Search

Purpose: Patronage of local footwear have not been encouraging in Nigeria despite recent investments. The purpose of the study is to evaluate celebrity endorsement and customer patronage of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) products in African context, with focus on trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, respect and similarity (TEARS) model. Design/methodology/approach: The research was designed as a descriptive survey. An online structured questionnaire was applied for data collection. Cronbach Alpha and content validity were used for reliability and validity, respectively. TEARS model was used to ascertain key dimensions, and Pearson correlation coefficient and logistic regression were applied into the analysis. Findings: The findings reveal that celebrity endorsement is not associated with patronage of local footwears, though TEARS model analysis indicates the direction of consumers rating on celebrity endorsement. Factors such as recommendation and quality impact the consumer willingness to buy local footwear. Research limitations/implications: The small sample size calls for caution in generalization. Practical implications: The study suggests that although the TEARs model is viable, all the dimensions are mutually exclusive. However, this depends on the characteristics of the brand. In driving patronage, managers must pay attention to personal and non-personal cues such as price, quality and source of information about their brand. Originality/value: The originality is buttressed from the value it provides for local product production and patronage. The significant factors are indicated as key to addressing low patronage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: An agile supply chain (SC) is critical in achieving competitive advantages in the vulnerable environment. Based on the competence–capability–performance paradigm, this study aims to investigate how information technology (IT) usage and employee multi-skilling influence internal, supplier and customer agility that are the three dimensions of SC agility. It further explores relationships between SC agility dimensions and SC performance. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a survey method to collect primary data and sampled 216 Chinese manufacturing firms in different industries. Construct validity and reliability were confirmed. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings: The findings indicate that internal agility is the baseline of SC agility, which improves supplier and customer agility. IT usage is more important than employee multi-skilling in facilitating SC agility. The former improves all three dimensions, whereas the latter only improves internal agility. Both internal and supplier agility can improve SC performance, whereas customer agility has no significant effect. Originality/value: This study contributes to the SC agility literature in two folds. On the one hand, based on the dynamic capability perspective, this research clarifies three dimensions of SC agility and their interrelationships. On the other hand, integrating competence–capability–performance paradigm with information processing view, this research investigates the antecedent and outcome of SC agility. In addition, to date, this is one of the first studies to simultaneously examine the effect of two critical competencies, namely, IT usage and employee multi-skilling on SC agility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the development and validation of a consumer power scale comprising a personal and a social power dimension. Personal power refers to consumers' perceived ability to resist and ignore a firm's marketing efforts. Social power refers to consumers' perceived ability to influence a firm's actions. Design/methodology/approach: Following established scale development procedures, the construct definition and item generation preceded five studies that establish the scale's dimensionality, psychometric properties and external, predictive and nomological validity. Findings: Consumer power was modeled as a reflective first-order, formative second-order latent construct. The consumer power scale is psychometrically sound and possesses external and discriminant validity with regard to other power-related measures. Consumer power mediates the relation between consumers' cognitive control and consumer satisfaction and between perceived choice and emotional responses. Research limitations/implications: This research uses episodic recall tasks to elicit power perceptions in various contexts. Results suggest that the scale is useful in comparative and longitudinal tracking of consumers' perceptions of power in relation to a firm. Originality/value: Building on a comprehensive literature review and rigorous scale development, this paper introduces a scale of consumer power that comprises a personal and a social power dimension. A critical analysis of and a predictive validity test of the scale against existing power scales highlight its unique contribution. The scale lends itself to further theory tests regarding antecedents, consequences and moderators of consumer power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to perform a psychometric evaluation of the internal green marketing (IGM) scale in the context of consumer, industrial and service industry from a developing economy. Drawing on IGM theory, this study validates the measurement scales to operationalize IGM as green internal communication (GIC), green skill development (GSD) and green rewards (GRs). Design/methodology/approach: The sample was drawn from the consumer, industrial and service industries in Jammu and