Customer Relationship Research Articles

Nostalgia Marketing: Exploring the Psychological Impact on Consumer Behaviour and Emotions

Nostalgia marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy that leverages sentimental memories to influence consumer behavior and drive brand engagement. This study explores the psychological impact of nostalgia marketing, analyzing how emotions associated with past experiences affect consumer decision-making. Nostalgia evokes a sense of comfort, familiarity, and emotional connection, which can enhance brand loyalty and purchasing intent. By examining various psychological theories, including the concept of autobiographical memory and affective conditioning, this research highlights the mechanisms through which nostalgia fosters consumer trust and emotional bonding with brands. The study delves into the cognitive and emotional triggers that make nostalgia marketing an effective tool, particularly in the digital era, where brands utilize retro themes, past advertising styles, and childhood memories to resonate with audiences. This paper also examines case studies of successful nostalgia-driven campaigns across industries such as fashion, food, and entertainment, illustrating the strategic application of nostalgic elements to enhance consumer engagement. Furthermore, this research investigates the dual impact of nostalgia marketing—both its positive aspects, such as increasing consumer happiness and brand affinity, and its potential drawbacks, including over-reliance on past imagery that may alienate younger demographics. By combining theoretical perspectives with empirical data, this study aims to provide insights into how businesses can effectively harness nostalgia to strengthen customer relationships and enhance brand value. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of consumer psychology and offer strategic recommendations for marketers seeking to integrate nostalgia into their branding efforts.

Driving Innovation Through Customer Relationship Management—A Data-Driven Approach

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a key factor driving innovation and organizational growth. The present study investigated the relationship between data-driven CRM (DDCRM) and innovation in Taiwan. We developed a research model involving CRM theory, innovation theory, and the technology adoption model (TAM) theory to account for the cultural and organizational contexts of Taiwan and investigate this relationship. The study distributed questionnaires to employees and stakeholders within Taiwanese firms to understand their firms’ innovation and CRM practices. The results indicate that technology adoption and organizational culture have mediating effects and industry dynamics and organizational size have moderating effects on the relationship between DDCRM and innovation. That is, adopting new technology and having an organizational culture that supports innovation and company-wide collaboration can enhance the effects of implementing DDCRM practices. In addition, certain industries (e.g., the technology industry) are more likely to effectively leverage DDCRM practices to drive innovation, and although large organizations have more resources and can therefore more easily implement CRM systems, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can more quickly adapt and innovate on the basis of CRM insights. These findings highlight the importance of DDCRM in driving innovation and reveal key factors influencing the effectiveness of CRM in doing so. The study features comprehensive suggestions of operable strategies and measures for Taiwanese SMEs, hopefully assisting them in gaining a market advantage and elevating their innovation capabilities by leveraging DDCRM practices.

Optimizing the Loan Origination System Using CRM to Improve the Agri Business Workflows

The implementation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology within agri-banking has radically improved the time-intensive process of lending and diminished the disadvantages of manual credit application processes and inadequate customer engagement. Prior to CRM, loan volumetric processes were manual and excessive including multiple entries of the same data, reams of paper related to the loan application process or tied to physical aspects of loan approvals, access to supports for subsidizing agricultural loan payments and manually processing all parts of the loan decisions which resulted in taking several weeks. During loan decisions taking weeks to months, customer financial needs were always delayed. CRM has improved/automated processes related to loan work- flows, application data integrated directly into the CRM, live data monitoring to expedite and build customer rapport, services to track thy days until approvals to build timeliness/delays to improve loan origination workflows. CRM enables better processes to engage and connect with customers including automatic prompts for documentation needed by customers, e-signature, and engagement questions for feedback without waste of time. Individualized dashboards help representative prioritize loans or loans with customers and provide the needs necessary to fast-track and complete documents timely as to not unnecessary bottleneck workflows. The automatic reminders and check-ins for customers whether it is during loans or customers needing loans but do not have everything in place to strengthen relationship with the bank or credit union. At the end of the day, optimizing the bank’s systems through CRM ensures loans are completed accurately with speed and communicated to customers during the transition thus providing them excellent customer service and bank value. Ultimately, the systems installed through CRM improves productivity ensuring Agri banking institutions in the marketplace understand and provide value back to the farmers - having access, timely responses to those that banks or credit unions produce relational value which further enhance the value proposition of Agri banking institutions.

