Earticle

본 연구는 카페 이용자를 대상으로 일회용 컵 사용에 따른 건강위험 지각이 텀블러 사용의도에 미치는 영향을 실증적으로 검토하고, 이 과정에서 자기보호동기의 매개효과와 환경 인식 및 지각된 보상의 조절효과를 통합적으로 규명하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 보호동기이론과 기대확인 이론을 이론적 기반으로 채택하였으며, 건강위험 지각은 지각된 민감성과 지각된 심각성의 두 차원으로 구분하여 측정하였다. 카페 이용 경험이 있는 성인을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 최종 222부를 분석에 활용하였다. 카페 방문빈도와 텀블러 사용빈도를 통제변수로 설정하고, 위계적 다중회귀분석과 부트스트래핑 기반의 매개 및 조절효과 검증을 수행하였다. 분석 결과, 지각된 민감성과 지각된 심각성은 모두 자기보호동기에 유의한 정(+)적 영향을 미쳤으며, 자기보호동기는 텀블러 사용의도에 강한 정(+)적 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 자기보호동기는 건강위험 지각과 텀블러 사용의도 간의 관계를 유의하게 매개하였으며, 부트스트래핑 신뢰구간 검증을 통해 간접효과의 유의성이 확인되었다. 지각된 불편감은 텀블러 사용의도에 유의한 부(-)적 영향을 미쳐, 사용에 따른 번거로움 인식이 클수록 사용의도가 낮아지는 것으로 나타났다. 반면 환경 인식의 조절효과는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았으며, 지각된 보상은 통계적 유의수준에는 미치지 못하였으나 경향성이 관찰되어 향후 연구에서의 추가 검토가 필요한 것으로 판단된다. 이러한 결과는 텀블러 사용의도가 개인의 건강위험 민감성과 자기보호동기에 의해 강하게 영향을 받을 수 있음을 시사하며, 텀블러 사용을 둘러싼 촉진 요인과 저해 요인을 함께 고려하는 통합적 접근의 필요성을 보여준다. 본 연구의 결과는 카페 서비스 현장에서의 친환경 소비 촉진을 위한 마케팅 전략 수립에 유용한 시사점을 제공할 것으로 기대된다.

This study aims to empirically examine the effect of health risk perception regarding disposable cup use on tumbler use intention among cafe users, and to comprehensively investigate the mediating role of self-protective motivation alongside the moderating effects of environmental awareness and perceived reward. Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the Expectation-Confirmation Model (ECM) were adopted as the theoretical framework, and health risk perception was operationalized as two distinct dimensions: perceived susceptibility and perceived severity. Data were collected through a survey administered to adults with café visiting experience, and a total of 222 responses were used in the final analysis. Cafe visit frequency and tumbler use frequency were included as control variables, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted along with bootstrapping-based tests for mediation and moderation effects. The results revealed that both perceived susceptibility and perceived severity had significant positive effects on self-protective motivation, which in turn exerted a significant positive effect on tumbler use intention. Self-protective motivation also significantly mediated the relationship between health risk perception and tumbler use intention, with the significance of the indirect effect confirmed through bootstrapping confidence interval estimation. Perceived inconvenience had a significant negative effect on tumbler use intention, indicating that greater perceived difficulty in using a tumbler is associated with lower intention to use one. In contrast, the moderating effect of environmental awareness was not statistically significant, and perceived reward did not reach the conventional significance level, though a marginal tendency was observed, suggesting the need for further investigation in future research. These findings suggest that tumbler use intention may be strongly influenced by individuals' health risk sensitivity and self-protective motivation. The results highlight the importance of an integrated approach that considers both facilitating and inhibiting factors surrounding tumbler use, and are expected to offer practical implications for developing marketing strategies aimed at promoting eco-friendly consumption in café service settings.

