Academic Research
Virtual Influencers Versus Real Connections: Exploring the Phenomenon of Virtual Influencers
While growing is interest in the use of social media influencers in digital marketing campaigns, little is known about virtual influencers and their impact on consumers and brands. Virtual influencers are becoming efficient advertising tools. Instead of being simple promoters, however, customers develop complex relationships with virtual influencers. This study seeks to uncover how social comparisons and parasocial relationships manifest within the virtual influencer phenomenon through the lived experiences of their followers. The findings indicate that perceiving virtual influencers’ human-like traits induces some form of social comparison among followers that triggers several responses, such as jealousy, scorn, motivation/determination, and gratitude. Resutls also show that anthropomorphism plays a crucial role in the development of strong relationships between virtual influencers and their followers. Followers experience a paradoxical multidirectionality of parasocial relationships, whereby a co-occurrence of actual multidimensionality (community-based interactions between followers) and a strengthened perceived, but not actual, multidimensional interaction with virtual influencers has been observed. Drawing on followers’ experiences, this study extends Husserl’s lifeworld concept to digital lifeworlds, in which virtual influencers are embedded. This study contributes to influencer marketing by conceptualizing comparisons between humans and virtual influencers and how humans develop parasocial relationships with them.
Paper Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913367.2024.2393711?af=R
Authors: Mona Mrad, Zahy Ramadan, Zsófia Tóth, Lina Nasr, Sahar Karimi
ABSTRACT
While growing is interest in the use of social media influencers in digital marketing campaigns, little is known about virtual influencers and their impact on consumers and brands. Virtual influencers are becoming efficient advertising tools. Instead of being simple promoters, however, customers develop complex relationships with virtual influencers. This study seeks to uncover how social comparisons and parasocial relationships manifest within the virtual influencer phenomenon through the lived experiences of their followers. The findings indicate that perceiving virtual influencers’ human-like traits induces some form of social comparison among followers that triggers several responses, such as jealousy, scorn, motivation/determination, and gratitude. Resutls also show that anthropomorphism plays a crucial role in the development of strong relationships between virtual influencers and their followers. Followers experience a paradoxical multidirectionality of parasocial relationships, whereby a co-occurrence of actual multidimensionality (community-based interactions between followers) and a strengthened perceived, but not actual, multidimensional interaction with virtual influencers has been observed. Drawing on followers’ experiences, this study extends Husserl’s lifeworld concept to digital lifeworlds, in which virtual influencers are embedded. This study contributes to influencer marketing by conceptualizing comparisons between humans and virtual influencers and how humans develop parasocial relationships with them.
The Effect of Brand Alliances Across Dependent Variables and Research Designs: A Meta-Analysis
Researchers have observed that a brand ally positively impacts a focal brand. However, it’s unclear what the average size of this effect is and if this effect is consistent across dependent variables and research designs. This uncertainty can lead to misconceptions among scholars and practitioners regarding the findings from brand alliance studies. Through a meta-analysis, this study finds that the average size of the brand alliance effect is 0.244, indicating a significant brand ally influence on a focal brand. Additionally, the analysis reveals that fictional brands yield larger effect sizes regarding attitudes toward the brand alliance, whereas real brands exert a greater impact on attitudes toward the focal brand. Yet, the effect size is influenced by dependent variables and research design elements. These findings suggest that drawing direct equivalences of effect sizes across dependent variables might be misleading; guidelines are provided to help navigate such potential discrepancies.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296325000712?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Kevin E. Voss, Mayoor Mohan, Jin Ho Jung, Fernando R. Jiménez
ABSTRACT
Researchers have observed that a brand ally positively impacts a focal brand. However, it’s unclear what the average size of this effect is and if this effect is consistent across dependent variables and research designs. This uncertainty can lead to misconceptions among scholars and practitioners regarding the findings from brand alliance studies. Through a meta-analysis, this study finds that the average size of the brand alliance effect is 0.244, indicating a significant brand ally influence on a focal brand. Additionally, the analysis reveals that fictional brands yield larger effect sizes regarding attitudes toward the brand alliance, whereas real brands exert a greater impact on attitudes toward the focal brand. Yet, the effect size is influenced by dependent variables and research design elements. These findings suggest that drawing direct equivalences of effect sizes across dependent variables might be misleading; guidelines are provided to help navigate such potential discrepancies.
