Experience,Service Operations Strategy,and Services as Destinations: Foundations and Exploratory Investigation

This paper explores the customer experience paradigm as it pertains to service operations strategy and design. First, we operationally define and discuss the concept of customer experience. In this context, we propose a reframing of the strategic role of operations strategy as one of choreographing experience‐centric services. We then introduce the concept of services as destinations as an emerging business model for classifying experiential service strategies. Our conceptual typology of experience‐based strategies uses two dimensions: (1) the depth of use of experience as a source of value creation, ranging from brand experience to the services as a destinations business model, and (2) the degree of integration of experience internally within the firm. Using this conceptual typology, we develop five propositions and use multiple cases to illustrate firms' use of these experience strategies. Laying the groundwork for future research, we highlight insights from the qualitative, multiple‐case data as they pertain to service operations strategy and the business model that employs services as destinations. A number of questions for further research are suggested.     

Making sense of sensory brand experience: Constructing an integrative framework for future research

This study asserts that conceptualizing sensory brand experience (SBE) as an independent construct is critical to expanding our understanding of experiences provided by brands. To achieve this goal, a rigorous examination of its foundational knowledge structure underpinning the construct is urgently required. Using co-citation analysis examining 151 SBE-related articles with 4038 citations over more than two decades (1994–2019), six knowledge fields deemed to have constitutive influence on SBE literature have been identified: atmospherics, product evaluation, sensory marketing, service marketing, experiential marketing and brand experience. Combining the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis and a metric multidimensional scaling analysis, the authors located three fundamental premises: (1) brand settings are arbiters of brand meaning; (2) the intrinsic processing of SBE involves the entrainment of exteroceptive and interoceptive processes; and (3) SBE outcomes are non-representational. At the end of the paper, these findings are organized into an integrative framework, highlighting research concerns and research gaps at the antecedent, processing and outcome stages. In doing so, this paper contributes to the conceptual development of SBE by constructing a doctrinal schema for future research undertakings.     

Social Entrepreneurship: An exploratory citation analysis

Research on Social Entrepreneurship became a growing field of interest during the past decades. However, as the heterogeneity of investigated topics is rather large the purpose of this contribution is to provide an overview of the current state of research on Social Entrepreneurship. In doing so previous research is structured to identify major contributions and thereby key discussion lines within this field. Based on a bibliometric citation analysis of 129 core papers and 5,228 cited references, five topic clusters are identified within the field of Social Entrepreneurship: 1) Definitions and conceptual approaches, 2) Impetus, 3) Personality, 4) Impact and performance, and 5) Future research agenda. By reflecting the literature of each discussion line, a framework for the advancement of Social Entrepreneurship research is provided.     

服务品牌内化的概念及概念模型:基于跨案例研究的结论

本研究按Eisenhardt在1989年提出的案例研究步骤展开,对国内一个著名保险公司进行纵深案例研究,发现了服务品牌内化的现象。为进一步探索这一现象并验证在此案例中得到的结论,作者又在信息通讯、银行、酒店和保险业里分别选择一个位居行业前列的代表性企业实施跨案例研究。通过对跨案例研究收集的数据进行内容分析,本研究找出服务品牌内化的内生构成因素,构建了服务品牌内化的概念模型。     

Consumer perceptions of luxury brands: An owner-based perspective

To deepen theoretical and practical understanding of consumers' perceptions of luxury brands, prior marketing literature has investigated the financial, functional, individual, and social dimensions of the luxury value construct. However, it has not considered the owners of luxury brands or detailed the moderated effects of luxury value on related attitudinal outcomes. To address this gap, this study draws on an existing second-order conceptualization of luxury value to introduce and empirically examine an extended conceptualization of the owner-based luxury value (OBLV) construct. The study draws on brand equity theory to offer a conceptual model of the attitudinal outcomes of OBLV in terms of brand loyalty, brand attachment, brand community behavior, and brand engagement. Using unique data from 452 actual owners of three luxury brands (Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Prada), the authors confirm the predicted attitudinal outcomes of OBLV and reveal moderating effects of awareness of counterfeit existence. Their findings provide new insights and implications for luxury brand research and luxury brand managers. The research provides a richer understanding of OBLV and yields important managerial insights into how to influence luxury-seeking consumers' perceptions of, and attitudes to, luxury brands.     

