In the last decade, e-commerce became popular all over the world. The recent widespread of smartp... more In the last decade, e-commerce became popular all over the world. The recent widespread of smartphones transformed a significant part of e-commerce in mobile commerce. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to find out which factors affect consumers intention of using m-commerce through the exploration of a conceptual model to analyze customers’ perceptions of using mobile commerce services for online shopping. This paper aims at anticipating consumer behavior, and providing implications for designers, managers, marketers, and operators related to mobile commerce (m-commerce). In order to test a conceptual model, an empirical investigation with a sample of 183 young Portuguese participants was carried out. It was used a structural equation model (SEM) in order to test the relationships of the model. The results reveal that anxiety, which is an affective obstacle against using new technology, is a key negative predictor of a customer’s intentions to use mobile devices for e-commerce. . ...
ABSTRACT Research has yet to explore the spread of chatbots into the foodservice delivery sector ... more ABSTRACT Research has yet to explore the spread of chatbots into the foodservice delivery sector and its impact on the customer’s experience, especially in a moment when the Internet seems to be the tool to meet needs associated with being physically apart. In order to fill this gap, the present study addresses the implications that chatbots’ interaction styles have for younger consumers using this channel for conversational online food delivery (OFD) services. Specifically, this study provides theoretical and practical insights into whether the conversational design of chatbots can influence social, affective, and behavioral intent outcomes. The study adopts an experimental design to investigate the effects of a social- versus task-oriented interaction style chatbot on the level of social presence and trust (social outcomes), perceived enjoyment (affective outcome), and intention to use the conversational OFD service in the future (behavioral intent outcome). Findings from a sample of 171 participants show that the interaction with the chatbot set up with a social-oriented interaction style increased users’ perception of social presence and perceived enjoyment, while it did not have any direct and significant effect on trust and intention to use. The study further supports the role of social presence, trust, and perceived enjoyment as mediators between the chatbot’s interaction style and the intention to use the conversational OFD service.
Abstract Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppe... more Abstract Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppers are reluctant to purchase a garment online. Despite the importance of identifying possible compensatory cues for touch information, a lack of attention to this issue has been recognized in the literature. On this premise, this study addresses this research agenda to explain the mechanism by which information presentation influences customers' cognitive evaluations and behavioral responses and the role of individual differences in terms of need for touch (NFT). Specifically, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) paradigm, the study hypothesizes a model investigating whether verbal and pictorial information presentation affect haptic imagery, which in turn is supposed to influence behavioral responses (purchase intention), through a customer's cognitive evaluation (perceived product quality). To validate the research framework, a task-based online experiment was performed. Participants were requested to simulate a purchase experience on an online apparel retailer, after which they completed a questionnaire; 264 valid responses were received. The results support verbal haptic rather than pictorial information as a mechanism influencing haptic imagery and consequently behavioral responses. With regard to NFT, however, the expected moderating effect between haptic imagery, perceived product quality, and purchase intention was not supported.
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 2020
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are usi... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are using the multiple available channels to increase the number of touchpoints with clients by evaluating the use of multichannel and omnichannel strategies.Design/methodology/approachTo determine the differences between fashion and apparel brands in terms of marketing channel used, a multiple case study approach was selected based on a sample of nine well-known and successful fashion brands from three different price segments. The research was carried out by analysing the online and mobile presence of the brands, company reports, news, magazines, and other types of articles.FindingsThe results illustrate that fashion brands tend to act in the same way and have only slight differences concerning the number of channels and features available to clients despite the price segment they belong. The findings indicate that the brands under study have good channel integration, order tracking, on-line ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend prior research on the influence of consumer-cause i... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend prior research on the influence of consumer-cause identification on the intention to purchase products from the companies supporting the cause and re-evaluates the role of attitude toward the cause as a mediator of the relationship between identification and intention to purchase.Design/methodology/approachUsing a questionnaire, a sample of 156 Portuguese consumers evaluated their personal identification and attitude to one of four causes. Partial least squares path modeling was used to evaluate the proposed conceptual model.FindingsThe results reveal that more than identification, a positive attitude is vital to be able to predict the intention to purchase. Together, consumer-cause identification and attitude explain 35.1 percent of the variance in purchase intention. The findings show also that attitude acts as a mediator in the relationship between the identification with the cause and intention to purchase. Several differences regard...
