Matching Items (8)
Description
Commitment to an activity is widely studied in leisure research. Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) describes characteristics a committed activity participant possesses. The Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) describes the psychological process a person goes through to become committed to a leisure activity. Awareness, attraction, attachment and loyalty make of the four stages of PCM. Both perspectives have been used to describe committed leisure activity participants and commitment to organized recreational events. Research on leisure activity has yet to determine how the individual becomes loyal. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the process in which recreation activity participates becomes loyal and to identify who can be labels as serious within the PCM Framework. Data was obtained from an online electronic survey distributed to participants of four U.S. marathon and half marathon events. A total of 579 responses were used in the final analysis. Path analysis determined the process in which a runner becomes committed. MANOVA is used to determine difference between leisure groups in the four stages of PCM. Results indicate that activity participants need to go through all four stages of PCM before becoming loyal. As knowledge increases, individuals are more motivated to participate. When the activity satisfies motives and becomes a reflection of their identity, feelings become stronger which results in loyalty. Socialization is instrumental to the progression through the PCM Framework. Additionally, attachment is the "bottleneck" in which all loyal activity participants my pass through. Differences exist between serious leisure groups in the attachment and loyalty stages. Those that are `less serious' are not as committed to the activity as their counterparts.
ContributorsMurphey, Elizabeth M (Author) / Lee, Woojin (Thesis advisor) / Hultsman, Wendy (Thesis advisor) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Chisum, Jack (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
In the recent years, more and more products come into the market, which provides thousands of choices for consumers. We live in a world full of brands, all trying to attract our attention. A critical part of this process is the criteria for selection. Research has found that criteria always derive from individuals’ experience, which finally creates a unique identity for certain products and brands that could be considered synonym with the specific product. This is a fast-growing phenomenon since the advent of the commodity economy period. In today’s competitive environment, modern consumers are the decision makers and the heart of a value exchange. They are becoming increasingly informed as they compare the attributes of different brands. Advertising has always been one of the important ways for companies to build strong relationships with consumers. This research aims to study the relationship between brand loyalty and advertising. This research is focused on two kind of advertisements; advertisements through social network and launch events, which have different characters, differences in broadcast frequency, and different promotion methods. Interview and survey were mainly used for this study.
Research results conclude that: 1) The impact of the press conference is greater than advertising through social network and the effect of a precise advertisement is greater than repeated advertising for individuals. 2) Advertisements should be launched in a less forceful way than in the past. They should try to affect consumers subconsciously, to disguise the fact that they are advertisements and thus keep in sync with consumers, in order to help create loyalty through certain brand. 3) Consumers also want to have more interactions with firms and other users and to participate in the creation of brand-consumer relationships. 4) Advertisements have positive effect in creating brand image.
Research results conclude that: 1) The impact of the press conference is greater than advertising through social network and the effect of a precise advertisement is greater than repeated advertising for individuals. 2) Advertisements should be launched in a less forceful way than in the past. They should try to affect consumers subconsciously, to disguise the fact that they are advertisements and thus keep in sync with consumers, in order to help create loyalty through certain brand. 3) Consumers also want to have more interactions with firms and other users and to participate in the creation of brand-consumer relationships. 4) Advertisements have positive effect in creating brand image.
ContributorsZhang, Wenjing (Author) / Takamura, John (Thesis advisor) / Sanft, Alfred (Committee member) / Gray, Nancy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
How does a university create a culture of affinity where students seek and maintain life-long connections to the institution? The purpose of this action research study was to examine how affinity increased or developed for undergraduate students at the Arizona State University Polytechnic campus through meaningful student-centric activities. Three theoretical frameworks guided the study including the work of Baumeister and Leary, Kuh, and Ajzen.
In this mixed method study, quantitative data about affinity, attitude, toward Arizona State University was collected using pre- and post-intervention surveys and qualitative data were gathered through individual semi-structured interviews at the conclusion of the study. Study participants were degree-seeking, undergraduate students whose degree programs were affiliated with the Polytechnic campus. The study was conducted during the first semester for first-year students. The intervention was implemented over a four-week period and consisted of providing information and opportunities to students to initiate connecting to the institution.
