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Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.254  Citation Impact (citeScore): 1 Number of Followers: 3  Hybrid journal * Containing 2  Open Access article(s) in this issue *ISSN (Print) 1352-2752 - ISSN (Online) 1758-7646 Published by Emerald  [360 journals]
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- Experimental atmospherics: a multi-sensory perspective
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Authors: Charles Spence
Abstract: Atmospherics is undoubtedly a multi-sensory concept, despite mostly being studied on a sense-by-sense basis by architects, sensory marketers and urban designers alike. That is, our experience is nearly always the result of cross-modal/multi-sensory interactions between what we see, hear, smell and feel in a given space. As such, it is critical that researchers study the senses in concert. That said, the few empirical studies that have attempted to assess the impact of deliberately combining the senses in a retail/health-care environment have typically failed to deliver the multi-sensory boost to experience (or sales) that the multi-sensory science predicts ought to be observed. Invoking notions of processing fluency, sensory overload and sensory (in-) congruency in the field of multi-sensory atmospherics may help to explain what happened (or went wrong) in such cases. Critical review of literature on atmospherics and sensory marketing, highlighting various difficulties of interpretation and challenges to accepted conclusions. Atmospherics is a fundamentally multi-sensory concept, and cross-modal interactions are the rule, not the exception. As such, researchers need to study atmospherics in a multi-sensory context. This critical commentary highlights the need for researchers to consider atmospherics from a multi-sensory, rather than sense-by-sense perspective.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-08-05
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-04-2022-0070
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- An integrated service recovery process for service failures: insights from
systematic review-
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Authors: Sohail Anwar , Wilson Ozuem
Abstract: This research conceptualizes service recovery process (SRPs) within pre-recovery, recovery and post-recovery. This study aims to provide a summary of factors and strategies with respect to SRPs. Also, this research highlights different responses by organizations to SRPs. These responses are synthesized in this research in the context of SRPs. This study provides a systemic literature review that considers only studies that have been published within the past 11 years to highlight the different response options used today. This study only selected papers that are included in a rigorous review process such that they explicitly contribute towards practice, theory and policy. The pre-recovery is about the awareness of the problem whereby communication between the customer and organization is initiated to resolve the issue, and it provides a critical foundation for the recovery expectations. The recovery phase concluded with either a satisfactory resolution of the problem or when the customer gives up on his/her query due to another failure of the organization. Post-recovery encompasses the period in which the recovery efforts have concluded, and the customers have now started to evaluate their experience of preceding phases. A major contribution of this study is that it provides a summary of factors and strategies with respect to SRPs. The managers of service-providing organization can use this synthesis to evaluate the response of their organization to different instances of service failures along SRPs. They can then modify their responses. Managers can also use this synthesis as part of an employee training programme to ensure wide coverage of potential responses of the organization following a failure of service. This research then highlights different questions that can be explored in future studies regarding the various phases involved in SRPs. Finally, this research outlines the recommendations for businesses looking to benefit from adopting SRPs by also considering the related managerial implications. This study will provide a conceptual framework as to the future direction of the overall study through highlighting gaps of understanding related to SRPs.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-08-05
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-12-2021-0147
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on the intention to adopt mobile payment
systems in India-
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Authors: Prashant Raman , Kumar Aashish
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework which takes into account the perceived risk (PR) and the perceived benefits (PB) of using mobile payment systems (MPS) in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. The study proposes a conceptual framework incorporating the uncertainties/risks associated with MPS like perceived technology uncertainty (PTU), perceived regulatory uncertainty (PRU), perceived service intangibility (PSI) and perceived information asymmetry (PIA), along with the benefits of using MPS such as trust, mobility, health consciousness (HC) and fear of Coronavirus (FOC). A survey comprising 1,253 participants was conducted in India. The proposed model was empirically examined through partial least square structural equation modelling. The outcomes of the study revealed a significant positive influence of PTU, PRU, PIA and PSI on PR. On the other hand, HC and FOC were identified as the major antecedents having a significant positive influence on PB. Both PR and PB had a significant influence on the intention to adopt MPS, but the influence of PB was greater than the influence of PR. The enablers and inhibitors play a crucial role in understanding the intention to adopt MPS. HC and fear of acquiring Coronavirus can be aggressively marketed by the government and service providers as a strategy to maintain social distancing. Government should address the regulatory concerns associated with the usage of MPS so as to alleviate any negative perception among the general public. The current study is a novel attempt to understand the intention to adopt MPS in India as precautionary health behaviour to curb the transmission of Coronavirus pandemic. The study uses two constructs, HC and FOC, to better understand the behaviour of the people and explain the intention to adopt MPS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-08-03
