Role of brand equity and competitive strategies in the relation between horizontal alliances and its benefits

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Changju Kim ◽  
Bin Hu
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Integration ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Relational Outcomes

Purpose Drawing on the resource-based view, this study aims to investigate the conditions under which small- and medium-sized retailers can improve competitive benefits through the lens of brand equity and strategies for competitive advantage in retail buying groups. Design/methodology/approach This study collected 241 samples from small- and medium-sized supermarket retailers who joined retail buying groups in Japan. Findings This study offers two key findings. First, the results indicate that a buying group’s brand equity partially mediates the relationship between member retailers’ strategic integration and their buying group benefits. Second, member retailers with a stronger differentiation orientation strengthen the positive impact of strategic integration on the buying group’s brand equity and buying group benefits. The moderating effects of low-cost orientation were not found to be significant. Practical implications To highlight the sustainable growth of small- and medium-sized retailers in retail buying groups, which are often ignored in the extant literature, this study offers practical guidance on the importance of a buying group’s brand equity. In addition, based on the findings, this paper postulates that member retailers pursuing differentiation orientation, rather than low-cost orientation, are more beneficial to retail buying groups in terms of relational outcomes and performance consequences. Originality/value By conceptualizing brand equity in retail buying groups, this study suggests a novel approach for retail management that investigates how a buying group’s brand equity is linked to strategic integration, strategies for competitive advantage and buying group benefits from the viewpoint of member retailers.

“Tata i-Shakti” to “Tata Sampann”: rebranding or repositioning?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Geetika Varshneya ◽  
Gopal Das
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Brand Name ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Base ◽  
Rural Market ◽  
Umbrella Branding ◽  
Executive Level

Subject area Marketing. Study level/applicability This case may be used by instructors to teach undergraduate, post graduate and executive level programmes in management. It may be used in basic marketing, branding or marketing strategy courses. The case may serve as a platform for the instructor to discuss the concepts and issues related to positioning and repositioning. Case overview Tata Chemicals, a subsidiary of the Tata group, launched the “i-Shakti” brand six years ago for its low-cost “solar-evaporated” salt for rural customers. In 2010, the company extended the brand equity of i-Shakti to a premium segment and launched a new brand “Tata i-Shakti” with a range of unpolished pulses. Changing the brand name and customer base from “i-Shakti for rural market” to “Tata i-Shakti for premium market” created a dilemma among customers in the market. To overcome this problem, in October 2015, the company’s portfolio of pulses, gram flour and food grade soda under “Tata i-Shakti” label has migrated into a new brand “Tata Sampann”. The company also launched a range of spices under the brand name of “Tata Sampann”. This new brand “Tata Sampann” was launched to serve the premium segment with an aim to “enrich everyday meals with extra nutrition and extra joy”. Also, this brand recreation was made by the company with anticipation to make avenues for future launches in the staples and food segment under Tata’s consumer products business. It has been almost a year since Tata Sampann was launched in the market. Given the tough competition and expected growth of the spices market in India, it remained to be seen whether “Tata i-Shakti” was rightly rebranded or repositioned with “Tata Sampann”. Expected learning outcomes To make participants understand the basic concepts of branding such as umbrella branding, brand repositioning and rebranding. To make participants learn about various brand elements and how they contribute in communicating the value proposition of the brand. To make participants appreciate various marketing and brand related strategies. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 8: Marketing.

Strategic merge: a gain or a gamble – the case of Telco China

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Wing Sun Li
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Joint Venture ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Differentiation Strategy ◽  
Academic Level

Learning outcomes By reviewing the case study, readers are expected to understand the constraints of competitive strategies in a shifting environmental landscape; the difficulties of foreign companies to sustain in an emerging market with government interventions; the subtlety of joint venture (JV) formation by partners with very divergent background, priority and agenda; evaluation of behavioural orientations of partnership and JV operational arrangements as determinants of a successful JV strategy. Case overview/synopsis High-tech companies can enjoy super profits from their products when only a few competitors can compete with them technologically. However, these companies also nurture a high-cost operational culture that sets a constraint for their further growth when superiority of the technology can no longer be maintained. High-tech companies may reposition their businesses with a strategic shift from differentiation strategy to cost focus strategy. The attendant shift as well as synchronization problem in an organization may require a larger effort to revamp. This case describes a global telecom infrastructure company with successful business performance in China in her early establishment with a pre-emptive technological edge. Mitigation of technological superiority and the rise of local competitors have forced the Company to opt for a cooperative strategy with a local player in the establishment of a low-cost joint venture. Does the new joint venture facilitate the strategic shift or just create an illusion of cooperation? Complexity academic level Undergraduate students and post graduate students taking strategic management course. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Air Asia India: competing for air space in an emerging economy