Quantitative data exhibited slight upward changes or slight to modest decreases in the dependent variables between pre- and post-intervention assessments. Qualitative data provided a content-rich explanation that helped in understanding the quantitative results. For example, students indicated high behavioral beliefs, attitudes toward involvement, and intentions. Moreover, they demonstrated high levels of connectedness and loyalty to the institution. Discussion focused on describing the complementarity of the data, explaining outcomes relative to the theoretical frameworks, limitations, implications for practice and future research, and lessons learned.
In this mixed method study, quantitative data about affinity, attitude, toward Arizona State University was collected using pre- and post-intervention surveys and qualitative data were gathered through individual semi-structured interviews at the conclusion of the study. Study participants were degree-seeking, undergraduate students whose degree programs were affiliated with the Polytechnic campus. The study was conducted during the first semester for first-year students. The intervention was implemented over a four-week period and consisted of providing information and opportunities to students to initiate connecting to the institution.
Quantitative data exhibited slight upward changes or slight to modest decreases in the dependent variables between pre- and post-intervention assessments. Qualitative data provided a content-rich explanation that helped in understanding the quantitative results. For example, students indicated high behavioral beliefs, attitudes toward involvement, and intentions. Moreover, they demonstrated high levels of connectedness and loyalty to the institution. Discussion focused on describing the complementarity of the data, explaining outcomes relative to the theoretical frameworks, limitations, implications for practice and future research, and lessons learned.
ContributorsMatos, Maria Regina (Author) / Buss, Ray (Thesis advisor) / Krasnow, Aaron (Committee member) / Givans Voller, Julie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description随着中国经济过去30多年的高速发展，出现了一大批的高收入人群，他们更注重生活的品质，如追求自然、简约、低调的休闲生活方式，更看重健康生活、自身的身心修养，和提高自身修养的内涵式生活，以及注重子女的内涵气质教育。
同时，具有很强烈地获得心理认同的需求，参加各种以消费和交往为媒介和主体活动的社群或“社交圈子”，在心理和情感上自我获得与其在财富、生活方式以及生活品位等诸方面都类似的群体间的身份认同感和归属感；更看着与其社会阶层相匹配的身份地位、社交人脉、兴趣爱好等。
因此，从运营的角度来看，如何增加上述这些高净值人群对高净值社群的归属感，进而提高其对高净值社群的忠诚度，是高净值社群进一步可持续经营和发展的基石。本研究以上海嘉庭俱乐部为例，在对问卷调查的基础上，通过实证研究，探讨影响高净值社群归属感与忠诚度的关键因素，高净值社群中会员的归属感与忠诚度的关系，会员生活型态的差异使得归属感与忠诚度的影响关系呈现显著的不同。
实证研究表明，“时尚流行”会员较为理性，其更注重休闲风尚；而“优雅休闲与享受尊荣”的会员则偏感性，其相当注重心灵感受与宁静舒适的感觉，强调全家共享以及纯封闭式的会员享受，能够更多地认识到与个人品味和品位相同的人，如对生活品质的追求、价值观、子女教育等；内心更开放、所接受教育程度更高的家庭，在嘉庭会感受到的归属感意识更高、其忠诚度也更高。
同时，具有很强烈地获得心理认同的需求，参加各种以消费和交往为媒介和主体活动的社群或“社交圈子”，在心理和情感上自我获得与其在财富、生活方式以及生活品位等诸方面都类似的群体间的身份认同感和归属感；更看着与其社会阶层相匹配的身份地位、社交人脉、兴趣爱好等。
因此，从运营的角度来看，如何增加上述这些高净值人群对高净值社群的归属感，进而提高其对高净值社群的忠诚度，是高净值社群进一步可持续经营和发展的基石。本研究以上海嘉庭俱乐部为例，在对问卷调查的基础上，通过实证研究，探讨影响高净值社群归属感与忠诚度的关键因素，高净值社群中会员的归属感与忠诚度的关系，会员生活型态的差异使得归属感与忠诚度的影响关系呈现显著的不同。
实证研究表明，“时尚流行”会员较为理性，其更注重休闲风尚；而“优雅休闲与享受尊荣”的会员则偏感性，其相当注重心灵感受与宁静舒适的感觉，强调全家共享以及纯封闭式的会员享受，能够更多地认识到与个人品味和品位相同的人，如对生活品质的追求、价值观、子女教育等；内心更开放、所接受教育程度更高的家庭，在嘉庭会感受到的归属感意识更高、其忠诚度也更高。
ContributorsLi, Hailin (Author) / Gu, Bin (Thesis advisor) / Chen, Xinlei (Thesis advisor) / Chang, Chun (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The sport of football has become one of the most widely loved and watched sports in the United States. Fans of football are extremely dedicated to the sport and form very personal, emotional attachments to teams within the National Football League. Through studying these fans, three main analysis topics will be addressed in this thesis: the established fan knowledge that creates rules within the fandom on how a fan participates and the exceptions to those rules, the need that fan's