Dita Hommerová

This paper aims to present the results of customer satisfaction and loyalty research in the B2B market, focusing on the provision of technological services by a selected innovative company. Customer loyalty is the ultimate goal of all customer relationship management (CRM) efforts. For their evaluation, both loyalty and satisfaction need to be tracked and measured. One of the instruments for measuring loyalty is the Net Promoter Score, which we have employed in our research. Customer satisfaction is usually measured using a customer satisfaction index. This research draws on the European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) using seven variables or factors affecting satisfaction (image, expectations, perceived product quality, perceived value, complaints), cumulative customer satisfaction, and the consequence of satisfaction – customer loyalty. The research results demonstrate that, in order to achieve a high level of satisfaction and loyalty in the B2B market, it is important to regularly assess customer needs, monitor competition, and continuously improve products and complementary services. Customer satisfaction in the B2B market is primarily affected by trust in the business partner, communication, professionalism, product quality, and the terms of delivery. In addition, loyalty as the ultimate level of customer relationship is determined by an excellent customer experience and additional values within the extended product, all of which can significantly distinguish the company from its market competitors. This study addresses the gap in B2B market satisfaction research with a particular focus on the technology industry.

The global growth of nonprofit organizations has outpaced available funding and created a crowded space for media attention from the public. As a result, the value brand equity of nonprofit organizations has increased, yet few studies have examined this trend, particularly in developing countries or countries where civil societies are evolving but the professionalization of nonprofit sectors lags, as in former Soviet Bloc nations. This national study helps fill the latter research gap using a two-step approach with Czech citizens to examine brand awareness, trust, and commitment using the nonprofit brand equity index of Czech nonprofits. It mostly replicates a German study conducted by Boenigk and Becker (2016) using the same index. Results reveal that Czech citizens have an interest in being informed about how their donations are used, reflecting the often-referenced lack of transparency of Czech nonprofit organizations and donor mistrust. One third of the study’s participants could not name at least one nonprofit organization, confirming the timeliness of this study and the need for further investigation of the political, social, and economic factors behind brand equity. Such knowledge will be helpful in studying it further to inform recommended practices in strategic marketing.

Consumers express their ethics through their consumption decisions. The article examines the preferences of Czech respondents in the area of ethical consumption. The aim of the study is to find out the respondents' attitudes towards ethical shopping. We apply a series of ordinal regression analyses to analyse data from a survey (N=1670; aged 15-93 years, M ± SD: 35.51 ± 16.82; 62.00% women; 32.10% with higher education) conducted in 2021. In some cases, the survey results are compared with surveys on the same topic conducted in 2016 and 2018. The research found that customer interest in purchasing is growing, but this trend has not yet manifested itself in the volume of purchases. Beyond the reasons, the decision to buy, ignore ethical products or boycott unethical products is largely linked to the natural interest in and availability of information about "ethical shopping" in general and "ethical" products. The results suggest that personal responsibility is the most important reason for ethical shopping. Poor availability in the sales network, disinterest and higher prices were the most significant reasons for not buying "ethical" products. This research extends existing studies by examining the reasons for purchasing or ignoring so-called ethical products in relation to the intensity of their purchase. We believe that the results of the research can be used as baseline data to support targeted ethical purchasing, for example through education. Implications for Central European audience: To achieve long-term sustainability, current patterns of behaviour and consumption need to change at all levels. Environmental protection and sustainability are now increasingly implemented in most EU policies, programmes and regulations. In the case of Central European economies, the transition towards sustainable and environmentally neutral practices is still delayed. One of the key prerequisites for sustainable development and its further expansion is sustainable consumption at the level of

The purpose of this study is to express the perspective of development of the hop field area in connection with the growing number of microbreweries and the popularity of special beers in Czechia. Czech beer is a concept all over the world, it comes not only from 45 large industrial breweries, including world-famous breweries from Pilsen, Prague or České Budějovice, but is also produced in more than 480 small breweries (microbreweries), many of which are traditional family businesses. With a consumption of 141 L per person in 2018, the Czechs are among the world’s largest beer consumers and they have already surpassed even the Irish and Germans. The research performed confirmed the validity of the hypothesis about a slight positive effect of the growth in the number of microbreweries and the production of special beers on the extent of the hop field area in Czechia. In addition to the interpretation of new beer styles, this article also discusses the emergence of new aromatic hop varieties, the development of beer tourism and new sales opportunities for hop growers.

