CEO sociability: path towards brand equity and brand relationship

The current business context is highlighted by the need for information. Moreover, stakeholder’s considerate that it is imperative to establish transparency and mutual understanding. A constant request that transparency and Approachability should come from the brand's internal environment, justifying its true essence while humanizing its value to the community. Here, certain brands have introduced the continuous intervention of their CEOs, acting as a brand ambassador and the embodiment of its characteristics. Leaders who now act on relationship building, benefit Brand Equity and stakeholders' brand perception over its intangible value. However, this evidence contrasts with the academic development around this topic, assuming an embryonic stage and for which this research seeks to build understanding. This dissertation seeks to highlight the links between concepts and explore the influence of CEO Sociability on Brand Equity. Additionally, examine the influence of Sociability on the relational aspect between brand and consumer, as this outgoing leadership posture may engender those outcomes. Theoretical and empirical support is adopted to facilitate the comprehension around this topic. The exploratory aspect is reviewed in the use of qualitative and quantitative methods (8 interviews and 356 questionnaire respondents). Results showed that Sociability, captured by means of Credibility and Approachability, assumes to significantly influence Brand Equity and Consumer-Brand Relationship. Moreover, the latter also significantly influences Brand Equity. For Executives, their role in brand's value stems from their willingness to introduce this sociable leadership, as it benefits consumer's brand perception, where word-of-mouth builds brand positioning and sustainability.O contexto empresarial destaca-se pela necessidade de informação, onde os stakeholders consideram imperativo garantir a transparência e mútuo entendimento. Surge o pedido contante de a transparência e aproximação partir do contexto interno da marca, justificando a sua essência e humanizando o seu valor na comunidade. Certas marcas têm introduzido a intervenção contínua do seu Diretor Executivo, funcionando como embaixador da marca e personificador das características desta, partindo de uma comunicação ativa e elevada sociabilidade, que age na construção de relação e acréscimo no valor intangível e percebido por stakeholders, atribuindo o destaque a consumidores. A evidência destes casos contrasta com o desenvolvimento académico neste tema, assumindo uma estatura ainda embrionária e para a qual esta investigação procura construir entendimento. Esta dissertação procura salientar as ligações entre conceitos, explorando a influência da Sociabilidade do CEO em Brand Equity e na relação entre marca e consumidor, visto que esta postura humana e extrovertida poderá implicar esses resultados. Suporte teórico e empírico é adotado, desenvolvendo entendimento do tema e do caráter exploratório garantido pelos métodos quantitativos e qualitativos usados (8 entrevistas e 356 questionários preenchidos). Os resultados mostram que a Sociabilidade do CEO, expressada através de Proximidade e Credibilidade, influencia significativamente Brand Equity e a Relação entre marca e consumidor. Além disso, o aspeto relacional influencia significativamente Brand Equity. Para Executivos, o seu papel no valor da marca parte da vontade de o CEO introduzir este cenário sociável, visto que beneficia a perceção do consumidor, onde o word-of-mouth sedimenta o posicionamento da marca

Entrepreneurial marketing in the B2C mobile application business: A netnographic study across four expert blogs

This study provides insight into the use of entrepreneurial marketing in the mobile app context, with aim of answering the research question: how can entrepreneurial marketing can be used to affect mobile application adoption and retention? The motivation for the study stems from the lack of research on entrepreneurial marketing in the mobile application context and the scarcity of research on mobile application marketing. A thorough review of studies relating to entrepreneurial marketing, mobile commerce, mobile advertising and mobile applications was conducted in order to establish the theoretical foundations of this study. On the basis of the literature review the I-A-R framework was constructed which explores marketing through customer intelligence, acquisition and retention. Netnography was utilized to study experts across four company blogs. These blogs present North American companies that offer services and/or platforms related to mobile app marketing mainly to small and medium sized enterprises. Due to the large amount of data, the findings were first categorized according to the I-A-R framework, and then a summarized and presented along with a revised framework. The revised framework presents a four stage mobile app marketing process. These stages represent the app developer's approach towards making apps, the development of the app, user acquisition, and user retention. In terms of the research question, the two most important ways that EM can be used in the mobile app context are: creating apps that users have an incentive to share in order to leverage a small marketing budget for user acquisition and establishing relationships as a customer loyalty strategy