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 516-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tulsi Jayakumar
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Joint Venture ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Specific

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the competitive landscape of emerging market economies (EMEs) and the implications of business models and strategies used by multinational enterprises (MNEs) to enter and operate in such landscapes. It does so by considering the aviation sector in an emerging economy – India, and by studying the strategies pursued by AirAsia India – the Indian joint venture of AirAsia Investment Limited and Tata Sons.. Design/methodology/approach The paper follows a case study approach. Secondary data sources from the library, company website and newspaper articles have been used to build a case that would encourage students to discuss and analyze the competitive strategies followed by MNEs in EMEs. Findings Emerging markets offer attractive investment opportunities to MNEs across several industries. However, their markets for intermediate goods and services possess imperfections. Competitiveness in such markets will require going beyond country-specific and firm-specific advantages. MNEs will need to integrate location-specific advantages with internalization advantages of these market imperfections to operate successfully in the complex environments of EMEs. A one-size-fits-all approach of transposing successful strategies from home markets will fail to create value. Practical implications MNEs, such as AirAsia, will need to develop participatory skills to leverage the location-specific-advantages of EMEs and reduce their own curse of foreignness to be able to succeed in EMEs. Originality/value This paper contributes to extant literature by studying the competitive strategies pursued by a global leader in an EME. The case of the “World’s Best Low-Cost Airline” – AirAsia’s India operations seeks to go beyond the Eclectic Paradigm and the country-specific and firm-specific advantages framework, to provide a location-internalization paradigm for operating in EMEs.

Sustainability and competitive advantage from a developing economy

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amoako Kwarteng ◽  
Samuel Ato Dadzie ◽  
Samuel Famiyeh
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Corporate Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Corporate Image ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of sustainability as measured by the triple bottom line constructs on the competitive advantage of manufacturing firms in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach To understand the impact of sustainability on competitive advantage, a survey was conducted where managers were asked about their engagement in the sustainability issues and how it affects their competitive advantage. The study uses the structural equation modelling (SEM) and, in particular, the partial least square (PLS) approaches to SEM. Findings The results of this study indicate that economic and social have a positive impact on the corporate image but not the environment. In addition, corporate image and social have positive impact on corporate performance, whilst economic and environment seem not to have any impact on corporate performance. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to only manufacturing firms operating in the Ghanaian environment. It is important, therefore, for firms in Ghana to invest in social sustainability initiatives, as it will ultimately affect their bottom line performance. This study provides policy implications to Ghana and other developing countries to implement the necessary policies and provide incentives to improve environmental awareness. Originality/value There have been just a few studies that tried to find out the impact of sustainability constructs and performance and how corporate image mediates this relationship.

The impact of marketing activities on service brand equity

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 596-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi Shekhar Kumar ◽  
Satyabhusan Dash ◽  
Naresh K. Malhotra
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Experiential Marketing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Brand ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Purpose This study aims to propose and empirically test new improved customer-based brand equity (CBBE) creation framework, which advocates marketing activities create CBBE through customer experience (CE). The proposed framework is in contrast to extant literature suggesting marketing activities directly create CBBE. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative interviews with patients, followed by interaction with respondents using a structured questionnaire, were used to collect the data. Findings The results suggest that CE is the focal mediating variable for the relationship between marketing activities and CBBE. Out of 15 marketing activities, 8 positively impacted CBBE through CE and 2 negatively affected CBBE through CE. Among the remaining five, three had only a direct positive impact on CBBE and two neither directly nor indirectly impacted CBBE. Research limitations/implications The effects of only individual marketing activity, and not of the interaction among marketing activities, were assessed. Practical implications The study provides insights into the importance of CE in building CBBE for credence-dominant services (e.g. healthcare). This work will help managers in implementing experiential marketing by designing suitable activities for creating service CBBE. Originality/value The study outlines service CBBE creation through CE, offering specific insights for the healthcare market.