Kashmir, India, using a random sampling method. Data were collected from consumer, industrial and service industries in two phases through a self-administrated questionnaire-based survey. In total, 137 managers responded during the first phase, and 368 managers responded during the second phase. During the first phase, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to uncover the underlying dimensions of IGM, and during the second phase, data were analyzed to test the validity of the IGM scale through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Findings: EFA suggested a three-dimension scale (green internal communication (GIC), green skill development (GSD), and green rewards (GR)) which was confirmed by CFA. The findings of the study demonstrate that IGM is a valid and reliable scale to capture the individual-level perception of the employees with respect to the green internal marketing of an organization. Practical implications: This paper is expected to provide valuable insights into the area of internal green marketing (IGM) about an industry that can be of immense help to domestic and international marketers in formulating human resource (HR)/marketing strategies. Further, it provides a wide-ranging scale that can act as a base for future research studies that aim to explore internal green marketing (IGM) in different organizational settings. Originality/value: IGM is embedded in three underlying elements as GIC, GSD and GRs. It is suitable to the practitioner and researchers to operationalize IGM as a second-order construct in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One popular method to assess discriminant validity in structural equation modeling is the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). However, the HTMT assumes tau-equivalent measurement models, which are unlikely to hold for most empirical studies. To relax this assumption, the authors modify the original HTMT and introduce a new consistent measure for congeneric measurement models: the HTMT2. Design/methodology/approach: The HTMT2 is designed in analogy to the HTMT but relies on the geometric mean instead of the arithmetic mean. A Monte Carlo simulation compares the performance of the HTMT and the HTMT2. In the simulation, several design factors are varied such as loading patterns, sample sizes and inter-construct correlations in order to compare the estimation bias of the two criteria. Findings: The HTMT2 provides less biased estimations of the correlations among the latent variables compared to the HTMT, in particular if indicators loading patterns are heterogeneous. Consequently, the HTMT2 should be preferred over the HTMT to assess discriminant validity in case of congeneric measurement models. Research limitations/implications: However, the HTMT2 can only be determined if all correlations between involved observable variables are positive. Originality/value: This paper introduces the HTMT2 as an improved version of the traditional HTMT. Compared to other approaches assessing discriminant validity, the HTMT2 provides two advantages: (1) the ease of its computation, since HTMT2 is only based on the indicator correlations, and (2) the relaxed assumption of tau-equivalence. The authors highly recommend the HTMT2 criterion over the traditional HTMT for assessing discriminant validity in empirical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most previous studies have indicated promotional attributes separately (e.g. time pressure, giveaways, price discounts, exclusivity) and found controversial effects. This paper aims to explore how different attributes can be aligned with each other and integrated with different levels of brand strength to influence sales or purchase intention according to the fit logic. Design/methodology/approach: Both field data and controlled experiments are used to understand the effectiveness of promotion configurations. This paper first conducts an exploratory study using qualitative comparative analysis, based on 625 online promotion campaigns. This paper identifies several effective configurations of promotion attributes, leading to the development of two hypotheses. Three experiments are then designed to test the validity of these two hypotheses. Findings: The results show that strong brands should adopt nonmonetary promotion, whereas weak brands should adopt monetary promotion; exclusivity and time limitation should be used separately. Research limitations/implications: This paper provides empirical insights on how promotion elicits sales in terms of the configuration of promotional attributes and brand strength. This paper examines the integrative effect of types of giveaways, promotion duration and promotion target as well as brand strength on promotion effectiveness. Future research can explore other promotional attributes. This study is a first attempt to introduce and apply the set-theoretic approach to address strategic research issues and inform strategic decisions and managerial actions. Practical implications: The findings can facilitate marketers' understanding and predictions of deal recipients' responses to promotions. Originality/value: This paper adopts a holistic view to investigate how different promotion attributes interact with one another to stimulate sales. It explores the integrative effect from field data and finds converging evidence through a set-theoretic approach and controlled experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Working conditions constitute an important predictor of worker's wellbeing and, consequently, of organizational outcomes. The Working Conditions Questionnaire is derived from a theoretical framework in which working conditions within