Conspicuous displays of consumption and benevolence might serve as \"costly signals\" of desirable mate qualities. If so, they should vary strategically with manipulations of mating-related motives. The authors examined this possibility in 4 experiments. Inducing mating goals in men increased their willingness to spend on conspicuous luxuries but not on basic necessities. In women, mating goals boosted public--but not private--helping. Although mating motivation did not generally inspire helping in men, it did induce more helpfulness in contexts in which they could display heroism or dominance. Conversely, although mating motivation did not lead women to conspicuously consume, it did lead women to spend more publicly on helpful causes. Overall, romantic motives seem to produce highly strategic and sex-specific self-presentations best understood within a costly signaling framework.

/pdf/blatant-benevolence-and-conspicuous-consumption-when-nm2rwa6laj.pdf

Blatant Benevolence and Conspicuous Consumption: When Romantic Motives Elicit Strategic Costly Signals

Using longitudinal data from a Chinese newcomer sample (N = 671), we investigated the predictive effects of adaptability on newcomers’ work-related outcomes. Specifically, we tested 4 perceived P-E fit variables (i.e., P-O fit, needs – supplies fit, demands – abilities fit, and P-G fit) as mediators between adaptability variables and newcomers’ work-related outcomes. Our results showed that after controlling for demographic effects and other personality variables (i.e., proactive personality and openness to experience), newcomers’ adaptability dimensions (i.e., cultural adaptability, work stress adaptability, interpersonal adaptability, and learning adaptability) were differentially associated with improvement in newcomers’ P-E fit perceptions over a 3-month time period. In turn, the perceived P-E fit variables were related to the newcomers’ work-related outcomes (i.e., job performance, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions), after controlling for the socialization process variables (i.e., institutionalized socialization experience, role clarity, and job-related self-efficacy). The mediating roles of perceived P-E fit variables were also confirmed. Both theoretical and practical implications in terms of adaptability, newcomer adaptation processes, and P-E fit are discussed.

Understanding Newcomers' Adaptability and Work-Related Outcomes: Testing the Mediating Roles of Perceived P-E Fit Variables

Abstract Recent research has suggested that consumers have in-store slack for grocery trips—that is, they leave room in their mental budgets to make unplanned purchases. Drawing on this work, this article examines how the impact of promotions depends on whether the shopper still has in-store slack remaining in his or her mental budget. Specifically, the authors evaluate how the effect of promotional savings for both planned and unplanned items on spending varies as a function of whether the item is purchased before or after the shopper's in-store slack is depleted. In addition, they examine how these relationships vary depending on income. To achieve these goals, the authors conducted a field study in which respondents used a handheld scanner to record the order of purchases. The results suggest that savings on planned items lead to stockpiling by higher-income shoppers when the savings occur before the in-store slack has been depleted but lead to increased purchase of unplanned items when they occur afte...

/pdf/spending-on-the-fly-mental-budgets-promotions-and-spending-3v0pyfan5s.pdf

Spending on the Fly: Mental Budgets, Promotions, and Spending Behavior

The paper presents a systematic review examining the various factors of consumer behavior towards luxury goods and synthesizes studies. Searches in prominent databases were conducted to pool the st...

The consumer behavior of luxury goods: a review and research agenda

Hype or hope? A new look at the research on cultural intelligence

Conspicuous consumption usually implies the purchase of luxury goods with the purpose of signaling wealth and status. Previous literature also treats conspicuous pro-social behaviors, such as donat...

From gucci to green bags: conspicuous consumption as a signal for pro-social behavior

This study examines the impact of automated teller machine (ATM) service quality on customer satisfaction and its effect on customer loyalty. The data were collected from 360 ATM users in K...

The Effect of ATM Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty: An Empirical Analysis:

Purpose




The purpose of this paper is to understand when, how, and why service employees adapt the service encounter to meet the values and expectations of culturally disparate customers.




Design/methodology/approach




The authors tested the hypothesized framework utilizing a scenario-based experimental study. In total, a sample of 296 prospective restaurant service employees were asked to evaluate their willingness to adapt their behavior when faced with cultural differences as well as out group status. Furthermore, respondents were asked to assess their level of metacognitive cultural intelligence.




Findings




The authors found that both perceived cultural differences and out group status positively affect the service employee’s willingness to adapt their behavior. Further, cultural intelligence (CQ) positively moderates one of those two direct relationships.




Originality/value




The authors extend the literature on the service-adjustment process, as well as the managerial implications of service adjustment. The study is among the first to introduce the role of the service employees’ CQ in adaptation to an intercultural service encounter.

Service excellence in the light of cultural diversity: the impact of metacognitive cultural intelligence

Growing cultural diversity in the customer base means that firms must interact with a culturally diverse customer in a way previously impossible. This study examines when, how, and why service empl...

Service Excellence in Light of Cultural Diversity: The Impact of Metacognitive Cultural Intelligence

Purpose




Single males and females are an under-studied segment of grocery shoppers. This study aims to compare the shopping habits of single males with single females and couples.




Design/methodology/approach




Structural equation modeling is used to analyze purchase history data for testing the effect of household type on shopping trip metrics and budget allocation to product categories.




Findings




Although single male shoppers differ on some trip metrics from females, differences are more pronounced between single shoppers, male or female, and couples. The study also confirms the mediating effect of trip metrics on the relationship between demographics and allocation of budget to grocery product categories.




Originality/value




The study contributes to the literature by identifying the differences and similarities between shopping behaviors of single males, single females and couples, developing an understanding of their budget allocation decisions to different product categories and testing and confirming that trip characteristics mediate the relationship between demographics and budget allocated to grocery products.

Ayesha Tariq

Papers

From gucci to green bags: conspicuous consumption as a signal for pro-social behavior

The Effect of ATM Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty: An Empirical Analysis:

Service excellence in the light of cultural diversity: the impact of metacognitive cultural intelligence

Service Excellence in Light of Cultural Diversity: The Impact of Metacognitive Cultural Intelligence

Grocery shopping, a one man job? Understanding the single shopper