Purpose While loss aversion has long served as the dominant explanation for the endowment effect, a growing body of research proposes that ownership fosters a cognitive and affective linkage between the object and the self, often termed the “possession-self connection,” thereby enhancing the perceived value of the item. Building on this perspective, this study investigates how psychological ownership toward second-hand luxury (SHL) influences consumers' willingness to donate such items. Specifically, it examines empathy as a key mediating mechanism and explores how product layout (neat vs. messy display) moderates the relationship between psychological ownership and donation intention. Design/methodology/approach We conducted three experiments to test the proposed relationships. Experiment 1 tested the effects of psychological ownership and product layout on donation intention. Experiment 2 examined empathy as a mediator between psychological ownership and donation intention. Experiment 3 further investigated the moderating role of product layout in the empathy-based mediation process. Findings The results show that higher psychological ownership significantly increases donation intention. Empathy mediates this main relationship, with product layout moderating in the empathy-based mediation process. Specifically, the mediating effect of empathy between psychological ownership and donation intention is stronger under neat display conditions. Originality/value This study seeks to strengthen consumer’ SHL through three interrelated strategies: fostering emotional attachment, refining visual merchandising practices and embedding empathetic narratives. By deliberately cultivating psychological ownership, visual signals and empathetic engagement, SHL can meaningfully increase consumer participation.
Purpose This study aims to examine how food quality and value are associated with revisit intention and loyalty in online food delivery through information credibility and technological congruence, and whether consumer innovativeness and restaurant familiarity condition these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional survey data from 506 US consumers with recent delivery-only restaurant experience were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) provided complementary importance-performance and configurational evidence. Findings Food quality and value were indirectly associated with both outcomes through information credibility. Both indirect relationships through technological congruence were supported for revisit intention, but only the food quality relationship was supported for loyalty. Consumer innovativeness conditioned the food quality relationships, whereas restaurant familiarity conditioned the relationships between technological congruence and both outcomes. Information credibility had the greatest total IPMA importance, and fsQCA identified multiple configurations centered on food quality, value, and information credibility. Originality/value The study identifies an asymmetry across outcomes in the roles of information credibility and technological congruence in online food delivery (OFD) postadoption behavior. Information credibility provides a consistently supported pathway across revisit intention and loyalty, whereas technological congruence is more consistently associated with revisit intention and selectively associated with loyalty. Integrating source credibility, congruence, and diffusion of innovation perspectives clarifies how information credibility and technology fit operate differently across outcomes and under relationship-specific boundary conditions.
Purpose Virtual influencers, algorithmically designed brand-controlled personas, enact persuasion without experiential intention, moral agency or accountability. Existing constructs have not captured act-level evaluation of such conduct. This study introduces Perceived Persuasion Legitimacy of Virtual Influencers (PPL-VI), examining associations with willingness to accept influence (WAI) and purchase intention (PI). Design/methodology/approach Study 1 developed PPL-VI through cue mapping, focus groups (N = 30) and expert interviews (N = 10). Study 2 assessed it via a post-exposure survey (N = 878) of Indian social media users, using PLS-SEM with a Type II hierarchical specification. Study 3 (N = 214) was a two-condition experiment. Findings PPL-VI comprises four formative dimensions: Integrity of Persuasion Enactment, Respect for Persuasive Boundaries (RPB), Ethical Treatment of Consumers and Clarity of Responsibility for Persuasion, with RPB carrying the greatest outer weight in Study 2. Value alignment partially mediates the PPL-VI–PI association, procedural fairness the PPL-VI–WAI association and perceived human-likeness modestly moderates both. Study 3 suggests PPL-VI is associated with variance in purchase intention beyond adjacent constructs under lower-legitimacy conditions. Research limitations/implications Study 2 is cross-sectional, so causal inference requires further replication. The India-only, non-probability samples limit generalisability; Study 3 manipulated one dimension. Practical implications Brands may benefit from monitoring boundary restraint and ethical consumer treatment alongside the other dimensions; recommendations are hypothesis-generating and directional rather than prescriptive. Originality/value This study develops and provides initial evidence for a 16-item instrument for act-level legitimacy evaluation in AI-mediated persuasion and proposes an act-level PKT adaptation integrating the Computers as Social Actors paradigm.