The Impact of Digitalization on B2B Business Models - Opportunities and Challenges

This thesis explores the impact of digitalization on B2B (business-to-business) business models and analyzes the opportunities and challenges it brings. First, the thesis introduces the basic concepts of digitalization, including core technologies such as big data, social media, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. The subsequent sections delve into the evolution of B2B e-commerce models, encompassing diverse categories such as sourcing platforms, e-marketplaces, bilateral connections, and B2B online stores. A particular emphasis is placed on the manner in which digitization has transformed business operations, customer relationship management, and marketing strategies. These analyses are anchored in the case study of the BASF Corporation. The study's findings indicate that digitization can significantly enhance business operational efficiency, reduce costs, expand market reach, and optimize customer experience. However, it also introduces challenges such as new competitive pressures, increased investment costs, and cybersecurity risks. The paper concludes with recommendations for B2B companies to more effectively utilize digital technologies to achieve sustainable growth.

TODAY'S CONSUMERS ON THE MARKET IN CSÍKSZEREDA (MIERCUREA CIUC)

Due to the geographical situation of Harghita County, farming mostly in small agricultural areas encourages farmers to engage in more integrated agricultural activities. As a result, more and more farmers who are open to development are starting to appear on local markets with processed products. The traditional knowledge passed down from generation to generation on small local farms is similar in families living in each area and therefore socially reinforcing. Older farmers in our countryside have mostly shied away from the new knowledge of the mega-manager, but their younger, more highly skilled counterparts are more willing to open up to new knowledge. The demand for local products with a historical basis has been gradually increasing in recent years. To save costs, they also sell their products at the market themselves. In order to meet today's consumer needs, in addition to the production, processing and packaging of raw materials, producers must also think about branding, logistics and design. Customer relations and quality communication are essential for a well-functioning business (PG Balogh et.al, 2021) In Harghita County, farmers running a traditional small-scale farm mostly face marketing problems. At the same time, the demand for high quality products produced in a sustainable way is increasing. The aim of our empirical study is to investigate the expectations of consumers visiting the Traditional Products Fair in Csíkszereda (Miercurea -Ciuc) using artificial intelligence methods. These habits have their origins in the market habits of the past centuries, therefore, our research tries to reveal the atmosphere of the markets of the past.

The Role of CRM Tools in Customer Retention

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has become an essential element of contemporary marketing campaigns, especially when it comes to retaining current customers. The focus of this research paper is to examine the role of CRM software in customer retention, and specifically how such tools assist businesses in building long-term relationships, providing personalized experiences, and evaluating customer behavior. Through the analysis of existing literature and assessment of prevailing practices, the research establishes a positive relationship between customer loyalty and the right usage of CRM systems. Issues of implementation and implications for organizations are examined. In the current competitive market environment, customer retention is as important as new customer acquisition. Customer retention not only saves marketing expenses but also increases profitability, as loyal customers tend to bring repeat business and referrals. CRM tools are a key factor in supporting customer retention by allowing organizations to monitor interactions, personalize communication, and know customer needs. This paper discusses the role of CRM tools in customer retention, looking at their functionality, advantages, and practical application.

Industrial Services Value Cocreation: The Role of Competence

ABSTRACTOrganizations have been searching for strategies to adapt to technological changes and maintain their competitive advantage. In the search for innovation as a competitive differential, the demand for technical and interpersonal skills emerges to enhance the value cocreation efficiency and the company–customer relationship. However, we identify a gap in the literature regarding the characterization of these competencies. Therefore, the present study intends to contribute by mapping the competencies and their effects on the value cocreation. Thus, this research aims to identify which competencies (described as knowledge, skills and attitudes) are necessary to cocreate value in the technological environment. As a result, through a systematic literature review, a set of knowledge and skills have been identified: (i) innovation capacity, (ii) detailed understanding of customer's needs, (iii) involvement in networks, (iv) practical knowledge, (v) creativity and (vi) solving problems skills. These competencies contribute to the understanding and structuring of cocreation actions.

