This paper aims to investigate how small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) use particular brand communication activities to develop their brands.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) use particular brand communication activities to develop their brands.
Design/methodology/approach
As a means to build some understanding about this phenomenon, a “contemporary marketing practices” perspective was used as a theoretical framework to 30 holistic case studies in Mexico. Semi‐structured interviews were carried out with brand owner/managers.
Findings
Findings suggest four categories of brand communication activities based on interactional, transactional, and e‐marketing approaches, including “close and personal”, “mass‐personalisation”, “mass”, and “e‐communication” activities.
Research limitations/implications
Many more activities were found in interactional marketing as it appeared to be more suited to SMEs and context. Future research may address key activities for further investigation such as word‐of‐mouth as a key role in SME brand communication.
Practical implications
This study confirms the key participatory role of the brand owner with regard to brand communication activities.
Originality/value
This is one of the first articles that attempts to explain how SME brands use marketing communication tools to interact with their stakeholders for brand development.
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Guilherme Trez and Fernando Bins Luce
This paper aims to develop and test a conceptual model of organizational structure design that incorporates some factors influencing strategy implementation. The research also…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop and test a conceptual model of organizational structure design that incorporates some factors influencing strategy implementation. The research also aims to consider inter‐functionality in new product development (NPD) processes and marketing decisions, measured from the dispersion of these activities among functional areas.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted across 424 small and medium‐sized furniture manufacturing companies. In total, eight hypotheses were proposed and tested using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Most important among the study's findings was that inter‐firm relationships and inter‐functional processes are relevant for the study of organizational structure design. It was found that the dispersion of the new product development process and of marketing decisions exert a positive influence on architectural marketing capabilities. The results showed that the dispersion of NPD processes and marketing decisions influence the development of marketing capabilities only in those companies with inter‐firm relationships. The paper also found that inter‐firm design did not affect the impact of the relationship between the dispersion of marketing decisions and NPD process on specialized capabilities.
Research limitations/implications
The study focuses research on Brazilian small to medium‐sized furniture enterprises and could have single‐source bias in its data collection process.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights into ways of integrating structures. It is observed that a higher integration of areas in marketing decisions is related to the dispersion of the NPD process. Given that dispersion in NPD is a disseminated practice, it is found that higher dispersion in marketing activities has an impact on product development.
Originality/value
The paper's findings confirm the influence of organizational design on the development of planning capabilities and on the implementation of marketing strategies.
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Khalil Al‐Hyari, Ghazi Al‐Weshah and Muhammed Alnsour
This study aims to identify some of the major barriers that may hinder potential small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) exporters and non‐exporters from exporting their operations…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify some of the major barriers that may hinder potential small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) exporters and non‐exporters from exporting their operations in the international market.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the aim of this study, a questionnaire based survey method was conducted among 250 Jordanian manufacturing SMEs using random sampling with usable response rate of 54 per cent. Data were analysed using relevant statistical methods ranging from factor analysis to regression analysis.
Findings
The results show that economic/political‐legal and governmental barriers, financial and information barriers have a significant negative relationship with the export performance of SMEs in Jordan. Also, the results show that exporters and non‐exporters significantly agree in their views of the various barriers.
Research limitations/implications
The study was carried out on SMEs operating in Jordan. Hence, caution should be taken when generalisation across cultures is considered. However, the findings of the study provide public and company policy makers with valuable guidelines for the formulation of suitable export marketing strategies and national export assistance programs.
Originality/value
This is ascribed to the relatively small local market size and to the country's gradual shift from heavy reliance on import substitution strategies in the last two decades to contemporary export orientation. Also, there is now a need for an urgent action plan to correct the deficit in the trade balance in the Jordanian economy. This action plan needs to include what causes Jordanian SMEs to export or prevents them from doing so. Once the relative importance of these barriers is detected, their validity in predicting the probability of a SME firm being an exporter can be tested.
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Carmen Pérez‐Cabañero, Tomás González‐Cruz and Sonia Cruz‐Ros
This paper seeks to extend knowledge on the impact of different marketing capabilities on various measures of organisational performance in the context of family‐run small to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to extend knowledge on the impact of different marketing capabilities on various measures of organisational performance in the context of family‐run small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
Aspects regarding marketing capabilities in family‐owned SMEs and their impact on superior performance are identified and briefly discussed according to the existing literature. Then, quantitative research is presented followed by a discussion of the findings. The paper ends with the conclusion, managerial implications, limitations and lines for future research.
Findings
The results of the study show the relevance of marketing capabilities for product differentiation to gain stakeholders' satisfaction. Other marketing capabilities related to marketing planning and pricing have a positive impact on financial performance.
Originality/value
Different marketing capabilities have a different impact on various measures of performance. The nature of the marketing capabilities under consideration determines whether their main impact is on financial performance rather than on stakeholders' satisfaction.
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The purpose of the paper is twofold: first, to examine how managers and employees in start‐ups understand and define a corporate brand; and second, to reveal how corporate brand…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is twofold: first, to examine how managers and employees in start‐ups understand and define a corporate brand; and second, to reveal how corporate brand co‐creation with different stakeholders is executed in companies in their start‐up phase.
Design/methodology/approach
The data are gathered via a multiple case study from the managers and employees of three start‐ups that operate in the software business.
Findings
Corporate brand has both internal and external aspects. Corporate brand co‐creation is a process that begins with the stakeholders inventing the corporate name before the company is established, and continues at the start‐up phase by developing the new corporate name, updating the logo and communications material, and developing the product and business. The events and stakeholders in each of the above mentioned sub‐processes are also revealed.
Research limitations/implications
The small number of interviews from a specific context limits the statistical generalisability of the results. Only a corporate viewpoint is taken, which may not offer a profound understanding of the process.