The Role of Transparency in Consumer Brand Relationships

The recent financial crisis has led to calls for effective communication between consumers and firms and for more attention to increasing transparency and reducing information asymmetries. This thesis aims to develope a construct such as transparency to effectively capture the free information flow between firms or their brands and consumers. Two questions are answered. First, how can consumer-brand communication be more effective, and thus lead to positive consumer affective and behavioral responses? Second, as WOM is an increasingly important channel for consumers to obtain information, what affects the generation of consumers positive eWOM on social online sites and how does eWOM on social online sites differ from traditional WOM?   Two chapters articulate the defining elements of a brand transparency construct, empirically validate a scale to measure brand transparency, and show that brand transparency strengthens consumers’ trust in a brand, willingness to pay a price premium, and consumers’ attachment to a brand. The research also identifies important boundary conditions: The effects of transparency depend on consumers’ perceptions of brand ability and social responsibility associations, and the level of consumer involvement. Another chapter examines the roles of traditional WOM and eWOM on social sites in the relationships between brand attachment, attitude, and brand purchases. Specifically, the research explores antecedents of eWOM on social sites and studies the underlying process through which eWOM on social sites versus traditional WOM helps to predict purchase behavior. Moderators in these relationships is identified. Findings suggest that consumers are less likely to provide eWOM on social sites, but it explains the impact of brand attachment on brand purchase better than traditional WOM. The mediating effects are stronger for consumers with high desire for self-enhancement.   The authors discuss the managerial and theoretical implications of their findings.  Open Acces

Sustainable Development of Export-Orientated Farmed Seafood in Thailand

Sustainable development of export-orientated farmed seafood in Thailand is a major issue which can impact local stakeholders as well as global food security. The major species taken into consideration in this research were initially the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), and striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). After which more focus was placed on Pacific white shrimp, which is Thailand’s major cultured seafood being traded for export, and tilapia, which has potential for export but also enjoying a good domestic market demand. Actors or stakeholders directly and indirectly involved in aquaculture value chains may have their own perceptions about sustainability affecting their operations, as various factors within and outside their own systems could affect these perceptions. This could lead to different efforts in responding to these factors to make their operations sustainable. Three major areas were covered in this study, namely a) describing the strengths and weaknesses of shrimp and tilapia production in Thailand in relation to their export potential, b) evaluating the status of compliance to global aquaculture standards of shrimp and tilapia farming (covering technical and labour aspects), and c) determining perceptions of sustainability across the shrimp and tilapia value chains in Thailand, with a focus on the production sector. A mixed-methods approach was employed to obtain information in the study sites in Thailand. Basic field interviews were conducted among 206 shrimp producers in 6 provinces in the east and south, and 199 tilapia producers in 4 provinces in the west and east, in terms of farm operations and perceptions of factors which will affect the sustainability of their operations, including generational aspects on future shrimp and tilapia farming. Key informant interviews were also conducted among other value chain actors (>30) such as hatchery/nursery operators, input/service providers, processors/exporters and technical/ institutional members to determine whether there are differences in their sustainability perceptions. In addition, face to face interviews with 18 shrimp farm male and female workers were conducted (Thai and migrant workers), as well as with 14 key informants involved in shrimp farm labour issues in Thailand, specifically for well-being and working conditions. Stakeholders cited environmental (technical), economic, social and institutional (equity) aspects of their operations as factors which will affect the sustainability of their operations. Disease, product price and water quality were the three most important sustainability factors among shrimp farmers, whereas water quality, disease and extreme weather conditions were for tilapia farmers. Product price was the most cited by input service providers, hatchery operators, shrimp and tilapia producers, and processors. Both Thai and migrant shrimp farm workers perceived a better or much better-off quality of life working in shrimp farms in Thailand than in their previous occupations or status. Almost all shrimp farms meet more than what are required under the Thai labour law or the global aquaculture standards for human resources. With the importance of migrant labour in Thailand, much still needs to be done in terms of assessing the impact of their working in Thailand on their families left behind in their own countries, as well as on their communities, including status of social protection to avoid exploitation. Each stakeholder group strives to achieve sustainability so they can remain in operation in the next few years, to survive on the business individually and corporately, and to be the best provider of sustainably and ethically produced seafood for the world. The compliance to aquaculture global standards and certifications may be considered to contribute to the sustainability of operations by improving farm practices thereby reducing detrimental impacts on farm and external environments, as well as strengthening human relations with in the farm and in the community. However there are some aspects of these standards which could eliminate the small players. In this study, the large scale farms were more likely to comply with all the standards, followed by medium scale, and lastly the small scale farms. The differences in perceptions which exist among these stakeholders should be understood by every sector and efforts should be made to address them so that there is cohesiveness in giving support to achieve sustainable seafood production and trade

Open access in theory and practice : the theory-practice relationship and openness

