*Article* **Influence of Flow Experience, Perceived Value and CSR in Craft Beer Consumer Loyalty: A Comparison between Mexico and The Netherlands**

**Cristobal Rodolfo Guerra-Tamez 1, \* and María-Laura Franco-García 2**


**Abstract:** Craft beer production enterprises are categorized as micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Mexico and the Netherlands. As MSMEs, they encounter challenges to achieving consolidation; one main challenge is linked to deficient consumer-loyalty development. This work explores and compares the effects of experience of flow, perceived value and CSR in the development of loyalty in two different population samples of craft beer consumers: Mexico and the Netherlands. In total, 452 surveys were collected during experiential events, and the data were analyzed using multivariate partial-least-square (PLS) structural equation modeling. Our model results indicate that attention, concentration and notion of time influence flow experience in the same way in both countries. Experiential factors are stronger for the Mexican population. For the case of the Netherlands, perceived value had a higher effect on loyalty development and a lower impact on experiential factors. The CSR variable was only significant for the Dutch sample.

**Keywords:** flow experience; consumer behavior; loyalty

#### **1. Introduction**

Within the last two decades, the beer market has undergone several changes regarding the way beer is consumed. Such changes have triggered several opportunities for the emerging craft beer market. In Mexico, between 2011 and 2017, there has been a 2500% growth in the production of craft beer due to a variety of factors, which include: the implementation of innovative technologies, the development of a diversity of beer types and, especially, the design and growth of novel experiences that enhance several of our senses [1–3].

In the Netherlands, the Central Brouwerij Kantoor, now the Dutch Brewers of the Netherlands, has undergone intensive development within the last two decades. Such development is related to several social changes and an increase in the innovation and creation of new breweries. Historically, in the beginning, the role of the Central Brouwerij Kantoor consisted of aiding in the purchase and distribution of raw materials. However, their tasks now involve representing the interests of the beer sector in the political sphere, for stakeholders and consumers.

In recent years, both countries have hosted a very similar number of active breweries, as shown in Table 1. Therefore, this manuscript seeks to perform a thorough analysis comparing population samples from both countries.

It is essential to mention that, as shown in Table 2, both countries maintain the top positions in exporting commercial beer and craft beer worldwide. Mexico leads with 31.5% of the international beer sales exported by country in 2020, followed by 13.4% from The Netherlands.

**Citation:** Guerra-Tamez, C.R.; Franco-García, M.-L. Influence of Flow Experience, Perceived Value and CSR in Craft Beer Consumer Loyalty: A Comparison between Mexico and The Netherlands. *Sustainability* **2022**, *14*, 8202. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su14138202

Academic Editor: Flavio Boccia

Received: 25 May 2022 Accepted: 30 June 2022 Published: 5 July 2022

**Publisher's Note:** MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

**Copyright:** © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).


**Table 1.** Active Breweries and production (in hectoliters) in Mexico and the Netherlands.

Note: Own elaboration based on data from Global Beer Industry, Statista (2020).

**Table 2.** Beer exports from Mexico and the Netherlands.


Note: Own elaboration based on data from Global Beer Industry, Statista (2020).

These similarities in numbers and leadership in the beer sector motivated us to explore and compare the development of loyalty in craft beer consumers from both countries who take part in experiential events such as tastings and tours.

Both in the Netherlands and in Mexico, craft beer has grown exponentially and is considered an emerging sector. Given their characteristics, such as the number of employees, age of the company, percentage of export and percentage of ownership of the CEO, craft beer enterprises are categorized as micro-, small- and medium-sized companies (MSMEs) [4,5]. Although MSMEs make a great contribution to economic growth [6], most of them do not survive after 2 years [7]. One strategy, as [8] mentions, is to increase consumer loyalty to ensure long-term survival of MSMEs.

Large companies design their consumer experiences, and they are a fundamental part of their growth and consolidation. The purchase of goods and services corresponds to a search for benefits and experiences by consumers. According to Pine and Gilmore [9], marketing strategies involve integrating experiences to intentionally use their products within a memorable setting for the consumer. The following constructs have been used to explain the theory of consumer experience: enjoyment [10–12], trust [13,14], satisfaction [15,16] and, in the last decade, the value perception construct [17–20]. In turn, these constructs have been correlated previously with consumer loyalty [21–23]. On the other hand, through repurchase intention, large corporations increase their sales to consumers [24,25], and through word of mouth, they manage to attract new potential customers [26–29].

