Teresa Fernandes
Universidade do Porto, Marketing, Faculty Member
Purpose – Brands have traditionally been regarded as a key asset and a source of competitive advantage in purchasing decisions, as customers are expected to prefer stronger brands to minimize risks. However, the role of brands in business... more
Purpose – Brands have traditionally been regarded as a key asset and a source of competitive advantage in purchasing decisions, as customers are expected to prefer stronger brands to minimize risks. However, the role of brands in business markets is unclear and underresearched. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relevance of brands in a business-to-business (B2B) purchase setting and their key determinants. Design Methodology/approach – A research model was developed to explain brand relevance when compared with other decision factors in a B2B context. Based on the frameworks developed by Zablah et al. (2010) and Mudambi (2002), the model considers the purchase situation, decision-maker characteristics and firm size as determinants of brand relevance in the decision-making process. One of the most prominent Portuguese construction groups, which comprised three companies, was chosen for the sample of this study. Data were collected through a self-administered, online, cross-...
Research Interests:
PurposeNon-profit organizations (NPO) contribute significantly to the welfare of citizens and communities. Engagement in volunteering is crucial for sustaining volunteer motivation and for the effective and efficient functioning of NPO,... more
PurposeNon-profit organizations (NPO) contribute significantly to the welfare of citizens and communities. Engagement in volunteering is crucial for sustaining volunteer motivation and for the effective and efficient functioning of NPO, with significant implications for society at large. Yet, literature on volunteer engagement (VE) is limited to date. Grounded on service-dominant logic, self-congruity theory and self-determination theory, this study aims to understand what motivates VE and how it may evolve into a co-creation process valuable to NPO and its stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachBased on survey data collected from 450 volunteers, working with a diverse set of NPO, a comprehensive model of drivers and outcomes of VE was empirically tested using PLS-SEM, considering the mediating role of volunteers' congruence with the core values of the NPO.FindingsThe impact of volunteers' perceived autonomy, competence and relatedness on VE and its subsequent role in volun...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Purpose: Brands are considered to create trust and develop ties with customers, but primarily in B2C markets. Recent research acknowledges the fact that brands, despite the differences between the two contexts, may carry valuable features... more
Purpose: Brands are considered to create trust and develop ties with customers, but primarily in B2C markets. Recent research acknowledges the fact that brands, despite the differences between the two contexts, may carry valuable features in B2B contexts as well. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of branding on buying decision process in a B2B setting and its key determinants, considering the context specific characteristics. Methodology: A research model was developed to explain the role of branding when compared with other decision factors in a B2B context. Based on the frameworks developed by Zablah et al. (2010) and Mudambi (2012), the model considers purchase needs, decisionmaker characteristics, firm size and purchase situation as determinants of brand relevance in the decision-making process. One of the most prominent Portuguese construction groups, comprised of three companies, was chosen. Data was collected through a self-administered, on-line, cross-section...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Engagement plays a key role for most organizations. Establishing close relationships with consumers and other stakeholders - thus promoting their loyalty and participation in the value creation process – has become an element of... more
Engagement plays a key role for most organizations. Establishing close relationships with consumers and other stakeholders - thus promoting their loyalty and participation in the value creation process – has become an element of competitive advantage. Extant literature has focused consumer-brands relationships in commercial contexts; yet, when it comes to non-commercial or non-profit contexts - where communities of decidedly engaged individuals voluntarily invest their time and energy to a cause – research is still in its infancy. This study sets out to understand how non-profit organizations (NPO) can generate a sense of engagement among volunteers and which volunteers’ behaviours - associated with that psychological state – entice value co-creation with NPO. Group interviews were carried out with volunteers to gain insights on drivers and outcomes of Volunteer Engagement (VE). Value congruence between volunteers and NPO, a sense of community, as well as perceptions of competence and autonomy, were identified as drivers of VE. The study further validated the impact of VE not only on somewhat predictable outcomes, such as NPO loyalty and advocacy, but also on the co-creation of value with NPO through the recruitment of new volunteers and the development of new ideas for service innovation.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Social media has expanded word of mouth (WOM) into a massive mean of online communication. Thus, consumers can now impact the reputation of a business by spreading positive or negative WOM worldwide. The hospitality industry is... more
Social media has expanded word of mouth (WOM) into a massive mean of online communication. Thus, consumers can now impact the reputation of a business by spreading positive or negative WOM worldwide. The hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable since the decision process is increasingly influenced by online reviews, especially about negative guests’ experiences, which are considered highly valuable and helpful. However, only a few articles on online complaining behavior on the hospitality industry have been published. As such, this research aims to characterize complainers’ profile and online complaints, and to determine which factors may impact them. The study analyzed 1,191 guest reviews of hotels located in Oporto, the second largest city in Portugal (a popular Mediterranean tourism destination), listed on TripAdvisor, including 463 complaints regarding 835 incidents. Results identify dominant complaint categories and show that guest’s demographics and hotel class play a critical role. The study adds to the growing body of knowledge on e-Tourism and e-Complaints and draws on relevant conclusions for both researchers and hospitality managers.
