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Health services are one of the most necessary services of the community, and these fields need to be addressed to provide the best health services for the community. This research aimed to analyze the influence of social, demographic, and economic characteristics toward empowered consumers on health services. This research used a cross-sectional design through a survey of 100 people and direct interviews. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The result showed that 46-67 years old male respondents, who were highly educated (>12 years), and have a job with >360 815 IDR incomes per month were the most empowered group of respondents than others. Regression analyses revealed that a high length of education and high income would increase the value of the consumers’ empowerment index.

The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanism through which cross-channel integration (i.e., both physical and digital) influences consumer retention. The study uses the stimulus-organis...

There is limited and segmented access to information regarding the diversity of responsible and sustainable agrifood products in Brazil. There is a growing need to bridge the communication gap between farmers and consumers who wish to consume such differentiated products. This article aims to present the conceptual bases for the development of a Brazilian Digital Platform for Food and Territories involved bibliographic research methodology, analysis of international platforms and technical-scientific discussions between Brazilian and French research groups. The main result obtained was the modeling of the digital platform based on a multiscale view associated with the confluence of six conceptual aspects: Territories, Localized Food Systems, Brazilian Regional Foods, Adding Value, Consumer Empowerment, Technological and Knowledge Convergence. The results contribute to the physical development of the Platform, with literature and insights on digital innovations in agrifood for researchers, developers, public and private managers, creating new development opportunities for Brazilian rural territories.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact of omni-channel capability (OCC) and consumer empowerment (CE) on customer satisfaction (CS).Design/methodology/approachA paper-based questionnaire was employed to analyse the role of CE in omni-channel retailing (OCR) by using structural equation modelling. Based on the Stimuli-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this research aims to explore how OCC (S) impacts CE (O) and then leads to CS (R) in consumers who had previously used both the online and physical channels of a retailer.FindingsThe findings supported the impact of OCC on CE, and in turn, the impact of CE on CS. The results reveal a partial mediation by CE in the effect of OCC on CS. Additionally, channel service transparency (CST) moderates the relationship between CE and CS.Practical implicationsThe findings reveal partial mediator role of CE and the moderator role of CST in OCR. The study draws attention to the increasing role of CE and CST in OCR. To enhance CS, retailers should focus on OCC, CE and CST.Originality/valueA new model was validated, hypothesized from S-O-R framework. This extended the knowledge on CE in OCR.

Despite the concept of purpose gaining attention in the business world, academic research on purpose-driven branding is scarce and the cognitive–affective–conative categories used in previous studies are not sufficient to explain how it works. This paper outlines a framework that explains how purpose branding is performed in practice. Such a framework is lacking from the extant scholarship, the key reasons for which can be found in the research limitations in previous studies. We argue that studies on brand purpose should include new theoretical categories: consumer empowerment and transformation of practices. We advance this idea based on the theory of social practices. Using case studies of purpose-branding campaigns, we discuss how brand purpose empowers consumers and fosters transformations of their practices. We present a framework that explains how purpose branding works using the categories suggested.

A consumer’s personal attribute (e.g., disease, body weight) can assume the qualities of a stigma (i.e., become a source of devaluation by others) in the presence of certain audiences, which can affect consumption and represent a major hurdle to marketers in many industries (e.g., health care). Two field experiments manipulating the marketing communications sent to 1,453 consumers diagnosed with 87 diseases of varying stigma potential, as well as two Amazon Mechanical Turk studies, reveal that consumers with potentially stigmatizing attributes distinctly decode aspects of marketing communications as audience cues, to infer how (un)favorable observers of their consumption will be in light of the potential stigma. When consumers possess potentially stigmatizing attributes, audience cues influence social devaluation inferences, which influence their beneficial consumption (program enrollment, long-term engagement in health care program; e.g., 64% click-through decrease) and their interest in detrimental consumption (products that promise to alleviate the stigma but are associated with considerable risks). Anticipated empowerment may increase beneficial consumption among consumers managing stigmatizing attributes.

