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The purpose of this paper is to examine how received word-of-mouth (WOM) influences consumer emotions and, in turn, behavioral attitude and intention.

A conceptual model is developed by extending the theory of reasoned action framework to include WOM and emotions. The conceptual model is operationalized through a structural equation model, and the model is estimated and tested by using the partial least squares method. A survey among 509 consumers in Denmark forms the empirical basis for the study.

The paper finds that positive and negative WOM has an asymmetric influence on emotions, behavioral attitude and intention, i.e. that consumers respond differently to positive and negative WOM. The paper also finds that positive WOM has a larger impact than the social norm on behavioral attitude and intention and that negative WOM has an impact equal to that of the social norm. Furthermore, the study finds that emotions are an important mediator for both WOM and social norm.

The paper is limited to a large travel agency in Denmark.

This paper has clear implications in terms of measuring the importance of WOM and emotions in consumer decision-making. It may serve as a useful basis for a practical WOM marketing strategy, which is a critical and increasingly applied element of customer-focused companies’ marketing strategies.

This paper provides new insights into how WOM works and the interplay between WOM, emotions and social norm in consumer decision-making.

A strong brand is among the most valuable intangible assets for any company. This paper aims to provide empirical evidence of a brand equity model and illustrates the application of the model on a Danish bank.

The conceptual model is founded on a customer‐based approach to brand equity. The model links customer‐brand relationships to rational and emotional brand responses, which are in turn linked to six drivers including product quality and service quality. The conceptual model is operationalized by a structural equation model with latent variables and a measurement system. To validate, the model surveys were conducted for four brands in three industries, and the paper presents results from 351 interviews with customers of the largest Danish retail bank. The model is estimated and tested by using partial least squares.

A high level of explanatory power is obtained, and the results indicate strong support for the proposed model. The estimated model gives performance indexes for each variable in the model and impact scores for the relationships between the variables. The findings are discussed and a brand equity map is developed.

The study in this paper is limited to one brand in the banking sector. However, the model and the measurement system are generic and should be applicable to all types of brands and industries.

The paper provides a model to understand brand equity building. The proposed brand equity map depicting impact versus performance of brand equity drivers may support the brand strategy development process.

The paper provides a brand equity model, which is based on state‐of‐the‐art thinking within branding and includes both rational and emotional brand responses. The model has been applied in practice with good results, and the proposed brand equity map is useful in assessing and developing a brand's strength.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how different management practices drive key financial performance and business success in Danish companies.

Both qualitative and quantitative research is conducted to study the relationships between eight general management practices and key performance results. A survey among large companies in Denmark and the companies' key performance results form the empirical basis for the study. Two central key performance results are “increase in turnover” and “return on invested capital”. It can be argued that sustained increase in turnover and high return on invested capital at the same time indicate business success and return to shareholders in the long run.

The findings demonstrate that the eight management practices are linked to key performance results. The high‐performing companies are differentiated significantly from the low‐performing companies with regard to how well they perform on these management practices. All eight management practices are essential in achieving business success.

The study is limited to eight identified management practices in large Danish companies.

The study has clear implications in terms of identifying and measuring the importance of essential management practices, which influence key performance results, and thereby separate facts from fads.

The study identifies and measures eight essential management practices and links these to actual key performance results.

The most successful companies today are said to have strong brands. But what is a strong brand? What makes a brand strong? How do we build a strong brand? This paper develops a customer‐based brand equity model to help address these important questions. The developed model is a cause‐and‐effect model linking customer‐brand relationships to rational and emotional brand associations, as well as rational and emotional brand evaluations. The customer‐brand relationships are characterized by loyalty, based on both behaviour and attitude. As branding is a very complex concept, it is important to determine which of the many branding elements should be included in the model. This paper discusses why a given aspect is important for a brand’s equity and which relations exist between the included variables from a theoretical perspective. The model provides insight into the creation of a brand’s equity and can thus be used in the brand management process to achieve brand excellence.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on measuring competencies of higher education graduates and employers' needs, and using these measurements in the quality development of higher education study programmes.

Results of a survey among Danish employers and their perception of the competencies of MSc graduates from Copenhagen Business School (CBS) are presented and discussed. In addition to assessing the competencies, the respondents were also asked to assess the importance of the individual competencies.

The estimated importance score and performance score for each competency can be combined in a competency map, and it is shown how the four cells in the map can be interpreted in useful ways, when essential areas for quality improvement of the study programme are to be identified.

This study is limited to the Danish employers' perceptions of MSc graduates from CBS.

The presented linking of competencies to employers' needs have clear managerial implications in the strategic development of higher education study programmes.

The study identifies and measures 16 essential graduate competencies and links these to employers' needs in a competency map.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how essential dimensions of customer experience management (CEM) drive business performance in Danish companies.

An empirical study is conducted to investigate the relationships between seven CEM dimensions, differentiation, market performance and financial performance. The conceptual model is operationalized by a structural equation model, and the model is estimated and tested by using the partial least squares method. A survey among 484 companies in Denmark forms the empirical basis for the study.

The findings provide evidence that the seven CEM dimensions influence differentiation, market performance and financial performance. High-performing companies differ significantly from low-performing companies with regard to how they master the CEM, meaning that those companies which incorporate superior customer experience into their products and service enjoy measurable financial success.

This study is limited to the seven identified CEM dimensions in Danish companies.

This study has clear implications in terms of identifying and measuring the importance of essential CEM dimensions which influence business performance. The results can help companies to understand CEM and develop CEM strategies.

The paper provides a deeper insight into CEM and how CEM works.

The purpose of this paper is to examine two approaches to measure and diagnose innovation excellence.

The paper is a conceptual model for innovation excellence and a measurement system is developed. A Danish survey forms the empirical basis for the study, where a simple approach (by using stated importance of different innovation activities) and an advanced approach (by using derived importance based on structural equation modelling and PLS estimation) are demonstrated, discussed and compared.

The findings in this paper indicate good support for the developed model. When comparing the two approaches for identifying and prioritising improvements, both equalities and differences are found and discussed.

This study in this paper is limited to one Danish manufacturing company, which is considered to be one of the most innovative and excellent companies in Denmark. However, it is desirable to apply the model in other companies and industries.

This paper offers a model to understand and measure innovation results and its enablers, and the application of the model will give companies a better chance of attaining innovative excellence.

The paper provides a novel model for innovation excellence, which is based on a solid theoretical foundation, has been proven in practice, and can be an effective framework for identifying and prioritising improvements within innovation.