This paper examines and compares the promotion strategies used by clothing and shoe retailers in the Asia Pacific region, namely Hong Kong, New Zeal and Australia. To undertake this study, we postal surveyed the clothing and shoe retailers' perceptions of the importance of various promotion tools across the three countries. The results show that there are significant differences among the three countries in terms of promotion mix usage. Our main conclusion is that there are two approaches to strategic promotion, namely traditional and new age marketing. The paper ends by isolating the managerial implications of the research and identifies related areas that might be fruitfully exploited by international retailers.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify distinguishing attributes of (dis)satisfying service contacts in a Chinese cultural context. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected in the form of critical incidents from a purposive snowball sample of hypermarket customers. Analysis of the responses revealed 277 critical judgements related (dis)satisfying determinants.FindingsFindings reveal 17 determinants with 37 sub‐determinants for all the experiences: five determinants relate to satisfactory evaluations, seven to dissatisfactory, and a further five to both. The determinants represent a marked departure from existing determinants of service quality described in the Western oriented literature.Originality/valueThe findings are related to Chinese (Confucian) culture to suggest determinants that can both develop and lead to termination of hypermarkets' relationships with their customers. A focus on the developers and terminators provides practical insights to foreign and indigenous managers of hypermarkets in the Far East for focus in service delivery.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to model the development of e‐purchasing behavior by examining the simultaneous effects of information, web interactivity, satisfaction and positive attitude (PA) on purchase intentions (PIs).Design/methodology/approachDevelopment and testing of four competing models from surveys of 402 consumers.FindingsThe results highlight the appropriateness of the multiple mediation model (MMM). The findings also indicate that both the dual mediating role of PA and the simple mediating role of positive emotional bond (PEB) in the model significantly improve the explanation of e‐purchasing model process. Particularly, path coefficients for two groups (male vs female) are significantly different. Female consumers have a tendency to accept valuable information and to participate in interactivity.Originality/valueIn this study, Armstrong et al.'s notion is adopted to show that the role of the scientist is changed from advocating a single hypothesis to evaluating a number of competing models. The current research attempts to empirically test competing mechanisms of the variables and their affects on PI.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend research on metaphors of consumption to a Chinese cultural setting, specifically examining consumer thoughts related the Chinese concept of renao (hot and noisy).Design/methodology/approachThe Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) was used – a photo elicitation approach and semi‐structured interviews that surfaced metaphors. Field observation and participative techniques were combined with the 14 interviews, in Taiwan, through a grounded theory approach that classified results in categories using the software XSight.FindingsFive main categories of related concepts consistently arose: food, inexpensive, crowd, marketing communication and servicescape. Respondents closely tied renao with consumption behavior. All five categories resulted in rich descriptions that these consumers, and possibly a wider group, associate with successful retail locations.Research limitations/implicationsThis in‐depth approach was limited to 14 respondents and two researchers living in Taiwan. Thus, both the sample and the sample frame are restricted. Although the concept of renao is common in all Chinese cultural settings, its exact interpretation differs in different locations, sub‐cultures and marketing segments.Originality/valueConsumers expressing their values though consumption is a marketing topic both studied and used in the West. The convergence of consumers' perception of self and consumption is no less important, but certainly different, for consumers in a Chinese cultural setting. Local values heavily influence Chinese consumption in Taiwan, such as the central concept of renao. These local values are rarely discussed in Western literature. Retailers can benefit by incorporating at least some of these metaphors, while marketing researchers can gain an expanded definition of consumer self‐image and values.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine Asian consumers' attitudes towards television advertisements (ads) to provide an insight into the antecedents and consequences of liked and disliked ads and the cultural differences that influence these relationships.Design/methodology/approachA matched sample of young consumers from four Asian cities was asked to nominate ads that they both liked and disliked. They also provided reasons as to why they were liked and disliked and the effect this had on their purchase intentions. The results were analysed using multiple and logistic regression.FindingsFindings show that ad likeability increases if people feel that advertising provides something to talk about. Conversely, people who find advertising annoying have higher ratings of ad dislikeability. Results also show that a close relationship exists between liking (disliking) television ads and buying more (less) of the advertised products. However, differences exist between Asian cities.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that adherence to a standardised regional advertising strategy based on assumptions that close geography and a seemingly sufficiently close culture within the Asian region is appropriate, could lead to disappointing results. The only commonality is that disliked ads reduce intention to purchase.Originality/valuePrevious research does not consider the unique influences of ad likeability and dislikeability in the decision of whether to standardize or adapt advertising within the Asian region.
Negotiation is crucial to business alliances, but this process can become more complicated if there are language barriers and differences in cultural values, customs, and lifestyles, such as Western businesses negotiating in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Previous studies have presented models of the Chinese negotiating process but these are primarily from the US. This study examines the negotiating experiences of selected New Zealand investors who have had experiences negotiating either Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or short‐term sales agreements in the PRC to create two conceptual models. The results provide some interesting insights for doing business in China.