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This study investigated the emotional and behavioral potential of counterfactual thinking within sustainable tourism. Despite the growing interest in the determinants of sustainable tourist behavior, studies hardly seek detailed cognitive... more
This study investigated the emotional and behavioral potential of counterfactual thinking within sustainable tourism. Despite the growing interest in the determinants of sustainable tourist behavior, studies hardly seek detailed cognitive explanations. Furthermore, use of selective samples, survey techniques or other data-driven methods prevent existing frameworks from establishing causal linkages to attitudes or behavior. Across two experimental studies, counterfactual thinking—a goal-oriented cognitive process—was investigated with respect to environmental attitudes and behavioral improvement. Findings provided evidence for the utility of counterfactuals in the sustainable tourism domain. Feelings for the environment of a destination may change, and intentions for sustainable behavior may improve as a consequence of counterfactual thoughts. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed for sustainable tourism and environmental behavior.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to test whether endorsements that show a low strength of association (bottom-up bias) benefit from increased attention and processing efforts. The current study also tested whether consumer... more
Purpose The purpose of this study was to test whether endorsements that show a low strength of association (bottom-up bias) benefit from increased attention and processing efforts. The current study also tested whether consumer involvement level (top-down bias) dynamically interacts with the bottom-up attention phenomena. Design/methodology/approach Through a series of pretests, 36 potential celebrity-product matches were identified using real athletes and product brands. Two experiments were conducted: 330 individual responses (110 participants × three conditions) were obtained in a within-subjects lab experiment, and 868 participants were recruited for a between-subjects online experiment. Linear mixed modeling and moderated mediation analysis were performed. Findings The relationships between the strength of image associations and attention time to endorsements and recall and choice consideration of endorsed brands were U-shaped and curvilinear. Attention largely mediated the rel...
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The purpose of the current study was to examine how two key characteristics of sports fan communities—relative size and homogeneity (behavioral similarity among fans)—influence potential fans’ perceptions and intentions to support the... more
The purpose of the current study was to examine how two key characteristics of sports fan communities—relative size and homogeneity (behavioral similarity among fans)—influence potential fans’ perceptions and intentions to support the team. Study 1 showed that relative size and homogeneity created a two-way interaction effect on potential fans’ support intentions, such that the low-homogeneity fan community resulted in greater support intentions in the minority condition, whereas the high-homogeneity fan community resulted in greater support intentions in the majority condition. Study 2 revealed a boundary condition of this interaction effect: The interaction effect disappeared when potential fans had extremely low levels of involvement with watching the sport. Study 3 showed that potential fans’ perceptions regarding similarity to fans and social pressure mediated the effect of relative size on their support intentions.
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The researchers explore consumers’ emotional responses toward athlete brands by developing the associative evaluation–emotional appraisal–intention (AEI) model. The AEI postulates that unconscious (implicit attitudes) and conscious... more
The researchers explore consumers’ emotional responses toward athlete brands by developing the associative evaluation–emotional appraisal–intention (AEI) model. The AEI postulates that unconscious (implicit attitudes) and conscious (explicit affective attitudes) levels of emotional responses systematically flow following assessments of perceived fit in athlete endorsements. Implicit attitudes were measured through the implicit association test, whereas pleasure, arousal, and pride captured explicit affective attitudes. Contrary to dominant beliefs about successful athlete endorsements, findings from a lab experiment indicate that low perceived fit affected implicit attitudes, which in turn affected arousal for consumers with high involvement. Pleasure, arousal, and pride were interrelated and systematically determined behavioral intentions of viewership and online friendship with athletes. Studies investigating athlete brands and endorsement success should consider the influence of ...
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Based on self-determination theory, the current research examined the effect of team identification on spectators’ energy and happiness. Most importantly, this research attempted to identify a key underlying mechanism of why and when... more
Based on self-determination theory, the current research examined the effect of team identification on spectators’ energy and happiness. Most importantly, this research attempted to identify a key underlying mechanism of why and when sport spectatorship enhances spectators’ happiness by adapting energy, a new concept to the sport management literature. The results indicate that spectators with high team identification reported a greater level of happiness than those with low team identification only when their team won the game. When the supported team lost the game, spectators with both high and low team identification experienced similar levels of happiness. Furthermore, this study proposed a moderated mediation effect of vitality to provide evidence for the anticipated underlying mechanism. The results of the moderated mediation test indicated that a feeling of vitality mediated the effect of team identification on happiness, but only in the winning game condition. In contrast, i...