This case study presents the results of research which focused on the perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by customers in a target segment of a selected fast-food chain in Czechia and its impact on their purchasing behavior. A total of 264 duly completed questionnaires were analyzed. Furthermore, the article presents the specifics of the development and fulfillment of the CSR concept in Czechia and at the same time points out differences in the implementation of the McDonald’s CSR concept at the global level compared to its implementation at the national level in the Czech environment. Statistical dependence between age as well as education and understanding the essence of CSR was proven, while no correlation was identified when it comes to gender. Among factors affecting the purchasing decision-making process in the target segment of a selected company, CSR activities (i.e., the environmental mindset of the company) rank fourth after price, quality, and recommendations from friends. The results of this research can be applied to other restaurant establishments in Czechia, taking into consideration their target segments, and used for further research into the awareness and effect of CSR on consumer purchasing behavior and its comparison at the international level.

This article aims to show the significance of branding in achieving set marketing goals and ensuring the sustainable development of a selected education and research library as a non-profit organization. The research is based on available data from foreign research studies concerning the image of a brand and the branding of non-profit organizations, and it expands on them by utilizing other methods of brand image measurement. A survey involving a sample of 220 respondents was conducted at the particular site, taking into account the library’s target segments. An analysis of the awareness and favorability of its brand was also utilized to evaluate the library’s image. The library has recently undergone a rebranding process and is applying a new visual style. The new visual style of the library resulting from the rebranding was met with a positive response in 69% of cases. Branding and appropriate marketing communication that reflects the latest trends can have a positive influence on the sustainability of libraries. The research results have contributed to the adoption of corrective measures in planning the strategy of the selected library, and the case study results can be applied across the board to other contributory organizations in the Czech Republic.

This case study investigates the cross-border shopping behavior and potential of Czech customers in Upper Palatinate (Bavaria). Based on a point of sale survey (POS) and two household surveys with more than 500 participants, the expenditures of Czech customers in the retail market in Upper Palatinate are estimated using linear potential methods. Using a logit model, the study also attempts to identify the main drivers of cross-border shopping, aiming at increasing its intensity and thus furthering the development of the cross-border region. The distance from the place of residence to the border is the strongest influencing variable, but demographic characteristics also impact the decision to go shopping in Bavaria. Finally, specific activities within the categories of “welcome culture” and “marketing and communication” aimed at promoting the cross-border shopping of Czech customers in Upper Palatinate are proposed. Local retailers should especially benefit from the frequency function of grocery stores as well as develop combination offers, e.g., with tourist facilities, following sustainable development trends.

Fundraising can be viewed as a systematic activity aimed primarily at raising financial resources for the activities of either an organization or an individual. The inconsistency of this effort usually cannot be blamed on internal factors within an organization, but rather phenomena of a macroeconomic, legislative or societal nature. In an effort to gain an insight into the measure of utilizing fundraising principles in nonprofit organizations, extensive research was conducted for the ninth time among nonprofit organizations in the Czech Republic, the sample of which consisted of 313 fully completed questionnaires. Based on the research results focusing on fundraising, measures were proposed to expand the possibilities of ensuring effective multisource funding for a selected nonprofit organization. One of these options and at the same time the current trend in marketing not only for the nonprofit sector is crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is a new concept of funding projects that has seen a significantly growing trend in the fundraising is part of marketing activities, or at least it is very closely connected with them.