Open Access in Theory and Practice investigates the theory-practice relationship in the domain of open access publication and dissemination of research outputs. Drawing on detailed analysis of the literature and current practice in OA, as well as data collected in detailed interviews with practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, the book discusses what constitutes ‘theory’, and how the role of theory is perceived by both theorists and practitioners. Exploring the ways theory and practice have interacted in the development of OA, the authors discuss what this reveals about the nature of the OA phenomenon itself and the theory-practice relationship. Open Access in Theory and Practice contributes to a better understanding of OA and, as such, should be of great interest to academics, researchers, and students working in the fields of information science, publishing studies, science communication, higher education policy, business, and economics. The book also makes an important contribution to the debate of the relationship between theory and practice in information science, and more widely across different fields of the social sciences and humanitie

Effects of the e-commerce on fashion luxury industries : the case of Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyse whether luxury firms can take advantages from the adoption of the use of telematic approaches to attract customers such as the e-commerce. Traditional and more advanced marketing methods are presented. Following, challenges and opportunities are presented both from a customer’s and an enterprises’ point of view. Design/methodology/approach: The approach used is a combination of metadata concerning European luxury market, the analysis of the result of questionnaire data and the analysis of the yearly financial reports of Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A. before and after starting its e-commerce experience. Findings: The results of the analysis of the theory combined both with the outcome of the survey and the financial data suggests that indeed the use of e-commerce can indeed help firms in the luxury industry raising their profit. Research limitations/implications: Limitations were given by the unselected sample for the survey, in fact, the age range was in a student or at least young pool, therefore, I must assume that their income young workers or student strongly influenced their responses. Maybe a more selected group of interviewees would have produced a more competent outcome. Moreover, the analysis of the financial books could have been more complete with an interview of marketing and commercial manager in order to gain information that were not included in the yearly financial relations. Originality/value: This paper will bring new knowledge to the topic, as there is not much already examined and published; furthermore, the case used can become a model to analyse other similar enterprises that can match those typical characteristics of the enterprise analysed.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Investigation of the nature of the church through an analysis of selected email-based Christian online communities

This thesis investigates Christian online communities, with special emphasis on studying the nature of community and cyberspace. The purpose is to identify characteristics of community that individuals are seeking to cultivate in the online setting, showing possible implications for individuals in the "real world" church and offline communities. The key research question is: "What does online communication offer individual Christians and groups of Christians? How is the Internet changing Christians' interaction with the real world Christian Church?" The literature review on the topics of community, the Internet and online religion begins with theological definitions of community being combined with Social Network Analysis. Community is defined as a network of relationships between individuals connecting to a common purpose, whose bonds are created and sustained through shared traits and beliefs. The Internet, the "network of all connected networks" and cyberspace, a metaphorical space laden with distinct interpretations of what is real and what is virtual in a technological world, are explored as a space utilising new ways of communicating and being. Online community combines traditional traits of community with a new technological setting and is defined as individuals assembling through Internet technology to form a network of interdependent relationships based on a common vision, care and communication. These explorations provide groundwork for studying online Christian communities, online groups who share a common Christian commitment and unite through a specific faith-based discussion topic. Case study methodology is used to explore three Christian-email communities. They were selected on the basis of common online practices, yet represented diverse theological groups. The Community of Prophecy is a Charismatic-Renewal group focused around the gift of prophecy. The Online Church is an evangelical group of sensory impaired individuals. The Anglican Communion Online is a group with links to the Anglican Church. A three-phase research strategy is employed. Phase one involves participant-observation in selected online communities. Phase two involves distribution and analysis of online questionnaires to online community members. Phase three involves face-to-face interviews. These discussions tested out online observations and investigated how individuals link their online and "real world" communities. Each case study is analysed with data presented under four themes. First, The Online Community and the Online Context examined how each community used Internet technology and adapted to the online environment. Secondly, The Online Community and the Real World investigated how each community links online experiences with real world activities. Thirdly, The Online Community as a Community considered how each online group develops unique patterns of behaviour and a common identity. Finally, The Online Community Reflects on the Church demonstrated how members critique the real world Church community through the positive characteristics of online community they experienced. Through this study three conclusions are drawn. First, online involvement is not causing people to leave their local church or shy away from real world participation. Secondly, people join online communities primarily for relationships not information; relationships often noted as lacking in the offline Church. Thirdly, members' descriptions of online community and reasons they give for online involvement provide a critique of the real world Church. Also the attributes of online community highlighted (relationship, care, value, consistent communication and in-depth/intimate communications) offer a picture of what individuals hope a Christian community of the Church to be like

