International sport marketing : practical and future research implications

Purpose &ndash; Sport is a global product and service that many people around the world enjoy playing, watching and participating in. Whilst there has been an abundance of global media attention on sporting events such as the Olympics and World Football Cup, there seems to be a lack of integration between the sports marketing and international business disciplines both from a practical and also academic standpoint. This paper aims to discuss international sport marketing and why it is an important attribute of business-to-business marketing. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The aim of the paper is to provide practical implications and research avenues for those seeking to further investigate international sport marketing as a unique area of academic research. The introduction to the paper focuses on the importance of sport to the global economy and how entrepreneurship is ingrained in many sport businesses and organizations. Next, different areas of international business management that relate to entrepreneurial sport marketing ventures are discussed in terms of future research directions and practical implications. These include how entrepreneurial sport ventures affect internationalization, branding, corporate social responsibility, tourism, regional development, marketing and action sports.Findings &ndash; The paper concludes by finding that there are numerous research avenues for future research on international sport marketing that combine different areas of marketing together with the sport marketing and international business literature. In addition, there is enormous potential for linking the sports marketing and international business literature through focusing on entrepreneurial sport ventures that occur worldwide.Research limitations/implications &ndash; The authors demonstrate the need to take an international perspective of sports marketing and business-to-business relationships.Practical implications &ndash; The paper discusses how and why sport firms interact in the international marketplace and how future competition will benefit from more sport-based business-to-business partnerships.Originality/value &ndash; The paper examines the important area of international sports marketing and how businesses that are both profit and non-profit orientated collaborate. The paper explores the concept of international sports marketing, and discusses the practical and future research implications of this exciting new field of marketing research.<br /

Country of origin, branding strategy and internationalisation: The case of Chinese piano companies

This paper studies the internationalisation of Chinese piano firms from a branding perspective. The purpose of the paper is two folds. Firstly it examines the interplay between the country of origin (COO) effect and international branding, and how COO affects the choice of branding strategies in international markets. Secondly, it explores the possible link between international branding decisions and international expansion of the firm. A model is introduced that illustrates the relationships between COO, branding options and internationalisation. Corresponding with its progress in the internationalisation, a firm’s branding development in international markets may follow certain stages. As the firm moves to advanced stages, it increases its international brand equity; the impact from negative COO will decrease and eventually become irrelevant. Literature of internationalisation is largely based on the experience of MNEs from Western developed countries. Multinational firms from developing countries such as China possess some unique characteristics that make it very difficult to apply Western theories to them. The emergence of MNEs from developing countries calls for the development of new theories

The globalisation of Chinese brands

China has taken over Japan over the last decade to become the largest manufacturer and exporter of more than one hundred consumer products. However, China, as “the world factory”, has yet to create a single brand that is recognised worldwide. The recent acquisition of IBM’s PC business by China’s Lenovo may signal the beginning of the globalisation of Chinese brands. This paper considers the current brand revolution in China, focusing on the unique challenge faced by major Chinese enterprises: how to sustain their brands in domestic competition and how to expand in the global markets. The paper is divided into two parts: it first gives a brief review of the development of marketing and branding in China since the start of economic reform in 1978, and then discusses current issues in the domestic market: changes from price competition to brand competition, as well as diversification and the role of the government. The second part examines the routes to internationalisation taken by some of China’s biggest brands; differences in their entry modes and branding strategies are analysed

Consumer perceptions of co-branding alliances: Organizational dissimilarity signals and brand fit

This study explores how consumers evaluate co-branding alliances between dissimilar partner firms. Customers are well aware that different firms are behind a co-branded product and observe the partner firms’ characteristics. Drawing on signaling theory, we assert that consumers use organizational characteristics as signals in their assessment of brand fit and for their purchasing decisions. Some organizational signals are beyond the control of the co-branding partners or at least they cannot alter them on short notice. We use a quasi-experimental design and test how co-branding partner dissimilarity affects brand fit perception. The results show that co-branding partner dissimilarity in terms of firm size, industry scope, and country-of-origin image negatively affects brand fit perception. Firm age dissimilarity does not exert significant influence. Because brand fit generally fosters a benevolent consumer attitude towards a co-branding alliance, the findings suggest that high partner dissimilarity may reduce overall co-branding alliance performance

A multi-layered approach to surfacing and analysing organisational narratives : increasing representational authenticity

This paper presents an integrated, multi-layered approach to narrative inquiry, elucidating the evolving story of organisational culture through its members and their physical, textual, linguistic and visual dialogue. A dynamic joint venture scenario within the UK hi-technology sector was explored to advance understanding of the impact of transformation level change, specifically its influence on shared belief systems, values and behavioural norms. STRIKE – STructured Interpretation of the Knowledge Environment is introduced as an innovative technique to support narrative inquiry, providing a structured, unobtrusive framework to observe, record, evaluate and articulate the organisational setting. A manifestation of narrative in physical dialogue is illuminated from which the underlying emotional narrative can be surfaced. Focus groups were conducted alongside STRIKE to acquire a first order retrospective and contemporaneous narrative of culture and enable cross-method triangulation. Attention was given to non-verbal signals such as Chronemic, Paralinguistic, Kinesic and Proxemic communication and participants were also afforded opportunities to develop creative output in order to optimise engagement. Photography was employed to enrich STRIKE observation and document focus group output, affording high evidential value whilst providing a frame of reference for reflection. These tools enable a multiplicity of perspectives on narrative as part of methological bricolage. Rich, nuanced and multi-textured understanding is developed, as well as the identification of connections, timbre and subjugated knowledge. A highly emotional and nostalgic context was established with actors’ sense of self strongly aligned with the pre-joint venture organisation and its brand values, norms and expectations. Credibility and authenticity of findings is enhanced through data triangulation indicating traceability across methods, and from the contextual preservation attained through STRIKE. The multi-layered approach presented can facilitate researcher reflexivity and sense-making, while for the audience, it may be employed to help communicate and connect research findings. In particular, STRIKE demonstrates utility, quality and efficacy as a design artefact following ex-post evaluation. This systematic method of narrative inquiry is suitable for standardisation and alongside a diagnostic/prescriptive capacity, affords both researcher and practictioner value in its application