Purpose This study examines whether, why and when anatomical depiction leads to less favorable brand attitudes following product-harm crises. Design/methodology/approach Five preregistered experiments with Chinese consumers (N = 1,273) test whether simulated assemblage and simulated disassemblage are distinct and spontaneous responses, as well as the main effect of anatomical depiction, the proposed sequential mediation and the moderating role of product positioning. Findings Anatomical depiction elicits distinct simulations of assemblage and disassemblage, both of which can arise spontaneously. Following a product-harm crisis, anatomical (vs. nonanatomical) depiction leads to less favorable brand attitudes by increasing simulated disassemblage and, in turn, brand responsibility. This sequential indirect effect is stronger under high-tech rather than nonhigh-tech positioning. Research limitations/implications The studies use Chinese consumer samples and static product images. Future research could test other cultures, product categories, visual formats and crisis types. Practical implications During performance-related product-harm crises, firms should review internal-view visuals and provide clear causal and remedial information. High-tech brands should exercise particular caution because technical positioning strengthens responsibility judgments. Originality/value This research identifies product-harm crises as a negative boundary condition of anatomical depiction, clarifies two directional forms of object-focused process simulation and shows how visual product presentation shapes brand responsibility and post-crisis brand attitude.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between brand crises and social disapproval, along with the moderating effects of crisis type and salience of media coverage. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected newspaper articles on well-known Chinese brands. Brand crises, social disapproval, and moderating variables were measured using a systematic coding approach. In the empirical study, the authors combined the coded variables with variables derived from other secondary data. They then conducted panel data regression to test hypotheses. Findings The findings reveal that brand crises have a significantly positive effect on social disapproval. This effect is weaker for performance-based crises (versus value-based crises) and stronger when the salience of media coverage is higher. Research limitations/implications Future research is encouraged to extend the analysis to smaller or less prominent brands and to examine cross-cultural differences. It is also encouraged to examine the long-term and potentially positive impacts of brand crises using longitudinal or mixed-methods research designs. Practical implications This study offers practical insights for managers, helping them to proactively manage social perceptions and tailor crisis strategies that emphasize moral accountability while also addressing media salience. Social implications Policymakers should strengthen ethical guidance and media governance to safeguard company legitimacy and reduce the risk of value-based crises. Originality/value This study advances prior research by clarifying the concept of brand crises, exploring how brand crises trigger social disapproval, and identifying key boundary conditions.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to make retention of the same companion theoretically uncertain. This study examines how social presence (SP), voice attractiveness (VA) and realised relational extension (RE) are associated with parasocial relationship strength (PRS) and, in turn, clients’ intention to rehire the same companion. It also examines whether these cue–PRS associations vary with perceived deep and surface acting. Design/methodology/approach A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design combined qualitative coding of forum posts and trial-voice clips, cognitive and role-perspective interviews, a stimuli-based salience pretest and a survey of 673 frequent clients analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings SP, VA and RE were positively associated with PRS (ß = 0.254–0.328, p < 0.001), which was strongly associated with continuance intention (ß = 0.788, p < 0.001). Significant indirect associations through PRS were also observed. Perceived surface acting was consistently associated with weaker cue–PRS relationships, whereas the strengthening pattern for perceived deep acting was evident only for SP. Originality/value The study extends parasocial relationship research to paid, voice-first encounters in which communication is reciprocal but relational commitment may remain asymmetric and shifts service-retention research from general platform use to same-companion continuance under low switching costs.
