Guest Editors: Yong Jae Ko and Joon Sung Lee, University of Florida
Over the last few decades, scholars interested in research aimed at better understanding sport consumer behavior and the associated decision processes, have made strides in advancing the literature. Most of this work has been limited to mainly interview and survey designs. These approaches have been valuable to describe characteristics of specific consumer segments, (re)define research constructs, and explore the relationships between key constructs in sport. However, due to the descriptive nature of these approaches, the current literature lacks the rigorous tactics of (quasi-)experimental research designs that seek to develop and test theories by establishing stronger and more isolated relationships among research variables. As a result, the gap between sport consumer behavior research and that of neighboring fields (e.g., advertising, consumer behavior, psychology, and marketing) has been growing, and effective interdisciplinary communications are lagging as a result. This special issue seeks to: (a) further the theoretical understanding of sport consumers through experimental methods and (b) enhance awareness and appreciation of the benefits of using an experimental approach in sport consumer behavior research.
According to Koschate-Fischer and Schandelmeier (2014), the usage of experimental methods has been increasing in top tier marketing journals by as much as 51% in some cases. After many decades of exploring sport phenomena and relevant theories through a descriptive lens, the need is ever-present to modify the focus to mechanistic explanations of sport consumption behavior through experimental approaches. The collective efforts will not only provide theoretical implications to consumer behavior scholars but also foster interdisciplinary communication with scholars in other fields.
Manuscripts that add to the theoretical knowledge on sport consumer behavior are welcome for this special issue. Additionally, manuscripts developed to educate scholars in the field on the specific methods and key issues utilizing experimental designs will also be considered. Manuscripts investigating a wide variety of topical areas (e.g., sponsorship, endorsement, spectatorship/fandom, participation, purchasing licensed products, social media, and decision-making) will be reviewed, and specific topics include (but are not limited to):
- Theory development and testing
- Methodological issues – data collection, design, and analytic tools
- Information processing
- Attention and memory
- Goals, needs, and motivation
- Cognition and emotion
- (Implicit) attitudes and behavioral intention
- Socialization process
- Learning and experiences
- Any other psychological aspects related to consumption decision
Manuscripts should follow the standard author guidelines for Sport Marketing Quarterly and should be submitted through the online manuscript management platform Editorial Express. During the submission process, please select “Special Issue Paper” under “Experimental Research in Sport Consumer Behavior.”
Manuscripts should be submitted no later than December 15, 2017 to receive full consideration for publication in the special issue. Manuscripts must not be submitted to another journal while they are under review by Sport Marketing Quarterly, nor should they have been previously published. Anticipated publication of the accepted manuscripts is December 2018.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either of the special issue editors