It is often assumed that companies and consumers are on opposing ‘teams’. In reality, however, consumers and companies enjoy more commonalities than contradictions. Both benefit when deals go well and disputes are resolved quickly and cheaply. The problem is that face-toface dispute resolution can be costly in terms of time and money, and even dangerous in these times of COVID-19. Furthermore, getting lawyers is generally impractical and overly expensive in consumer cases. The solution is a well-designed online dispute resolution (ODR) system that harnesses business and consumer commonalities, and creates a win–win for all stakeholders in e-commerce disputes. That is not to say that ODR is the ‘be all and end all’ for e-commerce disputes. All ODR is not fair and efficient. Furthermore, the digital divide remains a concern and the internet undoubtedly generates vulnerabilities for consumers, but it also creates opportunities for consumer empowerment. The time is right to take advantage of those opportunities, and create a unified ODR system that provides fast and fair resolutions worldwide. This article discusses ideas for such a system to create a ‘new handshake’ that inspires trust in e-commerce.

Dynamic energy tariffs facilitate engaging domestic consumers on demand management, contributing to grid’s stability, but requires of informed decision enabling tools. This paper presents a domestic heating costs calculation method for different heating technologies (gas boiler, heat-pumps) and a range of energy tariffs. Based on physical modeling, effect of outdoor temperature in the COP of heat-pumps is assessed. The methodology is applied to the 2018/19 heating season in Madrid (Spain), calculating the heating costs under four diverse energy tariffs (static gas tariff, static electricity tariff, real-time-price electricity tariff, dynamic time-of-use electricity tariff) for a typical home demand. The hourly results for two representative days are detailed, along with the aggregated results for the whole season. Along the season, the continuous changes in energy wholesale market prices and weather conditions make one heating technology and/or tariff more convenient each time. For the whole season, the dynamic time-of-use tariff considered would imply heating costs up to 40% lower than the static gas tariff. The results are strongly conditioned by climate conditions and national energy market evolutions. Day-ahead information on the actual heating costs might lead to domestic end-users to adapt their behavior and consumption patterns for more cost-effective use of the energy. Research leading to these results has been supported by HOLISDER project. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 768614. This paper reflects only the authors’ views and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

In lateral exchange markets, consumers can interact with one another to varying degrees (consociality) along different levels of platform management and involvement (platform intermediation). Apply...

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Statistics and Information Management, specialization in Marketing Research and CRM This study aims to understand why people do not buy in the scope of voluntary simplicity. The importance of this study is related to questions raised about consumption and lifestyle. The main objective is to measure whether the trend for voluntary simplicity would be influential and how it acts on consumers' willingness not to buy. To better understand this phenomenon of voluntary simplicity, we will use the hypothesis as a predictive model, to provide a directional response to our main goal. The Millennials, with ages between 18-34, both genders, actively studying and working, and living in Portugal were the target population of the study. The survey was conducted from May 4th, 2020, until January 19th, 2021. During this period, 282 people responded to a questionnaire with 72 questions. This study provided valuable insights into the key factors influencing the Willingness Not to buy. The model explains 51% of the variance of variables presented, which is a good value in market research. The relevance of this research is based on understanding these changes in the economy and how they affect purchasing intentions. By doing so, this study contributes to academic research and companies, to improve customer experience and satisfaction regarding voluntary simplicity.

