This paper presents an in-depth analysis toward understanding the business value components an organization can derive from adopting radio frequency identification (RFID). Although this subject is currently a hot topic, many organizations are slow in warming up to the idea of using RFID to conduct more effective and efficient business processes. We propose a framework for evaluating the business value of RFID technology, hoping that a better understanding of the business value of RFID will encourage more organizations to implement it. Emphasis is on delivering business value through refining business processes and expanding the business model. We illustrate these concepts drawing on the experience of five early adopters from the Taiwan healthcare industry and formulate this framework as a set of propositions based on relevant literature, cases from pioneers in the field and our intuition. These propositions will need to be validated through empirical evidence. r 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Evaluating the business value of RFID: Evidence from five case studies

Input—Output Economics. By Wassily Leontief. New York and London, Oxford University Press, 1966. ix, 257 p. 914″. 60s.

Input-Output Economics.

Digital transformation in healthcare: Analyzing the current state-of-research

Factors influencing the adoption of mHealth services in a developing country: A patient-centric study

The topic of customer engagement has been growing in relevance and complexity in the last decade. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to systematically review and critically analyse the research about customer engagement and address the research question: “What marketing research has been conducted on customer engagement until now and what could be future avenues for research?”,A systematic review of the existing literature is performed based on the Web of Science and Scopus electronic databases. A total of 144 articles are included in the final analysis.,Customer engagement is perceived as a multidimensional concept with different definitions and sub-forms associated. There is an increasing number of authors studying the concept in different industries and geographies, with empirical studies being widely used. The concept emerges from specific theoretical pillars. Different constructs are associated with customer engagement, being studied as antecedents and/or outcomes. This study presents 8 major paths for future research.,This type of approach has a certain level of subjectivity, associated to the methodological process for choosing the articles to be included in the final analysis and the applied filters.,Through this study, readers become aware of the state of the art on customer engagement and associated constructs, the gaps found in past research, the research contexts and also have a glimpse about what can be the future of this field of research, as well as research questions to be addressed.

The growing complexity of customer engagement: a systematic review

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the extant literature regarding the exploitation of digital technologies by illustrating how this type of IT can influence business process improvements in the healthcare industry.,The paper reports an illustrative case study for MSD Italy, the Italian subsidiary of the USA-based company Merck & Co., Inc. The group sells drugs for human use in Italy but is also active in the veterinary (MSD Animal Health) industry, with Vree Health, and in solutions and software-based services for the healthcare industry.,The results show that the adoption of digital technologies could improve the performance of main healthcare business processes, particularly those processes that can be simplified with the adoption of information technology. More specifically, digital technologies could increase efficiency and, at the same time, allow for the delivery of better quality and reduced response times, with many benefits for several stakeholders, such as national health systems, clinicians and patients.,Although some studies report the need for effective business processes for sustainable healthcare systems, there is a lack of literature regarding the specific implications of the adoption of such digital technologies for the business process management of healthcare firms. This paper attempts to fill in this gap.

The effect of digital technologies adoption in healthcare industry: a case based analysis

Purpose




The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of consumer-brand engagement and brand experience on behavioural intentions (i.e. intent to re-purchase, willingness to accept brand extension, willingness to pay a premium price) in relation to food brands.




Design/methodology/approach




The authors propose a conceptual model comprising five latent variables and 26 manifest variables. A questionnaire with questions relating to pasta and coffee was given to an Italian consumer sample (n=400). The model was tested using structural equation modelling of the resulting data to examine the research hypotheses.




Findings




The empirical study confirms the predictive role of the two selected drivers of brand value. Both consumer-brand engagement and brand experience influenced behavioural intentions, but these brand constructs had different roles in the two product categories examined in the study, pasta and coffee.




Research limitations/implications




This study does have limitations. First, the generalisability of the findings should be considered. The study refers to only two product categories in a specific country. It would be interesting to investigate the issue of food brand engagement and brand experience in different countries, and to compare the results. Furthermore, it would be valuable to investigate the impact of brand engagement and brand experience in other product categories.