who do not fit into the normative patterns of the fandom feel to explain their motivations, and the degree of fanship that can be measured through a fan's explanation for their deviant behavior. For this fandom analysis, two sets of data will be referenced throughout the discussion. The first is anecdotal data pulled from various reddit threads on the personal experiences of each fan as well as some opinion sharing about the National Football League fandom. The second set of data is primary data that I have compiled via a survey. The established fan knowledge within this fandom is two fold: First, fans choose their team for a specific reason (usually based off of the team their parent's are a fan of or the state they grew up in), which typically takes place by age twelve. Secondly, once a fan chooses a team, they should stick with that team through their entire fanship. This second piece of fan knowledge is the most important rule within the fandom. This idea of loyalty is what guides fan participation. Identifying this rule led me to my main question about this fandom \u2014 if fans are so dedicated to their chosen team, what does it mean when someone switches to a new team. I feel that this breaking of a bond that seems so personal to fans is important and should be researched. This brought me to researching these fans that have switched teams, learning why, as well as what this group of fans can say about the National Football League fandom as a whole.
ContributorsGutierrez, Brooke Kathleen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Nonlinear pricing is a term that looks at the relationship between price and quantity. Normally firms bundle breakfast cereals together and then sell them at least a price that is a third of the single unit price. This shows a lack of linearity between the price and the quantity. Most of the breakfast cereal brands like Kellogg’s , Post and others employ nonlinear pricing schedules as a way of motivating consumers to purchase their products. They use these methods to increase their product sales and boost profits respectively. An example of nonlinear pricing is when a consumer is given an option to buy two boxes of cereal and get and the third one for free.
According to Market Watch (10/08/2018), 85% of breakfast cereal brand companies use the nonlinear pricing model. This is a very popular and competitive market strategy used by other companies as well. The purpose of this thesis is to therefore evaluate the effectiveness of the nonlinear pricing strategy popular in the breakfast cereal industry, as well as ascertaining whether this strategy fosters loyalty amongst cereal consumers. I have always wondered if breakfast cereal companies that use nonlinear pricing models shortchange themselves by recycling their own customers instead of attracting new ones. To respond to that question, l used data from the breakfast cereal industry for the year 2017. This data received integrity research and assurance approval at Arizona State University . Moreover, the study used breakfast cereal data as the backbone of the analysis because consumption of breakfast cereals happens throughout the year and breakfast cereals have a longer shelf life. The data is based on receipt uploads from over 400,000 users of the Omni panel website. My goal with the thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of nonlinear pricing schedules in relation to increasing sales and fostering customer loyalty. At the end of the study, l would like to have developed a strong and data-based opinion on why consumers choose the breakfast cereal they purchased and also on the relationship between nonlinear pricing and consumer loyalty. I hope to use my findings to propose a better model which, if used by these businesses, can enable them to generate more returns and cultivate customer loyalty.
