Marco Vriens, Song Chen and Judith Schomaker
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new brand association density metric and evaluate its performance in terms of correlations with recall, consideration, brand equity and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new brand association density metric and evaluate its performance in terms of correlations with recall, consideration, brand equity and market share and to compare different data collection methodologies to identify brand associations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors present results from two studies covering three product categories. The authors use an open free association question and associations to a set of pre-defined brand attributes. The responses to the open free format question are text-mined prior to further analysis.
Findings
The authors find that the brand association density metric performs better than a metric that only uses the number of distinct associations. The authors also find that these metrics work best when derived from open free association data.
Practical implications
First, in addition to focusing on trying to build specific brand associations in consumers’ minds, it may be equally important, if not more important, to manage the number and inter-connectedness of the brand’s associations. Second, firms should complement their existing survey approaches with open-ended free association questions.
Originality/value
The brand association density concept presented is believed to be new. The empirical comparison between the use of free association to pre-defined attributes is also new.
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Marco Vriens and Alessandro Martins Alves
This paper aims to investigate modeling implicit attitudes as potential drivers of overall brand attitudes and stated behavior and investigate how the results are expected to be…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate modeling implicit attitudes as potential drivers of overall brand attitudes and stated behavior and investigate how the results are expected to be different from brand driver models that are based on explicit attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected via online surveys in five countries across 15 categories with sample sizes for each category/country combination in the range of about N = 1,000.
Findings
Implicit attitudes result in a higher number of significant effects than their explicit counterparts when used to explain behavioral intentions, brand closeness and brand usage in a multivariate situation with potential 12 brand attitude drivers. The authors also find fewer counter-intuitive effects in the implicit models. The results are consistent across 5 countries and across 15 categories (including CPG products, services and durable goods). They also show that implicit attitudes are less susceptible to response style effects (e.g. social desirability bias).
Research limitations/implications
The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation. Further research should look into the impact of using implicit data on finding different brand segmentation and brand mapping results.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for brand building and shopper activation.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the fast-growing field of implicit attitudes. The paper confirms and generalizes previous findings. This is the first paper to the authors’ knowledge that has investigated the impact of implicit attitudes on overall brand attitudes and stated behavior in a multivariate context.
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Marco Vriens, Hiek R. van der Scheer, Janny C. Hoekstra and Jan Roelf Bult
Given the growing number of firms that use direct mail, it is important to develop methods to improve response rates. Better selection methods are useful for this improvement;…
Abstract
Given the growing number of firms that use direct mail, it is important to develop methods to improve response rates. Better selection methods are useful for this improvement; determining the important characteristics of the mailing and constructing an optimal design is another way to improve the response. In this paper we focus on the latter. A framework is presented to obtain the optimal direct mail design. We propose and compare two ways of data collection, one in an experimental setting and one in a field‐experimental setting. Both approaches are illustrated with an empirical application for a charity institution, referring to the development of an optimal design of an envelope and a letter.
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Harmen Oppewal and Marco Vriens
Proposes the use of integrated conjoint experiments to measure perceived service quality. It also demonstrates the process of modelling the hierarchical relations between…
Abstract
Proposes the use of integrated conjoint experiments to measure perceived service quality. It also demonstrates the process of modelling the hierarchical relations between operationally defined service attributes, strategically relevant service dimensions, and overall preference for banks or banking products. The proposed method, which is based on hierarchical information integration theory, avoids some of the limitations and problems of SERVQUAL and traditional conjoint analysis. The approach is demonstrated with an application to retail banks involving four service dimensions and 28 attributes. Conclusions are drawn about which dimensions and attribute changes will yield the strongest improvements in a bank’s utility and competitive position. The paper ends with a discussion of topics for further research.
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A new integrated method based on the means‐end chain (MEC) analysis and factor analysis is proposed for developing intangible product‐mix strategies for convenience store (CVS…
Abstract
A new integrated method based on the means‐end chain (MEC) analysis and factor analysis is proposed for developing intangible product‐mix strategies for convenience store (CVS) chains. With variables obtained from a survey on CVS service items, both analyses were used to derive the hierarchical value factor map (HVFM). The new map can handle and develop strategies for product differentiation, advertising and market segmentation. The purpose of this article is two‐fold: to propose improvements for the traditional MEC method of constructing the service hierarchical value map (HVM) and to formulate effective intangible‐product strategies.
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Tânia Modesto Veludo‐de‐Oliveira, Ana Akemi Ikeda and Marcos Cortez Campomar
The paper seeks to present discussion on laddering application in the practice of marketing, considering both academic and market researches.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to present discussion on laddering application in the practice of marketing, considering both academic and market researches.
