The COVID-19 pandemic undesirably affected the hospitality industry, and therefore, preventive measures have been advocated as crucial when revitalizing or rejuvenating the industry. This study investigated the interplay of predicting role of COVID-19 preventive measures, perceived brand ethicality, and brand legitimacy in the hospitality industry in Tanzania during the period of reviving the industry. Furthermore, the study examines the mediating role of perceived brand ethicality in the relationship between COVID-19 preventive measures and brand legitimacy. Data were collected from a total of 405 customers of hospitality organizations recruited via an on-site survey. Data analyses were done using structural equation modeling. Overall, the results have shown that COVID-19 preventive measures had a direct positive effect on brand legitimacy. Additionally, COVID-19 preventive measures could enhance brand legitimacy indirectly via perceived brand ethicality. The study has significant implications for different hospitality organizations and operators in Tanzania and other countries during post the COVID-19 period.

PurposeConsumer psychology research has established the importance of customer satisfaction as a determinant of customer repurchasing intention. Nonetheless, even satisfied customers switch brands. Also, even dissatisfied customers have repurchasing intentions. This means that customer repurchasing behaviour is extremely difficult to predict, necessitating additional research to identify additional factors that can help organizations better understand the methods to predict customer repurchasing intention. To fill this knowledge gap, this study examined the mediating effects of brand love (BL) and positive word of mouth (PWOM) on psychological contract fulfilment (PCF) and customer repurchasing intentions.Design/methodology/approachThis is a cross-sectional study. The study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse relationships from a sample size of 400 beauty salon customers. Also, a process macro mediation test was used to analyse the mediating effects of BL and PWOM on the relationship between PCF and customer repurchase intentions.FindingsThe findings indicate that transactional and relational psychological contracts have a positive and significant relationship with BL and PWOM. As well, BL and PWOM positively and significantly influence customer repurchase intentions. Finally, the findings indicate that BL and PWOM mediate the relationship between psychological contract fulfilment and customer repurchase intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThis survey sampled beauty salons solely. Given that each type of organization may have a unique way of fulfilling psychological contracts, future studies may include more categories such as restaurants and craftsmanship to broaden the sample. Additionally, this study utilized female beauty salons. Therefore, future research could include salons that cater to women and men to boost the sample's generalizability. Finally, this study concluded that BL and positive recommendations are the most effective variables for resolving consumer satisfaction challenges. However, additional factors can probably amplify this fact by focusing on additional elements to broaden the arguments.Originality/valuePast studies have extensively covered customer repurchasing intention in relation to customer satisfaction. However, it was noted that even some satisfied customers could switch to other brands, and those who were dissatisfied could repurchase the brand. Given that little is known about how other factors than customer satisfaction can affect repurchasing intentions, this study examines the mediating effects of BL and PWOM on PCF and customer repurchase intentions.

PurposeThis paper examined mediating effect of customer loyalty on the influence of customer orientation and technology orientation on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted and modified items from previous studies. Also, data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Additionally, a PROCESS Macro mediation test was used.FindingsThe study's findings indicated that customer orientation and technology orientation positively and significantly affect customer loyalty. Moreover, the findings indicated that customer loyalty has a positive and significant effect on the performance of SMEs. Finally, customer loyalty was found to mediate the influence of customer orientation and technology orientation on the performance of SMEs.Practical implicationsThe study recommends on business performance improvement through enhancing customer and technology orientations and customer loyalty. So, SMEs should make sure their internal environment is conducive to accommodate customer and technology orientations, which will help them come up with effective ways to get loyal customers and improve their business.Originality/valueThe study adds value to the existing literature by introducing customer loyalty as an intervening variable between the effect of customer orientation and technology orientation on business performance of SMEs.

Purpose This study aims to analyze the mediating effect of brand love (BRL) on the relationship between service quality and brand addiction (BRA) among Islamic banks. Past studies have noted that customer satisfaction as the primary means of studying customer behaviour needs to be reconsidered because even satisfied customer switch brands, and the dissatisfied customer have repurchasing intentions. Therefore, considering BRL and BRA can be a new way of studying customer behaviour in Islamic banking. Design/methodology/approach This study used a structured questionnaire administered to 380 customers of Islamic banks. The study used structural equation modelling and Process Macro test in the analysis. Findings The empirical findings of this study suggest that service quality is positively and significantly related to BRL and that BRL positively and significantly relates to BRA. Furthermore, the findings indicate that BRL mediates the relationship between service quality and BRA. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study have revealed that the triangular theory of love and expectation-confirmation theory can be combined to explain the relationship between service quality and loving relationships among customers of Islamic banks. Practical implications The study provides ways in which service providers can use service qualities to manage BRL and addiction. Based on the positive and significant relationships, managers of Islamic banks can build service qualities that are vital for creating BRL and BRA. Originality/value The link between service quality, BRL and BRA is not adequately established, especially in Islamic banking. This is important to be established because studying consumer psychology is currently considered a vital strategy for customer repurchasing and switching barriers in the modern banking business. Furthermore, integrating two theories, the triangular theory of love and expectation-confirmation theory, provide a new way of combining two theoretical aspects from different disciplines.

PurposeGiven current global environmental concerns, traditional marketing and entrepreneurial practices of small businesses are considered ineffective. This is because sustainability requires the involvement of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. This study, therefore, aims at analyzing the moderating effect of technological absorptive capacity (TEOC) in the relationship between green marketing mix (GMX), enviropreneurial orientation (ENVO) and the sustainability of small businesses (SUST).Design/methodology/approachThis study is cross-sectional. This study used data from 243 fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries, such as food and beverages, cleaning products, office supplies, cosmetics, and toiletries. Structural equation mdeling (SEM) and the PROCESS macro test were employed during data analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that GMX and ENVO are significant determinants of SUST. Also, TEOC is a significant moderator of GMX, ENVO, and SUST.Research limitations/implicationsThis study used owner-managers as the respondents; future studies can use employees and customers to find out how small businesses involve other stakeholders in designing GMX and ENVO and adopting technologies for business sustainability and adopting technologies for business sustainability.Practical implicationsThe study has practical implications for policymakers and owner-managers, especially on the significant contributions of GMX, ENVO, and TEOC to business sustainability.Originality/valueDepending only on traditional marketing and entrepreneurial practices is no longer a reliable technique for business sustainability. By bringing environmental aspects into business management through a green marketing mix and enviropreneurial orientation, the study provides a unique and new way of thinking about sustainability. Also, the study adds knowledge to the body of literature through a moderating effect of TEOC in the relationship between GMX, ENVO, and SUST.