No abstract

This study addresses the Web-consumption behavior of adolescents from a cognitive, hierarchical decision-making perspective. Using a structural equation analysis technique on data collected from high school students, two a priori domains of Web consumption (utilitarian and hedonic) were confirmed. The utilitarian and hedonic domains of Web consumption were influenced directly by innovativeness and indirectly by the personal values of the adolescents. A theoretical discussion based on the results and the implications of these results are presented for the benefit of youth practitioners, educators, parents, and social marketers.

Purpose -This study aims to explore Indian online shopping via the concept of shopping orientations. Design/methodology/approach -Surveys were collected from 536 consumer panel members. Online shopping segments were identified by using a two-step process that clustered respondents in terms of the similarity of their scores across four shopping orientations. Findings -Three segments were identified: value singularity, quality at any price, and reputation/recreation. The quality at any price and reputation/recreation segments were the predominant online shoppers. Although their orientations toward shopping differed, their behaviour, web site attribute ratings, and demographics were very similar except for occupation (managerial versus clerical, respectively). The finding that the value singularity segment is not the pioneer online shopper in India contrasts with the early online shoppers in the USA, who were often motivated by price.Research limitations/implications -This is the first empirical study to use shopping orientation research in the Indian marketplace. It is also among the first to link shopping orientations with a wide complement of correlates. Research should continue to track the development of this emerging market. Practical implications -Besides revealing that the orientations of Indian consumers are not price-based, the relatively unfractionated factor analysis solutions for shopping orientations and web site dimensionality suggest that, in the emerging Indian economy, consumer conceptualizations of shopping have not yet undergone full elaboration. Thus, this cross-sectional study could be extended with longitudinal research to reveal how Indian consumers' perceptions of the marketplace change with market development and growing consumer sophistication. Originality/value -Although online shopping in India is on the verge of rapid growth, relatively little is known about most aspects of Indian consumer behaviour. This study begins to build a foundation of knowledge of Indian online shopping.

Developing effective international joint ventures (IJVs) is critical for firms entering economies in transition, such as Kazakhstan. The resource-based view of the firm forms the foundation to examine the influence of knowledge transfer between IJV partners. Traditionally, the transfer of knowledge between IJV partners has been theorized to lessen dependence, increasing IJV instability. However, the relationship development literature indicates that the exchange of assets between partners can strengthen relationship ties, enhancing IJV stability. The authors use a sample of 87 matched dyads from two-party IJVs formed in Kazakhstan to examine the influence of knowledge transfer between IJV partners on commitment and resulting satisfaction. The results, supportive of relationship development theory, indicate that Kazakhstan–foreign IJVs with higher levels of knowledge transfer resulted in higher levels of firms’ commitment to and satisfaction with their relationships, thus supporting a relationship development perspective of knowledge transfer. The authors address implications for academics and practitioners.

A variety of theoretical frameworks including social exchange theory, relational exchange theory, and contracting theory are used to investigate how to protect relational assets in a marketing channel when an upstream horizontal business combination between key suppliers arises. In this study, we ascertain downstream channel members' perceptions of a supplier's horizontal business combination both prior to and after such a combination.Our findings indicate that a normative contract breach resulting from a horizontal business combination influences downstream channel members by reducing their performance, decreasing their satisfaction, and increasing their likelihood of exiting the channel. Consequently, both the relational assets of the upstream supplier and their downstream customers are harmed. Importantly, these influences can be partially offset through the moderating effect of channel identification.