The primary aim of this research is to investigate the effect of powers (expert, informational and referent) and values (social presence, physical mobility and emotional) as antecedents on engagement towards metaverse influencers in two countries, India and the USA. The study also investigates the mediation effect of parasocial interactions. An online questionnaire was used for data collection, which obtained a sample size of 237 Indian metaverse users and 225 American metaverse users. The results of direct effects in the Indian context reveal that social presence, physical mobility, and emotional value significantly impact engagement towards metaverse influencers. Further, in the American context, the results revealed that informational power, referent power and physical mobility value significantly influence engagement towards metaverse influencers. Parasocial interaction was found to be a significant mediator. This research enriches the literature on metaverse influencer marketing. Moreover, this study enriches the literature pertaining to social power theory and the theory of consumption values. This study also informs brands and marketers about the most significant powers and values that enhance customer engagement.

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates the international marketing communication strategies of UK digital SMEs through the lens of the signalling theory. The study seeks to address five key research questions how international marketing strategy of digital UK SMEs manifest itself through the lens of signalling theory. The study uses longitudinal qualitative case studies to address the research questions. Our findings demonstrate that while signallers’ quality in terms of country reputation play an important role in communication strategies of these SMEs; organisational reputation and digital strategy are the most important signaller qualities and industry and region reputation have little or no impact. In terms of signals, customer orientation and innovation are perceived as strong signals, while leadership appeal, e-service quality and good employer are comparatively less effective signals. Finally, although customer e-loyalty is less utilised, formal, and informal feedback mechanisms maintain information asymmetry between signaller and receiver.

Previous studies have highlighted the role of entrepreneurial orientation in enhancing emerging market firms’ knowledge and capabilities, and in facilitating internationalization via foreign direct investment (FDI). However, there has been limited research on the boundary conditions that hinder the internationalization prospects resulting from entrepreneurial orientation (EO). In our paper, we first suggest that EO positively influences both the likelihood and extent of outward FDI of Indian firms. Furthermore and importantly, we argue that this effect is negatively moderated by institutional fragility – defined as the inconsistency of institutional progress across various dimensions of pro-market liberalization reform, and at different rates of progress. Our empirical analysis to test our hypotheses is based on a sample of 2,854 firm-year observations of 274 Indian firms. Overall, we contribute to the factors determining the internationalization of firms from emerging economies, by combining knowledge-based and institution-based perspectives.

There is a need for extensive research relating to the lifecycle of products and their correlating effects on climate change issues. Based on a case study involving financial, insurance, and technology companies in Colombia, we investigate how firms combat climate change and its interconnected challenges. To manage this, we provide context for MNEs, current climate change initiatives, supply chain management concerning MNEs, and the product life cycle. Our study contributes interconnected and paralleled discussions involving the implications of FDI, sustainability factors in the supply chains, firms’ responsibility and supply chain collaboration, and future considerations.