Ignacio Rodríguez del Bosque

The effect of innovativeness on the adoption of B2C e-commerce: A model based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour

This paper analyses the factors that lead Internet users to becoming online shoppers. In particular, assuming that Internet is an innovation affecting the way individuals shop, a model of electronic commerce adoption is proposed that adds personal innovativeness to the traditional formulation of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The theoretical model proposed is tested on a sample of Web users with no experience in online shopping. The results denote that electronic commerce acceptance is determined by attitudes to the system, subjective norm and personal innovativeness in the domain of information technology. Moreover, we find that personal innovativeness has a moderating effect on the acceptance of electronic commerce.

The influence of the commercial features of the Internet on the adoption of e-commerce by consumers

Taking the Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical framework, this study analyzes how commercial features of the Internet determine its adoption as a sales system. In particular, the study examines the influence of product perception, shopping experience, information provided or the level of risk perceived on the adoption of B2C e-commerce. The results show that attitudes toward e-commerce, subjective norm and perceived risk are the main factors that affect the decision to purchase from electronic retailers. Moreover, the results show that the influence of the commercial features of the Internet is mediated through attitudes toward e-commerce.

The social role of financial companies as a determinant of consumer behaviour

Purpose – The present study aims to analyze the influence of ethical and philanthropic responsibility of a financial entity on consumer behaviour. Specifically, it aims to analyze relationships among these dimensions and diverse constructs, such as the relationship satisfaction, trust, identification with the firm, business performance, relational outcomes and loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – The benefits of corporate social responsibility as a marketing tool are analyzed in a real context, directly asking the user for his/her perceptions about the financial entities. A personal survey for users was carried out, obtaining 789 valid responses. In order to comply with the aims of this research a model of structural equations was developed.Findings – It is seen that the relationship satisfaction, trust and identification with the entity are the main determinants of loyalty, while the ethical and social dimensions have an indirect effect. The ethical behaviour influences the perceived commercial performa...

Measuring Corporate Social Responsibility in tourism: Development and validation of an efficient measurement scale in the hospitality industry

Abstract This article aims at developing an efficient measurement scale for corporate social responsibility in the tourism industry, given the contextual character that is recognized in the practice of this construct. Indicators were generated on the basis of a literature review and qualitative research. To assess the reliability and validity, first- and second-order confirmatory factor analysis were carried out. Results show a multidimensional structure of this construct—including economic, social, and environmental issues. This study contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of social responsibility through its practical application regarding concepts of sustainable development which have mainly been theoretical. The authors would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for many helpful comments and suggestions.

Corporate social responsibility and customer loyalty: exploring the role of identification, satisfaction and type of company

– The aim of the authors of this paper is to propose a cognitive – affective – conative sequential model to study how three dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) image (society, customers and employees) impact customer affective (identification and satisfaction) and behavioural (recommendation and repurchase) responses in the banking industry. The authors also test how the type of company (savings banks vs commercial banks) moderates customer responses to these three dimensions of CSR image. , – A multi-group structural equation model is tested using information collected from 648 savings banks’ customers and 476 commercial banks’ customers in Spain. , – The findings demonstrate that the perceptions of customer-centric CSR initiatives positively and consistently impact customer identification with the banking institution, satisfaction, recommendation and repurchase behaviours in the savings and commercial banks’ samples. The dimensions of CSR image that concern the activities oriented to society and employees only positively impact customer responses in the savings banks’ sample. , – The findings of this study can assist scholars in creating more informative CSR-based loyalty models that take into consideration new variables (satisfaction and type of company) and better approaches to the conceptualization of CSR image (e.g. the formative approach). The findings can also assist savings and commercial banks in better designing their CSR and communication initiatives to benefit from customer affective and conative responses. , – The contributions of the paper are threefold: the authors include satisfaction as a new variable in the study of the CSR-based loyalty model; the CSR image is conceptualized as a formative construct, and this provides new justifications for the mixed results reported by previous scholars who have analysed the effects of CSR image on customer loyalty; and the authors explore the moderating role of the type of company on the CSR-based loyalty model proposed in the paper.

