Attractiveness Of Alternatives Research Articles

Impact of brands' Facebook page characteristics and followers' comments on trust building and purchase intention: Alternative attractiveness as moderator

AbstractDrawing on signaling theory, this research aims to examine the impact of brands' Facebook page characteristics (information variety, information currency, and responsiveness) and followers' comments on building trust and its consequent effect on purchase intention by considering attractiveness of alternatives as a moderator. Data were obtained from 396 brands' Facebook page followers in Malaysia using an online survey and analyzed using the partial least squares technique. The results indicated that a brand's Facebook page information variety and information currency significantly affect trust in that brand. Additionally, responsiveness and followers' positive comments on the Facebook page were found to have a significant influence on both trust in brand and trust in product. Furthermore, both trust in brand and trust in product were significantly related to intention to purchase. Our results revealed that alternative attractiveness negatively moderates the influence of trust on purchase intention. The findings extend the literature by illustrating that (i) the influence of customer‐generated information on trust is higher than the influence of company‐generated information; (ii) the determinants and impacts of trust in brand and trust in product are different; and (iii) existence of attractive alternatives may offset the impact of trust in brand on purchase intention. The findings are useful for brand managers and enable them to influence customers' trust through successful management of brands' Facebook fan pages.

Lifelong good soldiers of higher education institutions: driving factors and obstructions of alumni loyalty

Loyal customers are good soldiers who behave favorably toward service firms. As increasing number of universities are facing “a candle burning at both ends” due to low birth rate and high global competition, this study integrates alumni participation, alternative attractiveness, school prestige, and the relationship quality-based student loyalty model to verify leading variables that enhance alumni loyalty. A total of 412 questionnaires were collected from universities in Taiwan. Other than service quality and relationship quality, this study confirms the critical influence of alumni participation and school prestige on loyalty intention. The key mediation role of alumni participation is also revealed.

Interdependence and complementarity between rural development and rural tourism: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT Rural tourism is a vital means of rural development. There exist a great deal of interdependence and complementarity between the two. Rural tourism offers an alternative attraction of rurality as a diversification and regenerative strategy to bring about socio-economic development with minimal adversity. This research presents advancements in research trends for rural tourism and rural development during 2001–2020 by critically reviewing and analysing published academic literature. A systematic bibliometric analysis was conducted on the literature retrieved from the Scopus database using the VOS Viewer software tool. Using the specific keywords “Rural Tourism” and “Rural Development,” 225 articles were reviewed and analysed. The results show that studies concerning these keywords have gained momentum and wider acceptability after 2010. China tops the list in publishing most research articles, followed by Spain and Italy. Research findings provide a comprehensive assessment of academic productivity.

Алгоритм и методы принятия управленческих решений на основе теории латентных переменных в условиях временных ограничений

The paper describes a decision-making algorithm under conditions of dynamically changing external and internal factors that affect the result of decision-making. The main role in this algorithm is played by the stage of assessing the attractiveness of alternatives and, as a result, choosing the most attractive of them. The main problem for solving this problem is the choice of the best alternative under conditions of uncertainty, when there is no information about possible scenarios for the development of the situation. To solve this problem, the paper proposes to apply the Rasch model of estimating latent variables, which allows not only to obtain estimates of alternatives on a linear scale, but also to obtain estimates of the sensitivity of alternatives to possible scenarios that make sense of the risk of loss for each alternative in case of an unexpected change in the scenario of the development of the situation. The results of modeling the process of data refinement for decision-making based on non-stationary Markov random processes are also presented. Aim. The purpose of the study is to develop an algorithm and a dynamic decision-making model that takes into account situational risk management, which is based on the theory of latent variables and non-stationary Markov random processes. Materials and methods. To substantiate the algorithm of the decision-making process, there is a mathematical model for assessing the attractiveness of alternatives, based on the Rasch model for assessing latent variables. To substantiate the evaluation results, computational experiments were carried out, which substantiated the adequacy of the obtained estimates. In addition, to confirm the possibility of using a decision-making algorithm, which involves the use of iterations to collect information, mathematical modeling of the decision-making process was carried out, which showed a high probability of successful completion of the process within the specified time frame. Results. On the basis of the decision-making algorithm presented in the paper under conditions of limited time, the issue of calculating the weights of alternatives under conditions of uncertainty, taking into account dynamically changing external and internal conditions, is raised. An original method for obtaining estimates of the attractiveness of alternatives under uncertainty is described, which takes into account the sensitivity of alternatives to possible scenarios for the development of the situation. For a qualitative analysis of the results when making decisions in accordance with the developed algorithm, a model of dynamic control over the probability of making decisions within a given time frame was presented. Using non-stationary Markov random processes, it is possible to evaluate the success of decision-making in the allotted time and calculate the number of cycles required to refine the initial data. Conclusion. On the basis of the decision-making algorithm presented in the paper under conditions of limited time, the issue of calculating the weights of alternatives under conditions of uncertainty, taking into account dynamically changing external and internal conditions, is raised. An original method for obtaining estimates of the attractiveness of alternatives under uncertainty is described, which takes into account the sensitivity of alternatives to possible scenarios for the development of the situation. For a qualitative analysis of the results when making decisions in accordance with the developed algorithm, a model of dynamic control over the probability of making decisions within a given time frame was presented. Using non-stationary Markov random processes, it is possible to evaluate the success of decision-making in the allotted time and calculate the number of cycles required to refine the initial data.