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Abstract The objectives of this study are to: (1) define the concept of perceived post purchase (3P) luxury risk and (2) develop and validate a psychometrically sound 3P Luxury Risk Scale. A qualitative study and two field studies were... more
Abstract The objectives of this study are to: (1) define the concept of perceived post purchase (3P) luxury risk and (2) develop and validate a psychometrically sound 3P Luxury Risk Scale. A qualitative study and two field studies were conducted to develop and test the scale, and to examine the predictive validity of 3P luxury risk in a nomological network of word-of-mouth (WOM). The survey data is gathered from 333 actual customers of five golf clubs. Integrating structural equation modeling with propensity score analysis, the results of Study 1 reveal that 12 items adequately capture the dimensions of 3P luxury risk. After controlling for framing effects, the results of Study 2 indicate that all of the dimensions of 3P luxury risk negatively influence WOM. This article attempts to shed a new light on the realm of luxury risk studies incorporating normative and behavioral decision-making approaches.
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Collegiate sport in the United States not only provides educational opportunities to student athletes, but also offers excellent entertainment options to stakeholders of universities and their community. For the long-term sustainability... more
Collegiate sport in the United States not only provides educational opportunities to student athletes, but also offers excellent entertainment options to stakeholders of universities and their community. For the long-term sustainability of college athletic programs, financial support from individual donors is very important. Our purpose in this study was to identify and compare motives of low- and high-contribution donors to athletic programs. A sample of college sport donors (N = 484) completed the Scale of Athletic Donor Motivation, and the data were categorized into low- and high-contribution groups. The results of multigroup structural equation modeling indicated that tangible benefit was a salient predictor of giving intention among the low-contribution group, whereas socialization was significant for the high-contribution group. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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The reasons for human desire to wander away from the normal environment for pleasure purposes have long been the focus of academic attention. Empirical studies revealed many scales for assessing needs in different contexts and for... more
The reasons for human desire to wander away from the normal environment for pleasure purposes have long been the focus of academic attention. Empirical studies revealed many scales for assessing needs in different contexts and for different groups of travelers. The objective of the current study is to develop and validate a comprehensive yet concise Travel Needs Scale (TNS) with a general applicability in different types of travels. The initial pool of items is developed from the literature, followed by a survey design applied on an online research platform. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis support the psychometric property of the scale. The resultant TNS, comprised of self-actualization, social affiliation, arousal, and escape, reflects the fundamental needs of various types of travelers and provides a framework to guide future research. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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... Alumni and their alma mater: A partial test of the reformulated model of organisational identification. Journal of Organisational Behaviour , 13: 103–123. [CrossRef], [Web of Science ®], [CSA] View all references; Smidts, Pruyn, &... more
... Alumni and their alma mater: A partial test of the reformulated model of organisational identification. Journal of Organisational Behaviour , 13: 103–123. [CrossRef], [Web of Science ®], [CSA] View all references; Smidts, Pruyn, & van Riel, 200148. ...
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Sport socialization research has revealed that a community is one of the most influential socializing agents. However, little is known about which aspects of a community promote sport socialization and how it occurs. In the current... more
Sport socialization research has revealed that a community is one of the most influential socializing agents. However, little is known about which aspects of a community promote sport socialization and how it occurs. In the current research, we identified and conceptualized two key factors characterizing sports teams’ fan communities, relative size and entitativity, and discussed how these factors influence sport socialization and its outcomes. First, we developed the model of community influence on sport socialization to depict the effects of relative size and entitativity on people’s perceptions and behaviors at the initial stage of their sport socialization. Second, we proposed the model of community influence on the outcomes of sport socialization, which explains how relative size and entitativity contribute to the outcomes of sport socialization.
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The purpose of this study is to develop a Sport Website Acceptance Model (SWAM) based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1989). To better explain sports fans' decision-making processes in using sports websites, we... more
The purpose of this study is to develop a Sport Website Acceptance Model (SWAM) based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1989). To better explain sports fans' decision-making processes in using sports websites, we incorporated salient consumer variables as sports involvement and psychological commitment and added trustworthiness and enjoyment to the TAM. The paper concludes with implications for future research and for application to online sports business.
