La musica di sottofondo è una componente dell’atmosfera di primaria importanza, in quanto influenza gli stati d’animo dei consumatori, condiziona le attitudini nei confronti dei punti vendita e determina alcuni comportamenti d’acquisto. Il presente lavoro analizza in che modo la musica di sottofondo influisce sul consumatore, tenendo conto in particolare della notorietà del brano musicale e dello stile di shopping. Nell’articolo si dimostra come non sempre optare per brani famosi come le hit del momento o gli evergreen sia la scelta giusta. I consumatori che necessitano di maggiore calma e rilassatezza preferiscono la musica non famosa per lo svolgimento degli acquisti. Al contrario, i consumatori serali preferiscono i brani famosi: anche in questo caso la motivazione risiede nello stile d’acquisto, più frenetico e ritmato nelle fasce serali.

In the service industry, a long-term relationship with customers is the key success factor that is increasing enormously. Service encounters can be viewed as a social exchange, with the interaction between the service provider and the customer being a crucial component of satisfaction, and providing a strong reason for continuing a relationship. This article tries to identify the key brand dimensions in financial services, as few financial service brands have emotional values that can differentiate the company even though they call for credibility and sincerity in their choice. Financial services in Italy have been analysed, as they have experienced several changes over the last decades with a growing attention to customer needs. A questionnaire has been submitted to understand the factors that affect customer loyalty, especially those related to brand. This study highlights that in the area of the study, a Mediterranean region, social and local habits seem to affect consumer behaviour. In fact, consumers pay more attention to human contact, therefore stressing the importance of a vis à vis relationship, and thus demonstrating a Mediterranean approach to financial services.

A destination’s website has a strategic relevance in order to attract potential tourists; the more useful the website is perceived, the greater the influence on visiting the destination. Web users usually Google a destination in order to collect information on it and have their functional, aesthetic, or visual information needs satisfied. This article, in an attempt to measure the effect of the new regional portal on the Apulian territorial brand notoriety and the tourist flows, investigates the effectiveness of the portal in matching tourist needs and place features, through primary and secondary data.

Nell’attuale scenario socio-economico il consumatore, con i suoi mille volti, i molteplici, a volte provvisori e incoerenti comportamenti e modelli, spesso difficilmente classificabili secondo criteri quantitativi e di performance cari ai manager di impresa, rappresenta una sfida continua per le imprese: il suo studio e la sua conoscenza richiede uno sforzo maggiore e strategico, spingendo le imprese, e soprattutto il marketing, ad interessarsi di sensibilità e di valori, di territori socioculturali, di frontiere e grandi aree di affinità elettive. In sostanza, devono essere studiati e compresi i trend emergenti che muovono la società, le nuove sensibilità che plasmano le scelte degli individui, i grandi ideali che orientano l’azione, le principali culture di riferimento di un paese o di un popolo. Capire i bisogni del consumatore apporta benefici sia al consumatore sia all’impresa. La soddisfazione del consumatore aumenta, se i prodotti venduti dall’impresa si adattano alle sue necessità e i prezzi fissati sono quelli che egli è disposto a pagare. L’impresa, a sua volta conoscendo il processo decisionale del consumatore, offrirà prodotti che soddisfano i suoi bisogni affinché il consumatore prenda la decisione in maniera più facile e confortevole. Questo libro riprende l’impostazione ormai consolidata dei manuali di consumer behaviour di matrice anglosassone, arricchendola di argomenti di matrice europea o meglio mediterranea. Inoltre, utilizza un approccio multidisciplinare proprio a conferma della caratteristica principale di tale disciplina. Il testo è diviso in due macro parti: una di natura teorica in cui si descrive il consumatore quale individuo dotato di caratteristiche di varia natura, che, combinate tra loro, sviluppano una personalità unica; di un sistema di valori che costantemente interagisce con l’ambiente modificandosi e modificandolo; e di un sistema decisionale che gli consente di reagire agli stimoli provenienti dall’esterno e di produrne, a sua volta, di nuovi. L’altra, di natura pratica, che vede l’applicazione dei concetti teorici a casi reali descritti dai manager delle imprese che li hanno affrontati. Il tutto, infine, corredato da un’appendice online con ulteriori casi e un po’ di numeri, formule ed esercizi per avvicinarsi al mondo quantitativo delle imprese.

