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As the literary landscape of the 21st century has changed its marketing approach over the years, the bookstagram phenomenon has implemented the most effective means of promotion, namely influencers. Therefore, bookstagrammers are powerful pillars in terms of developing influencer marketing on Instagram. Hence, this paper investigates the nature of book influencers in the literature based on keywords found in the Web of Science online database. Accordingly, a quantitative research encompassing 167 studies viewed through the VOSviewer tool in the form of bibliometric maps is noted. Thus, the study aims to better understand the landscape of book influencers, starting from the analysis of keywords found and, implicitly, the links that are created between them. Moreover, any influencer’s digital action affects the consumers and also increases their trust. This paper provides relevant insights on bookstagrammers, as well as laying the groundwork for future research on the evolution and impact in modern readers' lives.

This study seeks to assess the influence of influencer marketing and product packaging on the purchasing decision of the Reyshaka Interior product. The research used a quantitative descriptive design. The survey included 270 participants, including a sample of 100 long-time consumers of Reyshaka Interior. Data gathering methods entail distributing surveys to participants. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed for data analysis. The study started in November 2023 and was completed in March 2024. The study reveals that influencer marketing and product packaging significantly influence purchase decisions for the Reyshaka Interior product. The predominant element is the influencer marketing variable, which surpasses consumer behavior. Consumer behavior can significantly influence purchasing decisions through influencer marketing and products. Keywords: Influencer Marketing; Product Packaging; Purchasing Decision

Both social media marketing and the digital activity of Instagram influencers have transformed the virtual landscape of book promotion. In other words, the growth of the #bookstagram community has given the entire publishing industry the opportunity to interact with potential readers and, by extension, increase product visibility through the social media platform Instagram. With this in mind, the present study aims to deepen the importance of promotion techniques within bookstagram and, moreover, to portray the modern methods implemented as central pillars in 21st century marketing strategies. Therefore, the paper investigates the broad spectrum of online approaches accessible to book influencers in the field of social media marketing through qualitative research, with in-depth interviews as the research method. As promotion can be achieved through a number of valuable techniques, the research focuses on highlighting the bookstagram tour, but also other equally effective strategies in terms of expanding the target audience and maximizing interactions. Moreover, there is the approach of types of posts, the involvement of awards or even touching on divergent topics of the books. Thus, by examining the phenomenon present in social media – influencer marketing and their methods of attracting consumer attention, the paper helps to build on the literature and offers new insights for both publishers and influencers. In particular, the research contributes to the evolving information on influencer marketing and highlights the importance of incorporating social media into marketing strategies to keep the online landscape current and dynamic.

This paper investigates the evolving topic of influencer marketing and the integration of ephemeral content for contemporary brand building. As user-generated endorsements gain prominence over traditional advertising channels, understanding consumer behaviors and motivations behind online peer influence becomes imperative. Based on a rigorous integrative literature review, this study synthesizes academic findings on engagement driven by social media influencers and limited content. A conceptual framework identifies strategic advantages and persisting knowledge gaps, while mapping a spectrum of micro to mega online influencers. Evaluating peer-reviewed insights interwoven across marketing, communications, and psychology uncovers both opportunities and limitations for marketing practitioners seeking to navigate this new paradigm. The pursuit of visibility, authenticity, and conversion balance remains more art than science, but measured collaborations with creative online advocates can anchor brand equity amidst digital word-of-mouth.

The marketing landscape has intensely changed with the rise of digital platforms and social media. Social media influencer marketing was found by many previous studies to be a significant factor in shaping consumer buying behavior. This explanatory study investigates the impact of influencer marketing including para-social relationships, unpaid collaborations, and influencer trustworthiness on Lebanese consumers buying behavior. A quantitative analysis was employed using data collected through a questionnaire from a sample of 250 respondents. The findings revealed that para-social relationships and unpaid collaborations have a positive impact on Lebanese consumer buying behavior. The study contributes significantly by providing insights into the Lebanese market. By applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response Theory and Social Learning Theory, the study enriches the theoretical understanding of influencer marketing. Practically, it offers actionable strategies for marketers, emphasizing the importance of influencer marketing in driving consumer buying behavior in Lebanon.

