Sheau-Fen Yap

Corporate branding, emotional attachment and brand loyalty: the case of luxury fashion branding

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to develop and empirically test a theoretical framework that captures the impact of corporate branding on customer emotional attachment and brand loyalty in the luxury fashion market.Design/methodology/approach – Cross‐sectional data were collected from 282 customers who purchased luxury brands. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses of the framework developed for the study.Findings – Findings found limited effect of corporate branding on customer emotional attachment and brand loyalty. Among the six corporate branding dimensions examined, only corporate association, functional benefits, and symbolic benefits were found to have a significant impact on emotional attachment. Further, the impact of corporate branding on brand loyalty was only evident through functional benefits and corporate associations.Practical implications – This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that corporate branding efforts have a role, thought limited...

Network externalities and the perception of innovation characteristics: mobile banking

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between the sub-components of network externalities (NE), investigates the mediating role of the perception of innovation characteristics and explores the potential moderating effects of technology anxiety within an integrative framework using the theories of diffusion of innovation (DOI) and NE on the behavioural intention of mobile banking services. NE theory explains the impact of an increase in number of users and complementary services on perceived value of product innovation. Design/methodology/approach – This study clarifies the relationship between the sub-components of NE, investigates the mediating role of the perception of innovation characteristics and explores the potential moderating effects of technology anxiety within an integrative framework using the theories of DOI and NE on the behavioural intention of mobile banking services. NE theory explains the impact of an increase in number of users and complementary services on ...

Consumer attitudes toward dietary supplements consumption

Purpose – Drawing on a socio-cognitive model, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the aim of this paper is to investigate whether the effects of social cognition on intention to consume dietary supplements moderate by health motivation. Design/methodology/approach – This study was carried out using a cross-sectional survey approach. Subjects comprised 438 undergraduate students from six universities in Malaysia. Findings – Given strong support for the extended TPBs application to dietary supplements consumption provided by the study, it seems feasible that desirable changes in attitude, social norms, and perceptions of control might lead to corresponding changes in behavioural intention. The empirical findings, which are based on multi-group analysis, show that the strength of the relationships between informational influence, consumer attitude, and their intention to consume dietary supplements are strongly influenced by health motivation. Practical implications – This research sets the ground for st...

Integrating functional, social, and psychological determinants to explain online social networking usage

People involved in business are increasingly aware of the online social phenomenon and its potential as a marketing tool. Building upon the marketing, social psychology, and information system literature, this study empirically examines a set of functional determinants derived from the technology acceptance model and socio-psychological determinants drawn from the theory of reasoned action and social cognitive theory that may be responsible for the motivations of participants in online social networks. We propose a model by integrating functional, social, and psychological factors in predicting attitude and online social network usage. The survey outcomes from a cross-sectional study among 387 Facebook users in Malaysia support the hypothesised model. This study contributes by extending the cognitive learning theories in predicting online social networking usage. Particularly, this research presents a different perspective on online social networking by exploring the mediating effect of attitude and the moderating role of individual characteristics. This study demonstrates that desirable changes in the perception of functional benefits, self-efficacy, and need for cognition as well as perceptions of social pressure from significant others might lead to corresponding changes in attitude towards online social networking. Results of the study support the model efficacy and predictive ability of the proposed integrative model which may serve as a theoretical foundation for future researchers interested in examining other virtual community engagements such as blogging, online advertising, and online public relations activities.

The Commoditization of Luxury

Today, the term luxury has become ubiquitous. To attain aspirational attributes, products not traditionally perceived as luxurious are associating themselves with luxury, which confuses its meaning. The term is also lost when luxury brand managers are pressured between choosing to increase sales by reaching a wider range of customers where they lose sight of luxury’s unique values and opting to guard their brands by adhering to its exclusivity and selectivity. This article explores the pitfalls that luxury companies face in today’s competitive luxury market and how counteracting strategies may lead to the commoditisation of luxury brands. These may result in the loss of luxury brands’ positioning and differentiation in the market. Recommendations to luxury goods companies are offered, presenting different tactics to avoid negative consequences of luxury brand commoditisation and methods to manoeuvre well in business environments where industries are inevitably turning brands into commodities.