Analysis of Customer Relationships on Consumer Satisfaction at Public Ports in Riau Archipelago Province

This study aims to investigate the impact of trust, flexibility, communication, on on customer satisfaction with customer relationships as intervining variable in Kuala Raiu Port. The sample method employed is a non-probability sampling methodology. The study sample comprised 173 individuals who were employees of PT. Tuah Bainaura Perkasa and the Federation of Transport and Reform Workers Unions at the Kuala Riau Port. The employed research methodology is quantitative, Smart PLS is software used to analyze data using the Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares technique. The findings indicate that the variables of trust, communication, and customer relationships exert a positive and significant influence on customer satisfaction, while the flexibility variable did not affect customer satisfaction, besides that trust, flexibility, communication had a positive and significant effect on customer relationships. While the results of the mediation analysis Customer relationships were able to act as a mediator between trust, and customer satisfaction. However, it has not been able to become a mediator for Flexibility and Communication on Consumer Satisfaction. This study highlights that enhancing trust, communication and customer relationship can enhance customer satisfaction, highlighting the important role of customer relationship as a mediating variable. The findings of this study provide practical implications for port management, highlighting the need to focus on these areas to enhance overall satisfaction by building strong relationships with customers and contributing to the literature by exploring the relationships among trust, flexibility, communication, customer relationship and satisfaction in the context of cargo port services.

The Evolution of Human-AI Collaboration in Cloud Technology: Transforming Industrial Operations

The integration of Artificial Intelligence with cloud technology has revolutionized human-machine collaboration across industrial sectors, transforming traditional workflows and decision-making processes. This technological convergence has particularly impacted healthcare delivery, customer relationship management, and inventory control systems. Organizations implementing AI-cloud solutions have experienced enhanced operational efficiency, improved data processing capabilities, and more sophisticated approaches to resource management. The synergy between human expertise and AI capabilities has created a balanced framework where automated systems complement human judgment, leading to more nuanced decision-making and strategic planning. Implementation strategies focusing on comprehensive change management, workforce development, and security considerations have proven crucial for successful integration. The evolution of these technologies continues to shape the future of industrial operations, promising further advancements in personalization, analytics, and operational excellence.

The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behavior in the Retail Industry: A Comprehensive Review

The pervasive impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior within the retail industry serves as the focal point of this comprehensive review. This paper aims to dissect the intricate relationship between social media marketing initiatives and their effects on consumer purchasing patterns, brand loyalty, and engagement. By collating and examining a broad spectrum of literature, including empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, and case analyses, this review endeavors to provide a holistic understanding of how social media platforms are reshaping consumer interactions with retail brands. Without adopting a primary research methodology, this review critically analyzes existing research findings to identify prevailing trends, effective strategies, and the resultant consumer responses to social media marketing in the retail context. The analysis delves into the mechanisms through which social media influences consumer perceptions, engagement practices, and ultimately, purchasing decisions. It highlights the transformative power of social media in marketing, emphasizing the shift towards more interactive, personalized, and consumer-driven communication strategies. Key insights reveal that social media marketing exerts a profound influence on consumer behavior, mediated by factors such as content authenticity, the extent of consumer engagement, and the strategic use of influencers and user-generated content. These elements are shown to enhance brand visibility, strengthen consumer-brand relationships, and influence purchasing behavior. The paper posits that social media marketing represents a critical element in the contemporary retail marketing mix, with significant implications for consumer behavior. It calls for retailers to leverage innovative social media strategies to engage consumers effectively. The review also suggests avenues for future research, particularly in the context of evolving social media trends and their impact on consumer behavior. This synthesis aims to equip practitioners and scholars with a nuanced understanding of the role of social media marketing in shaping consumer dynamics within the retail sector. Keywords: Social Media Marketing, Consumer Engagement, Brand Awareness, Content Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Personalization, Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