본 연구는 블라인드 박스와 같은 불확실성 기반 소비 맥락에서 기업이 설계한 불확실성이 고객의 기대감과 감정적 반응에 어떠한 영향을 미치는가를 조사한다. 기존 연구는 불확실성과 인지된 위험을 주로 부정적 요인으로 간주해 왔으나, 최근 소비환경에서는 이러한 요소가 소비 과정에서 기대감과 감정적 반응을 유발하는 경험적 요소로 작용할 가능성이 제기되고 있다. 이를 위해 본 연구는 POP Mart 이용 경험이 있는 중국 소비자를 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 총 503개의 유효 표본을 가설분석에 이용하였다. 불확실성은 기대감에 유의한 정(+)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으며, 인지된 위험은 이러한 관계를 약화시키는 것이 아니라, 오히려 강화하는 조절효과를 보였다. 또한 기대감과 기쁨 간의 관계는 선형 관계가 아닌 U-자형의 비선형 관계가 나타났다. 특히, 기대감이 낮거나 매우 높은 수준에서 기쁨이 높게 나타나는 반면, 중간 수준에서는 감정적 반응이 약화되었다. 이러한 결과는 불확실성이 제거되어야 할 요소가 아니라, 소비자의 기대감과 감정적 반응 형성에 실질적으로 관여하고 있다는 것을 강조한다.

This study aims to examine how firm-designed uncertainty influences consumers’ anticipation and emotional responses in uncertainty-based consumption contexts, such as blind box products. While prior research has primarily viewed uncertainty and perceived risk as negative factors that should be minimized, recent consumption environments suggest that these elements may serve as core drivers of customer experience. To test the proposed relationships, we collected survey data from Chinese consumers with prior experience purchasing Pop Mart products. A total of 503 usable responses were analyzed to test research hypotheses. Our results indicate that uncertainty has a positive effect on anticipation. Furthermore, perceived risk does not weaken this relationship as traditionally assumed; instead, it strengthens the effect of uncertainty on anticipation. In addition, the relationship between anticipation and joy was found to be nonlinear, specifically exhibiting a U-shaped pattern. That is, joyfulness is relatively high at both low and high levels of anticipation, while it decreases at moderate levels. These findings suggest that uncertainty should not be treated merely as a factor to be reduced, but rather as a key mechanism that shapes consumers’ anticipation and emotional experiences. By identifying the nonlinear nature of anticipation and the amplifying role of perceived risk, this study extends existing consumer behavior theories beyond linear frameworks. The findings also provide practical implications for firms by highlighting the strategic value of designing uncertainty and managing consumer expectations to enhance customer experience.

본 연구는 사회적 비교로 인한 지위 위협이 보상적 자기표현으로 이어지는 지위 보상적 전환 현상이 메타버스 환경에서 어떻게 달라지는지 실증적으로 규명하였다. 기존의 보상적 소비 및 지위 보상적 전환 연구에 따르면, 사람들은 상향 비교로 지위 위협을 느낄 때 이를 만회하고자 자신이 위협받은 영역이 아닌 다른 대체 영역을 통해 자아를 표현하려는 경향을 보인다. 그러나 이러한 메커니즘은 주로 현실의 대면 상황을 전제로 연구되어 왔다. 즉, 비교 대상이 실제 인간이며 그 결과가 자신의 가치를 평가하는 유의미한 척도로 작용한다는 가정을 바탕으로 한다. 반면, 아바타를 매개로 상호작용하는 메타버스 환경에서는 타인의 사회적 실재감이 낮게 지각되어 보상적 자기표현의 양상 또한 달라질 수 있다. 이를 확인하기 위해 본 연구는 동창회 시나리오를 바탕으로 2(환경: 현실 vs. 메타버스) × 2(지위 위협: 위협 vs. 비위협) 피험자 간 실험을 진행했다. 분석 결과, 현실 동창회 조건에서는 지위 위협을 받은 집단이 그렇지 않은 집단에 비해 사교적 영역의 자기표현을 유의미하게 더 많이 선택해 기존의 보상적 전환 효과가 그대로 재현되었다. 반면, 메타버스 조건에서는 두 집단 간의 선택 차이가 나타나지 않아 보상적 전환 효과가 유의하지 않았다. 결론적으로 본 연구는 보상적 자기표현이 환경에 무관하게 나타나는 보편적 현상이 아니라, 상호작용의 매개 수준에 따라 그 강도가 달라지는 환경 의존적 현상임을 시사한다. 이는 기존 지위 보상적 전환 이론의 외연을 디지털 및 가상 환경으로 확장했다는 학문적 의의를 지니며, 나아가 소셜 기능이 포함된 메타버스 서비스를 기획하는 실무자들에게 사용자 행동에 관한 유용한 시사점을 제공한다.

