Alberto Bravo Velázquez, Haiming Hang, Shengnan Ren
{"title":"The impact of dialectical thinking on androgynous brand equity across cultures: the moderating role of brand positioning","authors":"Alberto Bravo Velázquez, Haiming Hang, Shengnan Ren","doi":"10.1108/imr-08-2021-0257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-08-2021-0257","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe authors’ research examines the impact of cross-cultural difference in dialectical thinking on consumers' responses to androgynous brands and its implication for brand equity. Their research also aims to see how consumers take both feminine and masculine attributes into consideration to form their judgments of androgynous brand equity and whether this process is moderated by brand positioning.Design/methodology/approachThe authors did two experiments with 400 Chinese consumers (high in dialectical thinking) and 528 British consumers (low in dialectical thinking) to test our framework.FindingsThe authors’ experimental results suggest an androgynous brand has higher brand equity in China than in the UK. Furthermore, Chinese consumers rate higher feminine/masculine attributes of masculine/feminine brands. In addition, an androgynous brand's equity is mainly driven by its less dominant attributes. Finally, their results suggest that brand positioning moderates the mediating role of less dominant attributes, more evident when brand positioning matches (vs mismatches) an androgynous brand's more dominant attributes.Originality/valueBy focusing on cross-cultural differences in dialectical thinking, the authors’ research offers a novel approach to reconcile existing inconclusive results on androgynous brand equity. Second, to their best knowledge, their research is the first to examine how feminine and masculine attributes jointly decide androgynous brand equity. Finally, by focusing on brand positioning, their research highlights the importance of an androgynous brand's less dominant attributes in driving its brand equity and provides a tool international marketing managers can use to strengthen such influence.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44553179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing international marketing capability and export performance of emerging market SMEs in crises: strategic flexibility and digital technologies","authors":"Nadia Zahoor, Y. Lew","doi":"10.1108/imr-12-2021-0350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-12-2021-0350","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study investigates to what extent strategic flexibility of international strategic alliances (ISAs) affects export performance of emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises (ESMEs) via international marketing capability in crises. It also examines whether these ESMEs’ adoption of digital technology strengthens the impact of strategic flexibility of ISAs on international marketing capability.Design/methodology/approachBased on the international alliance and dynamic capability perspectives on strategic flexibility, the authors develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the mediation and moderation effects between strategic flexibility of ISAs, international marketing capability, export performance and adoption of digital technology. The authors collected survey data from 129 ESMEs located in Pakistan between May 2021 and August 2021 and tested the conceptual model with hierarchical-moderated regression analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that strategic flexibility of ISAs positively impacts on export performance of ESMEs in crises. Moreover, the authors found that international marketing significantly mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs and export performance of ESMEs. Also, the adoption of digital technologies significantly moderates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs positively and international marketing capability.Originality/valueThe authors take strategic flexibility of ISAs in the context of the emerging market and how ESMEs enhance export performance in a time of crisis, which extends the prior ESMEs’ international marketing strategy and crisis management literature. In particular, the authors show that strategic flexibility of ISAs is a vital dynamic capability to enhance export performance of ESMEs via international marketing capability and adoption of digital technologies.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49658748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Advertising intensity and firm performance: the influences of firm age and cultural communication styles","authors":"A. Semenov, Arilova A. Randrianasolo","doi":"10.1108/imr-12-2021-0355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-12-2021-0355","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeAdvertising intensity is treated either as a resource that allows firms to create competitive advantages (intangible asset view) or as an investment to build advertising resource (investment expense view). This current research supports the investment expense view. The authors do so by examining the moderating role of firm age (a proxy for knowledge) in the relationship between advertising intensity and performance as well as the influence of cultural communication styles on this moderation.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data were collected from multiple sources. With a sample of 262 companies from 10 countries (149 firms from high-context cultures and 113 firms from low-context cultures), ordinary least squares was used to estimate the regression coefficients to test the hypotheses. An instrumental variable approach with two-stage least squares estimates was used to address an endogeneity bias. Average industry advertising intensity excluding the focal firm was used as an instrumental variable.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that firm age significantly moderates the advertising intensity/performance relationship, but this moderation is only significant in high-context cultures. These findings imply that firms within high-context cultures must continually invest in advertising expenditures, while firms in low-context cultures may not need to do so to increase performance.Practical implicationsThe results of this study provide insight into the debate of whether advertising expenditures boost performance, as well as provide international marketing managers with a clearer picture on how to invest in advertising within their respective markets.Originality/valueA majority of the studies that examine the advertising intensity/performance link rely solely on the resource-based view. The authors utilize a multi-theoretical perspective to provide a fine-grained understanding of this relationship. Moreover, the authors apply the investment expense view to examine advertising intensity as an investment to build advertising resources, rather than a resource. This investment must be incorporated with the knowledge to properly employ the investment to develop advertising resources. Further, the authors find that firms expanding into high-context cultures must devote more effort into developing advertising capabilities to properly employ advertising resources than firms in low-context cultures.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43550300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sheshadri Chatterjee, Ranjan Chaudhuri, D. Vrontis
