Lucia Porcu

A cross-cultural analysis of the effect of language on perceived risk online

This paper investigates whether perceived risk online is affected by the language in which a user browses a given website. In order to achieve this objective and test the proposed hypotheses, a 2x2 between-subjects experimental design was chosen, using two independent variables with two levels each, namely: culture (Spanish vs. British) and processing language (Spanish vs. English). The final sample comprised 491 individuals (264 Spanish and 227 British). Half the sample browsed in their mother tongue, and the other half in a second language. The results showed that Spanish users perceive less risk when browsing in English than in Spanish, while for the British there was no difference, in terms of perceived risk, between browsing in Spanish or English. Another interesting finding is the moderating effect of message involvement on the processing of information from the website, and thus its effect on the users perception of risk.

Discovering prominent themes in integrated marketing communication research from 1991 to 2012: a co-word analytic approach

This paper analyses integrated marketing communications (IMC) research from its inception in 1991, up to 2012 (included). A bibliometric approach has been applied for the first time to detect and visualize conceptual sub-domains and identify the most salient themes within IMC research via combining co-word analysis and science mapping. The quantitative analysis of a corpus of IMC manuscripts contributes to complement the previous qualitative reviews by using the Wakita and Tsurumi agglomeration algorithm and two-dimensional graphs. The results enable the authors to provide a structure for the conceptual sub-domains, classification of the themes showing internal associations into four groups, and identification of the main research trends. This paper seeks to respond to the calls for greater theoretical clarification of the IMC discipline providing a snapshot of the thematic evolution of IMC research over time enabling researchers to better understand the current state of the art and suggesting future research directions.

Measuring integrated marketing communication by taking a broad organisational approach: The firm-wide IMC scale

Purpose The purpose of this research is twofold: first, to conceptualise integrated marketing communication (IMC) by adopting a more inclusive and broader organisational perspective, and second, to empirically develop and validate a new measurement scale to assess firm-wide IMC. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a multistage research design adopting qualitative and quantitative approaches. First, a comprehensive literature review and a two-round Delphi study served as the primary basis for the development of the IMC theoretical framework, including generation of items and content validation. Second, a pilot study (n = 39) enabled us to purify the measurement tool. Third, the data gathered via an online survey conducted among CEOs and other senior managers (n = 180) led to empirical validation of the proposed firm-wide IMC scale applying second-order confirmatory factor and structural equation modelling analyses. Findings This research produced the firm-wide IMC scale, a 25-item Likert-format measure exhibiting adequate dimensionality, reliability and construct (convergent, discriminant and nomological) validity. Originality/value The need for a more holistic approach emerged from both the academic literature and the professional arena. However, even very recent attempts to measure integration have involved the adoption of a narrow marketing communications-centred approach. Thus, the value and uniqueness of this paper lies in its novel definition of IMC as a four-dimensional construct and the development of a theoretically consistent, valid and reliable measurement tool for the assessment of integration based on a firm-wide organisational approach.

Toward an understanding of online information processing in e-tourism: does national culture matter?

ABSTRACT Tourism is undoubtedly among the industries that better reflect the effects of globalization, technological advances (i.e. the Internet) being one of the most relevant drivers. Given the current market saturation of this sector, a better understanding of how tourists from different cultures process online information and forge their attitudes and behavioral intentions is called for. Nevertheless, national culture may have a major influence on the effectiveness of online tourist marketing activities. This study contributes to the extant body of knowledge via the analysis of the influence of perceived risk on how tourists process the information while browsing a tourist destination website, form their attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the destination. The effect of national culture on such antecedents is examined via a cross-cultural research to compare Spanish and British cultures. A theoretical model is proposed to integrate the effect of perceived risk and variables regarding technology acceptance on tourist responses.

Do adhocracy and market cultures facilitate firm-wide integrated marketing communication (IMC)?

The conceptualization of integrated marketing communication (IMC) has evolved from the marketing communications-centered approach (in the early 1990s) to a broader, firm-wide organizational perspective. The latter is adopted in this research to define IMC as a multidimensional concept. This study was conducted to develop a measurement instrument to assess IMC and examine the role of organizational culture in IMC implementation. Data were gathered via an online survey conducted among CEOs and other senior managers. The findings provide evidence of the reliability and validity of the proposed IMC scale and demonstrate that the dominance of an adhocracy (vs. market) culture contributes to building a more IMC-friendly organizational environment.