Social media has established a new dynamic in marketing, enabling customers to engage with brands in a variety of ways. This article aims to develop a comprehensive model of drivers, outcomes, and moderators of customer brand engagement... more
Social media has established a new dynamic in marketing, enabling customers to engage with brands in a variety of ways. This article aims to develop a comprehensive model of drivers, outcomes, and moderators of customer brand engagement (CBE) on virtual brand communities in social media. Based on a survey of 799 customers, findings identify involvement, interactivity, and flow experience as key drivers of CBE, and satisfaction, trust, word-of-mouth referrals, and commitment as associated outcomes, with identification and trust in the brand community acting as moderators. This study provides new insights about the CBE process, offering valuable suggestions to brand managers.
Purpose-Employees' emotional competencies (EEC) are skills, based on emotional intelligence, used to perceive, understand and regulate customer emotions during a service encounter. In the context of service recovery, these skills are... more
Purpose-Employees' emotional competencies (EEC) are skills, based on emotional intelligence, used to perceive, understand and regulate customer emotions during a service encounter. In the context of service recovery, these skills are especially important and allow employees to influence consumers' attitude and behaviours. The purpose of this study is to assess the direct and indirect impacts of EEC in post-recovery satisfaction, trust, word-of-mouth and repurchase intention, considering the moderating role of service (level of employee-customer contact) types. Design/methodology/approach-A total of 355 customers who experienced a service failure and subsequent recovery were surveyed using a selfadministered questionnaire. EEC was specified as a formative construct, determined by its perceiving, understanding and regulating dimensions. To measure EEC and its impact on selected outcomes, PLS-SEM was used. A multi-group analysis was performed to analyse the moderating role of service type. Findings-Results confirm EEC as a formative construct, with a positive direct impact on post-recovery satisfaction, particularly in high-contact customized services. Findings also reveal the mediating role of satisfaction on selected outcomes, and the significant direct impact of EEC on trust, even when controlling for satisfaction. Originality/value-EEC remains unexplored in the service recovery literature, and most research fails to understand how EEC role may vary given contextual differences. This study adopts a consumer perspective of EEC in the emotionally charged situation of service recovery, considering the moderating role of service type. The authors further contribute to both literature streams while examining the impact of EEC on post-recovery evaluations. Companies should consider these findings in the recruitment and training of front-line employees to develop better service recovery strategies.
Social media influencers (SMI) have gained undeniable importance as brands endorsers. However, although their credibility can be affected by the way they look, no known studies have applied appearance stereotypes to SMI's perceived... more
Social media influencers (SMI) have gained undeniable importance as brands endorsers. However, although their credibility can be affected by the way they look, no known studies have applied appearance stereotypes to SMI's perceived attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise, particularly when that appearance is unconventional (e.g., use of body tattoos). Therefore, building on extant endorsement research and the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), the study examines how the use of tattoos impacts SMI's credibility, attractiveness, and effectiveness. Based on a sample of 260 young adults, a 2 x 2 x 2 (SMI gender x tattoo x domain) experimental design was conducted. Results indicate a tattoo premium effect, regardless of SMI's domain. By extending the SCM framework to the influencer marketing literature, this study contributes to both research fields, while providing valuable insights to brands and SMI.