The design of experiences has been related to the experience of flow based on the theory of flow, defined by Csikszentmihalyi and LeFevre [30] as an optimal experience through an emotional cognitive state where a balance exists between the challenges and a person's skills. While someone is in flow, the person is entirely immersed in an activity, and they do not stop performing it, losing awareness of time and their environment [31]. People reach the flow state through attention [32–34], concentration [35] and the notion of time [36,37]. Implementation of flow theory has had favorable results in previous research focused on language learning [38], virtual reality [39] and e-commerce [40,41].

Therefore, this manuscript proposes a model that answers the following questions: Do attention, concentration and notion of time impact flow experience? Is the impact of attention, concentration and notion of time on flow experience moderated by country? Does flow experience impact the intention to repurchase? Is the impact of flow experience on repurchase intention moderated by country? Does flow experience impact word of mouth? Is the impact of flow experience on word of mouth moderated by country? Does perceived value impact repurchase intention? Is the impact of perceived value

on repurchase intention moderated by country? Does perceived value impact word of mouth? Is the impact of perceived value on word of mouth moderated by country? Does corporate social responsibility impact repurchase intention? Is the impact of corporate social responsibility on repurchase intention moderated by country? Does corporate social responsibility impact word of mouth? Is the impact of corporate social responsibility on word of mouth moderated by country?

Furthermore, this document aims to compare the craft beer market, composed primarily by MSMEs, in the countries of Mexico and the Netherlands through a loyaltydevelopment model explained by flow experience, perceived value and corporate social responsibility through experiences such as tours and tastings.

Here, we propose that the experience of flow developed through experiential events, such as tastings and tours, generates loyalty to and preference for a craft beer brand through the intention to repurchase and word of mouth spread by promotion of the product with family and friends. Our model proposes that the experience of flow can be explained through the variables of attention, concentration and the notion of time when consumers interact with a craft beer brand at experiential events (tastings or tours). The model also explains perceived value through the variables of perception of quality, perception of taste and perception of price. Finally, the relationship between corporate social responsibility and consumer loyalty through repurchase intention and word of mouth is also studied. This study leads to an understanding of the impact of managing marketing strategies through experiences within the craft beer market. With the results obtained here, the incorporation of the experience of flow, perceived value and corporate social responsibility constructs in strategies such as tours and tasting experiences is highly recommended in order to increase consumer loyalty in MSMEs such as the craft beer sector.

#### **2. Literature Review**

In recent decades, developing consumer loyalty has been one of the most studied marketing strategies. One of the most common marketing strategies, widely used by big companies, is the development of loyalty. Through loyalty, large corporations manage to position themselves in new markets [42]. Loyalty development is defined as a strong commitment or intention to return and buy a product or service again [43].

Development of consumer loyalty is achieved when three characteristics are developed in a consumer: (a) they buy a larger number of products; (b) price is not important to them; and (c) advertising from competing brands attracts less of their interest. Furthermore, loyal consumers tend to attract new customers through word of mouth [44]. Therefore, loyal consumer help large corporations increase their profitability [45,46]. Consumer readiness is measured by two dimensions: behavioral and attitudinal. A repetitive purchase by a consumer is a behavioral dimension that is linked to his preference for a specific brand or service. On the other hand, an intention to repurchase [28,47] and word of mouth [48,49] can be linked to attitudinal dimensions. Specifically, this study considers loyalty developed through the attitudinal dimension, since a customer who intends to repurchase and perform word of mouth is more likely to remain loyal to the product, service or brand [50,51]. For the purposes of this study, the variables to consider in relation to consumer loyalty will be repurchase intention and word of mouth.

#### *2.1. Repurchase Intention*

Hume [52] defines repurchase intention as the consumer's judgment to make a purchase of a product or service again, through a conscious decision. Based on the theory of Howard and Sheth [53], the consumer develops purchase cycles for products or services necessary in his daily life or those products used in high frequency. This type of conduct is attributed to the fact that human beings seek to simplify tasks by establishing routines and even developing consumption habits. However, repurchase intention is also applicable for products that are consumed with a lesser frequency [54], as is the case for the product analyzed in this work, craft beer. The importance of repurchase intention in emerging

markets, such as craft beer, arises from the premise of Singh and Khan [55] that through continuous repurchase behavior and a competitive advantage, commercial growth will be faster and be accompanied by higher profit margins [56].

