This paper addresses the central issue of whether it is effective for a firm to discourage the purchase of its own product in order to support a social cause. The objectives of this study were: a) to examine whether a cause-related self-prevention ad would stimulate more positive evaluations compared to promotional ad, particularly when the product category is more negatively socially accepted; and 2) to determine if a negative attitude toward the product could induce a boomerang effect of a self-prevention ad. Results from three experiments revealed that socially responsible prevention campaigns against firm’s own product may be more effective for the product category negatively associated with social concerns or welfare. If products are more limited in the social context, communications of product prevention are beneficial to improve the public image of the brand. However, the self-hurting approach may be inappropriate for potential customers who currently possess a strong negative attitude toward the product.

Cause-related Marketing (CrM) has become an increasingly popular marketing approach over the past two decades. However, neither researchers nor organizations fully understand the determinants of a successful CrM partnership. This research fills this gap. Specifically, we employ the schema theory to explore circumstances in which the CrM alliance cannot achieve a success. We use a theoretical modeling approach to report that, when consumers’ typicality-based cognitive process is assumed, the CrM activity with the partners’ more-discrepant attribute profile cannot be evaluated favorably, but the attribute-level uncertainty about the CrM alliance is less likely to feedback to the two partners. Furthermore, we argue that, under the schema-plus-tag model, consumers may not like the CrM program with a similar attribute profile. Therefore, this CrM approach may fail. To our knowledge, we are the first to apply the schema theory to explain how a CrM alliance can achieve a success.

Despite the importance of the impact of network structure on the relationships between firms and firm performance, few studies have investigated these effects. This study investigates how network openness influences the relationships between TSI, opportunism, technological uncertainty, and supplier performance. We also try to figure out how network openness functions as a governance mechanism.

Rational choice theory holds that the alternative with largest expected utility in the choice set should always be chosen. However, it is often observed that an alternative with the largest expected utility is not always chosen while the choice task itself being avoided. Such a choice phenomenon cannot be explained by the traditional expected utility maximization principle. The current study posits shows that such a phenomenon can be attributed to the gap between the expected perceived gain (or loss) and the expected perceived value. This study mathematically analyses the relationship between the expectation of an alternative’s gains or losses over the reference point and its expected value, when the perceived gains or losses follow continuous probability distributions. The proposed expected value (EV) function can explain the effects of loss aversion and uncertainty on the evaluation of an alternative based on the prospect theory value function. The proposed function reveals why the expected gain of an alternative should exceed some positive threshold in order for the alternative to be chosen. The model also explains why none of the two equally or similarly attractive options is chosen when they are presented together, but either of them is chosen when presented alone. The EV function and EG-EV curve can extract and visualize the core tenets of the prospect theory more clearly than the value function itself.

With continuous news headlines related to patents in the public media, awareness of patents’ value is spreading, and patents are valuable not only to a firm but also to consumers. Therefore, this study makes an effort to explore the theoretical mechanism of the effects of patent infringement litigation (PIL) on customers. More specifically, this study examines the influence of PIL on customer-based brand equity (CBBE) and brand innovation image (BII). Based on this study’s findings, PIL’s outcomes directly affect BII, which in turn indirectly affects CBBE. That is, people will evaluate a winning brand as a highly innovative brand, which contributes to higher brand equity. However, in regards to PIL’s direct effect on CBBE, there are some differences between Apple and Samsung. In the case of Apple, the winner image positively affects only one dimension of CBBE, brand loyalty, while for Samsung, the plaintiff’s image negatively affects brand loyalty.

This paper has identified some theoretical reasons and empirical evidence for negative scores that occur in Japan and Korea or unstable NPS scores that can be experienced. A psychological analysis of NPS results sheds light on the validity of the negative NPS scores that are often found in Japan and Korea. Usually customer experience surveys utilize a “single stimulus” such as the “company” or the “company’s products / services.” However, in the case of the “recommendation to friend” question of the NPS system there are two stimuli namely the “company product/service” and the influence of “friends.” Hence, the survey outcomes from this question can be very different when compared with other single stimulus questions such as “overall satisfaction” or “repurchase.” Japanese and Korean people may have a positive attitude towards the company but they will provide low NPS scores because they are reflecting that they would not run the risk of ruining their relationships with their friends by making a recommendation. As a result, in the NPS system these people will be labeled as “detractors” when in fact they are “ambivalent customers.” Using several Japanese and Korean based marketing research industry examples and case studies, different strategies are proposed to address the issue of negative scores in the NPS system in Japan and Korea. The Customers Psyche appears to be the key determinant factors for both types of behavioural items (items with a single stimulus as well as items with two stimuli).

This paper has identified some theoretical reasons and empirical evidence for negative scores that occur in Japan and Korea or unstable NPS scores that can be experienced. A psychological analysis of NPS results sheds light on the validity of the negative NPS scores that are often found in Japan and Korea. Usually customer experience surveys utilize a “single stimulus” such as the “company” or the “company’s products / services.” However, in the case of the “recommendation to friend” question of the NPS system there are two stimuli namely the “company product/service” and the influence of “friends.” Hence, the survey outcomes from this question can be very different when compared with other single stimulus questions such as “overall satisfaction” or “repurchase.” Japanese and Korean people may have a positive attitude towards the company but they will provide low NPS scores because they are reflecting that they would not run the risk of ruining their relationships with their friends by making a recommendation. As a result, in the NPS system these people will be labeled as “detractors” when in fact they are “ambivalent customers.” Using several Japanese and Korean based marketing research industry examples and case studies, different strategies are proposed to address the issue of negative scores in the NPS system in Japan and Korea. The Customers Psyche appears to be the key determinant factors for both types of behavioural items (items with a single stimulus as well as items with two stimuli).

This paper investigates how servicescape perception influences customer experience quality in hedonic service settings. In addition to the direct effect of servicescape quality on customer experience quality, the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality are also investigated. We collected data through a self-administered survey. The proposed relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that servicescape quality influences customer experience quality both directly and indirectly through employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality, and customer experience quality influences customer loyalty. Additionally, we find that the indirect path via peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in a low-satisfaction customer group. The indirect effect of servicescape quality perception through peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in low-satisfaction customer groups. Therefore, if evaluations for this indirect effect fall below an acceptable level, it should be addressed first before improving on other attributes. However, after this point, further improvements offer few if any gains; therefore, service firms should allocate their resources to quality improvements to other factors. This study is the first to investigate the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via peer-to-peer interaction quality in hedonic service settings. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the significance of this indirect effect applies only to a low-satisfaction customer group.

This paper investigates how servicescape perception influences customer experience quality in hedonic service settings. In addition to the direct effect of servicescape quality on customer experience quality, the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality are also investigated. We collected data through a self-administered survey. The proposed relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that servicescape quality influences customer experience quality both directly and indirectly through employee-to-customer interaction quality and peer-to-peer interaction quality, and customer experience quality influences customer loyalty. Additionally, we find that the indirect path via peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in a low-satisfaction customer group. The indirect effect of servicescape quality perception through peer-to-peer interaction quality is significant only in low-satisfaction customer groups. Therefore, if evaluations for this indirect effect fall below an acceptable level, it should be addressed first before improving on other attributes. However, after this point, further improvements offer few if any gains; therefore, service firms should allocate their resources to quality improvements to other factors. This study is the first to investigate the indirect effects of servicescape quality on customer experience quality via peer-to-peer interaction quality in hedonic service settings. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the significance of this indirect effect applies only to a low-satisfaction customer group.