Asle Fagerstrøm

IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management p. 1009-1013 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM62345.2024.10857238

The Marketing Firm, Volume II p. 157-190 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-91591-8_7

Information and communication technologies for ageing well and e-health p. 56-75 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62753-8

Shopping carts can be designed to accommodate and integrate smart devices seamlessly within a retail setting, allowing for enhanced connectivity and functionality. Moreover, smart devices on a smart shopping cart can provide verbal motivating stimuli to enhance consumers’ purchasing of healthy food. A conjoint experiment was conducted to examine the potential influence of motivating stimuli on smart shopping carts to encourage healthier purchases among young consumers. The study involved 91 participants and presented them with a hypothetical purchasing task related to buying frozen pizza. The findings indicate a positive impact associated with all stimuli originating from the smart shopping cart, with three focused explicitly on health-related aspects. Our results suggest that the presentation of real-time, dynamic, and personalized data through smart technology within a physical grocery retail setting holds the potential to surpass the effectiveness of traditional firm-based and static brand statements. Our study made young customers more likely to select a healthier frozen pizza. This finding supports the market positioning and customer-service focus of many retailers and brands today. It shows how verbal stimuli on smart shopping carts can serve as motivating augmentals on young adult consumers’ purchases of healthier foods. The managerial implications for grocery retailers contributing positively to their customers’ overall well-being and life satisfaction are discussed, as well as limitations and future studies.

Procedia Computer Science 239 p. 1871-1878 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2024.06.369

Smart fitting rooms are an innovative technology in fashion retail that leverages Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as computer vision, sensors, augmented reality (AR), and other tools to provide an engaging and tailored shopping experience. The present study investigates how smart fitting rooms might enhance customer experience in fashion retailing. A conjoint experiment (n=122) showed that a smart fitting room is an effective retail technology for enhancing the customer experience. The results show that personalized recommendations, personalized offers, and retailers’ sustainability labels have a relatively high impact on customer experience when buying fashion products. Providing relevant information, using visualizations that complement the real world, and making a comfortable environment in a smart fitting room enhances the customer experience. Moreover, our research has revealed that implementing smart fitting rooms by fashion retailers can lead to a less social shopping experience.

Procedia Computer Science Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2024.06.349

The phenomenon of showrooming has given brick-and-mortar stores even greater challenges throughout the past decade of the growth in smartphone information technology. This study explores how smartphone technologies can be used to reduce showrooming. A conjoint experiment (n= 163) was conducted to examine factors like price, salesperson interference, and information search, and offers real-time data provided by in-store Internet of Things (IoT) technologies via a smartphone. Findings show that personalized offers with a scarcity message was the most impactful factor in the likelihood to buy, discouraging showrooming. This study reveals the relative impact of different attributes that can be provided on a shopper-facing smartphone application that provides real-time data using IoT technologies. Access to real-time information is important for showroomers to help encourage them to buy the product in-store rather than online. Offline retailers must use IoT technologies to enhance the consumer shopping journey and help support in-store purchases or purchase from the retailer’s online web shop.

2024 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) p. 693-697 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM62345.2024.10856993

Australasian Marketing Journal Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241241768

The current paper contributes to signalling theory by demonstrating the importance of digital quality signals in influencing consumer preferences for sales and segmentation in the context of marketing fresh fish online. We conducted a choice-based conjoint analysis with a latent class segmentation to analyse the significance of digital quality signals compared to traditional attributes online. The analysis of 1,411 global consumers revealed that product rating was among the most important factors when purchasing fresh salmon fillets online. Latent class segmentation identified four distinct segments, the largest being ‘value for money’, where product rating and pricing were most important. The other segments were ‘environmentally friendly’, prioritising procurement methods and place of origin; ‘want it now’, where delivery was the most important factor; and ‘quality conscious’, which relied on three attributes – origin, delivery, and product rating. This study enhances understanding of the impact of socially mediated stimuli. It demonstrates the ability of digital quality signals to compensate for the absence of sensory evaluation in online store environments or deficiencies in knowledge or experience. The findings will benefit the food industry and online grocery retailers in promoting healthier and more sustainable products such as fish online.

2024 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) p. 0688-0692 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM62345.2024.10857046

Psychology & Marketing Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22137

Climate change and the advent of artificial intelligence-generated content are reshaping wine marketing. The interplay between consumer focus on naturalness and sustainable farming practices and the proliferation of artificial intelligence-generated content represents a particularly salient area of research. However, the extent to which the presence of fictitious artificial intelligence-generated labels and backgrounds impacts consumers' willingness to buy and pay for wine has yet to be addressed. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on consumer susceptibility to sustainability signaling and artificial intelligence greenwashing, focusing on the impact of backgrounds and labels with different degrees of perceived naturalness. Three experiments demonstrate that wines bearing artificial intelligence-generated sustainability labels and third-party accredited sustainability labels reliably exhibit an increased willingness to buy and pay compared to those without sustainability labels. These findings indicate that fictitious, artificial intelligence-generated, and accredited labels are equally effective in influencing consumer wine choices. Customer susceptibility to food labels and wine knowledge and involvement also significantly predict willingness to buy across studies, validating the Customer Susceptibility to Front-of-Package Food Labeling scale. These findings highlight the necessity for future studies to investigate the role of responsible labeling, the susceptibility of customers to such labels, and the potential hazards associated with greenwashing practices involving artificial intelligence-generated labels.

