Management approaches in the field of smart
vahideh alipoor; Mohammadreza Saadi; atefeh mehri bazghaleh
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of brand interaction through social media on brand loyalty through brand equity. The research is a descriptive research of the correlational type in terms of practical purpose and based on the method. The statistical population of this research includes the ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effect of brand interaction through social media on brand loyalty through brand equity. The research is a descriptive research of the correlational type in terms of practical purpose and based on the method. The statistical population of this research includes the customers of three Iranian brands, My, Cinere and Callista. The size of the population is considered unlimited and the G-POWER tool was used to determine the sample size and the statistical sample size was calculated to be 199 people. A simple random sampling method was chosen for data collection and the data collection required in this research was done using a localized standard questionnaire. In order to confirm content validity, CVI and CVR and expert panel were used. In order to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, combined reliability and homogeneous reliability were used. Because the data do not follow normal modeling; Therefore, structural equation model and partial least squares method and PLS software were used for hypothesis testing and path analysis. The results of this study showed that customer interaction with the brand through social media can have a positive effect on brand loyalty. Also, brand equity was a positive mediating factor in the relationship between brand interaction and brand loyalty. Among the three cognitive, emotional and behavioral paths, the behavioral path with a path coefficient of 0.630 is the best path in influencing customer interaction with the brand on brand loyalty. IntroductionAccording to a Harvard Business Journal study, a 5% increase in customer loyalty can increase company profits by 25-95%. The importance of building and maintaining strong and long-term business relationships with customers is a great strength for brands (Rather, 2018). In recent years, customer interaction with the brand has become an important concept due to its promising impact on customer behavior (Rather, 2018; Rather & Sharma, 2017). By interacting with customers in virtual spaces and social networks, the brand can offer unique benefits.According to the statistics and figures announced by the Radio Communications Regulatory Organization, the number of internet users in Iran has reached more than 79 million people in 2021. This is a large number of people, each of whom may be customers of different brands and companies. Therefore, researching the impact of the customer's interaction with the brand, which usually takes place in the virtual space, on customer loyalty in Iran seems to be very necessary. Considering the importance of customer loyalty to the brand and the need for brands to promote effective communication with customers, this study investigated the impact of customer's interaction with the brand on customer loyalty. This study attempts to answer questions such as: "Can the customer's interaction with the brand lead to an increase in the customer's loyalty to the brand?" and "What type of interaction with the brand has the greatest influence on the customer's loyalty?" Literature review2.1. customer interaction with the brand via social mediaSocial media focuses on collaboration, conversation and exchange between users. Social networks are online hosts that allow members to create their own private profiles and interact with each other (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Companies are increasingly looking to engage customers and interact with their brands. The concept of customer interaction with the brand encompasses three dimensions, namely the cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions, making it a multidimensional concept for study. Customer interaction with the brand emphasizes the relationship between the customer and the brand (Islam et al., 2019). Interaction with the brand may be more influential than perceived value and service quality, which are known to be important factors for brand loyalty (So et al., 2016).2.2. customer interaction with the brand via social media and brand equityCurrently, social media plays an important role in creating brand equity through interaction with customers. Therefore, customers' interaction with brands through social networks is a symbol of their greater commitment to brands, and this issue increasingly contributing to brand equity (Choedon & Lee et al., 2020). enhances the brand, which in turn creates strong, favorable and unique connections with the brand and influences their purchasing decisions and creates value (Elsharnouby et al., 2021), which means the creation of brand equity (Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015). MethodologyAs the current research focuses on observable facts, it is part of the positivist paradigm. Due to its specific application in the field of brand management, it is considered practical research. As far as the method of data collection is concerned, it is a descriptive and survey-type study whose temporal scope lies in the area of cross-sectional research. The statistical population of this study includes all customers of Iranian cosmetics and health brands. For this purpose, the followers of the social pages of three famous