Steven J. Greenland

Atmospherics, Attitudes and Behaviour: Modelling the Impact of Designed Space

The concept of atmospherics is discussed and redefined with service and product retailers in mind. A systematic aproach for investigating designed environment-behaviour relationships is then presented in the form of the indirect effects model. Utilizing techniques of design appraisal, measuring emotional states and service assessment, this model offers a framework for eliciting and evaluating the effects of the retail store or branch environment upon its users. To illustrate the approach and its practicality, the model is applied to the retail financial services sector, comparing the effects of modern and traditional-style bank branch designs upon customer opinions and behaviour. Preliminary analyses of over 2000 responses, from customers of eighteen different branches of five major UK banks involved in a survey, suggest that the modern styles have a more favourable impact on customers; some explanations for this outcome are offered. The direct implications of the approach and the value and use of the inf...

Evaluating the design of retail financial service environments

Purpose – Effective retail environments are crucial for customer acquisition and retention. However, the environment behaviour relationship is complex and producing the ideal design is difficult. Whilst substantial research reports the affects of specific design components, studies investigating the impact of multiple store environment stimuli upon consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviour are limited.Design/methodology/approach – The environment response model provides a conceptual framework for examining the impact of retail settings upon cognitive, affective and cognitive consumer responses. Its applicability is tested in retail banking environments. Research empirically links survey data to a design audit and reveals that more modern branch styles and features are statistically more likely to induce favourable customer reaction.Findings – Research empirically links survey data to a design audit and reveals that more modern branch styles and features are statistically more likely to induce favourab...

Rationalization and Restructuring in the Financial Services Sector

Despite developments in non‐branch financial service provision, such as telephone and home banking, the high‐street outlet will continue to be the main distribution channel. Branch network management is a highly sophisticated task which has been further complicated since the late 1980s by the increasing realization of the role that high‐street outlets can play in achieving marketing objectives. This factor, along with significant developments and changes within the industry, has resulted in a complete rationalization and restructuring of this key distribution channel. Describes the new, efficient, retail‐oriented delivery systems, compares them with Christaller′s Central Place Theory and discusses how these transformations represent a significant and continuing element of change in the urban morphology of UK towns and cities.

Cigarette brand variant portfolio strategy and the use of colour in a darkening market

Objectives To evaluate cigarette branding strategies used to segment a market with some of the toughest tobacco controls. To document brand variant and packaging portfolios and assess the role played by colour before plain packaging, as well as consider the threat that recently implemented legislation poses for tobacco manufacturers. Data sources Brand variant and packaging details were extracted from manufacturer ingredient reports, as well as a retail audit of Australian supermarkets. Details were also collected for other product categories to provide perspective on cigarette portfolios. Methods Secondary and primary data sources were analysed to evaluate variant and packaging portfolio strategy. Results In Australia, 12 leading cigarette brands supported 120 brand variants. Of these 61 had names with a specific colour and a further 26 had names with colour connotation. There were 338 corresponding packaging configurations, with most variants available in the primary cigarette distribution channel in four pack size options. Conclusions Tobacco companies microsegment Australian consumers with highly differentiated product offerings and a family branding strategy that helps ameliorate the effects of marketing restrictions. To date, tobacco controls have had little negative impact upon variant and packaging portfolios, which have continued to expand. Colour has become a key visual signifier differentiating one variant from the next, and colour names are used to extend brand lines. However, the role of colour, as a heuristic to simplify consumer decision-making processes, becomes largely redundant with plain packaging. Plain packagings impact upon manufacturers’ branding strategies is therefore likely to be significant.

Network management and the branch distribution channel

Discusses the revolution in the distribution of financial services, the main benefits of telephone banking and emphasizes the continuing importance of the branch channel. Presents a framework for understanding the different spatial scales involved in the “marketing of place” in this industry sector along with a description of the scope of network management activities. Provides considerable detail concerning recent physical transformations of branch networks, focusing specifically on the changing size, role, appearance, spatial arrangement and structure of this key distribution channel. These network adjustments have created significant savings for institutions and will continue in pursuit of optimum network morphology.

The influence of cultural values on green purchase behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of consumers’ collectivism and long-term orientation (LTO) cultural values on their purchase intention in relation to environment-friendly products. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a hypo-deductive research design. A unique conceptual model was developed by linking cultural values to key determinants of green purchase behaviour. This model was then tested using a quantitative survey of 682 shoppers in popular Vietnamese electrical appliance stores. Findings Analysis using structural equation modelling reveals that consumers with greater adherence to collectivism and LTO tend to engage in green purchase behaviour owing to their positive environmental attitudes, strong subjective norms and tolerance of inconvenience associated with eco-friendly product purchase. Gender is found to moderate the relationship between the determinants and purchase intention. Practical implications Marketers including manufacturers and policymakers must endeavour (change globally) to reduce or eliminate perceived inconvenience associated with green purchases. They should also effectively communicate messages stressing that eco-friendly product purchases are crucial for environmental protection and benefit consumer groups including family, peers and society in the long-run. Originality/value This research is the first of its kind which links consumers’ cultural values at a personal level to all the elements of the theory of planned behaviour. This research also extends current knowledge about green purchase behaviour in emerging markets by focussing on Vietnam.

