Purpose This study aims to explore the characteristics and backgrounds of social entrepreneurs, particularly in relation to what motivates them to start new social ventures, through an empirical examination of the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship in the specific context of Egypt. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative methodological approach based on a triangulation of data sources, including extensive interviews from five social entrepreneurs, interviews with senior executives in their organisations and industry experts, as well as secondary data. Findings The paper proposes a model that integrates common characteristics and motivations among individuals who start social ventures. Findings confirm the characteristics of social entrepreneurs as compassionate risk-takers with entrepreneurial mindsets who seek to address social issues in innovative ways. They also have the perseverance to face the inefficient institutional frameworks prevalent in developing economies. Social entrepreneurs are motivated by social problems and challenges, inspiration, and previous personal experiences, as well as their social networks. Research limitations/implications There are limitations pertaining to the limited sample size and single country focus. Practical implications This research offers useful and practical insights for current and future social entrepreneurs, particularly in developing economies. Moreover, the study contributes to expanding future research on social entrepreneurship in similar contexts. Originality/value This study makes several contributions to the literature on social entrepreneurship. First, by presenting an integrated model for the characteristics/traits and motivations of social entrepreneur. Second, it provides deeper understanding of social entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Third, it highlights the importance of personal inspiration and informal social networks as two sources of motivation for social entrepreneurs, in emerging countries.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to attempt to bridge a gap in literature by defining and operationalizing specific brand equity constructs, and testing the relationships between customer‐based brand equity and brand market performance. Current literature has focused on building and conceptualizing brand equity, there is no consensus on how it should be measured and what constructs should be included in the measurement process.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted in two phases: a consumer‐level analysis; and a brand‐level analysis. A total of 6,410 observations have been identified (sample size consists of 5,598 usable observations). The second phase involved analyzing the data at the aggregate brand level. Analysis included testing hypotheses on the correlations between customer‐based brand equity constructs and brand market performance. finally, detailed market and country‐of‐origin analyses are presented for managerial considerations.FindingsResults from the consumer dataset have been averaged by brand (a total of 17 brands covering 76 percent and 75 percent of market shares in both economy and luxury markets). At the consumer‐level, structural equation modeling was conducted to test research hypotheses. Results varied according to consumer usage. Attitudinal loyalty and satisfaction were found the strongest predictors of brand preference and intention to purchase. At the aggregate brand level, correlation analyses supported the hypothesis that customer‐based brand equity constructs are correlated with brand market performance.Practical implicationsAnalyses at the consumer and brand levels revealed interesting results about the US automotive market and suggested important managerial considerations. Specific recommendations are offered in order to help companies prioritize their resource utilization and improve their performance in the market.Originality/valueThis study offers a new model that links customer‐based brand equity with brand market performance. It advances both academic and practical findings, and opens the door for new streams of research that link academic models with practical applications. It advances specific practical recommendations to companies and at the same time offers a reliable and valid academic model that could be applied on other industries and countries.

Several studies attempted to conceptualize and measure brand equity. Brand equity constructs identified include awareness, associations, perceived quality, and loyalty, among others. Further, brand performance has been operationalized in terms of market share, ability to charge price premium, and distribution coverage. While most studies focused on consumer-based constructs, few researchers tested the effect of distribution intensity on brand performance. This study advances a model that links distribution intensity with brand preference and loyalty, and empirically tests it on the fuel industry in Egypt. First, in-depth interviews with industry experts were conducted to validate research hypotheses. Then, online surveys were distributed to test model relationships on four leading brands. Results revealed that affect, satisfaction, perceived quality, as well as distribution intensity significantly affected brand preference; which in turn was the key driver to brand loyalty. It is recommended that firms consider the role of distribution while developing marketing strategies and brand-building activities.

Purpose The study aims to identify and explore the antecedents to short message service (SMS) advertising acceptance as an effect to the entire process of communicating the SMS ad. Design/methodology/approach The study follows a sequential mixed-methods approach, starting with qualitative interviews, to build the research model following the grounded theory approach and then a quantitative survey study to apply the model to two types of ads (discount and notification ads). Findings Perceived value, ad trust and channel acceptance are crucial to the attitude towards SMS ads. Relevance, content, brand equity and perceived usefulness are significant triggers to perceived value and trust, with an emphasis on importance of brand equity in trusting discount ads. Practical/implications Accurate targeting and personalisation are crucial to ensure that SMS ads are useful and relevant to recipients. SMS advertising is more effective when the recipients are already connected with the brand. Including the brand name as the sender increases both value and trust. Transparency and adequate information are important for gaining trust especially for discount ads. Originality/value The study proposes an integrative model for SMS advertising acceptance after a rigorous consideration of all elements in the process of communicating the SMS ad following the GTA. The study also highlights the differences between the acceptance models for discount and notification ads.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

This research investigates the effect of religiosity on customers' response to service failure. In three studies, the authors provided evidence to the mediating role of belief-in-fate in explaining the effects of religiosity on customers' responses after service failure. The overall model religiosity ! belief-in-fate ! forgiveness ! emotional well-being is investigated