A Survey of Loyalty Strategies and Word of Mouth Communication to Customers of Sports Products (Case Study of Adidas Brand Customers in Iraq)
Subject Areas : Business Management
Farah Nouri Razi Al-Awadi
1
,
Omid Behboodi
2
,
Ahmad Sharbaf Eidghahi
3
1 - M.Sc., Department of Management, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Attar Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran.
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Attar Higher Education Institute, Mashhad, Iran
Keywords: Iraq, sports products, Loyalty Strategies, Word of Mouth Communication, Adidas Brand,
Abstract :
The purpose of this study was to investigate the loyalty strategies and Word of Mouth Communication of sports product customers (Adidas) in Iraq. The research method was applied with a descriptive purpose and descriptive-correlational manner. The statistical population of the study was the customers of Adidas brand sports products in Iraq, which was unknown to the researcher. The sample size was 384 based on Cochran's formula for unknown communities. The sampling method was available non-randomly. The research tool was the standard questionnaire of Alguacil et al. (2021). To evaluate the instrument's validity, content validity (approval of professors and experts) and structure (factor loads) were used. Cronbach's alpha and combined reliability were used for instrument reliability, and finally, the validity and reliability of the instrument were confirmed. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data using smart pls software. The results showed that loyalty strategies (credibility, trust, attitude, and homogeneity) affect the loyalty and Word of Mouth communication of Adidas brand sports products in Iraqi customers. The effect of loyalty on customers' Word of Mouth communication was even confirmed.
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Arabshahi, M., Ghafourian shagerdi, A., Behboodi, O., & Nayebi, A. (2019). Factors Influencing Men's Intent to Buy Foreign Cosmetics: Investigating the Mediating Role of Consumer Attitudes. Journal of International Business Administration, 2(3), 87-107. https://doi.org/10.22034/jiba.2019.9424 (In Persian)
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Bajac, H., Palacios, M., & Minton, E. A. (2018). Consumer-brand congruence and conspicuousness: an international comparison Int. Market. Rev. , 35(3), 498–517.
Balochi, H., Hasangholi Pour, T., Maleki, M., Bashe Razgah, M., & Siah Sarani kojori, M. (2015). The Effect of Brand Trust and Brand Identity on Brand Evangelism. Journal of Business Administration Researches 7(14), 77-98. (In Persian)
Bruhn, M., Schoenmüller, V., Sch€afer, D., & Heinrich, D. (2012). Brand authenticity: towards a deeper understanding of its conceptualization and measurement. Adv. Consum. Res. , 40, 567–576.
Chen, R., Zhou, Z., Zhan, G., & Zhou, N. (2020). The impact of destination brand authenticity and destination brand self-congruence on tourist loyalty: the mediating role of destination brand engagement. J. Destin. Market. Manag., 15.
Delgado-Ballester, E., Munuera-Alem_an, J. L., & Yagüe-Guillen, M. J. (2013). Development and validation of a brand trust scale. Int. J. Mark. Res. , 45(1), 35–53.
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Foroudi, P. (2019). Influence of brand signature، brand awareness، brand attitude، brand reputation on hotel industry’s brand performance. Int. J. Hospit. Manag., 76, 271-285.
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Kwak, D. H., & Kang, J. H. (2019). Symbolic purchase in sport: the roles of self-image congruence and perceived quality. Manag. Decis. , 47(1), 85–99.
Mang’unyi, E. E., Khabala, O. T., & Govender, K. K. (2017). The relationship between e-CRM and customer loyalty: a Kenyan Commercial Bank case study. Banks and Bank Systems, 12(2).
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Saavedra, J. L., Urdaneta, D., Pirela, J. L., & Colmenares, O. (2018). Measurement of brand personality in the automotive market. J. Manag. , 7(1), 183–194.
Sekaran, O. (2001). Research Methodology in Management (M. S. a. M. Shirazi, Trans.). The Center of Government Management, Tehran. . (In Persian)
Song, H., Wang, J., & Han, H. (2019). Effect of image، satisfaction، trust، love، and respect on loyalty formation for name-brand coffee shops. Int. J. Hospit. Manag. , 79, 50-59.
Sweeney, J., & Swait, J. (2008). The effects of brand credibility on customer loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 15, 179-193.
Tabatabaei Nasab, M., Noori, A., & Ekhlas, M. (2013). The role of brand equity on purchase intention of focusing on the self-centered level of the model of consumer psychology of brand. Journal of Business Administration Researches, 5(10), 1-26. (In Persian)
Tenenhaus, M., Esposito Vinzi, V., Chatelin, Y.-M., & Lauro, C. (2004). PLS path modeling. Computational Statistics and Data Analysis, 46.
