Friend or foe? Customer engagement’s value-based effects on fellow customers and the firm (original) (raw)
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Customer Engagement Conceptual Domain, Fundamental Propositions, and Implications for Research
Journal of Service …, 2011
In today's highly dynamic and interactive business environment, the role of 'customer engagement' (CE) in co-creating customer experience and value is receiving increasing attention from business practitioners and academics alike. Despite this interest, systematic scholarly inquiry into the concept and its conceptual distinctiveness from other, associated relational concepts is limited to-date. This paper explores the theoretical foundations of CE by drawing on relationship marketing theory, and the service-dominant (S-D) logic. The analysis also examines the use of the term 'engagement' in the social science, management and marketing academic literatures, as well as in specific business practice applications. Five fundamental propositions (FPs) derived from this analysis are used to develop a general definition of CE, and distinguish the concept from other relational concepts, including participation and involvement. The five propositions are used in the development of a framework for future research, the undertaking of which would facilitate the subsequent refinement of the conceptual domain of CE. Overall, CE, based on its relational foundations of interactive experience and the co-creation of value, is shown to represent an important concept for research in marketing and service management.
Toward a theory of customer engagement marketing
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2016
Customer engagement marketing-defined as a firm's deliberate effort to motivate, empower, and measure customer contributions to marketing functions-marks a shift in marketing research and business practice. After defining and differentiating engagement marketing, the authors present a typology of its two primary forms and offer tenets that link specific strategic elements to customer outcomes and thereby firm performance, theorizing that the effectiveness of engagement marketing arises from the establishment of psychological ownership and self-transformation. The authors provide evidence in support of the derived tenets through case illustrations, as well as a quasi-experimental field test of the central tenet of engagement marketing.
Journal of Service Research, 2011
In today's highly dynamic and interactive business environment, the role of 'customer engagement' (CE) in co-creating customer experience and value is receiving increasing attention from business practitioners and academics alike. Despite this interest, systematic scholarly inquiry into the concept and its conceptual distinctiveness from other, associated relational concepts is limited to-date. This paper explores the theoretical foundations of CE by drawing on relationship marketing theory, and the service-dominant (S-D) logic. The analysis also examines the use of the term 'engagement' in the social science, management and marketing academic literatures, as well as in specific business practice applications. Five fundamental propositions (FPs) derived from this analysis are used to develop a general definition of CE, and distinguish the concept from other relational concepts, including participation and involvement. The five propositions are used in the development of a framework for future research, the undertaking of which would facilitate the subsequent refinement of the conceptual domain of CE. Overall, CE, based on its relational foundations of interactive experience and the co-creation of value, is shown to represent an important concept for research in marketing and service management. 2
The customer engagement/value interface: An exploratory investigation
Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 2013
After generating significant interest among marketing practitioners, the customer engagement (CE) concept is rapidly gaining traction in the academic marketing literature. Although pioneering research has provided foundational insights in this emerging area, little is known regarding the ways in which CE may contribute to generating customer value (CV) and ensuing loyalty for utilitarian and hedonic brands. Addressing this research gap, this paper develops a conceptual model of the CE/CV interface for utilitarian and hedonic brands, which proposes: (i) The existence of a curvilinear relationship between CE/CV for utilitarian and hedonic brands; and (ii) Up to a focal brand-, category-, consumer-, and situation-specific optimum, growing CE generates greater CV increases for hedonic, than for utilitarian brands. By drawing on a sample of 14 consumers, depth-interviewing/focus group findings provided exploratory evidence for contentions (i) and (ii). The paper concludes with an overview of key research limitations and implications.
Relations between Customer Engagement into Value Creation and Customer Loyalty
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014
Under modern market conditions, customer engagement into value creation is acknowledged as a factor that makes it possible for companies to survive the competition. The aim of this article is to reveal the relations between customer engagement into value creation and customer loyalty. Considering the fragmentary nature of studies performed in the field, based on the results of literature analysis, a conceptual model of relations between customer engagement into value creation and loyalty is constructed. Relations between customer engagement into value creation and customer loyalty are analysed in an integrated manner, i.e. through direct and indirect links between the two constructs.
Exploring customer brand engagement: definition and themes
Journal of Strategic Marketing, 2011
Organizations are increasingly seeking customer participation and engagement with their brands. Despite significant practitioner interest, scholarly inquiry into the 'customer brand engagement' (CBE) concept has transpired in the literature only relatively recently, resulting in a limited understanding of the concept to-date. This paper addresses this research gap by providing a literature review in this area, and developing a CBE conceptualization based on an integrative deductive (literature-based)/inductive (data-based) approach. Data were sourced from exploratory, qualitative depth-interviews and a focus group employing a total of 14 informants. Extending previous research, CBE is viewed from relationship marketing (RM) and service-dominant (S-D) logic perspectives, whilst an integrative linkage to social exchange theory (SET) is also drawn. Based on the analysis, CBE is defined as "the level of a customer's cognitive, emotional and behavioral investment in specific brand interactions." Further, three key CBE themes are identified, including 'immersion,' 'passion' and 'activation.' The paper concludes with an overview of key research limitations and implications.
Advancing and Consolidating Knowledge About Customer Engagement
Journal of Service Research, 2011
The four commentaries build on Brodie et al.'s (2011) article, and in particular the proposed research agenda. Specifically, the commentaries broaden the research agenda, and provide more focus to the specific research avenues in the emerging area of customer engagement (CE) defined by the five fundamental propositions (FPs).
Positive and negative valence influencing consumer engagement
2018
Readers are asked to use the official publication in references. Abstract Purpose – The current service landscape is increasingly dynamic, and consumers' engagement in market-related behavior is constantly changing. Developments in technology further influence this continuous dynamism. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that may cause different engagement valence, especially as only some consumers actively engage in online platforms. This paper characterizes factors that positively and negatively influence consumer engagement and suggests theoretical and managerial implications for the different factors that determine consumer engagement. Design/methodology/approach – This paper conceptualizes factors that influence consumer engagement based on their characteristics (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive) and the type of influence (positive or negative). The study uses customer-dominant logic of service, which focuses on emancipated customers and idiosyncratic customer logic, rather than on provider-orchestrated customer experiences of brands, firms, or offerings. An abductive research approach is used to qualitatively explore consumer engagement in the context of online interest communities. Findings – The study identifies the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive factors that positively and negatively determine consumer engagement in the context of online interest communities. Research limitations/implications – Through the focus on customer logic, the study provides a detailed and nuanced view of factors that influence consumer engagement. Future research is needed to explore how this framework can be applied to other online communities and different service contexts. Practical implications – The paper provides insights into the presence of an interest area in consumers' lives. The study indicates how firms may be involved in consumers' lives and how firms may create successful customer relationships based on consumer engagement. Originality/value –This study enhances previous research in four ways: 1) by characterizing factors that determine engagement, paying particular attention to its negatively valenced factors and examining the interplay of the factors that positively and negatively influence engagement, 2) by describing consumers' connection to the interest area instead of positioning the brand as the link between the consumers and the provider, and 3) by discussing the theoretical and practical challenges associated with understanding and managing consumer engagement.