2024 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM) p. 0908-0912 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM62345.2024.10857162

Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health p. 93-101 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5220/0011619100003476

Shopping carts, in general, should be suitable for carrying smart technology in the retail store environment. Also, a smart shopping cart can present verbal motivating stimuli to increase healthier food purchases. A conjoint experiment was used to test with a hypothetical purchasing task for young consumers (n=91) the potential of motivating stimulus on smart shopping carts to influence healthier purchases when buying frozen pizza. The results show a positive impact for all stimuli stemming from the smart shopping cart, three of which were health-based. This shows that stimuli revealing dynamic and personalized data through smart technology in a physical grocery retail setting have the potential to outperform traditional brand statements. Our conjoint experiment increased young consumers’ likelihood of choosing a healthier frozen pizza. This result demonstrates that verbal stimuli on smart shopping carts can function as motivating augmentals on young adult consumers’ healthier food purchases and are in line with the market positioning and customerservice focus of many retailers and brands today, emphasizing a social marketing standing.

Frontiers in Nutrition 10 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1129883

Introduction: Unhealthy food consumption is a problem for society, companies, and consumers. This study aims to contribute to knowledge regarding such issues by investigating how technology-enabled healthy food labels can impact food choice in an online grocery store context. We conceptualized unhealthy and healthy food choice as a matter of impulsivity problems. Three technology-enabled healthy food labels were derived based on variables that might impact self-control, and their influence on food choice was investigated. Methods: The empirical study consisted of three parts. In the first part, participants’ impulsivity was measured using an adjusting delay task. Part two investigated the effects of self-monitoring, pre-commitment, and social comparison-based technology-enabled healthy food labels on food choice in a hypothetical online grocery shopping setting using a choice-based conjoint experiment. Lastly, in the third part, three where demographical questions were asked. Results: The results (n = 405) show that self-monitoring, pre-commitment, and social comparison-based technology-enabled healthy food labels had the most to least impact on food choice in that order. Furthermore, the results indicate that self-monitoring and pre-commitment labels had more impact on the choice for impulsive compared to non-impulsive participants. Similarly, the results indicate that social comparison had more impact on choice for non-impulsive participants. These findings suggest that self-monitoring of previous healthy food choices might be more effective than pre-commitment based on discounts for healthy food products. However, these differences were minor. Discussion: This finding has managerial implications as grocery stores might increase their revenue by introducing self-monitoring labels in an online grocery shopping setting. Future research should investigate these technology-enabled healthy food labels in natural food purchase settings.

Journal of Business Research 170 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114350

This current research contributes to the concept of consumer-based food label equity (CBFLE) by testing the predictive validity of a scale developed by Coderre et al. (2022) in the sustainability and health domains of seafood products. In Study 1 (N = 301; between-within subjects), we found that scores on all subscales, except the (Dis)honesty subscale, were significantly related to willingness to buy fish fillets without a label in comparison with the B Corp sustainability label and a fictitious label. There were no differences between labels. In Study 2 (N = 200; within-subjects), we found similar results for fillets with a health-related label: the American Heart Association Heart-Check. However, scores on the awareness subscale were not significantly associated with willingness to buy fish fillets. Overall, our results suggest that the CBFLE and the scale predict WTB in the context of sustainability and health signaling.

Frontiers in Psychology 14 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1053528

Academia and business have shown an increased interest in using neurophysiological methods, such as eye-tracking and electroencephalography (EEG), to assess consumer motivation. The current research contributes to this literature by verifying whether these methods can predict the effects of antecedent events as motivating functions of attention, neural responses, choice, and consumption. Antecedent motivational factors are discussed, with a specific focus on deprivation as such a situational factor. Thirty-two participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control conditions. Water deprivation of 11–12 h was used as an establishing operation to increase the reinforcing effectiveness of water. We designed three experimental sessions to capture the complexity of the relationship between antecedents and consumer behavior. Experimental manipulations in session 1 established the effectiveness of water for the experimental group and abolished it for the control group. Results from session 2 show that participants in the experimental group had significantly higher average fixation duration for the image of water. Their frontal asymmetry did not provide significant evidence of greater left frontal activation toward the water image. Session 3 demonstrated that choice and consumption behavior of the relevant reinforcer was significantly higher for participants in the experimental group. These early findings highlight the potential application of a multi-method approach using neurophysiological tools in consumer research, which provides a comprehensive picture of the functional relationship between motivating events, behavior (attention, neural responses, choice, and consumption), and consequences.

Procedia Computer Science 219 p. 697-704 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2023.01.341

In recent times, banks have increasingly started using chatbots to offer round-the-clock customer service. However, customers experience with this type of technology is not well understood. The aim of this study was to get an in-depth understanding of factors affecting customer experience with a banking chatbot. Eight participants interacted with a real-life banking chatbot to complete a simple task (order a credit/debit card) and a complex task (apply for a housing loan). Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to examine chatbot-related factors (ease of use, miscommunication errors and human-likeness) and user-related factors (perceptions, future behaviors). The findings indicate that the human-like factors like a human personality, use of emojis, willingness to help, and polite communication style, have a positive impact of customer experience with banking chatbots. The chatbot's ability to understand questions was a critical factor. Miscommunication errors have negative impact, especially when the task is a simple one. Takeaway from this study is that banks should inform customers about the limits of the chatbot's abilities. In addition, they should communicate that the chatbot is safe to use for complex tasks. Successful development and implementation of chatbots for customer service require a customer centric approach from banks.