the organization are formulated as a triple relationship between the environment, the method and the individual. Previous studies have assessed the psychometric properties of this instrument, but its measurement invariance has not been evaluated before. In this context, this study's objective was to examine and validate the dimensionality of the questionnaire and to evaluate its measurement invariance across six Ibero-American countries. Design/methodology/approach: Data collected from 7,404 professionals from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Spain were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. Findings: Construct validity and reliability were confirmed. Also, results allowed to propose a refined version of the instrument in Spanish and Portuguese and confirmed its measurement invariance across six Ibero-American countries. Originality/value: The study extends the current research by demonstrating the cross-cultural applicability of this instrument, improving future research in these six Ibero-American countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Firms innovate and sophisticate their offerings to remain competitive. This sophistication often finds opportunities in servitization. Given that many customers expect the service offering from manufacturing companies, it is crucial to research what capabilities drive service offerings and their impact on performance. The purpose of this paper is to test the capabilities–service–performance chain. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual model is proposed and the research hypothesis is tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) performed on a data set corresponding to 205 Spanish and Croatian manufacturing firms. Findings: Using SEM, this research analyses the causal model between manufacturing, organizational and digital capabilities on base, intermediate and advanced services, and their impact on both service and financial performance. Research limitations/implications: This study has some limitations: the advanced service construct was mostly developed on case-based research. Some constructs have low convergent validity and reliability. The relative smallness of the data set used and its two-country provenance could raise issues about the international nature and generalizability of the findings. Practical implications: Digital capabilities are important for the provision of all three groups of services in terms of using digital devices in data acquisition, helping to make the manufacturing company more agile. Originality/value: The present study also contributes to the conceptual framework of servitization by providing a new and more up-to-date definition of capabilities and services, also considering digital capabilities, which are less explored. It also contributes to being the first to explore the entire manufacturing sector [nomenclature statistique des activités and économiques dans la Communauté éuropéenne (NACE) 10–31]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate selling actors in multi-actor sales ecosystems. When selling actors start taking over tasks that were formerly performed by salespeople, the distribution of tasks, allocation of responsibilities and finally the role of the salespeople changes. However, little is known about salespersons' perceptions of selling actors' identities and participation behavior in multi-actor sales ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a World Café, a new qualitative method to the field of sales research, to obtain first data on selling actor identities in multi-actor sales ecosystems. Salespeople, who had the chance to observe and interact with more than 98,000 selling actors, disclosed their perceptions of selling actors' participation behavior in a multi-actor sales ecosystem. Four different data sources were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic and to test validity through the convergence of information from different sources. Findings: Using identity theory, a salesperson–selling actor relationship/behavior typology for multi-actor sales ecosystems was developed. Eight different selling actor identities were identified: avoider, observer, receptive actor, prepper, expecter, savvy actor, challenger and coworker. Originality/value: The typology provides researchers and managers with a tool to better understand and evaluate sales ecosystems. This knowledge can be used as a starting point for the reassessment of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for salespeople in multi-actor sales ecosystems and to improve their training and coaching. The firsthand experiences reported by the participants of the World Café enable salespeople to identify different selling actors faster and prepare fitting approaches for all selling actor identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The dynamic capability view reshaped the understanding of how firms can achieve a sustained competitive advantage through innovation. However, studies based on national innovation surveys have not incorporated this vision when measuring absorptive capacity, especially the evolutionary aspects of dynamic capabilities. This study addresses this gap. Design/methodology/approach: We empirically validate a scale using a national innovation survey based on the Oslo Manual standards. Using a five-wave survey, we demonstrate the scale's reliability, convergent and discriminant validity and stable structure across industries and over time. Findings: This research integrates the dynamic capability literature with absorptive capacity measurement to propose and validate a multi-item and bidimensional scale for national innovation