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The purpose of this study was to examine consumers’ comparative judgment of athlete endorsers in back-toback advertisement settings. Drawing on the inclusion/exclusion model (Schwarz & Bless, 2007), the authors argue that (a) a recently... more
The purpose of this study was to examine consumers’ comparative judgment of athlete endorsers in back-toback advertisement settings. Drawing on the inclusion/exclusion model (Schwarz & Bless, 2007), the authors argue that (a) a recently observed athlete endorser impacts consumer judgment of subsequently presented endorsers, and (b) the valence of the impact depends on brand category membership of the consecutively presented endorsers. A 2 (representative endorser activation: present vs. absent) × 2 (brand category membership: membership vs. nonmembership) between-subjects design was administered across three experiments. Results demonstrated that the presence of a representative endorser increased a subsequently presented endorser’s perceived expertise when that subsequent endorser represented the same brand category. Results also demonstrated that the presence of a representative endorser decreased a subsequently presented endorser’s perceived expertise when that subsequent endorse...
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The Internet website has become an effective marketing vehicle for sport organizations. The purpose of this study was to examine theoretical relationships between key variables of online sport consumption behavior such as sport consumers’... more
The Internet website has become an effective marketing vehicle for sport organizations. The purpose of this study was to examine theoretical relationships between key variables of online sport consumption behavior such as sport consumers’ perceptions of sport website quality, satisfaction, and behavioral loyalty to the websites. In addition, the mediating effect of e-satisfaction between website quality and e-loyalty was examined. The results of data analyses using structural equation model tests revealed that loyalty to a sport team’s website was more likely to occur as sport fans developed positive perceptions and satisfaction with the website. The results also suggested that consumer e-satisfaction is an important mediating variable between sport website quality and e-loyalty.
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Value-based stakeholder loyalty toward sport technology. A case of the electronic body protector and scoring system in taekwondo events. [Lealtad de los stakeholders hacia la tecnología deportiva basada en el valor percibido. El caso del protector pectoral electrónico y del sistema de puntuación ...more
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ABSTRACT The aim of this paper was to investigate specific mechanisms of how sport fans’ perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) of teams could enhance their sense of pride, team identification, and regional attachment. The... more
ABSTRACT The aim of this paper was to investigate specific mechanisms of how sport fans’ perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) of teams could enhance their sense of pride, team identification, and regional attachment. The mediating effect of gender was also examined. A theoretical research model was investigated via multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) using 317 survey responses. The results indicate that pride is an important mediator of the relationship between perceived CSR and team identification, and team identification was found an important predictor of regional attachment. Additionally, the results suggest that these relationships were much stronger amongst males. In both genders, perceived CSR was an important indicator for enhancing pride.
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This research focused on measuring perceived quality in the context of sport and fitness services using a novel approach in sport management: fuzzy logic. Several analytical procedures have been depicted to operate with fuzzy techniques,... more
This research focused on measuring perceived quality in the context of sport and fitness services using a novel approach in sport management: fuzzy logic. Several analytical procedures have been depicted to operate with fuzzy techniques, which may be applied to empirical research by a wide range of researchers in the sport literature, as well as sport managers. This study showed that fuzzy logic is an attractive method to increase the value of the information collected from customers’ evaluations. The implemented procedure overcomes the disadvantages of the research focused on the third-person approach, and minimizes the categorization bias and interaction bias derived from the relationship between verbal and numerical labels. An empirical study of two samples of consumers from two fitness centers illustrates the advantages of this method.
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ABSTRACT The present study examines three competing models to clarify the relative role of antecedents to behavioural intentions in sport and fitness centres. In other sport and fitness research, there is some variability in respect to... more
ABSTRACT The present study examines three competing models to clarify the relative role of antecedents to behavioural intentions in sport and fitness centres. In other sport and fitness research, there is some variability in respect to the relative influence on loyalty measures of such antecedents as service quality, value and satisfaction. Results of the present study support a satisfaction model with satisfaction as a mediator between both service quality and value and behavioural intentions. The satisfaction model was deemed superior to a value model and a comprehensive model. Recommendations are for future research to examine more comprehensive models in sport and fitness contexts to include a wider range of antecedents to explain the variance in global satisfaction and its influence on a range of loyalty measures additional to behavioural intentions.
