Irene Gil-Saura

The value of B2B relationships

– The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the knowledge of how relationship value, trust, commitment, satisfaction and loyalty intentions are defined and relate to each other. It explores these relationships in the business‐to‐business (B2B) context by analysing manufacturing companies regarding to their main supplier., – After the literature review and several in‐depth interviews, a method of empirical analysis consisting of quantitative intervention with an ad hoc survey using a structured questionnaire has been developed. Structural equations modeling is used to contrast the hypotheses on the links between the constructs analysed., – Confirmatory factor analysis provided satisfactory results. With regard to the direct effects of the relationship value, the three relationships being considered were verified: relationship value has a positive influence on trust, commitment and satisfaction towards the supplier. Also, and as already contrasted in previous studies, trust has a direct, positive effect on commitment. In addition, and regarding to loyalty antecedents, data did not confirm that greater trust would increase loyalty but commitment did, leading to the conclusion that the effect of trust on loyalty is only indirect through the effect it has on commitment. Loyalty was also positively affected by satisfaction with the supplier., – Limitations of this paper open lines for future research. First, it considers that future research could include other variables affecting long‐term relationships. Second, longitudinal studies could serve to enrich the results and illustrate the complexity of the direction in the links among the variables and take into account dynamics. Third, a customers perspective in the perception of value has been adopted in this paper. Finally, relationship value has been operationalised as reflective and a formative approach could be adopted. Implications for managers are in line with the detected importance of satisfaction and commitment as key factors because of their impact on intention to continue and expand business with the supplier. Moreover, manufacturers should recognize the role of assessing and building relationship value with their partners as it has an impact – direct or indirect – on intentions to stay in the relationship., – In comparison, far less research has been done in the area of relationship value. This paper emphasizes the role of perceived relationship value in relationship B2B marketing studies providing a model and contributing to relationship management.

ICT, IMC, and brand equity in high-quality hotels of Dalmatia: an analysis from guest perceptions.

The concept of integrated marketing communications (IMC) has received considerable attention in the marketing literature over the past decade. Boosted by advancements in information and communication technology (ICT), IMC is starting to be considered as an element that contributes to creation of brand equity. This research studies, in greater detail, the IMC, ICT, and brand-equity concepts in the hotel sector, while adopting a consumer-centric approach. In particular, it intends to describe the relationships that exist between these variables through the causal model of investigation. A total of 101 guests were interviewed in 13 hotels in Dalmatia, the largest region on the coast of Croatia. The analysis of guest perceptions, using the partial least square technique, confirms a positive influence of ICT on IMC implementation as well as a positive impact of IMC on dimensions of hotel brand equity: (a) brand image, (b) perceived quality, and (c) brand loyalty.

Relational benefits and loyalty in retailing: an inter‐sector comparison

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically a model that reflects the different types of relational benefits perceived by customers, as well as the benefits obtained by the organization in terms of customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – In order to achieve the aim of this paper, a quantitative analysis through a personal survey to consumers for four types of retailing activities is performed. Data are analyzed through factor analysis and a structural equation model is estimated.Findings – Confidence benefits and special treatment benefits have major influence on customer loyalty towards the retailer. These results are consistent across retail activities.Research limitations/implications – The present study is limited in its scope and a first approach is considered that it might inspire further research adding new constructs into the model in order to deepen into the analysis of the relationship between customer and retailer relational benefits.Practical implications – Since the benefits ...

Retail brand equity: a model based on its dimensions and effects

Brand equity has been recognized as a key variable in both the academic and professional literature. This article aims to deepen the nature of the retailer equity construct and identify the variables that contribute to its formation, proposing an integrative model based on their dimensions and effects. From an empirical perspective, a survey is carried out with 300 consumers in three retailer categories, in order to analyze the relationships of the model. Due to the formative nature of two of the constructs, the analysis is developed through the partial least squares technique. From the analysis of the results, the importance of store image, perceived store value, and store awareness are seen as retailer equity dimensions. Additionally, this study confirms the relationship between retailer equity and the satisfaction–loyalty chain of effects.

Customer segmentation based on commitment and ICT use

– The purpose of this paper is to determine and characterize groups of retail customers, based on their perception of commitment to the retailer and the degree of use of its technological equipment., – A CHAID algorithm is performed and differences between the resulting segments are tested through the analysis of variance., – Four segments are obtained that differ significantly in commitment to the retailer and level of use of the stores information and communication technology (ICT) facilities, as well as in other variables related to the retailer‐consumer relationship. In particular, customer segments differ in their use of retailers payment facilities., – The study provides a typology of consumers that enable retailers to take efficient decisions regarding their technology investments and to design effective marketing strategies., – Although literature concerning interorganizational relationships has reported that commitment is influenced to a great extent by supplier investment in technology, the relation between these variables in retailing has received little attention. The paper explores the relationship between commitment and use of retailers ICT solutions for retail customers.

