Growing use of IT, laptops, tablets, PC in individuals' life shaped an opportunity to create online group buying (OGB) as a new online business model. Several of surveys show that OGB is rather popular for selling recreational activities and leisure services, such as restaurant coupons, cinema, spa, concert, flight tickets, museum visits, etc. Therefore, the paper aims to identify and estimate the influences that affect the customers to purchase the leisure services coupons on online group buying. Summarizing the significant findings in scientific literature, we identified six influences, namely price, trust, belonging to virtual community, system quality, information quality and service quality towards customers' intention to buy the leisure services coupons on group buying sites. The testing of these influences included two stages: focus groups interview and questionnaire. The data was collected from three focus groups and 81 customers-experts using OGB. Inconsistent with previous research results and our proposed hypotheses, the findings of research partly support the appropriateness of suggested influences for understanding customers' online group buying intentions. Results of the research show that price has the greatest impact on customers' intention to buy on group buying sites, while other influences have no significant effect. Besides, we identified positive relationships among customers' group buying experience (positive/negative), customers' purchase frequency in online group buying and intention to buy on group buying sites in the nearest future. Thus, customers on OGB are very oriented to price and use OGB for cost-saving reason.
This paper presents the changes and directions in the Lithuanian transport services sector in the context of the European growing economies. Comparative analysis of the Lithuanian and EU28 indices, representing the transport and logistics services sector's impact on the country's gross national product, services international trade structure, is done. The leading position of Lithuania as the transport and logistics services supplier in the European market is manifested. The preconditions and opportunities to develop the transport and logistics services sector's impact are developed; and management guidelines are formulated.
The study reveals the challenges met by Lithuanian enterprises of transport and logistics services business when they are face-to-face with growing economy and high competition in the European Union services market. It identifies the problems arising, as well as possibilities to compete and to win in the market. Lithuania is taking its leadings positions in the transport and logistics services industry by the share of transport and logistics, employment rate and share of the export of services in GDP. Due to the significant role of impact of these services on the Lithuanian economy challenges for the transport and logistics services business enterprises prevail. The research methodology is based on the comparative analysis of data on transport and logistics services industry of Lithuania and on the average of European Union. Challenges for the future of Lithuanian transport and logistics services business are defined and managerial implications in order to sustain its leading position in the export of these services are shaped.
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