Squares-based Structural Equation Modeling Research Articles

Risk culture and employee performance for optimal organizational success: the mediating role of employee satisfaction and employee engagement

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of risk culture on employee performance by exploring the mediating roles of employee satisfaction and employee engagement in the relationship between risk culture and employee performance. Design/methodology/approach The study employed partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both the direct effects and mediation effects, using a sample of 311 employees from the banking and insurance sectors. In contrast to PLS-SEM, a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) technique was also applied to discern the causal configurations that lead to improved employee performance. Findings The findings revealed a significant direct effect of risk culture on employee performance, employee satisfaction and employee engagement. The findings also revealed that employee satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between risk culture and employee performance, whereas the mediating role of employee engagement is partially significant. The fsQCA findings illustrated that a diverse combination of risk culture dimensions, employee satisfaction and employee engagement can result in enhanced employee performance. Practical implications This study provides important implications for the banking and insurance industries, suggesting that organizations should prioritize the development of a strong risk culture to improve employee-related outcomes such as performance, satisfaction and engagement, which are key factors for achieving optimal organizational success. Originality/value The paper specifically highlights the importance of integrating risk culture into human resource management, providing valuable insights for organizations seeking to enhance their risk management practices and culture.

Bridging the Gap: Exploring the Impact of Human Capital Management on Employee Performance through Work Engagement

The aim of this study was to suggest and test a research model that examines whether work engagement mediates the effect of human capital management practices (HCMPs) on employee performance. These relationships were assessed through the Smart PLS 4 (Partial Least Square) software using Partial Least Square-based Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Data were elicited from full-time hotel employees and their managers in South Africa. Based on the PLS-SEM results, work engagement was identified as a mediator of the effects of HCMPs on employee performance. Specifically, HCMPs, manifested by training, career opportunities, and rewards, improve work engagement, triggering employee tasks, and adaptive and creative performance. Additionally, work engagement had a positive influence on task performance, adaptive performance, and contextual performance. This research contributes by empirically testing work engagement as a full mediator in the relationship between HCMPs and employee performance, offering insights into the crucial role of HCMPs in fostering employee engagement and performance within the hospitality industry. Implications of the results are discussed, and directions for future research are presented.

Why do people purchase plant-based meat products from retail stores? Examining consumer preferences, motivations and drivers

Plant-based meats (PBMs) are being projected as novel and sustainable alternative protein sources amid rising ecological and health issues associated with traditional meat production and consumption. Notably, the plant-based meat retail market is at its nascence stage, and there remains a dire need to comprehend the meat-eater's perceived green values, attitudes, and intentions towards PBM for its commercial success. To discern the complex psychological mechanism of meat eaters' perceptions toward PBM, the current study aims to extend and integrate the theory of consumption values (TCV) and the theory of value-attitude-behavior (VAB) in the PBM context. Partial least square-based structural equation modelling was used to analyze cross-sectional data collected from a sample comprising 458 meat eaters approached through the mall intercept technique. Consumers' green perceived values (GPV) emerged as a vital background factor in influencing consumers' involvement and attitude towards PBMs. Also, consumers' involvement showed a significant partial mediating effect between their GPV and attitude towards PBM. Further, consumers' attitudes towards PBM displayed a relatively substantial positive impact on addition intention compared to replacement intention. This study provides retailers with a nuanced understanding of the value proposition of PBMs through the lens of green consumption values, which may facilitate the value-based positioning of PBM products. Further, it may help policymakers project PBMs as a novel alternative to traditional meat, which can potentially address consumers' ecological (e.g., carbon emissions, excessive land and water usage) and health concerns associated with conventional meat production and consumption.

