The relationships between service quality, consumer satisfaction, and loyalty have been widely discussed in the service marketing literature, but there is still an ongoing debate about these relationships because they have not been well studied in spectator sport industry (Theodorakis & Alexandris, 2008). Schmitt (2011) claimed that consumer experiential could be a new perspective for evaluating the nature of these relationships. However, experience marketing has some special and unique attributes requiring specific definitions in specific research contexts. Thus, the current research attempts to (1) identify what kinds of experiences are found in Taiwanese professional baseball games; (2) test models of relationships between consumer experience, service quality, satisfaction and loyalty taking into account the unique aspects of the specific context of Taiwanese professional baseball games; and (3) test the role of consumer experience on the relationships between perceived service quality, satisfaction and loyalty. In order to achieve the research aims, the current research adopted a mixed method approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Four focus groups, representing the qualitative stage, were conducted to acquire a better understanding of consumer experience types and characteristics in Taiwanese professional baseball games. The main findings of the focus groups are that (1) ordinary experiences include the game itself while additional events and activities characterise extraordinary experiences. However, (2) when games involve a special performance and record or modifies a ranking position, they can be seen as extraordinary experiences as well. Moreover, ordinary experience and extraordinary experiences also depend on clubs, game days, and stadiums. A questionnaire survey, representing the quantitative stage, was used to investigate the relationships between consume experience, service quality, consumer satisfaction and loyalty. The sampling strategy was designed based on the specific research context features (i.e., different clubs, dates and stadia), and 1,229 questionnaires were collected. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in order to test the measurement model and compare theoretical models according to specific research context features. The main findings were that: (1) the degree of association between consumer experience and service quality is significant, (2) both direct and indirect relationships of consumer experience on consumer satisfaction and loyalty are significant, (3) only an indirect influence, via consumer satisfaction, of service quality on consumer loyalty is significant, (4) the differences of relationships are significant between clubs, but not significant between dates and stadia. The current research concluded that (1) consumer experience is an important dimension to take into consideration to better understand the formation of consumer loyalty, (2) there is a two-way relationship between service quality and consumer experience, (3) Intangible experience elements are captured by consumer experience while tangible experience elements are captured by service quality, (4) Extraordinary experiences in sport spectating events are highly dependent on situational factors, (5) specific research contexts features are important to take into consideration when conducting consumer experience research.

The concept of ‘brand experience’ has evolved as an essential area of study within the brand management and marketing discipline. Despite the importance of (and the attention paid to) this concept in recent years, the theory of brand experience has remained unclear and there is a less of theoretical support. In addition to this, several scholars content that there is a connection between brand experience and loyalty. This study aims to address the gap in the literature and provide a better understanding of the concept of ‘brand experience’ together with its consequences, with particular regard to consumer loyalty. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between brand experience and consumer loyalty in the luxury cosmetic brand industry (Thailand). This empirical study proceeds with a systematic review of the existing literature, leading to the development of a theoretical framework. The research adopts a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) approach, use of a quantitative survey to collect data, validated and enhanced qualitatively by personal interviews. The questionnaires were completed by Thai customers who frequent the luxury cosmetic brand counters in three particular stores in Bangkok. The data analysis uses descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and linear/multiple regression analysis for hypotheses testing. The personal interviews use a purposive sampling technique. The results of this study demonstrate that sensory experience, affective experience, behavioural experience, intellectual experience and social experience form the dimensions of luxury cosmetic brand experience. In addition to this, there is a positive direct relationship between luxury cosmetic brand experience and consumer loyalty. In addition, luxury cosmetic brand experience has a positive indirect relationship with consumer loyalty through brand personality, brand trust and consumer satisfaction; albeit, brand trust is the most significant of these. A key contribution of the present study is the conceptual model the study offers that explains the phenomenon of luxury cosmetic brand experience and its consequences. This study contributes further knowledge to the marketing literature, brand management literature and, also, consumer behaviour literature (particularly in the luxury cosmetic brand sectors in Thailand and other Asian countries) and suggests directions for future research. Finally, the present study will facilitate luxury cosmetic brand managers’ endeavours to identify both the experiential needs of their customers and the marketing strategy necessary to achieve consumer loyalty.