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-01-2022-0008
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Do mobile device and mobile app innovations trigger lifestylisations'
Insights from consumers in developing countries-
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Authors: Raphael Odoom
Abstract: The exponential growth of smartphones is complemented by an astronomical development of mobile apps that have been changing ways in which humans interact with each other, as well as how brands and customers interact. This study aims to examine the effect of mobile device and mobile app innovations on user lifestylisation among consumers from developing countries. Through a qualitative approach, data was collected via focus group interviews from 32 participants from across 15 developing countries who were largely emerging cosmopolitans. Using the thematic analysis technique, the study finds that consumer lifestylisations, based on consumption and utilisation of mobile devices and mobile apps, hinge on either pre-purchase considerations or post-purchase discoveries that stem from a bouquet of hedonic and/or utilitarian motivations. Two consumer categories are identified, with each category exhibiting unique patterns. The empirical findings provide valuable theoretical contributions to new knowledge as well as practical implications for mobile gadget manufacturers and mobile app developers domiciled, or those aiming to establish their presence, in developing economies.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-27
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-03-2022-0040
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Pursuing belonging through consumption: refining the belonging process
framework-
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Authors: Lizardo Vargas-Bianchi
Abstract: Much research has been conducted on how consumption is related to human relationships. Only a scarcity of studies has examined brand and product selection, as well as the consumption activities that individuals follow when pursuing a sense of group belonging. The literature comprises a single theoretical framework describing this phenomenon, a nascent proposition on which further research remains undeveloped. This study aims to examine the transferability of that theoretical framework in a different context to that used for its elaboration and its descriptive scope on purchasing goods and engaging in consumption activities to leverage belonging. A deductive qualitative case study and pattern matching analysis technique were used, followed by structural coding analysis of interview data. Findings reveal that the model is transferable, although its conceptual scope faces limitations. Individuals follow paths that need little or no excessive calculation in identifying a group to which they desire to belong, or the conduits to do so, and in certain cases the sense of belonging mediated by consumption is independent of display and confirmation by others. A refinement of the studied theoretical framework was carried out based on the findings, proposing an alternative framework termed the belonging-oriented consumption model, which provides a basis for future research on consumption related to pursuing a sense of belonging. This study was limited to analysing those events in which consumption for the purpose of pursuing group belonging is intentional. However, much of our consumption happens in a nuanced and unreflective way, and the same must go for consumption related to belonging. The symbolic meaning that consumers attach to products and brands can vary based on how they are used and how consumers pursue a sense of belonging. The personality and distinctiveness of a product is influenced by the relationship between individuals and its use. Managers can establish concepts and elements of brand identity that ease brand display as a sign of belonging. They can also promote brand salience when the brand is used as a belonging conduit. This study is significant because there is limited development in the academic literature, nor agreement among the authors, of a model that describes the components of consumption oriented towards pursuing a sense of group belonging. The author proposes the belonging-oriented consumption model, which provides a theoretical basis for future research on this topic.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-26
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-11-2021-0134
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Inclusivity as civism: theorizing the axiology of marketing and branding
of places
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Andrea Lucarelli
Abstract: This study aims to outline an axiology of inclusivity, which can facilitate self-reflection on the possible impact of acting and pursuing a more inclusive branding and marketing for places. By deconstructing the main assumption, which constitutes the new inclusive paradigm in the marketing and branding of places as more participatory, responsible and democratic, this article tackles critical and pragmatist concerns about the political dimension and its implications for branding and marketing theories and practices in the realm of places. The article argues that, to be understood and enacted as inclusive, branding and marketing should be seen and act as (bio)political arts of government, characterized by the impolitical as an alternative form of political praxis, whose axiological foundation is based on a particular form of civism, which offers a different mode and stance of approaching political effects and impacts for all stakeholders involved. Little has been written about the political value, substance and appearance that indicate inclusivity as a fundamental notion for participation, engagement and democracy. This article contributes to the existing literature, arguing that inclusivity should be demystified, as it may present a self-fulfilling discourse that might create political problems.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-25
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-01-2022-0011
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- An integrative review on online ethnography methods: differentiating
theoretical bases, potentialities and limitations-
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Authors: Thaysa Nascimento , Maribel Carvalho Suarez , Roberta Dias Campos
