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1 – 4 of 4Hanna‐Kaisa Ellonen and Olli Kuivalainen
The aim of this paper is to provide a multifaceted exploration of the motives and success factors of a magazine web site.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to provide a multifaceted exploration of the motives and success factors of a magazine web site.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents an explorative single case study of a Finnish magazine web site. The analysis is based on triangulated data (semi‐structured interviews, observation, statistics, and documents provided by the magazine publisher).
Findings
The case illustrates that a magazine web site supports all the three functions (editorial, circulation, and advertising) that are vital to a magazine's success. Moreover, virtual community activities seem to have enhanced customer loyalty and added a more lifelike dimension to the magazine concept.
Practical implications
Media managers should look at internet presence from a more multifaceted perspective rather than merely focus on the revenue streams. Operating online services should be valued and exploited alongside the development of the print product.
Originality/value
The value of this research lies in the notion that the web site may complement rather than replace the print magazine.
Details
Keywords
Marianne Horppu, Olli Kuivalainen, Anssi Tarkiainen and Hanna‐Kaisa Ellonen
The objective of this paper is to examine online brand relationships, and the linkage between satisfaction, trust, and loyalty on the web site level. The web site is considered to…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this paper is to examine online brand relationships, and the linkage between satisfaction, trust, and loyalty on the web site level. The web site is considered to be an extension of the parent brand. It also seeks to explore the effects of offline experiences on web site‐level experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
Hierarchical regression analysis is applied in order to test the hypotheses. The data are based on an online survey (n=867) conducted on a Finnish consumer‐magazine web site.
Findings
The research findings support the results of earlier studies suggesting that satisfaction and trust on the web site level are determinants of web site loyalty. However, they also show that brand‐level experiences affect online satisfaction, trust, and loyalty differently, depending on the consumers' relationship with the brand. Interestingly, in this case the length of user history and registration on the web site had a negative effect on web site trust. Two of the reasons behind this type of result are believed to be the prevalent culture in web site discussion forums and the degree of fit between the parent brand and the brand extension.
Originality/value
The paper synthesises the literature on online and offline brand relationships and brand extension. The results of the study, which was based on a large‐scale survey, give researchers and practising managers alike valuable information on how parent‐brand experiences relate to the attitudes and commitment of customers to online brand extensions. The context of the study, i.e. the magazine publishing industry, has attracted less research attention, even though several publishers have extended their brands online.
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Paavo Ritala and Hanna‐Kaisa Ellonen
The purpose of this paper is to examine how different strategy theories complement each other with respect to understanding competitive advantage of a single firm that utilizes…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how different strategy theories complement each other with respect to understanding competitive advantage of a single firm that utilizes interfirm cooperation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides an analytical review of three schools of strategy research in order to highlight their contributions, shortcomings, and interrelations with respect to sustainable competitive advantage and to clarify their explanations of competitive advantage in interfirm cooperation. On the basis of this analysis, an integrated perspective that captures industry, organization, and relationship attributes is proposed.
Findings
The paper suggests that old and new paradigms in strategic management (industrial organization economics, resource‐based theories, and the relational view) are applicable alongside each other when analyzing how a single firm gains competitive advantage by utilizing interfirm cooperation. It is argued here that no paradigm can be used to substitute others and thus an integrated perspective is needed. The paper provides a discussion and implications on how each paradigm complements others and illustrate this by sketching a refined strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis framework.
Practical implications
The paper gives a practical implication for managers who utilize traditional SWOT analysis in their decision making. By including relationship potential and limitations to the conceptual toolbox of thinking strategy through SWOT, managers can gain additional insight into internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats analysis.
Originality/value
The study increases understanding on how prevailing perspectives on competitive advantage can be used in analyzing interfirm cooperation.
Details
Keywords
Anssi Tarkiainen, Hanna‐Kaisa Ellonen and Olli Kuivalainen
The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the effects of web site extension on the parent‐magazine brand in the context of experiential goods, and to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the effects of web site extension on the parent‐magazine brand in the context of experiential goods, and to identify factors that are related to success.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper focuses on the relationship between consumers' experiences on magazine web sites and their loyalty towards the print magazine.
Findings
There are different ways in which the web site can complement the print version. The first mechanism is related to engaging in more frequent communication with the magazine's readers, and the second is related to consumer‐initiated interaction between other readers. In both cases something is offered that cannot be obtained from the print magazine, but is assumed to complement it.
Originality/value
The paper increases understanding of brand extensions with regard to experiential goods, but more research is needed on the factors that are related to extension success.