What triggers mobile application-based purchase behavior during COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Vietnam

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shifted purchase behavior and accelerated the diffusion of modern retail channels via mobile application (or m-application). This work aims to frame a mechanism of m-application-based behavioral intentions in the COVID-19 context.Design/methodology/approachThe authors designed a web-based survey to retrieve empirical data from 478 Vietnamese users. Quantitative approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed to test a research model.FindingsFindings reveal that antecedents of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (i.e. performance expectancy and facilitating conditions), external influences (i.e. perceived imitation), m-application-related factors (i.e. additive value and alternative attractiveness) and COVID-19-related factors of Protective Motivation Theory (PMT) (i.e. perceived contraction threat, fear and social distancing) are determinants of use intention. Moreover, COVID-19-related dimensions and use intention have direct and indirect positive influences on purchase intention.Practical implicationsPractitioners should stay agile and focus greater attention on a mechanism in which consumer adoption and purchase intention are formulated in the pandemic.Originality/valueThis work narrows the gap by simultaneously identifying the importance of the dimensions from UTAUT and COVID-19-related factors from PMT, especially social distancing, integrated with additive value and alternative attractiveness of m-applications in forming the behavioral intention model in a disease context.

미용성형 의료기관의 고객만족이 재이용에 미치는 영향: 대안매력도의 조절효과를 중심으로-의료관광을 위한 기초적 연구

Amid changes and competition in the medical market, medical institutions have also pursued diversity and specificity. Through these changes, it was recognized that customer satisfaction is a very important factor in the development of medical institutions. Recognizing the importance of customer satisfaction, this study identifies the relationship between customer satisfaction and re-visit and reveals the moderating effect of alternative attractiveness on these relationships. The results of these studies were presented as follows: First, customer satisfaction had an effect on re-visit. Second, the alternative attractiveness had a moderating effect in the relationship between customer satisfaction and re-visit. As in previous studies, it can be seen that customer satisfaction is a very important factor for re-visit. The results of this study can provide practical implications for future service improvement and re-visit of cosmetic plastic surgery hospitals.

Archaeological heritage ‘on-the-rise’: detecting emerging tourist attractions in Peru using machine learning and geotagged photographs

ABSTRACT Unlike large cities and urban heritage attractions, archaeological heritage sites in peripheral locations cannot readily absorb the impact of over-tourism. Peru’s rapid growth as a tourist destination since the late 1990s has been bolstered by the popularity of its archaeological heritage sites and past civilizations, particularly in the Cuzco region. As mass tourism and issues of overcrowding have confronted visitors and heritage managers in the Cuzco region, tourists have sought alternative archaeological attractions beyond Cuzco’s ticketed sites – many of which are open-access and unmonitored. By integrating large-scale internet photo datasets from Flickr and the power of computer vision and machine learning algorithms, this study identifies ‘on-the-rise’ (i.e. emerging) archaeological heritage attractions accessible from five Peruvian cities. The major contributions of this paper are (1) to provide a novel method capable of being scaled globally to identify emerging archaeological tourist attractions that are unmonitored by ticket sales, (2) to identify ‘on-the-rise’ archaeological attractions in Peru, and (3) to mitigate future risk (e.g. over-tourism, pollution, destruction and damage) at identified sites as tourist itineraries continue to expand. The identification of emerging archaeological heritage attractions is significant for targeted and sustainable heritage planning, archaeological conservation, future destination marketing and tourism development.