Graph-Based Learning: A Paradigm Shift in Financial Analytics

Graph-based learning represents a paradigm shift in financial analytics by leveraging the inherently interconnected nature of financial ecosystems to extract deeper insights and enable more effective decision-making. This article models financial data as networks of entities connected by meaningful relationships, preserving crucial structural information that traditional tabular and time-series methods often fail to capture. Graph-based learning has demonstrated transformative potential across the financial industry landscape, from detecting sophisticated fraud schemes to optimizing investment portfolios, enhancing risk assessment, personalizing customer experiences, and analyzing cryptocurrency networks. By explicitly representing and analyzing relationships between financial entities—whether customers, transactions, or assets—graph neural networks and related techniques uncover hidden patterns, reveal market structures, and predict behaviors that remain invisible to conventional analytical approaches. The growing adoption of these technologies across major financial institutions reflects their proven ability to generate tangible business value by improving predictive accuracy, reducing risk exposure, enhancing customer relationships, and providing competitive insights in an increasingly complex and interconnected global financial system.

Transformer Networks for Context-Aware Customer Relationship Management: Generating Personalized Engagement Sequences

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) plays a pivotal role in ensuring businesses optimize customer engage- ment, retention, and satisfaction. Traditional CRM systems have typically relied on rule-based approaches or simple algorithms for customer interaction, which may fail to capture the dynamic and evolving nature of customer behavior. In this paper, we introduce a novel application of Transformer networks, a state- of-the-art deep learning architecture, to enhance CRM systems by generating personalized, multi-step engagement sequences and predicting customer churn risk. Our approach leverages two specialized Transformer models: a Sequence Transformer for the task of generating multi-step engagement plans and a Churn Transformer for predicting the risk of customer churn. These models harness the power of self-attention mechanisms to understand the sequential and contextual dynamics of customer behavior across time. To evaluate the effectiveness of these models, we use simulated datasets inspired by real-world benchmarks, such as MovieLens, Amazon Product Data, and Kaggle Customer Churn. The Se- quence Transformer is trained to predict a series of actions for customer engagement based on historical interactions, while the Churn Transformer estimates the likelihood of customer attrition based on behavioral and demographic data. The results of our experiments show that after 10 epochs of training, the Sequence Transformer achieves an accuracy of 0.0167, while the Churn Transformer reaches an accuracy of 0.4000. Despite modest accuracy values, the models exhibit steady improvement, with training losses decreasing consistently from an initial value of 4.0456 to 3.7837 for the Sequence Transformer, and from 0.8096 to 0.7047 for the Churn Transformer. The mathematical foundation behind the Sequence Trans- former involves minimizing the average cross-entropy loss over the predicted engagement sequence steps. Specifically, the loss function is defined as: 3 3 i i Lseq = 1 Σ CrossEntropy(yˆ , y ), (1) i=1 where yˆi represents the predicted action for step i, and yi is the true action for the corresponding step in the sequence. Similarly, the Churn Transformer optimizes the binary cross- entropy loss to estimate the likelihood of customer churn. The loss function is defined as: 1 Σ N Lchurn = − [yj log(yˆj ) + (1 − yj ) log(1 − yˆj )] , (2) N j=1 where yj is the true churn label for customer j, and yˆj is the predicted churn probability. Through detailed visualizations, including sample engagement plans, attention weight heatmaps, and ROC curves, this paper illustrates the performance of the models and highlights the potential of Transformer networks in revolutionizing proactive, context-aware CRM strategies. While the accuracy results are constrained by the limitations of simulated datasets, the work lays a solid foundation for future enhancements, including the use of real-world data and more complex Transformer variants, ultimately contributing to more effective customer engagement and retention strategies.

