Author: A. Keller Affiliation: Independent Researcher Abstract The relationship between intrinsic product quality and perceived value has long been debated within management, marketing, and consumer behavior literature. While classical economic theory assumes that value is primarily derived from the inherent characteristics of a product or service, contemporary evidence increasingly suggests that perception—shaped by context, location, and symbolic framing—plays a more deci

Author: L. Hartmann Affiliation: Independent Researcher Abstract A viral luxury-watch moment in early 2026 featured a genuine Rolex watch dial altered through a process popularly described as “painted by flies,” circulating online under the framing of an art stunt rather than an official Rolex product. The episode (“Time Flies,” attributed in media coverage to a street-art collective) triggered polarized reactions: fascination, disgust, admiration for originality, and accus

Author: Zarina Akhmetova Affiliation: Independent Researcher Abstract Many managers assume product quality is the main driver of customer value. Yet real markets often reward context —where, when, and how something is presented—more than the underlying product itself. This article examines the proposition that “location and packaging can matter more than the product,” using the well-known Joshua Bell Washington, D.C. Metro field experiment as an anchoring case. In that expe