[ES] En este proyecto Fin de Máster se hará un estudio en profundidad sobre las comunidades energéticas dentro del panorama europeo y nacional para poder contextualizar y acotar este nuevo modelo de negocio, que pretende ser uno de los principales bastiones de la transición energética. Posteriormente se elaborará una metodología general de trabajo que podría servir de guía en la creación de nuevas comunidades energéticas en España. Esta metodología se apoyará en el software Homer Grid como herramienta de cálculo, ya que las simulaciones que es capaz de realizar proporcionan una potente fuente de información para poder establecer diseños de sistemas energéticos híbridos precisos y viables tanto técnica como económicamente. Finalmente, se aplicará la metodología de trabajo a un caso práctico que abarcará el diseño de una comunidad energética en el pueblo de Vinalesa para poder estudiar su viabilidad. Se desarrollará la configuración y capacidad de los activos de generación necesarios para la comunidad energética así como su nueva tarifa eléctrica, además de un análisis final de sensibilidad., [EN] In this thesis, an exhaustive study on energy communities within the European and national framework will be carried out in order to contextualise and delimit this new business model that aims to be one of the main bastions of the energy transition. Subsequently, a general working methodology will be developed which could serve as a guide in the creation of new energy communities in Spain. This methodology will be based on the Homer Grid software as a calculation tool, as its simulations provide a powerful source of information to establish technically and economically viable hybrid energy system designs in an accurate way. Finally, the methodology will be applied to a practical case study covering the design of an energy community in the town of Vinalesa to study its viability. It will be developed the configuration and capacity of the generation components necessary for the energy community and its new electricity tariff, as well as a final sensitivity analysis., [CA] En aquest projecte Fi de Màster es farà un estudi en profunditat sobre les comunitats energètiques dins del panorama europeu i nacional per a poder contextualitzar i delimitar aquest nou model de negoci que pretén ser un dels principals bastions de la transició energètica. Posteriorment s’elaborarà una metodologia general de treball que podria servir de guia en la creació de noves comunitats energètiques a Espanya. Aquesta metodologia es recolzarà en el software Homer Grid com a ferramenta de càlcul, ja que les simulacions que és capaç de realitzar proporcionen una potent font d'informació per a poder establir dissenys de sistemes energètics híbrids precisos i viables tant tècnica com econòmicament. Finalment, s'aplicarà la metodologia de treball a un cas pràctic que abastarà el disseny d'una comunitat energètica al poble de Vinalesa per a poder estudiar la seua viabilitat. Es desenvoluparà la configuració i capacitat dels actius de generació necessaris per a la comunitat energètica així com la seua nova tarifa elèctrica, a més d'una anàlisi final de sensibilitat.

Consumer research has posited an ambivalent role of choice in consumer empowerment, from liberating and including to disciplining and totalising. This article provides empirical evidence for this ambivalence and nuances how consumers navigate the liminal space between expert authority and consumer autonomy. We investigate the role of choice in consumer empowerment through an ethnographic study of medicine consumption practices in acute non-life-threatening situations in Denmark, finding these practices to be dominated by consumer choice, not only for over-the-counter but, interestingly, also for prescription-only medicine. The implications of these findings extend beyond the context of medicine consumption. First, we provide insights on the ambivalent role of choice in consumer empowerment in a complex context of mixed commercial and public agencies. Second, we demonstrate how online information access empowers consumers to resist expert authority and act autonomously. Third, we exemplify the processes by which globalisation and ideologies inform and shape consumer resistance.

This study aimed to analyze the difference of consumer education, lifestyle, and consumer empowerment in rural and urban areas, and to analyze the effect of consumer education and lifestyle on the consumer empowerment. This research used a cross-sectional design study with 120 housewives as the sample selected purposively. Data were analyzed using independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney, and multiple linear regressions. There were significant differences (p

Nowadays, consumers are faced with many options for formal educational institutions. To choose the best institution, consumers need to be well educated and well informed. This research aimed to analyze the influence of demographic, social, and economic characteristics toward formal educational institution consumer empowerment. This research used a cross-sectional study of 52 respondents. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The consumer’s empowerment index in this research was 54.34, which was included in the capable category. The result showed that early adult (19-24 years) females who were highly educated and were not having a job with ≤ Rp3,204,551 income per month were the most empowered group of respondents than others. Regression analysis revealed that age influenced the consumer empowerment index. T-test analysis of the consumer empowerment based on characteristics is not significantly different.