A Qualitative and Quantitative Study of Marketing Function in the Travel and Tourism and Wealth Management Sectors

This research study examines the pivotal function of marketing within the Wealth Management and the Travel & Tourism industries, exploring how strategic marketing strategies drive customer engagement, perception of the brand, and business expansion. The research involves a mixed-method strategy, integrating qualitative findings from industry experts with quantitative evidence from customer questionnaires to assess main marketing techniques and their performance. The study formulates hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of digital marketing, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and consumer behavior patterns. Hypothesis testing is conducted using statistical tools to evaluate the impact of online marketing, CRM strategies, and customer trust on business growth and retention rates. The paper contributes to marketing theory by conducting a comparative analysis of two service industries and providing actionable recommendations for gaining and retaining customers in competitive markets.

Big Data Analytics in CRM: A Conceptual Model for Customer Segmentation and Lifetime Value Prediction

The integration of big data analytics into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems has emerged as a transformative approach for enhancing customer segmentation and predicting Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). This study presents a comprehensive conceptual model that leverages advanced big data analytics techniques to optimize CRM strategies. The model incorporates machine learning algorithms, clustering methods, and predictive analytics to facilitate more accurate customer segmentation and CLV estimation. By synthesizing existing literature, this research identifies critical gaps in traditional CRM approaches and proposes a data-driven framework that addresses scalability, real-time processing, and personalization challenges. The study highlights the theoretical underpinnings of big data analytics in CRM, emphasizing its role in improving marketing efficiency, customer retention, and profitability. Furthermore, the research discusses practical implications for businesses adopting these advanced analytics techniques, along with potential limitations and future research directions. The findings underscore the importance of integrating artificial intelligence and real-time analytics into CRM systems to achieve dynamic customer behavior modeling and enhanced decision-making capabilities.

Factors Affecting Lapsation of Life Insurance Policies in Sri Lanka: Special Reference to Matara District

Long-term insurance companies operate in Sri Lanka's insurance industry, offering various kinds of insurance products. Customers have a vast range of choices, and they have become more powerful decision-makers in the market. Also, this study will help to solve the existing problems in life insurance plans and create high recognition in the field. So that, it is more important to identify the key factors affect the lapsation of life insurance policies. To achieve this goal, questionnaires were distributed among 97 employees who are life insurance policyholders in Matara District. Data was collected through primary data sources. To analyze the collected data, an SPSS statistical application is to be used, and through those, descriptive statistics, Pearson’s coefficient of correlation analysis, and regression analysis are to be undertaken to test the hypothesis of the study. Throughout the analysis it is identified that there is a significant impact between Mis Selling of Policies, Poor Customer Relationship Management and Financial Burden for the Policyholders on Lapsation of Life Insurance Policies. The insurance companies have to find the reasons for the lapsation of life insurance policies and take remedial actions to mitigate. In this study, the researcher has considered three major factors that affect the lapsation of life insurance policies. Researchers have identified Poor Customer Relationship Management as highly affecting the lapsation policies in the life insurance industry. Therefore, insurance companies have to give more attention to customer relationship management.

Impact of Cause Related Marketing on Customer Loyalty and Sustainability of Industrial Operations with Special Reference to Non-Profit Organizations in India

The strategic marketing technique of cause-related marketing (CRM) helps businesses unite their brands to social initiatives to reach economic success while supporting ethical goals. CRM stands as a vital factor in Indian markets because consumers recognize corporate social responsibility (CSR) thus shaping customer perception while building brand loyalty which enables industrial sustainability. The study examines how CRM strategies interact with customer loyalty factors to sustain business operations specifically within Indian non-profit organizations (NPOs). Today's business environment demands that organizations build customer loyalty as their main factor for success. The combination of product quality and advertising together with product price no longer provides enough power for maintaining customer loyalty over time. People who consume products today in India favor brands with ethical practices that promote societal well-being over all else. Cause-related marketing makes this connection possible through the unification of corporate profits with non-profit ventures which generates beneficial value for businesses consumers and social organizations simultaneously. Through social cause-backed CRM campaigns businesses build market separate identity and develop better customer relationships alongside improved brand perception. The social impact that non-profit organizations create in India through CSR initiatives happens because they use corporate financial resources to fight pressing social problems including education needs and healthcare delivery alongside poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. The establishment of business partnerships enables NPOs to acquire financial backing together with resources and publicity which enhances their ability to achieve greater impact. The study explores the effects of these partnerships on customer actions while strengthening company-brand relations and maintaining continuous operations for industrial activities alongside social welfare programs. The study employs a mixed-methods research approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. The study gathers data through survey and interview methods with Indian consumers along with corporate executives and non-profit representatives to determine their views about cause marketing and its buying behavior effects. The research analyzes successful case studies of Indian CRM campaigns including Tata Group’s education initiatives along with Hindustan Unilever’s ‘Project Shakti’ and Reliance Foundation’s healthcare projects to show CRM’s effect on business sustainability as well as social development. CRM businesses achieve higher brand credibility as well as sustained customer retention while establishing better long-term financial stability. Brands that serve meaningful causes build better trust relationships with consumers who become more emotionally connected so consumers work to recommend these brands to others and keep returning to make additional purchases.