This study empirically examines how the link between social status threat and compensatory self-presentation, conceptualized as status pivoting, is reconfigured in the metaverse environment. Prior research on compensatory consumption and status pivoting has demonstrated that upward social comparison induces status threat, which in turn motivates individuals to pivot toward alternative life domains for compensatory self-affirmation. However, this mechanism has been theorized and tested predominantly within real-world, human-to-human comparison contexts, under the implicit assumption that comparison outcomes carry diagnostic information about one's abilities and social standing. In mediated environments such as the metaverse, where users interact through avatars, the social presence of comparison targets may be attenuated, potentially weakening the compensatory self-presentation response. This study employed a two-factor between-subjects experiment crossing environment (real world vs. metaverse) and status threat (threat vs. no-threat), using a class reunion scenario. In the real-world condition, threatened participants chose social-domain self-presentation (a friendship picture) significantly more often than non-threatened participants, replicating the canonical status pivoting effect. In contrast, the metaverse condition showed no such difference between threat and no-threat conditions, indicating an attenuation of the pivoting response. These findings suggest that compensatory self-presentation is not an environment-invariant phenomenon but rather an environment-dependent one whose magnitude is shaped by the degree of mediation in the social context. This research contributes to the consumer behavior literature by extending the application scope of status pivoting theory into virtual environments, and offers practical implications for designers and marketers of metaverse-based social services.

본 연구는 브랜드 공동 창작 플랫폼에서 고객 권한 부여 유형이 브랜드 충성도와 어떠한 관련을 가지는지 검토하고, 브랜드 동일시와 심리적 소유권의 이중 매개경로를 통해 그 심리적 메커니즘을 설명하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 고객 권한 부여를 저투입·판단 기반의 의사결정 참여 권한 부여와 고투입·창작 기반의 창의적 공동 창작 권한 부여로 구분하였다. 의사결정 참여 권한 부여는 소비자가 브랜드의 선택, 평가, 투표, 의견 반영 과정에 참여하는 방식으로, 창의적 공동 창작 권한 부여는 소비자가 아이디어, 디자인, 콘텐츠, 제품 개발 과정에 자신의 시간과 노력을 투입하는 방식으로 개념화하였다. 브랜드 공동 창작 플랫폼 참여 경험이 있는 소비자 356명의 응답을 구조방정식모형으로 분석한 결과, 의사결정 참여 권한 부여는 브랜드 동일시를 통해, 창의적 공동 창작 권한 부여는 심리적 소유권을 통해 브랜드 충성도와 유의하게 관련되었다. 특히 심리적 소유권을 통한 간접경로가 브랜드 동일시를 통한 간접경로보다 더 강하게 나타났다. 본 연구는 고객 권한 부여의 유형별 효과를 구분함으로써 브랜드 공동 창작 플랫폼 연구를 확장하고, 기업이 고객 참여 플랫폼을 설계할 때 참여 방식과 자원 투입 수준을 전략적으로 고려해야 함을 시사한다.

