• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.14 no.8
• /
• pp.416-430
• /
• 2014

As the online word-of-mouth(WOM) using SNS has significant influence on consumer decision-making, the hospitality industry including the restaurant industry has actively used SNSs as one of major marketing tools. While researchers have focused on impacts of the online WOM, there is little research on motivations to provide WOM and its impacts on the WOM providers. The purpose of this study is to examine whether sharing the restaurant experience on Facebook, the representative SNSs, can change customer satisfaction and intentions to revisit and recommended and whether the type of motivations to share the restaurant experiences on Facebook affects customer satisfaction and intentions to revisit and recommend. The total of 260 college students volunteered to participate in this study. They first visited a restaurant and completed surveys twice before and after sharing their restaurant experience on Facebook. According to the study results, the levels of satisfaction, intention to revisit and intention to recommend after sharing the restaurant experience were found to be higher than before sharing the experience. This study also found that people who shared their restaurant experience for nostalgia were more likely to be satisfied with the restaurant services and have a higher level of intentions to revisit and recommend the restaurant. Theoretical and managerial implications as well as limitations and future research directions are discussed.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.11 no.6
• /
• pp.67-80
• /
• 2013

Purpose - This study aims to establish the relationships among brand equity, brand attitudes, and Visual Merchandising (VMD) in bakery stores. The results will help bakery franchisees and franchisers in devising appropriate strategies for successfully managing their bakery shops. Research design, data, and methodology - The VMD model for bakery shops comprises harmony, attractiveness, suitability, pandemic, functionality, and reliability. Further, brand equity encompasses brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand image. In this study, the VMD factors of bakery shops are used as independent variables, while brand equity and brand attitude are used as dependent variables. This study aims to ascertain the extent of the influence VMD components of bakery shops have on brand equity and brand attitude. Regression analysis was used to verify those effects. The measurement items, deemed reliable and valid in a previous study, were modified for this study. Questionnaires were distributed to 500 consumers nationwide, of whom 340 were used for the sample. The SPSS 19.0 statistical program was used for the analysis. Results - First, among the VMD bakery shop components, harmony, attractiveness, and pandemic have a positive impact on brand equity (brand awareness and brand image). Second, amongst the VMD components of bakery shops, attractiveness, pandemic, and reliability have a positive impact on brand equity (perceived quality). Third, amongst the VMD components of bakery shops, harmony, attractiveness, and reliability have a positive impact on brand attitude. Fourth, brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, and perceived quality) have a positive effect on brand attitude. Conclusions - This study identifies the relationships between the VMD components of a bakery shop and brand equity and attitude in order to propose a new model. The study has several practical implications. First, the development of brand equity and management can be important components in bakery shops' determination of whether their VMD components have an impact on brand equity. Second, among VMD components, harmony and attractiveness have a positive influence on the choice of bakery shop, while reliability and pandemic have a partly positive influence on the choice of bakery shop. Therefore, store atmospheres should be attractively designed, and store menus and interiors should be reviewed periodically to conform to the latest trends. This study suggests marketing strategies for brand equity formation. First, providing collateral product quality, hygiene, and safety benefits as well as product offerings to complement the season and employees' services should be considered. Second, display methods, illumination designs, and new product ideas should be periodically reviewed. Third, these should complement the overall harmony of the interior and exterior and of the store atmosphere in order to be attractive. Funds should thus be dedicated specifically for the facilities and their interiors. Fourth, it is necessary to build a friendly and relaxed image that can be easily called to mind by the customers.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2018

