In today’s digital era, the rapid rise of social media (SM) has transformed consumer behaviourespecially among university students. This study examines the influence of social mediamarketing (SMM) on the purchase intentions of university students within the fashion industry,focusing on a sample from Zambia. Addressing a gap in existing research on this demographic,the study explores how various dimensions of the SMM affect purchasing decisions.The study utilised the exploratory study approach, data were gathered through a semi-structuredquestionnaire distributed among university students in Zambia. Descriptive statistics and Pearsoncorrelation analysis were used to evaluate the relationships between the independent anddependent variables. A total of 96 valid responses were received and included in the finalanalysis. The findings revealed insights into these relationships, the correlation between entertainment,interaction and awareness was found to be weak (r=0.418) indicating that these factors do notgreatly influence student’s decision to purchase fashion products. In contrast, fashion trendinessand interest in a brand shows a moderate positive relationship (r = 0.422, p = 0.000), meaningthat when SM highlights current fashion trends, students are more likely to be interested.Similarly, the customisation of SM experiences with the desire for fashion products was found tobe moderately positive (r = 0.510, p = 0.000) suggesting that tailoring content to individualpreferences encourages purchases. The strongest relationship observed between e-word of mouthand purchase action (r = 0.726, p = 0.000) signifying that positive online recommendationsgreatly . influence students to buy fashion products. The study recommends that brands invest in monitoring SM trends, collecting extensive data oncustomer preferences and maintaining a positive e-word of mouth. Future research could exploreadditional variables influencing fashion product purchase decisions and consider larger samplesize for broader generalisation. This research contributes to the understanding of SMM influenceon consumer behaviour and offering insights for marketing strategies in the fashion industry.

<p>Minimizing the impact of the transportation sector and across all vehicle classes and sizes on the climate consists one of the main goals globally. As heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for a high share of the total emissions emitted from the transportation sector, multiple initiatives are targeting this vehicle class, with transit buses being no exception. Although battery electric buses (BEBs) have the potential to save energy and decrease emissions, their adoption has been progressing at a slow pace. Despite the advantages of quieter operations, improved acceleration, and absence of diesel or gas odors, there has been limited attention given to the perspective of the users. This study aims to explore the preferences of bus riders towards BEBs and the general public’s behavioral intentions to ride public transit. To achieve these objectives, two separate surveys were designed and disseminated in Salt Lake City, Utah to solicit riders’ and general public’s typical travel behaviors and patterns and their their preferences and opinions regarding the emissions and noise performance of BEBs. The surveys also gauged participants’ attitudes, social norms, and environmental awareness. Statistical analysis revealed that various factors play a role in shaping riders' perceptions regarding the electrification of transit buses. These factors encompass the purpose of the trip, attitudes towards environmental concerns and the environmental effects of battery electric buses (BEBs), as well as non-instrumental ride factors like comfort during the journey and the social image associated with the mode of transportation. Turning to the behavioral intentions toward public transit usage, a structural equation model was estimated that revealed the positive and direct influence of perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and improved transit ride comfort attributes that BEBs offer. The support for transit bus electrification and green self-identity were found to indirectly influence behavioral intentions. This thesis provides valuable insights into BEBs preferences from the perspectives of riders and general public. Gaining a deeper understanding of the significance of electrification for transit riders, and also, to the general public can enable transit service providers to modify their marketing strategies, promotion strategies, and adapt their overall operations at the system level to accommodate the preferences towards BEBs, and ultimately, attract more transit riders.</p>

Yes / Building on the linguistic landscape theory and literature on customers’ experience with restaurants’ authenticity and status, this study investigates whether restaurants’ outdoor signs influence customers’ perceptions and behavioral intentions. Using an experimental design comprising two studies, supported by data collected from Chinese consumers, we test how display characters and text flow may jointly impact on customers’ perceptions of the status and authenticity of ethnic (Japanese and Taiwanese) restaurants, thus influencing their visiting intentions and willingness to pay. We find that display characters influence Chinese customers’ perceptions of authenticity and status in both Japanese and Taiwanese restaurants in Mainland China. There is an interaction effect between display characters and text flow on customers’ perception of authenticity and status in Japanese restaurants in Mainland China. This study applies the linguistic landscape theory to a restaurant context and examines how such features may influence customers’ perceptions and decisions. The findings have important practical implications on managing customer experiences and perceptions via effective restaurant sign designs.

