Network behaviour for tourism business resilience

This study applies a relationship perspective to study tourism crisis management and resilience. Despite the growing academic interest in crisis management, few studies have examined how tourism businesses utilise their networks as a crisis management strategy. This research uses a multi-case study design and longitudinal data collection to study the effects of a natural disaster on tourism businesses in Lombok, Indonesia. Results indicate that the characteristics and capabilities of individual tourism business actors and their networking behaviour affected the speed of their recovery. Networks can be used as a strategic tool and business recovery is improved by strengthening network resilience.

The digital communication tools and citizens' relationship with local governments: a comparison of Georgian and Polish cities

This article aims to explore the impact of digital communication tools application by citizens and the perceived usefulness of social media on the relationship between citizens and local authorities. The data were gathered in April–September 2020 through a survey (CAWI) among citizens of Poznan, Poland (n=502), and Kutaisi, Georgia (n=504), and were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The findings show that the intensity of digital communication tools usage for participation in the city branding and the perceived usefulness of social media contribute to the lasting relationships between citizens and local authorities in both countries. The novelty of this research concerns comparing two countries with different levels of development. Georgia is a developing economy in Europe and is in the process of modernizing the local governance across the cities. Poland, however, is a mature economy with a post-transformation heritage, where its cities benefit from considerable experience in building and developing citizen participation policies. Furthermore, the research was conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic and evidenced the growing popularity of digital tools adoption by citizens in city matters. This study contributes to understanding the impact of digital tools on the relationship between citizens and local authorities in terms of city brand management. Citizens' participation in the city branding process via various digital communication tools increased citizen commitment towards long-lasting collaboration with local authorities. Moreover, citizens' perception of social media usefulness positively influences their desire to engage in the city branding process online, supporting the trust-building and collaboration between citizens and local authorities. Points for practitioners The intensiveness of digital tools usage – governments should identify the tools already trusted and popular among their audience and employ those tools to a greater extent to maximize the chances of feedback, high citizen participation, and commitment. Citizens' perception of social media – such characteristics as ease of use, transparency, ease of communication with the municipality, and safety encourage citizens to get involved in the city brand management process. Consequently, local authorities should consider the features mentioned above and develop the online tools quality.

Agri-Food Enterprises and Relationship Marketing During COVID-19: A Primary Data Research through Commitment-Trust Theory

This paper examines relationship marketing through the views of agri-food enterprises during COVID-19 using the commitment-trust theory as a framework. For this purpose, a primary research was conducted in 266 Greek agri-food enterprises at all stages of the agri-food sector and its activities to investigate relationship marketing in times of crisis. Through a confirmatory structural equation model (SEM), compatible with the commitment-trust theory, the results show that relationship termination costs explain the relationship commitment while communication explains trust. Moreover, there is an indirect effect of shared values on cooperation through trust. It is important to note that despite the COVID-19 crisis, there is no effect of uncertainty on trust. The above outcomes shed light on agri-food enterprises and relationship marketing in periods of crisis. With this knowledge, this paper provides recommendations to agri-food enterprises to focus on cooperation and shared values rather than being dominated by uncertainty. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Is Relationship Marketing Still Relevant? A Concept Analysis: An Abstract

Relationship marketing represents a shift from traditional, transaction-based marketing practices to customer-centric techniques that focus on providing customers with a competitive advantage through the development of mutually beneficial relationships. As a result of COVID-19's isolation orders, quarantine requirements, and an increase in remote workforces, one has to wonder, how are relationships changing due to this forced digital era? The purpose of this research is to review the origins, definitions, and intricacies of relationship marketing, including but not limited to the current importance and validity of it as a paradigm shift in the digital era, applicable theories and constructs, and the various facets associated with relationship marketing. By reviewing the importance and worthiness of relationship marketing as a dominant theoretical and practical school of thought, the authors review the fundamentals of relationship marketing and present it as a paradigm shift in the wake of the digital marketing climate forced by COVID-19. Relationship marketing has garnered significant attention from scholars as a dominant field of study within the marketing discipline. However, as marketers navigate the wealth of new opportunities afforded by the digital era, it is germane to address how relationship marketing aligns with these new tools and strategies. Conducting business is fundamentally rooted in one's ability to establish and maintain fruitful relationships through the development of commitment and trust (Morgan & Hunt, 1994;1999). The content analysis examines the origins, definitions, and intricacies of relationship marketing to determine its relevance to the current market and concludes by presenting several viable areas for future research contributions. Exploration of relationship marketing as a paradigm shift is far from mature and holds many implications for academia and industry. Relationship marketing is essential because this research is a window into strategic approaches and tactics;it expands much more comprehensively than the company and its customers and offers the potential for additional research contributions including theory and scale development. The digital age has enhanced future research possibilities by unifying various perspectives of relationship marketing and providing new avenues for assessing the bonds between consumers and companies. Furthering the body of knowledge for relationship marketing is essential to understand the ups, downs, starts, and conclusions of this communication and marketing strategy and the overall longevity of business relationships in the digital age. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