ABSTRACT Under the dramatic competition of all kinds of hospital and the raising of consumer awareness, it is becoming important issues for a hospital manager to improve the service quality of health care, further to enhance patient¡¦s satisfaction & loyalty. Many articles & papers discuss the outpatient service quality and patient¡¦s satisfaction with many single items of service process. In fact, the outpatient service is composed of a series of service process. So, I evaluate and predict the patient¡¦s satisfaction & loyalty under the term of outpatient service process. This study took the example of the outpatient of a provincial community hospital. We use the convenient sample method, and totally got the 222 efficient questionnaires. We do verity the seven outpatient service process with factor analysis. This study has several following remarkable results. The demographic factors have no statistical difference with outpatient service process quality, total satisfaction and consumer loyalty. There is positive correlation between quality of outpatient service process and customer satisfaction. The quality of outpatient service process has a positive impact on consumer loyalty. And the consumer satisfaction exerts a positive influence on the consumer loyalty. With the application of multiple regression analysis, the outpatient service process can efficiently predict consumer satisfaction & loyalty.

Darbe teoriniu lygmeniu išanalizuoti ir apibendrinti sprendimai, ugdantys vartotojų lojalumą, parengtas vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo struktūrinis modelis ir jis empiriškai patikrintas „Zara“ prekės ženklo pavyzdžiu. Pirmoje darbo dalyje atskleista vartotojų lojalumo konceptualioji esmė, išanalizuoti ir apibendrinti sprendimai, ugdantys vartotojų lojalumą bei pagrįstos vartotojų demografinių charakteristikų ir lojalumo sąsajos. Antroje darbo dalyje atlikta vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo teorinių modelių analizė. Remiantis teorinių tyrimų rezultatais, parengtas vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo struktūrinis modelis. Parengta vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo tyrimo metodika. Trečioje darbo dalyje atliktas vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo empirinis tyrimas ir apibendrinti jo rezultatai. Remiantis tyrimo rezultatais, empiriškai patikrintas vartotojų lojalumo ugdymo struktūrinis modelis. / The results of the theoretic and empiric research showed that brand and relationship marketing develops satisfaction and satisfaction creates consumer loyalty. The final work for Master consists of three parts. The first part reveals the conceptual nature of consumer loyalty. Also it consists of analyze and summary of consumer loyalty development decisions. The second part presents and analyzes the theoretical model of consumer loyalty development decisions. And based on results of the theoretical research the structured model of consumer loyalty development is presented. The third part consists analysis of results of empirical study and validation of theoretical model of consumer loyalty development decisions.

[pt] Este estudo investiga se há fidelização às salas de cinema e como ela é desenvolvida em um contexto onde a escolha do filme não é levada em consideração. Através de uma pesquisa de campo, são levantadas as variáveis que podem exercer influência no conjunto de consideração dos consumidores de cinema e como essas variáveis se associam à fidelidade. Os resultados indicam indícios de fidelização e de possibilidades de se utilizar a estrutura analítica empregada para aumentar os níveis de fidelização das empresas do setor. / [en] This study investigates possibilities to determine loyalty for movie theaters and how it is developed in context where film preferences are excluded. A survey was used to identify the influence of variables on consumers` evoked set and if or how these variables are associated with loyalty. Although findings show significant but low degrees of loyalty, they provide an analytical framework to increase loyalty levels for movie theater businesses.

Social buying is a recent marketing innovation in which provides Pareto-improving welfare gains to merchants, consumers, and brokers. Consumers benefit from access to significant discounts on advertised products and services, the broker benefits from taking a significant cut in each transaction with very low fixed costs, and merchants are able to reduce their advertising costs, gain access to new markets and drive traffic to their stores. The phenomenal growth of social buying carries commensurate risks for brokers, including increased competition due to a lack of service differentiation and low entry barriers. The complete social buying transaction is completed over two stages: the initial online e-commerce transaction and the subsequent fulfilment transaction where the voucher is redeemed with the merchant. In order to explore the sustainability of the social buying business model, it is necessary to identify the factors which drive loyalty behaviours in social buying, as well as the interrelationships between the factors. This research proposes from the marketing literature Oliver’s (1980) expectancy-disconfirmation theory (EDT) as the main theoretical framework on which to model these relationships. EDT is then successfully synthesised with DeLone and McLean’s (2003) information systems success model to create a framework which can appropriately model both the online and traditional stages of the social buying transaction. This study contributes to the marketing literature by establishing EDT as a suitable framework for investigating social buying. It is believed that this study is the first to do so. Furthermore, it is believed this is the first study examining the social buying innovation in the South African context. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBA

Problemformulering: Vår studie handlar om konsumenters relation till butikspersonalen inom dagligvaruhandeln, alltså butiker som i första hand säljer livsmedel men även andra dagligvaror. Hur interaktionen mellan konsument och produkt är och hur situationen vid konsumtionen ser ut är faktorer som Laaksonen (2010) menar påverkar den engagemangsnivå konsumenten upplever. Vi vill därför studera hur relationen till butikspersonalen kan påverka hur konsumtionssituationen upplevs av konsumenten och hur den påverkar engagemangsnivån, då dagligvaror ofta anses som lågengagemangsprodukter. Det behövs mer studier som skapar förståelse om vilken påverkan personalen har på konsumentens upplevelse av relationen, då relationen är en faktor som bidrar till konsumentens lojalitet. Syfte: Studien syftar till att få större kunskap om vilken betydelse relationen med butikspersonalen har för konsumentens upplevelse av lojalitet. Lojalitet innefattar många faktorer, vi har valt att fokusera på faktorn relationer. Detta för att bidra till en ökad förståelse om konsumentens relation till butikspersonalen då det kan hjälpa butiken att förstå hur de kan arbeta vidare med relationsskapandet till konsumenten. Detta är viktigt för butiken att ha förståelse om då relationen även påverkar konsumentens relation till butiken som i sin tur påverkar konsumentens lojalitet. Metod: För att få större kunskap om hur viktigt konsumenter upplever att personalen i butiken är och vad hos butikspersonalen som konsumenten efterfrågar i relationen, valde vi att samla in data från konsumenter och analysera svaren, vilket i detta fall gjorts via intervjuer. Teori: Den teori som vi främst använt oss av är lojalitetsbegreppet och relationsmarknadsföring. Slutsats: Priser, öppettider och sortiment är viktiga faktorer vid skapandet av en långvarig relation med butiken men för att konsumenten ska välja en butik framför en annan måste bemötandet från personalen vara bra. Det finns många dagligvarubutiker att välja på i konsumenternas närområde vilket gör att faktorerna priser, öppettider och sortiment inte blir avgörande. Det är istället relationen till butikspersonalen och att konsumenten känner sig speciell, respekterad och betydelsefull som blir en konkurrensfördel och avgörande faktor för konsumenternas val av butik. En tillmötesgående och positiv personal gör att relationen stärks och konsumenterna får en mer positiv inställning till butiken. Även i de fall där konsumenterna inte upplever personalen som så viktig bidrar ändå en tillmötesgående personal till att konsumenten uppfattar butiken som mer attraktiv. / Problem: Our study is about consumers' relationship with the store staff in the grocery store, then stores that primarily sell food but also other consumer goods. How the interaction between the consumer and the product is and how the situation looks at consumption are factors Laaksonen (2010) argues affect the commitment level of the consumer experience. We therefore want to study how the relationship with the store staff can affect the consumption situation experienced by the consumer and how it affects the level of commitment, then consumer goods often considered low-engagement products. It needs more studies to create understanding about the impact staff have on the consumer's perception of the relationship, then the relationship is a factor contributing to consumer loyalty. Objective: This study aims to gain greater knowledge of the importance of the relationship with the store staff for the consumer’s experience of loyalty. Loyalty involves many factors, we have chosen to focus on the factor relationships. This will contribute to a better understanding of the consumer's relationship with the store staff as it can help the store to understand how they can work on creating relationships with the consumer. This is important for the store to have an understanding of because the relationship also affects the consumer's relationship with the store, which in turn affects the consumer's loyalty. Method: To gain greater knowledge of how important the consumer experience that the staff in the shop is and what the consumer request of the staff in the relationship, we chose to collect data from consumers and analyze the responses, which in this case was collected by interviews. Secondary data that we used was collected from books and scientific articles. Theory: The main theory that we used was the concept of loyalty and relationship marketing. Conclusion: Prices, opening hours and range are important factors in creating a long-lasting relationship with the store, but for the consumer to choose one store over another the personal treatment from the staff must be good. There are many grocery stores to choose from in the immediate area of consumer, making the elements of prices, opening hours and range not crucial. It is instead the staff and their attitude that becomes a competitive advantage and crucial factor in consumers' choice of store. An accommodating and positive staff makes the relationship stronger and the consumer gets a more positive attitude to the store. Even in cases where consumers do not experience the staff as an important contribution they still experience that an accommodating staff makes the shop more attractive.

