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Sang-Eun Byun is an Associate Professor in the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina. She received a Ph.D. in Retailing from Michigan State University. Before joining the University of South Carolina in August 2016, she worked at Auburn University for 10 years as an assistant/associate professor in apparel merchandising. Her recent research explores topics of growing importance including CSR communications, social media strategies, and consumer perceptions of corporate activism. Her research has appeared in high-impact journals, including Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Ethics, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and more. Her research has been presented at major national/international conferences in the retailing and related disciplines, including the American Retailing Collegiate Association (ACRA), American Marketing Association (AMA), and International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA).
The COVID-19 pandemic and rising demand for transparency has heightened the importance of sustainability communications on social media to generate deeper stakeholder engagement. Although B Corporations (B Corps), businesses committed to the triple bottom line (TBL), could serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, little is known about how they communicate on social media during a crisis. Therefore, we examined social media communications of B Corps to (1) identify salient topics and themes, (2) analyze how these themes align with the TBL, and (3) evaluate social media performance against industry benchmarks. We focused on the apparel, footwear, and accessories (AFA) sectors in the U.S. and chose Twitter, a platform known for crisis communication. Using a qualitative method, we found four topics and 21 underlying themes. Topics related to social/environmental issues and COVID-19 were most dominant, followed by product/brand promotions. Further classification of specific themes and cases from a TBL perspective demonstrated that, overall, B Corps in the AFA sectors leveraged various approaches to promote balance between each TBL dimension. Lastly, although collectively B Corps exceeded some of the Twitter industry benchmarks, at an individual level, most brands had room for improvement to build a stronger community and promote synergy among the three pillars of the TBL.
Manveer Mann; Sang-Eun Byun; Whitney Ginder. B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9634 .
AMA StyleManveer Mann, Sang-Eun Byun, Whitney Ginder. B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (17):9634.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManveer Mann; Sang-Eun Byun; Whitney Ginder. 2021. "B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line." Sustainability 13, no. 17: 9634.
The U.S. retail industry has undergone dramatic changes, leading to the closing of brick-and-mortar retail stores on a large scale. Understanding perceived market competition among small retail businesses may help explain why certain businesses survive or fail in the altered retail environment. This study investigates small retail businesses' perceptions of competition within/outside the community, underlying reasons for their perceptions, and variations in perceptions by different business characteristics. Contrary to common expectations, we found that more than half of businesses interviewed were optimistic in the face of competition. Our data reveal two salient underlying reasons for pessimism and five for optimism. These perceptions tended to differ by operational locality (urban clusters vs. urban areas), business revenues, and innovativeness. Based on the findings, we developed propositions and a framework of small businesses' perceived competition and sustainable competitive advantage. We discussed theoretical and practical implications for small retail businesses’ sustainable growth in the challenging retail environment.
Sang-Eun Byun; Siyuan Han; Hyejeong Kim; Carol Centrallo. US small retail businesses’ perception of competition: Looking through a lens of fear, confidence, or cooperation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 2019, 52, 101925 .
AMA StyleSang-Eun Byun, Siyuan Han, Hyejeong Kim, Carol Centrallo. US small retail businesses’ perception of competition: Looking through a lens of fear, confidence, or cooperation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2019; 52 ():101925.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSang-Eun Byun; Siyuan Han; Hyejeong Kim; Carol Centrallo. 2019. "US small retail businesses’ perception of competition: Looking through a lens of fear, confidence, or cooperation." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 52, no. : 101925.
Very limited research addresses cultural change and consumer decisions in key emerging markets experiencing proliferation of Western brands and retail formats. This study fills the gap in the literature by investigating the role of need for distinctiveness and Western acculturation in shifting value perceptions of Western brands and Western retail formats among young urban Indian consumers, an emerging market with growing spending power. Mall/market-intercept surveys in four Indian cities revealed that young urban Indian consumers’ need for distinctiveness accelerated Western acculturation, thereby enhancing perceived values of Western brands and Western retail formats. Such value perceptions significantly increased intention to buy Western brands at Western retail formats. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed for retailers seeking to enter or expand in India, especially those targeting young urban consumers.