#### *2.2. Word of Mouth*

Word of mouth (WOM) is the channel through which people evaluate their experience with a product or service [57]. Word of mouth can be defined, according to traditional marketing, as information that is obtained or gathered from communication within family circles or interactions with friends [58]. Word of mouth is taken into account among consumers in future decision making when purchasing a product; this is because word of mouth is perceived as a more reliable source compared to any other traditional means [59]. Word of mouth has been positively related to growth in sales within large corporations [60], and therefore, its development has been strongly considered to trigger the growth of enterprises [61]. Word of mouth has been recognized as an important marketing strategy, due to its influence on attitudes, assisting in decision making and increasing consumer purchase intention [62]. The characteristics of a loyal consumer include word of mouth and a high repurchase intention, according to Yi and La [63]. Moreover, word of mouth has been previously considered relevant for the analysis of loyalty development in the craft beer industry [56]. Therefore, the literature strongly supports monitoring repurchase intention and word of mouth's effects on the development of consumer loyalty.

#### *2.3. Flow Experience*

Currently, large corporations use consumer experiences as a marketing strategy to induce their growth. It is therefore of great importance for corporations to focus on designing experiences that would lead a consumer to make a purchase [64]. Consumer experiences should be memorable moments, according to Pine and Gilmore [9] where a company's products or services are used by the consumers. In the last two decades, academics and researchers have developed knowledge about consumer states of consciousness through experiential strategies [65–67]. However, there is great interest in further understanding the factors involved and their impact. One of the most important theories that measures these factors is the flow theory developed and defined by Csikszentmihalyi [68] as a hedonistic construct. In [69], it is mentioned that flow experience is a crucial state for satisfaction in any activity. In Csikszentmihalyi [68], flow experience is also defined as a balance between challenge and skills when performing a task. Within the state of flow, a person concentrates so much on an activity that they lose awareness of time and their environment; however, they never stop doing the activity [70]. There are important studies within the area of consumption that relate it to the experience of flow, including; mountaineering [71], river rafting [72] and the consumption of chocolate [73]. Diverse authors have identified different dimensions to define the state of flow in a person; these include: attention [74], concentration [37] and notion of time [36].

#### *2.4. Perceived Value*

Perceived value is derived from the theory of equity, which postulates that consumers evaluate the relationship between what they give and what they receive [43]. In other words, the consumer generally evaluates the usefulness of the product through the perception of what he receives and what he gives in return, according to Zeithaml [75]. Within the perceived value, the consumer evaluates the quality and price of the products or services after the purchase [76]. The concept of perceived value, according to Holbrook [77], is the standard by which to measure marketing activity within a corporation. One can colloquially define perceived value as "the good feeling" when the consumer performs an analysis of the attributes found in a product, and these attributes make the consumer feel good and experience enhanced emotional feelings towards the product and the brand [78]. Therefore, perceived value is a fundamental part of obtaining a competitive advantage for a company.

#### *2.5. Corporate Social Responsibility*

The roots of the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), as it is known today, have a long and extensive history that indicates that companies have paid more and more attention to the concerns of society [79]. White [80] defines CSR as the achievement of the realization of the company while respecting ethics, people, the social environment and the environment. The interest of corporations in corporate social responsibility has had a considerable increase within the last decades. There are different motivations for companies to develop CSR practices. Some practices are carried out due to legal and regulatory pressure, and others are promoted through voluntary initiatives [79].

