The number of defective and unsafe products recalled from the market has increased dramatically i... more The number of defective and unsafe products recalled from the market has increased dramatically in the last decade. While several studies have investigated consumer reaction to product recalls, the impact of such events on utilitarian versus hedonic attitudes toward the brand involved in the recall has not yet been assessed. Similarly, it is not clear whether brands with utilitarian positioning and brands with hedonic positioning are equally affected by recalls. Through an experiment based on a real-world stimulus from the laptop product category, this study shows that hedonic brands are more resistant to the negative effects of voluntary product recalls than are utilitarian brands. Furthermore, data show that brand familiarity mitigates the effect of the recall on utilitarian attitudes for both utilitarian and hedonic brands. Brand familiarity also positively moderates the impact of the recall on hedonic attitudes, but only for hedonic brands.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 2015
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of social couponing campaigns... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of social couponing campaigns for hotels. In particular, the perceived effectiveness related to four specific objectives is explored (acquiring and retaining new customers, building brand awareness, balancing seasonality and stimulating demand among existing customers). Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire-based survey was conducted that involved 108 hotels, each of which has run at least one social couponing campaign through Groupon in Italy. The importance-performance approach was applied to analyze the data. Findings – Overall, the perceived effectiveness of social couponing for hotels is quite low. Social couponing is useful to increase brand awareness but does not encourage customer behavioral loyalty. Larger hotels can successfully use this marketing tool to balance demand seasonality. Research limitations/implications – The sample size is limited but includes approximately one-fourth of all Italian hotels that have run social coupon campaigns through Groupon. Only social couponing campaigns run through one daily deal site (Groupon) in one country (Italy) were considered. Practical implications – Social couponing is not perceived as equally effective for all hotels. This study provides hotel managers with suggestions for deciding whether to allocate a share of their marketing resources to social couponing. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to present field data to complement the available theoretical knowledge on social couponing for hotels.
Purpose – This paper explores the process of mutual value creation in a component co-branding rel... more Purpose – This paper explores the process of mutual value creation in a component co-branding relationship between an unknown component supplier and a well-known Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). In particular, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of parties’ willingness to engage in mutual value creation, thus enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model of mutual value creation. Design/methodology/approach – An in-depth longitudinal analysis of a single case study in the cycling wear industry is presented based on data gathered from several sources, including long interviews with managers of a component supplier and an OEM, promotional materials, press releases and articles in cycling-related publications and on web portals, and online conversations among amateur cyclists. Findings – Four antecedents of the willingness to engage in mutual value creation are identified: mutual trust; the perceived easiness of alignment between the supplier’s and OEM’s processes and resources relevant to value creation; the expected creation of a substantial level of additional mutual value; and the expected value gains for each party. Research limitations/implications – The study analyses only one case in a single industry and adopts a dyadic perspective. Practical implications – This study suggests that – contrary to the traditional view – when specific antecedents for mutual value creation are present, the component co-branding strategy is available to many innovative small- and medium-sized firms without strong brands. Originality/value – Beyond enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model, this study explains why co-branding relationships can be established even in the absence of a strong component brand.
Purpose of the paper: In recent years, an increasing number of service providers have decided to ... more Purpose of the paper: In recent years, an increasing number of service providers have decided to run social-couponing campaigns. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate their satisfaction. More importantly, the results available are generally based on data collected from merchants that have run their social-couponing campaigns through the largest global daily-deals (Groupon, LivingSocial). Nonetheless, new local white-label-deals sites have entered the market. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether merchants' satisfaction with social-couponing campaigns is different when using a local daily-deals site instead of a global site. Methodology: This study is based on a cross-sectional design. Data were collected through two surveys conducted in the Italian context: the first among 157 Italian merchants that had used Groupon; the second among 106 merchants that sold their coupons through Kauppa, a local daily-deals site operating in six Italian provinces. Find...
Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health impairments associated with ageing in developed ... more Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health impairments associated with ageing in developed countries, and it can result in social, emotional and communication dysfunction. Hearing loss in Italy is increasing, yet, despite the availability of free hearing aids and access to qualified community-based health professionals specialising in audiology services, their uptake remains low (about 15%-20%). This paper presents an investigation of the possible reasons why older people in Italy resist adopting a hearing aid. We used the literature to identify factors influencing people with hearing loss's decision-making, and drew on the theory of reasoned action to create an explanatory model. To test our hypotheses, we applied a cross-sectional design. We developed a questionnaire including 13 items related to adopting a hearing aid. Health professionals identified 400 persons aged 60-90 who were candidates for a free hearing aid. Those willing to participate were sent a copy of the q...
... Da più parti si stanno levando voci d'allarme sui rischi legati all'avvicendamento de... more ... Da più parti si stanno levando voci d'allarme sui rischi legati all'avvicendamento degli organidi governo nelle imprese minori. Si registra pure una proliferazione di strumenti a supporto del passaggio generazionale interno alla famiglia dell'imprenditore. ... E' realizzazione di sè. ...
ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to report on research on the sensory perceptions ... more ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to report on research on the sensory perceptions that patients and bystanders experience during hospitalisation. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch influence both clinical outcomes and satisfaction. The paper offers suggestions to hospital management on ways to improve receivers' sensory perceptions. Design/methodology/approach ‐ Considering services as social interactions, a subjectivist view of reality is adopted and, accordingly, a qualitative research approach implemented. Data are collected through participant observation. Desk activity includes reasoned literature review, categorisation and model adaptation. Findings ‐ A simplified system model for service provision in the hospital ward is proposed. A management tool is provided in the form of a check list that the ward management can employ to assess its service-provision system from a five-senses perspective. Research limitations/implications ‐ The paper is affected by judgements subject to cultural biases. The validity of the management tool is still to be tested. Practical implications ‐ Once up and running, the model and the check list will be able to guide health managers towards improvements of satisfaction, clinical outcomes and working environment. Originality/value ‐ The paper represents an original effort to adapt tools already used in the commercial field to influence health service receivers' perceptions positively. While the positive results of improvements to a single sensory perception have been well documented, an integrated approach has not been put forward previously in the health industry.
... Can quality become tangible for health service users? The Authors. Marta Ugolini, Dipartiment... more ... Can quality become tangible for health service users? The Authors. Marta Ugolini, Dipartimento di Economia Aziendale, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. Acknowledgements. ... Casula, C., Lucchini, A. (2001), "La comunicazione scritta", in Invernizzi, E. (Eds),Relazioni pubbliche. ...
... Pur essendo il lavoro frutto di riflessioni comuni, in sede di stesura finale il paragrafo 1 ... more ... Pur essendo il lavoro frutto di riflessioni comuni, in sede di stesura finale il paragrafo 1 è da attribuire a Federico Testa, il paragrafo 2 a Federico Brunetti e Marta Ugolini, il paragrafo 3 a Federico Brunetti, il paragrafo 4 a Marta Ugolini, il paragrafo 5 a tutti gli Autori. ...
Using critical incident technique (CIT) to capture the voice of the student Jacqueline A. Douglas... more Using critical incident technique (CIT) to capture the voice of the student Jacqueline A. Douglas, Robert McClelland, John Davies, Lyn Sudbury (pp. 305-318) Keywords: Critical incident technique, Feedback, Higher education, Questionnaires, Students, United Kingdom ArticleType: Research paper ... The application of quality function deployment in service quality management Andreas Andronikidis, Andreas C. Georgiou, Katerina Gotzamani, Konstantina Kamvysi (pp. 319-333) Keywords: Analytical hierarchy process, Competitive advantage, ...
The number of defective and unsafe products recalled from the market has increased dramatically i... more The number of defective and unsafe products recalled from the market has increased dramatically in the last decade. While several studies have investigated consumer reaction to product recalls, the impact of such events on utilitarian versus hedonic attitudes toward the brand involved in the recall has not yet been assessed. Similarly, it is not clear whether brands with utilitarian positioning and brands with hedonic positioning are equally affected by recalls. Through an experiment based on a real-world stimulus from the laptop product category, this study shows that hedonic brands are more resistant to the negative effects of voluntary product recalls than are utilitarian brands. Furthermore, data show that brand familiarity mitigates the effect of the recall on utilitarian attitudes for both utilitarian and hedonic brands. Brand familiarity also positively moderates the impact of the recall on hedonic attitudes, but only for hedonic brands.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 2015
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of social couponing campaigns... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of social couponing campaigns for hotels. In particular, the perceived effectiveness related to four specific objectives is explored (acquiring and retaining new customers, building brand awareness, balancing seasonality and stimulating demand among existing customers). Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire-based survey was conducted that involved 108 hotels, each of which has run at least one social couponing campaign through Groupon in Italy. The importance-performance approach was applied to analyze the data. Findings – Overall, the perceived effectiveness of social couponing for hotels is quite low. Social couponing is useful to increase brand awareness but does not encourage customer behavioral loyalty. Larger hotels can successfully use this marketing tool to balance demand seasonality. Research limitations/implications – The sample size is limited but includes approximately one-fourth of all Italian hotels that have run social coupon campaigns through Groupon. Only social couponing campaigns run through one daily deal site (Groupon) in one country (Italy) were considered. Practical implications – Social couponing is not perceived as equally effective for all hotels. This study provides hotel managers with suggestions for deciding whether to allocate a share of their marketing resources to social couponing. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to present field data to complement the available theoretical knowledge on social couponing for hotels.
Purpose – This paper explores the process of mutual value creation in a component co-branding rel... more Purpose – This paper explores the process of mutual value creation in a component co-branding relationship between an unknown component supplier and a well-known Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). In particular, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents of parties’ willingness to engage in mutual value creation, thus enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model of mutual value creation. Design/methodology/approach – An in-depth longitudinal analysis of a single case study in the cycling wear industry is presented based on data gathered from several sources, including long interviews with managers of a component supplier and an OEM, promotional materials, press releases and articles in cycling-related publications and on web portals, and online conversations among amateur cyclists. Findings – Four antecedents of the willingness to engage in mutual value creation are identified: mutual trust; the perceived easiness of alignment between the supplier’s and OEM’s processes and resources relevant to value creation; the expected creation of a substantial level of additional mutual value; and the expected value gains for each party. Research limitations/implications – The study analyses only one case in a single industry and adopts a dyadic perspective. Practical implications – This study suggests that – contrary to the traditional view – when specific antecedents for mutual value creation are present, the component co-branding strategy is available to many innovative small- and medium-sized firms without strong brands. Originality/value – Beyond enriching Grönroos and Helle’s (2010, 2012) model, this study explains why co-branding relationships can be established even in the absence of a strong component brand.