This study examines how different types of customer empowerment in brand co-creation platforms are associated with brand loyalty and explains the underlying psychological mechanism through the dual mediating roles of brand identification and psychological ownership. To this end, customer empowerment is divided into decision-making participation empowerment, which represents a low-investment, judgment-based form of participation, and creative co-creation empowerment, which represents a high-investment, creation-based form of participation. Decision-making participation empowerment is conceptualized as consumers’ participation in brand selection, evaluation, voting, and opinion-reflection processes, whereas creative co-creation empowerment is conceptualized as consumers’ investment of time and effort in idea generation, design, content creation, and product development. Data were collected from 356 consumers with experience participating in brand co-creation platforms and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that decision-making participation empowerment is significantly associated with brand loyalty through brand identification, whereas creative co-creation empowerment is significantly associated with brand loyalty through psychological ownership. In particular, the indirect path through psychological ownership is stronger than the indirect path through brand identification. By distinguishing the effects of different types of customer empowerment, this study extends research on brand co-creation platforms and suggests that firms should strategically consider both participation mode and resource investment level when designing customer participation platforms.

본 연구는 유통 환경 변화로 위기에 직면한 전통시장을 활성화하기 위해, 향토기업 연계형 문화관광형 시장의 공유가치창출CSV) 성과를 진단하는 다층적 지표 체계를 개발하는 데 목적이 있다. 기존 특성화시장 육성사업의 단기적·정량적 평가 한계를 극복하고자, 2024년 문화관광형시장으로 선정된 창원 명서시장과 지역 향토기업[몽고식품(주), ㈜무학]의 협력 사례인 ‘호롱불 야시장’을 대상으로 질적 사례연구를 수행하였다. 분석 프레임워크로는 Porter & Kramer(2011)의 CSV 3대 영역을 골격으로 메세나 CSV 지표, P-P-P 모델, 지속가능성 지표를 통합하여 ‘제품과 시장의 재인식’, ‘가치사슬의 생산성 재정의’, ‘지역 클러스터 개발’의 3대 영역, 12개 하위요소, 총 36개 측정 문항을 도출하였다. 또한 지표의 엄밀성을 확보하기 위해 전문가 패널 대상의 수정 델파이 기법(Modified Delphi Technique)과 내용타당도비율(CVR) 검증 절차를 포함한 후속 연구설계를 함께 제시하였다. 본 연구는 전통시장 성과 평가 패러다임을 단기 매출 중심에서 탈피시켜, 서비스지배논리(S-D Logic) 기반의 가치 공동 창출(Value Co-creation), 장소 브랜딩(Place Branding), 문화 자산화(Cultural Capitalization) 관점으로 확장함으로써 전통시장 활성화 성과를 종합 진단할 수 있는 학술적·정책적 준거를 마련했다는 데 의의가 있다.

This study aims to develop a multi-layered indicator system to diagnose the Creating Shared Value (CSV) performance of local enterprise-linked cultural and tourism markets, with the goal of revitalizing traditional markets facing crises due to shifting retail environments. To overcome the short-term, quantitative evaluation limitations of existing specialized market promotion projects, a qualitative case study was conducted on the 'Horongbul Night Market,' a collaborative model between Changwon Myeongseo Market (designated as a Cultural and Tourism Market in 2024) and prominent local enterprises [Mongo Food Co., Ltd. and Muhak Co., Ltd.]. Utilizing the three core domains of CSV proposed by Porter & Kramer (2011) as the primary framework, this study integrated Mecenat CSV indicators, the P-P-P model, and sustainability indicators to derive 3 domains ('reconceiving products and markets,' 'redefining productivity in the value chain,' and 'enabling local cluster development'), 12 sub-elements, and a total of 36 measurement items. Furthermore, to ensure methodological rigor, a subsequent research design was proposed, incorporating the Modified Delphi Technique and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) verification processes with an expert panel. This study holds significance as it shifts the paradigm of traditional market performance evaluation away from short-term sales by expanding it through the lenses of Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic-based Value Co-creation, Place Branding, and Cultural Capitalization, thereby establishing robust academic and policy benchmarks for comprehensively diagnosing market revitalization outcomes.