#### **3. Conceptual Model and Hypothesis Development**

#### *3.1. Attention, Concentration, Notion of Time and Flow Experience*

Attention, as a dimension of the state of flow, is achieved by maintaining the senses in the activity that is being carried out, according to Mirvis [81]. Dobrynin [82] mentions that attention cannot be considered independently or separately, since it is always in relation to some activity. Attention is a process that can occur with any mental activity, excluding those that are carried out automatically. However, when a person experiences attention, activities are carried out automatically, and thus consciousness disappear [83]. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

#### **Hypothesis 1.** *Flow experience is positively affected by attention.*

#### **Hypothesis 1a.** *Attention to flow experience is moderated by country.*

Concentration is achieved through immersion in a chosen activity, through which any distraction that interferes with said activity is eliminated [82]. More recently, Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura [84] define it as a factor within the experience of flow, stating that it has a deeper degree of influence compared to attention. Ghani and Deshpande [85] describe concentration as one of the most important parts of the flow experience, and within the meta-analysis prepared by [86], this is confirmed. However, more recently, Marty-Dugas and Smilek [87] and [56] differ from this perspective in finding that deep and effortless concentration does not receive more weight than the other facets. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

#### **Hypothesis 2.** *Flow experience is positively affected by concentration.*

#### **Hypothesis 2a.** *The effect of concentration on flow experience is moderated by country.*

Notion of time is defined by Csikszentmihalyi [69] as a change in the perception of time, where it can be perceived as fast or slow. Other authors such as Skadberg and Kimmel [88] also define the notion of time as one more factor in the experience of flow. Likewise, J. Keller et al., [89] explain the notion of time as a feeling that simply becomes irrelevant, ending up outside the person's consciousness. Something important about this factor is that while Csikszentmihalyi [69] recognizes its existence, he mentions that for certain activities, awareness of notion of time is not of the utmost importance, so he does not consider it as a universal factor. Together, this information leads to the development of the following hypotheses:

#### **Hypothesis 3.** *Notion of time has a positive effect on flow experience.*

**Hypothesis 3a.** *The effect of notion of time on flow experience is moderated by country.*

#### *3.2. Flow Experience, Repurchase Intention and Word of Mouth*

Within the marketing literature, there are previous studies where repurchase intention has been related to the flow experience [90,91]. Novak, Hoffman and Yung [92] confirm the positive relationship between both variables within online shopping. Likewise, [93] also verify this by measuring flow through challenges, concentration, control and enjoyment. In addition, it is also confirmed by Kim and Thapa [94] within tours as marketing experiences. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

#### **Hypothesis 4.** *Repurchase intention is positively affected by flow experience.*

#### **Hypothesis 4a.** *Flow experience's effect on repurchase intention is moderated by country.*

Recent studies have shown the positive impact of the flow experience on word of mouth. Most of these studies involve online shopping. However, there are also some studies focused on the consumption of art, including one by Aykol, Aksatan and ˙Ipek [95], performance in online games [96], use of messaging services [97] and experiential activities and tourism [98]. Here, the following hypotheses are proposed:

#### **Hypothesis 5.** *Word of mouth is positively affected by flow experience.*

#### **Hypothesis 5a.** *Flow experience's effect on word of mouth is moderated by country.*

#### *3.3. Perceived Value, Repurchase Intention and Word of Mouth*

The relationship between loyalty development and perceived value has been addressed by several studies. O'Brien and Jones [99] mention that one of the most important aspects of the development of loyalty is the perception of value. In addition, Holbrook [77] mentions that perceived value is the most important factor that influences the development of consumer loyalty and occurs when the expected gains compensate for the perceived losses. Chang and Wildt [100] confirm this, adding that perceived value occurs both in repurchase and in an intention to repurchase. Mencarelli and Lombart [101] mention that consumers develop loyalty to a brand or product when they perceive the correct characteristics of the product, the correct images or quality at a fair price.

This tells us that the consumers get to know a brand through a product or service, and when they experience satisfaction, it leads to their desire to repeat it, resulting in a feeling of familiarity and security, making this activity a habit. Molinari [102] mentions that the consumer remains faithful to a product or service when they perceive that they obtain greater benefits than from the competition [103–105]. Together, these studies lead to the development of the following hypotheses:

#### **Hypothesis 6.** *Repurchase intention is positively affected by perceived value.*

#### **Hypothesis 6a.** *The effect of perceived value on repurchase intention is moderated by country.*

Perceived value has been positively related to word of mouth [49,106,107]. Anderson and Srinivasan [108] mention that optimal consumer experience with a brand, product or service will provoke a perception of value and, therefore, lead them to speak positively of it. There is a relationship between the increase in consumer satisfaction and the perception of the value of the brand or product [109]. In addition, the positive correlation between perceived value and word of mouth has also been verified for different sectors such as commercial retailers [110], tourism [107,111,112] and airlines [113]. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