I Am Not Like Them: A Terror Management Theory Perspective on the Consumer Separation Tendency of Pet Profile Images
Despite increasing trends of influencers using pet elements to pursue business benefits, little attention has been paid to understanding their harmful effects. According to the Terror Management Theory, this research aimed to fill this gap by exploring how mortality salience reduced the effectiveness of influencers with pet profile images. On the basis of four experiments, we found that mortality salience hurt consumer's attitude toward them because increased anxiety about physical death led consumers to perceive less similarity and separate from pet images. Furthermore, the above negative effect on consumer's attitude was reversed by their posts disclosing worldviews (a sense of meaning transcending death), which provided consumers with an effective defense tool against fear of mortality.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925000189?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Yongdan Liu, Matthew Tingchi Liu, Yutong Ma
ABSTRACT
Despite increasing trends of influencers using pet elements to pursue business benefits, little attention has been paid to understanding their harmful effects. According to the Terror Management Theory, this research aimed to fill this gap by exploring how mortality salience reduced the effectiveness of influencers with pet profile images. On the basis of four experiments, we found that mortality salience hurt consumer's attitude toward them because increased anxiety about physical death led consumers to perceive less similarity and separate from pet images. Furthermore, the above negative effect on consumer's attitude was reversed by their posts disclosing worldviews (a sense of meaning transcending death), which provided consumers with an effective defense tool against fear of mortality.
Rejections Are Stickier Than Choices
Consumers frequently make the same decision repeatedly, by either choosing the products they like more or rejecting the products they like less. Holding everything else constant, does the mere act of choosing versus rejecting influence the extent to which consumers seek variety? Eight studies (N = 2,814) identify a robust effect: Consumers tend to seek less variety across repeated decisions if they make each decision by rejecting than if they make each decision by choosing. This effect occurs because an initial rejection (vs. choice) reduces the liking of the unselected option(s) and thus widens the liking gap between the selected and unselected options. An increased liking gap, in turn, decreases the consumer's likelihood of selecting a previously unselected option(s) in subsequent decisions. The findings also show that the enlarged liking gap is driven by increased negative inferences about the unselected option(s). Theoretically, this research extends the literatures on variety seeking and choosing versus rejecting. Practically, it offers implications for consumer welfare: The rejection task can improve (worsen) the decision quality in situations in which consumers typically seek too much (too little) variety.
Paper Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00222437241301417?ai=2b4&mi=ehikzz&af=R
Authors: Minzhe Xu, Yang Yang, Chris Janiszewski
ABSTRACT
Consumers frequently make the same decision repeatedly, by either choosing the products they like more or rejecting the products they like less. Holding everything else constant, does the mere act of choosing versus rejecting influence the extent to which consumers seek variety? Eight studies (N = 2,814) identify a robust effect: Consumers tend to seek less variety across repeated decisions if they make each decision by rejecting than if they make each decision by choosing. This effect occurs because an initial rejection (vs. choice) reduces the liking of the unselected option(s) and thus widens the liking gap between the selected and unselected options. An increased liking gap, in turn, decreases the consumer's likelihood of selecting a previously unselected option(s) in subsequent decisions. The findings also show that the enlarged liking gap is driven by increased negative inferences about the unselected option(s). Theoretically, this research extends the literatures on variety seeking and choosing versus rejecting. Practically, it offers implications for consumer welfare: The rejection task can improve (worsen) the decision quality in situations in which consumers typically seek too much (too little) variety.
