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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of country-of-origin (COO) fit and consumer product knowledge on consumer brand attitudes in a cross-border strategic brand alliance (SBA).

An experimental study with 207 subjects was conducted using a series of 2 (COO fit: low vs high COO fit) by 3 (product knowledge: low vs moderate vs high knowledge) by 2 (time: pre- vs post-alliance attitudes) mixed factorial design.

The impact of COO fit on pre- and post-alliance changes in attitude toward the partner brand showed a nonlinear relationship from high-, to moderate-, to low-knowledge consumers. High COO fit significantly and positively affected pre- and post-alliance changes in attitude toward the partner brand more for high- and low-knowledge consumers than for moderate-knowledge consumers. In contrast, low COO fit significantly and positively affected pre- and post-alliance changes in attitude toward the partner brand more for moderate-knowledge consumers than for high- and low-knowledge consumers.

The effectiveness of cross-border SBAs differs with consumer product knowledge. For high- and low-knowledge consumers, high COO fit information had greater impact than low COO fit information in their product evaluation. However, when targeting moderate-knowledge consumers, providing sufficient product-related attribute information would help them to generate a favorable brand attitude.

This study attempted to identify the complex relationship between COO fit and consumer product knowledge on the consumer decision-making process.

Employing the conceptual framework of play themes, this study examined and reported the product categories that presented branded entertainment the most, the different types and features of branded entertainment, and how various play themes were incorporated in branded entertainment in the context of Facebook brand profile pages. The major findings were consistent with the conceptual framework and literature on branded entertainment. Some unexpected findings were also provided and discussed. The line between entertainment and marketing communication has become increasingly blended or even erased during recent years, particularly in the Internet context. Researchers and practitioners are highly interested in the marketing potential of branded entertainment since it may boost brand awareness and build strong consumer‐brand relationships. Little academic research to date has been conducted to systematically study branded entertainment on the Internet. This study is a nascent attempt to understand branded entertainment in user‐centered social networking websites (SNWs), since young users are shifting away from other online media to SNWs. Branded entertainment may help marketers gather segmented yet fun‐seeking SNW users and deliver nonintrusive marketing messages to them.

This study explores country of origin phenomena by assessing the impact of hybrid vs. non-hybrid products on target consumers' product evaluation. In addition, since advertising is a major form of marketing communication that is used to present consumers with information and image of products and build preferences, the impact of indirect country of origin cues through foreign language slogan is also investigated.Results from the study indicate a significant difference between French hybrid and non-hybrid products. This distinction between hybrid and nonhybrid products may be relevant only when the relative roles of design and manufacture are considered simultaneously. The impact of foreign words in ads on product evaluation is observed to be similar to that of the direct country of origin cues.

Market mavenism and opinion leadership are two important consumer influential concepts in marketing communication literature. The purpose of this paper is to explore two overarching research questions. First, can we separate market mavenism from opinion leadership in China? The answer to this question would solve an important issue of targeting in marketing communication. Second, if market mavenism is indeed distinctive from opinion leadership, are market mavenism and opinion leadership determined by same or different factors in China? The answer of this question would help determine how to reach each type of consumer influential and add knowledge to market segmentation.

An online survey was conducted to test the hypotheses. In total, 316 Chinese respondents completed this survey.

The results were illuminating: market mavenism and opinion leadership were indeed distinctive yet related concepts in China. Monochronicity, altruism, price-value consciousness, and income significantly influenced market mavenism after controlling for all other variables while monochronicity, price-value consciousness, and age significantly predicted opinion leadership after controlling for all other variables.

This study provides a richer picture of market mavenism and opinion leadership in the Chinese market.

This study helps scholars and professionals efficiently and effectively reach each type of consumer influential.

The purpose of this paper is to examine female creatives' perceptions as to why there are so few women working as creatives (art directors, copywriters, and creative directors) in advertising.

Interviews with 21 female creatives provided insights into reasons for underrepresentation. Inductive coding was used to allow themes and categories to emerge from the data. A social constructionist interpretation was used.

