Whether called environmental, social, and governance (ESG), sustainable, or green, efforts to gain a market advantage by providing products that do not compromise people or the planet (‘green initiatives’) are notably increasing. While marketing scholarship has extensively examined consumers’ psychological reactions to such initiatives, primarily focusing on consumer well-being, a critical gap persists. Current research offers insufficient insight into how these efforts concretely benefit firms, aid policymakers, and enhance provider and societal well-being through tangible user responses like purchase behaviors, thereby limiting advancements in both marketing theory and practice. This systematic review (62 articles, 1997–2024) addresses the aforementioned gap by not just examining the effects of firms’ green initiatives on user psychological responses, but also the potential implications for provider and society well-being. Our findings highlight significant shortcomings in the current literature: (1) a commonly accepted definition of “green” marketing strategies is missing, (2) current measures of green perceptions appear to be unidimensional, (3) the behavioral outcomes of green initiatives are understudied, and (4) the literature offers limited insight as to how consumers respond to different types of green initiatives. In response to these shortcomings, a consensus definition of green initiatives is offered, factors that drive consumers’ assessments of green strategic initiatives are identified, a model depicting the antecedents of and outcomes from green initiatives is offered to suggest how such efforts have utility for providers, users, and society, and a research agenda is suggested.

PurposeAll hypothesized relationships were significant. Specifically, H1 was supported as disconfirmation and surprising consumption were significantly correlated. Moreover, arousal (H2) and outrage (H4a) were functions of surprising consumption and negative affect (H3) and outrage (H4b) were functions of arousal. H4c was also supported as negative affect had a significant direct effect on consumer outrage. In addition, disconfirmation had negative direct effects on both negative affect (H5) and dissatisfaction (H6a) and dissatisfaction was a function of negative affect. Finally, both outrage (H7a) and dissatisfaction (H7b) had significant negative effects on behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approachRespondents were recruited to participate in the data collection in a "college town" in the Southeastern United States. Respondents were provided a paper and pencil data collection instrument that include complete survey instructions and the balance of the research design. To adequately test all hypotheses, the researchers developed a unique scenario that described an extreme service failure that takes place during a hotel check-in. Each respondent was asked to read the scenario and then reflect upon it as they responded to items that assessed their feelings toward the hotel check-in experience.FindingsThe results provide additional evidence in support of the existence of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum, as well as specifically identifying the affective nature of levels of satisfaction that fall surprisingly well-below the zone of tolerance. The authors feel that the present study is a necessary step to provide a more comprehensive view of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum. Likewise, the authors posit initial evidence of the antecedents and consequences of consumer outrage. This research supports the prior assumptions of Westbrook (1987) about the vast detrimental effects of negative affective responses to service or product failures.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research needs to discover just how extremely deficient service has to be to elicit outrage. Is outrage a personal phenomenon with every consumer experiencing it to different degrees? As such, is outrage triggered at different points on the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum? The zone of tolerance seems to suggest this, but it would be interesting to discover if at some collective level of dissatisfaction consumers generally begin to show signs of outrage. Likewise, it would be interesting to understand how the level and pattern of outrage results in customers exiting the relationship but also results in loyal customers becoming enemies (e.g. Gregiore et al., 2009; Gregiore and Fisher, 2008).Originality/valueThe motivation for the current study is both pragmatic and theoretical. As alluded to above, it is evident that the level of service customers' emotional responses to their service experiences are increasing in frequency and intensity. These negative emotions affect the efficacy of service workers and impede the financial performance of service providers. The popular mantra of "anti-woke" consumers, "Go Woke, Go Broke," is indicative of the importance of negative emotion. Sometimes referred to as "brand activism" (Moorman, 2020; Sarkar and Kotlet, 2019), recent public stances on social and political issues have led to a boycott of Gillette razors, the burning of Nike shoes, and the canceling of Costco Memberships in what has been called "virtue signaling" (Vredenburg et al., 2020). While none of these actions are desirable, the importance of investigating the impact of strong negative emotions (i.e. outrage) is further demonstrated in reports that 65% of consumers expect companies to authentically support such issues (Barton et al., 2018; Edelman, 2018; Larcker and Tayan, 2018; Moorman, 2020).