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ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to enhance an understanding of service quality in the hotel industry by developing a conceptual framework and measurement scale. Based on an extensive literature review, qualitative and empirical... more
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to enhance an understanding of service quality in the hotel industry by developing a conceptual framework and measurement scale. Based on an extensive literature review, qualitative and empirical research, a multi-dimensional and hierarchical model of service quality for the hotel industry is proposed. Analysis of data from a total of 622 customers revealed that the proposed model fit the data well. Reliability and validity of the measurement scale were established through a pilot test and the substantive survey. This study extends the literature on service quality in the fields of hospitality and tourism management by providing a comprehensive framework and measurement scale. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
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ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to propose and test a conceptual Model of Athlete Brand Image (MABI) that is based on Keller's Customer-based Brand Equity framework (1993). The MABI consists of three dimensions which are... more
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to propose and test a conceptual Model of Athlete Brand Image (MABI) that is based on Keller's Customer-based Brand Equity framework (1993). The MABI consists of three dimensions which are crucial in developing consumer brand equity for athletes: athletic performance, attractive appearance, and marketable lifestyle. Athletic performance consists of four subdimensions: athletic expertise, competition style, sportsmanship, and rivalry. Attractive appearance consists of physical attractiveness, symbol, and body fitness. Marketable lifestyle consists of life story, role model, and relationship effort. To test this model, the Scale of Athlete Brand Image (SABI) was developed. A total of 427 college students were surveyed to test the model. Based on the result from two-step Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Model (SEM) test, MABI and SABI were modified and revised. In the final model, MABI shows a reasonable fit to the data and SABI is psychometrically acceptable.
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This study examines the mediating role of Overall Service Quality in the service quality-customer satisfaction relationship in the context of professional football. Quantitative data were collected from a survey of 415 spectators... more
This study examines the mediating role of Overall Service Quality in the service quality-customer satisfaction relationship in the context of professional football. Quantitative data were collected from a survey of 415 spectators attending a professional football game in Greece. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to examine the validity of the scale. Multiple regression analyses was used to assess the mediation effect of Overall Service Quality. Results of the CFA and alpha test supported the psychometric property of the scale. Overall Service Quality was shown to mediate the relationship between the five dimensions of service quality and fans' satisfaction.
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In an effort to decrease the number of missed calls and to improve officiating during sport events, various sports leagues have implemented media technology (e.g., Video Assistant Referee, Hawk-Eye). More importantly, the use of... more
In an effort to decrease the number of missed calls and to improve officiating during sport events, various sports leagues have implemented media technology (e.g., Video Assistant Referee, Hawk-Eye). More importantly, the use of officiating technology has significantly influenced spectatorship in various ways (e.g., perception of and attitude toward the technology). Although officiating technology is an impressive tool for communicating final decisions to spectators, few scholars have examined how spectators perceive the use of officiating technology, and no psychometric measurement scale exists that measures this perception. To fill this void, we developed and validated the Performance Expectancy of Officiating Technology (PEOT) scale to measure the perceptions of spectators, one of the most important stakeholder groups in the industry. We identified four sub-dimensions of PEOT: fair judgment, enjoyability, efficient game operation, and convenience of review; a multi-dimensional fr...
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Today, numerous martial arts events are held around the world. However, scholarly efforts have not been made to understand the spectator profile in martial arts events. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to identify perceived... more
Today, numerous martial arts events are held around the world. However, scholarly efforts have not been made to understand the spectator profile in martial arts events. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to identify perceived event quality factors that influence spectators` satisfaction and revisit intention, and (b) to examine event quality perceptions, satisfaction, and revisit intentions through the lens of spectator gender. Regression analyses and ANOVAs were employed to analyze the survey data collected from spectators who attended the 2009 World Professional Taekwondo Tour. Game performance, entertainment, and socialization opportunity were found to be important variables for spectator revisit intention. The results also showed that event quality perceptions varied depending on the gender of spectators. Marketers can develop effective event operation management and market strategies and stay relevant in a competitive market environment. The issue of event quality in sp...