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 2017
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of textual haptic information to mi... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of textual haptic information to minimize the effects of need for touch (NFT) in global online environments by testing the effect of hands on description on consumer perception and intention to purchase.Design/methodology/approachThe study was developed in three stages. A total of 140 valid responses were obtained in stage three. Multiple linear regression models and paired-samples t-test were applied to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that textual haptic information has a positive impact on consumers’ perception and on the intention to purchasing.Practical implicationsTo improve online sales firms should minimize the drawback of the inability of touching the product by providing textual haptic information.Originality/valueThe findings are especially valuable since the number of studies assessing NFT in online apparel commerce is currently very limited. Thus, this study adds new empirical evidences to existen...
ABSTRACT This chapter is part of a research project examining the role of culture and culture dif... more ABSTRACT This chapter is part of a research project examining the role of culture and culture differences in foreign partnerships. We build on prior research on culture distance to explore the influence of perceptions of cultural differences on perceived relational risk. ...
... Thus, during the contact it was tried to confirm that the person really had knowledge of thes... more ... Thus, during the contact it was tried to confirm that the person really had knowledge of these issues (the relation-ship with the IJV was also asked separately at the end of the questionnaire). ... (P) Is similar in size or corporate structure P-SIMSIZE 1,50 0,89 29 Page 9. ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the development dynamics of two business networks ... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the development dynamics of two business networks initially created to promote the internationalization of its members. Wines of Brasil – a Brazilian wineries network – was established in 2002 and remains active, while Vitrocristal (VtC) – a Portuguese network of glass producers – was established in 1994 and is already closed.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 14 interviews, with network managers and representatives of companies with different sizes and participation times. Information obtained was compared with the life cycle model of Wegner et al. (2015) and enabled the authors to understand the dynamic development of each network and its current stage in the life cycle.FindingsThe results allowed the authors to describe the development pattern of both business networks, showing that the Brazilian network is in the consolidation stage while the Portuguese one finished its activities in 2007 after a period of financial...
In the last decade, e-commerce became popular all over the world. The recent widespread of smartp... more In the last decade, e-commerce became popular all over the world. The recent widespread of smartphones transformed a significant part of e-commerce in mobile commerce. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to find out which factors affect consumers intention of using m-commerce through the exploration of a conceptual model to analyze customers’ perceptions of using mobile commerce services for online shopping. This paper aims at anticipating consumer behavior, and providing implications for designers, managers, marketers, and operators related to mobile commerce (m-commerce). In order to test a conceptual model, an empirical investigation with a sample of 183 young Portuguese participants was carried out. It was used a structural equation model (SEM) in order to test the relationships of the model. The results reveal that anxiety, which is an affective obstacle against using new technology, is a key negative predictor of a customer’s intentions to use mobile devices for e-commerce. . ...
ABSTRACT Research has yet to explore the spread of chatbots into the foodservice delivery sector ... more ABSTRACT Research has yet to explore the spread of chatbots into the foodservice delivery sector and its impact on the customer’s experience, especially in a moment when the Internet seems to be the tool to meet needs associated with being physically apart. In order to fill this gap, the present study addresses the implications that chatbots’ interaction styles have for younger consumers using this channel for conversational online food delivery (OFD) services. Specifically, this study provides theoretical and practical insights into whether the conversational design of chatbots can influence social, affective, and behavioral intent outcomes. The study adopts an experimental design to investigate the effects of a social- versus task-oriented interaction style chatbot on the level of social presence and trust (social outcomes), perceived enjoyment (affective outcome), and intention to use the conversational OFD service in the future (behavioral intent outcome). Findings from a sample of 171 participants show that the interaction with the chatbot set up with a social-oriented interaction style increased users’ perception of social presence and perceived enjoyment, while it did not have any direct and significant effect on trust and intention to use. The study further supports the role of social presence, trust, and perceived enjoyment as mediators between the chatbot’s interaction style and the intention to use the conversational OFD service.
Abstract Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppe... more Abstract Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppers are reluctant to purchase a garment online. Despite the importance of identifying possible compensatory cues for touch information, a lack of attention to this issue has been recognized in the literature. On this premise, this study addresses this research agenda to explain the mechanism by which information presentation influences customers' cognitive evaluations and behavioral responses and the role of individual differences in terms of need for touch (NFT). Specifically, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) paradigm, the study hypothesizes a model investigating whether verbal and pictorial information presentation affect haptic imagery, which in turn is supposed to influence behavioral responses (purchase intention), through a customer's cognitive evaluation (perceived product quality). To validate the research framework, a task-based online experiment was performed. Participants were requested to simulate a purchase experience on an online apparel retailer, after which they completed a questionnaire; 264 valid responses were received. The results support verbal haptic rather than pictorial information as a mechanism influencing haptic imagery and consequently behavioral responses. With regard to NFT, however, the expected moderating effect between haptic imagery, perceived product quality, and purchase intention was not supported.
