Mateus Canniatti Ponchio

PAÍS DE ORIGEM E ETNOCENTRISMO NA AVALIAÇÃO DA IMAGEM DE MARCA GLOBAL: UM ESTUDO SOBRE O MCDONALD'S

The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of country of origin and ethnocentrism on the image of a brand known internationally – the fast food company McDonald’s – and observe if there exist differences in the evaluation of brand image based on gender, age and socio-economic class. The work begins with a contextualization, followed by a review of the main concepts applied: evaluation of a global brand, consumer ethnocentrism and country of origin effect. A survey based on a non-probabilistic sample was carried out and 275 individuals from the city of Sao Paulo filled in a questionnaire comprised of questions aimed to measure socio-demographic data and three scales, each one to measure country of origin effect, consumer ethnocentrism and brand evaluation of McDonald’s. It was verified that, although the level of ethnocentrism does not interfere in brand image, the country of origin effect is useful to discriminate respondents in relation to the positiveness of their evaluation towards the brand McDonald’s: individuals that evaluate negatively the United States as a country, tend to evaluate negatively McDonald’s as well. Young consumers, women and individuals with higher income evaluated more positively the brand under study, as well as its country of origin. It was verified a positive and linear relationship between country of origin and brand image evaluations.

Mensuração em Marketing: Estado Atual, Recomendações e Desafios

The purpose of this article is to discuss about construct measurement in Marketing by summarizing the main considerations about the subject. First, it discusses the origins of the debates about the theme since the 1970s and describes its main consolidated models (the classical Churchill’s model, the COARSE model and the formative measurement model). Then it presents current concerns about the classical approach with relevant recommendations (particularly regarding multi-item measurement, single-item measurement, rating scales and cross-cultural aspects). At the end, it presents considerations about measurement trends in Marketing with emphasis on the Item Response Theory (IRT), Bayesian estimators and Partial Least Squares (PLS). The article updates the debate on the theme and contributes to Marketing experts and researchers who demand a current view about measurement and recommendations for research development.

Understanding the vulnerability of blind consumers: adaptation in the marketplace, personal traits and coping strategies

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to examine the vulnerability perceived by blind consumers in the marketplace. By analysing the narratives of 16 people that have acquired blindness, we develop an understanding of the internal and external factors that affect their degree of vulnerability and identify their coping strategies. Data analysis consisted of content interpretation and a search for the meaning of the particular experiences, events and states reported by the respondents. Results show how emotional well-being, consumption-facilitating social support, acceptance, autonomy and perceptions about marketplace difficulties all relate to coping mechanisms.

Development of an indicator of propensity to energy commercial losses using geospatial statistical techniques and socio-economic data: the case of AES Eletropaulo

Dada a crescente importância da integracao de indicadores de marketing e operacoes para melhorar o desempenho empresarial e a disponibilidade de sofisticadas tecnicas de estatistica espacial, este trabalho desenvolve um indicador de propensao a perdas comerciais de energia. Gestao de perdas e um tema estrategico para as empresas de distribuicao de energia, em particular para a AES Eletropaulo. Nesse contexto, os objetivos deste trabalho sao: (i) apropriar modelos espaciais autorregressivos e a geographically weighted regression (GWR - regressao ponderada geograficamente) para medir a influencia cultural da vizinhanca no comportamento do cliente no ato da fraude de energia; (ii) substituir as areas de cobertura de favela por um indice regional de vulnerabilidade social; e (iii) associar a perda de energia com indicadores de satisfacao de clientes, em uma abordagem espaco-temporal. Tecnicas de regressao espacial sao revisadas, seguidas por uma discussao sobre a vulnerabilidade social e os indicadores de satisfacao do cliente. Os dados operacionais obtidos por meio de sistemas de informacao geografica da AES Eletropaulo foram combinados com dados secundarios, a fim de gerar modelos preditivos de regressao, com a perda de energia como variavel resposta. Os resultados mostram que a incorporacao de dados sociais e de mercado sobre os clientes contribuem substancialmente para explicar a perda de energia - o coeficiente de determinacao dos modelos de regressao aumentou de 17,76% para 63,29%, quando comparados o modelo mais simples e o mais complexo. Sao apresentadas sugestoes para trabalhos futuros e discutidas oportunidades para a replicacao da metodologia em contextos comparaveis.

A Gift Economy Perspective on the Cycle of Financial Vulnerability

Research on financial vulnerability has largely focused on the relationships between the economic environment, consumer financial activities and indebtedness, limiting our understanding of the role assumed by interpersonal relationships that underlie this socially embedded phenomenon. Using the common Brazilian practices of borrowing–lending amongst family and friends as the research context, we show that these practices can be viewed as a gift guided by the logic of a moral economy. Our findings show that individuals resort to the market economy to maintain a moral economy of credit which can be a blessing (when the extension of financial help to important others alleviates financial vulnerability by negotiating the marketplace) or a curse (when extension of financial help to others leads to one’s own financial constraints). This study illustrates an inverted gift giving process whereby the recipients’ own indulgence is presented as a monadic gift in accessing the dyadic gift giving relationship.

O modelo de moderação simples e seu emprego no campo da administração

The objective of this paper is to present the simple moderation model as a resource for testing research hypotheses in the field of business. The following topics are addressed: i) presentation of the simple moderation model - assumptions, conceptual and statistical diagrams, and model equations; ii) probing the moderating effect; and iii) recommendations on how to report it in scholarly articles. We hope to contribute to the field by disseminating the technique and good practices for presenting statistical analyses in academic articles.

