Claudia Iconaru’s research while affiliated with Bucharest University of Economic Studies and other places

Social media in general and social networking websites in special have become ubiquitous for modern Internet. With over 2.5 billion active users, they are only surpassed by search engines for users’ presence but, unlike search engines, they are capable of gathering much more detailed data about their visitors. Furthermore, they have been heavily coupled with mobile applications in recent years, as more than 1.5 billion of their users access their accounts through their mobile phone, thus offering not only virtual permanent access, but also the possibility to link the user profile data to mobile phone records. As a result, the consumer private space in the online social networking mobile Internet is at an historical low and many users try to find novel avenues to protect their personal information. Our papers gathers data from an extensive online and offline survey in order to try to fathom these privacy concerns and proposes a new segmentation model for online social networking website users based on the discriminant analysis method.

Previous studies (McKnight, Lankton and Tripp, 2011; Liao, Lui and Chen, 2011) have shown the crucial role of trust when choosing to disclose sensitive information online. This is the case of online social networks users, who must disclose a certain amount of personal data in order to gain access to these online services. Taking into account privacy calculus model and the risk/benefit ratio, we propose a model of users' trust in online social networks with four variables. We have adapted metrics for the purpose of our study and we have assessed their reliability and validity. We use a Partial Least Squares (PLS) based structural equation modelling analysis, which validated all our initial assumptions, indicating that our three predictors (privacy concerns, perceived benefits and perceived risks) explain 48% of the variation of users' trust in online social networks, the resulting variable of our study. We also discuss the implications and further research opportunities of our study.

Previous studies (McKnight, Lankton and Tripp, 2011; Liao, Lui and Chen, 2011) have shown the crucial role of trust when choosing to disclose sensitive information online. This is the case of online social networks users, who must disclose a certain amount of personal data in order to gain access to these online services. Taking into account privacy calculus model and the risk/benefit ratio, we propose a model of users' trust in online social networks with four variables. We have adapted metrics for the purpose of our study and we have assessed their reliability and validity. We use a Partial Least Squares (PLS) based structural equation modelling analysis, which validated all our initial assumptions, indicating that our three predictors (privacy concerns, perceived benefits and perceived risks) explain 48% of the variation of users' trust in online social networks, the resulting variable of our study. We also discuss the implications and further research opportunities of our study.

Nowadays, consumers are becoming more and more aware of how their behavior and their use of resources can affect the environment. To a certain extent, online social marketing campaigns can be hold responsible for the shift from an irresponsible behavior to an environmentally friendly behavior. Trying to explain how online social marketing campaigns can influence consumers' intention to behave in an environmentally friendly manner, we have employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as our research framework. The basic variables of TPB were developed and adapted for the purpose of our study. Measurements' reliability and validity were assessed as the first phase of our data analysis. Further, we have conducted a PLS-based structural equation modeling for hypotheses testing. All our hypotheses were validated at p<0.05. In order to assess the magnitude of the causal relationships between TPB's variables we used Cohen's effect sizes, which indicate a certain influence of online social campaigns on consumers' intention to behave environmentally friendly. Contrary to these results, consumers' perceived behavioral control, namely the existence of necessary financial resources, time and knowledge for engaging in ecological activities, as having a medium effect on consumers behavioral intentions. The model fit indicates that TPB is a viable research framework when trying to explain and predict consumers' environmentally friendly behavior. Conclusions and implications are further elaborated.

Despite the increasing rate of corporate blog adoption among companies, few empirical researches have been published up to date. In order to fill the void in current state of literature and enrich the body of knowledge, we model Romanian SME intention to use corporate blogs. We assume that intention to integrate the corporate blog within the marketing communication is a function of companies' attitude towards corporate blogging, perceived benefits of corporate blogs, social pressure coming from competitors and risks or concerns perceived when facing the decision to implement a corporate blog. We also assume the indirect effect of perceived benefits of corporate blogging on intention to use, mediated through attitude. Each of our latent constructs (perceived benefits, attitude, intention, social pressure and perceived anxiety) contains four items measured on a 7 point Likert Scale. We performed a structure equation modelling analysis in order to validate the hypothesis and find the path coefficients associated with the relationship between variables. Our hypotheses are validated and our model and confirmatory factor analysis indicates good fit.

The aim of this paper is to propose and test a simple, yet rigorous model of apparel online buying behavior, capable of explaining and predicting consumers' behavioral intention. We drew on TRA (Theory of Reasoned Actions) framework which postulates that individuals' attitude toward a behavior is determined by their salient beliefs. In order to maintain the simplicity of the model, we have identified two salient beliefs capable of explaining the variance in consumers' attitude towards buying apparel using the Internet: perceived benefits and perceived risk. Both attitude and the social influence, represented in this paper by the influence of eWOM (e-Word-of-Mouth), will determine consumers' intention to buy apparel online. In order to test the causal relationships between variables, we have employed a two phase PLS-based SEM analysis.

Although in other countries, cause-related marketing is a very familiar concept, in Romania, the existing literature shows that there is relatively poor understanding and little if any research or evidence as to its potential. Therefore, this study provides an empirical, valuable step, towards understanding cause-related marketing campaigns and their impact on stakeholders. The methodology included two analyses: one regarding the validity of the sample and, the second, regarding the impact generated on cause-related marketing campaigns. The results reveal that there is a significant relationship between cause-related marketing campaigns and the impact generated on the corporations, non-profit organizations and consumers. Results also confirm that it is more likely that a corporation will impact a cause-related marketing campaign rather than a non-profit organization. To conclude, this study offers a better understanding of the cause-related practices in Romania, their impact on consumers, as well as their contribution to the welfare of society.

The aim of this paper is to propose and test an empirical model of Romanian SME adoption of online marketing techniques. In order to meet our objective we have employed the conceptual framework of the Technology Acceptance Model and we have adapted it to the purpose of this study. Romanian SME are willing to use online marketing techniques if they have a favorable attitude towards adopting and also if they perceive the usefulness of employing such techniques. Our model indicates that attitude and perceived usefulness are positive related to the reported intention of future use. The attitude towards online marketing techniques is a function of perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use. Least Square Regression Analysis was used to test and validate the relationships.