This study focuses on social media brand engagement in the context of shared and collaborative consumption businesses, a novel trend in the hospitality industry. By drawing on the concept of brands being defined collectively through an... more
This study focuses on social media brand engagement in the context of shared and collaborative consumption businesses, a novel trend in the hospitality industry. By drawing on the concept of brands being defined collectively through an assemblage of heterogonous human and nonhuman actors, and focusing on the brand Airbnb-a peer-to-peer online platform for renting, swapping, and lending accommodations-the current study examines how consumers' perceptions of Airbnb brand equity mediate the relationship between functional and hedonic brand image and social media behavioral engagement in terms of consumption, contribution, and creation of brand-related content (COBRAs). Results discriminate between direct and indirect effects. Findings reveal that hedonic brand image directly influences behavioral engagement on social media, whereas brand equity fully mediates the relationship between functional brand image and COBRAs. Implications for theory and practice related to shared or collaborative consumption platforms in the hospitality industry are discussed and suggestions for future studies are presented. This research paper provides conceptual and theoretical clarity on issues such as how consumers' brand perceptions influence their behavioral engagement on social media.
Engagement plays a key role for most organizations. Establishing close relationships with consumers and other stakeholders-thus promoting their loyalty and participation in the value creation process-has become an element of competitive... more
Engagement plays a key role for most organizations. Establishing close relationships with consumers and other stakeholders-thus promoting their loyalty and participation in the value creation process-has become an element of competitive advantage. Extant literature has focused consumer-brands relationships in commercial contexts; yet, when it comes to non-commercial or non-profit contexts-where communities of decidedly engaged individuals voluntarily invest their time and energy to a cause-research is still in its infancy. This study sets out to understand how nonprofit organizations (NPO) can generate a sense of engagement among volunteers and which volunteers' behaviours-associated with that psychological state-entice value co-creation with NPO. Group interviews were carried out with volunteers to gain insights on drivers and outcomes of Volunteer Engagement (VE). Value congruence between volunteers and NPO, a sense of community, as well as perceptions of competence and autonomy, were identified as drivers of VE. The study further validated the impact of VE not only on somewhat predictable outcomes, such as NPO loyalty and advocacy, but also on the co-creation of value with NPO through the recruitment of new volunteers and the development of new ideas for service innovation.
Research Interests:
The discovery of differences between tangible goods and services in the 1970s was one of the most landmark moments in the history of marketing with an emphasis being shifted to the need for using different/diversified marketing activities... more
The discovery of differences between tangible goods and services in the 1970s was one of the most landmark moments in the history of marketing with an emphasis being shifted to the need for using different/diversified marketing activities while dealing with various industries and types of products. The objective of this article is to briefly characterise the evolution of the marketing thought and to present the crucial influence of services marketing achievements on the shape and nature of modern marketing. As a result of the literature analysis it can be stated that currently a return to uniform marketing for all kinds of goods and markets is advocated. Researchers are stressing that since differences in goods have become irrelevant, marketing activities of services marketing nature should be conducted.
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Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand differences in consumer brand engagement (CBE) according to the functional or emotional nature of consumer–brand relationships and its direct and/or indirect impact on brand loyalty (BL).... more
Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand differences in consumer brand engagement (CBE) according to the functional or emotional nature of consumer–brand relationships and its direct and/or indirect impact on brand loyalty (BL). Additionally, the study aims to compare CBE and Satisfaction as predictors of BL, considering the two types of consumer–brand relationships. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was applied to two independent samples. Respondents of one of the samples were asked to recall a brand with which they had a functional relationship, while the other respondents were asked to consider a brand with which they had an emotional relationship. To test research hypotheses, a causal model using SEM was developed. Findings Results validate CBE as a three-dimensional construct, stronger for emotional than functional brand relationships and show its significant direct and indirect impact on BL. Through a comparative analysis, findings also prove that ...