Iranian brands in the field of cosmetics and health products such as My, Cinere and Callista were surveyed. Since the number of customers of these three famous Iranian brands is more than one hundred thousand people, the size of the community is considered unlimited. The G-POWER tool was used to determine the sample size. According to Cohen, reducing the alpha error leads to an increase in the generalizability and accuracy of the research results. By lowering the alpha error to a lower level, the likelihood that the researcher will incorrectly reject their hypothesis and commit a type 1 error is reduced. In addition, by increasing the power of the test, the second type error is reduced and the precision of the research results is increased (Cohen-Tannoudji et al., 1998). For this purpose, the sample size was set at an error level of 0.1 and a test power of 0.85 and with a number of 7 variables, 199 subjects.A simple random sampling method was chosen for data collection. The data collection required for this study was done using a localized standard questionnaire consisting of two parts: demographic questions and specific questions in the area of research variables. ResultsThe results obtained show that the cognitive, emotional and behavioral interactions with the brand have a positive and significant influence on the brand equity, with path coefficients of 0.330, 0.410 and 0.751, respectively. brand equity also has a positive and significant influence on customer cognitive, emotional and behavioral loyalty, with path coefficients of 0.894, 0.870 and 0.839, respectively. The Sobel test was used for the significance of the mediating effect of one variable on the relationship between two other variables. Three hypotheses - H7 cognitive path, H8 emotional path and H9 behavioral path - measure the mediating role of brand equity in the relationship between the dimensions of customer interaction and customer loyalty. The cognitive path with a path coefficient of 0.295 and a z- value of 6.183, the emotional path with a path coefficient of 0.356 and a z- value of 7.407 and the behavioral path with a path coefficient of 0.630 and a z-value of 11.18 were confirmed. DiscussionThe present study was conducted with the aim of determining the impact of customers' interaction with the brand via social media on brand loyalty, considering the mediating role of brand equity and the priority of the three cognitive, emotional and behavioral pathways in these impacts. Specifically, the impact of the dimensions of customer interaction with the brand, including cognitive interaction, emotional interaction, and behavioral interaction, on the dimensions of brand loyalty, including cognitive loyalty, emotional loyalty, and behavioral loyalty, was examined under the mediating role of brand equity. ConclusionAccording to the path coefficient, the behavioral path with a path coefficient of 0.630 is the best path to influence the customer's interaction with the brand on brand loyalty. Therefore, the said brands should communicate less emotionally on social media and be more precise so that the content presented on social media creates a sense of fit and congruence between the customer's image and the brand and a positive image of the said companies' brand remains in the customer's mind even when they compare it with other brands. Therefore, the marketing managers of the mentioned brands are recommended to share the latest and trending content and organize and engage in activities that are considered trendy and show the popular, modern and successful personality of social media users so that they can support the customers' need for self-expression.Keywords: Customer Engagement, Customer Loyalty, Brand Equity, Social Media, Beauty Brands
Masoud Taghiabadi; Masoumeh Taghiabadi; Hamid Taghiabadi
Abstract
Social networks have facilitated the online customer engagement of the marketing industry. This research aims to investigate customer engagement in Iranian cosmetics brand pages on Instagram which has been done by quantitative content analysis. The statistical population was all available cosmetic brands, ...
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Social networks have facilitated the online customer engagement of the marketing industry. This research aims to investigate customer engagement in Iranian cosmetics brand pages on Instagram which has been done by quantitative content analysis. The statistical population was all available cosmetic brands, from which five popular brands (May, Calista, Inley, Cinere and Amoutia) were selected and 60 posts analyzed from each brand page. The results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between the type of content (Incentive, Promotional, information and entertainment) at the significant level of p <0.001 and customer engagement. Also, there is no significant relationship between content and Interactivity and negative valence with more engagement. Between the Vividness of the posts and the positive valence, the hypothesis was partially supported and indicated its partly impact on customer engagement. The results of multiple regression analysis for the number of likes and comments in the posts show that the total variance of the model and R-squared for these two are 0.668% with F = 15.372 and p <0.001 and 0.410% with F = 7.590 p <0.001, respectively and shows its significance. The adjusted R-squared also shows that 66.5% of the changes of the dependent variable (likes) and 40.6% of the changes of comments are only the result of the effect of the independent variables of the research.
