Dr. Salma Habachi successfully defended her doctoral thesis, titled “ Unleashing the power of experiences: The catalytic role of app technologies in unlocking consumers behaviours in sports“, under the supervision of Dr. Ramon Palau i Saumell and Dr. Jorge Matute Vallejo from the CONHATIVE – Consumer Behaviour Perspectives research group at the IQS School of Management. Her thesis was awarded an international mention following her research stay at Kedge Business School, where she was supervised by Dr. Olivia Petit.
In her doctoral thesis at IQS, Dr. Salma Habachi explored how app technology shapes consumers' experiences, and subsequently influences their behaviours towards both the brand and the used application in the sports context.
Dr. Habachi’s thesis explored the interplay between technology, experiences, and consumer behaviours, identifying how app technology shapes consumers’ experiences, and subsequently influences their behaviours towards both the brand and the used application in the sports context.
The research was structured around three studies, each set within different technological contexts. The first study, focusing on ‘Gameful Experiences’, examined how the incorporation of gamification elements in sports-branded apps enhances customer loyalty and encourages continued app usage. This investigation used the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, which analyses consumer behaviours as a result of external stimuli, internal states, and behavioural responses.
In her second study, Dr. Habachi explored the concept of ‘Event Experiences’ by assessing the impact of information apps used during sporting events on participants’ evaluation of both the event and the destination hosting it. This study was conducted with participants of the TRANSPYR mountain bike stage race, which crosses the Pyrenees from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roses. In order to carry out this study, Dr. Habachi was invited by Dr. Oriol Sallent, Transpyr’s Operations Director, to take part as a volunteer in the organisation of Transpyr, which allowed her to gather all essential data. The findings revealed a significant relationship between the use of event apps, the participants’ evaluation of the event, and their perception of the Pyrenees as a tourist destination.
The final study in Dr. Habachi’s thesis focused on consumer behaviours in the context of sports, using the dual-system theory to investigate players’ behaviours. The study specifically aimed to understand the darker aspects of gamification in sports, particularly its potential to foster negative and addictive behaviours. This research provided valuable insights into how the playful elements of digital games can lead to excessive and problematic behaviours.
Dr. Habachi’s thesis offers fresh perspectives on how emerging technologies are reshaping user experiences in the sports industry and influencing consumer behaviours towards sports brands. Her work presents important implications for industry professionals, academics, and policymakers, offering guidance on the development of future technologies and deepening our understanding of the human-digital interaction within the sports context.
Looking ahead, future research in this area within the CONHATIVE research group will further investigate the cognitive and emotional aspects of customers’ experiences, branding, and technologies. This will be achieved through the use of neuro and biosensors at the Neuro & Digital Marketing Lab at IQS, expanding the insights into the interaction between consumers and digital technology.
Related publications
Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute,. Ramon Palau, Gamify, engage, build loyalty: exploring the benefits of gameful experience for branded sports apps, Journal of Product&Brand Management, 33, 2023.
Salma Habachi, Ramon Palau, Jorge Matute, Transforming Event Experiences: The Role of Application Technology in Shaping Behavioral Intentions and Attachment to Places, International Journal of Tourism Research, 26, issue 5, e2782
Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute,. Ramon Palau, Unlocking the Effect of the Gameful Experience on Brand Loyalty and Intention to Use: The Mediating Role of Customer Brand Engagement, Conference: Academy of Marketing Conference, July 2023,
Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute,. Ramon Palau , The impact of Gamex on brand loyalty and the intention to use: The mediating role of customer brand engagement, Conference: European Marketing Academy Conference (EMAC), May 2022
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