Linda S. Niehm

The role of experiential value in online shopping: The impacts of product presentation on consumer responses towards an apparel web site

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Pine and Gilmores four experience realms (4Es) are affected by web site features; the 4Es affect consumer emotional components of pleasure and arousal; and pleasure and arousal lead to enhanced web site patronage intention.Design/methodology/approach – For the main experiment, two stimulus web sites reflecting high experiential value and low experiential value were developed. Data were collected in a laboratory setting from 196 participants. An analysis of the causal model was conducted using the maximum‐likelihood estimation procedure of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) for hypotheses testing.Findings – Using AMOS, the results indicated that web site features affected the 4Es and three of the 4Es (entertainment, escapist and esthetic experiences) influenced pleasure and/or arousal. Pleasure, arousal, entertainment, and esthetic experiences had direct effects on web site patronage intention.Practical implications – The results present an effec...

Psychographic characteristics affecting behavioral intentions towards pop‐up retail

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships between consumer innovativeness, market mavenism, shopping enjoyment, and beliefs, attitude, and patronage intentions toward pop‐up retail.Design/methodology/approach – A survey technique using a national sample of consumers resulted in 869 usable responses. Structural equation modeling is used to test the hypothesized relationships among variables.Findings – Findings show that consumer innovativeness and shopping enjoyment influence beliefs about the importance of hedonic elements of pop‐up retail (novelty/uniqueness factor) and attitude toward pop‐up retail, which affects patronage intentions.Practical implications – Findings provide support for the effectiveness of pop‐up retail, an experiential marketing strategy, at enhancing the appeal of a retail venue to consumers exhibiting higher tendencies in innovativeness and shopping.Originality/value – This paper provides an investigation of consumer psychographic characteristics and their effe...

Exploring Perceived Channel Price, Quality, and Value as Antecedents of Channel Choice and Usage in Multichannel Shopping

This study investigates consumer perceptions of price-quality-value based on shopping channel attributes as antecedents of channel choice and usage in multichannel shopping environments. Findings indicate that channel usage intention is directly influenced by consumer perceptions of channel value and indirectly by consumer perceptions of channel quality and channel price. Consumer perceptions of channel attributes most important to channel usage intention include utilitarian and hedonic value, service and merchandise quality, and monetary and non-monetary price. Managerial implications for retailers suggest a need for strategic management and differentiation of channel attributes to enhance channel value perceptions and increase channel usage intention.

An Examination of How Entrepreneurs in Hong Kong Perceive Personal Success Through Business Activities

Hong Kong is seen as a world leader in building and developing its economy and entrepreneurs have a unique status in Hong Kong. These entrepreneurs constitute a majority of businesses and employ a significant part of the population and thus are vital for the economy of Hong Kong. This research evaluates the various components of the perception of success of these entrepreneurs and to draw conclusions that will benefit the educators, the legislators as well as the new entrants wishing to become entrepreneurs. It has been found that the main source of entrepreneurial success in Hong Kong is of very complex origin. While the normal rules of sound business principles, as found in the Western business world, are a necessity, a large part of the success is attributed to exceptional leadership qualities. Leadership in the East has connotations of deep respect for all sections of the society and based on Confucian principles of kindness and contributions quite different from that of the West. The Hong Kong entrepreneur seems to succeed when they are able to blend the best qualities of the East and the West.

An Opportunity Analysis Framework for Apparel Retailing in India: Economic, Social, and Cultural Considerations for International Retail Firms

Despite seemingly large market potential, little is known about the scope of opportunities and threats for international apparel retailers seeking to enter the growing Indian retail arena.A low level of organized retail penetration, coupled with an ineffective supply chain, characterizes the infrastructure of the Indian retail industry.Analysis of the current state of Indian retail, along with opportunities and threats to growth, would have immense significance for international retailers vying to enter the Indian market.This paper presents a conceptual framework that offers advice for international corporations regarding successful entry and sustainability in India. Using a metatheory approach, a series of testable propositions are presented in relation to opportunities for international retail development in the Indian apparel retail sector. Propositions are guided by theoretical perspectives from Rostow (1960) and Dunning (1988, 1993, 1995). Discussion and implications of the resulting opportunity analysis framework are presented for both academic researchers and retail practitioners.