scholarly journals Tourism Competitiveness by Shift-Share Analysis to way-forward Destination Management: A case study for Sri Lanka

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 88-102
Author(s):  
Imali N. Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Regional Tourism ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Competitive Disadvantage ◽  
Tourism Destinations ◽  
Tourism Arrivals

Hospitality and Tourism are among the fastest-growing sectors and the source of foreign exchange with indirect-direct employments for quite an appreciable number of economies worldwide. The nature of the sector provides an avenue towards regional development through entrepreneurship venture creations, value addition to the abandoned resources, and regeneration of abandon natural resources with new themes as a novel approach. Tourism currently in a paradigm shift as a comparative advantage of destination is becoming less important than a competitive advantage. The traditional destinations are diminishing while creating novel destinations more relaxation-oriented while leading to residents' economically enriched livelihood. The paper critically analyzes the current tourism competitive position of Sri Lanka with a panel of five rival destinations by adopting shift-share analysis by developing two propositions. Regional Tourism arrivals in rival tourism destinations have been used to perform Shift-share analysis. Findings revealed (a) Sri Lanka as a destination is gaining the competitive advantage of four tourism regions out of six markets. The competitive strategies proposed as recommendations to gain market specialization to the regions with a competitive advantage; (a) market specialization by targeting the markets with a competitive advantage, (b) new marketing programs for markets with competitive disadvantage, and (c) collaborative programs among Asian tourism destinations. The results would be beneficial to Asian region tourism decision-makers trusted with the growth and application of competitive strategies.

Impact of a retailer’s CSR activities on consumers’ loyalty

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 793-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier Louis ◽  
Cindy Lombart ◽  
Fabien Durif
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multidimensional Construct ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the main dimensions of a retailer’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, respect for the consumers and respect for the workers) (e.g. Maignan, 2001; Brunk, 2010a; Öberseder et al., 2014) on consumers’ loyalty towards this retailer. Mediation (through consumers’ trust in this retailer and/or retailer’s perceived brand equity) and moderation effects (depending on the groups of consumers considered) are also studied. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted on 547 consumers, representative of the Quebec population. These consumers were asked to select a retailer of their choice that they were familiar with (notably with its CSR activities) and to complete a questionnaire with regard to that retailer. Findings This research highlights that: the impact of a retailer’s CSR activities on consumers’ loyalty differs according to the dimensions considered (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, the consumers and the workers), is fully or partially mediates by consumers’ trust in this retailer and/or retailer’s perceived brand equity and depends on the groups of consumers considered (the very responsible consumers, the local sceptical recyclers and the least responsible consumers). Research limitations/implications This research indicates that when CSR is considered not as an aggregate construct, but in terms of its dimensions, their impacts on consumers’ loyalty towards the retailer may differ or appear under certain conditions. Moreover, this research points out that consumers’ trust in the retailer is a partial mediator (for the philanthropic activities dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities for the very responsible consumers and the local sceptical recyclers) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities considered and consumers’ loyalty towards this retailer. Consumers’ trust in the retailer is also a full mediator (for the respect for environment dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities for the very responsible consumers) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities considered and consumers’ loyalty towards this retailer. Lastly, retailer’s perceived brand equity is a full mediator (for the respect for environment dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities for the three groups of consumers considered) of the relationship between the dimension of a retailer’s CSR activities considered and consumers’ loyalty towards this retailer. Practical implications This paper indicates to retailers that the dimensions respect for the consumers and the workers of their CSR activities do not have an impact on consumers’ loyalty. By contrast, for a retailer to be perceived by consumers as engaged in philanthropic activities or being environmentally friendly has a positive impact on consumers’ loyalty. Originality/value In this research, CSR is conceptualised as a multidimensional construct and the impacts of its main dimensions (philanthropic activities, respect for the environment, respect for consumers and respect for workers) on an important and strategic variables for retailers, loyalty, are highlighted. Moreover, this research also indicates that the impacts of a retailer’s CRS dimensions on consumers’ loyalty depend on individuals and may follow different paths (through consumers’ trust in the retailer and/or retailer’s perceived brand equity).

