CONSUMER COMFORT IN SOCIAL SCIENCES: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

This research aims to analyze consumer comfort studies in the research areas of business, behavioral sciences, and social sciences using performance and science mapping analysis, which are part of the bibliometric analysis method. This paper uses the Web of Science database to examine the most significant authors, journals, keywords, theories, countries, and their citations. This research uses VOSviewer software, specifically for citation analysis, co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, co-word analysis, co-authorship analysis, keyword clustering, and graphical visualization. Additionally, the research employs the SPAR-4-SLR protocol for conducting a bibliometric analysis. According to findings, the studies of consumer comfort are mostly influenced by Fornell, J. F., Spake, D. F., Parasuraman, A., and Patterson, P. G. Also, Butcher et al., (2001), Riley et al., (2000), Dobrow (2013), and Joffe et al. (2003) are the most cited articles. Facilities journal has the highest number of studies. The United States is the most frequently cited country. The most used keywords are client relationships, interpersonal communication, repurchase intention. Additionally, comfort theory is commonly used followed by the signaling theory, social identity theory, and self-efficacy theory. The research offers guidance for future research, identifying potential areas of study and contributing to the progression and enhancement of research on consumer comfort. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper represents the first bibliometric evaluation of consumer comfort. An investigation of studies on consumer comfort is expected to provide precious guidelines for future researchers, managers, and entrepreneurs.

Keywords

• Consumer Comfort
• Physical Comfort
• Comfort Theory
• Psychological Comfort
• Environmental Comfort
• Social Comfort
• Physiological Comfort
• Bibliometric Analysis

SOSYAL BİLİMLERDE TÜKETİCİ KONFORU: BİBLİYOMETRİK ANALİZ

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı işletme, davranış bilimleri ve sosyal bilimler alanlarındaki tüketici konforu çalışmalarını bibliyometrik analiz yöntemini kullanarak değerlendirmektir. Araştırmada tüketici konforu alanındaki en önemli yazarları, dergileri, ülkeleri, anahtar kelimeleri, teorileri ve atıfları incelemek için Web of Science veri tabanı kullanılmıştır. Bununla birlikte araştırmada, atıf analizi, ortak atıf analizi, bibliyografik birleştirme, ortak kelime analizi, ortak yazarlık analizi, anahtar kelime kümeleme ve grafiksel görselleştirme için VOSviewer yazılımı kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada ayrıca bibliyometrik analiz yapmak için SPAR-4-SLR protokolü takip edilmiştir. Bulgulara göre, Facilities en fazla çalışmanın yayınlandığı dergidir. Amerika Birleşik Devletleri en sık atıf yapılan ülkedir. En çok kullanılan anahtar kelimeler müşteri ilişkileri, kişilerarası iletişim ve yeniden satın alma niyetidir. Tüketici konforu çalışmaları en çok Fornell, J. F., Spake, D. F., Parasuraman, A. ve Patterson, P. G. tarafından etkilenmiştir. Ek olarak, ilgili çalışmalarda konfor teorisi yaygın olarak kullanılmakta ve bunu sinyal teorisi, sosyal kimlik teorisi ve öz yeterlilik teorisi takip etmektedir. Araştırma, gelecekteki araştırmalar için rehberlik etmekte, potansiyel çalışma alanlarını belirlemekte ve tüketici konforu üzerine yapılan araştırmaların ilerlemesine ve gelişmesine katkıda bulunmaktadır. Tüketici konforu üzerine yapılan çalışmaların incelenmesinin gelecekteki araştırmacılar, yöneticiler ve girişimciler için değerli bilgiler sağlaması beklenmektedir.