Purpose of the paper: In recent years, an increasing number of service providers have decided to ... more Purpose of the paper: In recent years, an increasing number of service providers have decided to run social-couponing campaigns. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate their satisfaction. More importantly, the results available are generally based on data collected from merchants that have run their social-couponing campaigns through the largest global daily-deals (Groupon, LivingSocial). Nonetheless, new local white-label-deals sites have entered the market. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether merchants' satisfaction with social-couponing campaigns is different when using a local daily-deals site instead of a global site. Methodology: This study is based on a cross-sectional design. Data were collected through two surveys conducted in the Italian context: the first among 157 Italian merchants that had used Groupon; the second among 106 merchants that sold their coupons through Kauppa, a local daily-deals site operating in six Italian provinces. Find...
Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health impairments associated with ageing in developed ... more Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent health impairments associated with ageing in developed countries, and it can result in social, emotional and communication dysfunction. Hearing loss in Italy is increasing, yet, despite the availability of free hearing aids and access to qualified community-based health professionals specialising in audiology services, their uptake remains low (about 15%-20%). This paper presents an investigation of the possible reasons why older people in Italy resist adopting a hearing aid. We used the literature to identify factors influencing people with hearing loss's decision-making, and drew on the theory of reasoned action to create an explanatory model. To test our hypotheses, we applied a cross-sectional design. We developed a questionnaire including 13 items related to adopting a hearing aid. Health professionals identified 400 persons aged 60-90 who were candidates for a free hearing aid. Those willing to participate were sent a copy of the q...
... Da più parti si stanno levando voci d'allarme sui rischi legati all'avvicendamento de... more ... Da più parti si stanno levando voci d'allarme sui rischi legati all'avvicendamento degli organidi governo nelle imprese minori. Si registra pure una proliferazione di strumenti a supporto del passaggio generazionale interno alla famiglia dell'imprenditore. ... E' realizzazione di sè. ...
ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to report on research on the sensory perceptions ... more ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to report on research on the sensory perceptions that patients and bystanders experience during hospitalisation. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch influence both clinical outcomes and satisfaction. The paper offers suggestions to hospital management on ways to improve receivers' sensory perceptions. Design/methodology/approach ‐ Considering services as social interactions, a subjectivist view of reality is adopted and, accordingly, a qualitative research approach implemented. Data are collected through participant observation. Desk activity includes reasoned literature review, categorisation and model adaptation. Findings ‐ A simplified system model for service provision in the hospital ward is proposed. A management tool is provided in the form of a check list that the ward management can employ to assess its service-provision system from a five-senses perspective. Research limitations/implications ‐ The paper is affected by judgements subject to cultural biases. The validity of the management tool is still to be tested. Practical implications ‐ Once up and running, the model and the check list will be able to guide health managers towards improvements of satisfaction, clinical outcomes and working environment. Originality/value ‐ The paper represents an original effort to adapt tools already used in the commercial field to influence health service receivers' perceptions positively. While the positive results of improvements to a single sensory perception have been well documented, an integrated approach has not been put forward previously in the health industry.
... Can quality become tangible for health service users? The Authors. Marta Ugolini, Dipartiment... more ... Can quality become tangible for health service users? The Authors. Marta Ugolini, Dipartimento di Economia Aziendale, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. Acknowledgements. ... Casula, C., Lucchini, A. (2001), "La comunicazione scritta", in Invernizzi, E. (Eds),Relazioni pubbliche. ...
... Pur essendo il lavoro frutto di riflessioni comuni, in sede di stesura finale il paragrafo 1 ... more ... Pur essendo il lavoro frutto di riflessioni comuni, in sede di stesura finale il paragrafo 1 è da attribuire a Federico Testa, il paragrafo 2 a Federico Brunetti e Marta Ugolini, il paragrafo 3 a Federico Brunetti, il paragrafo 4 a Marta Ugolini, il paragrafo 5 a tutti gli Autori. ...
Using critical incident technique (CIT) to capture the voice of the student Jacqueline A. Douglas... more Using critical incident technique (CIT) to capture the voice of the student Jacqueline A. Douglas, Robert McClelland, John Davies, Lyn Sudbury (pp. 305-318) Keywords: Critical incident technique, Feedback, Higher education, Questionnaires, Students, United Kingdom ArticleType: Research paper ... The application of quality function deployment in service quality management Andreas Andronikidis, Andreas C. Georgiou, Katerina Gotzamani, Konstantina Kamvysi (pp. 319-333) Keywords: Analytical hierarchy process, Competitive advantage, ...
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