The question as to why marketing and service scholars increasingly have moved away from important "classic" research themes towards selective "new" themes has numerous answers, many of which may be controversial. However, it is a topic in need of consideration, as the influence of the marketing discipline, which is the home of service marketers, is waning as evidenced by its declining citation count in the journals of other business disciplines. The movement of scholars towards less generalizable "new" topics is one reason these citations are in decline. This chapter suggests that as marketing PhD programs, faculty appointments, and journal editorial decision-making positions are increasingly staffed by those advocating a behavioral science approach to marketing and service theory and research, the discipline is losing its unique position within the business school and among practitioners. The rational offered is that the discipline is losing its focus on what makes it unique as it moves the marketing and service disciplines towards "new" research themes that appear better suited for the behavioral science literature. Examples of "classic" research themes that deserve additional attention yet are being ignored are provided. In addition, the historic drift of the discipline towards its current myopic focus is discussed. This is followed by a prescription to correct the myopic drift of the marketing and services disciplines and literatures away from their traditional management/strategy mainstream central research theme.

Purpose This commentary aims to identify the myopic drift of the marketing discipline and to opine on the areas in which the leadership of service scholars is needed. The authors identify specific areas where the input of service scholars is needed to enable the discipline to better contribute to users, providers, and society. For example, the growing gap between marketing scholarship and practical business needs is acknowledged, emphasizing the unique position of service scholars to bridge this divide. While consumer well-being is crucial, the exclusive focus on behavioral science is critiqued. Marketing’s roots are deeply connected to economics, shaping consumer choices, and service scholars can help revive marketing’s essence. Design/methodology/approach Personal reflections and historical literature assessment. Findings The services discipline is caught in the general myopic behavioral drift of the marketing discipline. However, they are well positioned to reverse the trend by seeking leadership in PhD programs, journal editorships and review boards, faculty recruiting, hiring and promotion, and by continuing its engagement with industry professionals. Research limitations/implications The authors suggest extensive goals for service scholars. To accomplish these goals, it will be necessary to challenge the increasing behavioral drift of the majority of existing scholars in the discipline. Originality/value This work is original and controversial. It is meant to inspire discussion and focus attention on the problems inherent in the increasingly myopic behavioral orientation of the members of the discipline’s academic community.

The view of advocates who see corporate social responsibility as a transformative tool by which marketers can unilaterally define the well-being of consumers is criticized by Gaski (AMS Review, 2022) for failing to acknowledge marketers’ legal and ethical responsibilities as agents of ownership and on the basis that they are not qualified to determine what is socially responsible. These criticisms are explored to suggest that social responsibility is a triadic construct that incorporates provider, user, and societal well-being. It is further suggested that advocates of social responsibility have not distinguished the construct from social marketing. Historically, it is demonstrated that concern for consumer well-being is not a new transformative initiative for marketers as such concerns have appeared in the marketing literature for more than a century. It is suggested that social responsibility is a process that is appropriately used as a strategic option by marketers as a potential means to enhance the well-being of providers, users, and society and that the government is the appropriate arbitrator should disagreements as to what is socially responsible arise. Confusion as to the conceptualization and use of social responsibility is attributed to a growing myopic drift towards a behavioral focus among marketing faculty, in marketing Ph.D. programs, and in the marketing literature. Suggestions for changes are identified.

The goal of this commentary is to promote the critical thinking and research needed to better understand the challenges that face scholars and practitioners relative to the role of services in the future. Factors creating the need for a reevaluation of existing service options are identified. Suggestions for research related to the role of services in the future are also presented. In addition, opportunities for such research are offered as research directives.

