Search results

Purpose – The primary purpose of this study is to illustrate a statistical method to identify product attributes that differentiate branded products from those of competitors. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use classification and regression tree (CART) models in an analysis of observable characteristics of a mature category of relatively complex products, dirt bikes. Findings – The authors show how the CART model can be used as a tool for identifying brand differences and to summarize product categories in terms of these key differences. Research limitations/implications – The work focuses on physical specifications of the products at one point in time. An important area for future extensions will be to incorporate consumer utility into the analysis. Practical implications – The approach will offer value to brand managers and product managers who have a goal of maintaining the alignment of the brand with the underlying observable differentiation of the branded products. The approach can also serve as the basis for a product/brand performance report (similar to consumer reports) by identifying a select set of product characteristics that differ across brands. Originality/value – Products serve as influential sources of information about a brand's identity. To the extent that observable product characteristics do not match brand claims, consumers may question the brand's authenticity. Although for some products it may be a reasonably simple task to identify the set of observable product attributes that have implications for the brand identity, the task can be challenging for many products. The authors employ an analysis technique to reveal product characteristics that are consistent within brand product lines but that differ across brands.

The primary purpose of this study is to illustrate an analytical method to identify tangible and intangible customer values and to translate those values into brand identity differentiators and product specifications.

The authors adapt a product development analysis tool, the Value Opportunity Analysis (VOA), to the design of a brand identity, illustrating the use of the tool in a case study with International Truck and Engine.

The paper illustrates how the VOA was used as a tool for evaluating and crafting both a brand identity, and shows how the brand identity translates into product specifications so that products embody, communicate, and deliver the brand identity.

Although the VOA has been used in diverse markets (business to business, consumer software, physical product), in this article the VOA is illustrated in the context of brand identity for physical products. Future studies should illustrate how the application of the method may vary across domains.

This approach will appeal to executives, brand managers and product managers who have a goal of maintaining a differentiated brand identity and clearly delivering brand values through the products in the brand portfolio.

Products serve as influential sources of information about a brand's identity. The paper treats the brand as a product to be designed, adapting an analytical approach to translate customer value into brand identity and ultimately into the specification of the products, to ensure that all are aligned to answer the marketplace needs in a way that differs from competitors.

Incoming first-year college students (N = 4,292) were surveyed regarding attitudes and beliefs about leadership. Students’ opinions about their leadership ability were high and were related to having an outgoing personality, as well as the number of high school activities in which they had been involved. In addition, students’ understanding of leadership was largely hierarchical and unsophisticated. Gender was strongly related to beliefs about leadership, with males indicating a stronger belief in hierarchical leadership, and females indicating a stronger belief in systemic leadership. The results indicated men and women are most likely to be anchored in Komives et al.’s (2009) Stages 2 and 3 whereas women also show some characteristics of Stage 4. It was argued these results support a modular approach to leadership development in which students acquire credits toward a certificate in leadership and where some components of the training activities involve separating the genders.

Assessing educational outcomes has been an ongoing activity for higher education over the past several years. This concern is important for business educators as well. Regardless of any problems institutions have experienced, there is definitely a need to continue for many reasons: e.g., mandates by state legislatures, accreditation bodies and others, and its potential as an input into strategic planning. Thus far, assessment activities have consisted of a proliferation of methodologies ranging from student portfolio analysis to standardized testing. This paper specifically examines the use of importance‐performance analysis for an evaluation of the business core curriculum, as well as some differences among major areas of study, at two distinct points in time.

We examined the moderating role of age on the politics perceptions—organizational commitment relationship. Confirmatory factor analyses of data collected from 633 office employees of a private sector organization indicated that the scales measuring politics and commitment reflected unique constructs. Perceptions of politics were inversely but weakly related to commitment. However, results of hierarchical moderated multiple regression analysis revealed that perceptions of organizational politics and commitment were essentially unrelated among workers in and above their 40s, but were moderately related among younger workers. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.

Empirically examines important general beliefs consumers have about products and marketing. Shows results from a survey of 458 consumers about the degree of consumer endorsement for 20 key market beliefs. Discusses these results in terms of implications for managers.

The debate on digitalization in the public relations (PR) literature has fragmented considerably over the past decade because of its focus on upcoming media-technological innovations, required professional skills and management concepts. Yet the field has difficulties in developing an integrative perspective on the implications of digitalization as a broader socio-technological transformation with a balanced consideration of prospects and risks.

This paper proposes an integrative perspective that focuses more on the enduring imaginaries of how digitalization can transform society for better or worse. It traces the historical roots of five imaginaries of digitalization, which have already emerged over the past century yet have experienced a significant revival and popularization in the current debate. Based on these five imaginaries, the authors performed a narrative literature review of the digitalization debate in 10 leading PR journals from 2010 to 2022.

The five imaginaries allow for a systematization of the fragmented digitalization debate in the field, reconstructing recurrent narratives, prospects and risks.

The originality of this contribution lies in its reconstructive approach, tracing societal imaginaries of digitalization and their impact on the current disciplinary debate. This approach provides context for a balanced assessment of and engagement with upcoming, increasingly fragmented digital advancements in PR research and practice.