The effect of consumer-based brand authenticity on customer satisfaction and brand loyalty

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the effect of consumer-based brand authenticity (CBBA) on customer satisfaction (CS) and brand loyalty (BL). The moderating effect of the variable “alternative attractiveness” in the relationship between CS and BL was further investigated. The study compared and analyzed the difference between global sportswear brands and domestic ones and the difference between global chocolate brands and domestic ones in terms of CBBA, CS, BL and attractiveness of alternatives (AA).Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling and multigroup analysis were conducted in order to analyze the data collected from 600 consumers via face-to-face survey.FindingsThe results showed that quality commitment and heritage-sincerity, which are subdimensions of CBBA, had a significant positive effect on CS. Additionally, both of them affected CS differently in the comparison of the global brands with the domestic ones. Furthermore, CS had a significant positive effect on BL, and AA had a negative effect on BL.Originality/valueThis study deepens the insights into the effects of antecedents of CBBA on CS and BL, enhancing the research with quantitative analysis through two different product groups. The study provides important cues on which antecedents of CBBA help to strengthen the authenticity of brands of Turkish and global origin, and also differs in that it examines to what extent the effect of CBBA on CS and BL varies across global and domestic brands.

The CSR Imperative: How CSR Influences Word-of-Mouth Considering the Roles of Authenticity and Alternative Attractiveness

Customers are increasingly talking positively about brands that are socially responsible and authentic. However, little empirical research has related corporate social responsibility (CSR) to brand authenticity and brand authenticity to customers’ positive word-of-mouth. Moreover, although highly attractive alternative brands are increasingly appearing in the marketplace, there is a lack of research examining the role of alternative attractiveness in the relationship between CSR and brand authenticity. We address these shortcomings in the literature drawing on data from 1,101 customers of insurance services brands and analyze them using structural equation modeling. The findings show that CSR is positively related to customers’ positive word-of-mouth, both directly and indirectly, through brand authenticity. Moreover, alternative attractiveness positively moderates the effect of CSR on brand authenticity. This implies that CSR can act as a differentiation mechanism to further enhance the focal brand’s authenticity, when an alternative brand is perceived as highly attractive.

Striving for a new normal after the Covid-19 pandemic: taking small businesses at Bangsaen Beach as an example

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted Bangsaen Beach activities and disturbed livelihoods of small business operators. Before the pandemic, Bangsaen tourism experienced issues of beach quality degradation due to overcrowding, competitive vending, and lack of diversification. After the pandemic, the municipality imposed new regulations, reset zones to safeguard the public health, and jump-started the economy. The changing regulations created conflicts with vendors on zoning rearrangements and reduced sales. The author conducted a survey to investigate the beach activities, the local small business operations, and the local authority’s regulation changes. The survey results indicated that Bangsaen needs alternative attractions to complement its beach activities and to help cope with traffic congestion. The results also find out the social disparity in the demography of the vendors, which calls for attention to gender aspects and inclusive facets in the social infrastructure development strategy. This study suggests that vendors collaborate collectively with the local government to challenge the appropriation of beach spaces and to create innovative tactics. In addition, destination management organizations need to strive for better collaboration with small business operators to help them adapt to the change and enter the formal economy.

How Do Air Quality Issues Caused by Particulate Matter Affect Consumers' Emotional Response to Tourism Destinations and Willingness to Visit?

This study identifies the perceived risk factors of particulate matter (PM) and the effect of the perceived risk factors of PM on the relationship between tourists’ trust and aspiration regarding the tourist destination, the customer return on investment, and the willingness to visit a tourism destination. Accordingly, this study discussed the severity of PM, which plays a key role in causing air quality issues, and classified the factors for perceived risk of PM into physical, psychological, financial, functional, and time risks to verify its effect on consumers’ emotional response and willingness to visit. Data collection for empirical analysis took place in April 2021 for two weeks. A total of 285 significant data points were obtained on tourists with travel experience in the past year. The demographic characteristics were confirmed using SPSS 22.0 (IBM, New York, NY, USA) and AMOS 22.0 (IBM, New York, NY, USA), and the measurement and structural models were verified through a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, respectively. The empirical analysis showed that the perceived risk of PM has a negative effect on trust in the tourism destination and desire for it, and the behavioral intention of customers. Furthermore, alternative attractiveness was found to play a significant moderating role. The results of this study proved the negative effect of PMs on tourism destinations and provided implications and insights to present a meaningful strategy for minimizing PMs’ perceived risk.