#### **Hypothesis 7.** *Word of mouth is positively affected by perceived value.*

**Hypothesis 7a.** *The effect of the perceived value on word of mouth is moderated by country.*

#### *3.4. Corporate Social Responsibility, Repurchase Intention and Word of Mouth*

CSR programs have become an important part of marketing strategies of large corporations. It is of the utmost importance for large corporations to comply with corporate social responsibility in order to capture repurchase intention in customers and increase loyalty [114]. This has been proven for the clothing [115], food [116] and tourism industries [117]. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

**Hypothesis 8.** *Repurchase intention is positively affected by corporate social responsibility.*

#### **Hypothesis 8a.** *The effect of corporate social responsibility on repurchase intention is moderated by country.*

Positive word of mouth is a pertinent factor to measure current clients' willingness to speak positively about the item or merchant and can be a free form of advertising. Customer experience with goods and services leads to external communication [118], chiefly word of mouth, which can be a blessing or a bane. Favorable word of mouth is warmly welcomed by a retailer, while negative word of mouth is something a merchant needs to rectify, either using public relations or CSR as a crisis management tool [119]. Empirical studies reveal that satisfied clients disseminate positive word of mouth, which subsequently turns into better sales [120]. Word of mouth is a pertinent evaluative tool, as it helps potential buyers to buy confidently, decreasing their uncertainty due to unknown risk [121]; it is also an influential source of data, impacting the choice of brand and brand loyalty [122]. Hence, the hypotheses would be:

#### **Hypothesis 9.** *Word of mouth is positively affected by corporate social responsibility.*

**Hypothesis 9a.** *The effect of corporate social responsibility on word of mouth is moderated by country.*

Based on the review of the literature, the following research model is proposed, in which the relationships of the flow experience, the perceived value and the corporate social responsibility to the development of consumer loyalty are evaluated through a repurchase intention or word of mouth. The relationships formulated in the study were compared in both the Mexican and Dutch markets (Figure 1).

**Figure 1.** Conceptual Model.

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#### **4. Research Method**

Our hypothesis was tested through a cross-cultural quantitative study. We gathered 226 valid questionnaires for each of the two countries (Mexico and the Netherlands); therefore, in total, we obtained 452 questionnaires. All the information obtained from the questionnaires was collected at the times the consumers were experimenting tours and tastings within craft beer companies in each country. The questionnaire contains a demographic section, and in this section, the interviewees were asked both their age and their home address. These pieces of information were important to gather, since they served two purposes: (a) they assured us that the interviewees were of legal age to consume alcohol (over 18 years old), and (b) it allowed us to confirm the participants were residents of either Mexico or the Netherlands. After answering the survey, the participants took part in a raffle, where they had the chance to win products produced by the craft beer brands. Table 3 shows the technical information for the study.


The data were processed in several stages. The descriptive statistics were employed to facilitate the characterization of the sample profile. We performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the entire sample, evaluating the reliability and validity of the measurement tool. The ensuing step consisted of modelling the structural equations for the subsamples to determine the significant relationships between the variables, in accordance with the analysis sample. Next, measurement of the invariance was performed, and lastly, a multigroup analysis was conducted to determine the moderating effect of country between the two different countries on the analyzed population.

#### **5. Data Analysis and Results**

As shown in Table 4, the research model was tested at tastings and craft beer tours in Mexico and the Netherlands, which included 452 consumers, 226 from Mexico and 226 from the Netherlands. The sample included 63.8% men and 36.2% women. In terms of age, 73.4% of those surveyed were between their twenties and thirties, making up the majority of the sample.


**Table 4.** Demographic information of the sample.

Moreover, as a general average between the Mexican and the Dutch sample we can observe that a majority is reported in the group of single respondents (50.9%) with a bachelor educational level (60.2%), a salaried occupation (67.7%) and a monthly income salary between 610 to 4400 USD (77.4%). Finally, the sample of participants from the Netherlands indicates that 65.5% of them have consumed craft beer for more than one year. This number is noticeably different in the sample of participants from Mexico, where only 37.2% have consumed craft beer for more than one year.

