Brands as Humans: Positives and Negatives of Brand Anthropomorphism

Consumers' perceptions towards brands as humans have important implications in the area of branding. At present, however, we do not know much about the process that influences the degree to which consumers perceive brands as human beings and what the consequences of the phenomenon are. This dissertation fills this gap in the marketing literature. Two studies are provided to better understand the phenomenon. Specifically, Study 1 theorizes the positive sides of the brand anthropomorphization process. It is based on the examination of the theory of anthropomorphism, dehumanization, and knowledge activation, combined with field observations from focus-groups and in-depth interviews. It is argued that the inference process of brand anthropomorphization begins with primary cognition stages and proceeds through secondary cognition stages. During the brand anthropomorphization process, two types of anthropomorphized brands perceptions are formed -one that is rather transient and one that lasts longer. Study 2 addresses the consequences of brand humanization when a brand is perceived to be responsible for its product wrongdoing. Specifically, Study 2 finds the negative downstream consequences of brand humanization that differ from the positive role of anthropomorphism documented in prior research. Furthermore, Study 2 provides insights regarding how consumers' implicit theories of personality affect their judgments of anthropomorphized brands that perform negatively. That is, individuals who believe in personality stability (i.e., entity theorists), view anthropomorphized brands that experience negative publicity less favorably than non-anthropomorphized brands. In contrast, consumers who advocate personality malleability (i.e., incremental theorists), do not focus on one behavioral instance in forming impressions of an entity. Hence, they are less likely to devalue an anthropomorphized brand based upon a single instance of negative information regarding the brand. Overall, this dissertation contributes to the literature on brand anthropomorphization. First, this research demonstrates that stronger forms of brand anthropomorphization, going beyond brand personality attribution (e.g., weaker forms), exist, and how they evolve. Second, it shows that the effect of anthropomorphism is not universally positive and that it can have negative repercussions in the marketplace.Ph.D., Business Administration -- Drexel University, 201

Diversity and distribution of mobile genetic elements in marine invertebrates genomes

Mobile genetic elements (MGE) play an important role in genome structure and gene expression changes. All types of MGE are subdivided to two classes – retrotransposons and DNA-transposons. MGE were found in genomes of all main taxa of marine invertebrates and are represented by both classes. MGEs were found in genomes of Cnidaria species: Aurelia aurita, Acropora millepora, A. palmata, A. digitifera, Nematostella vectensis. MGE were studied in two flatworms (Platyhelminthes) species - Stylochus zebra and Bdelloura candida. In Annelida taxa, MGE were studied for Capitella capitata species. Echinodermata were represented in the review study by species Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, S. franciscanus, S. drobachiensis, Tripneustes gratilla, Lytechinus pictus, L. variegatus, Arbacia punctulata, and Eucidaris tribuloides. A quantity of MGE in Mollusca was studied for following species: Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chione cancellata, Crassostrea gigas, C. virginica, Anadara trapezia, Aplysia californica, Gibbula cineraria, Littorina littorea, and L. saxatilis. The type of Arthropoda is the most studied for MGE presence. MGE presence was studied for following Arthropoda species: Bythograea thermydron, Ventiella sulfuris, Maia brachydactila, Cancer pagurus, Pachygrapsus marmoratus, Penaeus monodon, P. vannamei, Litopenaeus stylirostris, Agononida laurentae, Galathea squamifera, Munida acantha, M. thoe, M. gregaria, M. zebra, Munidopsis recta, Eumunida annulosa, E. sternomaculata, and Rimicaris exoculata. A part of Chordata taxon, which is not included in Vertebrata subtupe, was studied too. This part was represented in the review by species Ciona intestinalis, Oikopleura dioica, and Branchiostoma floridae. A diversity of MGEs and their characters and its role in ontogenesis, in evolution and in changes of functions of genes and genomes were discussed

When opposites attract? Exploring the existence of complementarity in self-brand congruence processes