Journal of Business Research 154 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113338

As a result of the increased crowding of the retail landscape with health and sustainability signals and hundreds of different certifications and claims, there is a growing need to determine the critical success factors and guidelines for professional practice. The current paper investigates how different combinations of signals impact consumers’ choice and willingness to pay (WTP). We identify and test two major certifications from a branding perspective. The results show that consumers will have a preference and higher WTP for fish filets with signals (certificates/tags or health/sustainability) that hold higher customer-based label equity (familiarity, understanding, trust) when shown in a choice-based situation. The results show the importance of a clear reference point, label equity (familiarity, understanding, trust), and customer values when using third-party certifications and/or simple taglines.

Procedia Computer Science 219 p. 1049-1056 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2023.01.383

This study explores the relative impact of quick response (QR) codes in an omnichannel customer situation. A conjoint experiment was conducted where participants (n=53) assigned scores to stimuli cards according to experience and purchase intention in a shopping scenario. The main finding from the conjoint analysis showed that creating a positive experience does not necessarily require highly digitalized and personalized QR-code information and features. However, a balance is needed as it was discovered that the opposite was evident for purchase intention. Retailers and researchers must therefore be aware that there might be differences in what type of QR-code information and features create experiential value and what triggers purchase intention. These findings highlight the complexities of the customer experience (CX) and suggest that it is important to carefully consider the purpose for which QR codes are implemented.

Journal of Business Research 139 p. 1099-1110 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.10.052

The effectiveness of eco-labels has dominated research on food signaling. Building on signaling theory, we investigate the impact of sustainability tags–unverified sustainability claims–compared to eco-labels–actual awarded eco-certificates–on consumer choice and the willingness to pay (WTP). We add to the underdeveloped “non eco-labels” literature on sustainability signaling by documenting that a green sustainability tag has a higher importance score and utility than an eco-label. The tag leads to larger “green segments” valuing sustainability as the most important attribute when buying fish. Furthermore, consumers are willing to pay 23.1% more for fillets with sustainability tags. This is significantly higher than the additional value ascribed to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-labelled fillets. The majority of consumers surveyed were unfamiliar with frequently used seafood eco-labels (Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)/MSC). Thus, the increase in WTP is mediated by perceived familiarity, wherein tags are rated higher in familiarity compared to eco-labels.

Behavioral Sciences 12(10) Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12100363

Health Marketing Quarterly Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07359683.2022.2085460

This paper explores the impact of health communication using smartphones and the outcome of healthier purchases when young Thai consumers shop for groceries. A conjoint experiment was arranged whereby participants (n ¼ 214) purchased grocery using information conveyed via quick response (QR) codes. Results show that a healthy food label, and a good consumer rating on the food’s health, evoked the consumers’ tendencies towards interacting with a smartphone in the purchasing situation. In addition, likelihood of buying increased. Further simulations revealed that health communication conveyed via QR codes can be a good investment for brands to increase healthier purchases.

Procedia Computer Science 196 p. 999-1006 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.102

Procedia Computer Science 196 p. 280-287 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.015

Procedia Computer Science 196 p. 117-124 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.11.080

Procedia Computer Science 181 p. 709-715 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.222

This study focuses on the representativeness heuristic effects of healthy food labels on consumer choice of healthy food. A within-subject experiment was arranged to identify whether consumers rely on representativeness heuristics when making a series of choices of food. Determining whether healthy food labels bias their choice under these limitations was of particular interest. Results (n=30) showed that some participants tend to develop a representativeness heuristic for choice in a series of food choices. For some consumers, healthy food labels do, to some extent, cue them into making biased choices. These results reveal that some consumers do find comparing healthiness of products tedious and rely on representativeness heuristics when making a choice. However, the use of healthy food labels specifically as a cue is very limited when other objective cues such as nutrition information are readily available.

Journal of Innovation & Knowledge (JIK) 6(4) p. 257-267 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2021.07.001

Dissatisfied customers often use social media to voice their complaints effectively, and firms strive to find solutions about how to respond to publicly visible service failure posts. We add to the emerging literature on complaint handling via social media by examining how complaining customers on a company's Facebook page prefer to be treated. We built on the multi-attribute product concept and conducted four sequential studies in the air transport industry. Studies 1–3 were conducted to identify the service failures with a high magnitude of negative utilities as judged by consumers. The studies also served to build a service failure scenario involving relevant service recovery attributes related to the entire complaint process. The results showed that lost baggage had the highest magnitude of negative utility. The attributes that consumers found most appropriate in the case of lost baggage were timeliness and type of initial response, communication modes, compensation type, and types of information throughout the complaint process. Study 4 took this further by putting participants into the scenario to analyze their preferences, segments, and profiles. The findings presented in this study have practical implications for airlines and consumers because the results reveal four distinct consumer segments and indicate the presence of heterogeneous preferences for communication modes and interaction types across segments.

Procedia Computer Science 181 p. 628-633 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.211

An increasing number of global consumers use their smartphones to shop for goods. This short paper aims to explore if a price-conscious decision-making style has a relationship with young adult consumers’ tendency to perform mobile shopping in retail stores. The study is conducted as a survey with a sample that includes two different nationalities. The results suggest interesting positive relationships between price consciousness and mobile shopping activities in retail stores. Furthermore, the results indicate that there are differences between the two markets studied. Price consciousness seems to have a stronger association with mobile shopping for the investigated Thai respondents than for the Finnish respondents. The findings are interesting for retailers who seek to engage with young adult consumers for mobile shopping purposes.