Att ha lojala kunder är något att sträva efter. Men vad gör en kund lojal? Den har studien försöker att ta reda på det genom att intervjua tio olika svenska personer för att få deras syn på lojalitet som fenomen och vad det innebär att vara en lojalkund för dem. Slutsatsen är att kundlojalitet är en relevant term men när det kom till att vara lojal visade det sig att de flesta av respondenterna inte var lojala, även om de hade ett lojalt beteende. En av de viktigaste faktorerna för deras köpbeteende var den geografiska platsen affären låg på i förhållande till deras eget boende. En av de viktigaste slutsatserna är även att det är genom ditt handlande(beteende) du visar din lojalitet inom dagligvaruhandeln. / Program: Kandidatutbildning i företagsekonomi

Social buying is a recent marketing innovation in which provides Pareto-improving welfare gains to merchants, consumers, and brokers. Consumers benefit from access to significant discounts on advertised products and services, the broker benefits from taking a significant cut in each transaction with very low fixed costs, and merchants are able to reduce their advertising costs, gain access to new markets and drive traffic to their stores. The phenomenal growth of social buying carries commensurate risks for brokers, including increased competition due to a lack of service differentiation and low entry barriers. The complete social buying transaction is completed over two stages: the initial online e-commerce transaction and the subsequent fulfilment transaction where the voucher is redeemed with the merchant. In order to explore the sustainability of the social buying business model, it is necessary to identify the factors which drive loyalty behaviours in social buying, as well as the interrelationships between the factors. This research proposes from the marketing literature Oliver’s (1980) expectancy-disconfirmation theory (EDT) as the main theoretical framework on which to model these relationships. EDT is then successfully synthesised with DeLone and McLean’s (2003) information systems success model to create a framework which can appropriately model both the online and traditional stages of the social buying transaction. This study contributes to the marketing literature by establishing EDT as a suitable framework for investigating social buying. It is believed that this study is the first to do so. Furthermore, it is believed this is the first study examining the social buying innovation in the South African context. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / MBA

This is a qualitative case study conducted to investigate the relationship between consumers who are brand loyal to a certain product and the groups that are formed to bring these enthusiasts together, using the Chevrolet Corvette and its community as a model. Qualitative research lends itself to studying relationships and social situations, in being able to observe and participate in a social context, rather than analyzing it from the outside looking in. By approaching this subject as a case study, an element of flexibility was allowed. This study primarily focuses on one main phenomena, the social groups formed by loyal consumers. The specific context studied is the Chevrolet Corvette's community. By using in-depth interviews of Corvette enthusiasts, owners and company employees, a deeper understanding of why people are loyal to a product and how they use enthusiast clubs to sustain their loyalty will be uncovered. Those interviewed were asked open-ended questions pertaining to their feelings about the community they are a part of, and the brand they are loyal to. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was taken, and interviews were conducted more as conversations than as formal, structured interviews. Through participant observation at various Corvette events, the researcher compared what participants said and what they were observed doing. Participants are from varying backgrounds, ages and genders as to provide a broad base of information. Data gathered were analyzed using grounded theory, a research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered. Grounded theory allows for a continuous interplay between data collection and analysis. Three overarching themes were constructed to organize the data, with various sub-categories to further explain the findings. The results of this study have shown that the object of enthusiasm, in this case the Chevrolet Corvette, is the basis for social interaction between owners and those involved with the car. While the physical car must uphold a superior standard, the consumer loyalty shown in this community is reinforced through interpersonal relationships formed with others sharing a common interest of enthusiasm for the automobile. The research has shown that there is a linkage between media efforts, automobile purchase, and social interaction. A cycle is formed from company executives releasing information and marketing to the public, inspiring consumers to purchase the car, and the community reinforces their purchase decision and fosters their brand loyalty.