Business network accessibility: Innovation capability as a connecting factor between Customer Relationship Management and market orientation on SMEs’ performance

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia have a strategic role in the national economy and face challenges in global competition. These challenges include limited access to capital, limitations in technology adoption, low innovation capacity, and the need for more human resource development. Many SMEs also operate informally, facing obstacles in obtaining policy support or broader market access. This study aims to analyze the effect of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and market orientation on SMEs’ performance, with innovation capabilities as a mediating variable. The study was conducted on 348 respondents who were SMEs business actors producing packaged food in North Sumatra. The method used is quantitative through surveys and data analysis using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. The results of the study indicate that Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has a positive influence on SMEs performance (p=0.000) and innovation capabilities (p=0.011). Besides, market orientation also contributes significantly to SMEs’ performance (p=0.000) and innovation capabilities (p=0.000). Innovation capabilities have been proven to improve SMEs’ performance (p=0.000). In the indirect effect, innovation capabilities mediate between CRM and SMEs’ performance (p=0.013) and between market orientation and SMEs’ performance (p=0.000). These results indicate that CRM and market orientation not only have a direct effect on SMEs’ performance but also indirectly through increasing innovation capabilities. Acknowledgment Gratitude to the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia, Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi, Riset, Dan Teknologi) for providing financial support through funding for Regular Fundamental Research in 2024 with contract number 103/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2024; 16/LL1/AL.04.03/2024; 10/II.3-AU/UMSU-LP2M/C/2024. Gratitude to the Leaders of the University and the Leaders of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) [University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara] for their support and provision of facilities during the research process. Thank you to all parties who have contributed directly and indirectly to supporting and assisting this research. The assistance, time, and attention given are significant in completing this research.

Marketing Strategy Product Financing of PT. Bank Sumut KCP Syari’ah Simpang Kayu Besar

Each Islamic bank has a variety of products offered to suit the wishes of the people. In offering its products, there is competition between Islamic banks and conventional banks, resulting in the need for a strategy in the sales of each bank. Sales are often identified with a world full of sweet promises but it is not necessarily proven whether the product is in accordance with what has been promised. This is what must be proven in good Islamic sales management in the sale of goods or services, that Islamic marketing is not a world full of deception. Because Islamic marketing is the highest level in sales, namely marketing spirituality, where ethics, values and norms are highly respected. Research results show that marketing strategy product financing in this bank focus on education public about superiority product financing sharia- based, increasing personal relationship with Customer through customer relationship management (CRM) approach. In analyzing research data using qualitative descriptive methods, only describing the results of the questions interview with management of Bank Sumut KCP Syariah Simpang Kayu Besar, observation direct, and study document related.. This research is motivated by the growth of Islamic banks that positively share participation in economic stability, but in practice there are criticisms. Likewise, scholars and religious scholars have different opinions regarding the role and position of Islamic banks, some of them think that Islamic banks are similar to conventional banks. The results of the research prove that the implementation of financing product sales at PT. Bank Sumut Kcp Syari'ah Simpang Kayu Besar.