Wang, Y. J., Hernandez, M. D., & Minor, M. S. (2010). Web aesthetics effects on perceived online service quality and satisfaction in an e-tail environment: the moderating role of purchase task. J. Bus. Res., 63(9-10), 935–942.
Wu, L. W. (2011). Satisfaction، inertia، and customer loyalty in the varying levels of the zone of tolerance and alternative attractiveness. J. Serv. Market. , 25(5), 310-322.
Wu, P. C., & Wang, Y. C. (2011). The influences of electronic word-of-mouth message appeal and message source credibility on brand attitude. Asia Pac. J. Market. Logist., 23(4), 448–472.
Yazdani, F., Forghani Ozrudi, M., & Yaghobi, A. (2021). Relationship between green marketing and the ethical measures of producers with the loyalty of sports products customers. Sports Marketing Studies, 2(4), 65-97. (In Persian)
_||_Abu Zayyad, H. M., Obeidat, Z. M., Alshurideh, M. T., Abuhashesh, M., Maqableh, M., & Masa’deh, R. E. (2020). Corporate social responsibility and patronage intentions: the mediating effect of brand credibility. J. Market. Commun. , 1–24.
Ahmadi, M., Esfahani Nia, A., Nodehi, M., & Ahmadi, M. (2020). Develop a framework for controlling and compensating for financial losses in the sports industry (Case study: Coronavirus outbreak in Iran). Contemporary Studies On Sport Management, 10(20), 97-110. https://doi.org/10.22084/smms.2020.21954.2630 (In Persian)
Alguacil, M., S_anchez-García, J., & Valantine, I. (2021). Assessing the level of loyalty and physical communication of customers of sports products. Sport Soc, 1-16.
Arabshahi, M., Ghafourian shagerdi, A., Behboodi, O., & Nayebi, A. (2019). Factors Influencing Men's Intent to Buy Foreign Cosmetics: Investigating the Mediating Role of Consumer Attitudes. Journal of International Business Administration, 2(3), 87-107. https://doi.org/10.22034/jiba.2019.9424 (In Persian)
Atulkar, S. (2020). Brand trust and brand loyalty in mall shoppers. Market. Intell. Plann. , 38(5), 559–572.
Baghban Baghestan, E., Bagheri, H., & Nazemi, A. (2021). The Effect of Green Marketing on Purchase Intention of Customers to Sports Products with Mediating Role of Brand Image. Sports Marketing Studies, 2(4), 177-198. (In Persian)
Bajac, H., Palacios, M., & Minton, E. A. (2018). Consumer-brand congruence and conspicuousness: an international comparison Int. Market. Rev. , 35(3), 498–517.
Balochi, H., Hasangholi Pour, T., Maleki, M., Bashe Razgah, M., & Siah Sarani kojori, M. (2015). The Effect of Brand Trust and Brand Identity on Brand Evangelism. Journal of Business Administration Researches 7(14), 77-98. (In Persian)
Bruhn, M., Schoenmüller, V., Sch€afer, D., & Heinrich, D. (2012). Brand authenticity: towards a deeper understanding of its conceptualization and measurement. Adv. Consum. Res. , 40, 567–576.
Chen, R., Zhou, Z., Zhan, G., & Zhou, N. (2020). The impact of destination brand authenticity and destination brand self-congruence on tourist loyalty: the mediating role of destination brand engagement. J. Destin. Market. Manag., 15.
Delgado-Ballester, E., Munuera-Alem_an, J. L., & Yagüe-Guillen, M. J. (2013). Development and validation of a brand trust scale. Int. J. Mark. Res. , 45(1), 35–53.
Elahi, A., & Fathi, F. (2019). Predictors and Consequences of Sport Spectators’ Loyalty: The Study of Iranian Spectators of Volleyball Nations League. Research in sport Management, 8(10), 49-78. https://doi.org/10.22054/qrsm.2019.11107 (In Persian)
Erdem, T., Swait, J., & Louviere, J. (2019). The impact of brand credibility on consumer price sensitivity. Int. J. Res. Market, 19(1), 1–19.
Foroudi, P. (2019). Influence of brand signature، brand awareness، brand attitude، brand reputation on hotel industry’s brand performance. Int. J. Hospit. Manag., 76, 271-285.
Goldsmith, R. E., Lafferty, B. A., & Newell, S. J. (2017). The impact of corporate credibility and celebrity credibility on consumer reaction to advertisements and brands. J. Advert. , 29(3), 43–54.