Adoption of online pharmacy applications during COVID-19 pandemic; empirical investigation in the Indian context from push-pull and mooring framework

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify antecedents of adoption and post-adoption switching of online pharmacy applications (OPA) in Indian society. A push-pull-mooring (PPM) model was formulated to evaluate the impact of various constructs upon “consumers’ switching intention” (CSI).Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire was sent to 252 users of OPA in India. Hypotheses were generated to examine the push, pull and mooring effects of constructs developed. The relationships between dependent and independent variables were evaluated using structured equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe study explicated the effect of PPM constructs on CSI in the context of OPA adoption. “Perceived usefulness,” “perceived ease of use” and “alternative attractiveness” had a significant “pull” effect on CSI. “Switching cost” had a “mooring” effect on CSI, whereas the degree of “customer involvement in decision-making” was found to have a “push” effect upon CSI.Research limitations/implicationsThis study theoretically established that the constructs of “perceived usefulness,” “perceived ease of use” and “alternative attractiveness” had significant “pull” effect on “consumers’ switching intention.” The construct of “switching cost” had a “mooring” effect on CSI, whereas the degree of “customer involvement in decision-making” was found to have a “push” effect upon CSI.Practical implicationsThe study provided valuable insights regarding consumer behavior regarding OPAs. These findings could be applied by managers in framing effective strategies to grow and retain the customer base of OPAs.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was one of the first empirical investigative studies to assess precursors of adoption and post-adoption characteristics of consumer behavior through the PPM model, in the context of Indian OPAs.

Why discontinue Facebook usage? An empirical investigation based on a push–pull–mooring framework

PurposeSocial media platforms are currently facing the challenge of declining user activity. Building on the push–pull–mooring (PPM) framework, the current study developed a research model to evaluate factors that affect Facebook discontinuance.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed research model assessed how push factors (e.g. Facebook fatigue and dissatisfaction), a pull factor (e.g. alternative attractiveness) and mooring factors (e.g. personal norms and habit of using Facebook) affected the discontinued usage behavior regarding Facebook. The proposed research model was validated using empirical data (n = 412) collected from Facebook users.FindingsFacebook fatigue, dissatisfaction and alternative attractiveness significantly and positively affected discontinued Facebook usage. Personal norms and habit of using Facebook had a converse influence in this regard. Dissatisfaction had a stronger positive impact than Facebook fatigue and alternative attractiveness on the discontinued usage behavior regarding Facebook. Habits of using Facebook had a greater negative effect than personal norms of using Facebook on the discontinued usage behavior regarding Facebook by users.Originality/valueThis study extends extant literature on social media discontinuance to identify the antecedents of discontinuous usage behavior in social media. This study enriches the literature on social media discontinuance by shedding light on the different degrees of effect of the push, pull and mooring factors on discontinuous social media usage behavior.

Determinants Influencing Customer’s Switching Behavior towards Banking Service Providers in Hanoi

The research aims to investigate the impact levels of determinants on customer’s switching behavior towards banking service providers in Hanoi, Vietnam. We conducted a questionnaire consisting of 21 observation variables with a 5-point Likert scale. Independent variables were measured from 1 “without impact” to 5 “strongly”. The method of data collection was done through the survey and subjects are customers in Hanoi that have used banking services. After checking the information on the votes, there are 343 questionnaires with full information for data entry and analysis. This study employs Cronbach’s Alpha test, and regression model. The results show that five determinants including (i) Service fees, (ii) Alternative attractiveness, (iii) Subjective norms, (iv) Satisfaction and (v) Trust had relationships with customer’s switching behavior towards banking service providers. Based on the findings, some recommendations are given for commercial banks in Hanoi to improve the quality services.

Revitalization of the ex-Warenhuis of Medan through a historic urban landscape approach

Medan is one of the historical towns in Indonesia, where the plantation industry triggered its growth. Until today, most of the heritage buildings remain, but many of them tend to damaging and distinction, including the Warenhuis. The Warenhuis in which has a very high architectural significance is located in the historic district of Kesawan which as the historical core of the Medan city. Therefore, this study aims to explore the adaptive re-use strategy for the Warenhuis through the historic urban landscape approach by completing the literature review, field survey, and questionnaire. Based on the analysis, it was highlighted that one of the best strategies is the mix-use concept by utilizing the vacant lot next to the building and the Deli River as a center for art and culture which can accommodate art activities and culture of the town. Medan City has a diverse culture and society. Many arts and cultural activities need the right place to be an alternative attraction in the city of Medan. Therefore, it can attract more tourist coming to this area by implementing this strategy. Besides the revitalization of Warenhuis area can accommodate the problem of parking within this historic area, which often causes traffic congestion.