When personalities collide: examining the impact of consumer and brand personalities’ interplay on brand hate development

Purpose This study aims to propose and test an appraisal theory-based framework that depicts the impact of negatively valenced brand personality dimensions on brand hate development and the resultant outcomes of non-purchase intention and anti-brand actions. The study also delineates the moderation effect of Big Five consumer personality traits on brand personality-brand hate relationship. Design/methodology/approach An international sample of 370 brand haters was collected and analysed with partial least square-based structural equation modelling. Findings Both negatively valenced brand personality dimensions of responsibility and activity are significant predictors of brand hate in consumers, and this brand hate leads to outcomes of anti-brand actions and non-purchase intention of consumers. Moderation analysis delineates that the consumer personality trait of neuroticism significantly moderates the relationship between both brand personality dimensions and brand hate. The study also established the importance of national culture in defining consumers’ behavioural intentions. Originality/value This study provides a novel appraisal theory-based integrated framework to understand the relationship between cognition of brand personality, brand hate emotional state and behavioural actions of consumers. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to consider the impact of these personality dimensions on brand hate development while assessing the interaction effect of consumer and brand personality dimensions on brand hate development.

An examination of corporate citizenship on customer loyalty in the banking industry: a PLS-SEM analysis

Purpose This research aims to address the need for a more in-depth empirical investigation of exploring the link between the adoption of corporate citizenship (CC) practices and different aspects of customer behavior in a developing country. Also, it develops a research framework and assesses the mediating role of brand image, brand love, brand reputation and brand trust between customer perceptions of CC and customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach Working with a sample of 290 private bank customers in Iran, partial least square-based structural equation modeling is used to test the conceptual model. Findings The findings reveal significant and positive relationships between CC, brand image, love and reputation. Indirectly and in the relationship between CC and customer loyalty, there are significant relationships through the serial roles of image-reputation, image-love and image-trust. Most importantly, the findings add value to the current knowledge by exploring the mediating effect of brand image, love, reputation and trust between CC and customer loyalty. Finally, this study has resulted in an updated prediction model of private banking customer loyalty. Originality/value This study makes a unique theoretical contribution to the literature by evaluating and comparing the mediating role of image, love, reputation and brand trust between CC and customer loyalty using the hierarchy of effects model.

Impact of internal identity asymmetry on employee's behaviors and feelings: A mediating role of psychological distress

Individuals may experience internal identity asymmetry when they feel misidentified and believe their colleagues do not recognize their work-related identities. This research examines the impact of internal identity asymmetry on their behavior and emotional outcomes at the workplace in Pakistan. Data was collected through a survey and received responses from 393 participants at different levels of management in various sectors of Pakistan. A partial least square-based structural equation modeling technique has been used to validate the proposed research model and develop hypotheses. The findings indicate that psychological distress has a positive indirect effect on both outcomes, such as individual work performance and well-being during personal and professional base asymmetries time. The result indicates that employees face psychological distress while experiencing internal identity asymmetries, which may decrease the performance and well-being of the employees. Findings highlight the importance of coping strategies in improving the performance and well-being of employees. Managers can be supportive in maintaining a positive workplace environment where individuals can have a more accurate self-perception and a better understanding of their colleagues' perspectives. This, in turn, enables them to adopt appropriate coping strategies to enhance both performance and well-being.

Predicting Eco-labeled Product Buying Behavior in an Emerging Economy through an Extension of Theory of Planned Behavior

Purpose: This research attempts to explore the determinants of eco-labeled product buying behavior by extending the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Theoretical framework: To build a comprehensive predicting model, environmental knowledge, perceived value, environmental concern, product knowledge, self-efficacy, consumer guilt, and eco-labeling are added to the traditional TPB. Method: The proposed conceptual model was tested by conducting a questionnaire survey on consumers in an emerging economy. The partial least square-based structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results and conclusion: The results showed that product knowledge moderates the relationship between subjective norms and eco-labeled product buying intention. The results also reveal that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm mediate the association between environmental concern and eco-labeled product buying intention. In addition to TPB constructs, consumer guilt, eco-labeling, perceived value, self-efficacy, and environmental knowledge significantly affect buying intention. Originality/value: The current research addresses the research gap by empirically examining the in-depth effects, and the underlying mechanism of eco-label informed green purchase and its acceptance in Malaysian perspectives.