{"title":"Examining the marketing performance of the firms from an international dynamic marketing capability perspective: moderating role of marketing leadership team","authors":"Sheshadri Chatterjee, Ranjan Chaudhuri, D. Vrontis","doi":"10.1108/imr-05-2022-0107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-05-2022-0107","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study examines the marketing performance of firms from an international dynamic marketing capability perspective. It also investigates the moderating role of marketing leadership teams to improve organizations' international marketing performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used dynamic capability view and other related literature to develop a theoretical model, which was validated with the structural equation modelling technique, considering a sample of 455 respondents from Indian firms. The authors also used the multigroup analysis method to examine the moderating impacts of a firm's marketing leadership team on their international marketing performance.FindingsThere is a positive relationship between a firm's dynamic ability factors and its international dynamic-marketing capabilities. The study also finds that a firm's marketing leadership team has a significant positive moderating impact on improving its international marketing performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe unique theory-based model clearly explains how a firm's dynamic abilities impact international dynamic marketing capability, which then impacts its international marketing performance. This model can help practitioners, researchers and academicians to understand the significance of a firm's international dynamic capability on international marketing performance. The study also helps firms to understand the moderating influence of marketing leadership teams to improve international marketing performance.Originality/valueThis study adds value to the body of literature on international dynamic marketing, international marketing performance and international marketing knowledge management, on which, until now, few other studies have focused. Thus, this research is unique. The proposed model of international dynamic marketing is also unique with high explanative power.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42130511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Launching new products in international markets: waterfall versus sprinkler strategy of Korean SMEs","authors":"H. Cho, Jong-Ho Lee, Insik Jeong","doi":"10.1108/imr-05-2022-0106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-05-2022-0106","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate an understudied topic—new product strategy in international markets. Specifically, this study aims to address the crucial role played by organizational characteristics and market characteristics in determining a firm's decision of adopting either a waterfall or a sprinkler product strategy for international markets.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis was conducted using survey data collected from a sample of 171 Korean small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study uses logistic regression analysis to test the relationships among organizational characteristics, market characteristics and a firm's international product strategy.FindingsThe empirical results suggest that firm characteristics, such as higher degree of internationalization, lead the firms to choose the sprinkler strategy. Moreover, this research finds that a firm's choice between the waterfall and the sprinkler strategy varies depending on market characteristics such as competitive intensity and market turbulence. The findings indicate that the sprinkler strategy is more optimal for use when firms operate under a high level of competitive intensity, whereas a waterfall strategy is more suitable for firms that encounter a high level of market turbulence in targeted foreign markets.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the international marketing literature by exploring the impact of organizational characteristics and market characteristics on a firm's new product strategy in international markets.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43034871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of online channel in influencing perceived firm size and brand authenticity in international marketing","authors":"F. Septianto, Arnold Japutra, P. Putra, Tyson Ang","doi":"10.1108/imr-03-2022-0070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-03-2022-0070","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis research investigates the role of marketing channel selection in influencing brand authenticity and purchase likelihood in the international marketing domain. Further, perceived firm size is identified as a mediator in this regard. The moderating role of consumer skepticism is also considered.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental studies were carried out across three different markets (India, the US and the UK) in the context of South Korean brands.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that firms utilizing (only) online channels are perceived to be smaller than those that utilize hybrid channels (i.e. both online and physical stores) or offline channels (i.e. physical stores). When consumers perceive firms to be smaller, they also report higher levels of brand authenticity, which in turn increases their purchase likelihood. Further, this effect is weaker among consumers with high levels of skepticism.Originality/valueThe findings of the present research contribute to the international marketing literature by demonstrating how consumers perceive online marketing channels, the role of marketing channel selection in driving brand authenticity, as well as providing managerial implications on how to promote products in the international market.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41630419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leslie Lang, Abhishek Behl, Francisco Guzmán, V. Pereira, M. Del Giudice