Businesses have focused on using key opinion leaders (KOLs) to reach their target customers because their use of technology and social media is more and more increasing. KOLs not only interact directly with potential customers but also influence their needs through reviews or testimonials, which traditional marketing cannot conduct. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factor of involvement moderating the relationship between KOLs, customer’s attitude and purchase intention on social networks; proposes four factors to make up the perception of KOLs on social media including attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise and brand consistency. The research sample includes 546 responses from participants aged 16 to 40 years old. Data was collected through an online survey of popular social media users (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Zalo and Youtube) in Vietnam. The result of the study shows that the involvement factor has positively promoted the relationship between perception of KOLs, attitude of KOLs and purchase intention; customer’s attitude both has a direct impact and an intermediary factor in the relationship between KOL and purchase intention. Furthermore, brand consistency between KOLs and products has a strong influence on customer perception towards KOLs. The study proposed some solutions to improve the effectiveness of online influencer marketing.

Given the popularity of influencer marketing, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of influencer authenticity in achieving intention to co-create brand value and purchase intention in Pakistan. Grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the study explored the central and peripheral routes to achieving desired behavioral intentions. Using a self-administered questionnaire, data were collected from 421 fashion and lifestyle social media influencers followers in Pakistan by the time-lagged approach, over a period of four months, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed for data analysis. The results showed a significant impact of influencer authenticity on behavioral intentions. Serial mediation indicated that consumers followed the central route of persuasion. The study aimed to fill gaps in the influencer marketing research literature by conceptualizing influencer authenticity as a composite higher-order construct and examining its impact on the intention to co-create brand value. Second, it elaborated on the cognitive and affective components of attitude formation using central and peripheral routes, respectively. Third, it highlighted relational attitude (the customer-brand relationship) as a bridge to achieving targeted behavioral intentions. The outcomes of this study may assist managers in designing effective influencer marketing campaigns by emphasizing brand attributes rather than relying on social media influencer followership.

This study investigates the impact of homophily, influencer social presence, and influencer physical attractiveness on affinity in the beauty and fashion industry through influencer marketing. Trust and loyalty mediating roles are also explored in connection with customer purchase intention. The data was collected from 408 respondents via a digital survey questionnaire and analysed the proposed model using Smart PLS 4.0. Results show a positive influence of homophily, influencer social presence, and influencer physical attractiveness on consumer purchase intention, partially mediated by affinity, trust, and loyalty. The significance of affinity suggests that a strong emotional connection with influencers plays a crucial role in shaping purchasing decisions. The current study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by examining the roles of affinity, trust, and loyalty in homophily, influencer social presence, influencer physical attractiveness, and consumer purchase intention within the beauty and fashion industry—a relatively unexplored area. These insights are valuable for industry practitioners aiming to build trust, establish a strong social presence, and enhance customer loyalty. Thus, this study highlights the pivotal role of affinity and offers practical guidance for influencer marketing strategies that can boost customer purchase intention and foster client loyalty within the fashion and beauty industry.

Artificial intelligence represents the cutting-edge frontier in influencer marketing, offering a novel approach to leveraging social media data. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the recent state and future directions of artificial intelligence-infused influencer marketing through bibliometric analysis. For substantial bibliometric analysis, the study contains 316 documents published in journals indexed in the Scopus database for the period ranging from 2004 to 2023. The yearly publications have risen from 2 in 2004 to 55 in 2023, with an average age of 19.06 years and a citation rate of 22.19 yearly. The number of publications in this domain accelerated in 2020. According to the review findings, Hong Kong is the most productive country in this research domain. The leading affiliation is Hanyang University. The top contributing author is Gatica Perez-D. The most prolific source is the AAAI Spring Symposium Technical Report. Keyword occurrence analysis highlights prevalent terms such as Blogs, Social media networking (online) and Data mining alongside emerging keywords such as Influencer marketing, User-Generated Content, Artificial Intelligence, Sentiment Analysis, and Semantic Analysis in this domain to anticipate future inclinations. Performance analysis, further delves into Collaborative efforts among countries, sources, affiliations and authors have also been done using tools like Biblioshiny and Vos Viewer. The study offers novel contributions to the existing literature in terms of comprehensively providing evidence of the current practices of AI-integrated influencer marketing.

