Impact of environmentally friendly packaging on consumers’ attitudes and patronage intentions toward apparel retail brands

Consumer interest in social responsibility (SR) has greatly increased in recent years. Providing environmentally friendly packaging (recycled and reusable bags) is one example of how apparel retail brands can engage in SR. The objective of this research was to explore the impact of using environmentally friendly packaging on consumers’ attitudes and patronage intentions toward apparel retail brands. To conduct this research, undergraduate and graduate students from a major mid-Southern university completed an online survey testing consumers’ perceptions, environmental consciousness, attitudes, and patronage intentions. Results from this study revealed that young consumers’ perceptions of environmentally friendly packaging has a positive impact on their environmental consciousness and their attitudes toward apparel retail brands engaged in SR. This study also found that consumers’ environmental consciousness has a positive impact on their attitudes toward apparel retail brands engaged in SR, which lead to patronage intentions toward the brand. These findings imply that providing environmentally friendly packaging is important in enhancing positive attitudes and patronage intentions toward apparel retail brands. Retailers are advised to consider changing their current packaging to environmentally friendly packaging

Development of a brand image scale and the impact of lovemarks on brand equity

The purposes of the present study were: (1) to develop a reliable and valid scale for three brand image dimensions (mystery, sensuality, and intimacy), (2) to empirically test Roberts\u27 (2004) lovemarks theory by examining the effect of the three brand image dimensions on the lovemark experience (brand love and respect), and (3) to examine the relationships among elements of brand equity (brand awareness, image, and loyalty), the lovemark experience, overall brand equity, fashion innovativeness, fashion information search, and gender. Data were collected using an online survey and two samples, one consisting of college students and the other representing a national sample. A number of steps were involved in validating the scale. First, consistent with mystery, sensuality, and intimacy sub-themes proposed by Roberts (2004, 2006), three brand image dimensions were fleshed out based on a literature review, descriptive comments from the lovemarks Website, and findings from interviews. Twenty-one sub-themes of the brand image were identified, leading to the development of 137 representative items (i.e., 77 mystery, 25 sensuality, and 35 intimacy items). Second, based on the factor loadings from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, 22 items (i.e., six mystery, seven sensuality, and nine intimacy items) were retained. Based on data collected from undergraduate college students, reliability and convergent and nomological validity of the brand image scale were confirmed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results indicated that the six mystery items reflected positive present experiences and positive memories from past experiences with a brand. Seven sensuality items reflected pleasing visual sensations, and nine intimacy items captured consumer\u27s commitment and enjoyment. Third, the final version of the brand image scale, containing 21 items (i.e., six mystery, six sensuality, and nine intimacy items), was verified based on the factor structure assessment using data collected from U.S. consumers and confirmatory factor analysis. Final validation (i.e., convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity) of the brand image scale was confirmed using SEM and the U.S. consumer data. Regarding the second objective, Roberts\u27 (2004) lovemarks theory was tested using SEM. Results of the structural model showed that mystery and intimacy positively influenced both brand love and respect, but sensuality only influenced brand respect. To achieve the last objective, SEM was used to test a conceptual model, which examined the relationships among variables (brand awareness, image, love, respect, loyalty, overall brand equity, fashion innovativeness, fashion information search, and gender). As predicted, brand awareness was positively associated with brand image. However, contrary to predictions, brand awareness did not have a positive influence on brand loyalty, love, or respect. In support of the model, brand image positively influenced brand love, respect, and loyalty. Whereas findings supported the hypothesized significant path between brand love and brand loyalty, but it was in the opposite direction (negative), which might be explained by collinearity. The posited positive relationships between brand respect and brand loyalty and between brand loyalty and overall brand equity were supported. Female consumers rated higher on fashion innovativeness than did male consumers, and female consumers searched more for information about fashion brands than did male consumers, which supported the conceptual model. The relationship between brand awareness and fashion innovativeness did not receive support, but the level of fashion information search did have a significant influence on brand awareness. Finally, the present study added an additional path between fashion information search and brand image. Results revealed that fashion information search positively influenced brand image. Findings empirically support that mystery, sensuality, and intimacy should be built into a brand experience to ensure a favorable brand image, leading to brand loyalty. The present study extended Keller\u27s (1993) consumer-based brand equity model by providing empirical support for the addition of the lovemark experience to the model