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ABSTRACT Research questions: Using an experimental design, this study simulated a drafting task to examine whether a user’s involvement with fantasy sports (FS), different types of goal-framing, and competitiveness trait determine his/her... more
ABSTRACT Research questions: Using an experimental design, this study simulated a drafting task to examine whether a user’s involvement with fantasy sports (FS), different types of goal-framing, and competitiveness trait determine his/her amount of energy and performance in the subsequent self-control behavior after completing the drafting task. Research method: Two experiments were employed, and participants (n = 341) completed a Fantasy Sports Draft Task (FSD-T) that was developed for this study to simulate a draft task in fantasy basketball. After completing the FSD-T, participants engaged in a self-control task and completed questionnaires that included questions on game playing experiences, FS involvement, covariates, and demographics. Results and findings: The results of Experiment 1 indicated that lowly involved users gain higher energy levels when a goal is framed as non-competitive compared to competitive, while highly involved users gain similar energy levels regardless of the goal-framing. The results of Experiment 2 further demonstrated that trait competitiveness further moderates the effect of FS involvement and different types of goal-framing on a user’s amount of energy. Implications: This study provides unique theoretical insight on the vitalizing effect of drafting players in the fantasy sport context. Empirical findings provide actionable insights on segmenting participants, based on several conditions, to offer more tailored services and offerings.
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Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop the scale of organizational trustworthiness (SOT), which consists of perceived accountability, integrity and fairness, and examine theoretical relationships between the trustworthiness... more
Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop the scale of organizational trustworthiness (SOT), which consists of perceived accountability, integrity and fairness, and examine theoretical relationships between the trustworthiness attributes and trust, commitment and donation intention in a college athletic programme context. The proposed model was tested using 549 donors of a college booster club in an athletic programme in Division 1 Power 5 conferences in the USA. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis and factor mixture analysis confirm the reliability and validity of the scale. The results of the simultaneous equations indicate that all three aspects of donors’ perceived trustworthiness significantly influence their trust. A donor’s commitment fully mediated the relationship between their trust and giving intention. This study makes theoretical contributions to donor behaviour literature by providing an expanded view of donors’ perceived trustworthiness of an organization and making meaningful implications for administrators of college athletics organizations.
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Purpose The current study aims to develop a comprehensive hierarchical model of traits and needs to provide a theoretical understanding of personality determinants of luxury-services consumption. Design/methodology/approach The sample... more
Purpose The current study aims to develop a comprehensive hierarchical model of traits and needs to provide a theoretical understanding of personality determinants of luxury-services consumption. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprised 415 single-event buyers of premium seats in sports stadiums. The causal relationships of hierarchically ordered four traits – elemental, compound, situational and surface – were examined. Findings Extraversion was found to be an important trait for needs for material resources and status, while conscientiousness and openness were important predictors of need for arousal. Furthermore, needs for material resources, status and uniqueness were found to be important for self-value consciousness. Self-value consciousness was found to be an important predictor of purchase intention. Originality/value The study integrates fragmented luxury services research on individual differences. The findings about the personality determinants would provide relat...
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When it comes to the relationship between sport media consumption (SMC) and sporting event attendance, two contradicting notions have been dominant: symbiosis vs. competition. With a focus on consu...
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Abstract Virtual Reality Spectatorship (VRS) is becoming an emerging sport media consumption trend as it delivers such optimal experience that maximizes user satisfaction. To clearly understand media user experiences in VRS, the current... more
Abstract Virtual Reality Spectatorship (VRS) is becoming an emerging sport media consumption trend as it delivers such optimal experience that maximizes user satisfaction. To clearly understand media user experiences in VRS, the current study aimed to investigate how a media (media type), personal (sport involvement), and game (rivalry) factors influence spectators' flow experience and to examine the impact of flow experience on their satisfaction. We conducted a 2 (media type: VR vs. 2-D screen) × 2 (rivalry: high vs. low) between subject experimental study where media type and rivalry were manipulated while sport involvement was measured. The results indicated that VRS amplified flow experience via vividness, interactivity, and telepresence to the greater extent than the traditional medium (2-D screen). Interestingly, sport viewers' sport involvement was found to amplify flow experience. Sport involvement also moderated the serial mediation (media → vividness and interactivity → telepresence → flow experience); the effects of VR technology on flow experience was stronger for those who are less interested in the target sport than highly involved sport fans. Lastly, flow experience in VRS was found to substantially enhance user satisfaction.