Purpose This study examines how emotional engagement, customisation, entertainment, interaction, trendiness and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) combine to shape brand loyalty among Thai luxury-brand consumers exposed to high-intensity social-commerce environments. The study is framed by the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model and the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing, and interpreted through a complexity-theoretic lens. Design/methodology/approach A dual-analytic design is adopted. Survey data from 400 digitally active luxury-brand consumers in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, recruited via purposive convenience sampling with explicit screening for recent luxury-brand purchase and active social-media following, were analysed using integrated generalised structured component analysis (IGSCA) for symmetrical paths and necessary condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) for asymmetrical logic. Findings Emotional engagement is the strongest symmetrical driver of brand loyalty (beta = 0.592), followed by eWOM (beta = 0.264). The NCA evidence is more cautious than previously claimed: effect sizes are small to moderate (d = 0.090–0.234), so interaction and trendiness are better read as baseline enablers of loyalty than as strict necessary conditions. The fsQCA recovers four equifinal sufficient configurations; the recipe combining high emotional engagement with customisation and entertainment offers the clearest route to loyalty. Research limitations/implications Findings are bounded by four conditions: a youthful sample (82.2% aged 18–25), exclusive focus on the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, a cross-sectional survey design and a one-dimensional operationalisation of emotional engagement. These bound generalisability to older Thai consumers, non-urban respondents, longitudinal trust-commitment sequences and tri-dimensional engagement constructs. Future work should pursue panel data, replication in less collectivist Asian markets such as Japan and South Korea, bootstrapped truth tables and cross-platform comparisons (TikTok versus Instagram versus LINE). Practical implications Luxury-brand managers should concentrate differentiating creative investment on emotional-engagement content – storytelling, ritualised brand experiences and personalised narratives. Interaction and trendiness should be maintained as baseline conditions rather than over-funded relative to affective content. Tactics should be platform-aware: TikTok and LINE-VOOM reward the baseline-enabler layer, whereas Instagram and Facebook-Reels better support emotional engagement and customisation. The implications are framed as strategic priorities, not guaranteed revenue outcomes, given the cross-sectional and luxury-specific design. Social implications By clarifying which social-media-marketing elements actually translate into consumer loyalty, the study informs more accountable digital-marketing practice in emerging Asian social-commerce markets. The configurational logic discourages indiscriminate spend on every platform feature, encouraging brands to allocate resources where they create durable consumer relationships rather than transient engagement. The cultural reading of the Thai setting also alerts marketers and policymakers to the symbolic role of luxury consumption in collectivist societies, with implications for advertising ethics and digital-platform regulation. Originality/value The contribution is positioned as a methodologically integrative extension of existing social-media-marketing and loyalty research, rather than a wholly new theory of loyalty formation. By pairing S-O-R with commitment-trust theory and by grounding the necessary-versus-sufficient distinction in dual-factor logic, the study offers theoretical machinery for configurational reasoning that earlier single-method work could not supply.
Purpose Consumers remain eager to consume but increasingly reluctant to own, and they also seek variety in their consumption. As the shared consumption (SC) paradigm matures, academic inquiry must move beyond identifying who shares to understanding specific psychological mechanisms that influence use tendency and whether it is context-dependent (hedonic vs. utilitarian). This study uses stimulus–organism–response theory and liquid consumption theory to investigate the interrelationships among product assortment (PA) on sharing platforms, variety-seeking and de-ownership orientation (DOO) in shaping SC. Design/methodology/approach In two studies, 447 responses obtained through online questionnaire surveys were analysed in carsharing (utilitarian) and fashion rental (hedonic) contexts using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings The results show that PA functions as a psychological trigger, stimulating variety-seeking, which, in turn, erodes the normative desire for ownership, thereby imposing certain restrictions, fostering DOO and ultimately SC intention. It also shows that PA’s effect on sharing intention is context-dependent. Practical implications The study shows that platform PA can nudge variety-seeking, leading to greater adoption. The products offered in sharing platforms, if tailored to meet consumers’ different tastes, preferences and desires, will draw consumers to adopt SC to satiate the need for variety without the burdens of ownership. Originality/value Prior research treats these constructs in isolation. PA is traditionally viewed as a functional driver of retail choice. Variety-seeking is typically studied as a static trait that influences switching behaviour. DOO is studied as an outcome of sustainability or economic drivers. The contribution lies in breaking these silos by integrating and demonstrating their interrelated influence, particularly in different contexts of the sharing economy.
