M. Irene Prete

Targeting direct marketing campaigns by neural networks

Abstract Market-oriented companies increasingly aim at maximising the return of targeted direct marketing campaigns, rather than trying to reach customers and prospects indistinctly, according to a mass marketing approach. The profitability of direct marketing campaigns depends on a detailed definition of prospects and an accurate prediction of the response rate. This study shows how the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) can improve the effectiveness of direct mail marketing campaigns thanks to a better prediction of the response rate for subjects included in the target population according to factors that are believed to have an impact on their purchase intention. Results show the effectiveness of ANNs – in comparison with multiple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis – in identifying complex relationships among the data, and particularly in profiling customers and prospects and anticipating their behaviour.

The dominant rationality of local stakeholder networks: The case of a southern Italian province

This study examines the level of interconnectedness and the relational power of stakeholders operating in four local territorial systems (LTSs) localized in a southern Italian province. Such an analysis allows for the determination of the dominant rationality of each LTS, i.e. the pattern of distribution of decision-making power among its stakeholders and hence the extent to which each of them is capable of influencing local governance processes. In all four LTS, public institutions are revealed to be endowed with higher relational power than the other stakeholders. The dominant rationality of each LTS and policy implications deriving from results are discussed.

Consumer Hypnotic-Like Suggestibility: Possible Mechanism in Compulsive Purchasing

The authors hypothesize a concept, Consumer Hypnotic-Like Suggestibility (CHLS), defined as an altered state of consciousness, as a state causing a tendency to respond positively to messages aimed at inducing consumers to make unplanned purchases. This study aims to investigate the associations of CHLS with interpersonal variables and compulsive purchasing—a frequent and uncontrollable preoccupation with buying or impulses to buy. A study was conducted on a sample of 232 subjects (n = 111 men; M age = 41 yr.), through the administration of a questionnaire, which measured: CHLS, compulsive purchasing, consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (the necessity to enhance ones image in the opinion of others through the consumption of products), and consumer atmospherics, i.e., environmental stimuli known to influence purchasing decisions. Modeling and mediation analyses suggested that internal and external drivers—Consumer Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence and atmospherics—are positively related to CHLS which affects compulsive purchasing.

“Mix-and-Match” Fashion Trend and Luxury Brand Recognition: An Empirical Test Using Eye-tracking

Abstract The paper explores the “mix-and-match” consumption trend and the brand recognition of luxury fashion brands. Results show that consumer recognition of luxury fashion brands increases when pairing these branded products with those made by fast-fashion companies. Findings also show that luxury fashion brands are mainly recognized through accessories. Eye-tracking technology has been used to conduct the study.

Quantity Distortion Effect in Consumers’ Perception of Different Volumes and Weights of Money A Pilot Study

Consumers tend to misunderstand the physical value of cash money by adopting improper anchors for their judgments (e.g., banknote size and shape, currency denominations, etc.). In a pilot study carried out on a sample of 242 participants (n = 116 men; M age = 29.6 year, SD = 10.8), a quantity distortion effect was demonstrated by evaluating consumers’ misperceptions of different monetary quantities, either in terms of volume or weight, using banknotes of the same denomination (€50). A threshold value was found, for both volume (€876,324) and weight (€371,779), above (below) which consumers tend to overrate (underrate) monetary amounts. The theoretical and operative implications are discussed.

Le campagne di marketing politico online: una rassegna sistematica della letteratura

The authors provide a review of studies on the media currently offered by web 2.0, used in election campaigns in many countries, published from 2003 to 2017 in the following thematic journals: Comunicazione Politica, Information, Communi-cation & Society, Journal of Communication, Journal of Communication Man-agement, Journal of Political Marketing, Online Information Review, Policy and Internet, and Political Communication. Results show that digital tools like social media and microblogging platforms ensure a higher voter involvement, allowing to quickly reaching a young age audience, and to establish a two-way relationship. Conversely, web sites, blogs and forums are used primarily by adult users, have a lower level of immediacy of communication and generate a one-way relationship. Finally, Facebook and Twitter represent the most used tools in the political com-munication of the democratic countries.

Network analysis of local territorial systems in the Salento region, Italy

In the past few decades, the development of organizational theories has been followed by a growing interest in the concept of network. This study examines the level of interconnectedness and relational power of stakeholders of four Local Territorial Systems (LTSs) localized in the province of Lecce, the so-called Salento region (South Italy), as well as the dominant rationality of each LTS, in order to get significant information about the distribution of decision-making power among stakeholders. Results revealed that the observed LTSs are characterized by a systemic rationality, and hence the decision-making power is homogeneously distributed among network members. Policy implications for sustainable development are discussed, as well as limitations and avenues for future research.

Il consumo etico dei prodotti alimentari biologici: il ruolo delle norme morali

The aim of the present study is to investigate the intention to buy organic food products and, specifically, to understand moral considerations which underlie the purchase of these products in comparison with non-organic food products. The Theory of Planned Behavior (tpb, Ajzen 1991), which considers Attitudes (att) - the individual level of favorable or unfavorable propensity towards the behavior observed - Subjective Norm (sn) - the level of social pressure which people who are considered important exert on individuals - and Perceived Behavioral Control (pbc) - the individual perception of the degree of ease or difficulty required to adopt a specific behavior - has been extended to Moral Norms (mn) - personal beliefs regarding what is right or wrong (Parker, Manstead and Stradling 1995) - and to Self-Identity (si) - relatively stable characteristics that individuals attribute to themselves (Sparks and Guhtrie 1998). Results show that att, sn, mn and si have a direct influence on the intention to buy organic food products, and, furthermore, mn have an effect on moderator variables, specifically, att, sn and si.