Country image and medical tourist’s trust impact on intention to revisit India

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of cognitive and affective trust on the revisit intention of medical tourists to a developing country like India, focusing on the role of country image as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach This study used partial least square-based structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses using data from 297 medical tourists visiting India from abroad for treatment. Findings The findings of this study confirmed that all the dimensions of cognitive trust, namely, perceived expertise, performance and reputation of the health-care service providers, have a positive and significant impact on the revisit intention of medical tourists to India. In contrast, none of the two dimensions of affective trust have a significant effect on the revisit intention of medical tourists to India. This study also confirmed that country image significantly moderates the relationship between performance dimensions of cognitive trust and medical tourists’ revisit intention to India. Originality/value The study’s findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications as they explore the effect of cognitive and affective trust on medical tourists’ the revisit intention to visit an emerging economy, considering the country’s image as a moderator.

Decent Work, Employee Satisfaction, and the Mediating Role of Social Courage in Reducing Turnover

This study investigates the relationships between decent work, job satisfaction, workplace social courage, and intent to quit among job and career counselors in Turkiye’s IT sector employment agency. The research data was obtained from 408 job and career counselors at an IT sector employment agency in Turkiye. Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The study findings reveal a significant positive influence of decent work on job satisfaction. In contrast, job satisfaction is associated with a notable decrease in the likelihood of employees intending to quit their positions. Additionally, workplace social courage is crucial in reducing intent to quit. Furthermore, our research underscores the mediating roles of job satisfaction and workplace social courage in explaining the relationship between decent work and intent to quit. Intriguingly, it is noteworthy that higher levels of workplace social courage are unexpectedly linked to an increased intention to quit. Conversely, heightened job satisfaction is associated with an augmentation in workplace social courage. These findings carry substantial theoretical and practical implications, offering valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of decent work, job satisfaction, and social courage within the workplace context. These insights can contribute to avoiding intent to quit and minimizing turnover rates. Job satisfaction and social courage are two edge swords that organizations must cautiously follow up. This study emphasizes the significance of establishing a secure and nurturing work environment that fosters decent work, job satisfaction, and social courage.

The mediating role of perceived competitive advantage on the relationships between green supply chain management practices and operational performance: evidence from Bangladeshi manufacturing firms

Purpose Effective green supply chain management (GSCM) has become a potentially valuable tool of securing competitive advantage and improving operational performance (OP) as competition is no longer exists between the firms but within green supply chains. The aim of this empirical study is to determine the link between GSCM practices (GSCMPs) and OP within the manufacturing sector of Bangladesh mediated by perceived competitive advantage (PCA). GSCMPs were divided into three further dimensions: green eco-design (GED), green supply chain partnering (GSCP) and internal green orientation (IGO).Design/methodology/approach The study selected 376 individuals as respondents who work as the top-level managers and the members of the Board of Directors at different Bangladeshi manufacturing firms through purposive sampling. A partial least square-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to identify the relationships between the three dimensions of, GSCMPs, and the single dependent variable, OP.Findings The study identified that two factors, GED and GSCP, have significant positive relationships with OP. On the other hand, another factor, IGO has a statistically insignificant relationship with OP. Regarding the mediating effects, the study identified that PCA can fully mediate the insignificant relationship between IGO and OP, and partially mediate the significant relationship between GSCP and OP. On the contrary, PCA has no mediating effect on the relationship between GED and OP.Originality/value This empirical study is an effort that examined the role of GSCMPs on the OP in the Bangladeshi manufacturing context. It is believed that this empirical investigation will prompt future theoretical studies and empirical experiments to enrich academia. Further, the findings of this study can serve as foundational guidance for policymakers and/or managers studying the formulation and implementation of GSCMP-related policies and strategies.

Examining the moderating effect of host country image on the relationship between tourists’ motivation and their intention to visit mega sporting events in India

This study uses the self-determination theory of motivation to examine the impact of tourists’ motivations on their intention to attend mega sporting events held in a developing nation such as India. The present study utilized partial least square-based structural equation modeling to examine the proposed hypotheses. The data for this study were collected from a sample of 348 international visitors who visited India in January 2023 to attend the fifteenth edition of the Hockey World Cup. The results of this study have validated that the two elements of extrinsic motivation, specifically perceived benefit and perceived risk, exert a substantial influence on visitors’ propensity to visit India. Similarly, the intrinsic travel motivation elements of cultural experience and self-accomplishment are found to positively influence the visit intention of international tourists seeking to partake in the Hockey World Cup in India. On the other hand, the cosmopolitanism dimension of intrinsic drive does not have a statistically significant impact on the intention of these tourists to visit India. This study additionally verified that the perception of a country strongly influences the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors and the tourist’s intention to visit India.