surveys. Originality/value: We provide a measurement model that captures an evolutionary conceptualization of absorptive capacity as a dynamic capability. Hence, our contribution enhances the quality and validity of studies on absorptive capacity and advances the understanding of how firms develop and deploy absorptive capacity to drive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop an institutional framework to examine the role of governmental and social pressures on green product purchase intentions. Because of the increased focus on environmental issues in emerging markets, an examination of the institutional environment in India can provide unique insights into the drivers of green consumption. Design/methodology/approach: A large-scale data collection is conducted via an online survey to test the validity of the theorized model. A survey methodology is used to collect responses from a sample of 400 consumers in India and analyzed via Smart PLS 3.0. Findings: The findings suggest moral norms, injunctive and descriptive, have varying influences on consumers. Further, governmental influence, at least in India, may not have a positive impact one would expect. The results indicate the institutional framework developed in this research has a good predictive ability in green marketing settings and offers insights for businesses and policymakers to enhance consumers' motivations to purchase green products. Originality/value: From a theoretical perspective, this research is the first to examine the institutional environment on green consumption in India and provides unique insights into the influences of green consumption. The results suggest the institutional environment in India presents unique opportunities for practitioners and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Based on the job demands-resources model, the present study proposes viewing abusive supervision as one type of job demand causing employees' emotional exhaustion, which results in psychological withdrawal behavior. In addition, job crafting can be viewed as a means to acquire job resources, and it buffers the influence of abusive supervision on employees' emotional exhaustion. Moreover, the present study also proposes the moderating effect of job crafting on abusive supervision and psychological withdrawal behavior will be mediated by emotional exhaustion. Design/methodology/approach: Considering the issue of common method variance, data were not only collected in a multi-temporal research design but also tested by Harman's one-factor test. In addition, a series of confirmatory factor analyses was conducted to ensure the discriminant validity of measures. The moderated mediation hypotheses were tested on a sample of 267 participants. Findings: The process model analysis showed that emotional exhaustion partially mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and psychological withdrawal behavior. Moreover, job crafting buffers the detrimental effect of abusive supervision on emotional exhaustion, and the less exhausted employees exhibit less psychological withdrawal behavior than those exhausted. Originality/value: This study proposed a moderated mediation model to examine how and when abusive supervision leads to more employees' psychological withdrawal behaviors, and found that emotional exhaustion is one potential mechanism and job crafting is one potential moderator. Specifically, it was revealed that employees view abusive supervision as a kind of social and organizational aspect of job demands which will exacerbate emotional exhaustion, and, in turn, lead to more psychological withdrawal behavior. However, when employees view themselves as job crafter, they can adopt various job crafting behaviors to decrease the emotional exhaustion, and thus less psychological withdrawal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper empirically addresses the question of whether the meaning of ethical leadership is constant across cultures. Drawing on the implicit leadership theory (ILT), we examine whether people in Australia and Pakistan respond to perceived ethical leadership in a similar or different manner. By comparing employees' interpretation of the key attributes associated with ethical leadership, we advance construct-specific knowledge in cross-national contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Since meaningful cross-country comparisons of a research construct require an equivalent measurement of it, we examine the issue of cross-cultural measurement invariance of ethical leadership. Specifically, this study explores the configural, metric and scalar invariance of ethical leadership by obtaining data from matched international samples. Findings: The findings broadly support cross-cultural generalisability of the construct's meaning and cross-cultural transferability of the ethical leadership scale (ELS). They suggest that measures of ethical leadership constructs should be used in different cultures with caution because significant differences may exist at the item level. Originality/value: This study provides cross-cultural endorsement to the construal of ethical leadership by presenting evidence that supports convergence in the construct's meaning across Eastern and Western cultures. The study has enhanced the construct validity of ethical leadership through the use of the refined multiple-sample analytical approach. Previous studies have assumed that measures of ethical leadership are invariant across various contexts. However, this is the first study to employ a robust methodological technique (metric and path invariance) that demonstrates the significant difference between each item and path and generalises