A revolution is occurring in marketing today due to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to various marketing tasks and functions. In addition, marketing innovations are taking place on Web 3.0, in the Metaverse, in virtual and augmented reality, in omnichannel marketing, in social media, in video marketing, in live streaming, in connected and addressable TV, in voice and visual search, in influencer marketing, in how advertising budgets are allocated, in social shopping, and additional credentials for marketing professionals in a dynamic profession. Marketing professionals and marketing professors must prioritize pursuing continuous education in their field due to the dynamic nature and complex changes in marketing technology and media options.

Digital advertising and the amount of money spent on influencer marketing increases every year. Nowadays, it has become one of the most profitable ways to promote products and services and increase a company’s profit through an endorsement on social media networks.

Purpose – Digitalization in marketing activities has made it easier for people to make purchase decision. This platform encourages every firm to optimize digitalization as part of its marketing strategy. Optimization of attractive digital marketing involves advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing and online customer reviews. This study aims to investigate advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing and online customer reviews on purchase decision. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted with a quantitative approach. A total of 120 respondents were involved in this study by using convenience sampling techniques in data collection. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. Findings – The results of the study show that influencer marketing and online customer reviews have an impact on online purchase decision. Meanwhile, advertising attractiveness does not show any influence on purchase decision. Practical implications – Despite the start-ups have modified the website by increasing the content to make it more informative, it seems that customers are not interested in making a purchase. Therefore, notwithstanding the role of website attractiveness, the use of physical attractiveness is still considered an effective way to encourage customers to make purchasing decisions. In this way, a firm needs to make adjustments between the customers' personality, lifestyle and attitudes and endorsers. Originality/value – This study developed previous empirical studies which a positive relationship between advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing, online customer reviews and purchase decision. The development of the model was carried out by elaborating variable indicators. In addition, the source of increasing credibility was not based on physical attractiveness, but rather emphasizes the website quality.

Live streaming e-commerce has emerged as a novel online marketing model. Drawing upon influencer marketing theory, this study examines the mechanisms through which influencers (live streamers) promote consumers’ purchase intention in the context of live streaming e-commerce. A sample of 449 valid questionnaires was utilized to test the proposed theoretical framework. The empirical research findings reveal that customer experience significantly and positively impacts both influencer trust and influencer attachment. Furthermore, trust and attachment established with live streamers are identified as two effective mechanisms influencing consumer decision-making. Notably, influencer attachment exhibits a stronger influence on consumer purchase intention compared to influencer trust. By comparing the effects of Taobao and Douyin live streamers on stimulating consumption and purchase intention, the study demonstrates that live streamers play a crucial mediating role between customer experience and consumer purchase intention. Specifically, the results indicate that consumer purchase intention influenced by top Taobao streamers is stronger than that of Douyin streamers, whereas influencer attachment for Taobao streamers is relatively weaker than that for Douyin streamers. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for platforms and live streamers seeking to stimulate robust purchase intentions among consumers by fostering attachment relationships. The establishment of an emotional connection between the live streamer and the audience proves particularly valuable in increasing purchase intention. This research contributes to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving consumer behavior in the context of live streaming e-commerce. It emphasizes the significance of customer experience, influencer trust, and influencer attachment as key drivers of consumer purchase intention. The findings offer valuable insights for platforms and live streamers to optimize their strategies and enrich user data labels in order to enhance consumer engagement and stimulate purchase intentions. Ultimately, this research contributes to the advancement of the live streaming e-commerce field, strengthens the application of data elements in live streaming e-commerce marketing, and guides effective decision-making by industry practitioners.