본 연구는 서비스 조직 종사자의 고객서비스 몰입 형성과정을 규명하기 위하여 상사신뢰, 감정표현규범 몰입, 긍정적 감정표현 간의 구조적 관계를 검증하였다. 사회교환이론과 서비스이익연쇄(Service-Profit Chain) 관점을 바탕으로 상사신뢰를 선행변수로, 감정표현규범 몰입과 긍정적 감정표현을 매개변수로, 고객서비스 몰입을 결과변수로 설정하였다. 국내 보험회사의 고객 대면 서비스종사자 271명을 대상으로 분석한 결과, 상사신뢰는 감정표현규범 몰입에 정(+)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 감정표현규범 몰입은 긍정적 감정표현에 정(+)의 영향을 미쳤으며, 긍정적 감정표현은 고객서비스 몰입에 정(+)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 확인되었다. 나아가 감정표현규범 몰입과 긍정적 감정표현의 순차적 매개효과가 유의한 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 상사신뢰가 감정표현규범의 내면화와 긍정적 감정표현을 통해 고객서비스 몰입으로 이어지는 과정을 실증적으로 규명하였다는 점에서 학술적 의의를 가진다. 또한 서비스 조직에서 고객서비스 몰입을 제고하기 위해서는 신뢰 기반의 관리체계 구축과 감정표현규범의 내재화가 중요함을 시사한다.

This study examined the structural relationships among upward hierarchical trust, commitment to display rules, positive affective delivery, and commitment to customer service in order to investigate the formation process of commitment to customer service among service employees. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and the Service-Profit Chain perspective, upward hierarchical trust was conceptualized as the antecedent variable, commitment to display rules and positive affective delivery as mediating variables, and commitment to customer service as the outcome variable. Data were collected from 271 customer-contact employees working in insurance companies in South Korea. The results revealed that upward hierarchical trust had a positive effect on commitment to display rules. In addition, commitment to display rules positively influenced positive affective delivery, which in turn had a positive effect on commitment to customer service. Furthermore, the sequential mediating effect of commitment to display rules and positive affective delivery was found to be significant. This study contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating the process through which upward hierarchical trust leads to commitment to customer service through the internalization of display rules and the expression of positive affect. The findings also suggest that trust-based management practices and the internalization of display rules are important for enhancing employees’ commitment to customer service in service organizations.

Climate change engagement cannot be explained by knowledge alone; it also depends on how seriously individuals perceive the threat and whether they believe effective action is possible. This study examines the relationships among climate change literacy, risk perception, self-efficacy, collective efficacy, climate action intention, and support for climate policy among Korean adults. Using data from an online survey (N = 300), structural equation modeling was employed to estimate a model in which climate change literacy is associated with perceived risk, and perceived risk is in turn associated with climate action intention and policy support. The results indicate that climate change literacy did not have direct effects on climate action intention or policy support. Instead, literacy was indirectly related to both outcomes through higher levels of perceived risk. Risk perception emerged as the strongest predictor of both climate action intention and policy support. Collective efficacy-the belief that society can effectively address climate change through joint effort-was more strongly associated with climate action intention than self-efficacy, which showed a comparatively weaker relationship. Climate action intention significantly predicted support for climate policy. The final model explained 52.3% of the variance in climate action intention and 68.9% of the variance in policy support. Overall, the findings suggest that climate engagement in Korea is more closely associated with shared perceptions of risk and collective agency than with individual confidence alone. These results imply that strategies emphasizing collective responsibility and coordinated action may be more effective than approaches relying solely on individual appeals or the provision of factual information.

This study explores how different characteristics of travel-related user-generated content (UGC) influence user engagement and behavior on social media platforms. The study identifies Authenticity, Visual Appeal, Informational Usefulness, and Social Proof as key content characteristics that activate Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Engagement. These forms of engagement then affect two significant behavioral outcomes: Travel Intention and User Stickiness. A survey was conducted to gather insights from 305 active social media users across the United States. It was a quantitative cross-sectional study, and platforms such as Qualtrics and CloudResearch were used to connect with participants. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS 4, enabling a thorough examination of both measurement and structural relationships. Building on earlier studies that emphasize how characteristics of user-generated content (UGC) influence engagement and behaviors, this research focuses specifically on the tourism industry. The goal of these findings is to explore how different aspects of travel-related user-generated content (UGC) can drive engagement, and how these engagement levels are translated into intentions to travel and ongoing stickiness to social media platforms. The study contributes to the theoretical landscape by presenting a model explaining the relationships among travel-related UGC characteristics and multi-dimensional engagement. The findings provide useful insights for those in tourism marketing, destination management, and social media content creation. The importance of creating authentic, visually appealing, informative, and socially proven user-generated content (UGC) to enhance user engagement and influence behavioral responses was emphasized.