Purpose - This research examined the effect of hedonic and utilitarian eating-out motivations on the evaluation of restaurant selection attributes in a fashion premium outlet. Additionally, the influence of experimental and functional attributes on customers' preference for hedonic eating-out motives and utilitarian eating-out motives, and variation of moderating effects through the gender was examined. Research design, data, and methodology - A survey was conducted to verify the established research hypothesis. The questionnaire items for the research were modified to fit the situation of the present study. In order to elaborate the questionnaire, the literature of the previous researchers was reviewed and supplemented. The survey conducted 207 online questionnaires for consumers who have visited domestic fashion premium outlets from July 4, 2017 to July 27, 2017. A total of 207 questionnaires were collected, and a total of 206 questionnaires were used for the empirical analysis after excluding one inappropriate response. In order to verify the reliability and validity of the measured variables, exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed using SPSS 20.0. Next, the structural equation model (SEM) statistical method was used to test the hypotheses of the study. Results - Hedonic motivation had more influence on experimental attribute importance than the functional attribute importance of the restaurant. However, this result was different depending on the gender. The effects of hedonic motives on empirical attributes were more influenced by female groups, and when influencing functional attributes, male groups were more influenced. However, it was statistically significant (p <0.05) in the female group only when the hedonic eating out motives influenced empirical attributes. Conclusions - This study analyzed the effect of eating-out motivation on the restaurant preference attributes and suggested practical implications. First, customers with hedonic eating-out motivations were evaluating experiential attributes to be more important than functional attributes. Second, for customers who are motivated to use practical eating-out habits, companies should provide services that meet practical and economic needs. In particular, female customers visiting restaurants need differentiated marketing strategies that make them feel new experiences rather than practical ones. In addition, it is necessary to study more complex and integrated studies which will influence restaurant selection attributes of premium outlets customers by adding various eating out motives and selection attributes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.10 no.10
• /
• pp.2959-2965
• /
• 2009

This research is based on the medical information record of a university hospital on analysis of outpatients, inpatients and delivery related information in gynecology area. The result of application having analysis of patients as basic material for hospital management is as follows. The number of new patients in average was 140.9, and as the year passes by, it seemed to decrease noticeably(p=0.000). In the first year (2001) the number was only 212.6, but increased to 140 by the year of 2007, showing increase of 80.9. The actual number of patients in the hospital was 124.6 in average and it showed noticeable decrease after each year (p=0.000), from 144.6 patients on the first year 2001, to 104.8 patients in 2007, showing approximately 40 patients decreased. Multiple regression analysis was performed having independent variables as characteristics of patients and cause of delivery related factors, and dependent variables as the number of patients in the hospital. According to analysis, the cause of affecting the number of patients in the hospital was selected as the number of new patients, the number of delivery per year. The reliability rate was recorded as 62.8%. Therefore, apart from the services on marketing and patient management which must come first, the effect of inviting them cannot be avoided, which directly links to trust resulting from the consideration to patients.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.13 no.11
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2015

Purpose - The number of consumers adopting a lifestyle of health and sustainability has recently increased with the rise of trends in healthy living. The size of the organic agricultural product market has also increased given that these consumers prefer consuming environmentally friendly products that promote family health. However, awareness of organic agricultural products remains insufficient because of the characteristics of the Korean organic agriculture system, which only focuses on food safety inspection. The object of this research is to suggest a policy approach to increase understanding and to expand the purchasing of organic agricultural products by analyzing the influence of customer recognition of such products on their willingness to repurchase. Research design, data, and methodology - This study used binomial logistic regression analysis with the aim of explaining the effects of consumers' socio-demographic characteristics, their awareness of the equivalence arrangement for organic food and of the abolishment of low-pesticide agricultural product certification, and their viewing of negative broadcasts about organic agricultural products on their repurchase intention of such products. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 655 respondents who were in their 20s, lived either in Seoul or in its metropolitan area, and had purchased organic agricultural products. Result - From the results of the analysis, the majority of the respondents recognized organic agricultural products, but they found their prices to be expensive. The majority of the respondents were also aware of the certification system and the reliability of organic agricultural products. However, the results indicate that efforts need to be made to recover consumer trust as many respondents stated that their trust levels in these products were low. In general, those purchasing organic agricultural products were satisfied, but those answering "very satisfied" were not in the majority. Binomial logistic regression analysis results revealed that repurchase intention decreased as consumers viewed a greater number of negative broadcasts about these products. On the other hand, repurchase intention increased as they became more aware of the abolishment of low-pesticide certification. Repurchase intention also increased as income increased, as the number of family members decreased, and when a consumer was a member of a consumer organization. In addition, the older the consumers were who watched the TV programs, the smaller the number of family members that were aware of the abolishment of low-pesticide agricultural product certification and, the higher the income of the consumers aware of organic equivalence arrangement, the greater their repurchase intention. Conclusion - External stimuli, such as negative TV programs on organic agricultural products and the abolishment of the low-pesticide agricultural product certification, relevant social issues and systems, influence consumer repurchase intention. To that end, positive environmental and ecological broadcasting about organic agricultural products would contribute to an increase in purchasing. Additionally, this could be used for promotion and marketing plans as the results indicate that trust in organic agricultural products would cause a positive repurchasing effect.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.75-94
• /
• 2011

