1,721,045 research outputs found
Forecasting artificial intelligence on online customer assistance:evidence from chatbot patents analysis
Full text linkThe main goal of this research is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the actual progresses in artificial intelligence, with emphasis on chatbots as emerging forms of customer assistance in online retailing. Drawing upon an analysis of the chatbot patents in the past 20 years, our findings show the increasing technology push towards the adoption of new conversational agents based on natural language. Findings also highlight the extent to which the research and development efforts are attempting to improve artificial intelligence systems that characterize chatbots. To this end, technology advancements are mainly focusing on: (i) improving chatbot ability to automatically draw inferences on users starting from multiple data sources, and (ii) using consumers’ knowledge adaptively to provide more customized solutions. Finally, results show the tight relationship between the digital assistants’ analytical skills and their ability to automatically interact with the users
Technology and Innovation for Marketing
No full textThe aim of this textbook is to provide new approaches to marketing prompt by the increasing impact of innovation, in order to support students, scholars and practitioners to take advantages from the technology-based innovations through a more comprehensive and actual perspective. Seeking to understand the innovative force currently affecting marketing, we recommend this book which proposes empirical and theoretical contributions, models, approaches, methods, tools and case studies that contribute to explain the phenomenon
Who is interested in retail education?:The (mis)match between the leading universities’ offerings and job demand in UK
Full text linkPurpose. Retail management have acquired the attention of scholars and practitioners, with many international and prestigious journals specifically relating to the topic. Also, top-tier journals in other disciplines have proposed special issues on the new advances in retailing, with emphasis on the role of new and smart technologies. On the one hand, the research in retailing seems to be prolific, on the other hand, the interest in retail education (from a research and university perspective) seems to be more limited. The aim of this paper is to capture the (mis) match between the leading universities’ offerings and job demand in UK. In this way, the paper identifies opportunities for educators and researchers to educate future career-ready professionals in retailing, and improve research in retail education.Design/Methodology/Approach. The research evaluates the offer of UK retail education in terms of programmes/courses, focusing on the Russell Group universities for the academic year 2020/2021 (September starts), and the demand of certain skills and competences by the largest retailers in UK. The study utilizes secondary data based on the courses/programmes specifically related to the retail sector, and on the job opportunities through the leading UK grocery retailers.Findings. Findings reveal the extent of the gap between the university educational offerings and the requirements from retailers.Originality/value. To the best of our knowledge this research is the first attempt to capture and compare multiple evidence bases related to academic curriculums and employers’ requirements for specific retail competencies
“With great power comes great responsibility”:Exploring the role of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) for Artificial Intelligence Responsibility in Retail Service Automation (AIRRSA)
Full text linkScholars conceptualized the role of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) to emphasize the ethical issues unique to the digital context by pushing all the actors involved in developing and integrating digital technologies and related data processing to act ethically and responsibly. However, how to apply AI services more ethically and develop AI equipped with moral/ethical intelligence are still open questions.Accordingly, this paper aims to understand the managerial applications and tools of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) in AI retail service automation to identify the CDR value for consumers and retail managers. We link the five AI intelligence types (verbal-linguistic, logic-mathematical, visual-spatial, social, and speed-processing) to CDR strategies to produce value for retailers and consumers. Specifically, we define intelligent retail service automation, emphasizing actions, tools, and (privacy) concerns, and discuss the role of CDR in AI for intelligent retail service by developing the new concept of Artificial Intelligence Responsibility in Retail Service Automation (AIRRSA). Finally, we provide implications for scholars, managers, and policy-makers while proposing future challenges
Do I Lose my Privacy for a Better Service? Investigating the Interplay between Big Data Analytics and Privacy Loss from Young Consumers' Perspective
No full textThe large usage of digital technologies has largely increased the amount of data that companies can collect, store and use about consumers. However, issues related to the ethical management of those data dramatically emerge. Indeed, consumers raised some doubts about the extent to which the big data analytics provide benefits not only for retailers, while their privacy loss might occur. This study aims at understanding the extent to which consumers believe that retailers' usage of big data analytics involves risks for their privacy, while identifying the main factors influencing consumers towards this belief. To this end, the research employs a qualitative approach with 26 in-depth interviews with young consumers (Generation Z), collected in London (UK) in July 2019. From the analysis, three main standpoints emerge: (1) the influence of social environment, (2) the information about retailers' usage of data and (3) the characteristics of the data collected. Implications for theory and practice are further discussed