Understanding how globalization affects consumers is a key concern of international marketing research. Consumer culture theory (CCT) studies contribute to this stream of research by critically examining how globalization affects consumers under different cultural conditions. We offer a systematic narrative synthesis of 30 years of CCT globalization research to gain perspective on this important stream of research. We identify three theoretical perspectives – that is, homogenization, glocalization and deterritorialization – that have shaped the ways in which CCT scholars have approached globalization phenomena. We discuss each perspective with regard to its underlying notion of culture, its assumptions of power relations between countries and the role that it ascribes to individuals in globalization processes. We problematize these perspectives and show how CCT research has challenged and extended each perspective, focusing specifically on consumer empowerment, consumer identity and the symbolic meaning of global brands as substantial domains. Lastly, we discuss avenues for future consumer cultural globalization research.

Firms are increasingly giving consumers the vote. Eight studies show that, when firms empower consumers to vote, consumers infer a series of implicit promises—even in the absence of explicit promises. We identify three implicit promises to which consumers react negatively when violated: representation (Experiments 1A–1C), consistency (Experiment 2), and nonsuppression (Experiment 3). However, when firms honor these implicit promises, voting can mitigate the disappointment that arises from receiving an undesired outcome (Experiment 4). Finally, Experiment 5 identifies one instance when suppressing the vote outcome is condoned: when voters believe that the process of voting has resulted in an unacceptable outcome. More generally, we show that procedural justice plays a key mediating role in determining the relative success or failure of various empowerment initiatives—from soliciting feedback to voting. Taken together, we offer insight into how firms can realize the benefits of empowerment strategies while mitigating their risks. This paper was accepted by Elke Weber, judgment and decision making.

This study focuses on consumers' processing of online reviews as an empowering experience. We investigate how decision support information (i.e., online reviews) can lead to information overload and decision difficulty, and ultimately affect decision satisfaction. A series of three experimental studies with subjects from a professional marketing agency examine the influence of self-determined review quantity and perceived review quality on satisfaction, as well as the mediating effects of information overload and decision difficulty. Our results show that the effect of perceived review quality on information overload is enhanced when the consumer chooses to read more reviews. Individual characteristics are also relevant; consumers' product knowledge moderates the mediating effect of decision difficulty on satisfaction. This study contributes to the literature by (1) investigating how the characteristics of decision support information affect decision process and outcome, and (2) exploring the boundary conditions wherein online reviews can empower but also overload consumers under various decision contexts.

Modern users demand control over their advertising experience and a sense of empowerment throughout the communication process. In response, some platforms have introduced online features that incre...

This study intends to measure consumer empowerment related to food consumption and determine its effect on food risk perception and satisfaction with food consumption. Data were derived from an analysis of the “2017 Research on Food Consumption Behaviour” by the Korea Rural Economic Institute. Consumer empowerment, risk perception and satisfaction with food consumption were measured using a 5‐point Likert scale. The differences in consumer empowerment according to gender, age, educational level and monthly income were statistically significant. The factors that affected risk perception were information use, healthy eating, consumer rights, consumer responsibility and monthly income. The higher the scores for information use, healthy eating and consumer responsibility, the higher the score for satisfaction with food consumption.

In this paper, we consider the classic multidimensional consumer empowerment construct and modify it for application in the retail business. We provide an empirical basis for the store strategy using retail shopper empowerment scores. We propose a measure of retail shopper empowerment with appropriate psychometric properties as a consumer-centric and nonfinancial performance metric. By using the retail shopper empowerment metric, the retailers would have an understanding of the consumer preferences regarding store experience. We posit that it is possible to improve customer experience and, in turn, the financial performance of the store by implementing and modifying the retail shopper empowerment framework. Keywords: Retail shopper empowerment, Consumer experience, Nonfinancial performance measures, Scale development, Retail strategy

The UK retail energy market has witnessed multiple regulatory interventions since its liberalisation almost two decades ago. Such interventions reached their peak with the enactment of the UK Domestic Gas Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act in July 2018. The Act puts in place a requirement on the independent regulator, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), to set an absolute price cap on poor value tariffs. As such, it signals a repudiation of the overarching paradigm of consumer empowerment that has informed regulatory remedies to date. Rather than advocating for a different paradigm, this article highlights the difficulties inherent in reconciling price caps – both practically and conceptually – with the competitive process and consumer empowerment. It further brings to the fore other instruments, not necessarily exhausted in retail price regulation, that can render affordable energy prices, without sacrificing consumer empowerment.