According to Market Watch (10/08/2018), 85% of breakfast cereal brand companies use the nonlinear pricing model. This is a very popular and competitive market strategy used by other companies as well. The purpose of this thesis is to therefore evaluate the effectiveness of the nonlinear pricing strategy popular in the breakfast cereal industry, as well as ascertaining whether this strategy fosters loyalty amongst cereal consumers. I have always wondered if breakfast cereal companies that use nonlinear pricing models shortchange themselves by recycling their own customers instead of attracting new ones. To respond to that question, l used data from the breakfast cereal industry for the year 2017. This data received integrity research and assurance approval at Arizona State University . Moreover, the study used breakfast cereal data as the backbone of the analysis because consumption of breakfast cereals happens throughout the year and breakfast cereals have a longer shelf life. The data is based on receipt uploads from over 400,000 users of the Omni panel website. My goal with the thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of nonlinear pricing schedules in relation to increasing sales and fostering customer loyalty. At the end of the study, l would like to have developed a strong and data-based opinion on why consumers choose the breakfast cereal they purchased and also on the relationship between nonlinear pricing and consumer loyalty. I hope to use my findings to propose a better model which, if used by these businesses, can enable them to generate more returns and cultivate customer loyalty.
ContributorsNgwenya, Alpha (Author) / Silverman, Daniel (Thesis director) / Trujillo, Rhett (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Thunderbird School of Global Management (Contributor) / Department of Economics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This study examines how a commitment to service can impact and come to exemplify a company’s brand image, customer loyalty, and overall organizational success. It examines the history and evolution of customer service, as well as what commitment to service looks like in present-day businesses. It differentiates companies that have attained a reputation for superior service and companies that have struggled to overcome service failures. Trader Joe’s, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Chick-fil-A, Southwest Airlines, and The Walt Disney Company are identified as five companies that have attained a reputation for remarkable service. This study includes five analyses to understand each company’s mission, history, leadership, employee engagement, and organizational culture. This study synthesizes how an unwavering commitment to customers, emphasis on employee empowerment, and ability to embed service in culture are common themes that can significantly contribute to a company’s ability to develop a reputation for remarkable service.
ContributorsBarr, Chandler Wallace (Author) / Desch, Timothy (Thesis director) / Shick, Jennifer (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Research has shown that acquiring a new customer is between 5 and 25 times more costly than retaining existing customers and that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits anywhere between 25% and 94%, (Gallo, 2014). In part because of these statistics, many businesses utilize loyalty rewards programs to both incentivize potential customers into trying their business and to retain their existing customers. Once a customer has joined a loyalty rewards program, they will bring in more revenue than those outside the program. For example, in the retail industry, members of loyalty rewards programs generate between 12% and 18% more revenue than their counterparts not participating in the loyalty rewards program, (Accenture, 2016). Creating an attractive loyalty rewards program can greatly boost a business’s revenue – if done correctly.
This Thesis proposes a business plan for a cross-business loyalty rewards program. There are two target markets for this business - small to medium sized business (specifically businesses that attract large numbers of repeat customers) and the customers they seek to attract. This cross-business loyalty rewards program will be made possible through management software that will allow these businesses to both manage their rewards programs and have access to tools that will allow them to collect data on their consumers’ habits, manage marketing campaigns, and allow them to better connect with their consumers. The aspect of this management software that will differentiate it from competitors will be the cross-business nature of the program. Points earned by a customer frequenting one business (e.g. restaurant) can be used in other businesses using the same program (e.g. hairdresser). By “sharing” consumers in this way, businesses will incentivize customers to try new businesses, greatly reducing the cost these businesses will invest in acquiring new customers while also helping to retain both existing and new customers, thus increasing revenue.
This Thesis proposes a business plan for a cross-business loyalty rewards program. There are two target markets for this business - small to medium sized business (specifically businesses that attract large numbers of repeat customers) and the customers they seek to attract. This cross-business loyalty rewards program will be made possible through management software that will allow these businesses to both manage their rewards programs and have access to tools that will allow them to collect data on their consumers’ habits, manage marketing campaigns, and allow them to better connect with their consumers. The aspect of this management software that will differentiate it from competitors will be the cross-business nature of the program. Points earned by a customer frequenting one business (e.g. restaurant) can be used in other businesses using the same program (e.g. hairdresser). By “sharing” consumers in this way, businesses will incentivize customers to try new businesses, greatly reducing the cost these businesses will invest in acquiring new customers while also helping to retain both existing and new customers, thus increasing revenue.
ContributorsKellogg, Preston (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Schlacter, John (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05