Research purpose. Currently, the Internet is used by almost 5 billion users worldwide, of which 80% actively use at least one of the social networks. And marketing managers are well aware of this fact, as they had to switch to a new way of attracting potential customers. One of these methods is also influencer marketing as a form of marketing communication. In influencer marketing, the emphasis is placed on influencers with a significant impact on the community on which marketing activities and campaigns can be oriented. It is a method of non-violent and natural promotion of a product or brand, which acts on the consumer as a natural part of the space in which it is located. Especially one generation of consumers, Generation Z, is considered to be the target segment for influencer marketing due to their digital skills and inclination to social networks. The main aim of the article is to determine the impact of influencer marketing on the decision-making process of Generation Z. This also includes providing the theoretical background and analysis of influencer marketing from the viewpoint of Slovak and foreign authors.

Purpose: Sponsored content in the form of covert messages is deceptive on consumers' behalf. When a consumer is aware of the sponsored content, they infer influencer motives and starts to resist such content hurting engagement. Sponsored content also adds to consumers hence the rationale of this research study is to explore the impact of influencer credibility, sponsorship disclosure, and brand credibility on consumer's attitudes toward sponsored content. The mediating role of consumer inferences of influencer motives is the highlight of the study. The framework is assessed in the light of attribution theory. Research Design: The research has a cause-to-effect design. It elaborates on the relationship among the constructs with an underpinning theory. Data from the sample of 218 participants were analyzed and comprehended using PLS-SEM. Findings: The outcome of the study has identified that influencer credibility had a significant impact on consumer's attitudes toward sponsored content whereas, brand credibility and sponsorship disclosure showed a non-significant impact. Moreover, sponsorship disclosure moderated the impact between brand credibility and consumer resistance towards sponsored content. Lastly, consumer inference of influencer motives has a mediation effect between BC and CRSC. Practical Implications: The relative importance of influencer motives and sponsorship disclosure is established for the first time in the current research study. The new findings are a substantial contribution to the body of knowledge and the theory. The practical implications of the study are focused on the industry.

Conspicuous consumption is constantly evolving due to the availability of goods and the technology development. People have many opportunities to express their values, beliefs, and personalities through product and price is no longer the main factors determining whether a product is suitable for conspicuous consumption. With the development of social networks such as Instagram, the influence of recommendations by influencers are gaining momentum. By consuming similar products (and brands) as those consumed by influencers, consumers seek to demonstrate their similarity to influencers and thus join a particular social group. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between influencer marketing and the perception of sports products as conspicuous and to specify the purchasing behavior for sportswear. Primary data were collected using an online questionnaire focusing on Generation Z (n = 240) and in-depth interviews (n = 10). The questionnaire was based on previous studies of conspicuousness and status consumption and included a set of 22 statements. Data were processed using a factorial analysis in which statements were grouped into several main factors. These factors were examined through regression analysis, with the explanatory variable being the tendency toward conspicuous consumption. Although, the quantitative data analysis did not reveal a tendency toward conspicuous consumption of sports products, the qualitative analysis supports this relationship.

Previous literature has found underlying differences in purchasing behaviors, consumption habits, and Internet and social media usage between Generation X and Millennials. The activities and how users engage with consumer advice made by popular social media personalities can differ according to their age. Recent studies have shown that trust in the message transmitted by influencers is a critical factor in explaining the impact of consumer recommendations on their followers. However, so far there is little evidence of the possible variation according to the generational cohort to which they belong. This paper attempts to fill this gap by reviewing theoretical contributions on the relationships between perceived trustworthiness, perceived risk, product involvement, and purchase intention. Next, we proposed an exploratory model that analyzes the differences through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with multigroup analysis. The resulting hypotheses were tested on a sample of 116 Millennial and 135 Generation X influencer followers. The results confirmed moderating effects of the generational cohort on message credibility and purchase intention, as well as on Millennials’ risk perception. Additionally, social norm and gender were analyzed, and heterogeneity was found according to the level of social norm of the followers.