Abstract: As a result of the advancement of the online environment, several methodological proposals emerged to establish procedures for digital qualitative research. While the various online ethnography methods overlap, they are not equivalent in terms of their theoretical bases, procedures and goals. The purpose of this article is to add clarity to their main differences, depicting specificities, potentialities and limitations of each method. This conceptual article results from an integrative literature review that brought together studies that proposed, debated or used qualitative research methods in the digital environment. The research focused on the primary indexed journals publishing cultural studies in the past 20 years. The literature review highlights four methods – virtual ethnography, digital ethnography, netnography and the post-application programming interface ethnography. The integrative literature review adds clarity depicting the main premises and procedures of each method. The present analysis positions the different methods considering two dimensions: the focus on the boundaries of the group/culture investigated, and the focus on the platform agency, affordances and specific dynamics. The article proposes a comparative framework outlining points of convergence and divergence to create a reference for researchers on topics of significance while designing and conducting a research study in a digital environment. This conceptual organization highlights and supports qualitative researchers on their methodological challenges.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-25
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-07-2021-0086
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Prosocial messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal
examination of email advertisements-
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Authors: Ashley Deutsch , Ashton Mouton
Abstract: This study aims to evaluate how brands communicate with consumers through the COVID-19 pandemic and how messaging has shifted over time. The authors identify a typology drawn from extant literature and use it to understand how brands shape consumers’ behavior. Through a mix of interpretive and thematic analysis, the authors examine 858 US email advertisements and how these messages have evolved throughout the pandemic. The authors findings demonstrate brand communication ranges from prosocial to brand messaging and brands employed different strategies at different phases of the pandemic. Specifically, while brands started out emphasizing socially desirable behavior before and directly after a national emergency was declared, COVID-19-related communications shifted to predominantly marketing-related messages later in the pandemic. This study provides valuable insight into how brands adjust communication strategies through a prolonged cultural trauma and how these messages relate to authenticity, the triple bottom line and a social (versus branded) focus.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-22
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-01-2022-0002
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- How the “invisible diaspora hand” moves brands and places
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Authors: Bernard Cova
Abstract: This paper aims to discuss the notion of displacement, which refers on the one hand to the displacement faced by a diaspora and on the other hand to the diaspora’s hijacking of brands from their home country. This is a conceptual paper supported by empirical evidence in the form of three case vignettes of brand hijacks by diasporas or reverse diasporas. The three case vignettes show how the displacement does not only exist on the side of the brands; it is also found in the culture of the host country or the country of origin which is changed by the appropriation of the brand made by the (reverse) diaspora. This paper argues why it is important for both consumer culture studies and brand culture research to pay more attention to the role of the “invisible diaspora hand.” Although sustained by some qualitative evidence, the paper is a theoretical construction that needs to be discussed and challenged. This paper answers calls to go beyond space and place when it comes to market spatiality and to introduce other geographical concepts like diaspora.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-21
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-04-2022-0069
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Decolonising research approaches towards non-extractive research
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Authors: Paul Agu Igwe , Nnamdi O. Madichie , David Gamariel Rugara
Abstract: This study aims to reflect on the extent to which research approaches need to be deconstructed and re-imagined towards developing inclusive knowledge and non-extractive research approaches from a Global South perspective. Conceptually, integrating the methodological logic and strategy of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and a postcolonial paradigm of decolonising research, this study proposes a research process that engages cultural diversity and an inclusive environment. CBPR approach enables involving, informing and consulting Indigenous communities in espousing theoretical approaches and giving voice to marginalised groups. This study answers pertinent questions on what “decolonising” means and how to decolonise research by developing a model of culturally inclusive research approaches. This study ultimately posits that colonialism dominates research and limits knowledge transmission among Indigenous research ideologies. In recent years, the world has witnessed major socio-political protests that challenges systemic racism and the role of education and institutions in perpetuating racial inequality. This study advocates that researchers consider integrating communities in the designing, conducting, gathering of data, analysing, interpreting and reporting research. This study advocates knowledge creation through research that considers integrating the voices of Indigenous communities in the design, analysis, interpretation and reporting of research protocols. In the light of anticolonial thought, decolonising research approaches provides a means for a radical change in research ethics protocol. A model of culturally inclusive research approach was developed, using the framework of CBPR, decolonising the research approaches comprising 6 Rs (respect, relevance, reciprocity, responsibility, relationships and relationality).