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 2020
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are usi... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are using the multiple available channels to increase the number of touchpoints with clients by evaluating the use of multichannel and omnichannel strategies.Design/methodology/approachTo determine the differences between fashion and apparel brands in terms of marketing channel used, a multiple case study approach was selected based on a sample of nine well-known and successful fashion brands from three different price segments. The research was carried out by analysing the online and mobile presence of the brands, company reports, news, magazines, and other types of articles.FindingsThe results illustrate that fashion brands tend to act in the same way and have only slight differences concerning the number of channels and features available to clients despite the price segment they belong. The findings indicate that the brands under study have good channel integration, order tracking, on-line ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend prior research on the influence of consumer-cause i... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend prior research on the influence of consumer-cause identification on the intention to purchase products from the companies supporting the cause and re-evaluates the role of attitude toward the cause as a mediator of the relationship between identification and intention to purchase.Design/methodology/approachUsing a questionnaire, a sample of 156 Portuguese consumers evaluated their personal identification and attitude to one of four causes. Partial least squares path modeling was used to evaluate the proposed conceptual model.FindingsThe results reveal that more than identification, a positive attitude is vital to be able to predict the intention to purchase. Together, consumer-cause identification and attitude explain 35.1 percent of the variance in purchase intention. The findings show also that attitude acts as a mediator in the relationship between the identification with the cause and intention to purchase. Several differences regard...
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 2017
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of textual haptic information to mi... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of textual haptic information to minimize the effects of need for touch (NFT) in global online environments by testing the effect of hands on description on consumer perception and intention to purchase.Design/methodology/approachThe study was developed in three stages. A total of 140 valid responses were obtained in stage three. Multiple linear regression models and paired-samples t-test were applied to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that textual haptic information has a positive impact on consumers’ perception and on the intention to purchasing.Practical implicationsTo improve online sales firms should minimize the drawback of the inability of touching the product by providing textual haptic information.Originality/valueThe findings are especially valuable since the number of studies assessing NFT in online apparel commerce is currently very limited. Thus, this study adds new empirical evidences to existen...
ABSTRACT This chapter is part of a research project examining the role of culture and culture dif... more ABSTRACT This chapter is part of a research project examining the role of culture and culture differences in foreign partnerships. We build on prior research on culture distance to explore the influence of perceptions of cultural differences on perceived relational risk. ...
... Thus, during the contact it was tried to confirm that the person really had knowledge of thes... more ... Thus, during the contact it was tried to confirm that the person really had knowledge of these issues (the relation-ship with the IJV was also asked separately at the end of the questionnaire). ... (P) Is similar in size or corporate structure P-SIMSIZE 1,50 0,89 29 Page 9. ...
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the development dynamics of two business networks ... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the development dynamics of two business networks initially created to promote the internationalization of its members. Wines of Brasil – a Brazilian wineries network – was established in 2002 and remains active, while Vitrocristal (VtC) – a Portuguese network of glass producers – was established in 1994 and is already closed.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 14 interviews, with network managers and representatives of companies with different sizes and participation times. Information obtained was compared with the life cycle model of Wegner et al. (2015) and enabled the authors to understand the dynamic development of each network and its current stage in the life cycle.FindingsThe results allowed the authors to describe the development pattern of both business networks, showing that the Brazilian network is in the consolidation stage while the Portuguese one finished its activities in 2007 after a period of financial...
Introduction The experience portrayed in this paper on the use of electronic surveys is based on ... more Introduction The experience portrayed in this paper on the use of electronic surveys is based on a study that aimed to quantify the influence of several constructs, such as trust and risk perceptions, on the satisfaction with a specific international marketing relationship. In order to obtain the data needed, an electronic survey was conducted. The objective of this paper is to present some useful suggestions on how to plan, set up and execute an internet-based survey based on the experience obtained. Specifically, we try to highlight some suggestions to be followed and some pitfalls to be avoided in similar studies that involve, simultaneously: the use of a survey, the administration of the survey through the Internet, the difficulties associated with obtaining responses, and the administration of the survey to a sample of firms with partners from different countries. This paper aims to draw useful indications for researchers who wish to conduct international marketing research using electronic surveys. These suggestions are based on our own studies in which data on the perceptions of international companies' managers were collected via a mixed mode of surveying that combined e-mail and web-based applications. The experience was rich in problem solving and uncovered several practical details that might escape a researcher less experienced in electronic survey instruments.