Proceedings of the 2021 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM50564.2021.9672943

Procedia Computer Science 181 p. 730-737 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.225

This study provides an in-depth exploration of how clients and consultants collaborate in an outsourced design project and how this collaboration influenced the emerging design of an IS artifact. Findings show that the project development method (waterfall model) chosen on a macro-level (project delivery model) can cause a ripple effect that influences the client-consultant collaboration on a micro-level (design phase), which in turn, might influence the emerging design of the IS artifact. The findings suggest that the exercised control modes start with a high degree of self-control and reasonable outcome control. However, an increase in outcome control progresses over time if the measured outcome is perceived as poor by the client. Parallelly, the desire for behavioral control becomes more present.

Procedia Computer Science 181 p. 702-708 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.221

The point of online purchase includes the location and conditions in which an online transaction takes place. The term usually comprises the presentation of the products available for purchase by consumers as well as the means of completing the transaction. Knowledge about how the online setting and the specific situation influence consumers at the point of online purchase setting may increase the success of online marketing activities. An online experiment was arranged for the analysis of motivating events at the point of the online purchase situation. A total of 1992 business-to-business customers from an online retailer were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group (n=999) received an up-sell offer related to either a product improvement and/or to a lower price offer within two months. The control group (n=993) did not receive any form of up-sell offers in the same two-month period. The results show that the treatment group had a conversion rate of approximately 39% for up-sell offers. Also, results show an increased revenue of 87.94% for the treatment group compared to the control group. Results of the experiment are discussed in relation to the concepts of rule and rule-governed behavior at the point of online purchase.

Proceedings of the 14th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies, Volume 5: HEALTHINF p. 288-295 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5220/0010185902880295

Frontiers in Psychology 11 p. 1-8 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.603440

These days many gyms and fitness centers are closed to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in society. The gym is an environment rich in microorganisms, and careful hygiene is a necessity to keep infections at bay. Exercise centers strive for better hygiene compliance among their members. This effort has become essential in light of the current pandemic. Several experimental studies show that others’ physical presence, or the “illusion” of being watched, may alter behavior. This article reports on a natural field experiment testing one specific social nudge intended to increase gym members’ hygienic behavior. The study was conducted before the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. A picture of “observing eyes” was attached to paper dispensers and cleanser spray bottles at two different gyms in Norway. A reversal design, also called an ABA design, with and without the nudge’s presence, was used to investigate the impact on gym members’ hygienic behavior. A follow-up study was conducted in one of the centers to investigate whether the nudge stimuli would function over time. The study included 254 individual choice situations during nine observation sessions conducted over 9 weeks. The results from both centers provide evidence of a strong effect of the nudge. However, the effect decreased during the follow-up study. These findings support previous research indicating that human behavior is influenced by the presence of implicit observation cues – in this case – observing eyes. However, insights into the long-term effect of implicit observation cues are still needed since the salience of the stimuli faded over time.

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 52(101927) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101927

This study investigates the impact of Internet of Things (IoT) services from a smartphone app in a retail grocery shopping situation. It examines four variables, namely price, expiry date, quality indicators and offers. All four variables were examined in relation to two levels; traditional information and IoT services. A scenario was arranged whereby 226 participants were to purchase, among other products, fresh salmon in a grocery store using the store's smartphone app. Findings from a conjoint study show that the following IoT services; “updated expiry date”, “aggregated national customer experience index”, and “personalized offer based on product in the basket” evoked the approach and abated avoidance tendencies to explore the smartphone app, while simultaneously increasing the likelihood of buying based on information from the app. The IoT service “Real-time price” had a varied impact on participant approach-avoidance tendencies to interact with the app. Scenario simulation analysis shows that some IoT services can be a deal-breaker in a competitive grocery market. Consequently, analyzing the impact of IoT services through the lenses of approach-avoidance distinction and choice indication can help retail grocery managers develop more effective marketing strategies that deliver convenience to the consumers.

Perspectives on Behavior Science 43 p. 445-449 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-020-00267-7

This special section of the Perspectives on Behavior Science focuses on health, technology, and behavior science. The aim is to provide reviews and empirical research that integrates the latest technological innovations and behavior science. The selected articles are categorized into contributions in which technology is used to study health-related behavior and articles on the use of technology to deliver health behavior interventions. The contributors in this special section demonstrate that behavior science can aid an understanding of why people do or do not engage in a healthy lifestyle and help identify what is needed to design a successful health behavior intervention through the use of technology.

Sustainability 12(22) p. 1-12 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229477

Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3077

This article discusses the marketer and customer co‐creation process within the context of bilateral contingencies. Bilateral contingencies occur when the marketers' behavior is reinforced (and/or punished) by the customers' behavior, whereas the behavior of the customers is reinforced (and/or punished) by the marketers' actions. Using the example of the LEGO community, we discuss how the marketers in the organization can respond to behaviors resulting from co‐creational customer– customer exchanges. This paper fills the knowledge gap by presenting a behavior analysis framework (theory of the marketing firm) for the empirical measurement of the co‐creation process.

