Social customer relationship management factors and business benefits

Investigating the impacts of microlevel CSR activities on firm sustainability: mediating role of CSR performance and moderating role of top management support

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of microlevel corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on firm sustainability. The study also examines the mediating roles of CSR performance (CSRP) and top management support on firm sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

With the help of existing literature and theories, a theoretical model has been developed, which is then validated using structural equation modeling technique considering 327 respondents who perform CSR activities at respondents' firms in India. The research methods include moderator analysis to understand the role of top management support for firm sustainability.

Findings

This research found that microlevel CSR activities have a significant positive impact on CSR performance. The study also found that there is a significant moderating impact of top management support on the relationship between CSR performance and firm sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

This study proposed a theoretical model which has established the relationships between the microlevel CSR activities and CSRP along with firm sustainability. This is an effective model and provides vital inputs to the firms on how to succeed with CSR activities. Limitations to this study's generalizability include use of cross-sectional data and that the data were collected from one country.

Originality/value

The proposed theoretical model is unique and can be applied by firms to enhance firms' CSR performance. There is no other study which has investigated the moderating role of firm leadership team impacting the relationship between CSR performance and firm sustainability. Thus, this study is a unique attempt and adds value to the extant literature on CSR as well as firm sustainability.

The influence of online customer reviews on customers’ purchase intentions: a cross-cultural study from India and the UK

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of online customer reviews (OCRs) and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on customers’ purchase intention (PUI). This study also investigates the cultural differences between the customers in India and UK as regards the influence of OCR and customers’ PUIs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has used socialisation theory, theory of reasoned action, congruity theory and expectation value theory, along with the existing literature to develop the conceptual model. The theoretical model has been validated using the PLS-SEM technique on a survey involving 305 and 280 respondents for India and UK, respectively.

Findings

The findings highlight that gender has no effect on UK customers’ PUIs, whereas age and gender have considerable impacts on Indian customers’ PUIs.

Research limitations/implications

The study only examines the cross-cultural difference between a European country (UK) and an Asian country (India). Also, since the sample size is low, the findings did not represent a generic view.

Practical implications

The proposed model has provided important inputs to the organisations to understand consumer behaviour particularly the study would help marketing departments to formulate their marketing strategies regarding OCR and customers’ PUI.

Originality/value

This study is unique in understanding the implications of OCR and their influence on customer purchase decisions of UK customers and India’s customers. This study also helps to understand the impact of age and gender on OCR and PUIs.

Value co-creation and social media at bottom of pyramid (BOP)

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the value co-creation at bottom of the pyramid (BOP) using social media and to investigate how it is impacted by age, gender and peer influence.

Design/methodology/approach

A BOP approach provides sustainable profits by involving low-income producers and consumers by way of co-creating values. The focus of the BOP approach in the business environment in this study is to establish co-creation among the different stakeholders at the BOP level. With the help of a literature review and related theories, a conceptual model has been developed. The model has been tested statistically for validation using a survey by considering 314 usable respondents.

Findings

This study has focused on the impact of different issues such as age, gender and peer influence concerning the consumers at BOP segments involving in co-creation activities. The study finds that people at BOP segments emphasize more social media usage compared to the influence of peers in the context of co-creating values.

Research limitations/implications

Co-creation at BOP is a new approach. This study is unique research where it identifies the impact of gender, age and peer influence at the BOP level consumers for co-creation activities. The study also highlights the influence of social media on BOP consumers for co-creating values. The model so developed along with the findings of this study contribute to the overall body of knowledge in this area which has a wider theoretical and social implication.

Practical implications

The proposed model in this study can help organizations to understand the impact of age, gender, peer influence on value co-creation activities at BOP using social media. This study can help managers of the organizations involved in co-creation at BOP to formulate an appropriate strategy to get engaged with the customers at BOP. Finally, this study can motivate customers to value co-creating and engaging with organizations.

Originality/value

This study has primarily identified the impact of age, gender and peer influence for the consumers at BOP segments and is involved in different co-creation activities. The study has been mainly conducted in India, an emerging economy. None of such studies has been conducted in the emerging markets. Thus, this study claims to have possessed its uniqueness.

Digital transformation and entrepreneurship process in SMEs of India: a moderating role of adoption of AI-CRM capability and strategic planning

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants that could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of India. The study also investigates the moderating role that adopting artificial intelligence (AI)-customer relationship management (CRM) capability and strategic planning has in corporate digital entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

With the inputs from literature and theories, a model has been developed conceptually. The model has been validated by partial least squares structural equation modeling technique with consideration of 315 usable respondents. The effects of the moderators have also been investigated by multigroup analysis.

Findings

The study highlights that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change significantly impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the SMEs of India. The study also highlights that the two moderators have significant impacts on the relationships between corporate digital entrepreneurship and its predictors.

Research limitations/implications

This study has developed a unique model, which provides effective inputs to the entrepreneurs of SMEs of emerging economies. These inputs will help entrepreneurs to frame their policies to improve the existing traditional practices and processes that could be transformed into more digitalization for improving efficiency of their corporate digital entrepreneurial activities.

Originality/value

There are no studies which investigated how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship with the moderating effects of adoption of AI-CRM capability and strategic planning, as concerns SMEs of emerging economies. In this regard, this study is deemed to be a unique attempt.

Analysis of demand risks for the Indian automotive sector in globally competitive environment

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the different types of risks affecting the demand for the automotive sector in India. The study is further trying to illustrate an approach for analyzing the relative intensities of these risks in the present uncertain business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Risk on the overall demand is assessed by a combined Bayesian – multi-criteria decision-making approach. Data related to the different factors, affecting their product demand is collected from major automobile firms. Then, weights for these factors are evaluated by applying the analytic hierarchy process approach. Further, these weights are used in the Bayesian analysis network to evaluate the risk intensity for different subgroups, namely, political, economic, social, technological and environmental.

Findings

From the literature and experts’ opinion, total 16 risk factors have been finalized and these are further grouped into 5 categories i.e. political, economic, social, technological and environmental. It is observed that the demand for organizations functioning in the automotive sector is more vulnerable to economic risk as compared to other risks considered in the study.

Practical implications

Managers and decision makers of associated organizations can use the proposed framework to assess the demand risks so as to pre-evaluate their demand corresponding to future changes. Factors can be added or removed and importance could be assigned to different risk factors according to the prevailing business environment for an organization or sector. This will also help the organizations to conduct a more effective risk management in an uncertain business environment.

Originality/value

The study will help in better understanding of the various demand risks prevalent in the Indian auto sector. The methodology used, provides a novel approach for assessing the macroeconomic demand risks and can be used by the firms working in the automotive sector. The proposed methodology could be used for assessing supply chain risk or any other business initiative risk. The suggested approach will help managers in devising flexible management techniques so as to mitigate the risk.