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This study develops and tests a theoretical research model delineating the relationships between consumers' patriotism and their response to patriotic advertising and the advertised brand, and examines if the research model has the... more
This study develops and tests a theoretical research model delineating the relationships between consumers' patriotism and their response to patriotic advertising and the advertised brand, and examines if the research model has the same pattern across different sporting events. Structural Equation Modeling is employed to test the model by using data collected from three different sporting event contexts. The results provide empirical evidence of the positive influence of consumers' patriotism on attitudes towards patriotic advertising and brands in sporting event contexts. A direct effect of patriotism on sports event involvement is found in international mega-sporting events but not in a domestic (or national) sporting event.
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The purpose of this study was to examine stock price abnormal returns following title sponsorship announcement and event date of NASCAR, the PGA Tour, and the LPGA Tour. For this purpose, the authors used event study analysis where the... more
The purpose of this study was to examine stock price abnormal returns following title sponsorship announcement and event date of NASCAR, the PGA Tour, and the LPGA Tour. For this purpose, the authors used event study analysis where the analysis measures the impact that a specific event has on stock prices by comparing actual stock returns to estimated returns (Spais & Filis, 2008). An event study analysis demonstrated that title sponsors for the LPGA Tour and NASCAR garnered significant stock price increases on both the announcement date and the event date. The moderator tests suggested that high image congruence and high-technology related sponsorships assumed a key role in stock price increases.
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ABSTRACT Research question: The purpose of the current research was to examine the interaction effects between the positivity of game characteristics and different types of social experiences on fans’ evaluations of their retrospective... more
ABSTRACT Research question: The purpose of the current research was to examine the interaction effects between the positivity of game characteristics and different types of social experiences on fans’ evaluations of their retrospective media consumption experiences. Research method: The combination of game characteristics and the type of social experience were both manipulated variables. In the positive (negative) outcome but negative (positive) process condition, participants were asked to recall their favourite team’s game in which the team won (lost) but the game was boring (exciting). Furthermore, in the solo (joint) context condition, participants were asked to recall a game that they watched by themselves (with others). Results and findings: The results indicated that sport fans evaluated their retrospective media consumption experiences more favourably when the game outcome was positive (but the process was negative) compared to a game in which the game outcome was negative (but the process was positive). Interestingly, however, in the joint context, their retrospective evaluations of their media consumption experiences became more favourable when the game process was positive (but the outcome was negative) compared to a game in which the game process was negative (but the game outcome was positive). Implications: Because sport spectating is naturally a social form of consumption (i.e. people watch games with others), marketers should devote greater effort in enhancing the process of the game to maximise fans’ overall evaluation of the media consumption experience.
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The purpose of the study is to examine the relative effects of game process (i.e., boring versus exciting) and outcome (i.e., losing versus winning) on sport consumers’ happiness depending on their level of team identification. The... more
The purpose of the study is to examine the relative effects of game process (i.e., boring versus exciting) and outcome (i.e., losing versus winning) on sport consumers’ happiness depending on their level of team identification. The authors investigated how sport consumers’ levels of happiness are different after recalling (Study 1) and imagining (Study 2) a game when the positivity of the game process and the outcome contradict each other. Results indicate that sport consumers with high team identification exhibited greater degrees of happiness after recalling and imagining a boring win game compared to an exciting loss game. Meanwhile, sport consumers with low team identification exhibited similar degrees of happiness between a boring win game and an exciting loss game.
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This study is designed to fill any explanatory gaps that have been traditionally underexplored when considering the interplay of implicit/automatic/unconscious and explicit/deliberate/conscious attitudes in the context of celebrity... more
This study is designed to fill any explanatory gaps that have been traditionally underexplored when considering the interplay of implicit/automatic/unconscious and explicit/deliberate/conscious attitudes in the context of celebrity endorsement. The main experiment employed single target-implicit association test as a measure of implicit attitudes. The key finding of the study is that the experimental condition where the fit between the celebrity and the endorsed product was low induced favorable implicit and explicit attitudes, similar to the condition where the fit was high. The explanation for this finding was that dissonance enhanced the association strength of the attitude object through biased attention and elaboration, which provided a basis for favorable propositions. In propositional reasoning, retroactive confirmation of the favorable implicit attitudes resolved dissonance. This study seeks to go beyond the existing endorsement and sponsorship literature developed based on matching principles such as source models, match-up hypothesis, the congruity theory, and associative network models. The authors recommend that managers search for more creative and novel partners in addition to image-matching ones.