Women’s adoption of wearable health-monitoring technology: empirical evidence from a least developed country

PurposeAlthough wearable health-monitoring technology (WHMT) has become a stimulus for public health, women’s acceptance rate of this technology appears to be low. Thus, this study intends to investigate the factors affecting women’s adoption of WHMT.Design/methodology/approachThe unified theory of acceptance and use of technology–2 model has been used in this study as a research framework that has been extended to include lifestyle and attitude. The proposed extended framework is validated using primary data (n = 314) collected from female respondents using a structured questionnaire; the partial least square-based structural equation modeling technique is subsequently used to test the proposed hypothesis.FindingsThe results show that effort expectancy, social influence, price value, habit, attitude and lifestyle have significant positive effects on women’s behavioral intention to use WHMT and accelerate actual usage behavior. Notably, effort expectancy and habit exhibit the largest impact on behavioral intention. However, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions and hedonic motivation are not significantly associated with behavioral intentions.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study are important for healthcare practitioners and service providers to comprehensively understand the factors that affect women’s behavioral intentions in line with their actual usage behavior. This insight will help policymakers design viable strategies regarding WHMT to promote its sustainable usage in least developed countries.Originality/valueThis study contributes novelty by using an extended model that links women’s attitudes and lifestyles to their adoption of WHMT. This study also fills the gaps in the existing literature on women’s behavioral intentions in the context of WHMT by showing novel associations in the domain of WHMT uptake.

Predicting Transfer of Generic Information Literacy Competencies by Non-Traditional Students to Their Study and Work Contexts: A Longitudinal Perspective

Rapid developments in contemporary societies not only ask for lifelong learning but increasingly also for training in generic competencies suitable for multiple contexts and life stages. An indicator of training success is the transfer or application of new learning, a longitudinal process influenced by various theory- and evidence-based factors. The present study combined a multi-contextual and longitudinal approach by investigating non-traditional distance education students’ intention to transfer newly acquired generic information literacy competencies to their study and work contexts before, directly after, and three months after training. Three surveys, using a combination of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Holton et al.’s Learning Transfer System Inventory model, measured the influence of performance outcomes expectations, organizational openness to change, and performance self-efficacy on intention to transfer and transfer behaviour. The participants were 82 adult educational professionals enrolled in an online information literacy course at the Open University. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) confirmed the value of employing a multi-contextual and longitudinal approach within this specific setting. Furthermore, notably, self-efficacy appeared to predict pre-training intention in both study and work contexts and transfer behaviour in the work context. Educational implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Exploring the critical success factors of information security management: a mixed-method approach

Purpose Effective information security management (ISM) contributes to building a healthy organizational digital ecology. However, few studies have built an analysis framework for critical influencing factors to discuss the combined influence mechanism of multiple factors on ISM performance (ISMP). This study aims to explore the critical success factors and understand how these factors contribute to ISMP. Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-method approach to achieve this study’s research goals. In Study 1, the authors conducted a qualitative analysis to take a series of International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission standard documents as the basis to refine the critical factors that may influence organizations’ ISMP. In Study 2, the authors built a research model based on the organizational control perspective and used the survey-based partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to understand the relationships between these factors in promoting ISMP. In Study 3, the authors used the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method to empirically analyze the complex mechanisms of how the combinations of the factors affect ISMP. Findings The following three research findings are obtained. First, based on the text-based qualitative analysis, the authors refined the critical success factors that may increase ISMP, including information security policies (ISP), top management support (TMS), alignment (ALI), information security risk assessment (IRA), information security awareness (ISA) and information security culture (ISC). Second, the PLS-SEM testing results confirmed TMS is the antecedent variable motivating organization’s formation (ISP) and information control (ISC) approaches; these two types of organization control approaches increase IRA, ISA and ALI and then promote ISMP directly and indirectly. Third, the fsQCA testing results found two configurations that can achieve high ISMP and one driving path that leads to non-high ISMP. Originality/value This study extends knowledge by exploring configuration factors to improve or impede the performances of organizations’ ISM. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to explore the use of the fsQCA approach in information security studies, and the results not only revealed causal associations between single factors but also highlighted the critical role of configuration factors in developing organizational ISMP. This study calls attention to information security managers of an organization should highlight the combined effect between the factors and reasonably allocate organizational resources to achieve high ISMP.