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3076

This study empirically investigates the marketer and customer's co‐creation process within the context of the marketing firm. Based on principles from bilateral contingencies, findings from a conjoint study (n = 98) indicate that utilitarian and informational reinforcing consequences from the marketer have a stronger impact on customers' co‐creation behavior relative to informational reinforcing consequences from other customers. Consequently, analyzing the impact of important reinforcing contingencies through the lens of bilateral contingencies expands our understanding of how and why co‐creation outcomes might occur. Also, a good co‐creation process may increase the business companies' research and intelligence and, as a consequence, strengthen their competitiveness.

Procedia Computer Science 164 p. 538-545 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2019.12.217

Healthy food labels are a widely used form of intervention that nudges consumers towards healthier choices. This study investigates the relative importance of healthy food labels on the consumers’ online choice of grocery. A conjoint study (n=111) shows that price, brand, and country of origin had a relatively higher impact on choice than health food labels. However, it is important to note that consumers are not completely indifferent to the presence of a healthy food label and it increases chances of a product being chosen online. The results also demonstrate gender differences, as healthy food labels had a stronger impact on female consumers. Thus, opportunities exist to improve the impact of healthy food labels on food choice. It is evident that simply presenting healthy food labels on products is equally beneficial for consumers, manufacturers, and policymakers alike.

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) 41(2) p. 234-249 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3052

Social media platforms constitute a new frontline for brands to build relationships with their customers. Nevertheless, the literature on social media engagement behavior is unidimensional, as it focuses on customer engagement while neglecting the customer's influence on managerial decisions. The current paper goes a step further by applying the theory of the marketing firm (TMF). We investigated consumer‐firm bilateral contingencies through three studies. The first study captures up to 60% of the variance in consumer responses given on Icelandair's Facebook page. The second study shows how customers engage with Icelandair's social media platforms. The third study illustrates the firm's social media strategy from a managerial perspective.

Arcada Working Papers

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) p. 1-17 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3089

In this study, we use the theory of the marketing firm to explain marketing relationships between consumers and firms selling fish in the context of developing the e-commerce sector for the fishery industry. We use a unique dataset composed of quantitative and qualitative data to provide a behavioral economic analysis and interpretation. The results reveal interdependent managerial and consumer behavioral relationships, indicating the presence of bilateral contingencies. The results also provide some indication of the theory of transaction cost, where cost-intensive activities are likely to be internalized within marketing firms selling fish.

Journal of Air Transport Management 79 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2019.05.002

Airlines are increasingly using social media for initiating and sustaining consumer brand engagement through interaction and sharing. This study introduces a conceptual model on brand post engagement on social media and contributes to extant knowledge on the effectiveness of the determinants of such engagement in the airline industry. Facebook brand posts of a major Nordic airline published between 2011 and 2015 (242 posts), and Twitter brand posts from 2012 to 2016 (143 tweets), were collected, categorized and analyzed based on their design and content. Our models explain 52 and 58 percent of the variance in likes for Facebook and Twitter respectively. Our models also show strong results for shares/retweets and explain 42 and 53 percent for Facebook and Twitter, respectively. Moreover, the results show that an “entertaining” content is a key determinant of consumer brand post engagement on both social media platforms. The study points out the distinction between consumer brand post engagement on two of the biggest social media platforms and thus, provides a guide for the design and content of messages that could be used by airlines in building consumer engagement on Facebook and Twitter.

Proceedings of the International Conference on Electronic Business 2019- p. 116-125

Social media has become an important part of consumers’ brand interaction. This study takes a content analysis research approach in order to investigate the content type of three interior brands’ postings on two popular social media sites, Facebook and Instagram, and explore how consumers engage with the content. The results show that slightly different content strategies are used on Facebook and Instagram, and the level of consumer brand post engagement varies between the two platforms. Instagram showed clearly a higher consumer brand post engagement compared to Facebook. Brand post engagement on the two social media sites is enhanced by entertaining and inspirational content. Especially on Instagram, inspirational content created the highest brand engagement. The findings are important for brands that strive to engage with fans on social media sites. Managerial and practical implications are discussed, together with future research.

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3078

This study analyzes online customer reviews in order to investigate customers' preferences regarding cosmetic products. Based on the marketing firm theory, this research explores the possibility of enhancing the bilateral contingent relationships between the customer and the marketing firm within the cosmetics domain. Hence, this study applies market‐search concepts by extracting customer reviews and employing text analytics to identify reinforcers and factors in cosmetic products, which customers are expecting, and their sentiments towards them. Our results suggest that some reinforcers are shared among all customers, but some vary among the different customer segments based on their age and skin tone.

Journal of Business Research 112 p. 458-471 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.029

Increased fish consumption can contribute to a more sustainable food system. This paper explores how signaling affects consumer choices in fresh fish purchasing situations, both in traditional and online retail settings. We examined two different types of market signals; quality signals stemming from consumers as a social proof and authority signals coming from stores. Study 1 showed that quality signals from other consumers (product rating) had the highest importance score in an online setting when compared to traditional attributes in a conjoint experiment. Study 2 again confirmed the prominence of quality signals from consumers by extending the research over to brick and mortar retailing and top-selling items. Study 3 followed up with in-store experiments, using fresh cod fillets as the target product and fresh ground beef as a comparison. The experiments showed increased sales from both types of signaling, with an overall 41.5% increase for fish in our study.