Tourism shopping in rural markets: a case study in rural Iowa

Purpose – This study aims to focus on the unique challenges of retail service delivery in rural tourism markets. This paper specifically seeks to address: factors attracting individuals to a rural tourism community; factors motivating resident and tourist customers to engage in tourism shopping; satisfaction of resident and tourist customers with local retailers; and strategies to assist retailers in successful service delivery.Design/methodology/approach – Using Dillmans survey techniques, data were collected from two different groups: resident customers and tourist customers in a rural Iowa tourism community. Given the studys exploratory focus, a case study methodology was selected.Findings – Shopping experiences were much less satisfying for resident customers than for tourist customers in this study. Tourism retailers may not be effectively differentiating their customer service and providing adequate attention during the shopping experience, particularly to resident customers.Research limitations/i...

Will They Stay or Will They Go? Community Features Important in Migration Decisions of Recent University Graduates

Rural regions of the United States have experienced detrimental out-migration, or brain drain, of college-educated individuals. The present study used survey data, gathered with an interactive website tool containing a comprehensive collection of economic and lifestyle features, to determine those most important in migration decisions for public university graduating seniors from the rural state of Iowa. Economic features (overall cost of living and a strong local economy) were ranked as the top features, followed by lifestyle features including two surprising features (access to basic consumer goods and access to health facilities). The impact of individual differences on the likelihood of moving and the selection of desired community features was also examined and proved to be statistically significant. For instance, in comparison with female graduates, male graduates selected educational level of residents and higher percentage of nonmarried residents features more frequently. Implications for policy development and marketing and economic development strategies are discussed.

Predicting small business demise after a natural disaster: an analysis of pre-existing conditions

Few studies of small businesses have addressed demise in post-disaster environments, and the factors that lead to business demise after natural disasters are not well understood. This study explored demise by interviewing a random sample of small business owners whose businesses survived or met demise following Hurricane Katrina. The goal of this study was to determine whether businesses that met demise could be predicted based on pre-existing characteristics of those businesses and their owners. Findings indicated that businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans were more likely to meet demise. Owners with more industry experience and older businesses were less likely to meet demise, along with larger businesses (number of employees) and service-based businesses. Businesses that had prior disaster experience and prior cash flow problems were also less likely to meet demise post-Katrina, suggesting that prior experiences with some type of adversity may provide knowledge and insight that aid small business owners during subsequent experiences during disaster preparation, response, and recovery periods. Home-based businesses were also less likely to meet demise, whereas businesses located in coastal counties were more likely to meet demise.

Entrepreneurship and the Impact of Managerial Role on Family Business Success

Family businesses are commonly addressed as two separate entities: the family and the business (Weigel, Weigel, Berger, Cook & Del Campo, 1995; Hollander & Elman, 1988; Langsberg, 1983). This approach suggests that managerial procedures and decisions typically respond to the needs of only one or the other component. However, business and family decisions are interrelated, and the way that overlapping demands are managed may well have an impact on the long‐term success of family firms. Drawing on the insights of field theory (Lewin, 1951), the present study takes a longitudinal view of family business entrepreneurs, their managerial roles, and the impact of managerial role on business success over time. Rather than relying on individual respondents and a limited business sample, the study employed a pooled sample of data drawn from both the 1997 and 2000 versions of the National Family Business Survey (NFBS). On the basis of demographic information concerning family businesses and their owners, profiles of single‐ and dual‐role managers were drawn up, and the two types of managers were then compared in relation to the degree of perceived success. Significant demographic differences emerged according to managerial type. Significant longitudinal differences were also identified between single‐ and dual‐role managers with regard to both their perceived success – that is, their degree of personal satisfaction – and the financial success of the business.

Analysis of post-disaster damage and disruptive impacts on the operating status of small businesses after Hurricane Katrina

When small businesses are impacted by natural hazard events, hazard and sociological researchers may have access to collect data from a sample of open businesses, in hopes of distilling lessons that might help reduce vulnerability to future disasters. Lessons from demised businesses might be more useful in reducing business closure for increasing business sustainability to disasters. Using interviews from a random sample of 371 open and 126 closed businesses’ experiences with Hurricane Katrina, discrete choice methods examine the relationship between the impact of post-disaster damage, loss of lifelines, types of delays in reopening, and cascading damages on business continuity. This unique sample offers the opportunity to determine whether damage to operating businesses was different than that of demised businesses. Respondents provided pre-Katrina data up through the last interviews in 2013. Results demonstrate that damage may have a short-term effect on operating status; it was associated with immediate demise but had much less effect on longer-term recovery. Additionally, it is evident that there is one path to failure. Businesses that did reopen, but later closed, may have been impacted by a cascade of both exogenous and endogenous shocks.