The Mediating Role of Integrated Corporate Communication on the Relationship Between Organizational Culture and Market Performance

Since the appearance of its first definition as Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) in the early 1990s, the concept of integration has been increasingly attracting the attention of both academics and professionals (Hackley 2010; Laurie and Mortimer 2011; Kliatchko and Schultz 2014). However, the theoretical background still appears to be fairly disjointed and confused, mainly due to the lack of scholarly consensus over the definition and, especially in the last decade, the terminology to be used to name the concept (Christensen et al. 2008; Smith 2013). This conceptual confusion has hindered the development of valid and reliable measurement scales, preventing scholars from conducting robust empirical research. Based on an extensive literature review, this chapter develops a theoretical framework for “Integrated Corporate Communication” (ICC), opting for a terminology that enables us to explicitly embrace a more holistic approach which holds that the locus of integration is the whole organization. The authors of this chapter define ICC as the stakeholder-centered interactive process of cross-functional planning and alignment of organizational, analytical, and communication processes that allows for the possibility of continuous dialogue by conveying consistent and transparent messages via all media in order to foster long-term profitable relationships that create value. Tactical consistency, interactivity, stakeholder-centered strategic focus, and organizational alignment are identified in the present research as the ICC dimensions. Several driving factors and effects of integrated communication have been examined in previous studies, mostly taking a conceptual approach, while empirical research is still fairly scant. In fact, many scholars (Taylor 2010; Laurie and Mortimer 2011; Kliatchko and Schultz 2014) have called for further and more robust empirical efforts to reveal the factors that foster or hinder integration and to demonstrate the positive effects that can be obtained via ICC in terms of market performance. Thus, the chapter aims to empirically analyze the influence of organizational culture on ICC to determine whether ICC fully mediates the relationship between organizational culture–market performance and to prove the beneficial effects derived from ICC in terms of economic–financial results, brand-related outcomes, and customer satisfaction.

Modeling the Antecedents and Effects of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) in the Hospitality Industry: An Extended Abstract

Over the last two decades, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) has attracted a great deal of attention from both academia and practitioners and has recently gained momentum due to the increasingly more dynamic environment. Despite a significant research corpus, several authors still call for more conceptualization and measurement efforts, underlining that the lack of valid and reliable scales represents the main barrier preventing scholars from conducting robust research in this field. In addition, the paucity of empirical evidence of the beneficial effects of integration on performance represents a barrier to broad practice by organizations (Duncan and Mulhern 2004), while Ots and Nyilasi (2015) point out that integration is often problematic in practice due to the organizational context, highlighting the need to analyze the influence of organizational culture (especially the role of leadership) on integration processes. With these premises, this paper aims to empirically analyze (1) how technological turbulence and competitive intensity (two relevant characteristics of the dynamic environment) affect the adoption of adhocracy as the dominant organizational culture type; (2) the influence of adhocracy culture on IMC; and (3) the effect of IMC on sales-related performance, brand advantage, and customer satisfaction.

Examining the Mediating Role of Integrated Marketing Communication on the Relationship between Adhocracy Culture and Brand Advantage

Despite over twenty years of intense academic research on Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC), this concept “continues to stir debate, discussion and, in some cases, confusion” (Kliatchko and Schultz, 2014, p. 373). Several authors (Kliatchko, 2008; Porcu, Del Barrio-Garcia and Kitchen, 2012) have highlighted the lack of consensus among academics over the definition of IMC. Since its very emergence, the IMC concept has expanded from a narrowly focused marketing communications approach to a more holistic ‘firm-wide’ organisational perspective (Duncan and Moriarty, 1998; Cook, 2004; Christensen, Firat and Torp, 2008; Munoz-Leiva, Porcu and Del Barrio-Garcia, 2015).

The Moderating Role of Language in the Relationship Between Perceived Risk, Perceived Usability, and Satisfaction Online

The Internet can be considered one of the greatest contributors to the globalization of markets (Constatinides et al. 2010). Within this context, it is vital to take into account the cultural differences that exist between different markets (Rey et al. 2013), as well as the particular language that is most advisable for each context. There are currently 7106 living languages in the world, spoken by 6200 million people, with the most widely spoken as first languages (L1) being Chinese (1197 million users), Spanish (414 million users), and English (335 million users) (Lewis et al. 2014). On the Internet, these three languages are also the most widely used but English is in top position with 800 million users, followed by Chinese (649 million), and Spanish (222 million) (Internet World Stats 2014). Some 80 % of those who browse in English use it as their second language (L2) (Internet World Stats 2014). These data are of particular interest to firms operating in international markets as, depending on the language in which users process information, consumer behavior may vary. Language conveys cultural references that shape cognitive processing (Luna et al. 2008).