This article investigates two competing explanations of the mere exposure effect-the cognition-based perceptual fluency/misattribution theory (PF/M) and the affect-based hedonic fluency model (HFM)-under incidental exposure conditions. In two studies, the classical mere exposure effect is replicated in the context of banner advertising. The findings rule out the cognition-based PF/M and suggest that the spontaneous affective reaction resulting from perceptual fluency is a crucial link between fluency and evaluation. The studies provide strong evidence that the spontaneous affect influences evaluative judgments through a more complex process, likely by coloring the interpretation of the fluency experience and the nature of resulting metacognitions relating fluency to liking. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are mentioned.

Emerald Article: Online service quality dimensions and their relationships with satisfaction: A content analysis of customer reviews of securities brokerage services Zhilin Yang, Xiang Fang Article information:To cite this document: Zhilin Yang, Xiang Fang, (2004),"Online service quality dimensions and their relationships with satisfaction: A content analysis of customer reviews of securities brokerage services"Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY For Authors:If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service. Information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comWith over forty years' experience, Emerald Group Publishing is a leading independent publisher of global research with impact in business, society, public policy and education. In total, Emerald publishes over 275 journals and more than 130 book series, as well as an extensive range of online products and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 3 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.Abstract This exploratory research intends to extend our understanding of service quality and customer satisfaction within the setting of online securities brokerage services. Based upon conceptual frameworks from the areas of services marketing and information systems management, the authors uncovered 52 items across 16 major service quality dimensions by content analysis of 740 customer reviews. The results indicate that primary service quality dimensions leading to online customer satisfaction, with the exception of ease of use, are closely related to traditional services while key factors leading to dissatisfaction are tied to information systems quality. In addition, major drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction are identified at the sub-dimensional level. Theoretical contribution and managerial implications of the findings are further discussed.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the functional motive and trait antecedents of four forms of gambling – slot machines, skilled card games, sports betting, and participating in marketing promotional games such as sweepstakes and contests.Design/methodology/approachA hierarchical model of motivation and personality (3M model) was employed to investigate the trait and functional motive antecedents of four gambling activities. Five motives for gambling were identified – money, excitement, social interaction, escape from problems, and self‐esteem enhancement. In addition, the effects of demographic variables (i.e. age, gender, and education) on four gambling types were examined. A total of 1,158 responses were collected from an online consumer panel.FindingsThe results suggest that the four forms of gambling have divergent motives, traits, and demographic profiles.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should further explore other possible traits in predicting different gambling activities (e.g. superstitious beliefs). Another limitation of the study is the online panel sample, which is somewhat older and more highly educated than the general public.Practical implicationsThe findings will help marketers better segment the market based on unique profiles of personality traits, functional motives, and demographic variables associated with each gambling type and design communication strategies to reach the targeted consumers.Originality/valuePrevious researchers have neither investigated the functional motives for gambling nor compared the motives for divergent forms of gambling. This research employs a hierarchical model (3M model) to investigate the trait and functional motive predictors of multiple forms of gambling.

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We consider a contract manufacturer who procures multiple components from independent suppliers to produce an assemble-to-order customized product for a client. The unit price of the product depends on the manufacturer's delivery lead time. We explore how the manufacturer can use a vendor-managed consignment inventory (VMCI) scheme to manage the underlying risk and coordinate independent suppliers' decisions on the production quantities of their components under demand uncertainty. We formulate the problem as a Stackelberg game played by the manufacturer against her component suppliers to determine her pricing policy for suppliers' consignment inventories. We further develop an efficient algorithm for finding the manufacturer's optimal pricing scheme. Our results provide useful insights for managing components in these types of assemble-to-order environments and for understanding how component production cost and procurement lead times affect individual firms' performance in decentralized assembly channels.assemble-to-order manufacturing, lead time management, vendor-managed inventory, consignment inventory, pricing strategies