Abstract
This study aimed to investigate how a firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices affect customers’ attitudes, their self-brand connection, and, in turn, brand preference with ridesharing services (e.g., Uber). Adopting a second-order construct of perceived corporate social responsibility (PCSR) reflected from three CSR dimensions—environment, economy, and ethics—this study posited PCSR influences customers’ brand attitudes, self-brand connection, and brand preference. A total of 300 valid responses was collected from a convenience sample. Results revealed PCSR showed significant impacts on customers’ brand attitudes and self-brand connection. However, no direct impact of PCSR on customers’ brand preference was identified, while mediation effects were detected between PCSR and brand preference by brand attitudes and self-brand connection. This study also discussed the managerial and theoretical implications of PCSR practices for a ridesharing service industry.
Abstract
There is a dearth of systematic analysis of role of normative and predictive expectations in generating customer outcomes. The goal of the present empirical study is to establish how interaction of two types of expectations affects customer satisfaction and emotions in terms of their valence and arousal. Different combinations of normative and predictive expectations constitute different scenarios; hence, methodology of scenarios was used in measuring expectations for both services and products. The study demonstrated that normative and predictive expectations in conjunction, rather than separately, generated commensurate levels of customer satisfaction and emotions. Another finding of the current study is the moderating effect of emotional valence on the relationship between emotional arousal and satisfaction. The valence sign changes the direction of the relationship between emotional arousal and satisfaction. Positive emotional valence strengthens the relationship between them; in contrast, when emotional valence is negative, arousal negatively impacts satisfaction. The implication is that intense positive emotions are associated with higher customer satisfaction while intense negative emotions are associated with lower satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications and venues for future research are discussed.
As an important part of tourism, festivals and events are often considered an effective tool for a host community that makes efforts to enhance local tourism, using historical or cultural themes to attract visitors and create an image in the community setting. This chapter discusses impacts of festivals and events on residents and visitors, focusing on a particular case, the Halloween-themed Haunted Happenings, a month-long city festival in Salem, Massachusetts. The City of Salem, also known for its rich maritime history, was once one of America’s most affluent and significant ports. Historic buildings and other evidence of the city’s affluent cultural heritage during the seventeenth century can still be seen. Adding this history onto Salem’s infamous witch trials in 1692 and linking it all to Halloween creates the total image of this witch city. In fact, the City of Salem has become the most popular place in the United States to celebrate the Halloween season. This chapter reviews the various impacts of the Haunted Happenings, such as economic benefits, social concerns, and efforts to maintain environmental sustainability, from the community stakeholders’ perspectives. This chapter also suggests considerations necessary when planning and organizing festivals in a local community.