Tobacco manufacturer brand strategy following plain packaging in Australia: implications for social responsibility and policy

Purpose This paper aims to inform social responsibility and social policy by describing the brand strategy of Australia’s largest tobacco manufacturer, British American Tobacco Australia (BATA), the year following the introduction of plain packaging and other regulation. Tobacco controls are a proven catalyst for reducing smoking, but manufacturers adapt swiftly seeking to minimise the impact of regulatory change. Design/methodology/approach BATA’s strategy was determined using 2012-2014 tobacco ingredient reports, recommended retail price lists and a supermarket retail audit. Findings The research identified over 70 BATA brand variants, offered in diverse packaging options, with new products and modified names appearing since 2012. In total 14 main brands are highly differentiated by price, with 45 per cent difference between the cheapest and the most expensive. Volume discounting occurs across packaging ranges, with twin packs offering best value and prices up to 10 per cent lower than those of single packs. Originality/value The research originality stems from the triangulation of three different data resources to establish brand strategy following increased regulation. The study confirms ongoing market segmentation using highly differentiated ranges, and it reveals the unintended consequences of corporate responses to regulation. Evolving variant names communicate product information and imagery previously imparted by pack design. Pricing strategies enable smokers to offset substantial excise increases through brand switching and volume buying. The research, therefore, reveals the potential for regulating these as yet unrestricted elements to enhance the impact of plain packaging and other tobacco controls, thereby further reducing the social impact of smoking.

The Semiology of Changing Brand Image

This article considers the attempted change to the image of an established brand by studying the semiotics within the brand’s historical advertising campaigns. The use of semiotics to study the interpretation of messages is discussed, and the link between interpretation of messages and advertising effectiveness in changing brand image is explored. The authors deconstruct advertisements of a brand to provide a model containing opposing dialectics that may aid managers by highlighting alternative symbolic messages contained in advertisements. Oncwe identified, these alternative symbolic messages may be used to help change brand image and influence advertising effectiveness. Although the study focuses upon a major brand of beer, this is an industry in which there are numerous small firms, and many of those have constrained marketing budgets, and thus need to make sure that their advertising is effective. Equally, entrepreneurial marketing is not to found only in the small firm, and the case study discusses a radical and imaginative brand repositioning of a well established product.

The influence of Vietnamese consumers’ altruistic values on their purchase of energy efficient appliances

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how consumers’ altruistic values influence their personal norms, environmental attitudes, subjective norms and perceived barriers, all of which in turn influence their pro-environmental behaviour (i.e. the purchase of energy efficient household appliances).,This research follows a hypothetic-deductive approach. A unique conceptual model examines the role of consumers’ altruistic values in relation to their environmentally responsible purchase behaviour. Structured questionnaires were administered to randomly selected Vietnamese consumers who visited busy electronics and appliance specialist stores, which yielded 682 usable responses.,Structural equation modelling revealed that consumers’ altruistic values tend to positively influence their personal norms, environmental attitudes, subjective norms and mitigate their perceived barriers in relation to the purchase of energy efficient appliances.,Marketers, policymakers and sustainability campaigners should develop relevant communication and education programmes that emphasise the importance of purchasing energy efficient appliances for the environment and society, arousing consumers’ sense of moral obligation and societal responsibility to purchase such products. They should also provide a convenient and easily accessible shopping environment for consumers.,This research makes an important contribution by presenting and testing a new altruistic-values-based model that seeks to understand consumers’ environmentally responsible purchase behaviour. This model could serve as a blueprint for future studies in the domain of pro-environmental behaviour, especially those in emerging markets.

The role of information communications technology in sustainable water management practice

The availability of water is a global issue which is predicted to become more pronounced in the future. As a large and relatively dry continent, Australia is presented with a series of challenges within the agriculture sector. As a result, the adoption of appropriate, efficient and effective irrigation systems is an important element for future sustainability. In various Australian growing regions, different modes and types of irrigation are utilised. However, in many cases, the preferred system has been selected based on tradition and local norms rather than on the basis of effective water management. Consequently, there is a socio-psychological element in the adoption of new or alternative systems. This study reports on a project that identifies how the introduction of technology within a variety of irrigation system types has improved water efficiency, reduced wastage and improved product adoption. In particular, the study discusses how technology has improved the use of flood and micro irrigation systems as well as more recent developments in satellite assisted irrigation. The findings of the study suggest that the enhancement of existing irrigation systems through the addition of information communications technology can overcome some traditional barriers by adding specific features that are attractive to growers.