Li-Wei Mai

A Comparative Study Between UK and US: The Student Satisfaction in Higher Education and its Influential Factors

In this study, several service quality variables and concepts were used to examine differences in the perception of education quality, and the main factor affecting that perception, between students in the USA and the UK. 322 US and UK postgraduate business school students were asked about their satisfaction with their education, compared with their expectations with respect to various quality aspects.

The characteristics of supermarket shoppers in Beijing

Retail shopping establishments in the West have evolved through many different stages, in close association with Western lifestyles. The growth of supermarkets has been an important part of this trend, and in the 1980s, they were introduced in China. With their distinctive business environment, it is significant to study the success of the distribution technology transfer and how the Chinese consumers have received the Western shopping approach. This study examines supermarket shoppers in Beijing. The results provide an insight into the shopping patterns of Chinese consumers and identify potential problems for international retailers.

Canonical correlation analysis of customer satisfaction and future purchase of mail‐order speciality food

Analyses customer satisfaction with mail‐order speciality foods in the UK and examines the relationship between satisfaction with eight attributes of mail‐order speciality food and their association with overall satisfaction and likelihood of future purchase. Univariate analysis reveals that a high proportion of mail‐order customers experience satisfaction with each of the eight mail‐order attributes, reflected in a high proportion of customers who are satisfied overall and who intend to repurchase the products in the future. Canonical correlation analysis reveals a statistically significant relationship between one set of variables, overall satisfaction and likelihood of future purchase, and another set of variables, the eight mail‐order attributes. Consequently the results indicate that customer satisfaction is associated with service aspects of mail‐order such as the order process and delivery service as well as physical product attributes such as product quality.

The economics of food safety

Discusses the financial implications of maintaining acceptable levels of food safety. The case of BSE is used as an example ‐ loss of export market, fall in domestic sales, changes in consumption, large expenditure, cost of practice changes in rearing and slaughtering animals. There is a trade‐off between safety and costs. How much safety can be expected? There must be an optimum level of safety. There are few ways in which a market economy can “fail” in providing the optimum ‐ asymmetry in knowledge of risks; aspects of food safety which are public goods; social costs of food safety and the divergence between objective scientific evidence and consumer perception.

Consumer adoption of online music services: The influence of perceived risks and risk‐relief strategies

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to offer insights into what consumers are looking for when downloading music and what different consumer groups might look for in commercial online music services, based on their current level of music downloading, and their likelihood of purchasing music online in the near future.Design/methodology/approach – The literature review focused on the risk and adoption theories. Interviews were used to help derive variables used in the design of a questionnaire. A web survey of 211 samples was used as a data collection method for this study.Findings – The results suggest that performance and time‐loss aspects of perceived risks are playing an important role, while social and psychological aspects of risks are of the least concern to consumers. Where different types of users are concerned, those with the most experience of downloading music are the least profitable segment to target. Non and Light downloaders, on the other hand, should be the focus of marketing activities, alt...

Impact of cultural exposure on young Chinese students’ adaptation in a UK business school

This study examines young Chinese students’ (born post 1985) adaptation to cultural exposure in the UK. Built from data collected from in-depth interviews, the research establishes that, through direct communication with students from various cultural backgrounds during teamwork, the Chinese students adapt to varying degrees in ideology, socialisation, forms of discourse and face system. The research finds that the extent of adjustment is moderated by their individual learning approaches as well as contextual mediation. The results are confirmed by the findings from a comparison group of similar students in China, with respect to age, gender and learning. Implications arising from the study suggest that the internationalisation of education should enhance ‘cultural synergy’, so that both the local and international students can enrich their learning experiences and develop intercultural competence.

Perceived benefits of mail‐order speciality foods

The objectives of the study are to examine consumer attitudes to mail‐order speciality food products on the basis of a survey of mail order shoppers. The particular question which is addressed in the paper is concerned with the benefits perceived by mail‐order speciality food customers. Specifically, it identifies the perceived benefits associated with mail‐order, then establishes the underlying dimensions of these benefits and, finally, investigates the existence of customer segments on the basis of benefits sought. Consumers’ perceptions of the benefits of mail‐order emphasise quality, uniqueness and convenience. However, underlying these attributes are four main dimensions of customer relations and service, convenience, nostalgia and uniqueness. Furthermore, it is possible to identify two consumer segments of active mail‐order shoppers in terms of a product‐oriented group and a mail‐order‐oriented group.

Consumers' willingness to pay for ethical attributes

Purpose – In recent years, there has been a big increase in the use of ethical attributes as marketing appeals. The purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ willingness to pay for three selected ethical attributes, namely “Organic”, “Recyclable Packaging” and “Fairtrade” in monetary terms. Design/methodology/approach – A modified choice-based experimental design with manipulation of the key constructs was used to estimate the mean value of how much consumers are willing to pay for the selected attributes attached to a box of premium chocolates. The results are based on the responses of a total of 208 consumers. Findings – Of the three attributes, “Recyclable Packaging” has the strongest influence on the purchase decision, although this attribute generates the least additional value. The aggregated result shows that although consumers are willing to pay more for the product with ethical attributes than the one that is without, still around a half of them are not willing to pay more. In terms of demog...

Female self-gifts buying behaviour: impulse purchase and product involvement

This research examines the effect of product involvement on impulse buying behaviour for self-gifts. An experiment based on a factorial design was conducted among 152 females. Product involvement and self-gift giving context were manipulated by using two scenarios. The dependent variable of impulse buying behaviour was measured with a 6-item impulsivity scale. Results indicate that impulse self-gifting is likely to happen when consumers want to reward themselves after a success. Impulse buying tendency is found to be the best predictor for impulse self-gifting. The higher the level of product involvement is the more impulsive the purchase of a self-gift.

Corporate hospitality: benefit, challenges and approach in financial services

This paper examines the role of corporate hospitality in financial services from the perspective of relationship management executives in corporate banks. Personal interviews and a survey were conducted among marketing and event specialists to identify the goals, benefits, challenges and key issues related to corporate hospitality. The primary benefits were found to be: relationship building, increased sales, networking and reputation building for the hosting company. The challenges included budget constraints, high costs, rise in competition, the need to create unique experiences and ethical concerns.