The role of information technology in relationships between travel agencies and their suppliers

Purpose – In the context of relationship marketing, it is highly important for providers to identify the main buyer relational benefits influencing satisfaction and loyalty so that a continuous and satisfactory business relationship is guaranteed. Since it has been reported that information technology (IT) might constitute a source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, this paper aims to test the moderating role of IT in the relationships between perceived benefits, satisfaction and loyalty in a business‐to‐business (B2B) setting.Design/methodology/approach – A structural equations model was empirically tested. Additionally, the moderating role of IT in the relationships between perceived relational benefits, buyer satisfaction and loyalty towards the main supplier was tested through a multi‐sample analysis.Findings – The results show that IT contributes to strengthen the link between satisfaction and loyalty. In contrast, the relationship between social benefits and buyer satisfaction is only observed for ...

Good environmental practices for hospitality and tourism: The role of information and communication technologies

Purpose – There is a consensus about the negative effects of transportation and some activities related to hospitality on the environment. In this sense, several proposals have been pointed out to pursue environmental sustainability of tourism activities and minimize their impact on climate change. In particular, some applications of information and communication technologies (ICT) have a direct contribution to the reduction of the demand of supplies and energy by the hospitality industry. The present paper has a double aim: first, to focus on evaluating the potential of several ICT applications to reduce the environmental impact of hospitality and tourism activities. Second, considering the Spanish tourism industry, the paper aims to analyze the level of development of the environmentally sustainable technologies and the difficulties experienced in their implementation as well as the future challenges.Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis was conducted based on the literature in hospitality.Fi...

Retail Customer Segmentation Based on Relational Benefits

Marketing is based on the establishment and maintenance of continuous relations between buyer and salesman as a source of mutual benefits. Nevertheless, perceptions of the benefits of these relations can vary to a great extent based on the type of client. The purpose of this article is to characterize groups of retail customers based on their perceptions of the benefits and costs derived from their relations with retailers. As a result of cluster analysis, we obtained a typology of consumers that differ significantly in their perceptions of relational benefits and of other retailer characteristics (e.g., stores information and communication technologies, perceived value, service quality and loyalty).

Stretching the value-satisfaction-loyalty chain by adding value dimensions and cognitive and affective satisfactions

Purpose – Consensus on how value dimensions are drivers of overall perceived value is a widespread reality in consumer behaviour literature. But scanty research has been done on which of these value dimensions best predict customer loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to propose a causal model that examines how PERVAL dimensions of value affect customers’ loyalty, through both cognitive and affective satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The model is tested on a sample of 820 Spanish retail customers and the findings suggest that product quality and value for money (cognitive) impact customer loyalty through emotional and social value (affective), with significant direct and indirect effects through both cognitive and affective satisfaction. Findings – Notably, the results highlight the mediating role of shoppers’ emotional and social value on the linkages between satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, this study has proved the embedded impact of value dimensions on overall satisfaction and behaviour...

Intrinsic value dimensions and the value-satisfaction-loyalty chain: a causal model for services

Purpose n n n n nWithin the abundant and not always unanimous body or research on conceptual and methodological approaches to consumer value in services, there are two areas of relative consensus: the multidimensional nature of value (intra-variable approach) and the existence of causal relations with other constructs (inter-variable approach). This work aims to contribute additional knowledge in both areas, with a joint approach in a structural model tested for hospitality services. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nThe study proposes four scales of intrinsic values (entertainment, aesthetics, ethics and spirituality as relaxation), based on Holbrook’s (1999) value typology, and a casual model to be used to measure the relationships between these four values and overall perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty. The model is tested with PLS on a sample of 585 hotel guests on the island of Sardinia (Italy). n n n n nFindings n n n n nThe psychometric properties of all four value scales, created ad hoc, are tested and approved. Results on the causal model show contrasted links on the intra-variable approach, entertainment, aesthetics and spirituality (measured as relaxation), are positive antecedents of perceived value, while the path ethics-overall value is not confirmed. The value–satisfaction–loyalty chain is fully confirmed, with strong linkages. n n n n nResearch limitations/implications n n n n nThe authors acknowledge the use of a convenience sample, of mainly leisure tourists. n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nThe implications for managers are derived on the need of considering extra drivers (intrinsic and therefore fully experiential) of satisfaction and loyalty. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nResearch on value has been qualified as not univocal and controversial. This study adds knowledge on the use of four less common value types (intrinsic ones) and sheds light on their nature as antecedents of the well-known value–satisfaction–loyalty chain.