Search

Background The tobacco industry has been facing several transformations, considering that technology has evolved and health concerns have increased. One way for this industry to meet the growing social and health concerns is to provide alternative solutions. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) were the solution found, but they nevertheless pose several challenges to regulators, companies, and consumers, since HTPs are advertised as a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes. Focus of the Article This study aims to analyze smokers' perception of HTPs to provide insights for social marketing campaigns targeting behavioral change. Research questions The main objectives of this research are: (1) to assess whether smokers and ex-smokers view HTPs as less harmful to health than traditional cigarettes; and (2) to determine to what extent HTPs can help increase the intention to quit smoking. Methods This study explores smokers’ perception of HTPs consumption using a modified version of the Health Belief Model (HBM). A survey study involving 250 smokers and ex-smokers was conducted to test the conceptual model using PLS-Path modeling to validate the research hypotheses. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 3.3 programs. Results The results suggest that the perceived benefits of heated tobacco consumption negatively influence the likelihood of quitting smoking. Therefore, HTPs do not work as auxiliary products with regard to the intention to quit smoking. In some cases, the effect is quite the opposite, as HTPs use increases tobacco consumption and dependence. Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity are not significant predictors of the decision to quit smoking. Research limitations Future research could use a sample that includes only HTPs smokers and ex-smokers, analyze HTPs benefits and understand the primary motivation behind replacing conventional cigarettes with HTPs. Practical implications Entities attempting to promote the reduction of tobacco consumption should equate HTPs to conventional tobacco and focus on campaigns targeting only HTPs smokers. Whenever studying perceptions on HTPs, it is important to consider smokers’ dependence on nicotine and the particularities of the devices used to consume HTPs. Importance to the Social Marketing Field Considering the social relevance and growth of heated tobacco consumption, as well as the increase of the tobacco industry’s economic power, this research offers relevant insights into consumers’ perceptions toward HTPs.

PurposeE-commerce has become an essential and highly competitive channel for e-retailers, who have felt the need to invest in the experience delivered to customers. Therefore, it becomes necessary to unveil the online customer experience so that brands can improve their offerings. In this study, the authors proposed a model that explores customer experience on websites, namely, what concerns the use of the latest technological developments such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality.Design/methodology/approachThe study offers a model to explore and compare the online consumer experience in e-commerce websites, considering eight dimensions that cover recent technological advances. A multiple case study that evaluated companies in the footwear industry was used to assess the model's applicability. The case study methodology considered two distinct segments, the high-price and low-price segments.FindingsThe data collected by the websites' examination enabled us to confirm part of the suggested propositions. However, propositions concerning new technologies were not proved. Opportunities for improvement were identified, especially for high-price segment companies, since the results showed that these companies provide a less pleasant consumer experience than those of the opposing segment.Originality/valueThis study extends the scope of the online consumer experience by introducing more contemporary dimensions. Additionally, the model allows an evaluation and comparison of the knowledge delivered by several online retailers, using the Portuguese footwear industry as a reference.

PurposeThe creativity of retail employees seems to be of the utmost importance for ensuring the performance of organizations in service settings. This paper contributes to the existing theory by investigating the direct and indirect effects of goal orientations on the creativity and performance of retail employees. The authors propose a framework depicting the relationships between goal orientations and employee creativity and performance, including the intervening effects of self-efficacy and customer orientation.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted with retail frontline employees of a large retail bank in Portugal. The sample consists of 267 valid responses. Structural equations are used by applying the maximum likelihood method to test the conceptual framework.FindingsResults are broadly supportive of the hypotheses. Learning orientation is, directly and indirectly, related to creativity, but only indirectly to performance. As to performance orientation, it is indirectly related to creativity through self-efficacy and customer orientation, and directly as well as indirectly, to performance. The authors investigate the extent to which the effects of goal orientations on creativity and performance are mediated by self-regulatory mechanisms, namely self-efficacy, and customer orientation.Originality/valueThe results recognize that learning and performance goals are neither mutually exclusive nor contradictory, which collide with past empirical evidence showing that learning goals are generally associated with more favorable outcomes and performance goals with more negative or equivocal ones. These outcomes underscore the need and relevance for managers to foster both goal orientations to promote the creativity and performance of retail employees, representing a particularly salient issue in retail businesses characterized by significant interpersonal interactions.