Less Stress, Fewer Delays: The Role of Sophisticated AI in Mitigating Decision Fatigue and Purchase Postponement in Luxury Retail
Purchase postponement is a critical issue for luxury retailers, as consumers often browse or try luxury goods but ultimately delay or abandon purchases. This study explores how retail technologies can address this problem. While sophisticated AI offers diversified recommendations and hyper-personalized options, it can overwhelm consumers, increasing their decision fatigue and purchase postponement. However, it also has the potential to facilitate consumers' decision-making. Building on the stressor-strain-outcome framework, this study examines whether luxury consumers’ experiences with different levels of AI sophistication (high vs. low) show varying levels of purchase postponement (Study 1) and further explores the underlying mechanisms by which sophisticated AI mitigates decision fatigue and purchase postponement (Study 2). Results from two online experiments indicate that luxury consumers who interacted with highly sophisticated AI exhibited lower levels of purchase postponement, even among those with higher goal orientations. This is because luxury consumers perceive sophisticated AI as having more mind-like qualities (agency and experience), enhancing their perceived trust and empathy, which helps alleviate decision fatigue and purchase postponement, especially when service embarrassment is low. This paper makes a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in AI services, retailing, and luxury consumer research, and provides practical insights for luxury retailers with strategies to prevent and mitigate consumer decision fatigue and purchase postponement.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925000475?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Jiarui Li, Jiyun Kang
ABSTRACT
Purchase postponement is a critical issue for luxury retailers, as consumers often browse or try luxury goods but ultimately delay or abandon purchases. This study explores how retail technologies can address this problem. While sophisticated AI offers diversified recommendations and hyper-personalized options, it can overwhelm consumers, increasing their decision fatigue and purchase postponement. However, it also has the potential to facilitate consumers' decision-making. Building on the stressor-strain-outcome framework, this study examines whether luxury consumers’ experiences with different levels of AI sophistication (high vs. low) show varying levels of purchase postponement (Study 1) and further explores the underlying mechanisms by which sophisticated AI mitigates decision fatigue and purchase postponement (Study 2). Results from two online experiments indicate that luxury consumers who interacted with highly sophisticated AI exhibited lower levels of purchase postponement, even among those with higher goal orientations. This is because luxury consumers perceive sophisticated AI as having more mind-like qualities (agency and experience), enhancing their perceived trust and empathy, which helps alleviate decision fatigue and purchase postponement, especially when service embarrassment is low. This paper makes a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in AI services, retailing, and luxury consumer research, and provides practical insights for luxury retailers with strategies to prevent and mitigate consumer decision fatigue and purchase postponement.
Lessons Learned From the Kroger-Albertsons Merger Case
By synthesizing the findings and supporting evidence from the Kroger-Albertsons merger case—the largest proposed supermarket merger in history—and the Court's preliminary injunction ruling, this paper offers insights into the key drivers of supermarket competition today (circa 2025). We identify and explain the drivers of supermarket competition today using the preliminary injunction ruling as a guide. Supermarket competition has been heavily influenced by information technology and the resulting increases in retailer capabilities and consumers’ digital engagement, in addition to other brand and product factors, not all of which have been well studied. We also highlight changes in the drivers of supermarket competition from previous grocery retail studies, in particular changes that are not yet well documented in academic literature. The article concludes with proposed topics for future research in supermarket competition.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435925000120?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Edward J. Fox, Joe Bourdage, Justin LaTorraca, Laura O'Laughlin, Marcello Santana
ABSTRACT
By synthesizing the findings and supporting evidence from the Kroger-Albertsons merger case—the largest proposed supermarket merger in history—and the Court's preliminary injunction ruling, this paper offers insights into the key drivers of supermarket competition today (circa 2025). We identify and explain the drivers of supermarket competition today using the preliminary injunction ruling as a guide. Supermarket competition has been heavily influenced by information technology and the resulting increases in retailer capabilities and consumers’ digital engagement, in addition to other brand and product factors, not all of which have been well studied. We also highlight changes in the drivers of supermarket competition from previous grocery retail studies, in particular changes that are not yet well documented in academic literature. The article concludes with proposed topics for future research in supermarket competition.
That's So Cringeworthy! Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It
What does it mean for something to be cringeworthy? To date, research studying this phenomenon has been lacking. Across six studies, this research seeks to provide a better understanding of cringe, both in terms of what it is as an emotion and what it does via its downstream consequences on consumer behavior. The authors delineate conceptually and empirically how cringe is a unique form of vicarious embarrassment (i.e., embarrassment experienced in response to someone else). Specifically, they show that cringe occurs when one observes an actor—an individual, group of people, or even a brand—commit a social transgression by making an awkward attempt to form a positive impression on others in a way that is not excusable from the observer's perspective. The authors also demonstrate a novel effect of cringe: consumers respond to cringeworthy experiences by wanting to share them with others via word of mouth. This effect occurs because the act of sharing cringeworthy experiences gives consumers an opportunity for self-enhancement by engaging in a favorable downward social comparison to the actor committing the social transgression that elicited cringe. Theoretical contributions, managerial implications, and future research directions pertaining to emotion and word-of-mouth behavior are discussed.
Paper Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00222437241305104?ai=2b4&mi=ehikzz&af=R
Authors: Brianna Escoe, Nathanael S. Martin, Anthony Salerno
ABSTRACT
What does it mean for something to be cringeworthy? To date, research studying this phenomenon has been lacking. Across six studies, this research seeks to provide a better understanding of cringe, both in terms of what it is as an emotion and what it does via its downstream consequences on consumer behavior. The authors delineate conceptually and empirically how cringe is a unique form of vicarious embarrassment (i.e., embarrassment experienced in response to someone else). Specifically, they show that cringe occurs when one observes an actor—an individual, group of people, or even a brand—commit a social transgression by making an awkward attempt to form a positive impression on others in a way that is not excusable from the observer's perspective. The authors also demonstrate a novel effect of cringe: consumers respond to cringeworthy experiences by wanting to share them with others via word of mouth. This effect occurs because the act of sharing cringeworthy experiences gives consumers an opportunity for self-enhancement by engaging in a favorable downward social comparison to the actor committing the social transgression that elicited cringe. Theoretical contributions, managerial implications, and future research directions pertaining to emotion and word-of-mouth behavior are discussed.