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) 41(2) p. 203-215 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3053

Efficiency has emerged as an important consumer value and thus has increased the importance of the in‐store search as one facet of consumer transaction costs. This paper contributes to the development of a marketing theory of the firm by analyzing the consumers' in‐store efficiency ratios and the retailers' natural sources of resistance to offer efficiency to all of their customers. We propose new behavioral metrics for consumer transaction costs. Our data from the behavioral tracking of 497 complete shopping trips reveal more transaction costs for quick shopping trips than for regular shopping trips, which demonstrates friction between retail and consumer transaction costs for quick trips.

Interacting with computers 31(1) p. 83-94 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwz005

This article responds to a call for research on the context-specific effects of human images in different online contexts. This study investigates how inherent facial expressions in a consultant’s profile image influence the likelihood to contact tendency of small business-to-business website visitors. The results from a conjoint study (n = 67) demonstrate that a consultant’s profile image with a smiling facial expression induced a higher likelihood to contact tendency. While the absence of a profile image reduced this tendency, relatively more than an image with a neutral facial expression. In light of these results, implications for small businesses as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.

Procedia Computer Science 164 p. 532-537 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2019.12.216

Dietary choices are one of the main drivers of preventable health issues such as obesity or diabetes. Food choice is a complex behavior that is hard to measure with traditional, paper, and pencil-based methods. Neuro-Information Systems (NeuroIS) research is well suited to examine neurophysiological and psychophysiological processes behind complex food choices. This paper aims to scrutinize the feasibility of applying NeuroIS tools in healthy food research. We argue that the most important food choices are made in extra-laboratory conditions–mostly grocery stores. Thus, mobile EEG and eye-tracking seem to be the most promising research tools in this context. Surprisingly, there are only a few EEG and eye-tracking studies on healthy food choices held in extra-laboratory conditions. We discuss this phenomenon and propose future research directions to fit this gap in the literature.

Procedia Computer Science 138 p. 454-461 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2018.10.063

Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research 42(7) p. 1152-1169 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348017696844

Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) p. 3596-3605 Doi: https://doi.org/10.24251/HICSS.2018.454

International Journal of Information Technology Project Management 9(1) p. 23-39 Doi: https://doi.org/10.4018/IJITPM.2018010102

Procedia Computer Science 138 p. 508-515 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2018.10.070

Procedia Computer Science 138 p. 169-176 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2018.10.024

Social media changes the way people and organizations communicate with each other. Health interventions on social media are, however, a relatively new phenomenon. This article includes a review of health intervention studies done via social media. The review is divided into four different validity types: (a) statistical conclusion validity, (b) internal validity, (c) construct validity, and (d) external validity. Findings show that health interventions on social media have validity challenges because of small sample size, geographic area, level of reductionism, measurement instruments, participants memories and experience, and a lack of experimental control. The conclusion is that health intervention on social media is possible—and needed. However, a focus on validity is important. Guidelines for social media intervention are suggested, and implications for future research are given.

Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management Doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEM.2018.8607818

Journal of Promotion Management 24(5) p. 694-714 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2018.1405523

Mobile apps show a heavy usage pattern and compelling growth figures. This study seeks to examine consumers’ attitudes toward in-mobile advertisements in terms of mobile advertising value. The samples are from the United Kingdom (UK) and India because the nationals of these countries exhibit a high degree of dissimilarity in a number of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. The findings suggest that factors such as perceived entertainment, credibility, and information significantly improve attitudes toward in-app advertisements, and that the effectiveness of these advertisements is based on cultural differences. The participants from India exhibited more positive attitudes toward in-app advertisements than their counterparts from the UK. The entertainment factor had a greater impact on Indian, while credibility and information had a more significant impact on smartphone users from the UK.

Proceedings of The 2017 International Conference on Advanced Technologies Enhancing Education (ICAT2E 2017) p. 38-41 Doi: https://doi.org/10.2991/icat2e-17.2016.10

This study focuses on how a real-life assignment may enhance studentsï learning. Twenty-nine students completed an assignment to test a usability framework that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nordic and Baltic countries can use to evaluate the usability of their website. The overall feedback from the students was that a real-life assignment like this was a positive experience with respect to enhanced motivation and understanding of typical issues in their educational field. This finding supports previous research, which shows that real-life assessments in higher education contribute to more satisfaction, which again can be the basis for future learning. Practical implications and suggestions for further research are given.

Procedia Computer Science 121 p. 384-388 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.11.052

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology presents an opportunity for retail groceries to develop an infrastructure that makes physical things such as mobile phone, shopping basket, store shelves, digital display, and, even the product itself smart, allowing real-time interaction with customers both in the physical store and in the virtual store. The aim of this study is to expand understanding of how IoT can create value in the retail grocery choice situation. To investigate the impact of IoT-related information on consumer choice in a shopping situation, we arranged a conjoint experiment in which participants (n = 61) purchased fresh salmon in a grocery store. The results (Pearson´s r = 0.939, p = 0.000) show that relative to static information about price, expiry date, quality, and offers given, the real-time information was the most salient stimulus when choosing fresh salmon. Moreover, quality ratings by other customers were the most salient stimuli among real-time information, followed by an offer based on a product in the shopping cart, real-time expiry date, and real-time price. These findings contribute both to researchers and managers within grocery retailing who want to understand how IoT can be used in a way that creates value for the customers.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES & SOCIETY (ITS 2017) p. 91-98

It is essential for Nordic and Baltic SMEs to understand the critical success factors (CSFs) of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations which we argue determine whether their cross-border cooperation will be successful or not. Hence, this research aims to expand our understanding of the CSFs of ERP implementations in the context of Nordic and Baltic SMEs. Via an explorative survey among Nordic and Baltic companies, our results suggest that the CSFs in the pre-implementation stage are more related to preparations and planning tasks, such as identifying goals and objectives, preparing and identifying resources to support the systems’ adoptions, and, gaining support from all related parties. During the implementation stage, CSFs focus on project management activities in which companies will use the outputs from the pre-implementation stage as inputs to finalize the ERP implementation. Accordingly, the post-implementation stage emphasizes the importance of end users. Hence, we provide our results to aid organizations in their future ERP projects. Finally, we provide our recommendations for future research.