Objective In recent years, due to the increase in the use of influencers to introduce and promote products and services for companies, influencer marketing has been widely considered as an important and effective advertising tool. On the other hand, with the significant growth of social media among Internet users across the globe. For an instance, Instagram is used as one of the most popular social media in Iran as an advertising tool to increase access to consumers. But the most important issue is the selection of the most appropriate influencers by companies to send their advertising messages to their audience. As a result, companies need to consider some criteria to make the right choice in this regard. The purpose of this study is to identify and prioritize the characteristics of the right influencers active in the food industry to advertise products on Instagram as a social media platform. Methodology The present study is applied in terms of purpose and uses a mixed method approach consisting of two phases. In the first stage, through doing library research, reviewing the available literature and conducting semi-structured interviews with seven experts in the field of food industry, the factors that play a pivotal role in selecting the right influencers were identified. Then, in the second stage, the identified indicators were prioritized and weighted by experts through the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) questionnaire. Finally, Lingo and Excel software were used to prioritize the solutions identified in the previous step. Findings The findings of the present study could identify the most appropriate indicators for selecting the right influencers on Instagram, which were classified into two main categories. The first category was related to the content of the influencers’ pages on the platform i.e. number of the followers, comments of the users, reaching followers, previous experiences on the rate of return on investment, topic distribution, and topic engagement rate. The second category included the personal characteristics of the influencers i.e. brand congruence with the influencer, congruence between the audience and the influencer, influencer reputation, honesty and credibility of the influencer and the influencer expertise. Prioritization of these indicators indicated that “the rate of user involvement with the subject” and “reputation of the influencer” are the most important indicators, and “brand congruence with the influencer” and “the number of followers” are the least important indicators identified for choosing an influencer for the food industry. Conclusion According to the results of the FUCOM analysis among the identified indicators, ‘’topic engagement rate’’ is the most important indicator in the influencer page features category and ‘’influencer reputation’’ is the most important indicator in the influencer personal characteristics category. In order to achieve maximum efficiency in the field of influencer marketing, companies need to consider these indicators for evaluating influencers to select the appropriate ones.

Influencer marketing is one of the digital marketing strategies currently used by many companies. The purpose of this research is to find out and describe the influencer marketing strategy implemented specifically by an application-based FMCG product provider (start-up company) in Indonesia to market FMCG products such as fruits, vegetables, milk, and others that have a relatively short product life, using a qualitative approach and descriptive study. The results showed that the influencer marketing strategy implemented by an application-based FMCG product provider consists of four stages: determining (making), managing relationships, monitoring, and evaluating (measuring) influencer’s marketing campaigns. Research conclusion, this strategy is a repeated cycle. The last stage (evaluation or measure) is the input to determine the influencer marketing in the next campaign.