In this paper, we explore the information diffusion mechanism under social network environments by investigating the effect of message characteristics on the volume and speed of retweeting in Twitter, a popular online social media service. To this end, we select eight main keywords (i.e., '무상급식', '반값등록금', '나가수', '평창', '김연아', '박태환', '아이폰', '갤럭시') that have been popular on online social media in recent days. Each keyword represents various social aspects of Korea that recently grab people's attention such as political issues, entertainment, sports celebrities, and the latest digital products, and eventually holds distinctive message characteristics. Analyzing the frequency and velocity of retweeting for each keyword, we find that more than half of the sample messages posted on Twitter contain personal opinions for the certain keyword, but we also find that the tweets which include objective messages with hyperlink are the fastest ones when being retweeted by other followers. In overall, when being retweeted, the group of messages related to the certain keyword present distinctive diffusion patterns and speed according to message characteristics. From academic perspective, the findings in the study broaden our theoretical knowledge of information diffusion mechanism over online social media. For practitioners, the results also provide managerial implications regarding how to strategically utilize online social media for marketing communications with customers.

• Management & Information Systems Review
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.131-153
• /
• 2014

This study has analyzed on affecting factors of the customer's empathy toward the corporate philanthropic activities in terms of corporates and their products. From the corporate perspective, we have checked how the activities affect the perception of the customer familiarity and authenticity. Study shows that the fairness of the social contribution activities have an impact on both the familiarity and the authenticity (hypothesis 1, hypothesis 2). Social contributions reciprocity has been shown to influence familiarity (hypothesis 3) and it was not statistically significant to the authenticity (hypothesis 4). Looking at the relationship between the familiarity and authenticity from the product side, charm and familiarity (hypothesis 5), uniqueness and authenticity (hypothesis 8) showed that the impact on the definition. On the other hand charm and authenticity (hypothesis 6), uniqueness and familiarity (hypothesis 7) appeared to be not statistically significant. Finally, the relationship between familiarity, authenticity and empathy is as follows. First, the familiarity was found that it is affecting the authenticity (hypothesis 9) and for the consumer sympathetic (hypothesis 10) appeared to be not statistically significant. And the authenticity was found having a defined effect on the consumer sympathetic (hypothesis 11). It is really far more important to suggest an integrated approach to continue a sustainable and stable relationship by increasing consumer purchasing and empathy for the products and services of social enterprises. This study provides practical implications for marketing strategies of social enterprises, which can draw the consumer sympathy through the social contribution activities of social enterprise.