Manveer Mann; Wi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun. Shifting value perceptions among young urban Indian consumers: The role of need for distinctiveness and western acculturation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 2018, 44, 127 -133.
AMA StyleManveer Mann, Wi-Suk Kwon, Sang-Eun Byun. Shifting value perceptions among young urban Indian consumers: The role of need for distinctiveness and western acculturation. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2018; 44 ():127-133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManveer Mann; Wi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun. 2018. "Shifting value perceptions among young urban Indian consumers: The role of need for distinctiveness and western acculturation." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 44, no. : 127-133.
We investigated whether fair trade messages (fair labor/environment-friendly production) can counterbalance the negative country of origin effect on brand evaluations and increase willingness to pay premium prices. Our findings suggest that fair trade messages led consumers to evaluate a product made in a developing country as favorably as a product made in the U.S. While brand attitude and brand trust were higher for a fair trade product made in a developing country, consumers hesitated to buy a product with a fair trade message when the premium price was 15% higher than the base price product with no fair trade message. We discussed implications of these findings.
MdSanuwar Rashid; Sang-Eun Byun. Are consumers willing to go the extra mile for fair trade products made in a developing country? A comparison with made in USA products at different prices. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 2018, 41, 201 -210.
AMA StyleMdSanuwar Rashid, Sang-Eun Byun. Are consumers willing to go the extra mile for fair trade products made in a developing country? A comparison with made in USA products at different prices. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2018; 41 ():201-210.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMdSanuwar Rashid; Sang-Eun Byun. 2018. "Are consumers willing to go the extra mile for fair trade products made in a developing country? A comparison with made in USA products at different prices." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 41, no. : 201-210.
Manveer Mann; Sang-Eun Byun. To retrench or invest? Turnaround strategies during a recessionary time. Journal of Business Research 2017, 80, 24 -34.
AMA StyleManveer Mann, Sang-Eun Byun. To retrench or invest? Turnaround strategies during a recessionary time. Journal of Business Research. 2017; 80 ():24-34.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManveer Mann; Sang-Eun Byun. 2017. "To retrench or invest? Turnaround strategies during a recessionary time." Journal of Business Research 80, no. : 24-34.
Sanuwar Rashid; Sang-Eun Byun. Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type. Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type 2017, 1 .
AMA StyleSanuwar Rashid, Sang-Eun Byun. Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type. Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type. 2017; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSanuwar Rashid; Sang-Eun Byun. 2017. "Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type." Consumers' Information Processing and Attitude Toward an Ad: The Moderating Role of a Product Type , no. : 1.
Wi-Suk Kwon; Gopikrishna Deshpande; Jeffrey Katz; Sang-Eun Byun. What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity. What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity 2017, 1 .
AMA StyleWi-Suk Kwon, Gopikrishna Deshpande, Jeffrey Katz, Sang-Eun Byun. What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity. What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity. 2017; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWi-Suk Kwon; Gopikrishna Deshpande; Jeffrey Katz; Sang-Eun Byun. 2017. "What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity." What Does the Brain Tell about Scarcity Bias? Cognitive Neuroscience Evidence of Decision Making under Scarcity , no. : 1.
Wi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun; Jeffrey Katz; Gopikrishna Deshpande; Sandra Forsythe. Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation. Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation 2016, 1 .
AMA StyleWi-Suk Kwon, Sang-Eun Byun, Jeffrey Katz, Gopikrishna Deshpande, Sandra Forsythe. Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation. Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation. 2016; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun; Jeffrey Katz; Gopikrishna Deshpande; Sandra Forsythe. 2016. "Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation." Scarcity Effects on Consumers' Affective, Cognitive, and Conative Responses: Moderating Role of Shopping Orientation , no. : 1.
Yishuang Li; Wi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun. Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value. Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value 2013, 1 .
AMA StyleYishuang Li, Wi-Suk Kwon, Sang-Eun Byun. Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value. Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value. 2013; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYishuang Li; Wi-Suk Kwon; Sang-Eun Byun. 2013. "Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value." Effects of App Name Suffixes and App Information Quality on Consumers’ Perceived App Value , no. : 1.