Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of peripheral service quality on football match spectators’ emotions and behavioural intention. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from a survey of 342 spectators of professional league football in Malaysia and analysed using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results illustrated the significant role of both pleasant and unpleasant emotions in forming spectators’ behavioural intentions. Furthermore, they demonstrated that the drivers of pleasant and unpleasant emotions are different. While entertainment, electronic devices and stadium announcers have positive effects on pleasant emotion, facilities and electronic devices have negative effects on unpleasant emotion. Entertainment, electronic devices and stadium announcers have indirect effects on behavioural intentions through pleasant emotions. Unpleasant emotions mediated the effects of facilities and electronic devices on behavioural intentions. Originality/value The findings of this study suggest that football marketers must understand the crucial role of peripheral service quality and spectators’ emotions. Through stimulating pleasant emotions in spectators and preventing unpleasant emotions from arising, football marketers can ensure that these spectators will attend football stadiums.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between event quality and fan satisfaction and consequent fan attendance of soccer matches in Iran. Data on game quality, augmented service, interaction, outcome, environment, fan satisfaction and attendance were gathered from 260 spectators attending an Iranian premier league soccer match by means of a survey. The results show that, except for interaction, all dimensions of event quality have a significant relationship with fan satisfaction. Moreover, the effect of game quality on fan satisfaction is stronger than other dimensions. The results also confirm the significant relationship between fan satisfaction and attendance. Fan satisfaction is shown to be partially mediating the relationship between event quality and game attendance. Practical implications for facility managers and sports marketers are discussed.

Purpose – This paper aims to view the role of religiosity in moderating the relationship between ego-defensive function of Muslim consumers’ and attitude toward advertising of controversial product. There is a rising concern among Muslim consumers’ with regards to the halal status of many food outlets in Malaysia. This came out because many food operators do not understand what halal really means. Many of them are from Kopitiams food and beverages industry. Design/methodology/approach – Survey method was used for the purpose of data collection in April 2014, and quantitative approach has been used as well. This study applied functional theory of attitudes to support this framework. Respondents consisted of 375 Muslim consumers’ in Malaysia. Findings – The paper provides empirical insights about how religiosity moderates the relationship between ego-defensive function and consumer attitude toward advertising. Consumers with a high level of religiosity are more likely to respond less favorably toward the advertising, while consumers who have a low level of religiosity are more likely to respond more favorably toward the advertisement. In addition, it can be postulated that religiosity reduces negative effects of ego-defensive function. Practical implications – The fact that religious groups are more organized, equipped and motivated to register their concern, demands better understanding of such groups by marketers. To avoid any controversies, or potential business loss, a better understanding of what could ignite their reaction seems to be an appropriate preventive strategy. Originality/value – Only a few studies directly examined the influence of religion on marketing communication. The effects of religion on the advertising of controversial products remain largely unstudied to date. Therefore, this paper fills the gap in the research area.

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The purpose of current study is to investigate the effects of entrepreneurial competencies on firm performance of businesses owned by Nigerian women entrepreneurs. The 200 respondents of this study are women entrepreneurs operating micro-business units in Kaduna state, Nigeria. Survey questions was used to collect data. The study utilises SPSS and SmartPLS 2.0 to analyse the data. The findings indicated that strategic, opportunity and organizing competencies significantly affect the firm performance of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.