David Harness

Unlocking behaviors of long-term service consumers : the role of action inertia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of word-of-mouth (WOM) in long-term service settings. Specifically, the authors examine the moderating role of action inertia in the relationships between satisfaction and repatronage intention, satisfaction and WOM, and repatronage intention and WOM. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was empirically tested using survey data from 1,385 telecommunications service subscribers. The data were analyzed using partial least squares path modeling. Findings Results suggest that a positive link between repatronage intention and WOM, hereto a neglected relationship in the marketing literature, in contrast to previous literature, the behaviors of long-term customers are not predictable, and action inertia strengthens satisfaction – WOM and repatronage intention – WOM links and weakens satisfaction – repatronage intention link. Research limitations/implications This study examines customers of a utilitarian service. To further determine the potential of the model, it is desirable to explore the validity of the model in other service settings, particularly those with high hedonic values. Practical implications The study provides valuable insights into repatronage intention – WOM link, with particular emphasis on the measurement and analysis of action inertia. This is important in understanding and evaluating inertia influences and identification of the drivers of WOM. These insights can be used by managers to better allocate their resources when investing in customer loyalty-building exercises and in generating WOM. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature in three main ways. First, it examines the nuances of customer loyalty in continuous service contexts. Second, the study empirically tests the role of repatronage intention as an antecedent of WOM. Third, the study introduces and tests the moderating role of action inertia on positive WOM.

Intergenerational spaces: citizens, political marketing and conceptualising trust in a transitional democracy

Abstract As the third largest democracy in the world, Indonesia’s relatively peaceful transition from authoritarian rule to democracy deserves academic attention. This study explored the notion of trust and how it could influence electoral behaviour. An intergenerational perspective was used to compare the differences between parents who were familiar with the previous political system and their children who have only been exposed to a new democratic system. Through the extension of the Dermody and Hanmer-Lloyd model of electoral behaviour, this study identifies the antecedents of trust/distrust in a transitional democracy and shows how these are different when citizens’ consider the political system and the political candidate. The work can benefit policy makers and political candidates who can develop political marketing strategies to engage citizens in the electoral process.

Exploring How Young Consumers’ Processing Snack Packaging Cues: An Extended Abstract

Obesity has become one of the most significant nutritional problems facing global populations. One of the interventions implemented by policy makers in an attempt to encourage consumers to adopt healthy dietary choices is nutrition labelling (NL). Still, such developed countries as the UK are facing the rise of an obesity rate, with young adults aged 16–24 being a high-risk category (Mintel 2013). Crisps and chocolate are some of the major energy-dense snacks that cause obesity (Astrup et al. 2006), when coupling with over consumption and lack of physical activity. This study seeks to understand how UK young adults’ perceptions towards snacks and snacking affect the role of brand cues and NL in their decision-making process. Of specific focus are energy-dense crisps and chocolate, which are easily accessible, portable and inexpensive. Previous consumer research in NL studies has predominantly adopted experimental research design to examine the role of external information and internal characteristics in influencing consumers’ use of nutritional information (NI), product evaluation and food intake. Yet, existing studies have clearly omitted the potential role of brand in a snack-buying decision, because the branding literature has long considered brand as heuristic (Keller 2008). Adopting the phenomenological approach, this study aims to offer a holistic understanding of the meaning young adults associate with snack, and the interplay between internal characteristics and external information involved in consumer information processing (CIP) within a snack-purchasing decision.