Evaluating co-branded products: the socioeconomic strata effect

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify whether consumer evaluations of products are influenced by the presence of co-branding with a well-known reputable ingredient brand and whether differences in evaluations are related to the socioeconomic stratum of the consumer. Design/methodology/approach These questions were investigated by way of two experiments: the first, using a between-subjects approach that was carried out with 210 subjects and the second, using between- and within-subjects approaches that were carried out with 305 subjects. Findings The results show that: products produced by both little-known and well-known brands are evaluated more favourably when they are co-branded with a well-known ingredient brand; there is no evidence that the co-branding effect on product evaluation is stronger for little-known brand products than for well-known brand products; and there is weak evidence that the co-branding effect on product evaluation is stronger among subjects from lower socioeconomic strata than among subjects from the upper stratum. Research limitations/implications The theory of anchoring alone is insufficient for explaining differences in product evaluations when the co-branding strategy is adopted. It is believed that positive effects can be also interpreted by the assimilation and signalling theories. Practical implications As for the managerial implications, the authors offer insights into the impacts of using a strategic co-branding alliance on the products of little-known brands among consumers from lower and upper strata. Originality/value The study contributes to consumer behaviour literature, specifically with regard to ingredient-brand effects in co-branding strategies from the perspective of the end consumer.

From prospect to student: an analysis of the factors that influence university selection

Como consequencia da flexibilizacao das regras para a abertura de cursos e instituicoes de ensino superior no Brasil, encetadas em 1995, observou-se, nos ultimos quinze anos, um expressivo aumento no numero de vagas oferecidas por instituicoes privadas de ensino superior. Neste periodo, ainda que o numero de alunos ingressantes no ensino superior brasileiro tenha mais que triplicado, verifica-se o aumento gradativo no hiato existente entre a oferta de vagas no ensino superior e sua respectiva demanda. Tal cenario se agrava, ao considerar-se que os indices de evasao de alunos vem aumentando. Assim, frente as pressoes de diminuicao no percentual de preenchimento de vagas, faz-se relevante e necessario as instituicoes privadas de ensino superior que se identifiquem estrategias mercadologicas adequadas as necessidades de manutencao ou expansao de sua atividade educacional. Nesse contexto, mediante estudo quantitativo e com base em amostra de 226 formandos do ensino medio na cidade de Piracicaba (SP), o objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os perfis sociodemograficos dos potenciais estudantes universitarios da regiao, bem como os atributos em torno dos quais a escolha por uma instituicao de ensino superior se organiza. Constatou-se que o perfil de alunos com intencao de ingressar em cursos superiores e composto por alunos da rede particular do ensino medio, com idade em torno de 17 anos, do sexo masculino, brancos e que nao trabalham. A partir dos dados coletados, sugere-se que as ofertas e comunicacoes universitarias efetivas devem ser aquelas que contemplem, alem da qualidade do ensino, as expectativas de seus prospects em termos de localizacao, viabilidade financeira, vida social, infraestrutura, tecnologia, atributos dos campi e reputacao da instituicao. Palavras-chave: marketing educacional, ensino superior, comportamento do consumidor, avaliacao de alternativas.

Análise dos fatores de resistência na implantação de sistemas de informação na manufatura de eletrônicos

O objetivo desta pesquisa e analisar fatores de resistencia a implantacao de sistemas de informacao (SIs) apresentados por uma amostra de funcionarios de producao de uma empresa de manufatura de eletronicos localizada na regiao de Campinas (SP). O estudo, de carater descritivo-exploratorio, traz contribuicoes de natureza substantiva, na medida em que o exame das relacoes entre fatores de resistencia e caracteristicas da firma em um contexto especifico dao suporte a propostas de abordagens que possam diminuir a resistencia dos funcionarios a implantacao de novos SIs. As conclusoes da pesquisa revelam que um conjunto de fatores, tais como o gerenciamento das expectativas dos funcionarios e das percepcoes de redistribuicao de poder, estao positivamente relacionados a resistencia para sua aceitacao. Por fim, sao efetuadas recomendacoes para futuros estudos.

Exploring the materialism construct in the context of low-income consumers in the city of Sao Paulo

No Brasil, o estudo do materialismo, tal como entendido por Belk (1985) ou por Richins e Dawson (1992), tem sido negligenciado, a despeito de sua centralidade na literatura de comportamento do consumidor. Neste artigo, parte-se das duas principais escalas disponiveis para mensuracao desse construto e testa-se sua aplicabilidade no contexto de consumidores de baixa renda do Municipio de Sao Paulo. Comparacoes baseadas em amostras- piloto mostram que a escala de Richins (2004) adapta-se melhor ao publico-alvo do estudo. Na seq�encia, testes das relacoes entre materialismo e variaveis sociodemograficas, com base em uma amostra domiciliar probabilistica de 450 individuos de baixa renda, moradores em distritos pobres do Municipio de Sao Paulo, revelam resultados coerentes com estudos anteriores sobre a diferenca entre os contextos socioeconomico, demografico e cultural. Em conclusao, sugere-se a investigacao do materialismo em outros segmentos sociais brasileiros e recomenda-se a realizacao de estudos interculturais.