Purpose Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Signaling Theory, this study examines how product- and streamer-centered signals shape perceived information diagnosticity (PID) and how PID, parasocial interaction (PSI) and experiential innovativeness (EI) relate to consumer trust in live streaming commerce (LSC). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via an online survey of 495 Chinese consumers with prior LSC experience. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the proposed framework, and multigroup analysis was conducted as a supplementary analysis to compare Gen Y and Gen Z consumers. Findings The results reveal that product information quality (PIQ), streamer credibility (SC) and streamer interaction quality (SIQ) positively predict PID. In turn, PID, PSI and EI are positively associated with consumer trust, with EI emerging as the strongest predictor. The supplementary Gen Y/Gen Z comparison reveals no statistically significant differences, suggesting that the proposed trust-formation mechanisms operate relatively consistently across the two cohorts. Originality/value This study contributes to ELM-based LSC research by integrating cognitive, affective, and experiential mechanisms of consumer trust formation. It links product- and streamer-centered signals to PID as a central-route mechanism, while highlighting EI and the stability of the proposed mechanisms across Gen Y and Gen Z consumers.
Purpose This paper aims to develop an asymmetric dual-system theory of acceptance and avoidance in mobile advertising. It explains why consumers may engage with mobile advertisements while simultaneously resisting their persuasive intent. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a conceptual theory-building approach and integrates literature on advertising engagement, consumer brand engagement, persuasion knowledge, psychological reactance, privacy, personalisation, intrusiveness and digital advertising avoidance. Findings The paper proposes that mobile advertising responses are governed by two co-existing regulatory systems. The engagement-based approach system facilitates attention, elaboration and interaction, whereas the threat-based avoidance system monitors perceived intrusiveness, privacy risk and autonomy loss. Threshold, strength and conversion asymmetries explain why engagement is necessary but insufficient for acceptance: threat-based regulation may interrupt engagement-to-acceptance conversion. The framework also distinguishes advertising engagement from consumer brand engagement, positioning the latter as a relational buffer that may facilitate but cannot guarantee acceptance. Research limitations/implications As a conceptual contribution, the framework requires empirical testing across platforms, cultures, regulatory environments and mobile-first ecosystems. Practical implications The framework cautions marketers against treating engagement metrics as proxies for acceptance. Mobile advertising strategies should balance relevance and personalisation with transparency, permission, user control and reduced intrusiveness. Originality/value The paper reframes mobile advertising persuasion as asymmetric co-regulation rather than linear progression from engagement to acceptance. It positions avoidance as an active regulatory outcome and explains why engagement and avoidance may coexist.
Purpose The central argument of this study is that corporate philanthropy results from a combination of a firm's internal resources and the extent to which natural disaster-affected communities capture the attention of corporate decision-makers. Drawing on the attention-based view (ABV), this study aims to provide novel insights into how geographic distance and board independence influence corporate philanthropic disaster response (CPDR) in the context of natural disasters in Japan. Design/methodology/approach Using a panel data analysis model with industry fixed effects, we compiled a dataset from two primary sources: Toyo Keizai Inc. and Nikkei Inc. The final dataset includes 752 observations of Japanese listed companies. To ensure the robustness of our findings, we also conducted lagged variable checks. Findings Our empirical findings indicate that greater geographic distance between a firm's headquarters and disaster sites reduces CPDR initiatives. Moreover, board independence mitigates this negative effect, effectively reversing the adverse impact of distance on CPDR. Originality/value This study integrates ABV to explain how geographic distance functions as a key driver of CPDR and examines the moderating role of board independence in the relationship between geographic distance and CPDR. By highlighting how geographic distance (or geographic proximity) shapes executive attention allocation following disasters, the study extends ABV to the context of CPDR. Methodologically, the study offers an innovative approach to measuring geographic distance. Unlike prior research that relies on a binary indicator of whether a firm is located within the disaster area, this study employs a continuous distance-based measure, allowing for greater precision and variation in capturing geographic proximity. This measurement refinement enhances the empirical assessment of distance effects and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of CPDR behavior.