YouTube has become increasingly popular for marketing purposes. As corporate and user-generated content is widely available on this platform, beauty-related professionals need to understand how to create videos that make their products more appealing and stand out from the clutter. In this study, we examine four factors (i.e., perceived usefulness of the information, perceived credibility of the information, attitude toward the purchase, and perceived video characteristics) that affect the purchase intentions of female consumers. After viewing beauty-related videos, a sample of 204 female consumers was analyzed by structural equation modeling. The findings showed that videos with more views, likes, and comments tend to have a greater effect on the respondents' intentions to purchase. Also, the factors of perceived usefulness of the information, perceived credibility of the information, and attitude toward the purchase exhibited a significant effect on the intention to buy beauty-related products. The result showed that perceived video characteristics (such as quality and visuals) did not significantly influence the purchase intention, however, there is evidence that this factor should not be ignored by content creators. Finally, our research provides insights, strategies, and future directions for industry practitioners and marketers., O YouTube tem se tornado cada vez mais popular para fins de marketing. Como o conteúdo corporativo e gerado pelo usuário está amplamente disponível nesta plataforma, os profissionais relacionados à beleza precisam entender como criar vídeos que tornem seus produtos mais atraentes e se destaquem da desordem. Neste estudo, examinamos quatro fatores (ou seja, percepção da utilidade da informação, percepção da credibilidade da informação, atitude em relação à compra e percepção das características do vídeo) que afetam as intenções de compra das consumidoras femininas. Após a visualização dos vídeos relacionados à beleza, uma amostra de 204 consumidoras femininas foi analisada por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais. Os resultados mostraram que vídeos com mais visualizações, curtidas e comentários tendem a ter um efeito maior sobre as intenções de compra das entrevistadas. Além disso, os fatores de percepção da utilidade da informação, percepção da credibilidade da informação e atitude em relação à compra demonstraram um efeito significativo sobre a intenção de compra de produtos relacionados à beleza. O resultado mostrou que as características do vídeo percebido (como qualidade e visuais) não influenciaram significativamente a intenção de compra, no entanto, há evidências de que este fator não deve ser ignorado pelos criadores de conteúdo. Finalmente, nossa pesquisa fornece insights, estratégias e direções futuras para os profissionais da indústria e marqueteiros.

PurposeSelf-service check-out technologies (SSTs) are becoming a trend across different retail settings, allowing companies to gain efficiency and reduce costs. Nevertheless, the success of SSTs implementation is still subject to challenges and uncertainties. This study aims to provide insights for theory and managers on the necessary conditions for the successful implementation of retail SSTs.Design/methodology/approachBased on an online survey, data from 251 participants were collected to understand the factors predicting SSTs adoption and realise what conditions are mandatory for the adoption. partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) were used to analyse the data.FindingsAccording to the NCA analysis results, 12 latent variables were relevant for predicting SSTs adoption, but only seven were necessary conditions for user adoption.Originality/valueThe complementarity of perspectives for understanding the adoption of SSTs based on the two data analysis techniques provides novel insights into theory and support for retailers' decision-making on self-service technologies (STTs) implementation.

PurposeResearch on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has typically considered environmental concern a key determinant of behavioral intention that leads individuals to prefer electric vehicles. This paper challenges this assumption and argues that technology frameworks may require new variables to capture consumers' preferences. A UTAUT2-based study has been developed to assess the role of environmental concern in the BEVs context and put forward the technology show-off (TS) concept to explain the technology's acceptance.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative and cross-sectional look at behavioral intention is adopted. The study uses structural equation modeling to analyze a sample of 236 Macau residents to determine the relevance of the factors behind the choice to adopt BEVs.FindingsThe findings indicate that environmental concern and price may be relevant to explain behavioral intention to adopt the BEVs technology. Furthermore, the UTAUT2 framework seems to benefit from adding new variables, with TS playing a pertinent role in explaining technology acceptance.Social implicationsThe findings show that environmental concern fails to build an argument for the shift to full electric mobility and promote the desired behavioral change toward adopting BEVs. Herein lies the necessity to consider new variables that can better describe the characteristics of modern society.Originality/valueThis paper proposes the TS construct, combining visibility and trialability as significant determinants of behavioral intention to use technology. The study also stresses the need to reconsider the role of environmental concerns' impact on consumer decision-making.