品牌重叠测度理论模型及实证研究

本文在系统梳理现有品牌重叠相关理论的基础上,重新给出了品牌重叠的定义、界定了四种品牌重叠类型。在此基础上以品牌无形特征中的品牌个性构造品牌重叠维度,基于感知品牌定位视角,以中国手机市场为例,对无形感知品牌重叠进行了实证分析。定量分析中本文创新性地引入由最小误判率构造的两两品牌之间的相似矩阵,以此为基础进行MDS分析并用直观的二维图给出了7个手机品牌在品牌个性维度上的相似程度。进一步经过模糊C聚类得到4个手机品牌类别:高功能类、高情感类、中情感低功能类和低情感低功能类。本文最后给出相应的研究结论和未来研究方向。     

Employer Branding: A Brand Equity‐based Literature Review and Research Agenda

Over the past two decades, scholarly interest in employer branding has strongly increased. Simultaneously, however, employer branding research has developed into a fragmented field with heterogeneous interpretations of the employer branding concept and its scope, which has impeded further theoretical and empirical advancement. To strengthen the foundation for future work, this paper takes a brand equity perspective to review the extant literature and create an integrative model of employer branding. Using an analytical approach, the authors identify 187 articles, which they integrate along different employer brand dimensions and branding strategies: (i) conceptual; (ii) employer knowledge dimensions; (iii) employer branding activities and strategies. On the basis of this review, the authors develop an employer branding value chain model and derive future research avenues as well as practical implications.     

品牌的阴阳二重性——品牌形象的市场研究方法

品牌形象研究一直以来都是市场研究中最重要的领域之一。然而,品牌形象如何运作,它与品牌资产的关系是怎样的,它的组成要素以及形成来源是什么,这些问题作为品牌形象研究的前提,首先必须解决。本文旨在解决这些问题,并对品牌形象研究从定性及定量研究角度提供了一些具有代表性的方法。     

顾客体验驱动的服务品牌建设

创建强势服务品牌是服务企业实现差别化竞争优势的重要手段。本文在对现有研究成果进行历史性回顾的基础上,从服务的过程属性出发,阐述了服务企业品牌建设的焦点应该是顾客体验的观点,然后探讨了通过塑造顾客体验来创建服务品牌的策略。     

Brand management: Unveiling the delusion of control

Mainstream brand management literature views brands as products or organisations carrying brand names and brand managers as being in control of brand-related actions and outcomes. By contrast, recent empirical research shows the substantial influence of stakeholders on brands. Together with brand management, stakeholders shape brands by participating in brand-related interaction. European brand research accordingly treats brands as ongoing and complex processes in constant flux. Nevertheless, literature suffers from a significant lack of theoretical underpinnings for understanding brands as complex processes; in this respect, building on European philosophy is a fruitful avenue. This paper introduces the metaphor of the rhizome and draws on European process philosophy to further develop an integrative processual understanding of brands. Brand management claiming control over brands as processes turns out to be a delusion.     

本土品牌逆袭与消费者偏好逆转的纵向扎根研究

  如今的中国市场,诸多行业本土品牌崛起甚至逆袭,消费者对全球品牌与本土品牌的偏好相应逆转。已有研究较为全面地揭示了全球品牌和本土品牌偏好的驱动因素,但本土品牌逆袭过程中全球品牌与本土品牌偏好的驱动因素是否相同、本土品牌逆袭与消费者偏好逆转的互动影响路径是怎样的,对这些问题缺乏探讨。         在梳理相关研究的基础上,以手机行业为研究对象,采用扎根理论的研究方法,通过对网络讨论数据的初始编码、聚焦编码和理论编码,首先研究全球品牌与本土品牌偏好的驱动因素的异同,然后结合对讨论数据的纵向统计结果,研究本土品牌逆袭过程中品牌逆袭与消费者偏好逆转的互动影响路径。         研究结果表明,本土品牌逆袭中,全球品牌与本土品牌偏好的驱动因素模型具有相似的结构,功能价值和社会价值的测量受个人因素调节而影响消费者偏好,但测量功能价值或社会价值的具体因素在全球品牌与本土品牌中存在差异。品牌逆袭有助于提升综合国力、促进消费者成熟,进而驱动消费者偏好逆转;消费者偏好逆转则通过反馈路径帮助品牌进一步逆袭。具体的,消费者对产品特质更加重视,全球品牌的原产国效应和符号价值表现力减弱,本土品牌的口碑效应和符号价值表现力增强,同时消费者的民族主义增强而爱国绑架感减弱,这些因素通过感知价值带来消费者偏好逆转。综合而言,本土品牌逆袭和消费者偏好逆转是互动提升的关系。         研究结果丰富了全球品牌和本土品牌的相关研究,为全球品牌和本土品牌的建设提供了实践启示。产品特质是影响消费者偏好的主要因素,并对其他驱动因素有支撑作用。所以全球品牌和本土品牌都要重视产品的创新和研发,还要根据各驱动因素的变化调整其营销策略。     