Companies operating in the creative industries are struggling with the simultaneous pressure to b... more Companies operating in the creative industries are struggling with the simultaneous pressure to be innovative and creative, which requires access to unique resources (such as knowledge and creative potential), but also means they must be effective in actions taken. To find a balance between those tensions, they are using the networking approach. Therefore, it seems that networking is becoming a high priority and that being involved in networks is a crucial part of such companies' business models. Nevertheless, their competitive advantage is based on creative potential, which means that they are rooted in building and maintaining internal relations. As a result, in creative industries, relationships with internal and external stakeholders are crucial, but are strongly based on trust. Thus, the main aim of this paper is to investigate whether trust is the main factor influencing the approach to management. Moreover, we tried to understand the impact of trust on the managerial actions taken. We used the multiple case study research method to examine the role of trust in cooperation, as well as in shaping internal relations in companies operating in the creative industries. To achieve that goal, 10 companies from Poland and Portugal (5 from each country) were investigated in order to find any regularities. By analyzing the research results, it was possible to identify consistencies among the sample and present the main findings. Therefore, four approaches distinguished by the degree of trust were identified. When the level of trust is low, companies are operating within their network based on close relationships, as well as using collective participation where the team is perceived as a key success factor. On the other hand, when the level of trust is higher, companies move towards cooperative management (where the role of competitors is crucial) as well as individual participation (where an employee is engaged in the creative, as well as the decision-making, process). As a result, a theoretical model is proposed that includes the level of trust and the external and internal stakeholders' perspective. Based on our research, trust can also be added as a fourth 'T' to the '3T' (talent, tolerance and technology) concept proposed by Florida (2003).
The purpose of this study is to understand the international perception of Portugal, as well as t... more The purpose of this study is to understand the international perception of Portugal, as well as the strategies used by Portuguese companies to overcome any possible negative country-of-origin (COO) effect. The paper focuses on companies belonging to different Portuguese businesses: wine, footwear and electromechanical. Cases were chosen because of the dynamic process that was correctly put forward at different levels. The results show that Portuguese companies are interested in getting to know how to accommodate or be part of that dynamic process, as this seems to be crucial if they want to succeed in international markets. The perception of Portugal is improving, and there seems to be signs of a positive COO effect being created in some instances. Most of the achievements are due to the previous success of Portuguese businesses and businesspeople in international markets that have been able to create a positive reputation. The key to success seems to be rooted in how companies combine their unique resources with technological innovations and strategic tools, backed by public policy. This study contributes to enhance the knowledge of managers on the COO effect and its effects on companies, by presenting different levels of analysis: company, industry and country level. JEL classification: L6, M3, O52
Over the past few years, a large number of projects related to entrepreneurship ideas have appear... more Over the past few years, a large number of projects related to entrepreneurship ideas have appeared daily in the media, due to the fact that they were sold as new solutions for companies or gave origin to new companies. These projects were mainly created by individuals who were students, unemployed persons or working people and, consequently, did not have a company of their own and, in most of the cases, also did not have the means to finance their idea. In some situations, the creation of a crowdfunding project presents itself as a convenient and riskless option for funding and this is frequently the reason why some project initiators decide to launch a campaign. The assessment of each campaign depends on the expectations of the project creator, who is in the best position to decide whether it was actually successful. Untangling how a project owner can assess the performance of its project is of major importance, namely when projects are launched by individuals who ultimately carry all the tasks involved in the initiative. This is a field of research within crowdfunding that remains, to the best of our knowledge, under researched. We propose a framework for the analysis of the success of these projects and we test it on six crowdfunding projects launched in Portugal. Our goal is to shed light to the factors that can be used by project creators in the assessment of the performance of their initiatives. JEL classification: O22