Dijitalleşme ve internetin artan kullanımı nedeniyle, giderek daha fazla insan birbirleriyle iletişim kurmak için sosyal medyayı kullanmaktadır. Günümüzde 3,6 milyardan fazla kişi tarafından kullanılan sosyal medyanın popülerliği, işletmeleri ürün ve hizmetlerini tanıtmak için bu platformlarda etkili fikir liderleriyle iş birliğine yöneltmektedir. Influencer pazarlama, bir markanın mesajını daha büyük kitlelere ulaştırmak için belirli bir hedef kitle üzerinde etkisi olan bireyleri kullanmaya odaklanan bir pazarlama türüdür. İşletmeler, bilgileri, konumları ve ilişkileri nedeniyle başkalarının satın alma kararını etkileyebilen kişiler olan influencer’lar ile ürün yerleştirme, marka onayları ve içerik oluşturma için çalışabilmektedir. Influencer pazarlama işletmelere, yüksek yatırım getirisi, marka farkındalığı ve satışları arttırma, potansiyel müşterileri elde etme, ürün ve hizmetlerini daha geniş kitlelere duyurabilme ve sosyal medya katılımını arttırma gibi önemli avantajlar sunabilmektedir. Influencer pazarlama, dünya çapında işletmelerin gün geçtikçe daha fazla ilgisini çekmekte ve influencer pazarlama stratejisini pazarlama seçeneklerinin önemli bir parçası olarak görmelerine neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışma, influencer pazarlama ile ilgili geniş bir kavramsal çerçeve oluşturmaya odaklanmaktadır. Ayrıca çalışma, influencer pazarlama stratejilerinden de bahsederek ilgili kararları alırken işletme yöneticilerine ve pazarlamacılara yardımcı olmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Influencers are present in our everyday lives, we see them at events, in advertisments, TV and papers, and in their „natural habitat”: social media. It is not surprising considering that the fact that E-WOM has a stronger impact on consumer decision-making than traditional advertising techniques has been known for a long time. Moreover, advertisements are now consciously ignored by consumers, making influencer marketing an excellent alternative where the opinion leader formulates and publishes the message him- or herself. These individuals seem more approachable compared to traditional celebrities, as they provide insight into their daily lives making it easier to identify with them. Brands, in turn, can collaborate with the right influencers to create positive associations in the minds of consumers. Nowadays, consumers get the needed information about the products from social media and, as a result, make purchases, also they trust even an unknown individual’s recommendation more than brand ads. Consistent posting and the presence of socially accepted values in the posts are essential elements in influencer marketing, which must be complemented by active engagement with the followers. It may be worthwhile to start with a look at the number of the followers before starting a collaboration, but the results of the researchers came to a different conclusion. Some of them found that a large following bases does not always represent a real influencing force and it is more rewarding to focus on shared content and the brand–influencer fit. Others found that the number of followers correlated positively with consumer engagement. Interestingly however, even though followers recognize that they are encountering advertised content, they still use the information gained in their decision-making, and even a specifically urging and activating tone can encourage them to purchase. Thus authenticity plays a cruical role for both parties, and for this reason it is crucial how the product and the influencer itself is indicated in the advertised content.

The mechanism by which influencer marketing has emerged as a concept is far from new. In the world of advertising, where almost every minute the people are faced with an advertisement, people are becoming more immune to the traditional promotions. Influencer marketing is an excellent alternative for this issue, where the entities formulate and publish the message themselves. Due to the fact that opinion leaders may appear accessible in the eyes of followers, associating a brand with positively evaluated opinion leaders results a positive attitude toward the brand. There are factors which establish a fruitful cooperation between the parties, but they are hard to recognise, and even the researchers have different standpoint, for example with the number of the followers. However, a fallible image, the brand-influencer fit, attractiveness can surely strengthen the effectiveness. And surprisingly it does not necessarily lead to a negative perception of the opinion leader if followers recognize that their post contains advertisement.

Bilişim teknolojilerinde yaşanan gelişmeler, bireylerin daha hızlı şekilde bilgi paylaşımında bulunabileceği yeni mecraları ortaya çıkarmıştır. Bu mecralardan yapılan çalışmalar ise, bazı kişileri ünlü yapıp “Influencerlik” veya “fenomenlik” adı altında yeni bir mesleği ortaya çıkartırken, firmalar için ise yüksek takipçi oranına sahip bu kişiler aracılığıyla pazarlama çalışmalarında Influencer Marketing olarak adlandırılan yeni bir yöntemi gündeme getirmiştir. Etkili kullanıldığında özellikle genç tüketici profiline ulaşmada stratejik öneme sahip olan bu yöntem ile markalar, rakipleri arasında rekabet üstünlüğü sağlamaktadır. Bu nedenle, özellikle son dönemlerde yaygın kullanım alanı bulan sosyal medyada Influencer Marketing aktiviteleri hız kazanmıştır. Ancak bu aktivitelerin tüketicilerin satın alma davranışına ne düzeyde etki ettiği ise kesin olarak bilinmemektedir. Mutlak olan belirsizliği ortadan kaldırmak için bu çalışmada, sosyal medya ınfluencerlarını (fenomenlerini) takip eden tüketicilerin satın alma davranışlarının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu kapsamda 400 kişiye Online anket uygulanmıştır. Anketten elde edilen verilere göre de, tüketicilerin çoğunlukla sosyal medya fenomenlerini takip ettikleri ve influencer marketing’i etkili bir yöntem olarak kabul ettikleri bulgularına ulaşılmıştır.