Effects of brand alliance on brand equity

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baolong Ma ◽  
Feiyan Cheng ◽  
Jingjing Bu ◽  
Jiefan Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Spillover Effect ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Brand Alliances ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alliance Partner ◽  
Brand Alliance ◽  
A Company ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeAlthough brand alliance has become quite ubiquitous in the marketplace and attracted considerable interest amongst researchers, little research has investigated its effects on the brand equity of partners. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate why and how brand alliance affects the brand equity of the partners in an alliance.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested by analysing the data of 260 participants in China, which were collected from an experiment.FindingsThis research draws five conclusions: the brand equity of a pre-alliance partner has a positive effect on brand alliance evaluation; product fit and brand fit amongst partners also have a positive effect on brand alliance evaluation; alliance brand evaluation has a positive impact on the brand equity of a post-alliance brand; the brand equity of a pre-alliance partner exerts a positive effect on the brand equity of a post-alliance partner; and the spillover effect of brand alliance for a weak brand is stronger than that of a strong brand in an asymmetrical brand alliance.Originality/valueThis research introduces brand equity into the field of brand alliance. From the perspective of consumer perception, the authors measure brand equity and provide insights for a company to effectively enhance brand equity through brand alliance. The authors explore ways to increase the brand equity of partners through brand alliance. Additionally, the authors discuss the spillover effects of the brand equity of partners in symmetric and asymmetric brand alliances.

Building brand equity through communication consistency in luxury hotels: an impact-asymmetry analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Šerić ◽  
Josip Mikulić
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediterranean Country ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Asymmetry Analysis ◽  
Luxury Hotels ◽  
Luxury Hotel ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper examines the development of customer-based brand equity through communication consistency in a luxury hotel segment. Communication consistency is considered as a basic principle of the integrated marketing communications (IMC) approach.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research was conducted among 223 guests during their stay in five-star deluxe luxury hotels in a Mediterranean country. Data are analyzed through the PLS technique and impact-asymmetry analysis.FindingsCommunication consistency is found to have a strong positive impact on all brand equity dimensions, especially on brand trust, brand image and perceived quality. The impact-asymmetry analysis further revealed negatively asymmetric relationships between communication consistency and six out of seven brand equity dimensions, except for affective commitment.Research limitations/implicationsSome restrictions related to the measurement scales should be mitigated in future research.Practical implicationsCommunication consistency is confirmed as a core management practice in luxury hotel business. Marketing professionals operating in this industry are therefore confronted with increasing challenges of efficient management of IMC.Originality/valueThis work addresses several research calls from the most recent marketing and hospitality literature. The analysis of the impact of communication consistency has extended our knowledge on the potential of IMC in creation of a strong brand. Obtained insights into the shape of the relationship between communication consistency and seven different brand equity dimensions help to better understand the process of brand equity building in a luxury hotel setting.

A novel approach to selecting the best partner for high-speed rail firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Zhang ◽  
Xiaopeng Deng ◽  
Bon-Gang Hwang ◽  
Muchao Bi ◽  
Amin Mahmoudi
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Evolutionary Game ◽  
Partner Selection ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Selection Approach ◽  
Cooperation Strategy ◽  
Industry Professionals

PurposeThis paper aims to develop a partner selection approach for the high-speed rail (HSR) firms from the perspective of achieving competitive advantage in the international competitive bidding sphere.Design/methodology/approachThe current study developed a partner selection approach based on the evolutionary game theory. Firstly, the current study identified the influencing variables and logical formation path of competitive advantage on the international HSR project by literature review and case analysis. After that, a pay-off model was developed based on the theoretical foundation. Meanwhile, the evolutionary stable strategy was analyzed for different combinations of initial pay-offs.FindingsA real-world case was simulated to verify the effectiveness of the developed approach. The simulation results secured support from three industry professionals, indicating the developed approach is valid.Originality/valueThe current study can help HSR firms to select their partners and develop a cooperation strategy from the perspective of winning awards. Also, the proposed approach is based on the advantage driving variables and formation path, which can contribute to HSR firms' understanding of the sources of competitive advantage.

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