Accounting for heterogeneity in shopping centre choice models

Abstract Random utility models are a tool of great interest in the study of shopping centre choice. However, most research that has used these models employed the most basic specification: the multinomial logit model. This model presents two main drawbacks. Firstly, it is assumed that sensitivity to variables of attraction and dissuasion can be considered the same for all consumers. Secondly, this model can only be applied to situations in which alternatives from which you can choose are totally independent. In this paper, we present two specifications which allow us both to introduce heterogeneity and relax the assumption of independence of irrelevant alternatives, a nested logit model and a random effects model. Data collected in three European cities of the same region are used to implement these models. Results attained from these models reveal the existence of different segments of consumers. This provides the potential for retail managers to gain better insight into the way in which different consumers choose between a set of shopping centres in a certain area.

A framework for tourist expectations

Purpose – As there is still only limited research about expectation formation in destination marketing, the aim of this paper is to enhance this body of knowledge by providing theoretical and empirical evidence about the role of different factors which generate tourist expectations. In particular, since expectations may significantly condition not only the tourist choice process but also the perceptions of experiences, the objective of this paper is to examine the factors contributing to the expectations of a tourist destination. Based on service expectations literature, a theoretical framework postulates the main factors generating tourist expectations.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research tests the research hypotheses. More specifically, several in‐depth interviews and focus groups (qualitative research) and a survey conducted in a holiday destination (quantitative research) led to data collection.Findings – Tourist expectations are a second‐order factor based on inter‐correlations among seve...

Customer CSR expectations in the banking industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine customer corporate social responsibility (CSR) expectations in the crisis context of the Spanish banking industry. The paper also takes into consideration the role that corporate governance structure plays in customer CSR expectations. Design/methodology/approach – Analysing 648 customers of savings banks and 476 customers of commercial banks, several univariate statistics and two cluster analyses are implemented. Findings – The authors identify significantly consistent patterns in the CSR expectations of savings banks and commercial banks customers. The customers of both types of banking companies have similar high expectations concerning the CSR oriented to customers, shareholders and supervising boards, employees, the community and legal and ethical CSR. Also customers of both types of banking companies can be consistently classified as customer oriented, legally (customer)-oriented and CSR-oriented customers depending on their CSR expectations. Practic...

An exploration of the effects of past experience and tourist involvement on destination loyalty formation

Gaining the loyalty of visitors is one of the main challenges of destinations. Previous studies generally agree that satisfaction is the key driver of tourist loyalty. However, it is necessary to conduct a more thorough study of destination loyalty formation by exploring the role of other variables as direct antecedents of loyalty and as moderators of the satisfaction–loyalty relationship. With this in mind, this study examines the influences of two variables that are especially relevant in the study of consumer behaviour in tourism: past experience and involvement. The results obtained from a sample of 807 tourists visiting a destination in Spain suggest that (1) satisfaction and past experience have a significant influence on loyalty; (2) it is necessary to separately consider the two dimensions of loyalty (i.e. the intention to return to a destination and the intention to recommend it) to understand loyalty formation; and (3) past experience is a quasi-moderator variable as it directly influences tourist loyalty and moderates the satisfaction–loyalty relationship. The findings of this research may help managers make decisions about market segmentation and guide the marketing efforts to gain loyal tourists.

CSR influence on hotel brand image and loyalty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand image and loyalty in the hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach A reflective structural equations model was developed to test the research hypothesis. The study was tested using data collected from a sample of Spanish consumers who assessed the top ten Spanish hotel chains operating in the Latin American context. Findings The role of CSR as a tool to generate both functional and affective brand image, and loyalty was confirmed. CSR has a greater influence on the affective dimension of brand image, whereas functional image has a greater influence on brand loyalty. Furthermore, CSR can be seen as having a direct positive effect on brand loyalty. Research limitations/implications It is necessary to extend this study to other subsectors in the tourism industry and to other Latin American countries. Future research should measure CSR as a formative construct to provide a greater consensus re...