Sudeepta Pradhan

Purpose: The mechanism through which corporate social responsibility (CSR) leads to customer engagement (CE) with a brand is unclear, with most studies proposing a direct relationship with limited focus on intervening variables. To fill the gap, the current research suggests a pathway from CSR perceptions to CE, including the mediating role of trust, company-consumer identification (CCI) and satisfaction, and the moderating roles of customer values and CSR-brand image fit. Design/methodology/approach: The study proposes a model connecting CSR perceptions to CE through thirteen hypotheses. To validate them, data were collected in two phases from 596 randomly selected respondents, who were customers of the products/services of a firm and were aware of the various CSR activities. The data was analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CBSEM). Findings: The analysis of the results revealed that all the study hypotheses were supported, including the mediation and the moderation ones. The findings validate the direct relationship between CSR perceptions and trust and CCI, as well as the sequential build-up to CE, with the mediating role of satisfaction and the intervening roles of customer values and brand image-CSR fit. Originality/value: The work offers a unique mechanism through which a customer can engage with a firm through its CSR efforts. The findings guide managers in enhancing their efforts to market CSR effectively and develop positive connections with consumers.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the importance of knowledge-oriented leadership in the context of business model innovation (BMI) and open innovation. This study also seeks to explore the existence of a mediating effect of absorptive capacity. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using a survey, from the information technology industry in India. The relationships proposed in the conceptual framework were tested with structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart partial least squares (PLS) 3. Findings: The findings highlight a positive influence of knowledge-oriented leadership on BMI and open innovation. Results also revealed that open innovation can facilitate BMI. Additionally, findings highlighted the mediating role of absorptive capacity in these relationships. Practical implications: This study suggests that businesses should employ and value leaders who can create, transform, store and use knowledge resources. Companies that employ such leaders encourage the creation and exchange of new knowledge, which consequently would lead to the successful exploration of innovative approaches. A culture of open innovation would help managers break down barriers, overcome inertia and continuously test new business models to generate revenues, increase value, enhance organizational effectiveness and ultimately gain competitive advantage. Originality/value: This study is one of the first to empirically contribute to the role of knowledge-oriented leadership and BMI from the perspective of open innovation.

This study explores the influence of institutional and individual factors on knowledge hiding and team creativity. Data were collected using a supervisor–supervisee research design in two diverse samples of 300 and 200 knowledge workers in India and Saudi Arabia. The findings suggest that innovativeness, affiliation, and top management support reduce knowledge hiding behaviour among employees. However, the relationship between fairness and knowledge hiding was not supported across both samples. Among individual factors, altruism, self-efficacy, and attitude towards knowledge hiding were supported. The relationship between information and communication technologies and knowledge hiding was supported only for the Indian sample. The findings suggest knowledge hiding negatively influenced team creativity across both samples. The moderating influence of reward structure was significant for Indian sample only.

Purpose: The study intends to investigate the key purchase drivers of luxury brands in India. Given that a major segment of this target audience is the young consumers, the study focuses on determining these antecedents of luxury purchase from a young Indian consumer lens.Design/methodology/approach: The study uses an interpretive research position, employing qualitative techniques in the form of in-depth interviews. In total, 62 respondents were interviewed, and later the transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis.Findings: The study identifies the three main value dimensions that contribute to the final purchase decision: functional, social and emotional. The study also highlights the importance of Internet and web for luxury brands and how young Indian consumer consumes luxury online.Originality/value: Research on luxury brands is still at a nascent stage. Though variables such as economic value, brand origin, social identity, prestige, self-congruity and so on have been examined in the context of luxury brands in prior studies. However, these studies are restricted because either they were product-specific or actual users of luxury brands were not approached as the sample. Most importantly none of these studies reflect the purchase behavior of young consumers in an emerging market, especially India. Given the growth of luxury brands in India, it would be worthwhile to investigate the factors influencing the customer purchase intention of luxury brands in emerging markets.