The conception of branding in not-for-profit SMEs

A large number of not-for-profit organisations, especially charities, have become more receptive to brands and brand management issues in their search for differentiation and the communication of their services and values (Stride, 2006). However, it is argued that a majority of small to medium sized not-for-profit enterprises (SMEs), due to limited resources, are faced with larger barriers in adapting branding approaches (Khan and Ede, 2009). Others suggest that the reluctance in considering branding in small to medium nonprofits stems from a narrow understanding of the concept (Tan, 2003), and that the misconception of branding held by many practitioners disputes the need for not-for-profits to have a brand (Saxton, 2008). Surveying a sample of not-for-profit SMEs in the UK, this paper investigates the conception of branding and the perceived barriers in adopting brand strategies within these organisations. The findings reveal the extent to which these barriers are related to the conception of branding. It helps both academia and practitioners to understand the brand management issues faced within these organisations. This is especially relevant in an era of economic downturn, when governments lack funding and seek new resources to deliver public services; hence, not-for-profits become increasingly important in both economic and social contexts (Deborah and Alfred, 2009)

The Potential of an Enhanced Cooperation Measure in the EAFRD (2014-2020): the case of Ireland

This report was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) through the National Rural Network (February-May, 2012).The current Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on support for Rural Development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) includes Article (36) Cooperation that is potentially instrumental for realising the objectives of FOOD HARVEST 20204. The purpose of this report is to assess the scope and potential of Article 36 in the context of Irish agriculture and its findings have four key aspects. First, the main areas of confluence between Article 36 and primary policy objectives as set out in Food Harvest 2020 are identified. Second, a range of cooperation categories and types relevant to Article 36, many of which are operational in Ireland, are profiled. Third, drawing from case-studies of these co-operation types5, the operational characteristics of each type are presented, focusing on compatibility with Article 36. Possible supports that would encourage and assist the formation and operation of the cooperation types on a broad scale into the future, and also any possible constraints that would prevent success, are indicated. Fourth, a brief discussion of some key implementation considerations arising from the analysis overall is presented.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marin

Branding Small Companies

The purpose of this study is to give a holistic view of small companies' branding process while taking to consideration the special characteristics as well as the marketing practices of this kind of companie. The findings of this study reveal that the branding process in small ventures is done both internally, where the role of the entrepreneur is emphasized, as well as externally where the participation of entrepreneur's network and company's stakeholders in branding the company was found to be important

Place Pulling Power: a case of Liverpool’08

The paper contributes to the developing knowledge of place branding and highlights the importance of place branding strategies, that enabling the place to seek continual development and prosperity. The theoretical concepts of place brand creators, influencers and key driving forces, together with the different brand user groups are set against both current and historic indicators of place branding to model the pulling power of place branding. Interviews with key stakeholders indicate that, in the case of the Liverpool ’08 campaign, they are generally positive about the re-branding campaign and considered it to be creating a positive image that will continue to drive inward investment and increase tourism. However, it is clear that reputation and intangible factors are more important than functional and tangible factors when creating a positive brand image. Understanding place brands and the influence on the performance of the place, in terms of continuous development, regeneration and sustainability is important. Future comparative-case analyses between places that have gone through regeneration and repositioning could help to understand the significance of place branding, in terms of sustainability of place, and identify the specific facets of a place that could prove critical when putting place branding practices into action

Insights on Brand Identity Creation of Start-ups in Business Incubators: An Exploratory Research Conducted in Sweden and Macedonia

Title Insights on Brand Identity Creation of Start-ups in Business Incubators: An Exploratory Research Conducted in Sweden and Macedonia Course BUSN 39 Degree Project in Global Marketing, Spring 2013 Authors Aleksandar Joshevski and Lucas Noordhoorn Supervisor Magnus Lagnevik Keywords Brand identity creation, entrepreneurship, business incubators, start-up, Sweden, Macedonia Research Questions In what way do start-ups that are part of business incubators located in Macedonia and Sweden create and build their brand identity? In what way do business incubators influence brand identity creation and building in startups that are located in Macedonia and Sweden? Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to conduct an exploratory study, in order to get a better understanding of brand identity relevance, creation and building across a diverse sample of countries and start-ups. Theory The theoretical framework of the thesis deals with three areas: Entrepreneurship, new ventures and start-ups; Brands, branding and related concepts; and Business incubators. The development of these areas of research is discussed as well as the relevance to this study. Method This study is an exploratory research using a constructionist ontological approach. Semi-structured interviews are aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the analyzed sample. However, this qualitative method technique is subjective and non-quantifiable. Conclusion The creation of a brand identity can be an extremely valuable tool in the creation a financially viable company according the previously conducted research. Arguably, this holds for start-ups in business incubators as well. This study concludes that not enough importance or efforts are placed in the establishment of brand identity as a priority for start-ups