This study proposes a new giving behavior model for higher education institutions (HEI), featuring alumni connectedness as a primary predictor. This contrasts with previous studies that measured variables that showed an inconsistent influence as predictors of alumni’s desire to contribute. Alumni connectedness, built from socio-psychological literature, is a multidimensional variable that can capture the complexity of the alumni-university relationship. Connectedness consists of relatability, dependency and a sense of community, which combine students’ experiences with university services while at university and afterward This research utilized an online survey that yielded 642 usable responses to validate the model. The model testing results indicate that connectedness significantly influences alumni’s intentions to contribute. Extending relationship marketing principles, this model may assist in restructuring alumni databases by classifying different degrees of alumni connectedness. The differences in connectedness level can help design more contextual alumni marketing programs.

Purpose: This study aims to present the path-to-purchase of omni micro-resellers in affordable fashion shopping centers and differentiates them from the existing knowledge of end-user’s purchase journey. Furthermore, the study aims to explore the omnichannel readiness for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) merchants to provide a seamless experience for the micro-resellers.Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted an ethnographic approach to gain deep insights into the unexplored omni journey of micro-resellers, using multiple techniques and respondent types in various locations.Findings: Findings reveal that the journey of omni micro-reseller is not the same as the end-user's purchase journey. The new value needed in every path-to-purchase is an essential knowledge that helps MSE merchants in serving micro-resellers. MSE merchants' readiness is assessed by their ability to provide the best customer experience for their buyers, consisting of six omnichannel experience dimensions: researching, purchase-payment, shipping, omnichannel testing, return goods experience and relationship building.Research limitations/implications: Using the Engel-Kollat-Blackwell (EKB) decision-making model, this study develops the path-to-purchase of omnichannel micro-resellers. The new readiness dimensions developed in this study are set as a potential measurement tool.Practical implications: It provides new insights to benefit MSE merchants and the institutions responsible for enhancing merchant quality.Originality/value: This study focuses on micro-resellers in the MSEs environment, the prominent buyers of affordable fashion in developing countries, which is a novelty of the study. Moreover, unlike previous studies that have focused on large and medium merchants, this study concentrates on MSE merchants. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies to highlight ways to measure MSE merchants omnichannel readiness.

The purpose of this research study is to explore insights to create more contextual lecturer performance indicators (LPIs); and to gain a fairer and more useful evaluation tool for lecturers in the online environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. This significant change in conditions has forced higher education to understand the new requirements, especially of lecturers, who have played a central role in creating engaging moments for students in online classes. This study adopts a qualitative approach, based on the need for a more in-depth exploration of new phenomena. It explores students’ daily lives in class, which were expressed through social media, and gains further understanding through in-depth interviews with students and lecturers. The results indicate that most of the items taken from the Social-Task-Technology-Fit (STTF) framework remain the same; there are not many changes compared to the era before the pandemic. However, some aspects have new meanings that need to be revisited to capture the lecturers' performance in the new context. Three new themes emerged from the exploration study which have never been discussed in previous studies on LPIs for online teaching, especially in abnormal conditions such as a pandemic. The first theme concerns the variations in digital literacy of lecturers and the implications for lecturers' performance. The second theme is the dynamic ratio of social versus task activities, which implies the need to focus on academic (task-oriented) or non-academic (social) tasks. The third theme is the degree of controllability of each performance. This study provides awareness of the importance of weighting in evaluating lecturer performance, especially when not all lecturers are digitally literate, not all factors are controllable, and the ratios between social versus task requirements are not the same. These weighted evaluations have never been discussed in previous studies, which mainly used quantitative surveys. In addition, these insights can also be applied to online learning beyond the pandemic. The study results can be used by higher education information management to design more contextual LPIs for the early detection of issues with lecturer performance.

This study investigated consumer behaviors in conspicuous omni-signaling—its internal motivations and its consequences on social needs fulfilment and re-consumption intention in the context of luxury fashion. A phenomenon of conspicuous consumption is identified with the consumption and display of conspicuous goods to signal status, wealth, and prestige. Digital development has made conspicuous signaling radically emerge in social media through the posting of photos, videos, or stories of luxury goods. This drives an emerging phenomenon of conspicuous omni-signaling, the use of both offline and online media to signal conspicuous consumption hybridlike. As a new phenomenon, little is known of consumer behaviors related to conspicuous omni-signaling. To facilitate the investigation, an online survey was conducted to collect data from 474 valid respondents across eight cities representing various conspicuous consumption characteristics of Indonesian consumers. Veblen’s conspicuous consumption and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theories were employed as the main lens for analysis. PLS-SEM technique was employed as the research model uses mixed reflective and formative constructs. WarpPLS 7.0 was then used for data analysis. The results indicated that luxury values and fashion consciousness positively affect conspicuous omni-signaling. This study also found that conspicuous omni-signaling affects conspicuous re-consumption both directly and indirectly through social needs fulfilment. This study contributes to extend the concept of conspicuous offline consumption and conspicuous online consumption to conspicuous omni-signaling. This study also confirms conflicting results in the effect of conspicuous consumption on social needs fulfilment, and conflicting results in the effect of conspicuous consumption on conspicuous re-consumption.

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities in optimizing the branding of Takaful products in Indonesia. Despite the country’s large Muslim population, awareness and understanding of Takaful remain significantly low. While consumers are generally familiar with conventional insurance, many are unaware of Takaful or lack a comprehensive understanding of its benefits. This gap underscores the need for targeted awareness campaigns and educational initiatives. The research highlights the importance of effective segmentation in branding strategies. Consumers are divided into non-users and users of Takaful, with non-users further categorized by their awareness and attitudes towards Takaful. Factors contributing to the low knowledge of Takaful include negative word of mouth, agent behavior prioritizing personal branding over education, inadequate marketing, complexity of Sharia concepts, conflicting religious opinions, and agent performance issues. The study employs an ethnographic marketing approach utilizing techniques such as netnography, expert interviews, unstructured interviews, sampling, and in-depth interviews. Conducted in the metropolitan area, the research provides a comprehensive understanding of the issues hindering the penetration of Takaful products. Key findings indicate that many consumers are unaware of Takaful companies and the differences between Sharia and conventional insurance. There is also a significant gap in understanding the concept and benefits of Takaful among those who are aware of its existence. This lack of knowledge is primarily attributed to the role of sales agents and their ineffective educational efforts. Recommendations include enhancing awareness through targeted campaigns, improving agent training, simplifying marketing messages, engaging supportive religious leaders, and promoting community service campaigns. Future research should focus on in-depth consumer segmentation, the impact of digital marketing, and the role of religious leaders in influencing consumer trust and adoption of Takaful.

The intention to co-create plays a pivotal role in sustainable tourism development. This study investigates whether tourist nationality moderates the intention to co-create within the tourism experience. The research sample consists of 400 international tourists visiting Indonesia for tourism purposes, with data collected between October 2023 and February 2024. The findings reveal that tourist nationality significantly moderates the relationships among tourists’ experiences, trust, and involvement in co-creation. Specifically, tourist nationality influences the relationship between tourist trust and the intention to co-create. However, it does not moderate the correlation between the tourist experience and the intention to co-create. Additionally, tourist nationality moderates the relationship between tourist involvement and the intention to co-create. This study contributes to the Value Co-Creation Theory and offers practical insights for developing more comprehensive platforms and programs aimed at enhancing traveler engagement. The implications of these findings highlight the significance of considering tourist nationality as a moderating factor that influences tourists’ intentions to collaborate within the tourism context. This research provides valuable insights for designing more effective and inclusive tourism development strategies.