Editorial

Citation

Leventhal, R.C. (2006), "Editorial", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 23 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.2006.07723daa.001

Editorial

It is becoming of paramount importance to reach beyond the bounds of just developing a product or a service on the assumption that what has worked in the past will continue to be successful in the future. Or, perhaps the belief that because of a company’s reputation, a consumer will continue to purchase that company’s products and/or services. We are learning that external environmental forces have begun to play an increasingly important role in determining how a consumer approaches the marketplace. Consider how technology has created a new generation of instant-text message users among the global teen population, irrespective of what country we examine. And as these teens age, they will demand that a product or service be created that fits their individual needs and lifestyles. So the forces of change are an on-going challenge to all marketers.

Hirunyawipada and Paswan investigate consumer innovativeness from a hierarchical perspective and examine the simultaneous impacts of hierarchical perspective on consumer innovativeness and perceived risk on new product adoption. Their findings provide some practical guidelines on how to increase the new product commercialization process. In addition, the sensory part of consumer innovativeness and perceived social and physical risks have implications for the promotion and communication aspects of new product marketing.

Arora, Stoner and Arora investigate the influence of message faming and credibility on ones’ attitude and intention toward exercise and fitness activities. The authors relate that a carefully designed message created to reach and affect a target population whose exercise activity has been largely unaffected despite years of public pronouncements and publicity. Credibility is of paramount importance as it concerns the message that is being offered.

Lim, Widdows and Park investigate the determinants of satisfaction and loyalty decisions in the use of mobile services. The authors identified five distinct dimensions of mobile service quality and their direct/indirect effects on economic value. Furthermore, two dimensions of perceived value had significant influences on customer satisfaction and then on loyalty intention.

Patrice, Lichtlé and Plichon examine the effects of shopping value on customer satisfaction and then determine the necessary antecedent variables. Their results revealed that both utilitarian and hedonic values have an influence on (consumer) satisfaction. Utilitarian value is related to product availability while hedonic value is influenced by such elements as atmosphere, relations with store employees, crowding and other peripheral services that are being offered by the retailer.

In this issue of the Journal of Consumer Marketing you will also find a most interesting “Misplaced marketing” section, “Book reviews”, and “Computer Currency”.

Richard C. Leventhal