The purpose of this study is to explore what motivates or discourage customers' intentions to join a loyalty program (LP) in the Swedish energy market. To answer the purpose of the thesis, equity theory and theory of planned behavior (TPB) have been applied to the discussion. In addition, two research questions have been developed. RQ1: What potential perceived benefits of loyalty programs motivate customers' intentions to join a loyalty program in the energy market? RQ2: What potential perceived costs and risks of loyalty programs discourage customers' intention to join a loyalty program in the energy market? To conduct the thesis, a qualitative research approach with an abductive focus in the form of semi-structured interviews was used. By applying a thematic analysis, 19 consumers living in different cities in Sweden were interviewed to explore answers related to RQ1 and RQ2. The results for RQ1 showed that monetary savings, recognition benefits and sustainability benefits motivated customers' intentions to join a loyalty program in the energy market, where monetary savings were considered most valuable.  Exploration benefits and recognition benefits motivated some customers' intentions to join and others not. Social benefits did not motivate customers' intentions to join. For RQ2, the results showed that financial costs and social risks discourage customers' intentions to join a loyalty program in the energy market. Time and data privacy and security issues discourage some customers' intentions to join and others not.  This thesis addresses the research gap concerning loyalty programs in the energy sector by focusing on customers' intentions to join such programs, utilizing equity theory and the theory of planned behavior. It provides new insights into how customers' intentions are influenced by various perceived benefits, costs, and risks associated with joining an LP. Furthermore the study provides actionable insights for energy companies seeking to develop effective loyalty programs. This study emphasizes the importance of monetary savings as the primary motivator for customers to join such programs, ensuring that perceived benefits outweigh costs in line with the equity theory. Additionally, it recommends personalizing recognition, diversifying rewards, simplifying the joining process, ensuring transparency, and integrating sustainability initiatives. By adopting these strategies, energy companies can create compelling loyalty programs that encourage customer intentions to join and engage in the program.

Despite the considerable harm caused by corporate crimes, this area remains relatively overlooked within the field of criminology. Anchored in an interest of enhancing initiatives targeting corporate crimes, this study investigates the nonobligatory component of anonymous reporting options in internal whistleblower schemes. Utilizing a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods, the study builds its findings on survey data collected on 104 respondents and interviews with selected survey respondents. The findings reveal that the option of anonymity has a significant impact on reporting intentions, particularly in scenarios involving a more severe context. Anonymity is found to be important as it diminishes employees' perceived fear associated with reporting, positively impacting the weighted cost-benefits connected to the decision-making process. These results carry implications for organizational policy and practice, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to ensure the effectiveness of internal whistleblower schemes in addressing corporate crime

Background Research on entrepreneurship has explored the journey to becoming an entrepreneur and the factors determining this transition. Studies reveal that many entrepreneurs do not immediately become full-time entrepreneurs; instead, they often begin with a hybrid role before making the full transition. Recent research shows that over half of hybrid entrepreneurs launch their businesses while still employed in their wage-paying jobs. Other research has illuminated how the organizational work environment influences employees' job satisfaction, conditions, and overall intentions.    Purpose                    This study focuses on the determinants of transition intentions of hybrid entrepreneurs in the organizational working environment.  We examine the influence of the organizational working environment on the transition intention of hybrid entrepreneurs. How does the organizational working environment influence transition intentions in hybrid entrepreneurs?    Method This thesis uses a theory-building, multiple-case study approach to develop a more robust supported by various empirical evidence. We conducted an exploratory multi-case design study following the Eisenhardt method. Our data sample consists of six hybrid entrepreneurs in Indonesia. In total, we conducted interviews with hybrid entrepreneurs. To validate accuracy and completeness, we enrich data collection by cross-referencing multiple sources, such as archival data (participant CV and other bio) and observations.    Conclusion Our findings revealed four key aspects of the organizational working environment that influence the intention to transition to full-time entrepreneurship: Secure and Fair Compensation, Opportunities for Skill Development, Opportunities for Interpersonal Contacts, and Working Hours. Additionally, we identified one aspect that had no influence: Job Clarity. We found that supportive elements in these areas contribute to generating venture-related capital, shaping the intention to transition. Conversely, unsupportive aspects lead to the opposite outcome.