Purpose This paper examines how firms’ attention to data assets influences innovation performance through AI investment as a mediating mechanism. To deepen this relationship, it further explores how the AI investment concentration and a firm’s knowledge absorptive capacity moderate this pathway. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a panel dataset of Chinese A-share listed firms from the period of 2010–2023. To analyze the relationships between data asset attention, AI investment and innovation performance, the paper employs fixed-effects regression analysis. Robustness checks are also conducted to ensure the validity of the empirical results. Findings A greater emphasis on data asset attention significantly promotes a firm’s investment in AI, which in turn enhances innovation performance. The results underscore the pivotal role of AI investment as a catalyst for maximizing the value of data assets. Furthermore, both the concentration of AI investment and a firm’s knowledge absorptive capacity significantly strengthen this positive relationship, showing that a clear strategic focus and strong learning capabilities are crucial. Originality/value This paper unpacks the “black box” of how data assets translate into innovation outcomes by identifying AI investment as a critical resource orchestration mechanism. Furthermore, it offers empirical insights into the conditions under which the debated “AI Productivity Paradox” may be resolved, by introducing AI investment concentration and knowledge absorptive capacity as pivotal boundary conditions. Finally, it enriches the digital innovation literature by constructing an “Attention–Behavior–Performance” framework, which yields actionable insights for future research and managerial practice.
Purpose This study aims to address a critical challenge in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage by examining how meaningful experiences stimulate word-of-mouth (WOM) storytelling in the context of Cantonese Opera. Moving beyond traditional outcome measures such as satisfaction or intention to attend, the research investigates the psychological mechanisms by which experiential engagement fosters narrative sharing and supports the long-term transmission of heritage. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in narrative transportation theory, this study develops an integrative framework linking meaningful experience to WOM storytelling through the mediating roles of cultural learning and cultural attachment. Structural equation modeling is employed to examine these relationships, with authenticity serving as a moderating factor shaping how audiences construct and transmit cultural narratives. Findings The results demonstrate that meaningful experiences stimulate WOM storytelling through the dual mediating pathways of cultural learning and cultural attachment. Authenticity plays a paradoxical role: highly authentic narratives strengthen emotional bonds and cultural trust, whereas less constrained narratives encourage creative reinterpretation but may weaken attachment. These findings reveal the delicate balance between authenticity and narrative flexibility in sustaining audience engagement with traditional performing arts. Practical implications The study offers actionable insights for cultural heritage managers, tourism practitioners and policymakers seeking to revitalize traditional performing arts. Designing immersive experiences that strengthen cultural learning and attachment can enhance narrative diffusion among audiences. Accordingly, balancing historical authenticity with interpretive creativity can broaden audience appeal and attract even younger generations. Originality/value This research advances heritage tourism and cultural marketing scholarship by moving beyond the direct associations emphasized in prior studies of storytelling and WOM. It extends narrative transportation theory by uncovering the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying WOM storytelling. Specifically, the study identifies cultural learning and attachment as key mediators. It reveals authenticity as a dual moderator, offering a novel framework for explaining how experiential narratives contribute to the sustainable transmission of intangible cultural heritage.
Purpose This study investigates why AI literacy differentially moderates the effects of transparency and personalization on perceived autonomy in AI-based tourism recommendation services. Integrating self-determination theory and the stimulus–organism–response model, it examines the asymmetric moderating role of AI literacy across two pathways linking AI service attributes to behavioral outcomes through perceived autonomy. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 322 South Korean users who had used AI travel planning tools within the preceding three months. CB-SEM with AMOS 23.0 was employed for structural path analysis, and bootstrapping with 2,000 resamples tested mediation effects. Interaction terms were mean-centered to address multicollinearity in moderation analysis. Findings Transparency and personalization positively influence perceived autonomy, which more strongly affects continuance use intention (ß = 0.49) than satisfaction (ß = 0.33). AI literacy strengthens the personalization–autonomy link (ß = 0.11, p < 0.05) but not the transparency–autonomy link (ß = −0.02, n.s.), revealing asymmetric moderation. AI literacy also exerts the strongest direct effect on perceived autonomy (ß = 0.36), surpassing both service design attributes. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal inference; future research should employ longitudinal or experimental approaches. The Korean-only sample restricts cultural generalizability. Only autonomy among SDT’s three basic needs was examined; future models should integrate competence and relatedness. Practical implications AI platforms may benefit from designing differentiated autonomy-support strategies based on user AI literacy levels. Transparency features should be universally accessible, while personalization features may be more effective when adapted to varying literacy levels. These findings suggest that investments in AI literacy education – such as onboarding tutorials and algorithmic explainers – may strengthen personalization effectiveness, though causal validation through experimental or longitudinal designs is needed before treating these as confirmed prescriptions. Social implications As AI increasingly mediates consumer decision-making, ensuring that users maintain genuine psychological autonomy becomes a societal concern. This study demonstrates that AI literacy empowers users to convert personalized recommendations into autonomous choices, suggesting that public AI literacy education initiatives can help prevent algorithmic dependence and support informed, self-determined consumer behavior. Originality/value This study provides initial empirical evidence for asymmetric moderation by AI literacy across distinct AI service attributes – transparency and personalization – suggesting that transparency operates at an intuitively accessible informational level while personalization requires evaluative processing facilitated by AI literacy. These findings offer a theoretically grounded basis for further investigation with parallel operationalizations across diverse AI service contexts.
