The current research attempts to clarify and re-conceptualize consumer-company identification to overcome current deficiencies, ambiguities, and unexplained phenomenon regarding the construct. Several research projects are undertaken to achieve this goal. More precisely, one chapter is devoted to establishing the domain of the consumer-company identification construct. Theory from a range of literatures is utilized to establish the content of the domain, to clarify differences between the consumer context and others, and to demarcate the construct from related constructs (i.e. affective commitment). The second chapter develops measures for the re-conceptualized consumer-company identification construct. The newly developed measures are empirically tested and compared to existing measures. The final two chapters then build on the first two by utilizing the new measures to study antecedents and outcomes to the newly conceptualized consumer-company identification construct. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / May 24, 2013. / organizational identification / Includes bibliographical references. / J. Joseph Cronin, Jr., Professor Directing Dissertation; Jay D. Rayburn, University Representative; Jeffery S. Smith, Committee Member; Charles Hofacker, Committee Member.

This dissertation, which consists of two essays, is designed to examine the dynamic trust concept in e-commerce. In Essay 1, a systematic review on online trust is conducted to gain an integrated view of the past literature on online trust. The review is conducted with a total of 116 articles and 4 books collected from a wide range of disciplines. Through the synthesis of past findings, Essay 1 reveals common theoretical frameworks and themes in conceptualizing online trust as well as important gaps that deserve future research. Essay 2 investigates unexplored research areas revealed in Essay 1 and consists of three empirical studies. The first study begins with a qualitative study to identify the major attributes of a retail Web site that are perceived to be important in facilitating consumer trust and transactions. Using the Web site's social cues, which were identified in Study 1 as one of trust-building's tactics in retail Web sites, two subsequent experiments are conducted. The objective of the two subsequent studies is to empirically examine how trust evolves over time in different online retail situations. Specifically, Study 2 investigates how the Web site's social cues created by online agents influence consumer trust, both cognitive and affective, and subsequent behavioral intentions over multiple interactions. Study 3 considers trust failure situations and examines whether the timing of a failure and post-recovery duration have influences on trust and commitment. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / June 17, 2013. / Affective trust, E-trust, Longitudinal trust, Online trust / Includes bibliographical references. / Charles F. Hofacker, Professor Co-Directing Thesis; John Peloza, Professor Co-Directing Thesis; Ashley Bush, University Representative; Michael D. Hartline, Committee Member.

From joining groupon.com to clipping coupons, customers are increasingly seeking out strategies to help them save money. Research suggests that consumer behaviors have changed and now incorporate increased deal-seeking behaviors such as coupon use and price comparisons. Among these behaviors is an increasing tendency for consumers to negotiate prices. In general, sales managers understand that customers set an initial budget before making a large purchase such as a home or automobile. Thus, the present research examines whether a customer will spend more than budgeted if the salesperson exhibits certain characteristics or the customer performs certain service behaviors during the negotiation. Thus, we identify sales person traits (i.e., performance orientation and behavioral preference toward closing customers) and customer negotiation strategies (i.e., integrating, obliging, avoiding, compromising, and dominating strategies) that can lead customers to spend more than initially planned or exceed an initial budget, which is customer concession behavior. The findings are important for sales manager procedure such that training salespeople to adapt and interact with a customer depending on salesperson characteristics and customer approaches to negotiation is likely to affect company satisfaction (e.g., dealer profit). / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / April 2, 2014. / Automobile, Concession, Deal, Deal-Seeking, Negotiation, Sales / Includes bibliographical references. / Ronald E. Goldsmith, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Lamont, University Representative; Jack Fiorito, Committee Member; Willy Bolander, Committee Member.