#### *5.1. Model Validation*

The proposed model was validated with a CFA of the entire sample using PLS Algorithm with Smart PLS 3.0. Table 5 shows the main results of the analysis, in addition to the descriptive statistics of the constructs analyzed in the model.




**Table 5.** *Cont.*

X 2 (452) = 1680.4; NFI = 0.921; SRMR = 0.045. Note: X<sup>2</sup> = Chi Square; NFI = Normed fit index (0.9 is considered the threshold for an indicator of good fit [127]); SRMR = Standardized root mean square residual (Values less than 0.08 are considered a good fit [128]).

The standardized loads (β) are over 0.72, which is the ideal scenario. After running SMART PLS 3.0 and IBM SPSS AMOS 26 Graphics, the data suggested that certain items should be eliminated to improve the goodness of fit (see Appendix A). Cronbach alpha coefficients are between 0.73 and 0.83, values that, according to the literature, are considered acceptable. The composite reliability of the constructs was over 0.7, and the Average Value Extracted (AVE) was over 0.6 for each construct. Thus, we can confirm the reliability of the constructs of the research model for the whole sample. In addition, the goodness of fit of the research model is as expected, with levels higher than 0.9 in the NFI indicator and with levels lower than 0.08 in the SRMR. Discriminant validity is tested using the Fornell and Larcker criteria.

Table 6 shows the constructed discriminant validity, and on the diagonal, we inserted the AVE values to compare them with the other correlation coefficient factors. The results show values above 0.5, confirming the discriminant validity of all the factors. To confirm the validity and reliability of the measurement instrument in the analyzed markets, we conducted a CFA for each subsample, obtaining the results presented in Table 7.


**Table 7.** Confirmatory Factorial Analysis.


Notes: CA: Cronbach´s alpha; CR: Composite Reliability; AVE: Average Variance Extracted.

Table 7 shows the CFA for the scales proposed in the research model in both countries. Item loads on the factors exceeded the minimum requirement of 0.6. Composite reliability indexes for the variables were above 0.7, and the AVE values exceeded 0.5. Discriminant validity is shown for each sample in Tables 8 and 9, and as explained in the methodology used in Table 6, the diagonal AVE values are above 0.5, confirming the discriminant validity of all factors.


**Table 8.** Discriminant validity—Mexico sample.

**Table 9.** Discriminant validity—The Netherlands sample.


Discriminant validity is confirmed, because the correlation between factors is less than the square root of AVE for each factor. Although there were no close correlations to 0.7 found in the subsamples, the VIF collinearity statistics have been verified (see Appendix B), which indicates that there are no problems in the partial-least-squares estimates.

#### *5.2. SEM Analysis*

The hypothesized relationships in the research model have been contrasted using bootstrapping analysis via Smart PLS 3.0 software. The results for the sample are presented in Table 10, and according to the SEM analysis, all the relationships proposed in the research model have been contrasted successfully.

**Table 10.** Standardized structural estimates.


#### *5.3. Validation of the Measuring Instrument*

To determine whether the factorial structure is the same in the subgroups, an equal form analysis was conducted based on a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis using IBM SPSS AMOS 26 Graphics. The results are shown in Table 11.

**Table 11.** Measure invariance test.


Notes: X<sup>2</sup> = Chi Square; df = Degrees of freedom; ∆X <sup>2</sup> = Difference between X<sup>2</sup> statistics of the two models compared; ∆df = Difference in degrees of freedom; p = measures the probability of obtaining the observed results; RMSEA = Root mean square error of approximation; NFI = Normed fit index; NNFI = No-Normed fit index; CFI = Comparative fit index.

In accordance with [129], goodness of fit is confirmed according to an ∆CFI < 0.01 between equal form and equal factor loading. Therefore, the restrictions are retained, and the analysis continues.

#### *5.4. Multigroup Analysis*

The next step was to test the hypotheses in the multigroup analysis to find the moderating effect of country in the proposed relationships. Relationships in each subsample were tested beforehand to accept or reject the hypotheses. Table 12 shows the betas and t-values for each independent sample, as well as the significance of the hypothesized moderation of country differences.

#### **Table 12.** Results of SEM and Multigroup Analysis.


Note: β = Beta coefficient; t = t-statistic; ∆Path = Difference in betas; *P* = *p*-value.