Purpose This study examines how consumers evaluate corporate failures in the fashion industry by investigating whether negative responses differ according to incident type and brand capability. Drawing on attribution theory, it explores how incident type (what) and brand capability (who) shape consumer betrayal and examines the sequential mechanism through which betrayal influences perceived incident severity, perceived prior controllability, responsibility attribution, and ultimately brand trust. Design/methodology/approach To test hypotheses, this study employs a 2 (incident type: labor exploitation vs product defect) X 2 (brand capability: established luxury brand vs emerging brand) between-subjects experimental design. With the stimuli, online survey data were collected from 320 consumers in Korea by a professional research firm. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and PROCESS macro. Findings Consumer evaluations differed systematically according to both incident type and brand capability. Labor exploitation elicited stronger betrayal than product defects. While product defects generated greater betrayal for established luxury brands than for emerging brands, labor exploitation evoked uniformly high betrayal regardless of brand capability. Furthermore, consumer betrayal heightened perceived incident severity and prior controllability, which in turn strengthened responsibility attribution to the brand and ultimately reduced brand trust. Originality/value This study advances crisis management and attribution literature by demonstrating that consumer evaluations of corporate failures depend on both incident type and brand capability. It identifies consumer betrayal as a key psychological mechanism linking corporate misconduct to trust erosion and highlights the importance of context-sensitive crisis management strategies for the fashion industry.
Purpose The integration of AI chatbot applications within social media messenger platforms seeks to support an “online-to-offline” strategy, encouraging chat-based consumer engagement that translates into actual purchases. This study investigates the moderating role of AI-based customer service in the relationships between brand loyalty (BL), customer experience (CE) and perceived service quality (PSQ) on consumer purchase intentions (PIs) within the context of Sri Lanka’s online fashion retail sector. Design/methodology/approach This study used a sequential mixed-methods approach to examine how AI chatbot experiences and PSQ influence CE and BL in online fashion retail. The qualitative phase involved 20 shoppers, followed by a survey of 261 participants analyzed using structural equation modelling. Findings The study identified that the primary uses and gratifications of AI chatbots in online fashion retail include seeking instant responses, real-time information, fast navigation and transactions, as well as useful advice and suggestions. While direct analysis showed that only BL and CE significantly influence PI, the moderating effect of AI chatbots strengthened the relationships between BL, CE and PSQ on customer PI. Originality/value This study highlights how chatbots impact PIs in online fashion, offering practical insights for retailers in developing countries. It also provides a foundation for future research and can inform AI-focused marketing education.
Purpose Global brands are increasingly treating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), perceived innovation, and brand performance as main pillars of their corporate strategy. However, research on this area is scarce. Therefore, this study explores the effects of CSR on consumer-based brand performance (CBBP) via perceived innovation, including product, process, and marketing innovation for both product and service brands. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted to collect data from 910 consumers for products (i.e. smartphones) and services (i.e. media) brands. Following data filtration, 820 responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The multigroup results indicated that CSR improved perceived innovation, such as product, process, and marketing innovation, as well as CBBP for both product and service brands. However, the difference between groups was significant, particularly from CSR to process innovation, with more pronounced effects for service brands compared to product brands. This study revealed that the direct and indirect effects of product, process, and marketing innovation increased CBBP for both product and service brands, with no significant differences across groups. Practical implications This study offers recommendations for managers responsible for designing and executing branding strategies. Marketing and brand managers can boost product and service brand performance by employing CSR initiatives and perceived product, process, and marketing innovation. Originality/value This study, using the lens of stakeholder theory and Service-Dominant (S-D) logic, provides fresh insights into CSR, perceived product, process, and marketing innovation, as well as brand performance literature, by emphasizing the role of both product and service brands.