Keywords

• Tüketici konforu
• konfor teorisi
• bibliyometrik analiz
• SPAR-4-SLR protokol

References

1. Akhtar, N., Kim, W. G., Ahmad, W., Akhtar, M. N., Siddiqi, U. I., & Riaz, M. (2019). Mechanisms of consumers’ trust development in reviewers’ supplementary reviews: A reviewer-reader similarity perspective. Tourism Management Perspectives, 31, 95-108.
2. Aliyu, M. B. (2017). Efficiency of Boolean search strings for Information retrieval. American Journal of Engineering Research, 6 (11), 216-222.
3. Ainsworth, J., & Foster, J. (2017). Comfort in brick and mortar shopping experiences: Examining antecedents and consequences of comfortable retail experiences. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 35, 27-35.
4. Ardelet, C., De Peyrelongue, B., & Mérigot, P. (2022). Within sniffing distance: impact of ambient scent and physical distancing on consumer comfort with frontline employees. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 42 (3), 265-278.
5. Becker, M., Mahr, D., & Odekerken-Schröder, G. (2023). Customer comfort during service robot interactions. Service Business, 17 (1), 137-165.
6. Bedon, C., & Mattei, S. (2021). Facial expression-based experimental analysis of human reactions and psychological comfort on glass structures in buildings. Buildings, 11 (5), 204.
7. Benckendorff, P., & Zehrer, A. (2013). A network analysis of tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research, 43, 121-149.
8. Bonilla, C. A., Merigó, J. M., & Torres-Abad, C. (2015). Economics in Latin America: a bibliometric analysis. Scientometrics, 105, 1239-1252.