Across two essays, this dissertation investigates how firms can develop goodwill in order to reduce negative impacts from failures. Essay 1 uses the context of a service failure to introduce and examine the concept of "external service recovery." Although past spillover research examines how negative outcomes can transfer from one firm to another firm, this essay examines conditions under which a service failure at one firm creates an opportunity to enhance customer evaluations of a subsequent firm. Additionally, a new type of recovery paradox is considered, in which consumers have more favorable perceptions of a firm when there was a previous failure with a different firm compared with no previous service failure. Results of three empirical studies suggest that firms can benefit from another firm's service failure, but only when the recovering firm is not affiliated with the failing firm. Essay 2 extends the failure context from Essay 1 into broader corporate failures, such as a violation of employee rights or disregard for the environment. It considers how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can inoculate the firm from customer dysfunctional behavior, such as theft or negative word of mouth. Across three studies, Essay 2 demonstrates that CSR initiatives mitigate the occurrence of dysfunctional consumer behaviors, but only when CSR initiatives are congruent with the failure context (e.g., when an environmental CSR initiative precedes an environmental firm initiative, such as an oil spill). Collectively, these two essays provide important extensions to our understanding of how firms can recover from failures, and deliver specific implications for how managers can both profit from other firms failures and mitigate the negative consequences from their own failures. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / July 11, 2014. / Benevolence, Corporate Social Responsibility, Dysfunctional Consumer Behavior, External Recovery, Failure, Service Recovery Paradox / Includes bibliographical references. / Michael K. Brady, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gerald R. Ferris, University Representative; Michael D. Hartline, Committee Member; Charles F. Hofacker, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study is to expand the body of knowledge in the area of retail patronage and small, retail apparel firm research. Consumers were approached as they entered one of the five stores in the survey (147 out of 150 usable surveys). The components of the proposed patronage behavior model derived from Darden's patronage model of consumer behavior (1980) and Shim and Kotsiopulos's apparel retail patronage behavior model (1992) were used for all hypotheses. Discriminant analysis with classification was used to categorize shoppers into light, medium, and heavy consumers of small, retail apparel firms. MANOVA and ANOVA were used to test for differences between each small, retail apparel firm. The patronage behavior model was satisfactorily described using Structural Equation Modeling. Findings indicated that the "local store shopper" was the best indicator of small, retail apparel firm patronage. Differences among the small, retail apparel firms existed among half of the components in the patronage model, which is attributed to the uniqueness of small, retail apparel firms. Further research is needed to examine the usefulness of this model to other store types. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Textiles and Consumer Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2004. / June 19, 2000. / Patronage Behavior, Small Business, Retail, Apparel / Includes bibliographical references. / Susan S. Fiorito, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jerome S. Osteryoung, Outside Committee Member; Jeanne Heitmeyer, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the needs of ballistic vest wearers and determine aspects of ballistic vests that influenced wearer comfort. Based on Branson and Sweeney's (1991) Clothing Comfort Model, this research identified attributes of the person, clothing, and environment that affected police officers' physical and social-psychological comfort levels when wearing ballistic vests. Ten attributes identified as influential comfort factors were examined. The sample consisted of 91 police officers employed in Tallahassee, Florida. The officers were surveyed to determine their uniform and ballistic vest wearing experiences, as well as satisfaction levels and demographics. Two attributes had positive significant correlations with comfort: fit and vest properties. These two variables were examined further and a linear relationship with comfort was revealed. This study also proposed that wearers may attempt to improve their clothing comfort in various ways. This phenomenon, called wearer comfort adjustments, was conceptualized based on data from a previous research study (Fowler, 2003b) and developed further through this research. Wearer comfort adjustments were defined as adaptations or accommodations wearers make to themselves, their clothing, or their environment to improve their wearing experience. Findings of the study indicated that ballistic vest wearers employ specific wearer comfort adjustments to improve their comfort. Existing clothing comfort models do not account for these accommodations and/or adaptations made by the wearer. Hence, a taxonomy of wearer comfort adjustments was developed and the nature of the relationship between comfort and wearer comfort adjustments was theorized. The concept of wearer comfort adjustments has been developed through this study, but further research is needed to test the proposed relationship of wearer comfort adjustments and comfort. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Textiles and Consumer Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2007. / March 12, 2007. / Garment Properties, Ballistic Vests, Wearer Comfort Adjustments, Functional Design, Clothing Comfort / Includes bibliographical references. / Mary Ann Moore, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Doerner, Outside Committee Member; Rinn Cloud, Committee Member; Jeanne Heitmeyer, Committee Member.