Performance Under Pressure and Its Impact on Compensation: Evidence From Professional Basketball
This paper investigates how performance in high- vs. low-pressure situations affects employee compensation. Leveraging sports as a natural laboratory, we analyze National Basketball Association (NBA) play-by-play data from 2004 to 2017 in combination with seasonal player salaries, using “clutch time”—the closing minutes during a game when the outcome is at stake and performance pressure is at its peak—as an objective criterion of performance pressure. Our regression analysis provides evidence of a salary premium for players who can excel under pressure. Whereas lower-paid players’ performance does not differ much by pressure level, higher-paid players show exceptionally strong performance during critical phases of a game. We demonstrate that the ability to excel under pressure is greatly valued in professional basketball, raising the question of whether this ability is compensated not only in other sports but also in other sectors of the labor market.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167487025000194?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Helmut M. Dietl, Steffen Q. Mueller, Marco Henriques Pereira, Markus Lang
ABSTRACT
This paper investigates how performance in high- vs. low-pressure situations affects employee compensation. Leveraging sports as a natural laboratory, we analyze National Basketball Association (NBA) play-by-play data from 2004 to 2017 in combination with seasonal player salaries, using “clutch time”—the closing minutes during a game when the outcome is at stake and performance pressure is at its peak—as an objective criterion of performance pressure. Our regression analysis provides evidence of a salary premium for players who can excel under pressure. Whereas lower-paid players’ performance does not differ much by pressure level, higher-paid players show exceptionally strong performance during critical phases of a game. We demonstrate that the ability to excel under pressure is greatly valued in professional basketball, raising the question of whether this ability is compensated not only in other sports but also in other sectors of the labor market.
How to Assess the New Legal Risks of Your DEI Policies
What has—and hasn’t—changed in the legal landscape.
Paper Link: https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-to-assess-the-new-legal-risks-of-your-dei-policies
Authors: Joan C. Williams, Laura J. Maechtlen, Jamie Dolkas
ABSTRACT
What has—and hasn’t—changed in the legal landscape.
Research on the Impact of Matched Effects Between Green Advertising Appeals and Product Type on Consumer Purchase Intention
With increasing global attention to environmental issues, green marketing has become a vital component of corporate strategy. Consequently, designing effective green advertising strategies to attract consumers has garnered significant interest. This paper employs experimental methods to investigate the impact mechanism of green advertising appeals—specifically, egoistic appeals versus altruistic appeals—on consumers' green purchase intentions. Additionally, it utilizes the Elaboration Likelihood Model and Construal Level Theory to elucidate the internal mechanisms at play. The findings indicate that: (a) green advertising appeals exert a substantial influence on consumers' green purchase intentions and perceived information credibility, with egoistic appeals exhibiting a more pronounced effect than altruistic appeals; (b) there exists a significant mediating effect through consumers' perceived information credibility; (c) product type serves as a moderator between green advertising appeals and consumers' purchase intentions. Specifically, when purchasing utilitarian products, egoistic appeals enhance consumers' green purchase intentions and perceived information credibility compared to altruistic appeals. Conversely, when purchasing hedonic products, altruistic appeals prove more effective than egoistic appeals. Ultimately, the study's conclusion offers insights and recommendations for enhancing the efficacy of enterprise green advertising strategies.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S096969892500044X?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Fei Zhang, Yi Zhang, Shiyu Liao, Xingjian Zhou, Xiaogang Ma
ABSTRACT
With increasing global attention to environmental issues, green marketing has become a vital component of corporate strategy. Consequently, designing effective green advertising strategies to attract consumers has garnered significant interest. This paper employs experimental methods to investigate the impact mechanism of green advertising appeals—specifically, egoistic appeals versus altruistic appeals—on consumers' green purchase intentions. Additionally, it utilizes the Elaboration Likelihood Model and Construal Level Theory to elucidate the internal mechanisms at play. The findings indicate that: (a) green advertising appeals exert a substantial influence on consumers' green purchase intentions and perceived information credibility, with egoistic appeals exhibiting a more pronounced effect than altruistic appeals; (b) there exists a significant mediating effect through consumers' perceived information credibility; (c) product type serves as a moderator between green advertising appeals and consumers' purchase intentions. Specifically, when purchasing utilitarian products, egoistic appeals enhance consumers' green purchase intentions and perceived information credibility compared to altruistic appeals. Conversely, when purchasing hedonic products, altruistic appeals prove more effective than egoistic appeals. Ultimately, the study's conclusion offers insights and recommendations for enhancing the efficacy of enterprise green advertising strategies.
