84 research outputs found
Political brand image: an investigation into the operationalisation of the external orientation of David Cameron’s Conservative brand
This paper seeks to address the limited understanding of how to operationalise the external brand image of a political brand. More specifically, this research critically assesses the transfer potential of the six variables of brand image by Bosch, Venter, Han and Boshoff to deconstruct the UK Conservative Party brand from the perspective of young people aged 18–24 years during the 2010 UK General Election campaign. This research demonstrates the applicability of the six variables otherwise known as the ‘brand image framework’ to the political environment. However, the application of the brand image framework in its original conceptualisation proved problematic. Many of the brand image variables were clarified, rearticulated and simplified to address the political context. This refined conceptualisation provided an in-depth understanding of how to investigate the political brand image of David Cameron’s Conservative Party. This study addresses the paucity of research that operationalises external brand image and provides practitioners and academics within and beyond the context of political branding a mechanism to understand the external orientation of brands. This research may also be used by political and non-political brands as a basis to explore external brand image and compare its consistency with internal brand identity
An experimental and kinetic modelling study of the oxidation of the four isomers of butanol
Butanol, an alcohol which can be produced from biomass sources, has received
recent interest as an alternative to gasoline for use in spark ignition engines
and as a possible blending compound with fossil diesel or biodiesel. Therefore,
the autoignition of the four isomers of butanol (1-butanol, 2-butanol,
iso-butanol, and tert-butanol) has been experimentally studied at high
temperatures in a shock tube and a kinetic mechanism for description of their
high-temperature oxidation has been developed. Ignition delay times for
butanol/oxygen/argon mixtures have been measured behind reflected shock waves
at temperatures and pressures ranging from approximately 1200 to 1800 K and 1
to 4 bar. Electronically excited OH emission and pressure measurements were
used to determine ignition delay times. A detailed kinetic mechanism has been
developed to describe the oxidation of the butanol isomers and validated by
comparison to the shock tube measurements. Reaction flux and sensitivity
analysis indicate that the consumption of 1 butanol and iso-butanol, the most
reactive isomers, takes place primarily by H-atom abstraction resulting in the
formation of radicals, the decomposition of which yields highly reactive
branching agents, H-atoms and OH radicals. Conversely, the consumption of tert
butanol and 2-butanol, the least reactive isomers, takes place primarily via
dehydration, resulting in the formation of alkenes, which lead to resonance
stabilized radicals with very low reactivity. To our knowledge, the ignition
delay measurements and oxidation mechanism presented here for 2-butanol,
iso-butanol, and tert butanol are the first of their kind.
Brand champion behaviour: Its role in corporate branding
yesBrand champions are responsible for encouraging employee commitment to the corporate brand strategy. They strongly believe in and identify with the brand concept—the company’s selected brand meaning, which underpins corporate brand strategy implementation. We conducted research to explore why and how brand champion behaviour operates within companies implementing a new corporate brand strategy. Against a backdrop of growing interest in brand champion behaviour in corporate branding research, we grounded our study in social identity theory and rhetorical theory from change management literature. Our findings show that articulating a compelling brand vision, taking responsibility, and getting the right people involved are the most widely used strategies by brand champions. We uncover how rhetorical strategies within brand champion behaviour generate employee commitment to a new corporate brand strategy. The dimension of brand champion behaviour that is effective depends on the type of brand evolution, involving shifts in the brand concept. We make suggestions for further studies underpinned by social identity theory and rhetorical theory to investigate brand champion behaviour processes within companies introducing a new corporate brand strategy
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