Anna Morgan-Thomas

Consumer engagement in online brand communities: a social media perspective

Purpose – This paper aims to delineate the meaning, conceptual boundaries and dimensions of consumer engagement within the context of online brand communities both in term of the engagement with the brand and the other members of the online brand communities. It also explores the relationships of consumer engagement with other concepts, suggesting antecedents of engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 international online brand community members, covering a variety of brand categories and social media platforms. Findings – This paper suggests that individuals are engaging in online communities in social network platforms both with other individuals and with brands. The study also identifies three key engagement dimensions (cognition, affect and behaviours). Their meaning and sub-dimensions are investigated. The paper further suggests key drivers, one outcome and objects of consumer engagement in online brand communities. These findings are in...

Internet and exporting: determinants of success in virtual export channels

The advent of the Internet has created the possibility for exporters to serve international markets using virtual export channels (VECs). This paper identifies the factors that influence success in using these new channels to export markets. The paper suggests that how well firms use the technology is more important than what they use it for. Investment and commitment to the Internet influence successful implementation. Moreover, firms with an existing export sales capability fare better in using VECs.

Capturing consumer engagement: duality, dimensionality and measurement

ABSTRACT This study advances the conceptualisation and operationalisation of consumer engagement in the context of online brand communities (OBCs). Past scholarship has only partially addressed the dimensionality of engagement and the different engagement foci, and these oversights have important theoretical and empirical consequences. This study contributes to the nascent stream of research that aims to theoretically refine and operationalise engagement by espousing the duality of engagement with two engagement foci (brand and community) and seven sub-dimensions of consumer engagement. Using qualitative data from consumers and experts, three survey data sets based on English and French samples, and two pools of mirrored items (one for each engagement focus), the study develops and validates a dual-focus 22-item scale of consumer engagement that can be used to operationalise engagement with various consumer engagement objects.

Online activities and export performance of the smaller firm: a capability perspective

Firms engage in online exports with varying levels of success, yet limited understanding concerns explanations for these differences in performance. This study investigates antecedents of Online Contribution to Export Performance (OCEP), defined as the extent to which an export firms objectives are achieved via online activities. The paper examines how online capabilities, complementary capabilities in exporting, IT resources and intentional efforts on the part of the firm affect OCEP. The results, based on a cross-industry sample of 603 SMEs, show that whilst some capabilities positively affect the performance of online export activities, others have a detrimental effect. Managers are advised to focus on relational online capabilities rather than necessarily invest in online transactions as these do not seem to be associated with increased online performance. Managers are also advised against treating online exporting as a substitute for offline exporting practices.

Rethinking technology in the SME context: Affordances, practices and ICTs

This article advances a novel conceptualization of digital technology and its relationship with small and medium enterprise (SME) business practice. Focusing on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), I expose salient ontological assumptions that guide the dominant models of technology in SME research and calls for their reassessment. Building on the emergent scholarship on technology-in-practice and emphasizing the entanglement and situatedness of technology use, I advance a fresh approach to theorizing and researching the ICT-SME practice nexus. Extending the technology-in-practice perspective into the SME domain, new directions are suggested for ICT scholarship and implications outlined for research, policy, and business practice.

What Drives Anti-brand Community Behaviours: An Examination of Online Hate of Technology Brands

As the phenomenon of anti-branding is fast expanding, consumers are increasingly engaging in active brand rejection behaviours, one of which is the participation in anti-brand communities. Little is known about these groups of consumer activists, who seem highly popular, especially in online contexts. Focusing on communities targeting multinationals in the technology industry, this study explores the drivers of anti-brand community participation. Data collected from 307 anti-brand community members reveal that the key drivers of community participation are brand material value, oppositional attitudinal loyalty, negative brand relationship and collective memory, through the mediating effect of community engagement and identification, and social approval. These findings provide illuminating insight for the targeted brands, their competitors, and the community managers.

Global online entrepreneurship: The review of empirical literature

Purpose – To identify and systematically analyze empirical works in the emerging field of global online entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – A review of empirical articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals (1997–2008) focused on global online activities of entrepreneurial firms. The methodology purposefully compares a large number of recent studies on the main objective, type of research, theoretical framework, methodology, and main findings. Findings – The systematic analysis of 45 articles reveals the most relevant publications in the field highlighting the collective contribution of this body of literature. The review offers insight into the state of the art of the field, discusses the implications for future development, and provides insights into the entrepreneurial aspects of e-commerce use. Research limitations/implications – The review is limited to empirical articles published in academic journals and does not cover important conceptual contributions, book chapters, or conference publications. Practical implications – The review highlights avenues for the future development of the field and provides guidelines for practitioners involved in global online business. Originality/value – This paper provides a consolidation of an emerging field and offers practical advice to firms involved in global e-commerce.

Managerial Techniques in Management and Organization Studies: Theoretical Perspectives on Managerial Artefacts

This introduction opens with a short overview of the Organization, Artefacts and Practices workshop series and previous volumes in the series. It then provides a brief evaluation of the current scholarly treatment of managerial techniques within four major themes: managerial techniques for managers, techniques in practice, managerial work, and innovation and technology. Next, it addresses materiality in management and extends its discussion into managerial techniques to show how material treatment of managerial techniques has contributed to their conceptualization and critical assessment. Having outlined the main strands of academic work within materiality of managerial techniques, the chapter closes with an overview of all contributions in this volume.

Schatzki and Techno-Organizational Practice

This chapter explores a possibility of an activity-based view of sociomateriality. It argues that the treatment of sociomaterial practices and the corresponding debates have tended to prioritize epistemology over ontology and scarce emphasis has been paid to metaphysical assumptions; and that sociomaterial studies have tended not to recognize the differences in metaphysical assumptions between the practice theories of actions and theories of arrangements. In extending Schatzki’s practice theory to the study of techno-organizational phenomena, the specific objectives here are to examine the ontological status of practice in sociomateriality research and to offer an activity-based conceptualization of sociomaterial practice. The key argument advanced is that a theory of actions may address sociomaterial ‘doing’ and account more fully for the role of technology in organizing.

Self-presentation, privacy and electronic word-of-mouth in social media

Purpose This study aims to explore the nature of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and the key drivers of this consumer-generated brand communication, focusing on eWOM in the context of social media communications. Design/methodology/approach The study uses inductive qualitative design, and the data have been collected via 22 semi-structured interviews with individuals who follow brands on Facebook. Findings Building on interview data, the paper advances a conception of eWOM in the social media context and highlights that eWOM consists of a broad range of brand-related communications, which include such activities as consuming, commenting, posting and forwarding information. The study also uncovers two major antecedents of eWOM, which are one’s concern for self-presentation and privacy. Research limitations/implications Further research could examine additional drivers of brand-related eWOM in the context of Facebook brand pages, and investigate eWOM in other social media platforms. Practical implications The findings have two important implications for brand management. Firstly, considering the importance of self-presentation, brands are advised to develop an in-depth understanding of the types of self-image pursued by their target audience. Secondly, given the concerns about privacy on social media, brands may carefully consider and manage the levels of privacy that should apply when communicating with their followers. Originality/value The novel insights centre on the individual differences in eWOM activity, and the importance of one’s perceptions of self-image and privacy in explaining these differences. It seems that the propensity to engage in eWOM and the form that this communication takes are the reflections of one’s self-presentation and privacy preferences.