Using artificial intelligence for hiring talents in a moderated mechanism

AbstractGlobally, artificial intelligence (AI) occupies a burgeoning space among recruiters as it replaces many of the recruitment and selection tasks while hiring the talents. Despite the existence and acceptance of AI being unprecedented among savvy recruiters, the study of it in developing countries’ contexts is still at a fancy stage. Particularly, the extant literature documented that very little is known about the intention and actual use (AU) of AI to hire talents with the intervening effects of voluntariness of usage (VU), tenure, and education of the recruiters elsewhere. Hence, using the doctrine of the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), the present study aims to unpack the intention and AU of AI among hiring professionals in the context of Bangladesh, a developing country in the South Asian region. A multi-item questionnaire survey was employed to collect the data of recruiters from talent acquisition departments in both manufacturing and service organizations with a convenience sampling technique. We used partial least square-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) version 4.0.8.9 to analyze the data. Results showed that performance expectancy (PE), facilitating conditions (FC), and hedonic motivation (HM) have a significant influence on the intention to use (IU) AI (p < 0.05), and IU also predicts AU of AI significantly (p < 0.05). The moderating influence of VU has an insignificant effect on the positive influence of IU on AU. Moreover, the multi-group analysis showed that there is no significant difference between young adults and old adults and highly educated and lowly educated on the association between IU and AU. The findings in this study showed important notations that contributed to advancing the knowledge and filling the gap in the extant literature. Additionally, it also provides fresh insights for developing policy interventions to hire professionals for thriving AI adoption in the context of developing countries effectively.

The Interrelationship Between Viewership Motivation, Team Loyalty, Fan Identification and Viewership Behaviour in Cricket: A PLS-SEM Approach

Cricket has emerged as a leading sport, with 2.5 billion fans worldwide. This study addresses the gap in the interlinkage between viewership motivation (VM), fan identification (FI), team loyalty (TL) and viewership behaviour (VB) and its implications on media and entertainment companies, cricket administrators and event organisers. The study is based on a survey research design with a sample size of 283 who watch cricket live in stadiums or other digital platforms. The data were analysed, and hypotheses were tested using partial least square-based structural equation modelling. Results establish a positive causal relationship between VM and FI, FI and VB, full mediation effect of FI between VM and VB, and the moderating effect of TL between VM and FI. The causal relationship between VM and VB is not proven in our study, which is in line with the earlier findings. The study provides insights to different cricket stakeholders to accept the importance of the second-order latent construct VM and its positive influence on FI. Promoting team identity in commercials and narratives to positively influence VB is critical, including the promotion of fandom to motivate viewership consumption. Viewers high on TL have high FI, hence the need to target the teams’ loyalists for high viewership explicitly.

Intrinsic Motivation on Entrepreneurs' Intention to Adopt Crowdfunding: The Case of Kiva Lending Crowdfunding

The study investigated the entrepreneur's intrinsic motivation and its relationship to the adoption of crowdfunding using a Kiva lending crowdfunding platform as case study. A total 241 entrepreneurs in Tanzania were surveyed using Partial Least Squares-based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM 3) to examine whether perceived behavioural control, personal attitude, and self-efficacy were predictors of entrepreneurs’ intention to adopt crowdfunding. The results indicated that an entrepreneur's self-efficacy, attitude, and perceived behaviour control significantly determine their intention to adopt crowdfunding. The study revealed that entrepreneurs who engaged in crowdfunding possessed a high degree of self-assurance in their abilities, indicating that they were confident in their capacity to perform the necessary tasks to complete the fundraising process. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of understanding the attitudes of entrepreneurs towards crowdfunding. Entrepreneurs with positive attitudes towards crowdfunding were more likely to engage in it to raise funds for their venture. The findings suggested that crowdfunding platforms should pay attention to the attitudes of entrepreneurs towards crowdfunding to understand their motivations and expectations better. This will enable crowdfunding platforms to tailor their services to meet the needs and expectations of entrepreneurs, ultimately resulting in a more successful crowdfunding experience for all parties involved.

