Alberto Marcati

Network Analyses of Brand Switching Behavior

Networks are extremely important in marketing because so much of marketing is relational, and network methods are important and appropriate tools for studying such structures of interconnections. In this paper, we model data that represent consumer brand switching in the French and British automobile marketplaces. We describe network methods that range from simple to sophisticated. We believe it is novel to consider brand switching patterns as networks, exploring results that arise from network methodologies and philosophies and examining what leverage network methods might have for understanding purchase transition behavior. Our methods include the modeling of multiple networks simultaneously to study such phenomena as dynamic markets and cross-cultural competitive market structure.

FAC-SEM: A Methodology for Modeling Factorial Structural Equations Models, Applied to Cross-Cultural and Cross-Industry Drivers of Customer Evaluations

This article presents factorial structural equations models (FAC-SEM). An experimenter conducting ANOVAs on means can use FAC-SEM on covariance matrices. To illustrate, the authors model customer evaluations and examine how construct relationships vary by sector and country. The methodological approach presented in this article is new to the literature and easily implemented.

Explaining consumer brand-related activities on social media

People undertake various brand-related activities on social media that differ in levels of engagement. Companies, however, want to know how to motivate consumers to become involved in the relatively more engaging activities, as such activities are more likely to lead to increased sales. In this article, we focus on activities that are highly engaging (such as writing product reviews) or moderately engaging (such as rating products). Based on self-determination theory, the present research identifies different motivations for engaging in different brand-related activities on social media. We provide evidence indicating that the motivations of self-expression and socializing play primary roles in leading people to participate in highly engaging activities (i.e. creating ones own content online) and in moderately engaging activities (i.e. collaborating with others to contribute to content). These findings have implications for both theory and practice insofar as they specify how to stimulate consumers to perform relatively more engaging brand-related activities on social media. An overarching framework explains which motivations affect brand-related activities.The framework is tested by a survey and an experimental study.Specific motivations drive activities that entail different levels of engagement.Expressing oneself motivates people to generate online content.Socializing with others motivates people to contribute content.

International Trade- A Structural Analysis

This paper takes a fresh look at the structure of International Trade. In particular it applies Galtungs structural theory of imperialism to trade relations, and presents hard evidence to both support and modify his claims. By taking an historical perspective, emerging trends and the resulting structures are isolated. From a methodological point of view, the paper is a further attempt to apply on a large scale the rigour and power of methematics to the study of International Trade and Relations and to popularize techniques well suited to the analysis of the structure of a set of Relations of any kind.