9. Butcher, K., Sparks, B., & O’Callaghan, F. (2001). Evaluative and relational influences on service loyalty. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 12 (4), 310-327.
10. Carrington, T., & Catasus, B. (2007). Auditing stories about discomfort: Becoming comfortable with comfort theory. European Accounting Review, 16 (1), 35-58.
11. Chua, S. J. L., Ali, A. S., & Lim, M. E. L. (2016). Physical environment comfort impacts on office employee’s performance. In MATEC Web of Conferences, 66, 124. EDP Sciences.
12. Cicerali, E. E., Kaya Cicerali, L., & Saldamlı, A. (2017). Linking psycho-environmental comfort factors to tourist satisfaction levels: Application of a psychology theory to tourism research. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 26 (7), 717-734.
13. Cobelli, N., & Blasioli, E. (2023). To be or not to be digital? A bibliometric analysis of adoption of Health services. The TQM Journal, 35 (9), 299-331.
14. Cruz-Cardenas, J., Zabelina, E., Guadalupe-Lanas, J., Palacio-Fierro, A., & Ramos-Galarza, C. (2021). COVID-19, consumer behavior, technology, and society: A literature review and bibliometric analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173, 121179.
15. Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000). A comprehensive framework for service quality: an investigation of critical conceptual and measurement issues through a longitudinal study. Journal of Retailing, 76 (2), 139-173.
16. Das, M., Roy, A., Paul, J., & Saha, V. (2022). High and low impulsive buying in social commerce: A SPAR-4-SLR and fsQCA approach. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. 1-15.
17. Dobrow, S. R. (2013). Dynamics of calling: A longitudinal study of musicians. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34 (4), 431-452.
18. Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133, 285-296.
19. Dunn, J. (1977). Distress and Comfort. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
20. Egger-Rainer, A., Trinka, E., Höfler, J., & Dieplinger, A. M. (2017). Epilepsy monitoring–The patients’ views: A qualitative study based on Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory. Epilepsy & Behavior, 68, 208-215.
21. Farooq, R. (2023) Knowledge management and performance: a bibliometric analysis based on Scopus and WOS data (1988–2021). Journal of Knowledge Management, 27 (7), 1948-1991.
22. Fetscherin, M., & Heinrich, D. (2015). Consumer brand relationships research: A bibliometric citation metaanalysis. Journal of Business Research, 68 (2), 380-390.
23. Floh, A., & Madlberger, M. (2013). The role of atmospheric cues in online impulse buying behavior. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 12 (6), 425–439.
24. Fogli, D., & Guida, G. (2015). A practical approach to the assessment of quality in use of corporate web sites. Journal of Systems and Software, 99, 52–65.
25. Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 1 (1), 39-50.
26. Ganguly, B., Dash, S. B., Cry, D., & Head, M. (2010). The effects of website design on purchase intention in online shopping: The mediating role of trust and the moderating role of culture, International Journal of Electronic Business, 8 (4/5), 302– 330.
27. Gaur SS, Madan S, & Xu Y (2009). Consumer comfort and its role in relationship marketing outcomes: an empirical investigation. In: Samu S, Vaidyanathan R, Chakravarti D (eds) ACR Asia-Pacific Advances, vol 8. Association for Consumer Research. Duluth, MN, USA, 296–298.
28. Guo, Y., Hao, Z., Zhao, S., Gong, J., & Yang, F. (2020). Artificial intelligence in health care: bibliometric analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22 (7), e18228.
29. Halcomb, E. J., Salamonson, Y., & Cook, A. (2015). Satisfaction and comfort with nursing in Australian general practice. Collegian, 22 (2), 199-205.
30. Haynes, B. P. (2008). The impact of office comfort on productivity. Journal of Facilities Management, 6 (1), 37-51.
31. Huang, H., & Liu, S. Q. (2022). Are consumers more attracted to restaurants featuring humanoid or non-humanoid service robots?. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 107, 103310.
32. Jacobson, J., Gruzd, A., & Hernandez-Garcia, A. (2020). Social media marketing: Who is watching the watchers?. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101774.
33. Jia, H., Zhou, S., & Allaway, A. W. (2018). Understanding the evolution of consumer psychology research: A bibliometric and network analysis. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 17 (5), 491-502.
34. Joffe, S., Manocchia, M., Weeks, J. C., & Cleary, P. D. (2003). What do patients value in their hospital care? An empirical perspective on autonomy centred bioethics. Journal of Medical Ethics, 29 (2), 103-108.
35. Kasemodel, M. G. C., Makishi, F., Souza, R. C., & Silva, V. L. (2016). Following the trail of crumbs: A bibliometric study on consumer behavior in the food science and technology field. International Journal of Food Studies, 5 (1).
36. Kessler, M. M. (1963). Bibliographic coupling between scientific papers. American Documentation, 14 (1), 10-25.
37. Khan, M. U., & Aravinthan, V. (2016). Impacts of demand-control time period on distribution system and consumer comfort. In 2016 Clemson University Power Systems Conference (PSC), 1-8, IEEE.
38. Khare, A., & Jain, R. (2022). Mapping the conceptual and intellectual structure of the consumer vulnerability field: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Business Research, 150, 567-584.
39. Khudhair, H. Y., Jusoh, D. A. B., F Abbas, A., Mardani, A., & Nor, K. M. (2020). A review and bibliometric analysis of service quality and customer satisfaction by using Scopus database. International Journal of Management, 11 (8).