AI Agents Are Changing How People Shop. Here’s What That Means for Brands
What retail companies need to know about AI agent optimization.
Paper Link: https://hbr.org/2025/02/ai-agents-are-changing-how-people-shop-heres-what-that-means-for-brands
Authors: Jur Gaarlandt, Wesley Korver, Nathan Furr, Andrew Shipilov
ABSTRACT
What retail companies need to know about AI agent optimization.
E-Commerce Enterprise Flexibility Leading To Better Customer Perception
This study aims to assess the level of organizational flexibility in e-commerce enterprises and to develop a structural model that identifies the key factors contributing to flexibility and their impact on customer service perception. The importance of customer perception in e-commerce is undeniable; however, the intra-organizational factors that contribute to it remain unclear. One such factor is flexibility, which has not yet been thoroughly researched. The survey was conducted on a random sample of 213 e-commerce companies of different sizes. The structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that two factors significantly influence customer perception: assortment flexibility along with price and margin flexibility. Additionally, it was found that management's openness to change and the type of software utilized affect the degree of these flexibilities. This indicates that e-commerce companies should implement strategies to enhance flexibility in shaping their offerings to improve customers' perception of the services provided. It is recommended to foster management's openness to change in order to respond swiftly to evolving customer expectations. Furthermore, software functionalities that facilitate greater organizational flexibility are highly valued.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925000463?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Wieslaw Urban, Barbara Buraczyńska
ABSTRACT
This study aims to assess the level of organizational flexibility in e-commerce enterprises and to develop a structural model that identifies the key factors contributing to flexibility and their impact on customer service perception. The importance of customer perception in e-commerce is undeniable; however, the intra-organizational factors that contribute to it remain unclear. One such factor is flexibility, which has not yet been thoroughly researched. The survey was conducted on a random sample of 213 e-commerce companies of different sizes. The structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that two factors significantly influence customer perception: assortment flexibility along with price and margin flexibility. Additionally, it was found that management's openness to change and the type of software utilized affect the degree of these flexibilities. This indicates that e-commerce companies should implement strategies to enhance flexibility in shaping their offerings to improve customers' perception of the services provided. It is recommended to foster management's openness to change in order to respond swiftly to evolving customer expectations. Furthermore, software functionalities that facilitate greater organizational flexibility are highly valued.
Coopetition: Stepping in and Out of Contextual Spaces
Research interest in coopetition has gained currency in the recent literature where achieving balance between competition and cooperation is key. In this paper we explore how the concept of coopetition can be developed to explain the evolving movement of entrepreneurial accessing and re-positioning in business networks. We introduce the term contextual spaces, a ‘potential interaction space’ within a network horizon where external opportunities and resources may reside. Adopting a process ontology we seek to understand how entrepreneurs' step ‘in’ an ‘out’ of relationships within contextual spaces. We ground our exploration in a case study of craft beer entrepreneurs in Ireland and Denmark and develop a framework to further understand entrepreneurs' collaborative interactions from stepping into, within, and out of relationships within contextual spaces to develop and chase new and evolving opportunities over time. Implications for theory and practice are presented in addition to avenues for future research.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850125000331?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Helen McGrath, Poul H. Andersen, Christopher J. Medlin
ABSTRACT
Research interest in coopetition has gained currency in the recent literature where achieving balance between competition and cooperation is key. In this paper we explore how the concept of coopetition can be developed to explain the evolving movement of entrepreneurial accessing and re-positioning in business networks. We introduce the term contextual spaces, a ‘potential interaction space’ within a network horizon where external opportunities and resources may reside. Adopting a process ontology we seek to understand how entrepreneurs' step ‘in’ an ‘out’ of relationships within contextual spaces. We ground our exploration in a case study of craft beer entrepreneurs in Ireland and Denmark and develop a framework to further understand entrepreneurs' collaborative interactions from stepping into, within, and out of relationships within contextual spaces to develop and chase new and evolving opportunities over time. Implications for theory and practice are presented in addition to avenues for future research.
