PurposeSeveral trends such as improved access to health care information via the internet, the growth of self‐help groups and expenditure on alternative medicine signals consumers are taking an active role in their own health management. Chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma require a significant amount of self‐management and thus call for a collaborative patient‐physician relationship. This study explores whether empowering patient‐physician consultations measured through three patient empowerment dimensions (patient control, patient participation, physician support) enhance patients trust in and commitment to their physician.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive mail survey of adults registered with one of four different chronic illness associations in Australia was conducted to collect the data.FindingsThe structural equation modelling results show that patients are more trusting of and committed to physicians who adopt an empowering communication style with them.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on the Australian healthcare context. Thus, future multinational studies should explore suitable strategies to empower healthcare consumers that build on the constraints placed by diverse healthcare systems.Practical implicationsIn a managed health care and cost cutting climate where patient trust is deteriorating, these findings suggest that empowering patients presents a means to improve the patient‐physician relationship.Originality/valueWhilst numerous marketing scholars have researched the empowerment of staff, there is a shortage of studies that address the meaning and outcomes of consumer empowerment. This study proposes a unique communication based consumer empowerment construct which is shown to impact on consumer‐service provider relationships.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of customer perceived value on behavioural intentions in a cellar door context, and to examine the role of satisfaction as a mediator of the customer perceived value‐behavioural intentions relationship.Design/methodology/approachA multi‐dimensional measure of customer perceived value was used to determine which aspects of the cellar door experience were valued by visitors and how value dimensions impact on subsequent wine purchase intentions. Data collected from visitors to wineries of the Margaret River and the Swan Valley regions in Western Australia were used to empirically test a model of customer perceived value on behavioural intentions with satisfaction posited as a mediating variable. Multiple regression was employed to test hypothesised relationships.FindingsResults indicate that four out of five dimensions of customer perceived value (service quality, technical quality, price, and social value) have a positive impact on the behavioural intentions of cellar door visitors with overall satisfaction partially mediating the relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected from only one country. Future studies can investigate customer perceived value relating to cellar door visits in a cross‐cultural context covering a wider spread of wine regions. Furthermore, longitudinal research could determine the impact of the customer perceived value dimensions on the actual purchase of the wineries' wines from retail outlets and restaurants.Practical implicationsThis paper provides winery managers with valuable information on how cellar door experiences can be improved across a range of different value dimensions.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to empirically test customer perceived value in a cellar door setting.

Purpose Both customer engagement (CE) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been linked to customer loyalty. Past studies use service dominant logic and customer value co-creation to explain this relationship. The purpose of this paper is to apply utility theory to develop and test a new theoretical model based on CSR initiative preference to understand the relationship between CE and customer loyalty to the organisation in a CSR platform. Design/methodology/approach This empirical study uses choice theory in the form of best-worst scaling, and structural equation modelling, to measure the impact of sports club members’ choice preferences for a range of CSR initiatives on their intention to engage with the initiative and subsequent loyalty to the club. Findings This study highlights the importance of engaging members in the CSR strategy they prefer as it enhances not only the extra value to the organisation via customer loyalty to the organisation, but also CE with the organisation. Furthermore, the study reveals age and gender impact on the relationship between CE in CSR initiatives and customer loyalty. Originality/value This study extends CE to CSR behaviours and provides empirical evidence for a unique theoretical framework of CE based on utility theory. It also highlights the need to take into account moderating variables such as customer demographics.

Aim This study investigated the exposure of underage youth to alcohol television advertising on metropolitan freeto-air television in the five mainland capital city markets of Australia. Design Exposure levels (target audience rating points; TARPs) were obtained for all alcohol advertisements screened from November 2005 to October 2006 in each capital city market for: children 0-12 years; underage teens 13-17 years; young adults 18-24 years; and mature adults 25+ years. The 30 most exposed advertisements across age groups were then content-analysed for elements appealing to children and underage youth. Results In each of the five metropolitan markets, mature adults were most exposed to alcohol advertising. Children were exposed to one-third the level of mature adults and underage teens to approximately the same level as young adults. However, there was considerable variation in media weight between markets, such that underage teens in two markets had higher advertising TARPs than young adults in other markets. All 30 highest exposed advertisements contained at least one element known to appeal to children and underage youth, with 23 containing two or more such elements. Fifteen of the 30 advertisements featured an animal. Conclusions The self-regulation system in Australia does not protect children and youth from exposure to alcohol advertising, much of which contains elements appealing to these groups.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend research on customer loyalty status and customer demotion by investigating if the effect of demotion on customer attitudinal and behavioral responses is the same for top-tier and low-tier customers in the context of airlines. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with travelers intercepted at large airport terminals in Australia. Multivariate analyses examined group differences across status change (no change vs demoted) and status level (high status vs low status). Multi-group moderation structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis tested the moderating role of status (high status vs low status) on the effects of demotion on the relationship between customers’ attitudes and loyalty intention, and between loyalty intention and share of wallet. Findings This study shows that the detrimental effects of demotion on the relationship between customer satisfaction/commitment/perceived betrayal on loyalty intentions, and on the relationship between loyalty intentions and share of wallet are stronger for “high status” than “low status” customers. Research limitations/implications A cross-sectional design was employed to investigate customer demotion in the airline industry. Future studies could investigate different types of demotions in other industries by employing a longitudinal design. Practical implications The study provides new insight about the effects of status demotion and highlights that service firms could be jeopardizing the loyalty of numerous valuable customers, especially among the “high status” customer group. Originality/value This study reveals loyalty status moderates the effect of demotion on customer attitudinal responses and loyalty behaviors. It draws on social identity, social comparison, emotion and equity theories to explain the different effects of demotion on customers from different status level groups.