40. Kingston, K., Lane, A., & Thomas, O. (2010). A temporal examination of elite performers sources of sportconfidence. The Sport Psychologist, 24 (3), 313-332.
41. Kolcaba K, Tilton C, Drouin C (2006). Comfort theory: a unifying framework to enhance the practice environment. J Nurs Adm, 36 (11), 538–544.
42. Lee, H., & Yi, Y. (2022). The impact of self‐service versus interpersonal contact on customer–brand relationship in the time of frontline technology infusion. Psychology & Marketing, (39 (5), 906-920.
43. Leung, X. Y., Sun, J., & Bai, B. (2017). Bibliometrics of social media research: A co-citation and co-word analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 66, 35-45.
44. Li, M., & Ma, Q. H. (2022). “Do not impose on others what you desire.” Research on the influence of service Personnel’s interactive orientation on customer comfort. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 65, 102887.
45. Lindell, M. K., & Whitney, D. J. (2001). Accounting for common method variance in cross-sectional research designs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 (1), 114.
46. Liu, W., Guo, F., Ye, G., & Liang, X. (2016). How homepage aesthetic design influences users’ satisfaction: Evidence from China. Displays, 42, 25–35.
47. Lloyd, A. E., & Luk, S. T. (2011). Interaction behaviors leading to comfort in the service encounter. Journal of Services Marketing, 25 (3), 176-189.
48. Lyu, Y., Zhou, X., Li, W., Wan, J., Zhang, J., & Qiu, C. (2016). The impact of abusive supervision on service employees’ proactive customer service performance in the hotel industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28 (9), 1992-2012.
49. Martinez-Lopez, F. J., Merigo, J. M., Valenzuela-Fernandez, L., & Nicolas, C. (2018). Fifty years of the European Journal of Marketing: a bibliometric analysis. European Journal of Marketing, 52 (1/2), 439-468.
50. Melumad, S., & Pham, M. T. (2020). The smartphone as a pacifying technology. Journal of Consumer Research, 47 (2), 237-255.
51. Miller, L. J., Sawyer-Beaulieu, S., & Tam, E. (2014). Impacts of non-traditional uses of polyurethane foam in automotive applications at end of life. SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, 7 (3), 711-718.
52. Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., Altman, D., Antes, G., ... & Tugwell, P. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement (Chinese edition). Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, 7 (9), 889-896.
53. Moral-Munoz, J. A. M., Viedma, E. H., Espejo, A. L. S., & Cobo, M. J. (2020). Software tools for conducting bibliometric analysis in science: An up-to-date review. El Profesional De La Informacion, 29 (1), 4.
54. Mukherjee, D., Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., & Donthu, N. (2022). Guidelines for advancing theory and practice through bibliometric research. Journal of Business Research, 148, 101-115.
55. Myers, N. D., Feltz, D. L., Guillén, F., & Dithurbide, L. (2012). Development of, and initial validity evidence for, the Referee Self-Efficacy Scale: A multistudy report. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 34 (6), 737-765.
56. Nawaz, M. A., Khan, B., Ali, S. M., Awais, M., Qureshi, M. B., Jawad, M., ... & Aslam, S. (2022). Intelligent sensors and environment driven biological comfort control based smart energy consumption system. Electronics, Vol. 11 No. 16, 2622.
57. O’Reilly, M., Wiltshire, G., Kiyimba, N., & Harrington, D. (2023). Is everybody comfortable?”# xd; Thinking through co-design approaches to better support girls’ Physical activity in schools. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 15 (2), 248-263.
58. Oseland, N. (1999). Environmental Factors Affecting Office Worker Performance: A Review of Evidence. Technical Memoranda TM24: CIBSE, London.
59. Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. International journal of surgery, 88, 105906.
60. Panksepp, J., Bean, N. J., Bishop, P., Vilberg, T., & Sahley, T. L. (1980). Opioid blockade and social comfort in chicks. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 13 (5), 673-683.
61. Patterson, P. (2016). Retrospective: tracking the impact of communications effectiveness on client satisfaction, trust and loyalty in professional services. Journal of Services Marketing, 30 (5), 485-489.
62. Paul, J., Lim, W. M., O’Cass, A., Hao, A. W., & Bresciani, S. (2021). Scientific procedures and rationales for systematic literature reviews (SPAR‐4‐SLR). International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45 (4), 1-16.
63. Pearson, E. J. M. (2009). Comfort and its measurement–a literature review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 4(5), 301-310.
64. Phillips, M., & Vredenburg, J. (2023). Hygiene theater: an important risk reduction signal for the future of retailing. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
65. Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (5), 879.
66. Ponomariov, B., & Boardman, C. (2016). What is co-authorship?. Scientometrics, 109, 1939-1963.
67. Pritchard, A. (1969). Statistical bibliography or bibliometrics?. Journal of Documentation, 25, 348-349.
68. Radia, K. N., Purohit, S., Desai, S., & Nenavani, J. (2022). Psychological comfort in service relationships: A mixed-method approach. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 64, 102824.
69. Raza, A., Mata, M. N., Martins, J. M., Dantas, R. M., Correia, A. B., Ansari, N. Y., ... & Baig, A. (2021). Determining Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Behavior Trends and Forecast by a Historical Review: A Bibliometric Analysis. International Journal of Entrepreneurship, 25, 1-15.