the validity of ethical leadership construct and its measures by using international samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to independently test the predictive validity of the Persuasion Principles Index (PPI) for video advertisements for low-involvement products with a measure of in-market sales effectiveness. This study follows the inaugural test conducted by Armstrong et al. (2016) for print advertisements for high-involvement utilitarian products with a measure of advertising recall. Design/methodology/approach: The method was in line with that developed by Armstrong et al. (2016) for rating advertisements and assessing the reliability of ratings. Consensus PPI scores were calculated for a data set of 242 matched pairs of television advertisements. For each pair, the authors determined whether the advertisement that better adhered to the persuasion principles performed better in-market. Findings: Consensus PPI scores predicted the more sales effective television advertisement for 55% (confidence interval (CI) = 49%, 61%) of the 242 pairs. This result is no better than chance and much weaker than the result from the initial validation study, which found that the consensus PPI scores predicted the more recalled print advertisement for 74.5% (CI = 66%, 83%) of 96 pairs. Research limitations/implications: This study replicated the application of the PPI as per Armstrong's guidelines and extended validity testing to a different set of advertising conditions. Findings indicate that better adherence to the persuasion principles produces only a weak, positive effect for predicting the performance of television advertisements for low-involvement products. A research agenda that flows from the results is discussed. Practical implications: The authors suggest that the PPI in its present form is best used to predict advertising performance under conditions as per the inaugural validation test (Armstrong et al., 2016). Originality/value: Advertisers will require compelling evidence of the PPI's predictive accuracy to adopt the tool for pre-testing advertising. This study is the first independent test of the predictive validity of the PPI and its generalisability across advertising conditions. Another contribution of this study is the assessment of Armstrong's advice to remove unreliable ratings. The authors show that this procedure, surprisingly, does not improve the predictive accuracy of the PPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to provide an understanding of influencing motivation and volition in the transfer of learning within the context of technical training in different countries by controlling predictors. Design/methodology/approach: In six countries, employees from one automotive company's service centres were asked to complete two online questionnaires after a blended learning training program with technical content (t1: 7 to 12 days after the training, t2: 5 to 7 weeks after). In total, 441 technical staff members participated. Findings: Results suggest that motivation and volition mediate the effects of peer support, content validity and supervisor support on training transfer after a technical training. The outcomes show that peer support has an important influence on motivation and that national culture is less important than company culture. Research limitations/implications: The results should be tested further in different trainings, companies and countries. Originality/value: This is one of the first international studies to confirm peer support and content validity as predictors for motivation to transfer after technical training. It is also the first instance of exploring possible mediation by motivation and volition on peer support and content validity after technical training in an intercultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many HRM practices are never thoroughly implemented, or are implemented ineffectively. To better understand what line managers need to implement HRM practices effectively, the authors have developed and validated a psychometrically sound measurement instrument dealing with line managers' attributions for effective HRM implementation. Based on the theory of causal attributions, the authors distinguish between internal and external attributions that determine how line managers implement HRM practices on the work floor. Design/methodology/approach: A multidimensional approach has been used, and, after collecting data from 471 line managers, thorough scale development guidelines and validation procedures have been applied for instrument development. Findings: The instrument's psychometric qualities have been assessed by calculating the reliability and validity of line managers' internal attributions – including its composing dimensions of desire and competences – and their external attributions – including the dimensions of support, capacity and policy and procedures. In particular, both convergent and discriminant validity as well as intra-class correlations have been established. The newly developed measures are found to be of good quality. The scales appear to discriminate well between the distinguished groups and show a good variation within groups. Practical implications: The developed measurement instrument helps HRM professionals to better understand line managers' attributions to effectively implement HRM practices and to provide them with support and training for effective HRM implementation. Originality/value: Previous research has already identified weaknesses in HRM implementation, but lacked addressing the causes of this. The study presents antecedents for HRM implementation effectiveness, based on the causal attribution theory, and a psychometrically validated instrument to measure these antecedents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scholars and practitioners within industrial maintenance management are focused on understanding antecedents, correlates and consequences of the concept of "Smart Maintenance," which consists of the four dimensions, namely, data-driven decision-making, human capital resource, internal integration and external integration. In order to facilitate this understanding, valid and reliable empirical measures need to be developed. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a psychometric instrument that measures the four dimensions of Smart Maintenance. Design/methodology/approach: The results from two sequential empirical studies are presented, which include generating items to represent the constructs, assessment of content validity, as well as an empirical pilot test. With input from 50 industrial experts, a pool of 80 items that represent the constructs are generated. Thereafter, using data from 42 industrial and academic raters, the content validity of all items is assessed quantitatively. Finally, using data from 59 manufacturing plants, the dimensionality and factor structure of the instrument are tested. Findings: The authors demonstrate content validity and provide evidence of good model fit and psychometric properties for one-factor models with 8–11 items for each of the four constructs, as well as a combined 24-item four-factor model. Originality/value: The authors provide recommendations for scholarly use of the instrument in further theory-testing research, as well as its practical use to assess, benchmark and longitudinally evaluate Smart Maintenance within the manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to critically comment Rossiter’s “How to use C-OAR-SE to design optimal standard measures” in the current issue of EJM and provides a broader perspective on Rossiter’s C-OAR-SE framework and measurement practice in marketing in general.Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual, based on interpretation of measurement theory.Findings The paper shows that, at best, Rossiter’s mathematical dismissal of convergent validity applies to the completely hypothetical (and highly unlikely) situation where a perfect measure without any error would be available. Further considerations cast serious doubt on the appropriateness of Rossiter’s concrete object, dual subattribute-based single item measures. Being immunized against any piece of empirical evidence, C-OAR-SE cannot be considered a scientific theory and is bound to perpetuate, if not aggravate, the fundamental flaws in current measurement practice. While C-OAR-SE indeed helps generate more content valid instruments, the procedure offers no insights as to whether these instruments work properly to be used in research and practice.Practical implications This paper concludes that great caution needs to be exercised before adapting measurement instruments based on the C-OAR-SE procedure, and statistical evidence remains essential for validity assessment.Originality/value This paper identifies several serious conceptual and operational problems in Rossiter’s C-OAR-SE procedure and discusses how to align measurement in the social sciences to be compatible with the definition of measurement in the physical sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to offer a comment on Rossiter’s C-OAR-SE article and suggests future developments for the practical application of C-OAR-SE that would promote its usage and acceptance among marketing scholars.Design/methodology/approach This is a theoretical paper.Findings The paper identifies challenging steps in the practical application of C-OAR-SE and suggests that these can be overcome by developing detailed guidelines.Research limitations/implications Improving marketing measurement practice is of importance to marketing scholars.Originality/value The paper suggests how measure development could be structured in a manner that would reduce the subjective element of content validity assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a health harm of work scale from the sustainable HRM perspective.Design/methodology/approach A three-dimensional model was proposed for the health harm of work scale and validated (Total n=527) using a five-part study (item generation, item reduction, convergent, construct and discriminant validity).Findings Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported that the three dimensions (restrictions for positive health, the risk factors for psychological health and the side effect harm of work) simultaneously tap into different aspects of the health harm of work construct. The results from the construct validity revealed that health harm of work as a phenomenon has manifested itself in different facets of health harm of work intensification. Finally, the discriminant validity study revealed that the overlap between the dimensions of the health harm of work scale and the dimensions of recovery experience from the work questionnaire is low and it provides support for the discriminant validity of dimensions between these two scales.Practical implications The proposed measure can be used as potential leading indicators for negative occupational health to prevent or delay the onset of work-related illness manifestation or health consequences (sick leave, absenteeism, presenteeism, etc.).Originality/value This is the first study to validate a measure of health harm of work and to provide tangible evidence of health harm of work which will subsequently trigger organizations to introduce a planned intervention to improve occupational well-being