Management approaches in the field of smart
Mahsa Akbari; mostafa bigdeli; Parvaneh Charestad
Abstract
AbstractGamification is a relatively new concept that has seen a significant increase in its use in recent years. Gamification involves the application of game elements in a non-gaming environment to create a gaming experience related to a product or service. The aim of this research is to investigate ...
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AbstractGamification is a relatively new concept that has seen a significant increase in its use in recent years. Gamification involves the application of game elements in a non-gaming environment to create a gaming experience related to a product or service. The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of different aspects of gamification (immersion, achievement, social) on customer engagement (emotional, cognitive, social) in the online store of Digikala. The research population consists of consumers and users of the Digikala website who have made at least one purchase on this site. In this regard, 222 questionnaires obtained from Digikala website users' data were analyzed. The research model was designed by reviewing the literature related to the research topic and previous studies, and it was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Finally, it was determined that the aspects of gamification have a positive and significant effect on customer engagement. The immersion aspects of gamification have a positive impact on emotional aspects of customer engagement, the achievement aspects affect the cognitive aspects of customer engagement, and the social aspects of gamification also have a stronger positive impact on the social aspects of customer engagement.IntroductionGamification has gained recognition as a powerful tool for establishing customer engagement in recent years, garnering significant attention both in industry and academia (Huotari, 2017), (Hamari et al., 2014), (Hamari et al., 2014b). This is because the inherent nature of play and the potential for possible achievement evoke positive emotions in people. In marketing, gamification is a means to elicit positive emotions in customers for the sale of a product or service. The use of gamification helps consumers spend more time on your website, increasing the likelihood of them making a purchase. In this context, gamification can be described as the use of game design in a non-gaming environment (Deterding et al., 2011). In other words, gamification seeks to replicate the effects of games, including motivation, excitement, and repetition, in a real-world context. Therefore, gamification technologies have the capability to manipulate social and individual factors to motivate customers and influence their intentions (Shang & Lin, 2013), (Jackson, 2009).As online games and social software continue to advance and become integrated into e-commerce businesses, they create new patterns that enhance user experiences and encourage active participation (Hsu & Chen, 2018).With the expansion of online businesses, the use of effective marketing techniques to attract customers has become crucial. In this regard, Digikala, the largest online retailer in Iran, has been no exception. Therefore, the use of gamification has great importance in branding and improving customer experiences.Literature ReviewGamification is an innovative concept that has not only impacted the gaming industry but has also opened avenues in management sciences to provide maximum effectiveness for organizations in competitive conditions. Initial studies on gamification were conducted in 2008 by Brett Terrill. However, its scientific popularity and extensive research began around 2010 (Alhamed & Morano, 2018).In terms of the effectiveness and the impact of gamification on marketing concepts, particularly in customer engagement, extensive research has not been conducted. However, most studies indicate a positive impact of gamification on customer engagement. In this regard, we will review some important research studies.In a study that examined the effects of gamification aspects on customer engagement dimensions and brand value among customers of Huawei and Xiaomi in social networks, it was found that gamification aspects have a significant impact on customer engagement dimensions and brand value (Xi & Hamari, 2019). In another study that investigated the impact of gamification on customer engagement and online sales, it was revealed that gamification aspects such as social interactions, goal orientation, and rewards lead to increased customer engagement and online sales (Eisingerich et al., 2019). In a study that focused on the impact of gamification on participation in online programs, the results indicated that gamification significantly affects participation (Looyestyn et al., 2017).MethodologyThis study is descriptive & applied in nature and employs a quantitative approach. Data collection was done through questionnaire. In this study, the statistical population consists of customers of the Digikala website who have made at least one purchase from this site. Since this website is the most well-known online shopping site in Iran, a structured questionnaire was distributed to 300 Digikala users using convenience sampling method. After filtering out incomplete and problematic questionnaires, a total of 222 questionnaires were gathered. Data analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through the Lisrel Software.ResultsBased on the results obtained from the hypothetical model, we conclude that:The influence of immersion aspects of gamification on the emotional dimension of customer engagement was confirmed (Hypothesis 