Maria Sääksjärvi

Consumer adoption of technological innovations

This paper introduces a conceptual model of consumer innovation adoption based on knowledge and compatibility. More specifically, innovation adoption is proposed to be determined by four adopter groups: technovators, supplemental experts, novices, and core experts, and the interaction between their knowledge and compatibility with the technological innovation. Compatibility occurs when a potential adopter perceives the innovation as being consistent with his/her existing values, past experiences, and needs. The model presented is intended to help researchers and practitioners successfully identify potential adopters of a technological innovation.

Management Practices in Solution Sales—A Multilevel and Cross-Functional Framework

Business-to-business sales has changed from being an isolated function with little cross-functional influence to becoming an integrated part of long-term customer management and from an operational practice to a strategically focused part of business strategy. This suggests a need to change the unit of analysis from the activities and attributes of the salesperson toward strategic and managerial practices. This research, involving nine multinationally operating firms, identifies management practices pertinent to solution sales, develops a multilevel and cross-functional framework for the management of solution sales, and shows that managerial and strategic practices have statistically significant hierarchical relationships with overall sales performance.

Extending the Implicit Association Test (IAT): Assessing Consumer Attitudes Based on Multi-Dimensional Implicit Associations

Background The authors present a procedural extension of the popular Implicit Association Test (IAT; [1]) that allows for indirect measurement of attitudes on multiple dimensions (e.g., safe–unsafe; young–old; innovative–conventional, etc.) rather than on a single evaluative dimension only (e.g., good–bad). Methodology/Principal Findings In two within-subjects studies, attitudes toward three automobile brands were measured on six attribute dimensions. Emphasis was placed on evaluating the methodological appropriateness of the new procedure, providing strong evidence for its reliability, validity, and sensitivity. Conclusions/Significance This new procedure yields detailed information on the multifaceted nature of brand associations that can add up to a more abstract overall attitude. Just as the IAT, its multi-dimensional extension/application (dubbed md-IAT) is suited for reliably measuring attitudes consumers may not be consciously aware of, able to express, or willing to share with the researcher [2], [3].

Consumer perceived risk in successive product generations

Purpose – The study examines the consumer perceived performance risk in successive product generations.Design/methodology/approach – The results are based on ten focus group interviews. We divide risk into two different levels based on its criticality (attribute and functionality) to be able to assess more than its mere presence in an innovation.Findings – The study shows performance risk to differ between generations representing different innovation levels, and that this risk is moderated by whether the consumer has usage experience of the original innovation. The results show that the risk consumers perceive is more critical in a modified successor than in an original innovation provided that consumers have usage experience of the latter one.Practical implications – This study has implications for companies aiming at reducing consumer perceived risk in innovative product launches.Originality/value – Perceived risk is an important construct in innovation adoption research. Although it has been used to m...

Young compulsive buyers and the emotional roller‐coaster in shopping

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the emotions young compulsive buyers experience while shopping.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a digital ethnography study by communicating with 22 young compulsive buyers for two weeks using their cell phones while they were engaged in the shopping activity.Findings – The results show that the emotions experienced by compulsive buyers are much more complex than previously thought. The emotions young consumers go through during the shopping process are not predominantly negative or positive. Instead, young consumers move up and down on an emotional continuum during shopping. The trigger involved with the emotions is linked to finding a bargain. A bargain is defined as a good deal, or a situation in which the consumers perceive they get mental satisfaction from their purchase. If young compulsive shoppers find a bargain, they feel pride, happiness, and goal achievement. However, if they do not manage to find a bargain, they feel disappoi...

The development of a scale to measure consumer doubt toward new products

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for measuring consumer doubt toward new products.Design/methodology/approach – The scale was developed in several steps. A large pool of items to represent consumer doubt was generated. Experts reviewed the scale items for conciseness and clarity. An exploratory factor analysis to examine the unidimensionality, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of each construct was conducted. The model was then validated using partial least squares modeling. Finally, the scale and its form were validated, and potential response biases assessed. Data from three studies were used.Findings – The results show that by focusing on reasons for deference, rather than acceptance, the scale yields new insight into innovation success and failure. The CDNP scale is a reliable and valid measurement instrument to assess consumer doubt toward new products.Research limitations/implications – For researchers, the results show that only considering positive aspects on ...

Love at First Sight or a Long-Term Affair?: Different Relationship Levels as Predictors of Customer Commitment

Abstract Relationship marketing has increased in importance during the past decades. We suggest that different types of relationships exist, and propose a relationship continuum, in which the customer advances from having a relationship with a product to having one with the firm, leading to commitment towards the firm. By targeting the right type of customers, relationship strategies become enhanced, and firms can recognize the motivations customers have for engaging in a relationship with them. Maybe it is just love at first sight with a product, or a lifetime commitment towards a firm.

The CURE scale: a multidimensional measure of service recovery strategy

Purpose – This paper aims to address the gaps in service recovery strategy assessment. An effective service recovery strategy that prevents customer defection after a service failure is a powerful managerial instrument. The literature to date does not present a comprehensive assessment of service recovery strategy. It also lacks a clear picture of the service recovery actions at managers’ disposal in case of failure and the effectiveness of individual strategies on customer outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Based on service recovery theory, this paper proposes a formative index of service recovery strategy and empirically validates this measure using partial least-squares path modelling with survey data from 437 complainants in the telecommunications industry in Egypt. Findings – The CURE scale (CUstomer REcovery scale) presents evidence of reliability as well as convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. Findings also reveal that problem-solving, speed of response, effort, facilitation and ...

Inspiration and Fixation: The Influences of Example Designs and System Properties in Idea Generation

When tackling problems, designers might be inspired by different sources, whether concrete or abstract. The more concrete sources often comprise representations of potential solutions or examples of existing designs. The more abstract sources often represent the desirable properties of engineered systems, such as modular system architectures. We performed an experiment with 60 novice designers to compare the inspiration effects from these two types of stimuli. Participants were asked to solve a design problem, having been exposed to a concrete example design, an abstract system property, both, or no stimulus at all. Their design work was assessed according to four metrics: fluency, diversity, commonness, and conformity. Exposure to either the example design or the system property reduced the fluency and diversity of ideas, and exposure to both stimuli reduced these measures even further. While there was no difference in the inspiration effects from the example and the property in terms of fluency, diversity, and commonness; results for conformity showed that each stimulus constrained participants differently: encouraging ideas similar to one type of stimulus, while discouraging ideas similar to the other type. In combination with other work on inspiration and fixation, these findings can help shape how design is taught and how inspiration tools are developed.

Development of a scale measuring childlike anthropomorphism in products

Abstract In this paper, the measurement of childlike anthropomorphism in products is investigated. A measurement scale to capture childlike anthropomorphism in products is introduced, and three studies are reported to support the validity of the scale. Scale development procedures suggest that childlike characteristics comprise four dimensions: sweetness, simplicity, sympathy, and smallness, measured on a 23-item scale. The results show that consumers react positively to childlike anthropomorphic characteristics in products. Across samples, men perceived such characteristics to be more sympathetic than women did. These findings suggest that childlike anthropomorphic characteristics are liked by consumers but that their appeal is based on different factors for men and women.