This article investigates the effects of online convenience and shopping experience on consumer satisfaction and future purchase decisions by applying a different view to explain the customers’ increasing experience with online shopping in the Chinese growing market. Data from 226 Chinese consumers used to buy online are used to analyze the proposed research model through Partial Least Squares Structural Path Modeling. The findings show that the intention to purchase is enhanced by customer satisfaction and shopping experiences and that satisfaction plays a mediating role in these relationships. Additionally, the results show that search and post-possession dimensions have the most influence on online shopping convenience. In contrast, access (ACC), transaction (TRA), and possession (POS) convenience have an indirect negative impact on future purchase intention. The findings offer actionable guidance to online retailers wanting to enhance customer satisfaction and promote future purchase intentions by helping retailers who are doing business or planning to do business online in China. Offering additional suggestions on how to foster online satisfaction, the study’s conclusions help improve the effectiveness of e-commerce strategy. The current study also extends previous work on service convenience by validating the impact of online shopping convenience (SCV) on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention.

Purpose The concept of cultural branding based on various narratives has been established in the marketing literature, but there is a lack of studies linking this concept with brand-related effects. The aim of this paper is to explore and explain the possible relationships between various brand narratives based on the changing meaning of retirement and brand associations. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design was used to test the proposed conceptual model and examine the impact of brand narrative on brand associations. Data were collected using an online survey from a random group of 432 respondents and analyzed using MANOVA. Findings Our research did not confirm that in the case of financial products, brand narratives represented by distinctive retirement cultural codes had an impact on brand associations. Partial relation was found only for brand personality. Originality This is the first study that explores brand narratives’ based on cultural codes relations with brand associations.

Migration is a topic of extreme importance today and an intrinsic part of the culture of many societies, particularly those with international/colonial ties. While there are migratory paths that cross the entire world, the present study focuses on the journey from Portugal to Colombia. We seek to study the pull forces in Colombia that motivate the migration of Portuguese citizens, starting by analyzing the migratory course between the two countries in order to gauge the motivations and challenges for this path. A qualitative method of data analysis was used, using interviews with Portuguese migrants in Colombia and other secondary materials. The results suggest that the main motivations for the exit of Portuguese from their country relate to the lack of opportunities and low quality of life, mainly at the financial level. However, one might conclude that the great pull factors in Colombia are precisely the growing volume of opportunities for professional development and entrepreneurs, the economic benefits, and Colombia’s environment and culture.

Gamification is a powerful instrument to motivate consumers to intensify their brand relationships. Though this potential, the effects of enriching chatbot interactions with gameful experiences on brand engagement has not been studied. To fill this gap, this study tries to understand how gamification contributes to customers’ value creation in a gamified conversational context and how this value creation relates to brand engagement. Specifically, we investigate whether and to what extent the hedonic and utilitarian values provided in interactions with gamified chatbots affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral brand engagement. Based on an empirical study involving a fully functional gamified chatbot, we show that the perceived hedonic value has a major impact on all three brand engagement dimensions, and especially the cognitive dimension. Utilitarian values, though not related to the cognitive dimension of brand engagement, significantly boost the emotional and the behavioral engagement dimensions. These findings point to the potentials of extrinsic and utilitarian motivations for boosting brand engagement also in entertainment-oriented settings like gamified chatbot interactions.

Sun-tanned skin was once associated with the sun-exposed manual labour of individuals. However, this association has changed dramatically, and tanned skin has become a standard of beauty in Western society. Tanned skin is therefore glorified and sought after, making people feel pressured to conform to standards. Current scientific and medical studies indicate that there is a clear link between sun exposure and skin cancer and consequently with quality of life (QoL). Social marketing effects behaviour change, improving the quality of life of the target group as a result of that change. This case-study is based on social marketing campaigns by the Portuguese Skin Cancer Association warning people about the dangers of excessive sun exposure. Qualitative analysis of the benefits, challenges, and outcomes of the campaigns according to the people involved are presented and discussed. The results show that despite the campaigns devoted to sun exposure dangers, individuals have psychological resistance to adopting behaviours that have the potential to benefit their health and QoL in the future. To face the challenges of skin cancer prevention, the organisations involved must diversify the location of their campaigns, look for additional support from national and local authorities, and invest in social media marketing strategies.