Contemporary mental health policies call for the inclusion of consumers in the development, implementation and evaluation of mental health services. Barriers to systemic consumer engagement have been related to unequal distributions of power. One of the goals of the consumer movement is to address imbalances of power, resources and knowledge. Empowerment through consumer leadership in the mental health sector has been identified as a fundamental goal of the consumer movement and has been considered the philosophical basis for alternative models of mental health care. However, currently such systemic empowerment is poorly understood, assuming diverse and at times contradictory definitions within mental health literature. The role of allies as facilitators of systemic empowerment opportunities has been recognised and valued within numerous social movements. Currently, there is a lack of research in regards to the potential role of allies in the consumer movement and more specifically in systemic consumer empowerment. Future research should seek to more clearly define systemic consumer empowerment. Additionally, future research collaborations between consumer and ally perspectives should specifically investigate the role of allies in systemic consumer empowerment, to highlight potential opportunities and limitations.

Following a negative service experience, existing studies assert that consumers attribute blame either internally (self-blame) or externally (other-blame) with little indication that the attribution ever changes. This study explores blame to discover whether there are changes in attribution, specifically whether it may shift from self to other. Analysing qualitative data from borrowers in the payday lending market using I-/They-poems, this study finds firstly that blame oscillates between self and other and, secondly, that payday borrowers practice counterfactual thinking to alleviate negative emotions, which in turn prompts this blame oscillation. In revealing that blame attribution can act as a pendulum oscillating between self and other, this study makes a critical advance to existing blame research. The study also supports previous studies in I-/They-poems in uncovering novel insights into consumer theory. Evidence also emerges that the neoliberal view of the ‘empowered consumer’ interacts with the more traditional, organisation-oriented perspective, as from a consumer behaviour perspective, the attempts to improve psychological well-being and the oscillation of blame contribute to shifts in the perceived power in the loan market.

For my STS research project, I studied digital privacy and compared California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with respect to consumer empowerment by conducting literature review on scholarships that analyze these two documents. I was interested in digital privacy because it had been observably difficult to maintain control over one’s personal information online. My key objectives were to learn more about the practices and regulation of digital privacy and find out what action one can take proactively as a consumer to protect one’s personal information online. I started out to find analysis about CCPA and GDPR on the macro level, such as what attitude each policy takes towards preserving consumer privacy and what stakeholders and incentives are behind each policy. As I researched, I revised my goal to be studying what each policy implements that empowers consumers and how effective such implementations are. My findings are that while CCPA and GDPR are both forward-looking regulations in digital privacy, their enforceability is very limited, and the progress on consumer empowerment are far from satisfactory. The only question left unanswered was why the progress is so limited as a common pattern when regulations on digital privacy are desired by the people and could bring benefit to all individual consumers. For my technical project, I designed a web application that enables users to verify the results of available machine learning models easily and conveniently. The papers in the field of machine learning are often published without source code given copyright and plagiarism concerns. The lack of source code and the variability of hyperparameters in machine learning models makes the reproduction of experiment results very difficult. To incentivize researchers to publish a portion of their implementation, I proposed this web application to allow authors of papers to enable other researchers to verify results of exported machine learning models without making the models public to the internet. This web application was designed with an internet-scalable architecture for high-volume traffic and fine-grained access control for security and privacy. Future work could explore the potential to incorporate more cloud computing components to allow customizable input preprocessing and faster content delivery.