To date, research has revealed that the concept of customer loyalty is tantamount to gaining strategic success during customer exchanges (Cronin et al. 2000; Wolter et al. 2017). To this end, this paper seeks to determine the antecedents of enhancing loyalty outcomes associated with the service exchange. Three studies are undertaken to not only propose the antecedent effect of satisfaction and mediating effect of value on loyalty outcome but also to further advance understanding by identifying the moderating effect of perceived justice to service satisfaction, value, and customer loyalty outcomes. The direct effect of satisfaction on loyalty outcomes such as (a) identification (b) exclusive consideration, (c) advocacy, (d) strength of preference, and (e) share of wallet was supported in our study. Assessment of the indirect effect of value on loyalty outcomes was based on the bootleg confidence interval estimates associated with each effect (Hayes 2017). From these tests, four of the five models proved value as a significant (p-value ≤0.001) mediator. Only the influence of satisfaction on strength of preference proved not to be mediated by value. A moderated mediation model of perceived justice and the relationship between satisfaction and value was also tested and suggests that greater perceived justice enhances the effect of satisfaction on value. Moreover, perceived justice positively moderates the strength of the mediated relationship between satisfaction and loyalty outcomes through value such that the mediated relationship is stronger under greater levels of perceived justice for loyalty outcomes The purpose of this study was to gain greater understanding of the antecedents and moderators of customer loyalty outcomes. Herein, the findings suggest that value plays a significant role in mediating the influence of satisfaction on all loyalty outcomes. Further, the indirect effect of value is moderated by increased justice perceptions such that perceptions of value are enhanced when customers feel a heightened sense of justice during the service encounter. This proved true for all outcomes with the exception of strength of preference. These findings have significant implications for service strategy in that, while value tends to be a key driver of loyalty, its role is diminished if customers perceive injustice during the service encounter. Thus, equity in the exchange is a key driver of loyalty outcomes.

Similar to the adaptation and evolution of organizations, individual consumers must live and exist within similar environmental conditions. The research presented utilizes a quantitative study to examine a consumer's environment and the subsequent impact on green behaviors. The results suggest that internal factors (i.e. interest, altruism, willingness to conduct research) are significant predictors of green behavior. An examination of the external factors (i.e. organizational influence, media influence, governmental influence) suggests that consumers face numerous outside influences and are unsure of whom to trust. A discussion of the theoretical implications, as well as the practical implications for boardrooms, is presented. Areas for future study and the limitations of the research are also identified.

Mobile shopping apps are becoming a major, if not dominant, marketing tool in twenty-first-century shopping experiences. This technology is used, not just to finalize purchases but to access the information needed to compare prices, assess product and service quality, and determine product availability. Apps are driving the strategy of Amazon, as well as retail giants such as COSCO, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sam’s Club, Sears, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart, as they replace in-store employees and offer at-home delivery or convenient store pickups (Nassauer and Safdar 2016). While consumers increasingly use smartphone apps to access the information needed to successfully engage in digital transaction, their ability to successfully navigate this process is not uniformly distributed. Thus, it is important for firms that are increasing their engagement with consumers through digital apps to understand the potential consequences if the information provided is inadequate, inaccurate, or misleading. Given that not all of the information typically accessed by consumers is controlled by the organization, firms using digital apps need strategies to protect themselves from possible negative attributions. One means of buffering suggested by Ariely (2000) is to empower consumers by giving them full control of the information search process. That is, if the consumer can freely search for information, it is suggested that there is less potential of negative attributions. Thus, the research undertaken has two primary objectives: (1) to establish that the quality (i.e., accuracy) of the information accessed through a digital app has a direct effect on purchase behavior relative to the product that is the object of the information search and (2) to investigate whether control of the information search process moderates the relationship between the information quality and a consumer’s purchase behavior. The current study confirms the importance of information control by demonstrating that though retailers might see higher levels of repurchase intent when they provide consumers with accurate information (vs. inaccurate), retailers are also susceptible to lower levels of repurchase intent when the information is deemed inaccurate. Given the subjectivity of information, this study provides evidence that by allowing consumers to control the search for information from sources they choose, retailers can reduce the negative effects that inaccurate information has on repurchase intentions. References Available Upon Request

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether customer-company identification (CCI) can transfer from one organization to the next within the context of service alliances. Design/methodology/approach A between-subjects experiment using a fictitious alliance and a field study focused on a real alliance tests identification transfer at the time of a service alliance announcement and while the service alliance is in operation. Findings Identification transfer is enabled by an exclusive service alliance but not an inclusive one. For identification transfer to be maintained, customers must perceive the companies as a coherent group (i.e. high entitativity) and have close physical proximity to the alliance. Originality/value By drawing heavily on self-categorization theory for the proposed effects, the current research provides a new theoretical framework to the service and brand alliance literature that contrasts with the attitude-based theories commonly used. Furthermore, the current research explores how company-company relationships influence CCI whereas most research has focused on characteristics of the customer-company relationship. These two differences suggest service alliances provide more value to the companies and customers than currently realized.