Historical appraisal analysis: evaluation of the book in sixteenth-century England

This dissertation is a study of the evaluation of the book in the English Renaissance. The purpose of the study is to find out what a good book was like in sixteenth-century England, what personal and societal attitudes were held towards books and literature, and how these attitudes were expressed linguistically. While some of these attitudes have been studied previously, the focus has been limited according to genre. The anxieties related to translating ancient classics and the necessity of vernacularizing medical texts have received some attention. Yet, no previous linguistic analyses of these attitudes have been conducted, and linguistic analyses of evaluative language in general have been rare in historical materials. The material for this study consists of a self-built 70,000-word corpus of English Renaissance translator’s paratexts. The corpus consists of 30 dedications and 41 prefaces, collected from the full range of available topics and genres. I analyze the evaluative language within the corpus texts using the Appraisal Framework, a discourse semantic tool for the categorization and analysis of evaluative language. This study shows that the early modern English book was appraised largely for its internal and external value: the distinction it has among others of its type and its usefulness to its reader. The original author of the work is subjected to succinct positive appraisals of their character, while the translator is appraised with more complex structures expressing both positive and negative attitudes related to their capacity and tenacity. The topic of the main text has a heavy influence on the appraisals. While the paratexts to classical translations focus on negative appraisals following textual conventions, the paratexts to more utilitarian texts opt for more positively toned appraisal profiles. Medical texts are presented more positively, and geographical and navigational works circumvent the traditional positive author appraisal to benefit other targets. In addition to advancing the understanding of early modern English book culture, this study contributes to the knowledge of evaluative language as a discourse semantic phenomenon, and expands its study to earlier historical periods.Tämä tutkielma käsittelee arvottavaa kieltä ja kirjoihin kohdistuvia asenteita 1500-luvun Englannissa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, millaisia kirjoja arvostettiin renessanssiajan Englannissa, millaisia asenteita kirjoihin kohdistui, ja miten näitä asenteita ilmaistiin kielellisin keinoin. Jotkut varhaismodernin Englannin kirjoihin kohdistuvista asenteista tunnetaan varsin hyvin. Erityisesti antiikin kreikkalaisten ja roomalaisten tekstien sekä retoriikan vaikutus kirjoihin liittyvään diskurssiin on varsin hyvin tunnettu. Samoin lääketieteellisten tekstien kääntämiseen kohdistuvia asenteita on tutkittu viime vuosina. Nämä tutkimukset eivät kuitenkaan ole kielitieteellisiä tai keskity arvottavaan kieleen. Kielitieteellinen tutkimus arvottavasta kielestä historiallisissa konteksteissa on ylipäätään vielä varsin vähäistä. Tutkimuksen materiaalina toimii 70 000 sanan korpus englantilaisten kääntäjien parateksteistä. Korpus koostuu 30 omistuskirjoituksesta ja 41 esipuheesta. Korpuksen paratekstejä ei ole rajattu päätekstin genren tai aiheen mukaan, vaan niitä on koottu kaikista genreistä. Arvottavan kielen analyysi tapahtuu käyttäen Appraisal-teoriaa, joka on arvottavan kielen luokitteluun analyysiin kehitetty diskurssisemanttinen metodologia. Tutkimus osoittaa, että varhaismoderniin englantilaiseen kirjaan kohdistuvat arvotukset perustuivat pääsääntöisesti kirjan sisäiseen arvoon tai sen arvoon kontekstissaan: kirjan erikoislaatuisuuteen ja hyödyllisyyteen. Kirjoittajaa arvotettiin käyttäen yksinkertaista, positiivista kieltä, joka kohdistui tämän soveliaisuuteen, kun taas kääntäjää arvotettiin monimutkaisilla ilmauksilla, joilla kommunikoitiin samanaikaisesti positiivisia ja negatiivisia asenteita. Kääntäjän kompetenssi kiistetään, mutta tämän sitkeyttä kehutaan. Päätekstin sisältö vaikuttaa arvottavaan kieleen ja kirjaan kohdistuviin asenteisiin. Antiikin klassisten tekstien käännökset noudattavat nöyryysdiskurssia, kun taas käyttö- ja tietokirjallisuuden parateksteissä arvottava kieli on tyypillisesti positiivisempaa. Tutkimuksellani tuotan tietoa varhaismodernin englannin kielen kirjallisesta kulttuurista ja arvottavan kielen toimintamekanismeista sekä laajennan arvottavan kielen tutkimusta aiemmille aikakausille