This paper aims to measure students’ perceptions of value that are influenced by differences in costs (monetary and non-monetary), students’ attitudes and socio-demographic features. It seeks to investigate the components of the university value that affects students’ choice. A questionnaire was developed in order to measure students’ beliefs and perceptions about the offer and service attributes of the university. All variables, primarily drawn from the literature, were measured using multiple items. ANOVA and a PLS regression was used to investigate the effects of the various value dimensions as perceived by students. The findings suggest that, although universities could improve student retention by attempting to increase their level of satisfaction, their efforts will be more effective if focussed on demonstrating the way that the service provided has helped their customers to achieve their objectives, highlighting the strategic importance of the social value. Despite the limitations, such as the sample size and the convenience sampling strategy, future research should be addressed to define the student lifetime value from both the university and the student point of view. Additionally, it could be interesting to investigate a kind of “student equity” as a function of: student satisfaction, student sacrifice and word-of-mouth. Since little empirical research concerning student value and its formation exists, this paper develops a value approach that measures the total student experience. Moreover, very few studies exist in the Italian context, which proves to be interesting due to the recent changes in the university system structure.

Literature on entrepreneurship has recently stressed the strategic entrepreneurial network in relation to growth theory, underling the role of technological change, consumer preferences or market changes originated by different crisis shocks that show various business opportunities. In such a scenario a wide group of entrepreneurs strongle react through their territorial connotations; especially the family firms co-localized and well organized in social networks. The aim of this paper is to empirically verify the existence of the strong link between entrepreneurship and territory and to punt in evidence the existence of internal barriers.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a measurement scale that captures elements of Mediterranean identity. Design/methodology/approach – A scale was developed from items drawn from existing scales and from a qualitative study that examined how respondents viewed their national identity as well as the concept of a Mediterranean identity. The literature pertaining to Mediterranean identity, culture and the influence of contextual factors on its development were reviewed. The scale revealed four dimensions of Mediterranean identity: traditions, relationships, ethnocentrism and a bond with the Sea. Findings – The scale successfully discriminated between those living by the Sea and those living inland. At the same time, it did not differentiate between respondents living in the north from those living in the south. The study suggests that context, specifically proximity to the Sea, helps shape some of the regional variation in values and beliefs. Research limitations/implications – The geographic composition of the sample limits the generalizability of the results. A sample across additional countries would provide greater confidence in the results, although much of the theoretical work on Mediterranean thinking has focused on Italy. Further, it was desirable to keep as many factors as possible constant to limit extraneous variation. Inclusion of respondents from countries with different levels of wealth, religious and political ideologies would likely uncover additional facets of Mediterranean identity. Practical implications – The results have broader implications for identifying transnational segments that may exist around the Mediterranean. A key implication relates to the extent that similar values and beliefs appear to be associated with proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. It also highlights the importance of considering contextual factors when developing an understanding of consumer behavior. Originality/value – Mediterranean identity has been examined conceptually, but a systematic means to measure is lacking. The essence of Mediterranean thinking embodies the importance individuals place on adhering to traditions, the value they attach to personal relationship, a certain degree of ethnocentricism, and of course the bond with the Sea. The results also suggest that differences that have been attributed to a north/south divide, needs to be reexamined.

The main research question of the paper is to determine whether technology nowadays is overcome by customer references and needs. In particular, the role of the brand is to be analysed with respect to its influence in shifting customer preferences from the technical performances (tangible elements) to the emotional/symbolic ones (intangible elements). Consumer behaviour was analysed by interviewing a random (but well stratified) sample of mobile phone users in order to study their consumption style and the motivations underlying the buying process in order to understand, on the one hand, the variables that influence people in the usage of mobile phones and, on the other, those that influence firms in launching new products, both from a technological point of view and from a marketing one. The findings show various dimensions that are relevant in consumer minds when considering decisions regarding technological products. Brand attitudes do relate positively to consumer intention to use (purchase) specific mobile phones over others. The study, though exploratory, has underlined the importance of brand and the dualism between marketing and technology in the adoption and diffusion of technological products. Certainly, the analysis has some limitations, but it provides an initial perspective into understanding brand issues. Future research should focus on the effects of the cooperation between mobile operators and mobile manufacturers. This paper provides an analysis of the brand attitude and perception tested and viewed through user eyes.

Inter-firm cooperative arrangements involving flows and linkages that use resources and/or governance structures from autonomous firms based in different countries help in accomplishing both the individual objectives and the collective ones. Through collaboration with foreign partners, firms are able to exploit new market opportunities, minimise investment risks, set up more efficient and effective distribution channels or create products, product features, brands or services and, above all, absorb key capabilities and technologies from the partner. Literature on strategic alliances raised the issue on an alleged appropriation of benefits by Japanese firms when participating in strategic alliances. Japanese companies have experienced higher shareholders’ returns in strategic alliances with Western partners, both in the short term and in the medium one. The choice of Japanese and Western companies calls for a deeper understanding of the drivers of the alliances and the determinants of value creation without misleading influences deriving from different business environments. This paper analyzes the wealth distribution taking into account the reaction of the market to the alliance as an indicator of a successful strategy. It explores the case of the automobile industry, which is characterised by a high use of inter-firm cooperation, such as strategic alliances and mergers & acquisitions, to effectively compete in the global market and face the global crisis.