover, they expressed a strong desire that the subject should emphasise the practicalities of accounting.     

Consumer Perceptions and Behavior

Abstract

The primary objective of this article is to highlight the importance of consumer perceptions in strategic airline alliance settings. Previous research on strategic alliances, both in the service and manufacturing sector, has mainly focused on issues relating to the organization. Consumer perceptions have generally been ignored-in view of the pivotal role of the consumer in service settings a surprising neglect. The paper focuses on the airline industry, an industry with a high service element, to illustrate how positive results eventuating for partners in a strategic alliance may cover slow shifts in consumer attitudes, and behavior. If not carefully monitored, these shifts may adversely affect performance measures of individual alliance partners in the long-term.     

The destination competitiveness of Kinmen's tourism industry: exploring the interrelationships between tourist perceptions,service performance,customer satisfaction and sustainable tourism

Based upon an empirical investigation, the study draws upon the responses of 1623 tourists in Kinmen to explore the notion of destination competitiveness and how it is related to customer satisfaction with tourists’ perceptions, service performance and destination competitiveness. It also considers the question of destination competitiveness and sustainable tourism development. Variables such as tourists’ pre-visit perceptions, post-visit satisfaction toward destination attractions and resources, willingness to recommend and revisit, and competitiveness with foreign destinations are tested. The results of the study suggest that there is no correlation between tourists’ overall satisfaction and destination competitiveness. Implications of the study outcome illustrate that a destination's unique tourism characteristics can be the most important variables for destination competitiveness. In Kinmen's case, battlefields, historic relics, beautiful scenery and travel security gave it a competitive edge, despite high prices. In addition, developing the destination's brand image was found to be critical for tourism marketers and authorities in the context of increasingly global tourism competition.     

Complaint Management

Proper complaint handling can lead to increased customer satisfaction. This study dealt with explanations and compensation regarding a complaint situation in a restaurant. The results showed that customers really do not care who explains the reason for the unsatisfactory service or who offers compensation, as long as they receive both.     

A Pinch or a Pint? Evidence of Pesticide Overuse in Bangladesh

In a recent survey of 820 rice, potato, bean, eggplant, cabbage, sugarcane and mango farmers in Bangladesh, over 47% of farmers were found to be overusing pesticides. With only 4% of farmers formally trained in pesticide use or handling, and over 87% openly admitting to using little or no protective measures while applying pesticides, overuse is potentially a great threat to farmer health as well as the environment. Pesticide overuse was initially modelled using a three‐equation, trivariate probit framework with health effects and misperception of pesticide risk as endogenous dummy variables. Significance tests revealed that health and misperception were not endogenous to overuse, suggesting a bivariate probit model for health effects and misperception and a separate probit model for overuse. Health effects were found to be a function of the amount of pesticides used in production, nutritional status and income, while misperception of pesticide risk was determined by health impairments from pesticides and the toxicity of chemicals used. Pesticide overuse was significantly explained by variation in misperception, income, farm ownership, the toxicity of chemicals used, crop composition and geographical location. These results highlight the necessity for policymakers to design effective and targeted outreach programmes which deal specifically with pesticide risk, safe handling and averting behaviour. Ideally, the approach would be participatory in nature to address key informational gaps, as well as increasing: farmers’ awareness. The results also point to specific crops and locations experiencing a higher prevalence of overuse. Focusing efforts on these crops and geographical areas may have the most measurable effects on pesticide overuse.     

Evaluating food hygiene inspection schemes: ‘Scores on Doors’ in the UK

Food hygiene inspection results previously kept confidential from the public may now be released, and this gives food authorities the opportunity to publish these ratings, known as ‘Scores on Doors’, allowing consumers to make informed decisions when deciding where they will eat. The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is supporting trials of some of these schemes, which will involve more than 60 of the 400 local authorities, some of which have yet to launch their schemes. Other food authorities are running disclosure schemes independent of the FSA pilot scheme. The FSA has commissioned an evaluation of ‘Scores on Doors’ schemes to determine which is the most effective scheme with a view to launching a consistent nationwide scheme. A survey of ‘Scores on Doors’ schemes reveals many differences in the way they operate. This includes differences in the interpretation of scores, the extent of information that is disclosed, the communication channels used to disclose information, the amount of publicity provided for businesses and the public, the publicity given to the schemes by local media, and whether businesses are scored retrospectively or scored at inspection following the launch of the scheme. The implications of these variables for a comprehensive evaluation of the schemes are explored.     

The Paradoxical Behavioral Effects of a Directional Goal on Investors' Risk Perceptions and Valuation Judgments

Market participants who evaluate risk often have a preference or goal for positive company performance. The authors test how such a directional goal affects risk perceptions and the relation between risk perceptions and assessments of value in an investment context. Compared with investors without directional goals—who, consistent with prior behavioral research, focus on negative aspects of risk—the authors find that those with directional goals assess risk as being more symmetric (i.e., they are less focused on downside risk). However, investors with directional goals are also less likely to consider risk when assessing value. Taken together, these results suggest that a directional goal reduces one behavioral effect identified in prior literature (the tendency to focus on downside risk), but creates another behavioral effect (ignoring risk in assessing value). The authors discuss implications for standard setters and regulators seeking to communicate risk information to market participants.     

Social media marketing in wine tourism: winery owners’ perceptions

This paper examines winery owners’ attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of social media in marketing and promoting wine tourism online. Empirical evidence is provided by a sample of 20 winery owners in the North Italian region of Langhe, who have engaged to a greater or lesser extent in social media. The findings show that while the majority of winery owners recognise the social, economic and emotional benefits of social media, they are far from exploiting its full potential, partially due to barriers such as their agricultural mentality and the time-consuming nature of social media.     

Why households buy bottled water: a survey of household perceptions in the Philippines

This study investigates the determinants of household buying decisions to purchase bottled water or purified water from refilling stations among households in Metro Cebu, Philippines. A survey of 360 households was conducted to obtain data on household sources of drinking water, household bottled water buying behaviour and perceptions of water quality. A binary probit model was used to examine the effects of socio‐economic and perception‐based variables on the likelihood that a household regularly bought bottled or purified water. Results show that households that perceived their primary source of water, whether from the tap or from other sources, to be unsafe were more likely to buy bottled or purified water. Education of household heads, the presence of children ages 0–5 years, household size and price were also found to have significant effects. Income, however, was not found to have influenced the decision to buy. Having piped access to the local water district and knowledge of government assurances about water safety were also not found to have a significant impact.