• Management & Information Systems Review
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.213-230
• /
• 2016

In O2O environment(Online-to-Offline), providers attract new customers via web sites and lead them to pay online, then induce them again to offline when receiving products. Thus, online and offline channel is integrated and create synergy for marketing in O2O context. As online and offline channel coexist in O2O, consumers' perceptions for products and services that providers offer cannot help being different compared to an independent channel (i.e., either online or offline). Therefore, this research aims to develop the O2O service quality model(O2O-SQ model). Especially, O2O is the unique environment where offline, online, and mobile commerce are integrated so that the current paper suggests the $1^{st}$ O2O-SQ model by integrating the common factors of offline, online, and mobile service quality model through the previous literature review. Hence, this study conducts FGI(Focus Group Interview) for customers who have experienced in purchasing products in O2O commerce. Among integrated common service quality factors of $1^{st}$ O2O-SQ model, the current paper identifies the specific service quality factors that customers perceive significantly through FGI analysis. Moreover, after extracting the unique O2O-SQ factors with this qualitative analysis and integrating with the $1^{st}$ O2O-SQ model, the paper develops the final O2O-SQ model.

• Management & Information Systems Review
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.187-209
• /
• 2017

Service industry performance and competitive advantage depend on the attitudes and behavior of customer service employees who produce and deliver services through contact with customers. Most studies on customer service employees so far have concentrated on kindness, attitudes, or benefits. This study focuses on the increasing importance of customer service employees and intends to study them from the viewpoint of human brands that recognize customer service employees as a brand. In addition to the role of the employee at the service contact point, the customer participation behavior affects the interaction process with the customer service employee. Ultimately, customers could no longer be excluded from control to improve service quality. This study based on theory that the human brand characteristics of the customer service employees lead the customer's participation, which has a positive effect on the relationship with the service brand and the service brand attitude surveyed and analyzed customers who use service brand. This study is summarized as follows. First, the relationship between the service brand and the customer is examined. Second, this study also expands prior studies by examining the human brand characteristics of customer service employees and customers' willingness to participate in providing information on the impact of the consumer-brand relationship. The results of the study indicate that among the customer service employees' human brand characteristics reliability, familiarity, and empathy were found to affect the relationship between customers, the service brand, and the attitude toward the service brand the most. This study provides important implications for theoretical and practical strategies by examining the qualities and characteristics of customer service employees, which are the most important agents of marketing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.62 no.4
• /
• pp.46-57
• /
• 2012

Consumers currently show cross-channel shopping behavior between the Internet and store-based retail types when searching information and purchasing sensory products such as fashion items to reduce risks. As consumers compare both types of stores before making a purchase decision, the Internet retail type and store-based retail type started conflicting/competing each other as the combined retail evolution theory proposed(Kim & Kincade, 2006). The purpose of this study is to examine consumers' cross-channel shopping behavior between the Internet and store-based retail types and their importance and satisfaction with information provided by the Internet retail stores. This study employs a quantitative research method using a survey. Demographics, types of stores used for purchase, satisfaction with the type of stores, Internet shopping behavior, importance and satisfaction with product information in the Internet retail stores were asked. MANOVA and descriptive statistics were used to test hypotheses. The result shows that a majority of participants(36.2%) shows cross-channel shopping behavior between the two retail types. Also, most participants(72.4%) decide on their purchase and are satisfied only after cross-channel shopping between the two retail types. Participants were grouped based on their information search and purchase behavior. Significant differences among the groups were found in importance and satisfaction with product information provided by the Internet stores. In measuring participants' satisfaction, a majority of participants(42.1%) showed satisfaction with their purchase at store-based retail stores after information search via the internet, followed by the satisfaction with the purchase at the internet retail stores after information search at store-based retail stores(30.3%). Fifty one point nine percent of participants search information via the internet(vs.48% at store-based retail stores), and they especially look for fiber contents and design details with pictures(37.4%). The satisfaction with price information provided by the Internet retail stores is the highest (m=3.70 out of 5.0) among fashion product information followed by design information(m=3.48). On the other hand, size information, refund/exchange and fiber content information received low satisfaction scores(m=2.81, 2.71, 2.57 in turn). This research suggests the Internet retail stores should provide more variety of information in detail using technology and improving customer services. This study could provide the Internet retail stores a guideline to establish a satisfactory information delivery system.