This research analyzes cause-related marketing (CrM) from the perspective of companies. The study... more This research analyzes cause-related marketing (CrM) from the perspective of companies. The study aims to achieve a better understanding about what managers think about CrM by analyzing the level of acceptance and usage of this marketing tool, based on the UTAUT model. Using in-depth interviews as research method, we conclude that managers see the benefit of company partaken in initiatives as such, but not necessarily CrM. The reasons why managers choose to participate in Cause-related Marketing initiatives originate from the mix obtained through improving the firm by doing something considered socially positive. CrM was well evaluated by the participants and considered well positioned in terms of acceptance and usage, based on four factors: performance and effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Interviewees expressed excitement towards CrM and believe in it as a powerful tool to improve the firms' image and consumers feeling towards it. While the literature uses several concepts (Corporate Social Responsibility or Social Marketing), the interviewees emphasize genuine caring and showing interest, time and funds to support consumers social concerns. JEL classification: M31;
The present study attempts to understand the use of three information processing mechanisms-cogni... more The present study attempts to understand the use of three information processing mechanisms-cognitive, affective, and normative-to assess the quality of cashmere products made in Mongolia. For attaining the above aims, semi-structured interviews were conducted to test a framework that resulted from literature reviewed on country of origin (COO) effect and information processing mechanisms. Results demonstrate that for Business-to-Business (B2B) clients, the COO is an extremely relevant cue to evaluate the quality of cashmere. Conversely, most of the consumers do not seem to include the COO effect on their information processing and base their evaluation on four distinct product-related attributes: quality, brand, social status, and price. Results are relevant for the Mongolian cashmere industry, as well as for marketers interested in understanding what drives consumers of cashmere in their buying decisions. We also understand these findings to assist in improving the image of Mongolia as one of the world's best manufacturers of cashmere. JEL classification: M31, M38
Shoes are probably one of the most difficult products to sell online due to the high need-for-tou... more Shoes are probably one of the most difficult products to sell online due to the high need-for-touch (NFT) displayed: people need to experiment the product before buying it, more than in any other item. On another hand, women are more prone than men to buy fashion and apparel products through the web channel. This paper investigates the factors driving women consumers to shop footwear products online. A qualitative research method was used grounded on semi-structured, in-depth interviews that were conducted to corroborate the constructs defined in the proposed conceptual model namely: convenience, recreation, NFT and social e-shopping. The interviews were focused on the demand side to understand the female consumers' perspective and on the top managers of women's shoes companies representing the suppliers' viewpoint. The results show that women highly appreciate the convenience that shopping shoes online provides as well as its recreational nature. The NFT also stands out in the shoe market context mainly due to the particularities related to shoe size. Additionally, social e-shopping was found not be as important for women as anticipated as they see social networks more as a communication platform for brands, and less as a factor that influences their predisposition to shop shoes online. On the suppliers' side, the interviews revealed that managers believe in bloggers and social media influence and its consideration as part of the overall marketing strategy. JEL classification: M30, M31, M160;
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to understand how a company could improve public engagement ... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to understand how a company could improve public engagement on social media (SM) analysing the case of Alento, which is a human resources and consulting company located in Portugal. The company's presence on Facebook was analysed by using the honeycomb model for SM functionality, by Kietzmann et al. (2011), as a theoretical framework. Design/methodology/approach-The authors implemented some actions to change procedures on SM management. Monitoring five months of data, the authors could compare the SM engagement before and after changes on SM management. Then, a convenience sample of 205 useable questionnaires was collected. The population of the study comprised Portuguese Facebook users who liked the Alento Facebook Fan Page. An analysis of honeycomb dimensions was performed. Findings-The engagement level on Alento's SM was increased by changing procedures identified on survey. In five months, Alento's number of followers was increased by just 4.5 per cent, interactions were increased by 35 per cent, views were more than twice (+122 per cent) and fans who clicked on Alento's Facebook page's links were increased by 146 per cent. Research limitations/implications-There were also some limitations related to the sample, since the authors only obtained 205 responses. Therefore, the second suggestion for future investigations would be to conduct the survey on a larger number of people. This study just considers five months after changing procedures. A longer range of time could produce different results. Practical implications-The most relevant contribution of the current study is the offer of some insights into the use of a simple tool such as the honeycomb model of Kietzmann et al. (2011) for the analysis of the social engagement from a firm's perspective, regardless of their nature. Social implications-The importance of SM to spread good content and to reduce media costs is reinforced in this study. Originality/value-This study is innovative, as it identifies a need of change on SM management, proposes and implements new procedures, checking its results. SM marketing is a new wagon of study, and the problem of how to increase engagement on professional SM is on top priorities of the field.