The Triple Pathway to Loyalty: Understanding How Banks’ Corporate Social Responsibility Influences Customers via Moral Identity, Service Quality, and Relationship Quality

This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts customer loyalty in the banking sector, focusing on the mediating effects of consumer moral identity (CMI), perceived service quality (PSQ), and relationship quality (RQ). Based on Social Identity Theory and Stakeholder Theory, a theoretical model integrating CSR, CMI, PSQ, RQ, and customer loyalty was constructed and empirically tested using the PLS-SEM method. Data were collected through an online survey, yielding 338 valid samples. Analysis of the data revealed that CSR significantly positively affected CMI, PSQ, and RQ, indicating that the fulfillment of social responsibilities by banks enhances consumers’ moral identity, perceived service quality, and relationship quality. Additionally, CMI, PSQ, and RQ significantly positively influenced customer loyalty, with RQ showing the most prominent effect. Furthermore, CSR also had a significant indirect effect on customer loyalty through CMI, PSQ, and RQ. In terms of practical implications, this study suggests that the banking industry should regard CSR as a crucial strategy for winning customer loyalty, actively engage in CSR activities, and integrate CSR concepts into branding, service, and customer relationship management. Moreover, banks should also focus on enhancing CMI, PSQ, and RQ as critical pathways through which CSR influences customer loyalty. The theoretical significance of this research lies in: (1) expanding the theoretical perspectives on how CSR affects customer responses, addressing the limitations of previous studies that focused predominantly on direct effects or a single mediator; (2) examining the role of CMI in the banking context, enriching the research on CSR and consumer moral identity; and (3) revealing the mechanisms of CSR’s effect in the unique service context of the banking industry.

THE PUBLIC’S ROLE IN DEVELOPING STATE CUSTOMS POLICY: ECONOMIC AND LEGAL ASPECTS

This research topic examines the role of the public in shaping national customs policy in economic and legal terms. The research aims to analyse the framework of categories and concepts, to study the state of legal regulation and an economic component, and to identify the public role in shaping national customs policy. The methodology employed in this study encompassed a range of approaches to scientific knowledge, including systems analysis, dialectical methods, formal-logical methods, and structural-functional methods. Results. This paper sets out to analyse normative and theoretical approaches to defining the legal category of "state customs policy", and to render the content features of that category. The paper puts forward the argument that the economic component of domestic customs policy should be considered as a set of measures aimed at ensuring the state's economic security, stimulating foreign economic activity, replenishing the state budget, and developing the national economy through the regulation of customs relations. The fundamental components of the economic component of state customs policy are identified, namely: 1) customs regulation; 2) application of non-tariff regulation; 3) customs payments; 4) customs control; 5) promotion of foreign economic activity; 6) protection of the domestic market; 7) economic security. It is important to acknowledge that the public is defined as an active, legitimate, interested, and organised group of individuals and legal entities participating in public life to protect their interests and contribute to the development of society. The author delineates the general features of the legal category "public" as follows: 1) subjectivity (formed from individuals and/or legal entities, their associations, organisations, or groups); 2) legitimacy (activities meet the current legislation of Ukraine); 3) public position and interest in public issues (manifestation of interest and active stance in specific areas of public life, the achievement of specific interests and goals); 4) representation (can be represented by authorised persons acting on its behalf); 5) legal form of organisation (in particular, in the form of public organisations, trade unions, and self-organisation bodies). The economic component of domestic customs policy is predicated on the creation of favourable conditions for foreign economic activity, the protection of national interests, and the replenishment of the state budget. It has been substantiated that the economic component of state customs policy constitutes an important tool for the country's economic development and security. The following forms of public participation in the formation of state customs policy are systematised: public hearings, the functioning of the public council, public consultations, public expertise, citizens' appeals, co-operation with non-governmental organisations, involvement of the latter in monitoring activities of customs authorities, and engagement of public representatives in the work of commissions vested with the formulation and implementation of customs policy. A review of good practices is conducted, with a particular emphasis on the necessity of reinstating the operation of the institution of advisers under the Office of the Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine and heads of customs.