The impact of different fit dimensions on spillover effects in brand alliances

Brand alliances represent a popular business strategy in many industries, because firms hope to evoke positive consumer evaluations of both the alliance’s product and the partner brands. However, extant research offers mixed findings regarding the effects of a brand alliance on its partner brands (i.e., spillover effects). In response, this study separates spillover effects into the effects of the alliance product on the partner brands (brand alliance effects) and the effects between partner brands (brand contrast effects), while also noting the potential moderating impact of perceived attitude- and product-based fit between partner brands on resulting spillover effects. Two experimental studies consistently reveal the existence of brand contrast effects; furthermore, the partner brand’s attitude-based fit reduces undesired brand contrast effects and positively moderates spillover effects in brand alliances, whereas product-based fit does not. Therefore, a third study identifies relevant drivers of partner brand’s attitude-based fit for different brand alliances (i.e., co-branding, ingredient branding, and joint advertising). The findings have notable implications for the design and management of brand alliances.     

Deconstructing the Way in which Value Is Created in the Context of Social Entrepreneurship

According to existing literature, the core of social entrepreneurship (SE) knowledge is evolving and, as such, it has made important contributions to theoretical definitions and essential characterizations. However, more theoretical issues need to be addressed before the SE field can be fully explained and understood. In particular, the authors observe in the literature that, within empirical or conceptual studies, almost all authors use the term ‘value’, but seemingly assume the dimensions of value rather than define or analyse its connotations and components. This paper uses the value construct and its multi‐faceted dimensions to deconstruct the way in which value is created in the SE context. The authors argue that an analysis based on value generation, value capture and value sharing provides important insights into the specificity of SE research and can facilitate future theorizing. Through the conceptual lens of this central concept of value emanating from value theory and business model literature, the authors abductively analyse and classify the studies, providing a practical resource. The authors discuss the phenomenon, presenting an integrative framework that facilitates a clearer understanding of the social value creation process and suggest future research areas as openings for theory development in relation to value creation, its main components and flows.     

Quality Management in Multi‐Level Supply Chains with Outsourced Manufacturing

Outsourcing stretches supply chains longer with added contract manufacturers responsible for the manufacturing of parts and final products. Should a firm change its quality management approach as its supply chain becomes longer with outsourced manufacturing? This paper studies a brand owner's optimal choice between two commonly used quality management approaches: an inspection‐based approach and an external failure‐based approach, in two supply chains – a dyadic supply chain and a multi‐level supply chain where the brand owner outsources manufacturing to an independent contract manufacturer. Our study finds that the brand owner's optimal choice between the two quality management approaches could be opposite in the two supply chains. Specifically, we show that if agency costs exist between the contract manufacturer and the brand owner, the brand owner may prefer an inspection‐based approach in the multi‐level supply chain in contrast to preferring an external failure‐based approach in the dyadic supply chain. In particular, inspections can be effective for the brand owner to limit the manufacturer's profit by excluding defective finished products and components, which in turn reduce agency costs in the multi‐level supply chain. Hence, the efficiency of an inspection‐based approach relative to an external failure‐based approach can be higher in the multi‐level supply chain as compared to the dyadic one. Our findings suggest that firms should adjust to changes in supply chain structures and re‐evaluate the efficiencies of different quality management approaches accordingly.     

Diagnosing Customer Value: Integrating the Value Process and Relationship Marketing

The concept of value and, more specifically, customer value is of increasing interest to both academics and practitioners. This paper undertakes a substantial review of past and current literature on value and categorizes this considerable body of research into nine streams of literature. Building on the emerging relationship marketing paradigm, it then proposes a framework for relationship value management. Nine core streams of value literature are identified and discussed: consumer values and consumer value; the augmented product concept; customer satisfaction and service quality; the value chain; creating and delivering superior customer value; the customer's value to the firm; customer‐perceived value; customer value and shareholder value; and relationship value. To date, the core focus of most of this literature has been on the nature of value from the perspective of the organization and its customers – the customer–supplier relationship. However, it is argued that the emergence of the relationship marketing paradigm has emphasized the role of other stakeholders in building relationships. An existing multiple stakeholder model of relationship marketing, the six markets model, is introduced and is integrated with key concepts from the value literature to produce a conceptual framework for relationship value management.     