Unite and Conquer – End-To-End Value Creation Through Intra-Organizational Purchasing-Sales Integration
An effective value chain depends on the seamless flow of goods, services, and information between chain partners. A rich literature describes how a firm's purchasing function may develop effective co-creation relationships with upstream suppliers, while its sales function co-creates value with downstream customers. However, effective end-to-end (E2E) value creation is often hampered by the missing relationship between a firm's purchasing and sales functions. Especially in industrial manufacturing firms, purchasing and sales often operate independently from each other resulting in lost opportunities and inefficient supply chains. Although buying and selling are often treated as separate disciplines, academics increasingly emphasize the need for effective purchasing-sales integration (PSI).
Inspired by two Special Issues of Industrial Marketing Management on the purchasing-sales interface, we contribute to this emerging literature with an integrated academic-practitioner perspective. Based on extensive practical and academic experience, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates the scope and intensity of PSI, illustrate it with numerous practical examples, and formulate guidelines for management to strengthen their organizations' PSI. In addition, we present several theoretical propositions and suggestions for both future research and for business schools to connect purchasing and sales in terms of their curriculum, degrees, course materials, research projects, and collaboration with practitioners.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850125000471?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Jürgen Scherer, Wim G. Biemans
ABSTRACT
An effective value chain depends on the seamless flow of goods, services, and information between chain partners. A rich literature describes how a firm's purchasing function may develop effective co-creation relationships with upstream suppliers, while its sales function co-creates value with downstream customers. However, effective end-to-end (E2E) value creation is often hampered by the missing relationship between a firm's purchasing and sales functions. Especially in industrial manufacturing firms, purchasing and sales often operate independently from each other resulting in lost opportunities and inefficient supply chains. Although buying and selling are often treated as separate disciplines, academics increasingly emphasize the need for effective purchasing-sales integration (PSI).
Inspired by two Special Issues of Industrial Marketing Management on the purchasing-sales interface, we contribute to this emerging literature with an integrated academic-practitioner perspective. Based on extensive practical and academic experience, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates the scope and intensity of PSI, illustrate it with numerous practical examples, and formulate guidelines for management to strengthen their organizations' PSI. In addition, we present several theoretical propositions and suggestions for both future research and for business schools to connect purchasing and sales in terms of their curriculum, degrees, course materials, research projects, and collaboration with practitioners.
Self-Discrepancy as a Motive for Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Acquisition: A Psychological Ownership Perspective
Brands are increasingly integrating non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their marketing tactics, aiming to bolster brand awareness and expand their influence in the metaverse. However, there is limited understanding of the factors that motivate consumers to purchase NFT products and the effective advertising strategies in this context. This paper addresses this gap by examining the influence of self-discrepancy on consumer reactions to NFT advertisements. Results from three experiments demonstrate that individuals with a pronounced self-discrepancy are more inclined to purchase NFTs than non-NFTs. The types of self-discrepancy and NFTs play a role: individuals with a gap between their actual and ideal selves favor virtual-only NFTs, whereas those with a discrepancy between their actual and ought selves favor hybrid NFTs, available in both real and virtual realms. This trend is especially evident for luxury brands. The core mechanism driving these findings is psychological ownership, which shapes consumer purchase intentions toward NFTs.
Paper Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913367.2024.2441310?af=R
Authors: Minjeong Kim, Yuhosua Ryoo, Eunjin (Anna) Kim
ABSTRACT
Brands are increasingly integrating non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their marketing tactics, aiming to bolster brand awareness and expand their influence in the metaverse. However, there is limited understanding of the factors that motivate consumers to purchase NFT products and the effective advertising strategies in this context. This paper addresses this gap by examining the influence of self-discrepancy on consumer reactions to NFT advertisements. Results from three experiments demonstrate that individuals with a pronounced self-discrepancy are more inclined to purchase NFTs than non-NFTs. The types of self-discrepancy and NFTs play a role: individuals with a gap between their actual and ideal selves favor virtual-only NFTs, whereas those with a discrepancy between their actual and ought selves favor hybrid NFTs, available in both real and virtual realms. This trend is especially evident for luxury brands. The core mechanism driving these findings is psychological ownership, which shapes consumer purchase intentions toward NFTs.