to promote sustainable HRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of factors that affect training effectiveness. According to the literature, social support, perceived content validity, transfer design, the motivation to improve work through learning and positive transfer, contribute to the effectiveness of training. Design/methodology/approach – The sample used consisted of 202 employees with ages between 18 and 60 years, working for an insurance company where they had training for a period of three months. Findings – The results show a relationship between perceived content validity and transfer design, as well as with the motivation to improve work through learning. A mediating role of social support was also evident in this relationship. Finally, the authors highlight the findings of the relationship between motivation to improve work through learning and positive transfer. Originality/value – These findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating how the role of social support can increase training effectiveness in organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the holistic nature of brand image for fashion-related products and to complete the initial stage of scale development, determining content validity, for a new brand image measure. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptualization of brand image was based on a review of academic and industry literature and analysis of qualitative data from 11 in-depth interviews. To help assess content validity, four trained judges assessed the face validity of the initial 140 items generated; 137 scale items were retained. Findings – Analysis of the interview data revealed that cognitive (mystery), emotional (intimacy) and sensory (sensuality) dimensions were important for brand image of fashion-related products. The results aligned with major themes proposed in the literature, but one additional theme (self-congruity) was uncovered. These findings support content validity of the brand image scale items. Research limitations/implications – The interviews were limited to female consumers in the Midwestern USA. The present study expands the existing brand image concept by identifying its multi-dimensional nature including sensory associations. Theoretically, an expanded brand image measure increases its explanatory power in empirical studies. In terms of practical implications, fostering cognitive, emotional and sensory dimensions is essential for creating an effective fashion-related brand image, which can enhance brand equity. Originality/value – Past brand image scales have emphasized cognitive and emotional dimensions. The new scale items represent a more holistic measure of brand image, as they include a comprehensive sensory dimension. It will be the first brand image scale geared toward fashion-related brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to highlight the role of individual and training design factors on training transfer. Design/methodology/approach - A review of the literature is conducted, and this review highlights a dual role of perceived content validity in the form of increasing self-efficacy and the role of trainees' reaction. The study suggests that transfer design factors improve performance self-efficacy and reaction measures work as a bridge between content validity and transfer motivation. In addition, the role of transfer design in training transfer theory is explained. Findings - A combination of variables is proposed, suggesting further investigation to build a strong training transfer theory. The study highlights the dual role of perceived content validity as a factor to develop positive trainee reaction and increase trainee performance self-efficacy. Furthermore, the study proposes that transfer design and perceived content validity increase trainee performance self-efficacy, which leads to maximizing training transfer through transfer motivation. The study also explains that perceived content validity influences transfer motivation through trainee reaction, and proposes a framework coupled with future research directions. Research limitations/implications - The suggested framework provides a theoretical basis for researchers to build a strong training transfer theory. This conceptual paper elaborates the role of perceived content validity, transfer design, reaction, performance self-efficacy and transfer motivation to substantiate training transfer theory. Future researchers should test the proposed framework empirically and highlight other factors that could increase the efficacy and motivation levels of trainees in order to maximize training transfer. Practical implications - Transfer design factors in this paper provide practical implications for training transfer in general and training professionals in particular. Thus, training transfer is maximized through positive trainee reaction, which is an important facet of training. Another factor, i.e. perceived content validity, not only develops positive reaction but also increases the efficacy level of trainees. Therefore, in order to increase the performance self-efficacy and motivation level of trainees, training professionals should focus on the content and transfer design factors to maximize training transfer. Originality/value - This conceptual paper contributes to the existing training transfer literature by suggesting a combination of variables that provides a theoretical basis for building a strong training transfer theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the executive summary of the article "Conceptualization of a holistic brand image measure for fashion-related brands" by Eunjoo Cho and Ann Marie Fiore.