Practical implications
Managers need to recognise the stakeholders that could help the company, and how they could possibly help, both before and after establishing the company. The stakeholders may offer ideas and viewpoints that the entrepreneur could not invent alone, and which could, as their best, improve the whole business.
Originality/value
To the best knowledge of the author this is one of the rare studies that examines corporate branding in start‐ups and perhaps the first study to examine them from a corporate brand co‐creation viewpoint.
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Francisco‐Jose Molina‐Castillo, Ana‐Isabel Rodriguez‐Escudero and Jose‐Luis Munuera‐Aleman
The purpose of this article is to present a model that compares the switching costs that consumers face when they buy pioneering and follower products.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to present a model that compares the switching costs that consumers face when they buy pioneering and follower products.
Design/methodology/approach
A study of 255 new products indicates that switching costs are actually higher when switching from an existing product to a pioneering product.
Findings
The study shows that people who buy a pioneering product may also face switching costs, if the pioneering product is launched in an existing category where consumers are already familiar with similar products.
Research limitations/implications
The results help to reinforce the view that first movers have advantages and demonstrate that switching costs do not lead to a higher level of consumer retention.
Practical implications
This study provides interesting managerial implications on how to launch new products more effectively when they suffer from switching costs..
Originality/value
Researchers commonly view switching costs as a barrier to market entry that protects enterprises that launch pioneering products and gives them a competitive advantage over those that launch follower products. The underlying idea is that people only experience switching costs when they change to a different follower product, rather than when they purchase a pioneering product instead of the product that they usually purchase.
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Elena Fraj‐Andrés, M. Eugenia López‐Pérez, Iguácel Melero‐Polo and Rosario Vázquez‐Carrasco
This paper is focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Its main interest consists of establishing a framework…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Its main interest consists of establishing a framework for clarifying the drivers of CSR activities in such a context. This paper also aims to analyse how CSR influences SMEs' image and positioning.
Design/methodology/approach
The general conceptual framework proposed by the literature is complemented with empirical research based on a longitudinal multi‐case study (inter and intra‐industry).
Findings
The research proposes that the owner/managers' values, market pressures and laws are key drivers for CSR in the SMEs context. Managers expect positive outcomes when CSR is implemented. However, the data suggest that while proactive and consistent SMEs may build up a good image and strong positioning, reactive and opportunistic firms may be penalised by stakeholders (e.g. customers).
Practical implications
CSR activities, when adequately managed, contribute for a better SME image and market positioning.
Originality/value
The ideas presented in this paper may help in achieving better management of resources in SMEs.
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Victoria Bordonaba‐Juste, Laura Lucia‐Palacios and Yolanda Polo‐Redondo
There are two purposes of this paper: first, to analyze the effect of size and other organizational factors (IT knowledge, IT external support and the level of employees'…
Abstract
Purpose
There are two purposes of this paper: first, to analyze the effect of size and other organizational factors (IT knowledge, IT external support and the level of employees' education) on the use of e‐business; and second, to identify similarities and differences among these factors in micro, small, medium‐sized and large enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model is empirically tested using data from the Sectorial e‐Business W@tch survey. A logit estimation for the whole sample and for each type of firm size has been implemented on the use of e‐business.
Findings
The study finds positive and significant effects of all the organizational factors on the intensity of e‐business use. When analyzing the effect of size, it was found that medium‐sized and large firms are more likely to use e‐business more intensively. Although medium‐sized and large firms are similar, some differences have been found between small and medium‐sized firms. Only small firms use IT outsourcing as a key factor to use e‐business.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on a cross‐sectional data set. Longitudinal research would be needed for comparing results over time. Future studies could focus on the use of each type of e‐business technology, instead of a global measure of e‐business use. Future research could also analyze the differences of e‐business adoption rates among countries.
Practical implications
The paper concludes that small and micro firms are less likely to conduct e‐business than medium‐sized and large firms. An important influence on the use of e‐business is workforce education, implying that training could substitute hiring IT employees. Outsourcing IT activities is a suitable strategy only for small firms.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature on e‐business with new evidence of the importance of size and human capital. Additionally, an analysis for each firm size has been done, which allows comparison of results.
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Patricia Ahmed, Rebecca Jean Emigh and Dylan Riley
A “state-driven” approach suggests that colonists use census categories to rule. However, a “society-driven” approach suggests that this state-driven perspective confers too much…
Abstract
A “state-driven” approach suggests that colonists use census categories to rule. However, a “society-driven” approach suggests that this state-driven perspective confers too much power upon states. A third approach views census-taking and official categorization as a product of state–society interaction that depends upon: (a) the population's lay categories, (b) information intellectuals' ability to take up and transform these lay categories, and (c) the balance of power between social and state actors. We evaluate the above positions by analyzing official records, key texts, travelogues, and statistical memoirs from three key periods in India: Indus Valley civilization through classical Gupta rule (ca. 3300 BCE–700 CE), the “medieval” period (ca. 700–1700 CE), and East India Company (EIC) rule (1757–1857 CE), using historical narrative. We show that information gathering early in the first period was society driven; however, over time, a strong interactive pattern emerged. Scribes (information intellectuals) increased their social status and power (thus, shifting the balance of power) by drawing on caste categories (lay categories) and incorporating them into official information gathering. This intensification of interactive information gathering allowed the Mughals, the EIC, and finally British direct rule officials to collect large quantities of information. Our evidence thus suggests that the intensification of state–society interactions over time laid the groundwork for the success of the direct rule British censuses. It also suggests that any transformative effect of these censuses lay in this interactive pattern, not in the strength of the British colonial state.