Social media usage is pervasive, and brands must manage this channel carefully in order to meet their strategic goals. The role of social media influencers (SMI) is progressively becoming crucial for shaping consumer brand attitudes toward the firms’ offerings. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine how SMIs can help brands build favorable brand attitudes and thus improve product acceptance and downstream business performance. Building upon naïve theory, consumer socialization theory and market signaling theory, we suggest that SMI power and SMI perceived source credibility are crucial in influencing consumer attitudes toward the brand. Using rich survey data from 231 U.S. social media users on Instagram the research employs confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to access the psychometric properties of the measures and path analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. Results indicate that while SMI power is positively related to consumer attitudes toward the brand and perceived SMI expertise and trustworthiness partially mediate that relationship. This study contributes to extant literature by demonstrating that SMIs’ role in shaping consumer attitudes toward the brand is a multilevel function of SMI power, partially mediated through SMI expertise and trustworthiness. Therefore, it is incumbent on brands to pay close attention to their SMI promotional channel.

Companies increasingly collaborate with social media influencers (SMIs) to promote product and service brands (Jin & Muqaddam, 2019). There has so far been limited research examining how the personality traits of consumers may impact the extent to which they are influenced by SMIs. This study aims to understand the relationship between consumers’ personality traits and their attitudes towards SMIs. The study utilised an online questionnaire distributed to a group of millennials (n=221), in order to understand the impact of personality traits on attitudes towards SMIs. The five-factor model of personality (McCrae & Costa, 1987), which employs the neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness labels, was used as a framework for the study, while the questions on attitudes towards SMIs explored four main areas - envy towards SMIs, advertising content value, credibility of SMIs, and perceived trustworthiness of SMIs. The findings highlight the importance of investigating personality traits to better understand how followers/consumers’ perceptions and attitudes towards SMIs and SMI-endorsed advertisements can be influenced. The implications for further research and the study’s limitations are discussed.

Purpose – the aim of this paper is to study the impact of influencers on the decisionmaking process regarding the purchase of the brand product. Research methodology – the method of collecting data through a questionnaire and the contingency analysis to process the data were chosen for this research. Findings – the research revealed quite a degree of distrust of Slovak consumers in influencer marketing. This may be partly explained by the singularity of Slovaks and partly by the limitations of research. Research limitations – the limitation of research may be the fact that it is not possible to draw clear conclusions solely from the perspective of consumers because their actual view may differ from reality. To remove limitations of this kind it is advisable to repeat the questioning on another sample of respondents. Practical implications – the results are anticipated to enhance and deepen the understanding of previous practice of brand managers. The findings should be beneficial for improving the attractiveness of marketing communication and thus higher competitiveness. Originality/Value – the research population has been surveyed not only on flat-rate basis because the segments vary significantly in their perception of influencers’ impact.

What type of operational response did the U.S. stock market value during the 2008 Great Recession? Based on the contingency theory as an overarching framework, contingent on high-tech or low–medium technology (LMT) industry, we propose the role of survival (improving production efficiency or operational hedging) and adaptation (investing in new operational assets) related operational responses in firm performance. In a sample of 749 publicly traded U.S. manufacturing firms from 2003 to 2012 and using 2008 as the recession year, we find that for LMT firms, while the newness of operational assets or operational hedging has no effect on the market value (Tobin's Q), increasing the production efficiency limits the decline in the market value. Conversely, for high-tech firms, the newness of operational assets has a negative influence, increasing the production efficiency has a positive influence, and operational hedging has no influence on the market value. The findings provide a much-needed understanding of the value of operational response during the 2008 recession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The starting point of the article is that the issue of globalization is extremely ruthless and we need to make some clarifications on a few aspects: the expansion of global capital flows, the influence of marketing that has become "devoratory", the instability and financial mechanisms, mergers and acquisitions, etc. On such a vast issue, it is necessary to analyze, not only to understand the mechanisms that create the dynamics from the content of which derive a series of classical risks, but also some specific macroeconomics at the level, regional, international and global. We have no claim that we have solved the issue, but we believe that an order of ideas in global credit risk has made it possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]