Despite several benefits, the market penetration of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is below expectation. In light of studies suggesting the significant role of society in enhancing the uptake of technology-driven products, it is important to better understand how social factors affect consumers' intention to use technologies. Data gathered from 120 self-administered surveys were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SmartPLS) to examine the effect of subjective norms (SN) and image (IM) on adoption intentions for BEVs. The result showed that social factors played important roles in the decision to adopt the technology. Image, in particular, was a significant behavioral drive for current BEV owners. Social norm and image factors should be considered in research frameworks and communication strategies, especially in contexts where the choices that individuals make are public and subject to the judgment of the members of society. The study's limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

The hypothesis of an immune dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders has previously been put forward without, however, compelling evidence of a direct relation to its etiology or pathogenesis. To further understand if autoimmunity could play a significant role in autism, we analyzed autoantibody repertoires to brain tissue extract in the plasma of 171 autism children, their parents, and 54 controls, by quantitative immunoblotting. Multiparametric analysis revealed significant differences between patients and controls, and showed that one single reactivity in Section 32 of the blot had the most power to discriminate between these samples. Family correlation coefficients and heritability estimates did not provide any evidence that this reactivity was genetically determined. While the molecular weight of the target protein suggested that it might be an isoform of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP), inhibition assays with human MBP argued against this hypothesis. The study evidences the widespread occurrence of autoreactivities to brain tissue in autism patients, which may represent the immune system's neuroprotective response to a previous brain injury occurred during neurodevelopment. The molecular identification of the target protein in Section 32 will contribute to the understanding of the role of immune responses against brain antigens in autistic patients.

Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, must first infect hepatocytes to initiate a mammalian infection. Sporozoites migrate through several hepatocytes, by breaching their plasma membranes, before infection is finally established in one of them. Here we show that wounding of hepatocytes by sporozoite migration induces the secretion of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which renders hepatocytes susceptible to infection. Infection depends on activation of the HGF receptor, MET, by secreted HGF. The malaria parasite exploits MET not as a primary binding site, but as a mediator of signals that make the host cell susceptible to infection. HGF/MET signaling induces rearrangements of the host-cell actin cytoskeleton that are required for the early development of the parasites within hepatocytes. Our findings identify HGF and MET as potential targets for new approaches to malaria prevention.

Despite the increasing social perspective in branding research, accompanied by more firms creating brands including environmental issues, no studies so far have investigated whether brand narratives referring to polarizing consumer cultures affect brand-related metrics. We explore the impact of shopping rituals rooted in either materialistic or material-resistant consumer culture on consumer-based brand equity. Our research shows that consumers do not assess brand equity based on the narratives associated to any of the cultures, which suggests that in the case of such contextual sensitive research, a more reflexive approach is needed to explore brands’ appeal gained from cultural meanings.

This study investigates the effect of Instagram use, fitness and health-related content, internalization, social comparisons, perfectionism, and obsessive-compulsive personality traits on body dissatisfaction and Orthorexia Nervosa. Moreover, the study discusses the differences between Portuguese and Brazilian societies to underline the potential role of cultural dimensions. A survey-based study with a sample of 238 respondents has been developed to test the proposed model using structural equation modelling. The data analysis shows that the main factors influencing body dissatisfaction and Orthorexia Nervosa are internalizing beauty ideals, social comparisons (both upward and downward), and perfectionism. Body dissatisfaction mediates the path from internalization, upward and downward comparisons, perfectionism from one side, and Orthorexia Nervosa on the other. Finally, results from Portuguese and Brazilian samples were similar revealing no significant role of cultural differences. Based on the findings, the study concludes by discussing the theoretical contributions and providing actionable managerial implications.