Card or Dice? An Improved Experimental Approach to Measure Dishonesty
We introduce a modified die-roll experiment carried out in Germany and Cambodia to measure precise dishonesty rates, while the individual lie is not observable to the experimenter. Participants draw an envelope from a box containing many envelopes. Each envelope contains a card depicting a die number, which participants view in private and then deposit into a different box filled with many envelopes. The payoff of participants depends on the reported number, thereby creating an incentive to dishonestly report numbers with higher payoffs. Although the individual lie remains hidden from the experimenter, the drawn distribution of cards by a group of participants is known. Results of the modified experiment are compared to the classical die-roll task, in which individual dishonesty is private information and the outcome distribution is assumed, based on a probability function. The comparison reveals that the modified card method shows comparable levels of lying to the classical die-roll task among students, but not among smallholders in rural Cambodia. Considering the farmers, the number of liars is lower in the card task compared to the die-roll task. Although the individual lie is not observable, we find partially different dishonesty proportions between numbers comparing the two tasks. This suggests that the observability of the drawn distribution affects the costs of lying.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167487025000145?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Daniel Hermann, Selina Bruns, Oliver Mußhoff
ABSTRACT
We introduce a modified die-roll experiment carried out in Germany and Cambodia to measure precise dishonesty rates, while the individual lie is not observable to the experimenter. Participants draw an envelope from a box containing many envelopes. Each envelope contains a card depicting a die number, which participants view in private and then deposit into a different box filled with many envelopes. The payoff of participants depends on the reported number, thereby creating an incentive to dishonestly report numbers with higher payoffs. Although the individual lie remains hidden from the experimenter, the drawn distribution of cards by a group of participants is known. Results of the modified experiment are compared to the classical die-roll task, in which individual dishonesty is private information and the outcome distribution is assumed, based on a probability function. The comparison reveals that the modified card method shows comparable levels of lying to the classical die-roll task among students, but not among smallholders in rural Cambodia. Considering the farmers, the number of liars is lower in the card task compared to the die-roll task. Although the individual lie is not observable, we find partially different dishonesty proportions between numbers comparing the two tasks. This suggests that the observability of the drawn distribution affects the costs of lying.
Optimizing Cooperation Mechanisms for Augmented Reality (AR) Services: Balancing Product Returns, Pricing, and Customer Satisfaction
Augmented Reality (AR) enhances user interaction with digital overlays, improving product marketing. This study investigates the interplay between AR services provided by influencers and product returns, focusing on two cooperation mechanisms: the agency mechanism (collaboration with suppliers) and the self-built store mechanism (independent operations with suppliers). Our research delves into the challenge of product returns and explores cooperation mechanisms between product suppliers and influencers utilizing AR services. The research results first show that higher customer satisfaction and providing AR services tend to increase product price and lead to higher return rates, while lower customer satisfaction and the absence of AR services result in lower product price but higher customer retention. Secondly, under the agency mechanism, when return loss costs are higher and customer satisfaction is lower, influencers provide more AR services. In the customer keep phenomenon, influencers should consider the wholesale price level, in addition to the unit management cost when deciding on high-quality AR services. Thirdly, under the agency mechanism, influencers choose to provide AR services only when customer satisfaction is very low but refrain in the self-built store mechanism. In addition, when customer satisfaction is higher, influencers can consider providing AR services and accepting returns. Furthermore, from the perspective of influencers, the agency mechanism is more advantageous when AR services are provided, while the self-built store mechanism is optimal without AR services under low satisfaction. High satisfaction consistently favors the agency mechanism.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925000426?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Zhitang Li, Peng He, Henry Xu
ABSTRACT
Augmented Reality (AR) enhances user interaction with digital overlays, improving product marketing. This study investigates the interplay between AR services provided by influencers and product returns, focusing on two cooperation mechanisms: the agency mechanism (collaboration with suppliers) and the self-built store mechanism (independent operations with suppliers). Our research delves into the challenge of product returns and explores cooperation mechanisms between product suppliers and influencers utilizing AR services. The research results first show that higher customer satisfaction and providing AR services tend to increase product price and lead to higher return rates, while lower customer satisfaction and the absence of AR services result in lower product price but higher customer retention. Secondly, under the agency mechanism, when return loss costs are higher and customer satisfaction is lower, influencers provide more AR services. In the customer keep phenomenon, influencers should consider the wholesale price level, in addition to the unit management cost when deciding on high-quality AR services. Thirdly, under the agency mechanism, influencers choose to provide AR services only when customer satisfaction is very low but refrain in the self-built store mechanism. In addition, when customer satisfaction is higher, influencers can consider providing AR services and accepting returns. Furthermore, from the perspective of influencers, the agency mechanism is more advantageous when AR services are provided, while the self-built store mechanism is optimal without AR services under low satisfaction. High satisfaction consistently favors the agency mechanism.
