This article extends the existing research on logistics customer service‐loyalty relationships to the online logistics supply chain environment by examining potential website determinants of logistics customer service quality. A structural equation analysis of 373 online shopping transactions suggests that perceived quality of all logistics customer service activities (perceived cycle time, in‐stock availability, and customer responsiveness) varies inversely with: (1) perceived ease of use, and (2) content vividness of the website; and positively with product information content. However, only retailer customer responsiveness assessment was found to have any significant influence on consumer intended loyalty behavior in Internet‐enabled supplies chains.

Purpose -Consumer response to merchandise shortage in the online supply chain outlet is an interesting and important issue for e-vendors because of the high risk associated with the online environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the online environment on consumer out-of-stock behaviors. In addition, it aims to examine the relative impact of non-web site situational factors on consumer out-of-stock behavior. Design/methodology/approach -The study proposed an expectation confirmation-disconfirmation framework based on the utility maximization principle in consumer research. This framework was validated with data from online shopping transactions gathered in two field studies. Findings -The occurrence of a stock-out had a pervasive negative impact on consumers' assessment of their online transactional experience and repurchase intentions. Furthermore, item substitution behavior was positively linked with merchandise information content, vividness of web site content, and service speed and a few situational factors. Overall, it was found that consumers' reaction to the "shock" effect of a stock-out was best explained by an expectation confirmation-disconfirmation model rather than a performance-only or expectation-only model. Research limitations/implications -While the focus on the total expectation confirmation-disconfirmation process limited the scope of the study to a single stock-out event, future research should examine multiple stock-out events to further validate the proposed framework. Practical implications -Managers can take advantage of the positive linkage between web site design features and item substitution behavior by tracking the online consumers' expectation confirmation-disconfirmation evaluative process and its effect on how consumers respond to high priced versus low priced items during a stock-out event. Design features for low priced items such as CDs and books require product specific information to reduce item switching or exit from the e-supply chain during a stock-out event.Originality/value -Scholars need a systematic framework for examining consumer response to a stock-out that is applicable in the e-commerce context because of the effects of abundant information access, low switching cost and the high service expectations of online customers.

The mobilization of rural consumers' potential savings to generate credit for inclusive lending to the rural/urban poor consumers in emerging market countries presents a strategic challenge for policy makers. Large-scale credit aggregation can only be achieved by the use of modern banks. However, rural consumers may resist the use of banks as objects of nonlocal origin. The authors rely on the classic theory of demand aggregation advantage to critically analyze the public policy framework underpinning rural banking for the attainment of inclusive economic development goals of bottom-ofthe-pyramid countries. An empirical test of the framework in Ghana's rural banking programs shows that demand aggregation advantage predicts consumer satisfaction with the inclusive lending practices of banking institutions among existing clients but not new clients. The study suggests that the public policy framework for promoting compliance with inclusive lending goals of rural banking programs in Ghana does not adequately consider rural consumers' interpretation of demand aggregation activities.

In this article, the authors examine the incidence of market orientation of Nigerian and Kenyan firms by focusing on the role of top managers. It is argued that top management’s emphasis on market orientation provides insight into how marginal conditions impact on the applicability of market orientation philosophy in sub‐Saharan African countries. The results suggest that although the level of top management’s emphasis on market orientation is only marginal in these countries, it is likely to increase with the perceived level of competition, the prevalence of a buyer’s market environment and the privatization of the firm. In addition, top managers’ emphasis on market orientation has the strongest influence on the development of market orientation after the presence of international firms and private firms. The results also suggest the importance of understanding the role of top managers in the development of market orientation in Nigeria, Kenya, and other sub‐Saharan African countries.

The influence of competitive strategy on the organizational culture and performance relationship in Ghana is examined in this study using structural equation modeling. Results suggest evidence of both direct and indirect effects of organizational culture on firm performance. Firms with a predominantly clan or market culture were more likely to be directly associated with performance, whereas firms with adhocracy or hierarchy cultures were more likely to be indirectly associated with performance, depending on their alignment with a differentiation strategy or cost leadership strategy. However, only the link with differentiation strategy resulted in market performance. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.