The main aim of the paper is to understand how managers of creative industries (CI) decide on the... more The main aim of the paper is to understand how managers of creative industries (CI) decide on the use of ambidextrous solutions. Managerial actions of business managers of CI enable to connect the volatility and variability of the environment with the high level of creativeness that this requires. As such, it is interesting to study how these managerial actions are decided is of utmost importance, especially in a volatile and subjective environmental context as it seems to be the one of CI (Banks et al., 2000). We aim at investigating the managerial practices that enable to find the balance between the simultaneous pressure on innovativeness and the effectiveness of the actions taken. We wanted to know the way managers deal with the paradoxes that can result. We interviewed managers of 10 companies located in a second tier group of countries, where for governments, CI are apparently strategic, but where the value they add and the jobs they can create can still be improved. Results show that there are two main paradoxes in terms of managerial actions-the priority in relations (external or internal) and the approach to strategy (flexibility or planned actions). Results also show that in what concerns strategy formality and external priority in relations there are consistencies in the degree of strategy formalization. However, in what concerns the practices used in shaping the internal relations, there is no consistency identified in our sample. Our overall conclusions are that companies are more and more moving away from the traditional option of informal approach, focused inward to a more hybrid approach in which formal focus outward is also considered. This confirms the thesis that ambidexterity is becoming a characteristic of the companies in the CI sector.
The purpose of this article is to identify which dimensions of online convenience affect consumer... more The purpose of this article is to identify which dimensions of online convenience affect consumers' intention of using online shopping and explore a conceptual model to measuring consumer perceptions of online shopping convenience in order to surpass the shortcomings of previous studies that did not examine the consequences of convenience shopping experience. A sample of 250 Portuguese young individuals participate in the empirical study. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and a covariance-based Structural Equation Model (CB-SEM) were used to validate the measurement model and to test the relationships in the model. The results reveal that Possession, Transaction, and Evaluation are the dimensions with more influence in online shopping convenience. The outcomes of this study extend previous works on online convenience and help to understand which factors drive online satisfaction and enhance behavioral intentions and e-WOM. Contributions to the body of knowledge and the implications for e-commerce retailers are presented. In face of the findings, retailers should be conscious that customer expectations of online convenience have increased as a natural response to the service innovations introduced by website managers and marketers. Therefore, frequent monitoring of consumers' perceptions and expectations about online convenience is a prerequisite for achieving continuous improvement in rendering highly convenient online service.
The research is grounded in responses of multicultural team members at multinational workplaces f... more The research is grounded in responses of multicultural team members at multinational workplaces from 14 different countries that provided their preferences or choice of nationalities of members that they would like to hire/work with. Results show clear differences in 'levels of comfort' displayed by managers and members having particular national cultural background in what concerns their preferences and choices of colleagues with origins from other national cultures. These variations results into designation of rankings to the destination regions based on preference by the respondents from the source countries. Results also show a somewhat common pattern of preferences irrespective of their national origins that has been described.
This article explores how cause-related marketing influences consumer response in an online envir... more This article explores how cause-related marketing influences consumer response in an online environment, by analyzing the relationships between consumers' perceptions of Cause-related Marketing (CrM) and their behavioral intentions toward an online store. Data was collected through an experiment using a sample of Portuguese respondents focusing on the effects of the cause-brand fit and consumer-cause identification on online stores perception and purchase intention. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results show that consumer-cause identification has a positive impact on perceived value and that the relationship is moderated by brand-cause fit but it does not influence online purchase intention. Brand-cause fit was shown to have a positive influence on trust and online purchase intention, which is also impacted by perceived value. Trust was found to be a predictor of perceived value but not of the online purchase intention. The main contributions of the findings include the improved understanding of the importance of the fit to consumer's perception and efficacy for online cause-related marketing campaigns.
Purpose-The purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are us... more Purpose-The purpose of this study is to explore and compare how fashion and apparel brands are using the multiple available channels to increase the number of touchpoints with clients by evaluating the use of multichannel and omnichannel strategies. Design/methodology/approach-To determine the differences between fashion and apparel brands in terms of marketing channel used, a multiple case study approach was selected based on a sample of nine well-known and successful fashion brands from three different price segments. The research was carried out by analysing the online and mobile presence of the brands, company reports, news, magazines, and other types of articles. Findings-The results illustrate that fashion brands tend to act in the same way and have only slight differences concerning the number of channels and features available to clients despite the price segment they belong. The findings indicate that the brands under study have good channel integration, order tracking, on-line communication, and social media. Overall, the findings allow concluding that irrespective of the price segment, all fashion brands act almost in the same way and present only slight differences between the number of channels used and features available. Originality/value-The current study provides an innovative price-segmented comparison on channel use and integration by fashion brands' and additional valuable information about channel strategy that can be used to guide new comparative research and helps new brands defining points-of-parity and points-of-difference with regard to market standards.
