E-commerce channel management on the manufacturers’ side: ongoing debates and future research pathways

Since the beginning of the 2000s, online commerce has been gradually taking over and shaping the global marketplace. This has led several scholars to study the phenomenon from different angles, from consumer habits to privacy risks to related technological innovations. However, only recently has a branch of literature addressing the online channel management phenomenon from the manufacturers’ perspective emerged. This rapidly expanding literature strand remains rather fragmented, raising the need for a systematic literature review to comprehensively structure and discuss it. This study, accordingly, proposes a systematic literature review on online channel management from the manufacturers’ perspective. Firstly, it provides relevant bibliometric insights into the ongoing research on the topic. Secondly, applying the bibliographic coupling methodology individuates 92 interconnected contributions published by 31 December 2021. Three different, albeit interconnected, thematic clusters are discovered and reviewed, revealing their focus on (a) strategic marketing issues around manufacturervsretailer conflict, (b) pricing policies and trade-offs among pricevsservices, and (c) operational interactions and strategies between supply chain members. Finally, after a systematic literature review the authors develop thirteen original research propositions concerning new research pathways and theoretical advancements to be designed and implemented.

Using the UTAUT model to analyze user intention to accept electronic payment systems in Serbia

This study applies The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explain the acceptance of electronic payment systems in Serbia. We used extended model that incorporates several external variables, such as perceived security, trust, privacy, convertibility and financial costs, along with basic UTAUT predictors. The sample comprised of 457 respondents. We applied structural equation modelling to develop the model and draw conclusions. The results showed that performance expectancy, perceived security, trust and social influence had strong positive effects on behavioral intention. Conversely, we found behavioral intention, convertibility and financial costs to be significant drivers of user behavior. We consider the inclusion of convertibility in the model and proving its significance to be the main practical implications of our research, and also suggest to be considered as a factor in models designed for countries with low purchasing power of national currency.

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on consumer purchasing motivation and behavior

The COVID-19 outbreak changed dramatically and altered the attitudes, intentions and purchasing patterns of consumers. This global crisis was particularly notable because of globalization—the interconnection of markets and countries—and its unprecedented coverage by traditional and digital media.

This research queried the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on consumers’ motivation and behavior. The present paper was based on the results of mixed methods —qualitative and quantitative analyses—conducted in more than 55 countries and collectively engaging 1,015 participants. The studies were performed by the end of March 2020, at which time the pandemic was at its first peak, allowing data to be collected in real time, recording the actual behaviors of consumers and not simply what they could recall after the fact.

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, many changes took place in consumer behavior related to products, channels, and motivations. These changes proved to be more related to consumers’ perceptions of the crisis than to its practical effects. Several managerial and theoretical implications are provided, as well as compelling future research avenues.

Cost Analysis of Selected Patient Categories Within A Dermatology Department Using an ABC Approach

BACKGROUND

Present trends in hospital management are facilitating the utilization of more accurate costing methods, which potentially results in superior cost-related information and improved managerial decision-making. However, the Activity-Based Costing method (ABC), which was designed for cost allocation purposes in the 1980s, is not widely used by healthcare organizations. This study analyzes costs related to selected categories of patients, those suffering from psoriasis, varicose ulcers, eczema and other conditions, within a dermatology department at a Czech regional hospital.

METHODS

The study was conducted in a hospital department where both inpatient and outpatient care are offered. Firstly, the diseases treated at the department were identified. Further costs were determined for each activity using ABC. The study utilized data from managerial and financial accounting, as well as data obtained through interviews with departmental staff. Using a defined cost-allocation procedure makes it possible to determine the cost of an individual patient with a given disease more accurately than via traditional costing procedures.

RESULTS

The cost analysis focused on the differences between the costs related to individual patients within the selected diagnoses, variations between inpatient and outpatient treatments and the costs of activities performed by the dermatology department. Furthermore, comparing the costs identified through this approach and the revenue stemming from the health insurance system is an option.

CONCLUSIONS

Activity-Based Costing is more accurate and relevant than the traditional costing method. The outputs of ABC provide an abundance of additional information for managers. The benefits of this research lie in its practically-tested outputs, resulting from calculating the costs of hospitalization, which could prove invaluable to persons involved in hospital management and decision-making. The study also defines the managerial implications of the performed cost analysis for the hospital management. Based on the analysis results, it is possible to standardize activities and performance appraisal (Benchmarking), and provide all necessary information for hospital budgeting practices, especially Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB).