Ex-post Performance Implications of Divergence of Managers’ Perceptions of ‘Distance’ From ‘Reality’ in International Business

Despite much research on “distance”, little attention has been paid to the effect of divergence of managers’ perceptions of distance from reality (i.e. distance divergence) and its implications for firm performance. This knowledge is highly important since managerial perceptions of the firm’s environment do not always coincide with the actual environmental characteristics. Consequently, strategies based on inaccurate data may result in erroneous forecasts, missed opportunities and business failure. Using survey data from senior managers of Swedish exporters and corresponding objective data, this study is a first attempt to explore the ex-post performance implications of “distance divergence” when expanding into foreign markets. Our results demonstrate that the larger the divergence between managers’ perceptions of cultural distance and corresponding “objective” distance, the lower the performance expressed in companies’ sales. However, over/underestimation of cultural distance does not have differential effects on firm performance.“Stiftelsen Olle Hakelius Stipendiefond”, Grant no: 1165001

Balancing the act: the implications of jointly pursuing internal customer orientation and external customer orientation

Current marketing paradigms recognise a need for organisations to create value for both internal and external customers. However, jointly pursuing an internal and external customer focus has been argued to be both synergistic and contradictory. Using cluster analysis, this paper develops a typology on the basis of employees’ perceptions of their organisation’s joint pursuit of internal and external customer orientation. This allows an examination of the joint implications of these strategic postures on organisational processes, including information generation, information dissemination, training, communication and human resource practices. The results suggest that employees have the most positive perceptions of organisational processes when they perceive the organisation pursues a strong internal orientation, followed by those organisations that are jointly strong on internal and external customer orientation.Jodie Conduit, Margaret Jekanyika Matanda, Felix T. Mavond

Brand citizenship behaviour in franchising

This paper provides a conceptualisation of the role of brand relationship management and franchisor competence in enhancing brand relationship quality and brand citizenship behaviour in the franchising context. The study extends the retailer's perspective of brand value by arguing that franchising as a special form of retailing calls for its own separate models different from the typical buyer-seller relationships. A conceptual framework is proposed to help understand how a well-managed brand relationship system and highly competent franchisors enhances brand relationship quality and eventually brand citizenship behaviour. The paper explores the behavioural aspects of the franchise relationship from the franchisee's perspective as brand relationship representatives in the channel. Research propositions, proposed methodology and analyses, managerial implications and research limitations are provided

Building franchisee-based brand equity through brand relationships

Abstract not available

Introducing the concept of Franchisee-Based Brand Equity (FBBE)

Abstract not available

Leveraging brand relationships to enhance brand value and franchisee-based brand equity

Abstract not available

Microfranchising: A marketing perspective in economic empowerment of subsistence-level entrepreneurs

Abstract not available