Purpose Despite the recent growth of the do-it-yourself market, very little is known as to how or why individuals actually choose to engage in prosumption behavior. The purpose of this study is to specifically examine the decision process of actors when determining the level of resource commitment and integration necessary to prosume or consume a service, thus offering insights to both managers and academics alike. Design/methodology/approach A multi-method study using both qualitative and quantitative research examines the decision of actors to consume or prosume a service. A conceptual model is presented and tested. Findings The results identify the primary drivers individuals considered when evaluating the resource commitment necessary for a make or buy decision. This research offers empirical support for the application of transaction cost analysis as an appropriate theoretical explanation of how actors decide to prosume or consume a service. The authors further suggest, based on these findings, that transaction cost analysis is a viable middle-range theory to explain the commitment and sharing of resources between actors engaged in co-production within the perspective of a service-dominant logic. Research limitations/implications Future research is needed to identify opportunities for hybrid models that consider the appropriateness of these findings within larger service networks, as well as potential moderating or mediating influences of the direct effects identified and investigated. Originality/value This study offers an initial attempt to provide a theoretical explanation for the resource integration decisions (e.g. make or buy) faced by individuals in a growing segment of the economy. The findings enable better informed strategies to be identified by both service providers and retailers.

Recent research suggests both the cognitive and affective dimensions of customer-company identification (CCI) influence outcomes of interest such as customer loyalty. Yet no research has empirically examined whether there are separate firm influenced drivers of the cognitive (CCICog) and affective (CCIAff) dimensions of CCI. The current research examines how two sets of drivers, symbolic and social, uniquely affect CCICog and CCIAff in comparison to 21 control variables. The results suggest CCICog is primarily influenced by antecedents that assist in self-definition (e.g., identity similarity and in-group ties) whereas CCIAff is primarily influenced by antecedents that assist in self-evaluation (e.g., organizational prestige and in-group bond). In addition, social drivers enhance the effect of symbolic drivers on CCICog whereas social drivers attenuate the effect of symbolic drivers on CCIAff.

Companies are investing greater resources into corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives as a component of their marketing strategy. Corporate philanthropic giving, sustainability initiatives, and community involvement are all on the rise as companies attempt to establish, maintain, and/or enhance a reputation for socially responsibility. For example, a Forbes listing of the seventy eight most generous companies noted that charitable giving rose from $3.6 billion in 2006 to $3.8 billion in 2007 (Kirdahy 2008). Similarly, many of the companies in Fortune’s ranking of the 100 best companies to work for avoided laying off employees despite the recent global economic downturn (Fortune 2010). Additionally, General Electric is doubling the investment into Ecomagination, a green focused research and development program, between 2010 and 2015 (Lombardi 2010). Initiatives such as these are becoming more common for companies as they are blatant, tangible signals of a firm’s CSR efforts. While being deemed socially responsible by analysts (e.g, CNN, Fortune, or KLD) requires a company to excel on all areas of CSR, a consumer’s evaluation may not entail the same broad assessment.

Why do customers' attitudinal loyalty fail to predict their behavior? More importantly, what creates such latent loyalty? We attempt to answer these questions by examining the antecedents and outcomes of loyalty conviction, which represents the inherent strength/uncertainty in a customer's attitudinal loyalty. For deep attitudinal loyalty (i.e., conative loyalty), the findings suggest that customer satisfaction creates loyalty held without conviction. In contrast, customer-company identification creates loyalty held with conviction. Importantly, attitudinal loyalty without conviction loses its ability to predict behavior when situational and competitive barriers are present whereas loyalty with conviction maintains a predictive relationship with behavior despite the same barriers. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of New York University.