Since both gender and creativity are socially constructed, doing gender in the masculine creative department impeded progress and job satisfaction for women. Because women were held accountable both to the norms of the masculine field and to the norms of femininity, their performance suffered as they tried to succeed in an inequitable system.

This paper examines how being a woman operating within a masculine paradigm might be especially difficult in creative fields. Because creativity is constructed based on mostly male gatekeepers using masculinity as a model, women are devalued and unable to influence the field of gatekeepers.

Complaint management is at the heart of customer relationship management. While many studies have analyzed a client’s complaint behavior in business-to-business (B2B) relationships, there is a lack of research in the study of complaints by distributors from different countries. The purpose of this paper is to explain the following two main objectives: to analyze if the complaint management strategy of a manufacturer varies depending on the type of international distributor used (indirect exporters, direct exporters and commercial subsidiaries); and to analyze the potential effects of complaint management on the satisfaction and fidelity of distributors and the quantity of complaints that they put.

A stratified probabilistic sampling method was used, dividing the entire population of distributors of a leading Spanish manufacturer into three different groups. In total, 79 valid responses were obtained as follows: 24 per cent from indirect exporters (organizational commitment Grade 1), 68 per cent from direct exporters (organizational commitment Grade 2) and 8 per cent from commercial subsidiaries (organizational commitment Grade 3). Partial least squares were used to analyze the proposed relationships.

The results have confirmed that the procedure for resolving the complaint and its length (resolution time) depends on the seriousness of the complaint (the type of complaint). In turn, the resolution of the complaint influences the satisfaction of the vendor and the latter will influence its fidelity. Regarding the number of complaints, those distributors with the highest number of complaints satisfactorily resolved are those who remain loyal to the company. On the contrary, it is not possible to affirm that the type of distribution channel affects the types of complaints that are presented. Different kinds of distributors of the same manufacturer (indirect exporters, direct exporters and commercial subsidiaries) complain equally. In addition, those whose complaints take longer to resolve are not significantly less satisfied. Even more, low-satisfied distributors will present more complaints than the most satisfied ones.

First, this study investigates if different kinds of distributors with different international commitments (indirect exporting, direct exporting and commercial subsidiary) behave differently in terms of claims and complaints. Second, this paper analyzes the role of complaint management in international B2B relations to improve distributors' satisfaction and loyalty; but considering the join impact of three dimensions of a successful complaint management strategy that literature usually has examined separately as follows: what (the type of complaint), how it is resolved (management procedure) and when it is closed (duration).

This paper studies how Chinese consumers respond to foreign goods in the post‐WTO era. Specifically, it examines brand sensitivity as a mediator and product cues as moderator of purchase intention. Additionally, it examines consumer preferences for different products and consumption plans for the subsequent five years. The survey sample is drawn from a population of foreign product users from 34 cities in 18 provinces in China. Results provide evidence that brand sensitivity mediates the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and purchase intention; product cues moderate the effect of ethnocentrism on purchase intention. As the first study to link consumer ethnocentrism directly to brand sensitivity and purchase intention, this research provides some managerial implications. Global marketers can offset the negative effect of ethnocentrism by emphasizing brand image of its products, taking advantage of specific product cues, or by providing more comprehensive after‐sale service to reduce the perceived risk of purchasing imports. Also, price is still a hurdle that prevents Chinese consumers from mass consumption of foreign products. Global firms should not overestimate the purchasing power of Chinese consumers. This study represents a “snapshot” of Chinese consumers’ decision making at a time when their economic system is undergoing rapid change.

Looks at consumer research in Greater China including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Maps out the contributions within this area and guides future research. Examines the state of the art over the 1979‐97 period, with particular emphasis on the topics that have been researched, the extent of the theory development in the field and the methodologies used in conducting research. Uses content analysis to review 75 relevant articles. Suggests that, while a considerable breadth of topics have been researched, there remains much to be done, there is further room for theoretical development in Chinese consumer behaviour studies; and the methodologies used need improvement and further refinement.