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-18
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-11-2021-0135
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Next stop Narnia: replacing psychogeography
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Authors: Stephen Brown
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to stimulate researchers’ understanding of place in general and psychogeography in particular. Melding hauntology, autoethnography, pseudo-psychogeography and object-orientated ontology, the provocation explores aspects of east Belfast’s “C.S. Lewis Trail”. Psychogeography, purportedly, is moribund. This provocation contends that latter-day developments in virtual reality, augmented reality, digital real estate platforms and “imaginary worlds” more generally, open up new horizons, and offer more opportunities, for the psychogeographically inclined. The provocation’s originality inheres in the approach adopted not the research findings.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-07-05
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-01-2022-0016
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- “The club on the hill”: footballing place as an arena for
sustainable and ethical action-
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Authors: Anthony Samuel , Cathy McGouran , Robert J. Thomas , Gareth Reginald; Terence White
Abstract: Places have deep-seated meaning and serve to shape our social grouping and practices. Sporting stadia are a highly influential aspect of many people’s lives that drive the inexorable journey towards team affiliation, immersive experiences, intense loyalty and the creation of an enduring, local identity. This paper aims to explore how the nature of a sporting place has been shaped to change the practice of football as a sport, as a business and as entertainment. This paper uncovers how Forest Green Rovers (FGR) differentiates itself from the historical and socio-economic roots of football and uses numerous novel sustainability initiatives to re-imagine a new type of football place, club and fandom. Over a two-year period, the authors used multiple data collection methods, engaging in participant observation, interviews and focus groups, at FGR and related events. A thematic data analysis was conducted to pinpoint and extract key areas surrounding the unique structures, practices and reinforced behaviours that have developed in FGR. The findings show that FGR’s place operates as a central location through which stakeholders, ideas, resources and practices have been disrupted and re-imagined around the principles of sustainability. This fundamental shift in FGR’s place, changing its composition, character and reach, means that FGR can be conceptualised as a novel place synonymous with new global social movements. This study presents unique insights into the world’s first socially and environmentally conscious football club. This study examines the construction and operation of the place that facilitates its actions which go beyond what has been seen and maybe expected from commercial sporting institutions.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-06-28
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-01-2022-0015
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Productive possibilities' Valorising urban space through pop-up'
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Authors: Gary Warnaby , Dominic Medway
Abstract: The “pop-up” epithet has become a synonym for virtually any temporary event in a range of commercial, non-commercial and cultural contexts within the urban spatial arena. This paper aims to discuss the role of the pop-up concept within urban space, to address the question articulated in the Call for Papers for this special issue, of whether “everywhere needs to become a marketplace”. The authors review a range of sources – both academic, popular press and practitioner publications and reports – to inform our critique of the use of the pop-up activities in urban space. The authors identify four ways in which the pop-up concept can be valorised – pop-up stores and experiences, pop-up agglomerations, pop-up service facilities and pop-up space brokerage services. Adopting a critical perspective, the authors address pop-up’s implications, especially the impact on urban places and the people within them. This study concludes by discussing the potential for an increased use of pop-up within urban spaces impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which could be focused as much on social as economic value.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-06-28
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-12-2021-0145
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Introducing integrated hybrid communication: the nexus linking marketing
communication and corporate communication-
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Authors: Sharifah Faridah Syed Alwi , John M.T. Balmer , Maria-Cristina Stoian , Philip J. Kitchen
Abstract: This study aims to investigate how marketing communication (MC) and nascent corporate communication (CC) strategies are juxtaposed in the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) setting. A qualitative research method based on a multiple case study approach is elaborated in a South-East Asian emerging economy. The key findings show that MC and nascent CC strategies coexist in SMEs, and are frequently closely interwoven, enabling the introduction of an integrated hybrid communication (IHC) theoretical perspective in this context. Four requisites inform IHC management: communicate the identity/roots; establish and communicate the relationship with multiple stakeholders; communicate the product/service to customers; and communicate other activities of the firm (e.g. corporate social responsibility and brand identity). SME managers were predisposed to use at least three communication channels among the following: advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and/or personal selling. Furthermore, managers generally preferred internet-enabled communication. This study provides fresh insights into how SMEs could integrate their communication strategies to increase their survival chances and business growth. However, the need to develop SMEs is required in every economy. Thus, the present findings could be seen as relevant to various audiences (academic, practitioners and/or policy-makers) such as for managers from Western and/or European settings who are interested in operating in the Malaysian economy. By using the four requisites that inform IHC, owners/managers of SMEs can adopt a more holistic approach, by strategically planning communication activities using both communication typologies (i.e. product and firm level). Thus, SMEs will be able to enhance clarity and consistency in their communication strategy and achieve brand equity across relevant stakeholders in the long run. This study introduces the IHC theoretical perspective and reveals the communication tools used by SMEs to communicate product and brand-related messages to multiple stakeholders. These messages tend to stem from and are shaped by the identity/roots of the firm embedded in managerial personality/values.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-06-16