This dissertation examines the process by which buyers encode and store price information in their memories and how the information is retrieved when such a need arises. Using theories in human learning and memory, it has been argued that buyers’ learning of price information is primarily influenced by their learning plans and the criteria they use pin choice decisions. Because of the differences in learning and choice task orientations, buyers are postulated to encode and store the information differently and therefore, different memory tests are necessary to investigate the retrieval mechanisms and thereby making inferences about their knowledge of price. While it is recognized that buyers may encode and retrieve price information in many different ways, this research has examined the differential impact of learning and choice task orientations on their recall, recognition, and ranking performances. The hypotheses developed in this research were tested in a laboratory experiment using ninety women shoppers as subjects. The two levels of learning (incidental and intentional) and the three levels of choice task orientations (non-price, mixed, and price) were fully crossed in a 2 x 3 full-factorial between-subjects design. Subjects, after being randomly assigned to one of the six experimental conditions took part in a simulated grocery shopping. Having made their selections, subjects responded to recall, recognition, and ranking memory tests involving prices of the items selected. Subjects also indicated their confidence about the accuracy of their responses. The accuracy and confidence ratings were used as dependent measures when testing the hypotheses. Since accuracy measures were dichotomous (correct or incorrect) in nature, loglinear modes were tested using maximum likelihood estimation procedure. For continuous dependent measure (e.g. confidence), ordinary least square estimations were carried out in a univariate ANOVA framework. In addition, several multiple comparison procedures were used to test differences between mean accuracy and confidence scores. The data analysis supported fifteen out of sixteen hypothesized relationships. The results supported the argument that buyers’ learning of price information improves with greater use of price in their choice decisions and with greater need to remember the information for later use. Overall, recognition was found to be a more appropriate retrieval mechanism than recall. Need for remembering specific prices did not significantly improve buyers° ability to rank items in terms of their expensiveness. The conceptualization and the research results are expected to make both theoretical and methodological contributions in pricing research. Particularly, the issues involving formation of reference prices and the manner in which the internal reference prices are retrieved and used in iii choice decisions are partially addressed using a consumer information processing perspective. Nonetheless, future research is needed to resolve additional issues in price perception research. / Ph. D.

OBJECTIVE: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and implementation intentions have been used effectively to explain and influence diet in middle-class, but not exclusively low SES populations. Furthermore, dietary research among low SES populations requires intake measures that are feasible and acceptable. Using three lines of research we evaluated 1) the utility of the TPB to explain fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, 2) efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of an implementation intention intervention to improve FV intake, and 3) agreement, feasibility, and acceptability of 2 dietary intake measures of FV intake in low SES women. DESIGN: Participants were adult female residents of Boston Public Housing. Study 1: Using a cross-sectional survey (n=144), we evaluated the utility of the TPB to explain FV intake. Study 2: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled implementation intention intervention to promote FV intake (n=20), and semi-structured interviews to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the intervention (n=8). Study 3: We administered 2 24-hour recalls, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and structured interviews (n=36) to determine agreement, feasibility and acceptability dietary intake measures. RESULTS: Study 1: The TPB construct perceived behavioral control significantly predicted intention to consume FV (OR=2.55,95%CI:1.23,5.27) and with BMI, FV intake (βPBC=0.37,t(1)=2.29,p=0.0235; βBMI= -0.02,t(1)= -2.41,p=0.0174; R2=.08,F[2,130]=5.72,p=0.0042). Study 2: Feasibility goals were met for retention and days to follow up, but not recruitment. Participants characterized the intervention as enjoyable. Limited hypothesis testing showed no significant increase in mean FV intake within (control (n=11):+0.50, 95% CI:-0.56,1.58 servings; intervention (n=9):+0.17, 95% CI:-0.85,1.20 servings) or between groups (control group +0.33, 95% CI:-1.06,1.73 servings). Study 3: Feasibility targets were met for contacts and retention, but not for enrollment. There was no significant association between 24-hr recall and FFQ measures for fruit (r=0.32, p=0.09) or vegetable (r=0.16, p=0.40) intake and no marked preference for method (35% FFQ; 31% 24-hour recall). CONCLUSION: The TPB may be useful to explain FV intake. Although acceptable, an implementation intention intervention may not be feasible or effective to influence FV intake. We demonstrated limited feasibility and association but generally equal preference between dietary measures of FV intake in low SES women.