In Study 1, the authors find that people are more satisfied with a service experience when they choose to participate in the provider's voluntary green program (e.g., recycling)—an effect mediated by the “warm glow” of participation. The downside, however, is that this same mechanism decreases satisfaction among people who choose not to participate. In Study 2, analysis of data from the J.D. Power Guest Satisfaction Index suggests that incentivizing the program (i.e., compensating the program participants) paradoxically increases satisfaction for those who do not participate but decreases satisfaction among those who do. Studies 3 and 4 explore how manipulating incentive characteristics might enable managers to maximize satisfaction for both groups. Study 3 indicates that, compared with no incentive, an “other-benefiting” incentive increases warm glow and satisfaction for green program participants but decreases them among nonparticipants. Study 4, however, suggests that mixed incentive bundles (i.e., providing both self-benefiting and other-benefiting options) maximize warm glow and satisfaction for both groups—the ideal outcome for managers.

Growing consumer interest in sustainable products and an increased emphasis on supply chain relationships within the organic wine industry necessitate a more in-depth understanding of the effects of consumer perceptions about the sustainable practices of organic wine producers and retailers (suppliers). This study focuses on consumer perceptions about sustainable practices used by organic wine suppliers along with consumer attitudes pertaining to organic wine attributes. Results suggest that consumer perceptions of sustainable practices by wine producers affect the outcomes of consumers’ decision making relative to organic wine. In addition, this study found that consumer attitudes about organic wine attributes related to the environment, health, and price had significant effects upon behavioral intentions. The moderating effects of trust on these perceptions are also considered. Findings indicate consumers that trust wine retailers are more likely to engage in positive outcomes. Numerous implications regarding organic wine supply chain management and future research are identified.

The recent economic downturn is causing consumers to examine their personal budgets with a critical eye as they endeavor to become more efficient in their spending. One means of increasing the efficiency of expenditures is for consumers to participate in the creation of the products they consume. Popularly depicted as do-it-yourself, academics are using the term prosumption to describe this trend. Its popularity is evident in the highly rated HGTV and DIY (do-it-yourself) networks and shows such as Income Property, Renovation Realities, and I Hate My Kitchen. The movement to prosumption is not insignificant as the global do-it-yourself market is expected to reach $716.2 billion by 2015 (Global Industry Analysts 2012). Because SDL suggests that all value is co-created, research that investigates the effect of prosumption on value creation. Specifically, firms are relying on consumers to “do-it-themselves” rather than to co-create.

Purpose This paper aims to provide an evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article “A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value” with the benefit of hindsight, and to offer directions for further research and developments in the research area. Design/methodology/approach Research directions which emanated from the publication of the paper have been examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice. As a result, promising current and future strands of research have been identified. Findings The focus of both the original and this paper is on the conceptualization and measurement of the value construct. Although much theory has been advanced relative to the measurement of value, the marketing literature lacks a conceptualization and measures that reflect this theory. Research limitations/implications The implication of the paper is that marketing scholars tend to focus more on to other studies before exhausting the opportunities to identify and test appropriate conceptualizations and measures of core marketing constructs such as value, quality, sacrifice and satisfaction. Practical implications Although value is universally identified as a major driver of consumer decision-making, a full appreciation of its role in the strategic marketing efforts of organizations depends on having an accurate conceptualization and measures. The original paper and this revisit motivate and assist organizations in their efforts to better understand value and its impact in the decisions made by consumers. Social implications To contribute to the needs and wants of society, organizations must identify what is valued by society. The original and this revisit identify the creation of value as a basic need in encouraging consumer behaviours when the intent is to satisfy societal needs or desires. Originality/value The original paper was highly rated, and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the history of service marketing research. The retrospective analysis by the authors gives a unique insight into processes and thinking associated with understanding key aspects that contribute to the historical development of service marketing, and provides substantial food for thought for future research directions.

The current research examines a new phenomenon, consumer–brand disidentification (CBD), in relation to consumer–brand identification (CBI), their symbolic drivers, and unique outcomes. The model is examined in the context of seven nationally-recognized beer brands. As such, three theoretical contributions are made. First, the concept of CBD is revealed as useful in understanding consumers' brand relationships. Second, CBI and CBD are evidenced as capturing an attraction/repulsion dynamic by which brands simultaneously attract and repulse segments of consumer. Third, the results suggest that the influence of self-motives, as represented by the symbolic drivers, differs for CBI and CBD. Overall, the research suggests that capitalizing off of the symbolic properties of a brand is a difficult task as strong brand identities can alienate consumer segments.