Loading...
5 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
- A multigroup analysis of the effect of cognitive appraisal on nurses' psychological distressPublication . Simães, Clara; Gomes, António R.; Costa, PatrícioBackground: Cognitive appraisal constitutes an important mechanism in the process of human adaptation to work environment and occupational stress. In this domain, nursing professionals are one of the occupational groups most affected by job stress, suffering high levels of psychological distress. Objectives: The aims of this study were to analyze the moderator effect of shift work and the type of job contract on the relationship between work cognitive appraisal and nurses' psychological distress and to explore the interaction effect of the two moderator variables on that relationship. Methods: A sample comprised of 2,310 Portuguese registered nurses completed a sociodemographic and professional questionnaire: the Primary and Secondary Cognitive Appraisal Scale and the General Health Questionnaire-12. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling and multigroup analyses considering the following groups: (a) "shift" versus "nonshift work"; (b) "precarious job contract" versus "nonprecarious job contract"; and (c) "shift and precarious" versus "shift and nonprecarious" versus "nonshift and precarious" versus "nonshift and nonprecarious." Results Data confirmed the invariance for the measurement model, but the structural model presented a significantly worse adjustment for all grouping variables, showing the moderator effect of shift work and job contract and of their interaction. Difference tests in structural path coefficients revealed that shift work moderated the relationship between challenge perception and psychological distress - which was stronger for shift work nurses - and that a higher threat perception was related to greater psychological distress, especially in nurses with a precarious job contract. Among the four categories of interaction between job contract and shift work, cognitive appraisal became central in predicting nurses' mental health, explaining more variance in the group that did shift work and had a nonprecarious job contract. Discussion: The study results highlight the need to develop occupational health intervention programs to promote nurses' mental health, focusing on reducing work perception as a threat and on making nurses' jobs more challenging and controllable.
- Brand mergers: examining consumers' responses to name and logo designPublication . Machado, J. C.; Carvalho, Leonor Vacas de; Costa, Patrício; Lencastre, Paulo dePurpose – In the context of a merger, the management of corporate identity – in particular of corporate names and logos – assumes a critical role. This paper aims to explore how name and logo design characteristics, and specifically figurativeness, influence consumer preferences in the context of a brand merger, in the banking sector. Design/methodology/approach – This study develops a typology of the alternative corporate identity structures that may be assumed in the context of a brand merger by drawing on a literature review and secondary data, as well as an exploratory study analyzing consumers’ preferences regarding alternative branding strategies. Findings – The results suggest that there is a clear preference for figurative logos. Furthermore, there is evidence that logos may be as important as the company name in a merger situation, in terms of assuring consumers that there remains a connection to the brand’s past. The data show that the logo chosen by consumers reflects their aesthetic responses, whereas the selected name reflects their evaluation of the brand’s offers or its presence in the market. Originality/value – The paper uses an innovative research design which gives respondents freedom to choose their preferred solution; hence, the richness of the results is enhanced. The results should guide managers in their evaluation and choices regarding post-merger branding strategies.
- Rebranding mergers: how attitudes influence consumer choices?Publication . Machado, Joana César; Lencastre, Paulo de; Carvalho, Leonor Vacas de; Costa, PatrícioIn the context of a merger or an acquisition, the management of corporate identity – in particular of corporate brand names and logos – assumes a critical role. The purpose of this article is to provide a better understanding of the corporate brand redeployment decision, considering the reactions of one important stakeholder group – consumers. This study develops a typology of the various corporate identity structures that could be assumed in the context of a brand merger, and analyses how consumers ’ attitudes towards the corporate brands infl uences their preferences regarding the different branding strategies. Results suggest that the preference for a monolithic redeployment strategy, suggested in previous studies, is only clearly supported when one of the partners in the merger is a weak partner. When the merger involves two familiar brands, there is a tendency among consumers to combine elements of both brands ’ identity. Finally, it is concluded that the affective and behavioural dimension of attitude towards the brand has a signifi cant infl uence on consumers ’ preferences.
- Same design, same response? Investigating natural designs in international logosPublication . Torres, Anna; Machado, Joana César; Carvalho, Leonor Vacas de; Velden, Michel van de; Costa, PatrícioPurpose - This paper aims to investigate the commonalities and asymmetries between consumer responses to different types of natural designs across countries. Design/methodology/approach - Data were gathered through a survey in three European countries ranking differently in what concerns Hofstede's (1981) uncertainty avoidance dimension (UAD). Respondents can vary strongly in the way they interpret and use rating scales, exhibiting a variety of response styles. In the analysis of consumers' preferences for logo design, this article apply constrained dual scaling (CDS) to account for response styles in categorical data. Findings - Results demonstrate the broad appeal of natural logo designs, suggesting that design preferences are similar within countries with different cultural orientations. However, findings indicate that cultural dimensions influence how consumers respond to different types of natural logo designs. Indeed, the positive effects of organic designs are even more salient in countries with higher UAD. Thus, when managers prepare to launch their brands in countries that exhibit more discomfort with uncertainty, they should consider incorporating organic visual identity elements into their logos to achieve the maximum positive affect. Originality/value - Companies invest extensive time, research and money in generating, promoting and modifying their logos. This paper provides important implications for international brand managers aiming to build a consistent and favorable brand image. From a methodological perspective, the results come from the analysis of clean data - that is, data after applying CDS, which increases the validity of the cross- country comparison.
- Brand logo design: examining consumer response to naturalnessPublication . Machado, Joana César; Carvalho, Leonor Vacas de; Torres, Anna; Costa, PatrícioPurpose – This paper aims to study how logo design characteristics influence consumer response. Based on an in-depth literature review on consumer responses to logo design, the authors included in this research one fundamental dimension of logo design, namely, naturalness and investigated the influence of the different types of natural logo designs on affective response. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 96 logos were selected as design stimuli. The logos were previously classified, according to the naturalness of the logo design, as having an abstract, cultural or organic design. Responses were gathered through a survey in Portugal, including two studies with 220 participants. Findings – Results show that naturalness is an essential logo design element which significantly influences consumer affective responses to the logo, and that natural logos are clearly preferred to abstract logos. Additionally, this research indicates that, within natural logos, organic designs are favored over cultural designs. Practical implications – The findings presented suggest that affect toward unknown organic logos is at the same level as affect toward well-known abstract logos. This is a relevant finding from a managerial point of view, as familiarity, an essential cognitive response toward the brand that has a cost for the firm, can be replaced cost-free with unknown organic logos. Originality/value – This paper is a first exploration of responses to different types of natural logo design. The results should guide managers in selecting or modifying logo designs for achieving a positive affective response.