The Behavior Analyst 40(2) p. 373-391 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-017-0114-9

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES & SOCIETY (ITS 2017) p. 67-74

Procedia Computer Science 121 p. 519-524 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.11.069

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES & SOCIETY (ITS 2017) p. 126-133

Through a qualitative case study, this research seeks to explore how a social network intranet can influence intra-organizational communications. By analyzing the use of WorkplaceTM by FacebookTM at a large Norwegian organization, our data analysis suggests that in contrast to the previous system at the case organization, this new social network intranet platform has indeed influenced internal communications. It was also found that the employees are actively using it, and the overall implementation was deemed successful. In addition, the platform aided in more rapid problem-solving mechanisms, thanks to the knowledge sharing capabilities and data availability within the platform. While information sharing and posting improve the internal information flow and provide leaders a chance to see responses; however, information flow and availability could also be a problem. The amount of information flowing sometimes become too large, and users could face challenges in catching up with the pace. Nevertheless, our data suggests that the social network has brought in several communication enhancements within the company, by breaking down borders and making communication more personal and effective. We prospect that this study could serve as an orientation to companies that are looking for replacement options for their internal communication systems.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES & SOCIETY (ITS 2017) p. 157-162

There is a request for research to examine consumer-purchasing behavior in online grocery retailing. By definition, behavior includes both cognition and observable responses. Neuro-Information Systems (NeuroIS) is a framework that offers a reliable measurement of consumer behavior, through direct observation of the brain using neuroscientific techniques. This paper discusses a potential application of using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure approach-avoidance motivation in online grocery retail contexts. A review of the literature on approach-avoidance, web atmospherics, and frontal asymmetry is conducted, to form appropriate linkages between theory and its application to the online grocery context. Additionally, this paper provides an example for exploring the potential of NeuroIS in an online setting, to demonstrate potential benefits when it comes to understanding and predicting consumer motivation in an online grocery retail context.

Proceedings of The 2017 International Conference on Advanced Technologies Enhancing Education (ICAT2E 2017) p. 31-34 Doi: https://doi.org/10.2991/icat2e-17.2016.8

Computers in Human Behavior 72 p. 123-131 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.029

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) 37(4-5) p. 324-330 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.2719

Journal of Business Research 69(11) p. 5008-5013 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.04.072

Although the literature establishes the importance of pricing in relation to traditional retailers and e-commerce, few studies consider its importance in social commerce. This study uses eye tracking to examine observational behavior as fixation time on price and the total fixation time on a Facebook page that displays clothing products. This study employs interventions both directly related (via different prices of clothes and price visibility) and indirectly related (via human models vs. mannequins) to the price label. Results show a U-shape function for fixations on price and total fixations on a page with respect to price for females who buy for themselves and males who buy for their partners. This finding points not only to the utilitarian position of price, but also to its informational role. This study introduces a conceptual framework for further research, focused on the mechanisms through which social commerce can lead to increased sales and profits.

The Routledge Companion to Consumer Behavior Analysis p. 25-39

The Routledge Companion to Consumer Behavior Analysis p. 40-50

Managerial and Decision Economics (MDE) 37(4-5) p. 331-336 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.2720

The Routledge Companion to Consumer Behavior Analysis p. 65-77

European Journal of Behavior Analysis (EJOBA) 17(2) p. 142-153 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/15021149.2016.1247637

The focus of the present experiment was to study variables in fluencing preferences in choice situations through equivalence class formation and transfer of function. Three 3-member equivalence classes (ABC) were formed with a one-to-many training structure and were followed by training of the D-stimuli to the A-stimuli. D-stimuli were either valenced or non-valenced. Hence, partici- pants were tested for three 4-member classes (ABCD). Finally, three identical bottles of water with B-stimuli printouts were pre- sented to participants. The results showed that for the valenced stimuli, participants chose B1 in 55% of the cases, while there was no preference among the B-stimuli for the non-valenced stimuli.

The Routledge Companion to Consumer Behavior Analysis p. 296-305

Psychology & Marketing 33(2) p. 125-134 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20859

This study uses the concept of probability discounting to understand the impact of online customer reviews on consumer choice. Probability discounting describes how the subjective value of an outcome alters when its delivery shifts from certain to uncertain. An experimental study with 29 participants was conducted. Participants were run through an online shopping scenario where they had to choose whether to buy a product from a Web shop with customer reviews on reliability or from a Web shop without reviews but with a lower product price. A titration procedure over sales price for the Web shop without reviews was run over seven probability conditions. The mean switching points where participants chose where to buy the product were extracted from the experimental data, and probability discounting factors were calculated. The results supported the assumption that online reviews indicate the probability of a successful transaction online and function as a guide to choices. Implications for marketers as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.