Focusing on export performance and having as a starting point the resource-based view (RBV) and c... more Focusing on export performance and having as a starting point the resource-based view (RBV) and contingency theories, this paper intends to study the effect of both internal and external factors to a firm in the export venture performance. As a methodology, a qualitative study was developed –case study – using semi-structured interviews with two managers and one director of marketing and communication of one of the largest cork stoppers manufacturing firm in Portugal.The major findings of this paper are that both internal and external factors have an impact on both export marketing strategy adaptation and export venture performance. The more developed the internal resources are, the better is the export venture performance and export marketing adaptation. A better knowledge of external factors has the previously mentioned impact. Also, export marketing strategy adaptation has a positive influence on export venture performance. This research provides a better comprehension of the phenomenon of export performance in a strict research setting (a firm form a small open economy and, only one product). To have a better export performance, managers should invest in their internal resources (such as market and international business knowledge).This paper contributes to extant knowledge of the export performance, in the way that it sheds a light on export performance in small open economies, namely the factors which contributes to a better performance of a firm (within the research setting defined).
Proceedings of the XIII Iberian International Business Conference, 2017
The rise of new technologies reshaped the way firms face new challenges. Consequently, companies ... more The rise of new technologies reshaped the way firms face new challenges. Consequently, companies in small open economies, namely SMEs, are more susceptible to environmental changes, therefore they must develop new ways to adapt to the continuous transformations that characterize the business environment. This way, expanding to other geographies is the optimal solution to the generation of new business and adaptation of the existing ones. When internationalizing, firms face the decision of how to enter new markets, and sometimes managers lack the acknowledgment of which advantages and drawbacks are at stake. Consequently, this paper aims to present a systematized toolbox that will guide decision-makers, when developing their internationalization strategies.
Contemporary businesses face rapidly evolving changes and complexities that challenge their respe... more Contemporary businesses face rapidly evolving changes and complexities that challenge their respective managerial responses and capabilities. The natures of information and communication systems, ways of doing business, knowledge transfer methods, diffusion channels of innovation, and industrial habitus are shifting. Additionally, methods, concepts, and frameworks to study these challenges need to be in accordance. Many of these features characterizing the new business environment influence not only the consumer business, but also the business-to-business (B2B) sectors and their ways of functioning. Interestingly, the influence also connects domestic with international business through the global connectedness. This is particularly visible in marketing communication, as the difference between domestic and international business communication has further diminished due to digital and virtual dimensions and applications. In this new age, it is assumed that new ventures and small-and medium-sized enterprises can turn their vulnerabilities and size constraints into competitive advantages by addressing international Business in the information and Digital age 218 susaNa silVa aND maria elo these challenges with efficient social media usage. To address this technology-enabled dimension of B2B relations, the authors present a case study illustrating how a firm advances its relationship management and communication by introducing social media instruments. The study contributes to relationship management and international marketing communication and provides new insights into the workings of social media within the B2B context.
The manager of the 21st century is expected to succeed in an environment strongly characterized b... more The manager of the 21st century is expected to succeed in an environment strongly characterized by unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). In fact, today's business environment consists of contradictory pressure and tensions, where competitive advantage could be gained by ambidextrous activities. The concept of ambidexterity has already been discussed by many scholars, but still little is known about managerial practice and actions that are useful for finding the balance between the paradoxes that have been identified at that level. Although there are different tensions, dynamic and evolving according to the changes observed in the environment: more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, the pressure to remain flexible and simultaneously maintain the plan of development, seems to be essential. In recent research studies, networking perspective is mentioned as one of areas worth exploring while analyzing the concept of ambidexterity. For that reason, the main goal of this chapter is to investigate if networking is one of the factors useful for managing ambidexterity. To gain deeper insight, we investigated further, International business in a VUcA World: the changing role of states and Firms 404 Joanna radoMska et al. searching for the factors essential for managing ambidexterity: we compared the research results between companies of different sizes to identify any regularities. We focused on ambidexterity reflected by managerial practice where stability/plans and flexibility are implemented simultaneously. We investigated 150 managers using paper-and-pencil interviewing. Our research results confirmed that networking could be one of the main approaches having an impact on ambidextrous activities. However, we cannot conclude that companies are obliged to apply a networking perspective to be ambidextrous, although it could be recommended. Further analysis of companies of different sizes revealed the relationship between ambidexterity and networking in case of small and large companies, and no relation in medium-sized enterprises.
