Investigating customer involvement, customer engagement dimensions, and customer loyalty in the smartphone industry: a social exchange theory perspective

This study examines how customer involvement influences customer engagement and loyalty in the smartphone industry, focusing on the mediating role of engagement dimensions. Using social exchange theory (SET) as a framework, the research analyses data from 222 smartphone users in Rajasthan, India, employing SmartPLS 4.0 for analysis. The findings reveal that customer involvement significantly impacts loyalty both directly and through cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement, with emotional engagement emerging as the most influential mediator. The study offers valuable insights for managers and suggests areas for future research. The study's originality lies in highlighting emotional engagement as a crucial mediator in the involvement-loyalty relationship within the smartphone sector, grounded in social exchange theory (SET).