This dissertation introduces the concept of psychological distance to the Internet marketing literature and discusses the impact of physical retail presence on consumer perceptions of the firm. In particular, online retailer's physical presence attributes are shown to be influential in reducing psychological distance and developing initial trust beliefs, which in turn have implications for consumers' service inferences, satisfaction expectations, and purchase intentions. Three studies empirically test the interplay between psychological distance theory and physical retail presence. Study 1 finds that online firms that also have a local retail store (local hybrids) are perceived to be less psychologically distant and more trusted than online firms with a non-local retail store, and that Internet-only retailers are more psychologically distant and less trusted than either local or non-local hybrid firms. Study 2 replicated the effects identified in Study 1 and further demonstrated that media content conveying images of the firm's tangible features (e.g., buildings and/or employees) can reduce psychological distance and enhance trust beliefs for Internet-only retailers and non-local hybrids, but that such media generally had null effects for an online firm with a local retail outlet. Thus, media content that stresses an online retailer's physical presence appears to be an effective way to reduce psychological distance, increase trust, and promote competitive parity with retailers that do not have a local physical presence. Study 3 holds geographic distance constant so that the non-spatial elements of psychological distance may be adequately tested. Study 3 finds that consumers' familiarity with a retailer's location reduces psychological distance and elicits higher trust beliefs and that retailers in familiar locations have marketing advantages over retailers in less familiar locations. Indeed, the effects of retailer location on the marketing outcomes were consistently in the opposite direction of the psychological distance results in all three studies. Lastly, a mere presence effect was identified in the first two studies and further clarified in Study 3. This effect suggests that online retailers garner benefits by operating a retail location, even if it exists at a great distance from the consumer. However, the mere presence effect is not strong enough to level the playing field with online firms that have a local store, as local hybrids are less psychologically distant and retain greater trust than non-local hybrids. Study 3 clarifies this effect using unfamiliar locations at a great distance from consumers. Results suggest that retailers with non-local stores are only less psychologically distant than virtual retailers when the location is familiar to consumers. Overall, these studies add to the existing literature by showing that the existence and location of a physical retail store is an important consideration for online retailers in initial encounters when the consumer has little or no previous knowledge of the firm. Related research has shown that physical presence is important for building trust and increasing purchase intentions for unfamiliar retailers. This research extends such findings to include a broader set of marketing outcomes, demonstrating that physical store presence also affects service and problem responsiveness inferences, and satisfaction expectations. The research also adds geographic distance to the physical presence research framework and investigates factors that retailers can use to circumvent the general inhibiting effects of spatial distance, namely media emphasizing tangible features and a familiar retail location. In addition to extending the consumer marketing literature, this dissertation has implications for managers. First, the unknown retailers that are likely to benefit from psychological distance-reducing strategies are conceivably not retailers with the financial capacity to invest in stores in every locale. Thus, these retailers should attempt to reduce psychological distance perceptions by emphasizing physical presence information. After emphasizing its presence in the physical environment, retailers are confronted with the inhibitor of geographic distance. The present research suggests that media highlighting physical retail facilities and employees can be used to attenuate this effect by increasing tangibility-based associations. Moreover, hybrid retailers should attempt to increase familiarity with their existing locations and then consider location familiarity among the criteria when expanding. The dissertation provides additional details related to these strategies as well as examples of retailers that have applied them in recent years. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Marketing in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2008. / April 9, 2008. / Distance, Online Trust, Internet Marketing, Services Perceptions / Includes bibliographical references. / Michael K. Brady, Professor Directing Dissertation; Molly Wasko, Outside Committee Member; Peter R. Darke, Committee Member; Michael D. Hartline, Committee Member.

A recent survey by IBM institute for Business Value reports that fifty four percent retailers are improving upon their store design to facilitate a rich experience for their customers. These changes stress upon improved functionality and efficiency of the store as well as making the shopping task a fun activity. Retailers are recognizing that today's shopper is not only seeking utilitarian benefits but also desires fulfillment at an emotional level. Thus, the store environment has to be geared towards facilitating both the utilitarian and hedonic desires of a consumer. Traditionally, researchers have studied the effect of store environment on cognitive evaluations of customers. These cognitive evaluations include perceived merchandise quality, perceived price, perceived service quality etc. This study broadens the scope of store environment research to affective evaluations as well. The main purpose of the study is to examine the role of store environment on customers' internal evaluations which constitute both utilitarian and hedonic evaluations; and how these evaluations lead to the customers' judgment of overall value. Additionally, it is proposed that store environment will not impact all the customers in a similar manner. Customers will value only those consequences which they desire. Therefore for some customers the primary drivers of value will be utilitarian benefits whereas for others hedonic benefits. Customer's shopping motivation is identified as the moderating factor in the model. Data were collected using a survey methodology. Shoppers' perception of store environment was recorded after they had visited a particular store. They were also asked about various cognitive and affective evaluations they made in the store as well as their perceptions of overall value received. Generally the model presented in this study was supported. The three dimensions of store environment –social factors, ambiance and design factors were found to influence evaluations of merchandise quality, interpersonal quality, price, efficiency, enjoyment, appeal and escapism. Additionally, these evaluations contribute to the customers' perceptions of overall value. Individual perceptions of value lead the customers to spend more time in the store and create a desire to visit the store again. The equivalence of the model for recreational and task oriented shoppers was also examined in the study. Findings suggest that the value formation for recreational and task oriented shoppers is different. Whereas, recreational shoppers take both cognitive and affective evaluations into account while forming value perceptions; task oriented shoppers are more inclined towards cognitive evaluations such as perceptions of interpersonal quality, efficiency, merchandise quality and price. In sum, this study emphasizes that store environment impacts consumer perceptions of utilitarian and hedonic benefits offered by the store, and may influence different types of shoppers in unique ways. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Marketing in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / March 17, 2006. / Value, Store atmosphere / Includes bibliographical references. / J. Dennis Cradit, Professor Directing Dissertation; Susan Fiorito, Outside Committee Member; Michael J. Brusco, Committee Member; Charles F. Hofacker, Committee Member.

