This article develops and discusses the concept of customer engagement behaviors (CEB), which we define as the customers' behavioral manifestation toward a brand or firm, beyond purchase, resulting from motivational drivers. CEBs include a vast array of behaviors including word-of-mouth (WOM) activity, recommendations, helping other customers, blogging, writing reviews, and even engaging in legal action. The authors develop a conceptual model of the antecedents and consequences-customer, firm, and societal-of CEBs. The authors suggest that firms can manage CEBs by taking a more integrative and comprehensive approach that acknowledges their evolution and impact over time.

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Purpose -This study aims to present the conceptualization and measurement of knowledge generation competence (KGC) as the fundament for firm's internal knowledge generation. Furthermore, it seeks to assess different antecedents of a firm's KGC and its potential for improving a firm's innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected by nationwide mail survey in the German automation and the consulting industry. The final sample consists of 110 respondents (response rate of 32.9 percent). The measurement model was tested by using structural equation modeling applying partial least squares (PLS) estimation. PLS was also used to investigate the relationships between KGC, its antecedents and innovativeness. Findings -The findings support the conceptualization and measurement of knowledge generation competence (KGC). The included dimensions explained 47.6 percent of the variance of knowledge generation competence. Furthermore, most of the relationships included in the research model were supported by the empirical data. Practical implications -The data suggest that firms which want to increase their innovativeness can develop their knowledge generation competence by providing learning orientation culture and investing in human resource practices. Originality/value -The paper aids in uncovering the relationship between organizational learning, human resource practices, knowledge generation competence, and innovativeness of a firm.

Relationship marketing effectiveness varies across different markets, but prior research has provided limited evidence on how cultural variations relate to the effects of relationship variables such as switching costs. The authors develop and test a theoretical framework that explains how culture moderates the relationship between perceived switching costs and key consequences. The findings of a meta-analysis, based on 451 effect sizes collected in 25 countries, show that similar components that refer to a match between the value essence of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the motivators that steer particular consequences explain how individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity moderate the impact of switching costs on word of mouth of customers and loyalty types. Furthermore, the economic development of a country explains when switching costs either reduce or increase switching of customers. The findings of this study support international companies in making decisions about the generation of switching costs in particular markets and the formation of international relationship marketing and referral programs.

Interest in customer reacquisition has increased as firms embrace the concept of customer relationship management. Using survey and transactional data from defected subscribers of a publishing company, we investigate how defected customers evaluate their propensity to return to the company prior to any win-back offer. We introduce a new variable for relationship marketing, general willingness to return (GWR), and show that it is strongly and positively related to the actual return decision and the duration of the restarted relationship. Combining attribution theory elements with existing win-back explanations, which focus on economic, social, and emotional value perceptions, provides a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence the GWR to a former relationship. Importantly, we learn that regardless of whose fault it is, if the reasons for the relationship termination can change or are preventable and the firm can control those changes, then the defected customer has a higher general willingness to return to the former relationship. Also, we show that the duration of time absence before relationship revival moderates the impact of GWR on second relationship duration. Furthermore, we demonstrate that satisfaction prior to defection and the length of time absence provide a reasonable basis for distinguishing defected customers who differ in their GWR. By applying our findings, we derive recommendations for firms on how to position marketing communications to recapture defected customers according to their general willingness to return.