IPAM - Porto - Dissertação de Mestrado
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Browsing IPAM - Porto - Dissertação de Mestrado by advisor "Al Imam, Lama"
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- From commands to connections: how voice assistants shape and are shaped by consumer–brand relationshipsPublication . Oliveira, Francisca Santos; Al Imam, Lama; Nogueira, MafaldaVoice Assistants (VAs) such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google’s Google Assistant are transforming the way consumers interact with brands. These voice-based technologies offer a convenient communication channel that influences Consumer-Brand Relationships (CBR). While their popularity grows, current literature reveals gaps in understanding the dynamics between technological advancements and CBR. This study seeks to address these gaps through two specific objectives: first, to Understand how Users’ Interactions with Voice Assistants Influence Brand Engagement; and second, to Investigate the Role of Brand Credibility in Mitigating Privacy Concerns with Voice Assistants. These goals respond directly to prior calls for research on the role of VAs in fostering consumer engagement and the limited understanding of whether brand credibility alleviates users’ privacy concerns with VAs. A mixed-methods approach was employed to investigate the research objectives. The first phase involved a quantitative survey designed to capture users’ experiences with VAs and recruit participants for further qualitative inquiry. A total of 79 individuals were surveyed, and 23 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with users of VAs. This combination of methods enabled both the identification of usage patterns and a deeper understanding of users’ perceptions. Findings revealed an asymmetric, bidirectional influence between VAs and CBR. On one hand, the VA acts as an intermediary between the consumer and the brand, enabling personalised and convenient interactions that can enhance brand engagement. However, this effect is not consistent – some users feel more connected and engaged to the brand, while others view the VA as a purely technological tool, with no impact on brand engagement. On the other hand, brand credibility emerged as a consistent mitigator of privacy concerns with VAs. Users demonstrated greater trust in VAs from credible brands (e.g., Apple, Google), associating credibility and scale with data security – even in the absence of technical understanding. This study contributes a more differentiated view to the literature, showing that while VAs can foster engagement, the outcome depends on users’ subjective interpretations. In contrast, brand credibility consistently plays a reassuring role. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are transforming how brands interact with consumers, brands must adapt not only their technological offerings but also how they build and maintain relationships with consumers.
- How non-fashion campaigns influence consumer purchase intention in luxury fashion in the digital eraPublication . Moreira, André Manuel Ferreira; Al Imam, LamaThe fashion industry has depended on carefully styled campaigns to strengthen brand image and increase product attractiveness. However, these campaigns are changing according to the updated consumer habits, which affects purchasing selections. This study tests how consumer buying decisions are influenced by the non-fashion campaigns in the luxury fashion sector during the digital age. To enhance online presence of luxury brands, brands can employ non-fashion campaigns, which results in more expressive communications with customers and improved brand perception. This research explores the impact of non-fashion campaigns on consumers’ purchase intentions by analyzing psychological and emotional responses. It combines the theories of brand attachment and digital consumer behavior. Qualitative analysis via focus groups of luxury fashion brands consumers, who engage on digital platforms, explored how these factors affect acquisition intentions. The findings signal that emotional engagement, symbolic resonance, and perceived authenticity influence customer attitude more than direct product presentation. This research contributes to the comprehension of luxury branding methods in an artificially fragmented offline environment. Findings indicate that non-fashion campaigns improved purchase intention by emotional connections, highlighting authenticity, and by using wealthier culturally based stories. These campaigns were clearly very effective amongst younger digitally orientated audiences and could be effective in preserving brand elitism and relevance in the emerging luxury fashion landscape.
- Strategic management of customer feedback for business strategy optimizationPublication . Rac, Maksymilian Adam; Al Imam, LamaIn today's business world, customer feedback has become a strategic asset for companies, helping them to innovate, improve performance and make better decisions. This study examines how different companies across a range of industries integrate customer feedback to implement performance improvements. It focuses on a qualitative approach, drawing on information gathered from ten in-depth interviews with senior managers in the technology, finance, healthcare, consulting and retail sectors. The article identified mechanisms for integrating key feedback into the strategic planning process, supported by digital tools such as CRM systems, AI analytics, and platforms for simultaneously capturing sentiment. In addition, It characterises the main barriers that hinder effective feedback management, including too much data, vertical structures and cultural barriers to resistance. The results indicate that feedback-based strategies are effective when supported by managerial commitment, technological infrastructure, and a culture of engagement. The study also provides practical guidance for managers who want to build strong feedback ecosystems. Further research may focus on handling feedback in more complex organisational environments.