South African bank loyalty during Covid-19 times

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way firms and consumers operate. It is crucial to investigate how customer loyalty changed in the banking industry when clients had to use e-banking methods for transactions during periods of lockdown. The purpose of the study is to establish how the pandemic influenced relationship marketing (RM) aspects and consequently customer loyalty in the South African banking industry, to increase loyalty levels in this competitive industry. This study attempts to address a research gap in the subject-area of customer loyalty during times of uncertainty, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, by considering the selected RM aspects related to customer loyalty. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to investigate customer loyalty in the South African banking industry since Covid-19. Following an empirical investigation, 203 banking clients formed a convenience sample by answering a self-administered closed-ended questionnaire. Data was analysed by means of quantitative procedures. The main results of this study reveal that three RM aspects, namely reputation, safety regulations (linked to Covid-19 protocols) and information safety, positively lead to customer loyalty among banking clients during Covid-19 times. The study recommends practical strategies to banks, concerning reputation, safety in terms of Covid-19 regulations as well as information security, to improve the significant RM aspects in order to increase customer loyalty. Following implementation, this could ensure mutual bank-client benefits and ultimately contribute to the South African economy. Furthermore, the study adds to the body of literature on RM by revealing that in addition to well-established RM aspects such as customer satisfaction, other aspects related to bank-client relationships are also pertinent to increase customer loyalty during uncertain times. These aspects relate to a particular situation and could be regarded as contextual RM aspects. One example of such an aspect, proven to be relevant to this study, is Covid-19 safety regulations.

Conceptual Model of Communication in the Relationship Marketing of Public Institutions in the Post-pandemic Period

This paper contains an original approach consisting of conducting empirical exploratory research, through mixed research methods of qualitative and quantitative nature, carried out sequentially, in order to design a model of communication in relationship marketing with applicability to public institutions. The design of the work took place during the acute global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had an impact on the empirical research carried out and led to an exploration of the theme at a time when the role of public institutions grew in importance, in the context of the crisis management. The communication model provides a multi-stage process where awareness of the communication framework and the use of appropriate levers are essential. The creation of value occurs by working towards a common goal, but also by adapting and reframing the meaning, in case of difficult communication. The model confirms the importance of trust, commitment and image for effective communication in relationship marketing. Practical applications for use of the model include proposing measures to manage disinformation and introduce new subjects into school and university curricula. Particular attention is paid to the Z generation and the way in which relationship marketing with public institutions can make use of the aspirations, competences and identity traits of this generation. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Not All Churn Customers Are the Same: Investigating the Effect of Customer Churn Heterogeneity on Customer Value in the Financial Sector

This research suggests a way to sustain a firm’s business by focusing on the economic aspects of relationship marketing by managing the heterogeneity of churn customers. In general, firms have regarded churn customers as a homogeneous segment, for they have not been conscious that churn ego can be various. However, customer churn can be divided into voluntary and involuntary, implying that firms should reform the retention strategy by focusing on egos that seem homogenous but are heterogeneous in terms of churn behavior. Using a multiple regression model, this study analyzed customer data from an insurance company to investigate the heterogeneous impacts of churn customers. It measured the impact based on the period and revenue in the second lifetime, comprehensively representing customer satisfaction. Empirical results show that customer churn heterogeneity significantly affects customers’ second-lifetime behavior. The analysis reveals how the firm effectively performed customer regaining initiatives and successfully maintained persistency. This research also concludes that voluntary and involuntary churn occurred by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Finally, this research implicates the retention strategy that differs from the heterogeneity to achieve a firm’s high performance and suggests an empirical method of spurious loyalty avoidance by hedging loyal customer selection risk.

The effectiveness of improvisational behavior on sales performance during the COVID-19 pandemic: the moderating effect of functional customer orientation

Purpose This research aims to apply the contingency approach to explore the effectiveness of the improvisational behavior of salespeople on their sales performance by considering the moderating role of functional customer orientation. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were obtained from a sample of 227 salespeople in Bangkok, Thailand. The data analysis was implemented by partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The overall results indicate that the association between improvisational behavior and sales performance is significantly contingent on the level of functional customer orientation that salespeople exhibit. For salespeople with high functional customer orientation, improvisational behavior clearly shows a positive association with sales performance. In contrast, for salespeople with low functional customer orientation, improvisational behavior appears to have a negative association with sales performance. Originality/value This research broadens the knowledge in the literature by showing that improvisational behavior of salespeople needs to be combined with functional customer orientation to yield a benefit to their sales performance.