新创企业品牌联合伙伴选择的计算实验研究

品牌联合是新创企业克服其成长劣势的有效策略之一。为提高新创企业选择品牌联合伙伴的成功率，基于复杂适应系统理论构建了新创企业品牌联合企业主体行为活动的基本模型和主体之间、主体与环境之间的交互模型；研究了外部竞争环境、合伙企业的企业类型、品牌资产、关系承诺和联合匹配性等特征对联合形成的影响。结果表明：在外部环境动态变化时，越来越多的新创企业会选择品牌联合策略，而其选择成熟企业还是新创企业作为联合伙伴，并不受外部环境变化的影响。在品牌联合系统中，作为核心的新创企业选择合伙企业时，其自身特征并不影响其是否采取联合策略；不管核心企业自身特征如何，均优先选择成熟企业作为联合伙伴；同时，合伙企业的关系承诺对联合伙伴选择的影响最显著，品牌资产次之，而联合匹配性影响不显著。候选企业在回应核心企业的联合请求时，其接受/拒绝联合的决策主要取决于核心企业对其评价的结果，其次是核心企业的品牌资产。研究结果对新创企业的管理实践具有重要的参考价值。     

Does a Store Brand Always Hurt the Manufacturer of a Competing National Brand?

It is generally believed that store brands hurt the manufacturers of competing national brands while benefiting retailers. In this study, we challenge this notion by studying the impacts of a store brand when it is introduced by a power retailer. We show that a store brand may benefit the manufacturer when the interaction between the manufacturer and retailer is modeled as a retailer‐led Stackelberg game. This phenomenon occurs because the store brand changes the nature of the strategic interaction between the manufacturer and retailer in our model. In particular, while the interaction is always vertical strategic substitutability without a store brand, it may become vertical strategic independence with one. With the store brand, the demand for the national brand becomes larger, and the wholesale price for the national brand may increase, both of which benefit the manufacturer. Finally, the store brand may lessen the double marginalization problem of the supply chain for the national brand in the retailer‐led Stackelberg game, but does so in an unconventional way: The reduction in the double marginalization effect may come from a lowered retail markup instead of a lowered wholesale price. Our results reconcile some discrepancies between theoretical predictions and empirical findings regarding the impacts of store brands on manufacturers.     

国货意识、品牌特性与消费者本土品牌偏好——一个跨行业产品的实证检验

本文以在校大学生为样本,调查他们的国货意识和针对7种产品的品牌特性、品牌态度、购买情况,通过统计分析,检验了国货意识和品牌特性对于消费者本土品牌偏好的影响,以及国货意识和消费者本土品牌偏好对于购买本土品牌的影响。我们有如下结论:在其他情况相同时,本土品牌的相对知名度、相对质量和相对性价比越高,消费者越偏爱本土品牌;消费者越偏爱本土品牌,消费者就越倾向于购买本土品牌;但国货意识的强弱对于消费者购买本土品牌的直接影响和间接影响则均不明显。本文最后对研究结果进行了讨论,并指出了其理论贡献、实际应用、存在的局限性和今后继续研究的方向。     

Hochschule als Marke

This paper gives an overview of new developments in conceptualizing universities as brands. Brand development in this sense is not an externally-oriented marketing instrument, but an internal strategy. In this internal brand development process, a university sorts out its developmental resources and challenges and structures an identity. Ten steps in this process of brand development are outlined and a concept of brand positioning specific to universities is introduced.     

如何应用国家文化原型实现品牌的国际化传播——基于中国品牌海外社交媒体广告的多案例研究

本文基于中国品牌海外社交媒体广告的多案例研究,深入探讨了基于国家文化原型的品牌国际化传播策略,并检验了不同应用策略在不同情景下消费者反应的差异。研究表明:(1)国家文化原型资源可以根据文化层次和文化类属分为4种不同的组合方式,相应地,品牌文化原型应用策略也可分为工具性审美、差异化表现、目标消费者认同、全球共识意义获取四种类型;(2)东道国类型(文化距离近vs.远)、企业国际化发展阶段(初期vs.快速发展期)以及企业的传播诉求(产品vs.品牌)会对不同应用策略的传播效果产生影响。本研究不仅丰富了品牌国际化的研究成果,还可为新兴市场企业如何应用国家文化原型助力品牌的国际化传播提供指导和借鉴。