Purpose Host sincerity brings about tourists' hedonism and nostalgia simultaneously, yet research usually treats them independently and neglects their potential link. Based on conservation of resources theory, this study aims to address this gap by proposing and testing a moderated dual-mediation model. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was conducted with 458 tourists visiting traditional villages in China. The data were analyzed to examine the proposed dual-mediation pathways and their interaction. Findings Results indicate that host sincerity promotes immersion through hedonism and nostalgia, which in turn enhances revisit intention. The two mediation paths compete asymmetrically. Nostalgia weakens the mediating role of hedonism, but not vice versa. When both nostalgia and hedonism are high, they interact collectively to improve immersion and revisit intentions. Practical implications This study offers destination marketers actionable insights for leveraging host sincerity, helping them move beyond the “either-or” dilemma between hedonism and nostalgia while enhancing the sustainability of cultural preservation in traditional villages. Originality/value The study advances conservation of resources theory by shifting from total resource quantity to resource heterogeneity and their interactions. It reveals the asymmetric competition and synergy in emotional resources, departing from the rationale of summing positive emotions.
Purpose This study designs an electroencephalogram (EEG) experiment to record neural signals during consumers' exposure to short video advertisements (SVAs), with the aim of exploratorily digging the frequency bands and brain regions (cerebral cortex and non-internal structures) that are linked to engagement preferences and using machine learning and deep learning methods to predict engagement behaviors. Design/methodology/approach This study selects different types of SVAs, designs an EEG experiment and chooses participants. It records the EEG data of participants while they watch SVAs as well as their participation willingness data after watching. Based on logistic regression, it explores the optimal viewing time for influencing consumer participation, analyzes the channels and frequency bands that affect consumer decision-making and predicts consumer engagement behaviors by comparing convolutional neural network and machine learning algorithms. Findings The experimental results reveal that consumers' SVA viewing time in the first eight seconds has the most significant impact on their engagement behaviors, while the theta band activity in central region and gamma band activity in temporal region exert the most profound influence on engagement behaviors. Notably, the prediction accuracy of consumer engagement behaviors has achieved 82.63% by using all the channels and frequency bands data. Originality/value This study demonstrates the potential of EEG for the first time in assessing consumer engagement behaviors in SVAs. Additionally, it provides a data-analytic paradigm for SVA research and offers actionable insights for advertisers crafting impactful SVA content. The neuromarketing framework established herein bridges cognitive neuroscience principles with marketing practice, enabling more evidence-based optimization of consumer engagement behaviors in social media marketing.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how active and passive memorable tourism interaction experiences (MTIEs) differ in their link to positive emotions and vivid memory, which foster affect tourists' revisit intention.Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-method approach. Semi-structured interviews and a systematic survey were conducted in the Qingdao International Beer Festival to develop a measurement of MTIEs. Based on the stimulus-organism-response framework, a research model was constructed and a second round of sampling was conducted to examine the hypotheses.Findings A measurement scale consisting of 17 items, divided into four components of MTIEs, was developed, encompassing active (socialisation and cultural exploration) and passive (service encounters and entertainment) interaction experiences. The results of the second-round survey indicated that tourists' active MTIEs have a stronger effect on positive emotions than tourists' passive MTIEs, tourists' active MTIEs and positive emotions bring vivid memory, and both positive emotions and vivid memory are positively associated with tourists' revisit intention.Originality/value This study identified the components of tourists' active and passive MTIEs for festivals, providing a basis for researchers to study MTIEs in tourism activities. It also expands the concept of MTE by distinguishing the underlying mechanism of active and passive MITEs in fostering revisit intention. It offered practical suggestions for festival managers to enhance tourists' MTIEs.