The major purpose of place branding is to attract tourists and investors by enhancing the value proposition of a place through its unique regional identity. We undertake two studies to test the impact of regional identity on destination brand loyalty, and thereby on investment attractiveness. Study 1 involves identifying the dimensions of customer-based place brand equity (CBPBE) from a regional identity perspective. Data were collected from the state of West Bengal in India. Results of exploratory factor analysis show a four-dimensional structure of CBPBE consisting of brand salience, brand meaning, perceived quality, and brand attachment. Based on 290 responses collected from Thailand, we use these CBPBE dimensions in study 2 to develop and validate the psychometrically robust CBPBE-RI instrument. Finally, we test for the impact of CBPBE-RI dimensions on destination brand loyalty and investment attractiveness. The results have managerial and theoretical implications.

Service value has received a great deal of attention in recent marketing literature because of its multidimensional nature and its ultimate impact on customer’s satisfaction, behavioral loyalty, and ultimately, firm performance. The present study attempts to explore the value dimensions in higher educational services parlance and subsequently analyses the impact of these dimensions on student satisfaction and student loyalty. The results indicate functional value, customer intimacy, service quality, appurtenant value, image, and social value as the dimensions of service value. This study supports the notion that institutes providing higher education can achieve competitive advantage by focusing on service value.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to capture the decision-making process of one of the major stakeholders, i.e. consumers, while purchasing from socially responsible firms. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an exploratory approach to have an understanding of consumers’ evaluation of their perceptions of a company’s CSR during the purchasing process. A total of 60 respondents were interviewed, and their responses were transcribed. These messages were then analysed using content analysis. Findings: The evaluation of CSR initiatives is an intricate, logical and structured process where consumers consider factors that are valued by them. The findings support the concept of legitimacy theory, as most respondents believed it was the duty of a firm to give back to the society. Research limitations/implications: This study suffers from an inherent limitation faced by qualitative studies, namely, the results cannot be generalized. Hence, quantitative methods can be designed in future research in the field. A cross-cultural study would also provide deeper insights and interesting avenues in future investigation to identify different factors. Practical implications: Managers have the option of ignoring consumers’ approach towards CSR, and/or focus on CSR positioning and use it in their marketing communications. The Companies Bill, 2013, mandated Indian firms to spend and report their CSR expenditures. Hence, they should use it strategically and advertise their CSR initiatives effectively to influence a large number of consumers. It is also essential for managers to make CSR information easily available and clarify the connection of the company to CSR initiatives. They should also identify the proper channels that would get desired results. Social implications: The study investigates the intricate process that explicates the reasons why CSR affects the consumer decision-making process. The research provides a better understanding into intention-behavior gap, investigates the reasons for such discrepancy and identifies a large number of factors. Originality/value: The study intends to contribute to the field of marketing by capturing stakeholder (consumer) engagement (by exploring consumers’ beliefs of CSR, their perceptions and the role of such perceptions) in decision-making. It also intends to add to the existing studies in legitimacy theory.

International publishers of academic, scientific and professional journals since 1979.

For Indians, retirement is neither a formal stage of life nor an issue that people dwell upon while planning their future. Despite the lack of preparation for retirement, a burgeoning population indicates a huge mass of retirees in the coming decades. These statistics trigger the need for individuals to prepare for their retirement appropriately, while accounting for factors like inflation. To highlight the significance of retirement planning and create awareness among the masses, pre-requisites to retirement planning should be effectively communicated. Extant literature suggests advertising to be one such measure of effective communication. This study intended to capture the extent and method of retirement advertisement in the Indian context using 40 television advertisements (ads) of financial institutions focusing on retirement plans. A content analysis revealed that 61% of the ads were non-informative and filled with emotional content. Though celebrity endorsements have effective impact on the Indian audience, only five advertisements used a celebrity to voice their messages. It was concluded that retirement ads need greater focus in India due to the expansive retiring population and the changing family structure in India. The study concluded that financial institutions and banks should focus on this segment and promote their product appropriately.