Developing and validating a cashless transaction adoption model (CTAM)

Purpose This paper aims to develop and validate a cashless transaction adoption model (CTAM) that integrates all essential elements to investigate the adoption of “cashless transactions (CLT)”. Design/methodology/approach The researchers surveyed 375 respondents from each of Bengaluru’s eight zones in India. In addition, using the respondents’ replies, a “partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM)” technique was used to analyse the relationship between the components. Findings The results of CTAM reveal that 12 independent variables explain 84.7% of the variation in behavioural intention to adopt CLT. In addition, performance expectancy is the strongest predictor of users’ intentions to embrace CLT, followed by perceptions of the economy’s security and economic offence reduction, social influence, perceived trustworthiness, the expected level of effort and innovativeness. Furthermore, in terms of impediments, perceived risk and cost are the negative influence factors that affect behavioural intention to adopt CLT. Originality/value The research successfully developed and validated a comprehensive CTAM that integrates essential elements to investigate the adoption of CLT. Consequently, this research, for the first time, elucidates the precise role of “Perceived Economic Offense Reduction (PEOR)”, “Perceived Economic Benefit (PEB)” and “Perceived Economy’s Security (PES)” in influencing individuals’ behavioural intentions towards adopting CLT. Accordingly, this CTAM offers a more in-depth explanation than any other research for understanding why individuals embrace CLT systems.

Does Country Image Moderate the Relationship Between Motivation and Visit Intention of Medical Tourists to India?

ABSTRACTThis study aims to investigate the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on the visit intention of medical tourists to a developing country like India, focusing on the role of country image as a moderator. This study employed partial least square-based structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses using data from 302 medical tourists visiting India for treatment. The findings of this study confirmed that both the dimensions of extrinsic motivation, namely perceived benefit and affordability, have a positive and significant impact on the visit intention of medical tourists to India. In contrast, only the cosmopolitanism dimension of intrinsic motivation has a positive and significant effect on the visit intention of medical tourists to India. This study also confirmed that country image significantly moderates the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation dimensions and medical tourists’ visit intention to India. The study’s findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications as they explore the effect of extrinsic and intrinsic travel motivation on medical tourists’ intention to visit an emerging economy, considering the country’s image as a moderator.

Customer equity drivers and repurchase intent among B2B customers: the moderating role of perceived switching cost

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of three customer equity drivers on customer repurchase intent in business-to-business (B2B) markets. It also explores the interconnected nature of equity drivers, specifically, the effects of brand equity and value equity on relationship equity. Further, it investigates how perceived switching costs moderates the interrelationships between customer equity drivers. The authors explore the interrelationships between the customer equity drivers in a B2B context involving commodity products in a developing market. Design/methodology/approach Data collection was done from a pool of 184 institutional customers of a lubricant brand in a developing market. The sample had representations of buyer organizations across sectors, namely, automobile, cement, metal, fertilizer, railway, defence and mining, etc. The final data were subjected to partial least squares-based structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized model. Findings The study found a direct effect of brand equity, and value equity on relationship equity and an indirect effect on repurchase intent, namely, relationship equity. Perceived switching cost was found to moderate the interaction between brand equity and relationship equity as well as between value equity and relationship equity. The direct effect of relationship equity on repurchase intent was also significant. Practical implications The study implies that B2B firms should ground their marketing program on these customer equity drivers, especially when dealing with commodity products. The absence of any of these drivers would be detrimental in customer retention. The study also establishes the relevance of switching cost(s) and its impact on the underlying dynamics between the different equity drivers in the context of commodity products. The customer equity drivers along with switching costs, if managed well, may become switching barriers for customers and eventually would ensure recurring revenue through repeat purchases. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies that focuses on the disaggregated effect of customer equity on customer outcomes in the B2B context. Furthermore, this study investigates how perceived switching costs moderates the interrelationships between customer equity drivers in the industrial sales context in an emerging market.