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-09-2021-0123
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Brands in the eye of the storm: navigating political consumerism and
boycott calls on social media-
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Authors: Vassilis Dalakas , Joanna Phillips Melancon , Izabela Szczytynski
Abstract: Given the division between conservative and liberal ideologies on many issues, brands navigate social media minefields whenever they take a social or political stance. This study aims to explore real-time social media consumer responses to eight US boycott threats, including both conservative-based and liberal-based calls for boycott. A grounded theory analysis of approximately 800 tweets collected in the 24 h following each brand’s trigger event led to a framework of motivations for using social media to engage in boycott discussions over a brand’s political stance. Eleven pro-boycott and 11 anti-boycott consumer profiles emerged across cases. Overarching motivations for pro- and anti-boycotters include a desire to cause/prevent change, seeking justice/fairness, self-enhancement and expression of hostility. Findings suggest that political consumerism occurs with differing motivations and varying levels of emotion, that brand defenders may lessen boycott effectiveness and that threats to boycott may not always translate to actual boycotts. This paper explores actual consumer boycott calls from various industries as they unfolded in real-time, as opposed to other research that explores hypothetical boycotts or a single case study. Additionally, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is among the first to explore how consumers enter the boycott conversation in defense of the brand and attempt to diffuse the call for a boycott.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-05-27
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-07-2021-0089
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Impact of the pandemic on social media influencer marketing in fashion: a
qualitative study-
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Authors: Kent Le , Gokhan Aydin
Abstract: In spite of the rise of social media influencers observed in the 2010s, the direction and future of influencers are ambiguous. This popular yet overused marketing tool has shown certain problems and limitations such as a decrease in perceived authenticity and market saturation. Additionally, the outbreak of COVD-19 has amplified the significance of these factors and made many companies and influencers reconsider their involvement in influencer marketing. Within this context, this paper aims to explore whether influencers were impacted by diminishing perceived authenticity, market saturation or the prolonged pandemic. Also, the authors aim to investigate influencers’ perception of the future of influencer marketing post-pandemic. To gain insight into trends in influencer marketing from the influencer’s perspective, this paper uses qualitative research in the form of interviews with influencers and industry professionals. The findings highlight the importance of perceived authenticity for success in influencer marketing. Most interviewees indicated that they had noticed a boom in social media influencer marketing before the pandemic, yet provided mixed views regarding the market during the pandemic. Several believe that influencers will continue to be relevant in the increasingly digital world (e.g. increasing digital marketing spend and e-commerce), whereas an expectation of new digital platforms and innovations was also observed. In the long term, saturation and decreased effectiveness were predicted by several interviewees. This under-researched topic is of relevance especially to consumer goods companies, as social media marketing and influencer marketing are currently highly effective and popular tools. To refine marketing strategies designed around influencers, understanding the limitations, in the context of COVID-19, is crucial.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-05-25
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-11-2021-0133
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print , No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Mobilising the walking-with technique to explore mundane consumption
practices: practical and theoretical reflections-
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Authors: Connie K.Y. Mak , Ai-Ling Lai , Christiana Tsaousi , Andrea Davies
Abstract: Consumer studies drawing on interpretative approaches have tended to rely on sedentary interviews, which the authors argue are ill-equipped to capture the embodied, tacit and pre-reflexive knowledge that conditions routinized practices. This paper aims to provide practical and theoretical framing of the walking-with technique, in particular, with reference to practice theories. Specifically, this paper draws on Bourdieu’s concept of the “habitus” to illustrate the “workings” of the habituated body in performing routine consumption. This paper used the walking-with technique to elicit “mobile stories” with senior executives in Hong Kong. This paper explored how walking to and from work/lunch/dinner can open up culturally and historically embodied narratives that reflect evolving consumption practices throughout participants’ professional trajectories. This paper demonstrates the uses of the walking-with technique by illustrating how embodied narratives foreground the pre-reflexive practices of mundane consumption. This paper illustrates how walking as a “mobile mundane practice” can expand a researcher’s horizon