1).The influence of immersion aspects of gamification on the social and cognitive dimensions of customer engagement was not confirmed (Hypotheses 2 and 3).The influence of achievement aspects of gamification on the emotional and cognitive dimensions of customer engagement was confirmed (Hypotheses 4 and 5).The influence of achievement aspects of gamification on the social dimension of customer engagement was not confirmed (Hypothesis 6).The influence of achievement aspects of gamification on the emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions of customer engagement was confirmed (Hypotheses 7, 8, and 9).The immersion aspects of gamification have a stronger and more significant impact on the emotional dimension of customer engagement compared to other dimensions (Hypothesis 10).The achievement aspects of gamification have a stronger and more significant impact on the cognitive dimension of customer engagement compared to other dimensions (Hypothesis 11).The social aspects of gamification have a stronger and more significant impact on the social dimension of customer engagement compared to other dimensions (Hypothesis 12).Discussion & ConclusionIn general, the findings of the present research indicate that immersion aspects of gamification (such as creating avatars, customizing applications and web pages, storytelling, and narrative) have a greater impact on the emotional dimensions of customer engagement.When compared to immersion aspects, achievement aspects of gamification, such as giving prizes, medals, digital currency, coins, points, and gift cards, have a greater influence on the cognitive dimensions of customer engagement. They also affect the emotional aspect. Providing rewards and medals leads to customers forming a better rational and cognitive perception of our brand.Moreover, social aspects of gamification, like organizing competitions and teamwork activities and using social networks, have a more significant impact on the social dimension of customer engagement. However, they also have an effect on the emotional and cognitive dimensions.The findings of this research are consistent with the results of previous studies, including Madura (2015), Zhi and Hamari (2019), Harwood and Garry (2015), Yin et al. (2017), and Eisingerich et al. (2019).Based on the results obtained, it is recommended that online stores and smart businesses employ various gamification elements to increase customer engagement
Azin Dalvand; Masoud Simkhah; Davood Jafari
Abstract
In this study, considering the moderating role of gender, we have investigated the influence of online brand community (OBC) characteristics on customer’s engagement and brand loyalty. In this way, the mediating effect of engagement and the subsequent effect of customer’s engagement ...
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In this study, considering the moderating role of gender, we have investigated the influence of online brand community (OBC) characteristics on customer’s engagement and brand loyalty. In this way, the mediating effect of engagement and the subsequent effect of customer’s engagement on brand loyalty have also been studied. Statistical population of this research is all people who are at least the members of one of the online brand communities. 256 samples were selected and questionnaires were forwarded to them electronically through social networks and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The results show that two characteristics of OBC, “information quality” and “virtual interaction”, have no effect on the customer’s engagement and on the other hand, customer engagement shows a positive and significant impact on brand loyalty. In analyzing the results of mediating and moderating variables, we found that OBC is influenced by brand loyalty through customer’s engagement. It was also concluded that gender does not modify the effect of information quality and virtual interaction on customer’s engagement.
Zohreh Dehdashti Shahrokh; Mohammad Taghi Taghavifard; Mohammad Reza Karimi Alavijeh; Mohammad Mehdi Poursaeed
Volume 3, Issue 9 , December 2014, , Pages 1-24
Abstract
Fundamental changes occurred in the society and economy since the nineteenth century has clearly reflected in the development of our communities. Consumption communities which had not been previously existed came to the existence by the development of mass media especially Web 2.0 and modern marketing. ...
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Fundamental changes occurred in the society and economy since the nineteenth century has clearly reflected in the development of our communities. Consumption communities which had not been previously existed came to the existence by the development of mass media especially Web 2.0 and modern marketing. As a result; people are increasingly taking their identity tied to their brands. On the other hand, the market in the twenty-first century is dominated by advanced communication technology and e-commerce and hence, virtual brand communities are rapidly expanding. With regards to the above, in this study factors affecting participation in such communities are identified. The research method used is survey and the population consisted of those customers who are the members of virtual communities. Data were collected from 408 members of these communities. In order to test the hypotheses related to the components of the model, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. The study findings suggest that four factors that is: factors related to the brand, social factors, factors related to the product, and functional factors are affecting participation in virtual brand communities.