70. Riley, F., & De Chernatony, L. (2000). The Service Brand as Relationships Builder. British Journal of Management, 11 (2), 137-150.
71. Rita, P., & Ramos, R. F. (2022). Global research trends in consumer behavior and sustainability in E-Commerce: A bibliometric analysis of the knowledge structure. Sustainability, 14 (15), 9455.
72. Roongruangsee, R., Patterson, P., & Ngo, L. V. (2022). Professionals’ interpersonal communications style: does it matter in building client psychological comfort?. Journal of Services Marketing, 36 (3), 379-397.
73. Sanchez, A. D., Del Rio, M. D. L. C., & Garcia, J. A. (2017). Bibliometric analysis of publications on wine tourism in the databases Scopus and WoS. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 23(1), 8-15.
74. Sanchez-Fernandez, J., Casado-Aranda, L. A., & Bastidas-Manzano, A. B. (2021). Consumer neuroscience techniques in advertising research: A bibliometric citation analysis. Sustainability, 13(3), 1589.
75. Sampet, J., Sarapaivanich, N., & Patterson, P. (2019). The role of client participation and psychological comfort in driving perceptions of audit quality: Evidence from an emerging economy. Asian Review of Accounting, 27 (2), 177-195.
76. Sampet, J., Sarapaivanich, N., Ekasingh, E., & Patterson, P. (2023). Client assessments of their audit experiences: the role of experience quality, similarity and client participation. Asian Review of Accounting.
77. Sarapaivanich, N., Sampet, J., & Patterson, P. G. (2019). The impact of communication style on psychological comfort and trust in audit services. Accounting Research Journal, 32 (4), 642-661.
78. Sarapaivanich, N., Ekasingh, E., Sampet, J., & Patterson, P. (2023). SME clients evaluation of audit quality: the roles of auditors’ communication effectiveness, rapport and social capital. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies.
79. Schwert, G. W. (2021). The remarkable growth in financial economics, 1974–2020. Journal of Financial Economics, 140 (3), 1008-1046.
80. Scitovsky, T. (1992). The Joyless Economy: The Psychology ofHu – man Satisfaction. Rev. ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
81. Shakil, R. M., Mollah, A., Rahman, S. T., & Habib, M. (2020). A bibliometric review of global research on human resources management and supply chain management. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 9 (4), 173-184.
82. Shakleina, M. V., Volkova, M. I., Shaklein, K. I., & Yakiro, S. R. (2020). Theoretical and methodological problems of measuring social comfort: Results of empirical analysis based on Russian data. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast, 13(5), 135-152.
83. Sharma, N., Sharma, A., Dutta, N., & Priya, P. (2023). Showrooming: a retrospective and prospective review using the SPAR-4-SLR methodological framework. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
84. Slater, K. (1985). Human Comfort. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
85. Spake, D. F., Beatty, S. E., Brockman, B. K., & Crutchfield, T. N. (2003). Consumer comfort in service relationships: Measurement and importance. Journal of Service Research, 5 (4), 316-332.
86. Unal, G., P., Atav, R., & Ergunay, U. (2023). Determining the Permeability and Handle Properties of Wool, Yak and Cashmere Hand-knitted Fabrics. Journal of Natural Fibers, 20 (2), 2212925.
87. Vallaster, C., Kraus, S., Lindahl, J. M. M., & Nielsen, A. (2019). Ethics and entrepreneurship: A bibliometric study and literature review. Journal of Business Research, 99, 226-237. Van Eck, N., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, Vol. 84 No. 2, pp. 523-538.
88. Van Raan, A. F. (2014). Advances in bibliometric analysis: research performance assessment and science mapping. Bibliometrics Use and Abuse in the Review of Research Performance, 87, 17-28.
89. Vischer, J. C. (2007). The concept of workplace performance and its value to managers. California Management Review, 49(2), 62-79.
90. Wang, X., Bendle, N. T., Mai, F., & Cotte, J. (2015). The journal of consumer research at 40: A historical analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 42 (1), 5-18.
91. Wang, X., Xu, Z., & Škare, M. (2020). A bibliometric analysis of Economic Research-Ekonomska Istra zivanja (2007–2019), Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 33 (1), 865-886.
92. Wang, S., Lehto, X., Cai, L., Behnke, C., & Kirillova, K. (2022). Travelers’ psychological comfort with local food experiences and place attachment. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 109.634.80211058474.
93. Weinberg, B. H. (1974). Bibliographic coupling: A review. Information Storage and Retrieval, 10 (5-6), 189-196.
94. Yang, J., Liu, T., Wang, H., Tian, Z., & Liu, S. (2019). Optimizing the regulation of aggregated thermostatically controlled loads by jointly considering consumer comfort and tracking error. Energies, 12 (9), 1757.
95. Zeren, D., &, Kaya, N. (2020). Dijital pazarlama: Ulusal yazının bibliyometrik analizi. Çağ Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 17 (1), 35-52.
96. Zhou, X., Zhou, M., Huang, D., & Cui, L. (2022). A probabilistic model for co-occurrence analysis in bibliometrics. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 128, 104047.
97. Zhu, J., Song, L. J., Zhu, L., & Johnson, R. E. (2019). Visualizing the landscape and evolution of leadership research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(2), 215-232.
98. Zoupos, D., & Spais, G. (2023). Digital marketing of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical supplements: marketing ethics and consumer comfort. Journal of Marketing Analytics, 11(3) 331-351.