The results show a non-significant moderation of country in the following relationships: H1a (attention—flow experience), H2a (concentration—flow experience), H3a (notion of time—flow experience) and H7a (perceived value—word of mouth). In contrast, the following relationships show a significant moderation of country: H4a (flow experience—repurchase intention), H5a (flow experience—word of mouth), H6 (perceived value—repurchase intention), H8a (social corporate responsibility—repurchase intention) and H9a (social corporate responsibility—word of mouth). Figure 2 provides the results of the multigroup analysis.

**Figure 2.** Multigroup analysis.

#### **6. Discussion**

In this work, flow experience was verified and analyzed through tours and tastings within the craft beer market for Mexico and the Netherlands. Through the multigroup analysis, we found that the variables of attention, concentration and notion of time do not act as mediating variables in the explanation of the flow experience in either country. This may be due to similarities in consumer experiences of tours and tastings in both Mexico and the Netherlands. These results agree with Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi [83] and with Guerra-Tamez [56], who have reported that these variables are the most impactful within the flow experience. This is also reported in studies by Su et al., [74]; Zhou et al., [97]; and Zhou and Lu, [130], in activities carried out in online shopping. Several previous studies have shown that concentration has the greatest impact within the flow experience in language learning and sport activities [83]; however, our exhibited results indicate concentration to have a considerably lower impact compared to attention. This difference can be attributed to the fact that in a context of tastings or tours within craft beer companies, where consumer decisions are of less importance, a less analytical sense is required compared to activities such as language learning or sports activities. The notion of time variable also has a significant positive impact, although to a lesser extent than the other variables. It is important to mention that, as proposed by [83], the notion of time is a variable that, when performing certain activities, requires awareness of time, which is why it becomes a momentary variable, preventing it from being a universal such as attention or concentration. These results agree with what was previously observed by [56], where the experience of flow in events such as tours and craft beer tastings is explained through the variables of attention, concentration and notion of time.

Next, this work verified the positive impact of the flow experience in the development of consumer loyalty through repurchase intention and word of mouth in both Mexico and the Netherlands. This impact was measured through experiential events such as tastings and tours within craft beer companies. The loyalty dimensions were verified through repurchase intention, as in previous studies of online experiences, such as the study by Novak, Hoffman, and Yung [92], and through word of mouth, as in studies of online games [96] and browsing art websites [95], resulting in a positive impact on the flow experience for both variables. With these results, the panorama of knowledge of the flow experience's role in consumer loyalty is broadened for physical experiences, not only online experiences, which have been the focus for most of the previous studies. It is therefore

important to mention that the impact of repurchase intention and word of mouth in Mexico was significantly higher than in the Netherlands.

Likewise, our findings indicate a significant positive impact of the perceived value on both dependent variables, repurchase intention and word of mouth, for both countries. These results are in agreement with those of [49,104,105,107], who report a positive impact among the variables of perceived value in relation to repurchase intention; they are also in agreement with studies on the word of mouth within experiential events [29,96,98,112]. Our work shows that for the Dutch sample, corporate social responsibility has a positive impact on repurchase intention and word of mouth, in accordance with [51,114,131]. For the Mexican sample, CSR was not a significant variable, so it was discarded as a determining variable. These results can be a consequence of the lack of practices on the part of craft beer companies and public policies on the part of the government related to CSR in Mexico.

#### **7. Implications of Results**

The development of consumer loyalty has been studied for the development of MSMEs through customer satisfaction and experience. Through this study, the impact of the flow experience is corroborated through the variables attention, concentration and notion of time for the countries of Mexico and the Netherlands. Likewise, this study validates the variable perception of value in both countries. In addition, it is important to mention that although the corporate social responsibility variable is not a predictor of repurchase intention and word of mouth for Mexico, for the Netherlands, it was a significant variable, so it is strongly suggested to be considered within the model. The successful implementation of this proposed model can create a competitive advantage for craft beer producers. Through this model, craft beer producers have the opportunity to keep their current loyal customers and also attract new loyal customers.

Within the academic context, this study contributes significantly to consumer-loyaltydevelopment strategies by exploring the impact of the flow experience, perceived value and corporate social responsibility in an experiential context with craft beer in a comparison between Mexico and the Netherlands.