39° Convegno AIDEA 2019 (Identità, innovazione e impatto dell’aziendalismo italiano dentro l’economia digitale), 12-13 settembre 2019., 2020
Being a relatively new digital platform, perfectly meshing with the way in which young consumers ... more Being a relatively new digital platform, perfectly meshing with the way in which young consumers socially interact with the world, chatbots’ perceptions knowledge turns out to be a key factor to address business efforts in enhancing young customers experience with companies’ technologies. This study applies a between-participants factorial design to explore the extent to which the conversational style (social-oriented vs task-oriented) and the visual cue (avatar presence vs avatar absence), influence perceived social presence of the interaction with the chatbot and how this perception, in turn, influences the Millennials’ intention to adopt them. To conduct the study, a survey method was employed, and data were collected from a snowball sample of 193 Millennials. Findings from the study reveal that a social-oriented communication style increases users’ perception of social presence, which in turn predicts the intention to use it via perceived enjoyment and attitude toward the chatbot.
Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Chatbot Research and Design (CONVERSATIONS 2019), 2021
Today many consumers prefer interactions with companies via chat and instant messaging, however, ... more Today many consumers prefer interactions with companies via chat and instant messaging, however, although in most cases it is now a virtual agent to handle the interactions, many of them feel it would be eerie if a chatbot pretended to be human. The present study aims at disentangling this sort of ambivalence people have for chatbots through an investigation on how the explicit disclosure of the chatbot identity, before the interaction, influences consumers' perceptions. Specifically, this study compares the effects that the explicit disclosure of the chatbot identity has on social presence trust and users' attitudes toward the online retailer. Findings from an online experiment with 160 participants show that interacting with the chatbot whose identity has been primed through a disclosure leads to less perceived social presence, trust, and attitude toward the online retailer, compared to interacting with the chatbot whose identity has not been disclosed before the interaction. The study further analyses a causal chain among the variables, proving that social presence and trust mediate the relationship between the chatbot identity disclosure and the attitude toward the online retailer.
Proceedings - 49th Annual conference for the European Marketing Academy, 2020
Meshing with the way in which young consumers socially interact, chatbots represent a key factor ... more Meshing with the way in which young consumers socially interact, chatbots represent a key factor to address business efforts in enhancing the effectiveness of digital strategies. The conversational aspect of the human-chatbot interaction increases the necessity for this technology to present social behaviours typical of human-human conversations. This calls for a better knowledge of the social factors that enhance young consumers' use of chatbots. From this perspective, the present study aims at understanding the impact of chatbots' social characteristics. Through a between-participants factorial design, we explore the extent to which the communication style and the visual cue influence perceived social presence and how this, in turn, influences Millennials' intention to adopt chatbots. Findings from 193 Millennials show that a social-oriented communication style increases social presence, which in turn enhances the intention to use the chatbot via perceived enjoyment and attitude.
Being a relatively new digital platform, perfectly meshing with the way in which young consumers ... more Being a relatively new digital platform, perfectly meshing with the way in which young consumers socially interact with the world, chatbots’ perceptions knowledge turns out to be a key factor to address business efforts in enhancing young customers experience with companies’ technologies. This study applies a between-participants factorial design to explore the extent to which the conversational style (social-oriented vs task-oriented) and the visual cue (avatar presence vs avatar absence), influence perceived social presence of the interaction with the chatbot and how this perception, in turn, influences the Millennials’ intention to adopt them. To conduct the study, a survey method was employed, and data were collected from a snowball sample of 193 Millennials. Findings from the study reveal that a social-oriented communication style increases users’ perception of social presence, which in turn predicts the intention to use it via perceived enjoyment and attitude toward the chatbot.
Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppers are re... more Previous research has found evidence that, due to the lack of sensory experience, shoppers are reluctant to purchase a garment online. Despite the importance of identifying possible compensatory cues for touch information, a lack of attention to this issue has been recognized in the literature. On this premise, this study addresses this research agenda to explain the mechanism by which information presentation influences customers' cognitive evaluations and behavioral responses and the role of individual differences in terms of need for touch (NFT). Specifically, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) paradigm, the study hypothesizes a model investigating whether verbal and pictorial information presentation affect haptic imagery, which in turn is supposed to influence behavioral responses (purchase intention), through a customer's cognitive evaluation (perceived product quality). To validate the research framework, a task-based online experiment was performed. Participants were requested to simulate a purchase experience on an online apparel retailer, after which they completed a questionnaire; 264 valid responses were received. The results support verbal haptic rather than pictorial information as a mechanism influencing haptic imagery and consequently behavioral responses. With regard to NFT, however, the expected moderating effect between haptic imagery, perceived product quality, and purchase intention was not supported.
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Papers by Susana Costa e Silva