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Purpose Despite the remarkable growth of the luxury industry, a phenomenon referred to as luxury fever, as well as the growing interest in word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing in the industry at hand, little is known about how consumers’... more
Purpose Despite the remarkable growth of the luxury industry, a phenomenon referred to as luxury fever, as well as the growing interest in word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing in the industry at hand, little is known about how consumers’ perceived leadership of luxury brands dynamically influences their WOM behavior. This paper aims to examine the moderating role of a type of luxuries (accessible vs inaccessible) in the relationship between the four dimensions of perceived brand leadership – quality, value, innovativeness and popularity – and consumers’ WOM recommendation intention. Design/methodology/approach The current research is based on survey data gathered from 333 actual customers who attend five golf clubs located in North Florida. An innovative data analysis procedure that combines structural equation modeling with propensity score analysis to estimate the moderating effects, controlling for selection bias, is presented. Findings Quality was the significant predictor of WOM among...
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To remain competitive, sport organizations are focusing more on customer retention through improved service quality and customer satisfaction. The purpose of this article is to present an instrument which can be used by campus recreation... more
To remain competitive, sport organizations are focusing more on customer retention through improved service quality and customer satisfaction. The purpose of this article is to present an instrument which can be used by campus recreation programs to determine service quality and customer satisfaction. The instrument consists of 49 service quality items and 4 satisfaction items and will assist managers of campus recreation programs in developing effective strategies to improve the quality of their services.
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The purpose of this study was to identify key characteristics of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication and examine their impact on sport consumers’ perceived influence in sport viewership. Through an extensive literature review, we identified... more
The purpose of this study was to identify key characteristics of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication and examine their impact on sport consumers’ perceived influence in sport viewership. Through an extensive literature review, we identified the characteristics of the message sender (i.e., expertise and trustworthiness) and the message (i.e., richness of message content and strength of message delivery) as determinants of perceived influence of WOM. We also examined the moderating effects of homophily (interpersonal factors) and involvement (the message receiver characteristics). Data were collected from sport consumers who had received a recommendation to watch a sporting event in the preceding 3 months and actually watched the event. The results indicate the positive effects of trustworthiness, richness of message content, and strength of message delivery on WOM influence. Homophily and involvement were found to have moderating effects. Theoretical and managerial implications are dis...
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This study empirically tested the Sport Website Acceptance Model (SWAM), proposed by Hur, Ko and Claussen (2007). The SWAM added Perceived Enjoyment (Davis et al, 1992) and Perceived Trustworthiness (Belanger et al, 2002) to the two... more
This study empirically tested the Sport Website Acceptance Model (SWAM), proposed by Hur, Ko and Claussen (2007). The SWAM added Perceived Enjoyment (Davis et al, 1992) and Perceived Trustworthiness (Belanger et al, 2002) to the two factors Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness used in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989). This study proposes a competing model to the original SWAM and compares this by incorporating two additional constructs, Sport Involvement (Shank & Beasley, 1998) and Psychological Commitment to a Team (Mahony et al, 2000). Structural equation modeling analyses revealed acceptable model fits, both in the original SWAM and in the competing model. Subsequent analyses led the authors to conclude that the competing model was the better version of the SWAM.
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This study examined theoretical relationships between key variables of sponsorship effectiveness that include sponsor awareness, corporate image and future purchase intention. Involvement in the sport of soccer was also examined as a key... more
This study examined theoretical relationships between key variables of sponsorship effectiveness that include sponsor awareness, corporate image and future purchase intention. Involvement in the sport of soccer was also examined as a key consumer variable. Results suggested that favourable purchase intentions were more likely to occur when consumers held a positive image of the sponsoring companies and had a high level of sports involvement; and that consumers' sports involvement positively influenced sponsor awareness, corporate image and purchase intention.
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No psychometrically sound measurement scale exists to effectively measure sports team reputation. The current study proposed and developed the Spectator-based Sports Team Reputation (SSTR) by considering the most important stakeholder... more
No psychometrically sound measurement scale exists to effectively measure sports team reputation. The current study proposed and developed the Spectator-based Sports Team Reputation (SSTR) by considering the most important stakeholder groups - spectators. The results indicated that SSTR had a positive and direct impact on team identification and trust towards a team. The most significant theoretical contribution of this study is the conceptualisation and development of the SSTR scale, with a multi-dimensional approach from the spectator perspective.