In this study, we found that the relationship between the variables that explain the experience of flow (attention, concentration and notion of time) and the relationship of the perception of value to loyalty through word of mouth do not significantly differ between the countries of Mexico and the Netherlands, so academics and researchers are encouraged to use them in the implementation of the model in other countries or other areas of consumption.

#### **8. Limitations and Future Research**

Some limitations are present in this study, starting with the differences of each craft beer company in both Mexico and the Netherlands in the implementation of tours and tasting experiences for the consumer. Likewise, to measure the value perception variable, the consumer must consume the craft beer before answering the survey, so this being an alcoholic beverage could have had an impact on the answers to the questionnaire.

With the contributions that were obtained through this study for both the academy and the industrial sector, future research is recommended. It is recommended to explore the craft beer sector in countries with growth in recent years such as: the United States, Belgium and Germany. Likewise, this study can also be helpful in analyzing other sectors focused on the experience of the consumer, such as the tea and coffee industry. These research suggestions would help in the development of MSMEs in terms of their permanence and consolidation.

#### **9. Conclusions**

This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the behavior of the craft beer consumer through experiential events such as tours and tastings. Here, we demonstrate that the development of loyalty can be achieved through repurchase intention and word of mouth, developed with the experience variables of flow, perceived value and corporate social responsibility within an intercultural context in countries with different economic development. The study highlights the impact of cultural differences on the behavior of the Mexican and Dutch communities. We can observe from our data that, for both Mexico and the Netherlands, flow experience can be represented with three dimensions: attention, concentration and notion of time. Moreover, for the case of experiential events, involving tours and tastings, our results demonstrate that flow experience induces a positive effect on the variables repurchase intention and word of mouth. In combination, these results encourage MSMEs to design experiential events, considering both repurchase intention and word of mouth, to augment customer flow experience. Therefore, the model proposed in this work demonstrates that there is a positive link between the experience of flow and both variables, repurchase intention and word of mouth.

The positive relationship of the proposed variable of perceived value with repurchase intention and word of mouth is confirmed for both the Mexico and the Netherlands samples. However, we here show that corporate social responsibility is only a determining factor for loyalty through the intention to repurchase and word of mouth in the Dutch segment, discarding it for the Mexican population.

In conclusion, the results obtained show that the flow experience and the perceived value are determining variables in the development of consumer loyalty in the craft beer sector for the Mexican sample. Through them, consumer behavior including repurchase intention and word of mouth is made possible. For the Dutch sample, the model is more robust and includes corporate social responsibility as a determining factor for repurchase intention, word of mouth and the variables flow experience and perceived value.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, C.R.G.-T. and M.-L.F.-G.; Formal analysis, C.R.G.-T.; Investigation, C.R.G.-T.; Methodology, C.R.G.-T.; Project administration, M.-L.F.-G.; Software, C.R.G.-T.; Validation, C.R.G.-T.; Visualization, C.R.G.-T.; Writing—original draft, C.R.G.-T.; Writing—review & editing, C.R.G.-T. and M.-L.F.-G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** Finantial aid from Gerencia de Investigación y Proyectos at Universidad de Monterrey.

**Institutional Review Board Statement:** Not applicable.

**Informed Consent Statement:** Not applicable.

**Data Availability Statement:** All data is included in the manuscript and Appendices A and B.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.

#### **Appendix A. Indicators**

**Table A1.** Indicators in the measuring instrument.



**Table A1.** *Cont.*



Results of measurement model and confirmatory factor analysis. <sup>A</sup> Items were deleted during confirmatory factor analysis. <sup>B</sup> Reverse item.

#### **Appendix B. Variance Inflation Factor—VIF**

To explore possible multicollinearity problems, we proceeded to analyze the VIF value for the total sample and subsamples. The results show that VIF ranges (Table 4) from 1.05 to 2.7, which is beneath the threshold level of 3–5 as suggested by Cheung et al. [129] and thus shows lack of multicollinearity issues.


#### **Table A2.** VIF Values Structural Model—Total Sample.

#### **References**


72. Wu, C.H.-J.; Liang, R.-D. The relationship between white-water rafting experience formation and customer reaction: A flow theory perspective. *Tour. Manag.* **2011**, *32*, 317–325. [CrossRef]


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