In some cases, role stressors force members of the clergy to rely on social support to maintain themselves serving in ministry. In this study, the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) model is applied to investigate the interaction between vocational demands (role stressors and occupational distress) and resources (social support) in predicting burnout and turnover intentions in Florida clergy. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the buffering role of social support systems in mitigating turnover intentions and the overall impact on clergy burnout. The findings suggest that role overload, role conflict, and occupational distress are significantly related to burnout, with occupational distress exhibiting the strongest correlation. Supervisor support was found to moderate the relationship between role overload and burnout. The study highlights the complex dynamics between work-related stressors, support systems, and occupational well-being in the context of religious leadership and emphasizes the need for further research with larger sample size to confirm and expand upon these findings.

In an era of intense competition, banks must prioritize the establishment of enduring customer connections by implementing efficient service recovery measures. Nevertheless, because of the inherent human factor involved in the delivery of banking services, even the most outstanding institutions cannot ensure flawless service that consistently satisfies every customer's requirement. Service failures are unavoidable, as humans are susceptible to errors. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how to effectively execute service recovery procedures to minimize the repercussions of service failures. Hence, banks are facing a huge difficulty in developing service recovery strategies that can improve consumer satisfaction, behavioral intentions, and relationship quality in the event of service outages. However, scholars have given it little attention. As a result, this study aims to fill the existing gap in the literature by examining the impact of service recovery strategies and customers' perceptions of recovery justice on post-recovery satisfaction, customers' emotions, relationship quality, and their behavioral intentions, including repurchase intentions and word-of-mouth. Furthermore, it examines how the severity of service failure influences the impact of this approach. This study utilizes a quantitative methodology that is based on a survey approach. The proposed strategy was implemented in the banking industry in Egypt and Spain, with an online questionnaire distributed to customers of Egyptian and Spanish banks who had encountered service problems and failure within the previous year. As a result, from Egypt, a total of 517 samples were gathered, whereas from Spain, 500 samples were collected. The data were analyzed using Smart PLS 4 for structural equation modeling. The study found notable cross-cultural disparities between the Egyptian and Spanish samples in terms of the influence of service recovery strategies on perceived recovery justice. Nevertheless, no significant effect was noted in the impact of recovery justice on customer positive emotions, as consistent results were seen in both countries. On the other hand, there were noticeable differences in how recovery justice affected negative feelings and post-recovery satisfaction. Moreover, the influence of post-recovery satisfaction on consumer trust, affective commitment, and behavioral intentions, such as intentions to repurchase and engage in word-of-mouth, did not show significant variations across different cultures. Furthermore, the impact of the severity of service failure on the relationship between recovery justice and emotions showed noteworthy differences between the two cultural groups. Hence, these findings emphasize the significance of taking cultural nuances into account when creating and executing service recovery techniques. Thus, this is because customers' interpretations and reactions may vary depending on cultural circumstances, which might impact the effectiveness of these efforts. The current study has yielded valuable insights for academics by utilizing the same model on two distinct samples (Egypt and Spain). Consequently, it has shed light on how social and cultural disparities among banking customers in various countries, even within the same European region or the Middle East, can significantly impact their behavior after a service failure.