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Many studies have analyzed the retail and distribution systems in transitional economies, either from a general perspective or by analyzing specific countries. However, only a few, if any, have analyzed the situation and changes taking place in the Cuban market. The purpose of this paper is to provide a current overview of Cuban wholesaling distribution and retailing for consumer products. It examines the challenges that are taking place in the wholesale and retail distribution system in the country and describes the sharp contrast between the state of retailing in Cuba before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The research is principally exploratory, based on fieldwork and in‐depth interviews carried out in Cuba during the first semester of 2003.

The analysis presents a fast‐paced evolution process in the Cuban distribution system. Cuban retail durable and non‐durable consumer goods market presents two different distribution structures: one in Cuban pesos, formed by the traditional socialist retail system, and a growing second structure formed by the new stores and wholesalers operating in US dollars. The dollar market encompasses many semi‐autonomous government‐owned and operated companies, vertically integrated, with store sales totaling over $1.4 billion in 2002.

The paper concludes by discussing the current and future opportunities for brand manufacturers and exporters, and the close relationship between Cuban retailing and tourism.

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the management challenges faced by international hotel operators when applying universally accepted management principles to the Cuban hospitality market.

The authors use both secondary and primary research sources based on fieldwork carried out in Cuba during the first semester of 2003 and a later visit during the months of December 2003 and January 2004. Eight in‐depth interviews were conducted with senior executives of Cuban, Spanish and French hotel corporations.

The paper presents a scenario where the state's role in the protection of the socialist revolutionary principles, combined with the need to adopt some market‐based management practices, constitutes a singular case in the world of hotel management. In the current Cuban institutional context, the implementation of some western best management practices can produce significant results, while others produce negative outcomes, and therefore, should be held back until the institutional context is changed.

The paper has implications for managers in suggesting that from a hotel perspective, the application of universally accepted best management practices must be carried out practice by practice and country by country.

This paper contributes to increased knowledge about the dilemmas of managing hotels in a still highly centralised socialist country but with an increasingly market‐based economy.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical model that integrates the different groups of factors which influence the decision‐making process of international students, analysing different dimensions of this process and explaining those factors which determine students' choice.

A hypothetical model is presented which shows the purchase intention as an independent variable dependent on five factors: personal reasons; the effect of country image, influenced by city image; institution image; and the evaluation of the programme of study. The consideration, whether conscious or unconscious on the part of the prospective student, of the different elements making up the factors included in this study will determine the final choice made by that student.

The limitations of this study stem from the nature of the study itself. As a theoretical model, it aims to integrate the factors identified in the existing literature. Thus, future research must try to examine the existing relationships among the aforementioned factors. In particular, it must analyse the weight of each factor on the purchase intention, and the relative importance of each element for the factor it belongs to. Therefore, determining the relative importance of each element and factor would constitute an important source of information for future work in international marketing.

There are few studies which try to tackle the decision‐making process of the prospective international student from an integrated point of view. This paper contributes to bridging that gap.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework integrating the types and levels of the determinants of brand country of origin (CO) recognition and to provide evidence on internet users’ brand CO recognition rates, using a sample of multi‐regional and global brands from a variety of product categories and countries.

The authors integrate “level‐1” consumer and brand characteristics and “level‐2” product category and country effects in a single framework. Data obtained through an original on‐line survey hosted by Yahoo provide the basis for the empirical analysis. Seven hypotheses are tested using a two‐level cross‐classified random‐effect model (HCM2).

It is found that: education is positively related with brand CO recognition; experience with brands is positively related with brand CO recognition; integration between the consumer and the country of a foreign brand is positively related with brand CO recognition; internet users’ classification performance is significantly better for domestic than for foreign brands; brand‐name congruence with true brand origin is positively related with brand CO recognition; brand equity explains brand CO recognition; and product categories with higher consumer involvement enhance brand CO recognition. Brand CO recognition performance by internet users is in line with classification performance rates reported in other studies dealing with well‐known and global brands.

Managers would benefit from considering product category and country aspects of their most valuable brands. Policy makers should encourage firms to promote a clear association between brands and countries (when these countries have a positive image) and discriminate between high and low involvement product categories.

The paper contributes to the brand CO awareness literature by integrating consumer and brand characteristics in a theoretical model, and identifying level‐2 product category features and CO effects previously disregarded in brand CO recognition frameworks. In addition, the study positively contrasts with previous research by providing empirical evidence on brand CO recognition from the largest set of global brands (109), countries of origin (19) and product categories (15) ever investigated.

This paper has two overall goals. The first is to serve as a broad overview of the literature on the subject theme, with three main objectives in mind: to highlight the complexities of international market selection or segmentation as a field of study and as a strategic decision by international firms; to explore the various ways and perspectives from which this area has been studied; and to suggest areas for future research by drawing on the preceding discussion. The second goal of the paper is to act as an introduction to the IMR special issue on the title theme, by outlining the special issue's objectives and the contributions to it.

Drawing on the relevant literatures, the paper begins by outlining the factors that make the field complex in both theoretical and applied terms, moves to consider the research streams that comprise its main components, and concludes by drawing conclusions and implications for future research.

A large part of the complexity characterizing this field arises from the fact that it is closely intertwined with the broader area of internationalization and a number of other decisions related to it, such as the “go/no‐go” decision and the firm's choice of mode of entry. From the research perspective, theory development has been impeded by a high degree of fragmentation, which has resulted in various different streams studying the same general issues from widely different perspectives.

The paper identifies a large number of directions for potential future research, not the least of which is the need for integrative research that addresses the fragmentation identified in the study.

Although this is primarily a theoretical paper directed at researchers, practitioners can gain useful insights from it by examining the various factors that have a bearing on their internationalization decisions.

The objectives of the main part of the paper will have been met if it succeeds in stimulating interest in further research and discussion on the core issues. The second part summarizes the contributions to the special issue and draws attention to the main message that each aims to convey.

This paper aims to to provide a better understanding of the effect that the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices might have on brand love. It also analyzes the importance of making supporters be aware and involved in such initiatives.

This study focuses on the Real Madrid Foundation, which is the most followed charitable sport institution worldwide. Data have been collected through a survey that was available online from January through April 2016. Participation has been solicited among the supporters of Real Madrid on fan sites. This produced a total of 402 completed questionnaires. In addition, the Managing Director of the Real Madrid Foundation has been interviewed.

The CSR activities carried out by the team positively influence fan commitment toward the club. Keeping the supporters updated about such initiatives through social networks also helps to increase the bonds between the club and its followers. Moreover, the fans’ use of the club’s website and their involvement in the club’s CSR activities may have a positive impact on the love the supporters profess toward the team’s brand. This claim, however, must be treated with some caution because it has not been proved to be statistically significant.

This study suggests that developing a website is not enough to get brand love from supporters. Experiential marketing does not seem to have statistical impact on brand love either. Conversely, the CSR actions and the use of social networks to keep followers updated about the social initiatives carried out by the team do provide new opportunities to achieve an emotional attachment toward the club and therefore, positively affect brand love.