{"title":"The role of advertising, distribution intensity and store image in achieving global brand loyalty in an emerging market","authors":"Leslie Lang, Abhishek Behl, Francisco Guzmán, V. Pereira, M. Del Giudice","doi":"10.1108/imr-06-2021-0200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-06-2021-0200","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeScholars have paid considerable attention to the importance of brand loyalty of durable consumer products in developed markets. However, no study has investigated the simultaneous impact of advertising efforts, distribution intensity and store image on global brand loyalty (GBL) of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in emerging markets. This study aims to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts (1) established theoretical lenses: brand equity, marketing mix and cue utilization theories, (2) a mixed-methods approach: a focus group and two surveys and (3) structural equation modeling on two samples of consumers (one homogeneous and one heterogeneous) of global soft drink brands in Vietnam.FindingsThe study reveals significant and nonsignificant relationships among the selected marketing mix elements and brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG. Slight differences in these relationships among the two samples are found. The existing scales are also reconciled with more suitable indicators. The results significantly contribute to the existing knowledge on marketing mix, brand equity and GBL, and global consumer culture.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate the simultaneous effects of advertising efforts, distribution intensity, and store image on brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG in an emerging market. The findings will help practitioners develop suitable global branding strategies to manage global brand image and achieve consumer loyalty across emerging markets.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44408767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Social media and international business: views and conceptual framing","authors":"M. Saari, L. Haapanen, P. Hurmelinna-Laukkanen","doi":"10.1108/imr-06-2021-0191","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-06-2021-0191","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe objective of this paper is to increase understanding of social media in international business context. To this end, the authors make an attempt to integrate the existing, still somewhat limited views in a framework that advances the knowledge of scholars and decision-makers on this topic.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct a conceptual study supported by use of a systematic literature review method.FindingsThis study shows marketing as a dominant area of discussion and reveals that many firm functions where social media plays a role have received relatively little attention. Furthermore, the study shows that the positive features of social media in international activity tend to be more widely acknowledged and better understood than the potentially problematic aspects.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of articles analyzed in this study was relatively small, resonating with the nature of an emerging research area. Research on social media has only taken off over the last years, and it is understandable that there is limited research that connects it specifically to phenomena of international business.Practical implicationsThis study reminds managers to be cautious when using social media in international markets. The relationship between social media and international business exhibits dynamism and is dependent on a variety of factors. Social media does not come without costs, nor is easily transferred from one market to another. Efficient use of this media in the international context may increase the need of specific and qualified human resources, and it may necessitate having the whole process from R&D to delivery, and beyond, ready for adaptation.Originality/valueIt can be argued that we know too little about the relevant factors and relationships between social media and international business. The authors hope that this study revealing the scarcely studied aspects and suggesting a tentative framework for capturing the dynamics of social media and international business can guide subsequent research and accelerate its emergence.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"62049221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Vrontis, J. Hulland, J. Shaw, Ajai S. Gaur, M. Czinkota, M. Christofi
{"title":"Guest editorial: Systematic literature reviews in international marketing: from the past to the future and beyond","authors":"D. Vrontis, J. Hulland, J. Shaw, Ajai S. Gaur, M. Czinkota, M. Christofi","doi":"10.1108/imr-09-2022-390","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-09-2022-390","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42858805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allam K. Abu Farha, O. Al-kwifi, Georgia Sakka, P. Nguyen, Z. Ahmed
{"title":"Enhancing servitization by international consumer integration: the influence of open innovation and co-creation","authors":"Allam K. Abu Farha, O. Al-kwifi, Georgia Sakka, P. Nguyen, Z. Ahmed","doi":"10.1108/imr-12-2021-0361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-12-2021-0361","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeResearch demonstrates that servitization can achieve competitive advantages for firms; however, many firms are unable to achieve their target values due to various challenges. This study proposes a new model in which open innovation and co-creation are utilized to access consumer knowledge during the servitization process when developing customized services for international markets.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was used to collect the data from 150 manufacturing firms. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) approach.FindingsThe results indicate that open innovation positively affects servitization strategy. Moreover, consumer co-creation moderates the impacts of servitization on firm performance.Practical implicationsThis study confirms the significant role of open innovation and consumer integration in the servitization process, establishing that managers should effectively integrate different stakeholders from the service design stage (through open innovation) to the service delivery stage (through co-creation).Originality/valueThe paper's results prominently advance the present body of servitization literature by showing how the implementation of open innovation improves the servitization process, an issue that has been ignored in previous studies. Moreover, it seeks to resolve the inconsistent results on servitization's effect on performance by indicating the role of consumer co-creation in the servitization–performance link.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42524421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}