This study surveyed men to determine what issues exist with men"s business clothing. Their clothing interest was also surveyed to examine the relationship between clothing interest and reported fit issues. Numerous fit issues were found, at rates that indicate high levels of dissatisfaction with ready-to-wear clothing fit. Suit shoulder width and pants leg length were the most frequently reported issues. Clothing interest was found to be correlated to number of fit issues reported. Fashion forward thinking was not found to correlate with reported issues, but two other sub-factors of interest, self-analytical and correctness were found to correlate. Possible causes for the issues found in the study were discussed, but further studies into the precise nature of each issue will be required for the issues to be fully resolved. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Textiles and Consumer Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2008. / June 13, 2008. / Clothing, Apparel, Men's clothing, Business clothing Suit, Shirt, Pants, Size, Fit, Sizing, Clothing interest, Fashion / Includes bibliographical references. / Catherine Black, Professor Directing Dissertation; Rinn Cloud, Committee Member; Michael Hartline, Committee Member; Jeanne Heitmeyer, Committee Member.

The overall objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the understanding of the impact of environmentally-friendly (a.k.a. "sustainable" or "green") marketing strategies on consumption behavior. A set of three essays examines the effects of the organizational adoption of green marketing strategies on both purchase intentions and actual consumption. Although a body of literature on green marketing is emerging, it is still in its infancy and lacks coherence and definitive conclusions. Given the exponential increase in the number of green offerings, and the concern exhibited by consumers, industrialists, and scientists about sustainability issues, practitioners and academics alike can benefit from a better understanding of this area of marketing strategy. The first essay contributes to theory and practice by exploring factors that impede and promote the sale of green offerings. This is accomplished by conducting in-depth interviews. Consumer and organizational respondent perspectives on factors that increase the likelihood of buying green products and, conversely, elements that decrease the quantity of green offerings purchased are sought. By leveraging a qualitative, grounded theory approach, insights into how the promotion of green offerings differs from that of environmentally non-sustainable goods and services are also investigated. Finally, by distilling the findings from these interviews, two conceptual models are developed that managers can use to develop effective green marketing strategies. The frameworks identify constructs and research streams. In summary, the intent of the first essay is to serve as the catalyst for additional empirical inquiry, while also providing insights for the implementation of green marketing strategies. The second essay is a multi-stage effort designed to operationalize customer perceptions of a firm's environmental-sensitivity, or green market orientation. First, a literature review is conducted in order to identify a theoretical foundation for the green market orientation construct. Next, a qualitative study featuring in-depth interviews is undertaken to generate a pool of survey items to measure the green market orientation construct. The items are then subjected to a purification process (cf. Churchill 1979). Once developed, the scale is used to assess perceptions of a firm's level of green market orientation. By casting the construct relative to several managerially relevant variables, its nomological validity is assessed. In particular, a mediated model of the impact of green market orientation on consumer outcomes is estimated. Thus, the essay contributes to theory by developing a green market orientation scale from a consumer's perspective. The essay also contributes to practice by testing the effects of the implementation of such a strategy on consumer outcomes. Using an experiment, quasi-experimental design, and a structural equation model, the third essay examines the effects of an integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaign on changes in consumption and consumer attitudes. More specifically, using three studies, the essay contributes to practice by testing the effects of the implementation of a green promotional "treatment" on consumer behaviors. The essay also contributes to theory by testing the effects of two newly devised scales on a measure of consumer attitudes. The results provide information regarding the utility of promoting the firm as having adopted a green marketing strategy on shaping customer behaviors. Finally, a summary chapter (chapter six) is included that provides an overview of what was accomplished in the dissertation. The chapter essentially outlines what the findings were, how the findings influence theory and practice, and how future research can build on the findings. Specifically, the summary describes the literature review which outlines what is known and what is not known about sustainable marketing strategy. The summary also explains the research findings from Essay 1, which develops two conceptual models that show the factors that influence the adoption of green goods and services. In addition, the summary describes how Essay 2 tests the effects of a green market orientation on consumer attitudes. Finally, it describes how Essay 3 tests the effects of a green IMC on consumer attitudes and consumption patterns. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Marketing in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / . / March 26, 2010. / Green Marketing, Sustainability / Includes bibliographical references. / J. Joseph Cronin, Professor Directing Dissertation; William A. Christansen, University Representative; Michael J. Brusco, Committee Member; Jeffery S. Smith, Committee Member.