Design/methodology/approach
It provides summary points of laddering as a qualitative research technique and the importance it can have in better understanding behaviour.
Findings
The paper argues that laddering is a useful and powerful technique but still underused by scholars and practitioners. The authors consider that the main apparent barriers precluding its proper use can be related to the following aspects: time‐consuming and expensive interviews; artificial set of answers; researcher biases; and simplistic analysis of the results.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to a better practice of laddering since it highlights its limitations and suggests alternatives to cope with them.
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Ray Fisk, Stephen Grove, Lloyd C. Harris, Dominique A. Keeffe, Kate L. Daunt, Rebekah Russell‐Bennett and Jochen Wirtz
The purpose of this paper is to highlight important issues in the study of dysfunctional customer behavior and to provide a research agenda to inspire, guide, and enthuse. Through…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight important issues in the study of dysfunctional customer behavior and to provide a research agenda to inspire, guide, and enthuse. Through a critical evaluation of existing research, the aim is to highlight key issues and to present potentially worthy avenues for future study.
Design/methodology/approach
In reviewing recent and past advances in the study of customers behaving badly, an overview of existing research into customers behaving badly and addressing issues of terminology and definition is provided. Thereafter, three perspectives that provide the most opportunity and insight in studying the darker side of service dynamics are outlined. This leads to a review of some of the research design and methodological problems and issues that are faced when rigorously studying these issues. Subsequently, the paper devotes a section to the provocative idea that while dysfunctional customer behavior has many negative influences on customers, employees, and service firms, there are actually some positive functions of customers behaving badly.
Findings
A research agenda is provided that is believed to identify and discuss a range of projects that comprises not only insightful theoretical contributions but is also practically relevant.
Originality/value
The paper identifies a range of issues about which managers should be aware and proactively manage.
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Angelo Cavallo, Silvia Sanasi, Antonio Ghezzi and Andrea Rangone
This paper aims to examine how competitive intelligence (CI) relates to the strategy formulation process of firms.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how competitive intelligence (CI) relates to the strategy formulation process of firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Due to the novelty of the phenomenon and to the depth of the investigation required to grasp the mechanisms and logics of CI, a multiple case study has been performed related to four companies located in Brazil that adopted CI practices within dedicated business units to inform and support strategic decision-making.
Findings
The authors provide detailed empirical evidence on the connection and use of CI practices throughout each stage of the strategy formulation process. Moreover, the study suggests that CI practices, despite their strategic relevance and diffusion, are still extensively adopted for tactical use.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on how CI practices may inform, support, and be integrated in the strategy formulation process, as few studies have done before.
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Happiness at work (HAW) is receiving much attention in the literature, as HAW seems to have a positive effect on organisational performance, such as in increase of productivity…
Abstract
Purpose
Happiness at work (HAW) is receiving much attention in the literature, as HAW seems to have a positive effect on organisational performance, such as in increase of productivity, lower turnover of employees and less customer complaints. There is however no research into the relation between HAW and the attractiveness of an organisation. It stands to reason that people who are happier at work are also happier about their organisation and express this to their family and friends. Having an attractive organisation is becoming increasingly important as the world is currently experiencing an economic boom creating shortages of qualified personnel. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
A possible way of creating an attractive organisation is by transforming the workplace into a high-performing organisation (HPO). The study described in this paper is looking in this respect at three hypotheses: H1. Higher HAW will increase the attractiveness of the organisation; H2. Becoming an HPO will increase HAW; and H3. Becoming an HPO will increase the attractiveness of the organisation. A large-scale survey of Dutch managers and employees was undertaken in which the respondents were asked their opinion of the high-performance level and attractiveness of their organisation, and their happiness with their job and organisation.
Findings
The study results show that the three hypotheses are basically confirmed. Increasing the happiness of work of employees, in general, raises the feeling of how attractive the organisation is to the employees themselves and to the external world. However, this positive feeling is mainly true for the work itself but not so much for how committed employees feel to the organisation.
Practical implications
Organisations now have knowledge at their disposal about ways to promote happiness in their employees, thus raising their attractiveness to current and future employees.
Originality/value
The study results indicate that senior management has to make more effort to raise the quality level of the organisation, preferably towards the high performance level, in order for employees to start feeling more committed to their organisation. This is because the study results show that transforming an organisation into a high-performance entity increases happiness of employees at work significantly, especially about their work and in a lesser degree with the commitment they feel towards the organisation itself. This result has not been found before, so this research provides managers for the first time with a validated way to help their staff to become happier and more productive.