Analisis Hybrid DSS untuk Menentukan Lokasi Wisata Terbaik

Tourism is an activity carried out by humans to a place alone or together to have fun to get rid of the burden of thoughts that were previously acquired. The Mandeh area is a leading tourist area in West Sumatra which has 10 alternative tourist attractions. With the many tourist locations in the area, tourists are confused about what places to visit in the Mande area. In this study, a combined analysis or Hybrid Decision Support System (DSS) was carried out using a combination of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method with the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method. The purpose of this research is to be able to combine AHP and SAW methods in one DSS analysis and then be able to recommend the decision results to tourists in the form of the best tourist locations in the Mandeh area. With the recommendation, it can increase the interest of tourists to come and increase the opinions of tourist location owners and the surrounding community. The result of this research is to obtain a recommendation for the best tourist location decision in the Mande area of ​​West Sumatra, namely the location of Manjunto Beach with the highest value of 0.895.

Quality of alternatives positively associated with interest in opening up a relationship

AbstractWe use the Investment Model framework to examine what relationship features are associated with interest in and positive evaluations of consensual non‐monogamy (CNM) among individuals in monogamous relationships. In data sets from the United States (Study 1), Europe (Study 2), and Korea (Study 3; total N = 886), perceptions of higher‐quality alternatives were consistently associated with more interest in CNM. Further, consistent with previous work on commitment‐motivated relationship maintenance processes, we found support for an indirect effect whereby lower commitment was associated with higher perceived attractiveness of alternatives, which in turn was associated with more interest in CNM. The data suggest that the idea of CNM is likely to be most attractive to those who see themselves as having higher‐quality relationship options.

Roles of consumer trust and risks on continuance intention in the sharing economy: An empirical investigation

• An online consumer survey on the Chinese ridesharing market was conducted. • Structure assurance trust affects continuance intention (CI) and platform trust. • Consumer satisfaction (CS) reduces the attractiveness of alternatives for CI. • Driver and platform trust positively mediate the CS-CI relationship. • Physical and psychological risks positively moderate driver trust in CI. This empirical study explores the roles of trust, risks and attractiveness of alternatives on customer confirmation, satisfaction and continuance intention in the sharing economy. The interacting effects of physical and psychological risks on them are also examined. Data from an online consumer survey of 458 valid responses were analyzed by structural equation modeling. The results show that the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention is partially mediated by platform-based trust, driver-based trust and the attractiveness of alternatives and inconsistently mediated by structural assurance. Physical and psychological risks can positively moderate the relationship between driver-based trust and continuance intention. This study provides new insights on specifying which types of trust and risks can affect consumers’ intention to reuse in the sharing economy. The study also suggests new ideas for service providers to retain their consumers in this emerging sharing economy.

Tüzel Segment Müşterilerin Ana Bankalarına Yönelik Tekrarlayan Satın Alma Niyetlerinin Müşteri Memnuniyeti, Güven ve Değiştirme Engelleri Kapsamında İncelenmesi

It is becoming more and more important for banks to be able to deepen in their existing customers as well as preserve their number of customers together with the contraction in recent years in world and Turkish economy. At this point, the banks' ability to preserve the advantages and opportunities they have thanks to being the main bank of their customers is a necessity of difficult conditions. Therefore, the aim of the study is to reveal the repurchase intentions of the customers in corporate segment towards their main banks within the scope of customer satisfaction, trust, switching costs, interpersonal relationships, and attractiveness of alternatives. In line with this purpose, data was collected from 252 corporate segment bank customers located in Ankara through an on-line questionnaire, and Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the relationships between the variables. Analysis results show that the satisfaction of corporate segment customers regarding the service they receive from their main banks and their interpersonal relations with their main banks positively affect their repurchase intentions from their main banks. Customers' trust toward their main banks, perceived switching costs and attractive offers from alternative banks do not affect customers' repurchase intentions from their main banks. In addition, customers' trust toward the bank positively affects customers' satisfaction regarding the service they receive from their main banks. Finally, while switching costs perceived by corporate customers towards their main banks do not affect the repurchase intention towards their main banks, switching costs reinforce the relationship between customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions.

The Effect of Academic Stress on the Intention to Use e-Learning: Focused on the Moderating Effect of the Attractiveness of Alternatives

The Effect of Academic Stress on the Intention to Use e-Learning: Focused on the Moderating Effect of the Attractiveness of Alternatives