Consumer Dissonance in the Context of Online Consumer Behavior: A Review and Research Agenda

In this article, researchers discuss the concept of cognitive dissonance in the context of online consumer behavior. There is a substantive discourse on cognitive dissonance in different disciplines such as psychology and sociology. In the marketing discipline, scholars have examined cognitive dissonance when consumers engage with the traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. However, peoples understanding of cognitive dissonance in the case of online shopping behavior is very limited. The researchers review the extant marketing literature to identify the key trends in the research on cognitive dissonance and suggest an agenda for further research to understand consumer dissonance in the online context.

Marketing to Healthy Lifestyle Consumers: An Analysis of Demographic and Social Cognitive Factors

Individuals who adopt a healthy lifestyle are excellent customers for health-related offerings. The present study represents the first attempt to examine group differences between ”high active” and ”low active” exercisers in demographic and social cognitive characteristics which aims to provide useful insights to marketers in segmenting markets, targeting promotions, and positioning products and services. Cross-sectional data was collected via self-administered surveys from general adults sample (n=512) in Malaysia. Prior to data analysis, measurement scale was validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Significant differences were found between the two exercise groups in age, occupation and all the social cognitive factors studied. The ”low active” group had less favourable instrumental and affective attitude, were less subject to social pressure, and felt less perceived control and self-efficacy over exercising compared to ”high active” exercisers. The discriminant analysis reported perceived self-efficacy to be the most important factor in discriminating between the two groups.

The anatomy of the inconspicuous luxury fashion experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the following questions: how do consumers construct meaning around their inconspicuous luxury fashion experiences? What desires do inconspicuous consumers strive to fulfill? What sentiments do they associate with their inconspicuous luxury fashion consumption? Design/methodology/approach This exploratory research begins with a netnographic study of 11 online luxury blogs followed by in-depth interviews and home observations of ten luxury consumers with inconspicuous preferences in Dubai. Findings Inconspicuous choices are not simply for associative or dissociative motivations but several symbolic consumption schemas come into play. A typology of inconspicuous luxury fashion consumers has emerged: fashion influencers, trendsetters, fashion followers, and luxe conservatives. Practical implications The findings have potential to yield important managerial implications for fashion retailers and brand communications. The typology of inconspicuous consumers provides a basis for developing a more targeted relationship marketing program for luxury fashion brands. Originality/value This research advances luxury knowledge in fashion and consumer behavior research by unveiling how consumers construct meanings around their inconspicuous consumption. The typology developed in this study marks the starting point for further extensions to explore the complexities of inconspicuous luxury consumers, which are grounded in the roles they take on in society, how they plan their luxury consumption journey and how they eventually use these possessions for self-identification and communication to others.

Consumer Emotional Responses to Emotional Appeal Advertising Within an Online Social Network Context

Online social networking sites are the newest media used by advertising and they play a critical role in helping companies to communicate with online communities. This study demonstrates that emotional responses to advertising cannot be ignored; rather, they warrant a company’s full attention. The different emotional responses of followers provide an opportunity for companies to understand and address the followers’ issues. In addition, emotional responses produce different behavioral impacts.

Comparing theories to explain exercise behaviour: a socio-cognitive approach

Consumer education plays an important role in cultivating the beliefs that exercise helps to improve ones health status. In this vein, a solid theoretical model that provides insight into what motivates exercise participation is essential for managerial formulation of health intervention strategies. Addressing the calls for more solid theoretical work to explain exercise behaviour, this study tests and compares empirically the predictive validity of three social cognitive theories – the theory of reasoned action, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the modified TPB (with an additional path from subjective norms to attitude) – in predicting exercise intention. Cross-sectional data were collected via self-administered surveys from a sample of adults in Malaysia. All three alternative models have achieved acceptable model fit to the data, and the TPB appeared to be more superior to the alternative models. Given strong support for the second-order TPBs application to exercise that is provided by our study, it seems feasible that desirable modifications in social cognitions especially the attitudinal components might lead to corresponding changes in the subjects’ exercise intention. This study sets the ground for health professional, social marketers and government to improve their understanding of exercise behaviour and, in turn, consumer welfare.