In e-commerce environments where consumers cannot physically examine products before purchasing, returns have become a central topic of post-purchase consumer behavior. To reduce psychological barriers to customer purchasing, many retailers have implemented highly lenient refund programs; however, such policies also lower the threshold for initiating returns. This study examined how the two dimensions of return policy leniency, monetary leniency and time leniency, influence consumers' purchase and return intentions, with anticipated return stress and product uncertainty proposed as mediating mechanisms. To test the proposed hypotheses, this study employed a 2 (monetary leniency: low vs. high) × 2 (time leniency: low vs. high) between-subjects experimental design. Monetary leniency was operationalized as whether the consumer or the retailer bears round-trip shipping costs and time leniency as the duration of the allowable return window (7 vs 30 days). To examine the proposed hypotheses, ANOVA and mediation tests with the PROCESS macro-model were applied. The results of the analyses indicated that monetary leniency significantly increased both purchase and return intentions, whereas time leniency had no significant effect on either outcome. The relationship between monetary leniency and purchase intention was serially mediated by anticipated return stress and product uncertainty. The effect of monetary leniency on return intention was mediated by anticipated return stress. Meanwhile, all corresponding mediation pathways for time leniency were non-significant, suggesting that the range of return window examined in this study does not meaningfully influence anticipated return stress or behavioral intention. The findings of this study provide theoretical insights and practical implications for the design of return policies in e-retailing.

Customer equity has emerged as an important indicator of long-term firm performance and value creation. However, relatively little is known about how acquisition and retention costs contribute to customer equity, how these effects differ across competitive positions, and whether different components of customer equity contribute equally to market value. This study examines these relationships in the U.S. telecommunications industry using publicly available customer and financial information. A distributed lag model is employed to analyze the shortand long-term effects of acquisition and retention costs on customer equity and market value. In addition, customer equity is decomposed into retained customer equity and newly acquired customer equity, and the effects are compared between leader and follower firms. The results reveal three main findings. First, acquisition and retention costs contribute differently to customer equity, indicating distinct customer equity formation mechanisms. Second, acquisition costs generate more favorable long-term customer equity outcomes for leader firms, whereas retention costs are more effective for follower firms. Third, customer equity is positively associated with market value, but retained customer equity exhibits a stronger and more consistent relationship with market value than newly acquired customer equity. These findings clarify the customer equity formation process, highlight the contingent role of competitive position, and demonstrate the value relevance of retained customer equity. The results also provide practical implications for managers and investors seeking to enhance long-term firm value through customer-based strategies.

This study scrutinizes the efficacy of two fundamental service recovery strategies—apology and compensation—and their combined application as influences on the customer evaluation process in an online apparel retail setting. The investigation aims to contribute novel insights into the comparative effects of these strategies on customer perception of justice, emotions, and post-recovery satisfaction. Data from a scenario-based experimental survey method were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings indicated customers perceived more substantial distributive and interactional justice when offered an apology. Apologies evoked higher positive emotions than compensation alone. Distributive justice emerged as the most influential factor in shaping post-recovery satisfaction across all service recovery strategies. Positive emotions had a significant impact on post-recovery satisfaction, highlighting the importance of addressing affective responses in service recovery strategies. These findings challenge traditional views in the service recovery literature by emphasizing the critical role of apologies and perceived outcomes in shaping customer satisfaction. The article concludes with strategic implications for service providers, advocating for a nuanced understanding of justice perceptions and emotions in tailoring effective service recovery strategies within the online apparel retail sector.