Stefan Ivens

Effects of customer-based corporate reputation on perceived risk and relational outcomes: empirical evidence from gender moderation in fashion retailing

Purpose Given the strategic importance of firm reputation because of its potential for value creation, extant reputation research focuses on favorable customer outcomes. This study proposes and tests a model that relates the customer-based corporate reputation (CBR) of fashion retailers to customer-perceived risk and two relational outcomes – trust and commitment. In addition, this study aims to test whether or not the hypothesized paths are equally strong for male and female shoppers. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected through an online survey approach. Using a sample of more than 300 retail customers and structural equation modeling, the authors tested the hypotheses. Findings Drawing on previous research, the commitment–trust theory of relationship marketing and signaling theory, the authors find support for direct and indirect links between retailers’ reputation and relational outcomes, the intervening role of perceived risk and the partially moderational role of gender. Practical implications The findings of this research suggest that a retailer’s positive reputation can reduce customers’ risk and engender trust, which in turn promotes customer commitment. Originality/value A growing number of examples suggests that retailers (specially fashion retailers) need to manage their reputation, which can come under threat in myriad ways, and its outcomes. However, so far, no individual study empirically investigated any of these reputation outcomes simultaneously or considered gender differences. Thus, the authors address an important research gap by examining the mechanism through which CBR affects relevant customer outcomes and by considering contextual factors.

Zusammenfassung, Implikationen und Ausblick

Soziale Medien haben die Art und Weise, wie Menschen kommunizieren, zusammenarbeiten und Inhalte konsumieren, fundamental verandert (Aral et al., 2013). Dadurch, dass Soziale Medien einen Einblick in die Interessen und Verhaltensweisen einzelner Individuen erlauben, konnen z. B. Kunden gezielter umworben werden als bisher. Diese Tatsache wirkt sich jedoch nicht nur auf die Stakeholdergruppe der Kunden aus, sondern gilt gleichermasen fur die Gruppe der Bewerber. Indem der Autor direkt zu Beginn dieser Arbeit Fragen und Probleme aufwirft und aufdeckt (Abschnitt 1.1), wie etwa, dass sich durch Soziale Medien sowohl die Transparenz als auch die Reichweite von reputationsbeeinflussendem Verhalten vergrosert hat (Kietzmann et al., 2011; Schaarschmidt et al., 2011), leitet er daraus die Motivation zu dieser Arbeit ab (Abschnitt 1.2).

Studie 4 – Mitarbeiterrekrutierung in Sozialen Medien

Social Media hat die Art und Weise masgeblich verandert, wie Kunden, Wettbewerber, Mitarbeiter und Jobsuchende ihre Reputationswahrnehmung von einem Unternehmen erleben, d. h. wie sie ihre bewertenden Einschatzungen in Bezug auf die Produkte, Dienstleistungen und das Verhalten des Unternehmens treffen (Walsh et al., 2009a; Weinberg et al., 2013). In der Zeit vor Social Media konnten Unternehmen steuern, welche Informationen ihre Stakeholder erhielten. Beispielsweise konnte uber die Unternehmenswebseite oder gezielte Pressemitteilungen ein vordefiniertes Image vermittelt werden. Durch Social Media gelangen mehr und vor allem vermehrt unterschiedliche Meinungen, Erfahrungen und Unternehmenseinschatzungen an die breite Offentlichkeit.

Studie 2 – Beeinflusst Reputation das Verhalten von Mitarbeitern?

Die Forschung im Bereich der Unternehmensreputation zeigt, dass Reputation zu den wertvollsten Vermogenswerten gehort, die ein Unternehmen besitzt, weil es den potenziellen Kunden Vertrauen signalisiert (siehe Kapitel 3) und die Mundpropaganda des Kunden beeinflusst. Auserdem wirkt sich die Unternehmensreputation grundsatzlich positiv auf Kundenzufriedenheit und -loyalitat aus und ermoglicht ein unterstutzendes Kundenverhalten (Bartikowski & Walsh, 2011; Fombrun, 1996; Roberts & Dowling, 2002). Doch wahrend sich ein Grosteil der Unternehmensforschung auf die Reputation im Bereich der Kunden konzentriert (z. B. Bartikowski et al., 2011; Walsh & Beatty, 2007; Walsh et al., 2009a), finden Mitarbeiter und deren Verhalten eher weniger wissenschaftliche Beachtung (siehe Kapitel 3).

Assessing the effects of multichannel service provider corporate reputation on customer new product adoption and RFM value

Service providers leverage their corporate reputation management efforts to increase revenues by shaping customer attitudes and behaviours, yet the effects on customer innovation adoption and customer value remain unclear. In an extended conceptualisation of customer-based corporate reputation (CBR), the purpose of this paper is to propose that customer perceived risk, perceived value, and service separation are contingencies of the relationship between CBR and two key customer outcomes: customer new product adoption proneness (CPA) and recency-frequency-monetary (RFM) value.,Using a predictive survey approach, 1,001 service customers assess the online or offline operations of six multichannel retailers. The hypothesised model is tested using structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis.,The analysis reveals significant linkages of CBR with perceived risk and perceived value, as well as between perceived risk and perceived value and from perceived value to CPA and RFM value. These linkages vary in strength across unseparated (offline) and separated (online) services.,This study uses cross-sectional data to contribute to literature that relates CBR to relevant customer outcomes by considering CPA and RFM value and investigating contingent factors. It provides conceptual and empirical evidence that price appropriateness represents a new CBR dimension.,The results reveal that CBR reduces customers’ perceived risk and positively affects their perceived value, which drives CPA and RFM value. Multichannel retailers can create rewarding customer relationships by building and nurturing good reputations.,This study is the first to link CBR with customer product adoption proneness and value, two important customer measures. It proposes and tests an extended conceptualisation of CBR.

Does Reputable Employee Behaviour in Social Networks Affect Customers' Trust and Word of Mouth? An Experimental Study

Firms must create, maintain and manage their corporate reputation to stay competitive. With the rise of social media and social network applications this management includes upholding the reputation online. Employees especially can harm companies’ reputation with thoughtless behaviour in social networks because their behaviour might be attributed to the firm’s products and services. This study investigates how employees’ behaviour in social networks affects customer outcome variables of corporate reputation such as trust and word of mouth. The study extends prior reputation research that centred on offline contexts and investigates reputation-related online behaviour of employees. The authors use an experimental design and surveyed 199 customers. The results indicate that employees’ reputable behaviour in social networks positively affect trust and word of mouth. Additionally, the authors find support for a mediating effect of customer-based corporate reputation. The findings contribute to corporate reputation research by enhancing our understanding of the effect of employee behaviour in social networks.