Journal of Enterprise Resource Planning Studies 2015 p. 1-24 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5171/2015.521212

International Journal of Information Technology Project Management 6(4) p. 1-19 Doi: https://doi.org/10.4018/IJITPM.2015100101

Journal of organizational behavior management 35(3-4) p. 184-205 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2015.1093053

Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21006-3_11

13th international conference WWW/Internet 2014 p. 371-375

NOKOBIT: Norsk konferanse for organisasjoners bruk av informasjonsteknologi 22(1)

Magma forskning og viten 17(3) p. 49-57

The Psychological Record 63(2) p. 333-344 Doi: https://doi.org/10.11133/j.tpr.2013.63.2.008

Consumer behavior analysis can be applied over a wide range of economic topics in which the main focus is the contingencies that influence the behavior of the economic agent. This paper provides an overview on the work that has been done on the impact from motivating operations at the point of online purchase situation. Motivating operations, a behavior analytic formulation of motivation is defined as any environmental event that (a) establishes (or abolishes) the reinforcing or punishing effect of another event and (b) evokes (or abates) behavior related to that event. Our conclusion is that the concept of motivating operations has two advantages. First, it provides understanding about the impact from observable environmental stimuli to consumers' purchases in an online situation. Second, the concept is designed specifically to facilitate intervention as it is formulated in terms of behavior-environmental relations that can be manipulated directly. Accordingly, findings derived using the concept of motivating operations can be more immediately applied to the design of the company's Web site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Psychological Record 63 p. 323-332 Doi: https://doi.org/10.11133/j.tpr.2013.63.2.007

Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 35(1) p. 45-53 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2013.748524

International Journal of Information Management p. 103-110 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2010.10.013

Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 6772 p. 229-235 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21669-5_27

Service Industries Journal 31(15) p. 2603-2615 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2011.531121

Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference on Internet Technologies & Society (ITS 2011)

Journal of organizational behavior management 30(2) p. 199-220 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061003756562

This article introduces the concept motivating operation (MO) to the field of online consumer research. A conjoint analysis was conducted to assess the motivating impact of antecedent stimuli on online purchasing. Stimuli tested were in-stock status, price, other customers' reviews, order confirmation procedures, and donation to charity. The results indicate that the concept of MO is applicable to the analysis of the motivating impact of antecedent stimuli on consumer purchase behavior. The advantage of the concept of MO is, first, that it leads to greater understanding of the complex world of contingencies operating within the consumer behavior setting online. Second, the MO account is designed specifically to facilitate intervention as it is formulated in terms of environmental stimuli that can be manipulated directly. This is important for online companies that strive to increase economic earnings from their Web shops by means of increasing customers' conversion rates.

Journal of organizational behavior management 30(2) p. 110-126 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061003756331

The present article introduces the concept of Motivating Operation (MO) to the context of consumer choice and discusses the function of the concept of MO in the context of the Behavioral Perspective Model (BPM). Including MO as part of the consumer behavior setting leads to a more comprehensive analysis and, as a result, improves our understanding of the complex world of contingencies operating within consumer situations. First, the concept of MO helps to distinguish between discriminative and motivational functions of antecedents in the consumer behavior setting. Second, the MO concept includes both unlearned and learned motivating effects. Third, we will argue that some types of rules could also be MOs. A functional analysis of consumer choice should take into consideration the concept of MO because it is a contribution to the ongoing discussion to describe and classify antecedent variables that influence consumer behavior.

Journal of Interactive Advertising 10(2) p. 67-71

What happens if you create a campaign based on the target segment's dreams of being a designer, in combination with a recognized brand and medium that have the same target segment? For SCA Libresse, the relationship with its consumers is a vital competitive factor. From dialogues with the target segment, the company's marketing managers recognized that many young girls have an interest in fashion and design. Therefore, SCA Libresse developed its campaign: Libresse, Let's Design. The winning contribution was to be sold in 180 stores in Nordic countries. The result was overwhelming: 90,000 designs were submitted, and the number of Web site visitors doubled. Most important, SCA Libresse witnessed an increase in sales during the campaign period. Using the Libresse, Let's Design campaign, this article discusses how brand awareness and positive attitude toward a brand can be created by use of the Internet in an interactive and social way.

European Journal of Behavior Analysis (EJOBA) 2 p. 203-214

MediaLab? is a software package developed by Empirisoft? for the administration of psychological experiments in a computer lab which allows the creation of randomized experiments and the recording of data for each individual participant. This demonstrates how MediaLab? can be used to arrange and record data to study individual choice behavior based on Herrnstein?s (1961, 1970) behavioral model. The design and composition of the experiment in MediaLab?, the running of the experiment, and example of output data are all described. The use of Medialab? for setting up experiments for research on consumer behavior is emphasized.

Human Interface and the Management of Information. Information and Interaction p. 10-16 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02559-4_2

This case study investigates the effect from a Web 2.0 campaign, an online design competition, accomplished by a company that produces and marketed feminine care products (sanitary towels). The target segment for the campaign was girls in four Nordic countries, in the age between 14 and 25. The main characteristic for the target segment is that they are not much interested in the product category. Our interpretation is that the online design competition had a persuasive effect towards the target segment. By using the internet in an interactive and social way, companies can achieve brand awareness and create a positive attitude towards a brand in low-involvement segments. Suggestions for further research are given.

Norsk Tidsskrift for Atferdsanalyse (NTA) 35(1) p. 21-31

Lecture Notes in Computer Science p. 713-719

Information Technologies for Organizational Enhancement