Enhancing store layout decision with agent-based simulations of consumers’ density
Full text linkCustomer concentration inside a store is of pivotal importance for retail management, acquiring controversial contributions about the best number of consumers in the floor space to ensure an enjoyable and pleasant experience. Indeed, the excessive concentration of people (crowd) might discourage from shopping in that location, while on the other hand, a certain traffic to the store generates profit for retailers.The aim of this paper is to support retailers’ informed decisions by refining our understanding of the extent to which store layouts influences consumer density. To this end, we conduct a large field study using a unique dataset covering customers in a real grocery store with agent-based simulations. Results clearly show the extent to which this kind of simulations help predicting the changes in store layout able to affect customer density in the areas, while ensuring the same number of individuals
Shopping with(out) distancing: modelling the personal space to limit the spread of contagious disease among consumers in retail stores
Full text linkThis research aims at providing a new model of consumers’ perso- nal space to limit the spread of contagious disease while shopping in person. To this end, it adopts an agents-based simulation approach to model consumers’ movements in the store during COVID-19 pandemic. Findings show the extent to which consumers’ contacts with others increase the risk of contagion, due to the occurrence of social gatherings in certain areas. Specifically, there is a linear correlation between the number of consumers in the store and the number of consumers susceptible to contract the disease. Thus, the personal space from a psychological perception becomes an individual and compulsory boundary to protect con- sumers from contagious disease. Finally, our results extend the concept of social distance and personal space while shopping, and support retailers to provide safer shopping experiences
Competing during a pandemic?:Retailers’ ups and downs during the COVID-19 outbreak
Full text linkThe COVID-19 pandemic (that started in early 2020) is causing several disruptions in the short- and mid-term, to which businesses have to adapt. Some retailers have reacted to the emergency immediately, displaying a plethora of different intervention types. The authors aim to synthesize the challenges that retailers are facing during the COVID-19 emergency. We do this from the perspective of both consumers and managers, with the goal of providing guidelines on and examples of how retailers can handle this unprecedented situation
Tweets to escape:Intercultural differences in consumer expectations and risk behavior during the COVID-19 lockdown in three European countries
Full text linkThis study aims to understand the extent to which a time of emergency, (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic), impacts consumer behaviour in terms of risk and expectations. The methodology involves the systematic content analysis of 15,000 tweets collected from three countries (UK, Italy and Spain) in April 2020. The results suggest that the top-of-mind expectation by consumers deals with escaping from home and enjoying freedom, either by having a good meal (UK), drinking alcoholic beverages (Spain), or travelling (Italy). They also suggest that the high levels of risk individuals were exposed to during the pandemic will not influence behavior in the long-term post-lockdown. Instead, they suggest consumers are willing to restore their consumption levels especially of activities that contribute to the sense of escapism. Finally, results provide evidence of the cultural differences emerging from consumers from different countries during the pandemic. Implications for international marketers and retailers are provided
Digital or human touchpoints? Insights from consumer-facing in-store services
Full text linkPrior research highlights the extent to which consumers largely appreciate the possibility to choose among different digital touchpoints during the in-store experience, which results in a pervasive introduction of digital touchpoints as the first point of contact between retailers and consumers. However, consumers also give value to the human interactions in the service channels. The previous studies do not conclusively indicate the best balance of digital and human services. The aim of this paper is to understand consumer-facing in-store services in new technology-enriched retail settings.A qualitative approach involving face-to-face semi structured interviews was applied. To this end, we randomly recruited 26 participants in Northern Italy between October and November 2017.Results reveal motivations, preferences and discouraging factors leading consumers’ interactions with digital or human touchpoints. Findings ultimately provide useful guidelines to managers on understanding consumers attitudes towards digital versus human touchpoints phenomenon.By identifying the key drivers of either digital and human touchpoints selection in offline retail settings, the present study figured out the attributes playing the crucial role in determining consumers’ preference regarding the in-store alternatives. Findings allow a further greater clarification of the practical issues, with emphasis on the new of human-machine integration
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