Heidarzadeh, K., Ghafari, F., & Farzaneh, S. (2011). Investigating The Effect of Brand Credibility on Customer Loyalty in the Iranian Banking Industry. Future study Management, 22(88), 69-88. (In Persian)
Herbig, P., & Milewicz, J. (1995). The relationship of reputation and credibility to brand success. J. Consum. Market, 12(4), 5–10.
Keller, K. L. (2003). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity (2 ed.). Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Kim, M., & Walker, M. (2013). The influence of professional athlete philanthropy on donation intentions. Europ. Sport Manag. Q. , 13(5), 579–601.
Kim, M. S., Shin, D. J., & Koo, D. W. (2018). The influence of perceived service fairness on brand trust، brand experience and brand citizenship behavior. Int. J. Contemp. Hospit. Manag. , 30(7), 2603-2621.
Kwak, D. H., & Kang, J. H. (2019). Symbolic purchase in sport: the roles of self-image congruence and perceived quality. Manag. Decis. , 47(1), 85–99.
Mang’unyi, E. E., Khabala, O. T., & Govender, K. K. (2017). The relationship between e-CRM and customer loyalty: a Kenyan Commercial Bank case study. Banks and Bank Systems, 12(2).
Mohammad Darini, V., Sadeghi, H., & Namdar, E. (2018). Study customer satisfaction relationship with electronic customer relationship management Due to the role of the mediator of electronic service quality (Case study, electronic customers of Internet sites, sports goods sales). Communication Management in Sport Media, 5(4), 63-78. (In Persian)
Morhart, F., Mal€ar, L., Gu_evremont, A., Girardin, F., & Grohmann, B. (2015). Brand authenticity: an integrative framework and measurement scale. J. Consum. Psychol, 25(2), 200–218.
Pinheiro, P., & Cavique, L. (2019). An actionable knowledge discovery system in regular sports services. In: World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies. Springer, Cham, 461–471.
Portal, S., Abratt, R., & Bendixen, M. (2018). The role of brand authenticity in developing brand trust. J. Strat. Market. , 1–16.
Rezaee Kelidbari, H., Taleghani, M., & Alavi Foumani, S. (2017). A Comparative Study of Self-congruity and Brand Personality on Customer Loyalty (Case study: Comparing Iranian Mobile Phone Brands and Chinese Mobile Phone Brands). Journal of Business Management perspctive, 9(2), 317-336. https://doi.org/10.22059/jibm.2017.60167 (In Persian)
Saavedra, J. L., Urdaneta, D., Pirela, J. L., & Colmenares, O. (2018). Measurement of brand personality in the automotive market. J. Manag. , 7(1), 183–194.
Sekaran, O. (2001). Research Methodology in Management (M. S. a. M. Shirazi, Trans.). The Center of Government Management, Tehran. . (In Persian)
Song, H., Wang, J., & Han, H. (2019). Effect of image، satisfaction، trust، love، and respect on loyalty formation for name-brand coffee shops. Int. J. Hospit. Manag. , 79, 50-59.
Sweeney, J., & Swait, J. (2008). The effects of brand credibility on customer loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 15, 179-193.
Tabatabaei Nasab, M., Noori, A., & Ekhlas, M. (2013). The role of brand equity on purchase intention of focusing on the self-centered level of the model of consumer psychology of brand. Journal of Business Administration Researches, 5(10), 1-26. (In Persian)
Tenenhaus, M., Esposito Vinzi, V., Chatelin, Y.-M., & Lauro, C. (2004). PLS path modeling. Computational Statistics and Data Analysis, 46.
Wang, Y. J., Hernandez, M. D., & Minor, M. S. (2010). Web aesthetics effects on perceived online service quality and satisfaction in an e-tail environment: the moderating role of purchase task. J. Bus. Res., 63(9-10), 935–942.
Wu, L. W. (2011). Satisfaction، inertia، and customer loyalty in the varying levels of the zone of tolerance and alternative attractiveness. J. Serv. Market. , 25(5), 310-322.
Wu, P. C., & Wang, Y. C. (2011). The influences of electronic word-of-mouth message appeal and message source credibility on brand attitude. Asia Pac. J. Market. Logist., 23(4), 448–472.
Yazdani, F., Forghani Ozrudi, M., & Yaghobi, A. (2021). Relationship between green marketing and the ethical measures of producers with the loyalty of sports products customers. Sports Marketing Studies, 2(4), 65-97. (In Persian)