The Napoleon Complex Revisited: New Evidence From Professional Soccer
We analyze evaluation biases caused by physical attributes. Using data from German elite soccer, we find that referees are more inclined to sanction players when the difference in body size is sufficiently large. Moreover, we document an ‘inverse Napoleon effect’ in situations when the referee is confronted with smaller players, suggesting that sanctions are used as a substitute for authority gained by stature in the industry. Further analyses reveal that referees discriminate less against more talented players and teams with a higher concentration of these players. Finally, we find that the bias is reduced but still exists for the group of more experienced referees.
Paper Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214804325000199?dgcid=rss_sd_all
Authors: Giulio Callegaro, Mario Lackner, Hendrik Sonnabend
ABSTRACT
We analyze evaluation biases caused by physical attributes. Using data from German elite soccer, we find that referees are more inclined to sanction players when the difference in body size is sufficiently large. Moreover, we document an ‘inverse Napoleon effect’ in situations when the referee is confronted with smaller players, suggesting that sanctions are used as a substitute for authority gained by stature in the industry. Further analyses reveal that referees discriminate less against more talented players and teams with a higher concentration of these players. Finally, we find that the bias is reduced but still exists for the group of more experienced referees.
How Ageism Is Undermining AI Implementation
A new survey shows that mid- and late-career workers offer unique strengths when it comes to working with AI—but that companies often overlook their potential.
Paper Link: https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-ageism-is-undermining-ai-implementation
Authors: Mona Mourshed, Anika Heavener
ABSTRACT
A new survey shows that mid- and late-career workers offer unique strengths when it comes to working with AI—but that companies often overlook their potential.
Out of the Public Eye: The Art of Redirection in Webcare Apologies
Out of the public eye: the art of redirection in webcare apologiesLaurel Johnston, Joanna Phillips Melancon, J. Sebastian LeguizamonJournal of Services Marketing, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-In response to the growing popularity of brands’ using social media as a customer service channel (webcare), this research examines how companies redirect consumers from the public social media feed to a private channel. The purpose of this paper is to understand how to redirect consumers using service failure apologies and to discuss personalization’s role in these service recoveries.A text mining study reveals how companies use redirection on social media. Then, two experiments test the impact of redirection types and personalization on consumer perceptions and intentions.Service representatives frequently require consumers to initiate the first message after redirecting them from the public social media feed (a consumer-responsible redirection). Personalizing webcare apologies increases repurchase intentions and relational advocacy regardless of the redirection strategy used. Consumers are more likely to publicly respond to companies that initiate the first message in a private channel (a company-responsible redirection).Although most service providers require consumers to co-produce service recovery redirections (consumer-responsible redirection), this requirement may not be optimal. If a consumer-responsible redirection must be used, then personalization may improve consumers’ perceptions of webcare apology’s sincerity.To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test different types of redirections in webcare. The authors extend the literature on personalization and webcare apologies by examining how these webcare components operate with redirections. The need to prevent public complaints’ spiraling out of control contributes to this research’s timely value.
Paper Link: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jsm-12-2023-0446/full/html
Authors: Laurel Johnston, Joanna Phillips Melancon, J. Sebastian Leguizamon
ABSTRACT
Out of the public eye: the art of redirection in webcare apologiesLaurel Johnston, Joanna Phillips Melancon, J. Sebastian LeguizamonJournal of Services Marketing, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-In response to the growing popularity of brands’ using social media as a customer service channel (webcare), this research examines how companies redirect consumers from the public social media feed to a private channel. The purpose of this paper is to understand how to redirect consumers using service failure apologies and to discuss personalization’s role in these service recoveries.A text mining study reveals how companies use redirection on social media. Then, two experiments test the impact of redirection types and personalization on consumer perceptions and intentions.Service representatives frequently require consumers to initiate the first message after redirecting them from the public social media feed (a consumer-responsible redirection). Personalizing webcare apologies increases repurchase intentions and relational advocacy regardless of the redirection strategy used. Consumers are more likely to publicly respond to companies that initiate the first message in a private channel (a company-responsible redirection).Although most service providers require consumers to co-produce service recovery redirections (consumer-responsible redirection), this requirement may not be optimal. If a consumer-responsible redirection must be used, then personalization may improve consumers’ perceptions of webcare apology’s sincerity.To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test different types of redirections in webcare. The authors extend the literature on personalization and webcare apologies by examining how these webcare components operate with redirections. The need to prevent public complaints’ spiraling out of control contributes to this research’s timely value.