Gian Marzocchi

ABSTRACT Individuals acquire information in an attribute- or alternative-based way depending on the construal level of the choice situation. This research contributes to the literature by showing that different information acquisition strategies can emerge not only as a function of the psychological distance from the object of evaluation but also through situational cues unrelated to the evaluation task, such as a visual priming. Furthermore, results show that which pattern of information acquisition is adopted in turn affects individual choices. While the literature has already found a direct effect of construal levels on choices, the present analysis supports the existence also of an indirect effect, mediated by the information acquisition pattern. Consequently, managers can implement simple tools, such as visual stimuli alongside the presentation of product-related information, to display information consistently with individuals’ construal levels, bearing in mind that the way consumers acquire information is a predictor of their choices.

What conceptual organization underlies evaluative judgments in the mind of consumers? Drawing from the theory of cognitive schemata and from means-end theory, here we show that customer evaluations can be represented as a set of self-relevant, interconnected and hierarchically organized elements. Elements of the hierarchy are components of a satisfactory service experience that range from concrete service attributes (such as

We develop a theory of personal, relational, and collective identities that links organizations and consumers. Four targets of identity are studied: small friendship groups of aficionados of Ducati motorcycles, virtual communities centered on Ducatis, the Ducati brand, and Ducati the company. The interplay amongst the identities is shown to order affective, cognitive, and evaluative reactions toward each target. Hypotheses are tested on a sample of 210 Ducati aficionados, and implications of these multiple, extended identities for organizations are examined.

ABSTRACT Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the relative emphasis accorded by members of a brand community to identification with that community and identification with the brand-owner, and thereby close a gap in the literature to date. Design/methodology/approach ‐ Based on a review of the literature relating to identification, loyalty, and potentially mediating brand-related constructs, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was carried out at a brandfest organised by a major European motorcycle manufacturer. Data collected from 256 respondents were analysed by structural equation modelling, testing seven hypothesised causal links. Findings ‐ Brand loyalty is primarily influenced by identification with the brand community, through the mediating role of brand affect. Research limitations/implications ‐ The findings require confirmation in other settings and industry sectors before they can be generalised with confidence, but point to several fruitful research directions. Practical implications ‐ Brand strategists have new evidence to guide allocation of effort and resources to the effective cultivation and maintenance of brand loyalty. Originality/value ‐ The study makes an original contribution, in a real-world setting, to the understanding of how members of a brand community relate to the brand, and of how their brand loyalty is activated.

Resource-based view research plays a prominent role in strategic management studies. In this paper we investigate the relativistic interpretation of the ''scarcity'' concept, the appropriability of complementary resources, the measurability of the contribution that a specific resource brings to the overall value of the firm. The theoretical issues have been made context specific trying to show (a) how a not-scarce

ABSTRACT Consumers can be provided with information in either an attribute- or an alternative-based way. We consider the literature on information presentation through the theoretical lenses of the Construal Level Theory. We propose and find that providing product-related information in an attribute- rather than an alternative-based way shifts choices. The attribute-based pattern leads to high construal levels and choices driven by desirability-related, high-level attributes (e.g., design). But when the same information is acquired following the alternative-based pattern, it leads to low construal levels and choices driven by feasibility-related, low-level attributes (e.g., price). As a consequence, choice shares for products whose strength lies in convenience and other feasibility-related features are boosted by the presentation of alternative-based information. Conversely, choice shares for products whose strength lies in design and other desirability-related features are increased by the presentation of attribute-based information. We further find that consumers acquiring information in an alternative-based way envision consumption much closer in the future than those acquiring information in an attribute-based way. Finally, we find that attribute-based information leads to more clicking.