Digital transformation in HEIs and its impact on the user experience / student service processes

The digital transformation has become the fundamental axis to seek leadership in the market, organizations innovate production processes, but also in the provision of services always seeking to generate positive experiences, faced with this reality, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are also included. Universities adapt their management processes, not only in education, but also in applying new communication channels in the provision of services to students, who seek to streamline the relationship with their institution, optimizing resources and response times. It is the responsibility of the directors of HEIs, through their strategies, to move towards a digital culture in which the entire educational community can interact, leaving aside traditional structures applied in management towards students and the general public. The digital transformation in educational organizations is possible and necessary to begin as soon as possible and it will be viable if the teams that have to implement it know in detail the vision and strategy of the university, they know clearly where they want to go and what they want attain [1]. The main objective of this research is to determine the process of digital transformation in which the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) is working, the changes obtained as a result of the adaptation of new attention and communication channels in the provision of academic-administrative services, mainly towards his students. The processed data correspond to the collection of information on the use of communication channels used by UTPL students and how the issue of the COVID 19 pandemic influenced the repowering of these relationship media, ratifying the student as the center of its operation. © 2022 IEEE Computer Society. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Monetary Benefits in a Pandemic Situation—Navigating Changes in Customer Loyalty through Negative Switching Barriers in the Hotel Industry

The present study examines the impact of monetary benefits on hotel loyalty programs in a pandemic situation, and the relationship between monetary benefits and multidimensional loyalty aspects. Since 2020, international hotel suppliers have focused on monetary investments and promotions through hotel loyalty programs that have seen extraordinary results in the Korean market. Feedback from the market raises questions as to whether these results are caused by true loyalty or economic sensitivity caused by a recession. Thus, it is necessary to investigate this phenomenon from a relationship perspective. In this research, negative switching barrier facets were given a moderating role with multidimensional loyalty factors consisting of attitudinal loyalty, behavioral loyalty, and composite loyalty. A quantitative method was used, in which consumers in Korea were surveyed via an online questionnaire. In total, 494 responses from consumers were analyzed. Notably, negative switching barriers were found to have a negative moderating effect on the relationship between monetary benefits and attitudinal loyalty. This result implies that although the customer is economically sensitive during a recession, monetary benefits and the market situation can cause fatigue that potentially produces obstacles to long-term relationships with the customer. The results of this study highlight the hotel suppliers involved in monetary competition during a pandemic situation and the need to develop solid long-term relationships through customer loyalty strategies.

Customer engagement in online service brand communities

Purpose>Online service brand communities (OBCs) are an essential services marketing channel and relationship marketing tool, in which social capital (SC) is a critical success factor. Underpinned in social identity and social exchange theories, this paper aims to explore the effects of SC on customer brand engagement (CBE), considering the roles of collective psychological ownership (CPO), customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) and perceived community support (PCS).Design/methodology/approach>The research model was tested using survey data from 256 participants;137 from the Xiaomi Community and 119 from the Huawei Fan Club. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling analysis was used.Findings>SC drives CBE. CPO and CCB are important mediators, whilst PCS is an important moderator.Practical implications>Brand marketers need to foster SC in OBCs to achieve the maximum level of customer engagement. The authors provide recommendations as to how to build structural, relational and cognitive SC, as well as CPO, CCB and PCS. In short, brand marketers need to foster an interactive, empowering and supportive environment.Originality/value>The authors further service research around the humanisation of technology. Specifically, OBCs are social spaces for brands and customers, and a key enabler of relationship marketing principles, such as CBE. The authors test the roles of structural, cognitive and relational SC in engagement in OBCs, through CPO and CCB. This holistic picture of engagement in OBCs is an important foundation for future service research.

Predicting Private and Public Pro-Environmental Behaviors in Rural Tourism Contexts Using SEM and fsQCA: The Role of Destination Image and Relationship Quality

The importance of pro-environmental behavior in tourism has been established, but explaining its sub-dimensions, especially in the private and public dimensions, is under-researched. Existing literature on tourism research mainly uses SEM to analyze tourist pro-environmental behavior, while fsQCA is scarcely implemented. In this study, SEM is applied to reveal the links among destination image, relationship quality, and pro-environmental behavior, while fsQCA is utilized to investigate configurations predicting pro-environmental behavior. Responses of 285 tourists were collected and analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. The SEM results showed that (1) destination image directly and positively affected relationship quality (including satisfaction and destination trust);(2) relationship quality was found to positively and directly influence private and public pro-environmental behaviors;(3) relationship quality did mediate the influence of destination image on private pro-environmental behavior partially, while it played a full mediating role in the effect of destination image on public pro-environmental behavior. The findings from fsQCA indicated that (1) three sufficient configurations consistently lead to a high level of private pro-environmental behavior: (a) high destination image and satisfaction, (b) high destination image and trust, (c) high relationship quality;(2) there was only one sufficient causal configuration for a high level of public pro-environmental behavior: high relationship quality. The results provide tenable evidence that relationship quality can be a vital factor enhancing the sub-dimensions of pro-environmental behavior. The integration of these two methods helps to open the black box of tourist pro-environmental behavior in rural tourism contexts in a more systematic and holistic way.