The Moderating Role of Identity Expressiveness in Building Global Brand Equity

This study expands brand equity research by examining the moderating effects of culture and identity expressiveness and lovemarks in building global brand equity. A total of 711 responses (362 for the US and 349 for the Chinese sample) completed an online survey. The moderating effects were confirmed by a chi-square difference test. For US consumers, all three associations increased lovemarks, with cognitive associations producing the strongest positive impact. For Chinese consumers, affective associations had the strongest effect, while the effects of sensory associations were insignificant. In both groups, the impact of cognitive associations on lovemarks was stronger for those with high levels of identity expressiveness, whereas the impact of affective associations was stronger for those with low levels of identity expressiveness. The impact of sensory associations on lovemarks was significant in the US sample, whereas no impact from sensory associations was found in the Chinses sample. The anticipated pathways from lovemarks to loyalty and WOM were positive and significant. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for local and global brand managers

Testing an Expanded Consumer-Based Brand Equity Model in Korea: Addition of the Lovemark Concept

The purpose of the present research is to examine the applicability of the expanded consumer-based brand equity model to non-U.S. consumers

Scale Development of the Lovemark Experience for Fashion Brands

Lovemarks theory suggests a company/brand must create a lovemark to build customer loyalty by providing the consumer with three elements of experience: a sense of mystery, sensuality, and intimacy

A Study on the Integrated Design Process for the BoP and Inclusive Business

Integrated Industrial DesignIn recent years, designers have shown a greater interest in underdeveloped global regions and have focused their efforts toward these regions in an empirical fashion. Despite this increased interest, to date, there have been no major development agencies (e.g., United Nations of Development Planning, UNDP) to discuss the role and participation of design in IDC. As a result, participation in international design-related activities has not been considered as a tenet of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) proposed by the UNDP. Despite this oversight, a growing movement in the design domain has begun to emphasize a macro-level perspective. Designers have begun to explicitly discuss MDGs, and as a result, they have started to appear at design exhibitions. Also, many researchers have commented on the limitations of Official Development Aids (ODA) as existing solution. As an alternative to these temporary solutions, the concepts of the “Bottom of the Pyramid” (the BoP) and “Inclusive Business” (IB) are suggested as more tenable frameworks for addressing design-related issues in underdeveloped countries. The BoP refers to the four billion people around the world (roughly 2/3 of the world population) who make less than four dollars per day and represent a new global market. IB is the next sustainable development solution with regard to the BoP. Taken in concert, these two concepts are expected to produce more sustainable methods through which underdeveloped countries can become self-sufficient. In this thesis, to promote active design participation in IDC, I suggest an integrated process model that incorporates the concepts of the BoP and inclusive business as future approaches in international development. To these ends, I have organized this project into a series of interrelated sections. The first section introduces the background for the current research, as well as its scope and methods. Second, I explain the concepts of international development cooperation, the BoP, and inclusive business to provide a comprehensive understanding of how they relate from a macro-level perspective. Next, I review and analyze extant research related to the BoP and inclusive business processes to provide a conceptual framework for the proposed integrated process. To validate the process and ensure its practical applicability, 12 experts are interviewed to generate feedback based on their experiences in the field. By refining the first iteration of the model on the basis of these suggestions and feedback, I ultimately suggest an integrated process for the BoP and inclusive business. Timely, design domain should expand the spectrum of the role not only solving first-end design problems of the poor but also finding the real needs of the BoP people and provide sustainable inclusive business model. Through a review of this research, design participation and potential approaches for developing a model that incorporates the BoP and inclusive business emerge. In exploring such a model, this document can facilitate an understanding among designers of common goals discussed in the international development domain.ope

Assessment of Textile and Apparel Curriculum in Mongolia from the Academia and Industry Perspectives

Despite the significant presence of the Textile and Apparel (T & A) industry in Mongolia, the current T & A curriculum in Mongolian higher education is not up to the standard of meeting the needs for the T&A industry. Present researchers found that previous research assessed the T & A curriculum in developed countries like the U.S. (Hines & Swinker, 1998); however, little academic research has assessed the T & A curriculum in third world countries (e.g., Mongolia). Thus, the purpose of this research is to assess the T & A curriculum in Mongolian higher education to provide some fundamental suggestions for improvement meeting the four-year baccalaureate program, Meta-Goals, developed by the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA, 2008)

The Effects of Country-of-Origin and Attitude Functions on Luxury Brand Purchase

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of country-of-origin on young consumers’ attitude and luxury brand purchase intentions. This study extends the “Functional Theories of Attitudes” by adding materialistic function to social-adjustive, value-expressive, hedonic, and utilitarian functions. A total of 418 online survey responses were used to test the proposed model. Results identified the utilitarian function was not reliable, but materialistic function was a reliable construct. Results found that attitude is a multidimensional construct consisting of social-adjustive, value-expressive, materialistic, and hedonic functions. Country-of-origin positively influenced attitude toward luxury brand, which positively influenced luxury brand purchase intentions. Further multiple regression analysis found a significant direct path between country-of-origin and luxury brand purchase, which showed much stronger impact than the effect of attitude on purchase intentions. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for luxury brand managers