Practical implications




The results have an important implication for marketing managers: they should develop long-term and strong brand relationships. Such consumer engagement and/or experiential actions can be key competitive advantages for food companies.




Originality/value




The study provides empirical support for the effect of consumer-brand engagement and brand experience on consumers’ behavioural intentions in the food industry.

The impact of consumer-brand engagement on brand experience and behavioural intentions: An Italian empirical study

Purpose




The impact of national culture on tourist behavior has been analyzed in several studies, but none of them focused on its discriminating impact on behavioral intentions during a mega-event Using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this paper aims to explore the influence of national cultural values on tourist behaviors (experience, satisfaction and behavioral intentions) during the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) in Naples




Design/methodology/approach




The paper presents a quantitative analysis of primary data gathered through a survey of a convenience sample of tourists (n = 612) conducted during the ACWS organized by the City of Naples in April 2013




Findings




The findings confirm that national cultural clusters represent an important driver of behavioral intentions: tourists from different geographic clusters showed different intention to return and intention to recommend by word of mouth, caused by different levels of individualism and uncertainty avoidance




Practical implications




For destination marketing managers, this study throws light on how the national culture of tourists may influence their experiences and behavioral intentions




Originality/value




Despite the richness of works on the tourism experience, few studies have investigated the effect of national culture on tourists’ experience, satisfaction and behavioral intentions during and after a sport mega-event

The influence of tourists’ national culture on their behaviors in a sport mega-event

This study aims to analyze the impact of event experience on event satisfaction and intentions to return and recommend the destination.,Relationships among constructs were tested on data gathered from 542 tourists during the America's Cup World Series held in South Italy in April 2013 by using a structural equation modeling approach. Moreover, a multigroup analysis was developed to test the possible moderator factors.,The results revealed that event experience and event satisfaction had positive impacts on the intentions to recommend and return to the host destination. Moreover, nationality, gender and trip motivation emerged as important moderating factors in the relationships among the latent constructs.,The findings of this paper enrich the existing literature and help tourism destination marketers and managers consider the triggering factors of a satisfying mega-sports event for the host destination and the marketing power of the on-site experience.,Practitioners should draw on the insights provided by this study to design destination strategies, particularly by paying attention to how an event experience causes an attendee to return to and recommend the host destination.,This study enriches the existing event literature in several ways. First, it emphasizes the importance of the event experience to the satisfaction level and willingness to return and recommend the host destination for a vacation, supporting the link between an event and its destination. Second, it provides a moderating analysis that offers new insights for marketing the event experience. It offers a multilevel model of mega-event tourism legacy, which opens up new avenues of research. Third, complementing the consumer-based analysis, this research includes the trend of visits (after 2013 to the present) to examine how a mega-sport event has brought about more postevent visits.

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Measuring event experience and its behavioral consequences in the context of a sports mega-event

New marketing trends in the service context show that the physical environment is an important driver of how consumers of services (or products) are immersed in an overall consumption experience. Few studies, however, have focused on this issue in the tourist sector, and even fewer in the specific context of the cruise industry. The paper aims to deepen academic and managerial knowledge of tourist behaviour in cruise-related settings, by analysing the effects of the physical environment on the experience of a cruise. As cruise vacations are a prototypical experiential platform ' an amalgam of tangible and intangible benefits, from the basic transportation, meals and entertainment, to some more hedonistic aspects with an emotional value (e.g., escape, relaxation, socialisation) - this study proposes a conceptual framework for researchers and practitioners, in the form of a strategic management tool based on experiential and holistic perspectives on cruises.

Michele Quintano

Papers

The effect of digital technologies adoption in healthcare industry: a case based analysis

The impact of consumer-brand engagement on brand experience and behavioural intentions: An Italian empirical study

The influence of tourists’ national culture on their behaviors in a sport mega-event

Measuring event experience and its behavioral consequences in the context of a sports mega-event

Understanding the role of the service experience in the cruise industry