of understanding, enabling them to “fall into the routines of participants’ life”, “get into grips with participant’s temporal (time travel portal) and cultural conditioning” and “co-experience and empathise with participants through bodily knowing”. The authors argue that walking-with necessarily implies an inter-subjective sharing of intermundane space between the researchers and the participants. Such a method is therefore conducive to engendering co-created embodied understanding-in-practice, which the authors argue is accomplished when there is a fusion-of-habituses. Future applications in other consumer contexts are also discussed. The walking-with technique embeds data collection in the day-to-day routes taken by participants. This does not only ease the accessibility issue but also render real-life settings relevant to participants’ daily life. Despite receiving growing attention in social science studies, the walking-with technique is under-used in consumer research. This paper calls for the need to mobilise walking-with as a method to uncover practical and theoretical consumer insights in a way that allows for embodied and performative knowledge (know-how) to emerge.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-05-17
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-04-2021-0049
Issue No: Vol. 25 , No. 3 (2022)
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- Bridging the marketing-finance divide: use of customer voice in managerial
decision-making
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Deepak Saxena , Mairead Brady , Markus Lamest , Martin Fellenz
Abstract: This study aims to provide more insight into how customer voice is captured and used in managerial decision-making at the marketing-finance interface. This study’s focus is on understanding how the customer voice, often communicated through online and social media platforms, is used in high-performing hotels. This research is based on a case study of four high-performing Irish hotels. For each case, multiple informants, including marketing managers, general managers and finance managers, were interviewed and shadowed. Twenty seven decisions across the four cases were analysed to assess the use of customer voice in managerial decision-making. Social media provides a stage that has empowered the customer voice because of the public nature of the interaction and the network effect. Customer voice is incorporated in managerial decision-making in three distinct ways – symbolically as part of an early warning system, for action-oriented operational decisions and to some extent in the knowledge-enhancing role for tactical decisions. While there is a greater appreciation among senior managers and the finance and accounting managers of the importance of customer voice, this study finds clear limits in its utilisation and more reliance on traditional finance and accounting data, especially in strategic decision-making. The cases belong to a highly visible open environment of hotels in an industry where customer voice has immediate and strong effects. The findings may not directly apply to industries characterised by a relatively more closed context such as banking or insurance. Moreover, the findings reflect the practices of high-performing hotels and do not necessarily capture the practices used in less successfully operating hotels. While marketers need to enhance their ability to create a narrative that links the customer voice to revenue generation, finance managers also need to develop a skillset and adopt a mindset that appropriately reflects the influential role for customer voice in managerial decision-making. Despite the linkage of marketing performance to business performance, there is limited research on the impact of customer information on managerial decision-making. This research provides insight into how customer voice is considered at the critical marketing-finance interface.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-04-14
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-09-2020-0113
Issue No: Vol. 25 , No. 3 (2022)
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- WhatsApp communication service: a controversial tool for luxury brands
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Authors: Mona Mrad , Maya Farah , Nour Mehdi
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the pros and cons of WhatsApp communication service and its likely effects on consumer behavior and one’s perception of luxury brands. This study conducted 27 in-depth interviews with UK-based participants. This study used NVivo12 to thematically analyze the collected data. The findings indicate that perceived communication convenience, searching for prepurchase information, intimate consumer–brand relationship, perceived self-worth and the thrill of a new service positively contribute to luxury customers’ acceptance of WhatsApp communication usage. Nevertheless, many factors including push promotional strategy, poor service quality, brand “massification” effect, deficient sensory experience, fear of financial risk and deceptive practices, all curbed the participants’ acceptance of this communication platform. When service is poor, all these factors jeopardized the luxury image, causing an impaired brand image, accompanied with negative word of mouth and in some instances, unexpected anticonsumption reactions. This study carries the limitations of any exploratory and qualitative research. Therefore, future research should replicate this study in other areas and for other instant messaging platforms. The implications of this study serve as a reference for luxury brands’ managers when managing their WhatsApp service. This study provides important insights into the risk of using WhatsApp by luxury brands to communicate with customers. The overall conclusion is that WhatsApp communication service requires a close, supervised and innovative use to benefit luxury brands. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the topic of WhatsApp usage as a communication mean in the luxury industry is still largely underexplored, hence filling a gap in the literature that needs to be addressed given its significant implications.
Citation: Qualitative Market Research
PubDate: 2022-04-11
DOI: 10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132
Issue No: Vol. 25 , No. 3 (2022)
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- Qualitative Market Research
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