In the psychology of human interpersonal attraction, complementarity is a well-recognized phenomenon, where individuals are attracted to partners with different but complementary traits to their own. Although scholarship in human-brand relations draws heavily from interpersonal attraction theory, preferred techniques for measuring self-brand congruence tend to capture it in only one form: the similarity configuration, which expresses the extent to which brand traits essentially resemble or mirror a consumer’s own. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore, for the first time, the existence of complementarity in self-brand congruence. From a canonical correlation analysis of survey data in which respondents rated their own personality traits and those of their favorite brand, the existence of both similarity and complementarity configurations is indeed revealed. Based on this, the study then derives a measure of self-brand congruence that captures both configurations, and tests its predictive power for a range of brand-related outcomes. The new measure is found to perform well against existing measures of self-brand congruence based purely on a similarity configuration, particularly for emotionally based brand-related outcomes

Managing brands in the social media environment

The dynamic, ubiquitous, and often real-time interaction enabled by social media significantly changes the landscape for brand management. A deep understanding of this change is critical since it may affect a brand's performance substantially. Literature about social media's impact on brands is evolving, but lacks a systematic identification of key challenges related to managing brands in this new environment. This paper reviews existing research and introduces a framework of social media's impact on brand management. It argues that consumers are becoming pivotal authors of brand stories due to new dynamic networks of consumers and brands formed through social media and the easy sharing of brand experiences in such networks. Firms need to pay attention to such consumer-generated brand stories to ensure a brand's success in the marketplace. The authors identify key research questions related to the phenomenon and the challenges in coordinating consumer- and firm-generated brand stories

Why Nonprofits Are Easier to Endorse on Social Media: The Roles of Warmth and Brand Symbolism

Brands often seek endorsements by consumers on social media (e.g., likes on Facebook). But is this marketing strategy feasible for all brands? To answer this question, this research investigates in seven studies the processes that underlie consumers' intention to endorse brands on social media. We suggest that consumers aim to signal their identity by endorsing brands online. Based on the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework and related research in (social) cognition and consumer behavior, we argue that consumers on social media primarily want to emphasize their warmth rather than their competence. Experimental studies 1, 2, and 3 distinguish between nonprofit and for-profit brands and show that brand warmth (and not competence) mediates the effect of brand type (nonprofit vs. for-profit) on consumers' intentions to endorse brands and branded content on social media. Experiment 4 demonstrates that this process is moderated by brand symbolism (moderated mediation). A high level of brand symbolism increases the positive effect of warmth on consumers' intention to endorse brands online, but only for for-profit brands. The fifth experiment shows that these effects are conditional upon the public vs. private distinction in consumer behavior: consumers prefer to publicly affiliate with nonprofit (vs. for-profit) brands but with regard to private affiliations, there is no difference between both types of brands. In experiment 6, the causal role of warmth (vs. competence) is further examined. Finally, we demonstrate that perceptions of brands' warmth and not competence reduce the efforts that brands need to make to achieve consumers' endorsements on their real brand pages on Facebook

It's no longer mine: the role of brand ownership and advertising in cross-border brand acquisitions

Although cross-border brand acquisitions are increasingly common in the global marketplace, research on how consumers respond to them is limited. Building on social identity and psychological ownership theories, we introduce the concept of brand ownership to the advertising literature, and show its negative effects on consumer reactions to a brand acquisition. Furthermore, we demonstrate that consumers’ disidentification (i.e., an oppositional motivation) with an acquiring country moderates the negative effect of consumers’ brand ownership on consumer attitudes after a brand acquisition. The results reveal that consumers with high levels of brand ownership develop more negative post-acquisition brand attitudes when a brand is acquired by a country with which consumers strongly disidentify (i.e. dissociative vs. out-group). Furthermore, our research introduces the concept of a brand ownership appeal in advertising, and demonstrates that it is an effective advertising strategy in enhancing post-acquisition brand attitudes for consumers with high levels of brand ownership. Important theoretical and managerial advertising implications conclude this research

MANAGING THE TRAINING OF TALENTED EMPLOYEES ON THE EXAMPLE OF SBERBANK OF RUSSIA

В современных условиях экономического развития все большую значимость приобретает задача управления талантливыми сотрудниками. Талантливый сотрудник, обладающий широким карьерным потенциалом, является залогом успешности работы компании, а также показателем эффективности деятельности компании. Действующая система управления талантами в организации – это возможность для сотрудника сделать хорошую карьеру, выявить свои скрытые таланты, продвинуться по карьерной лестнице, быстро приспособиться к новым условиям бизнеса, меняющимся технологиям и инструментам, получить новые знания, а также развить свои навыки и умения. Новые организационные стратегии в направлении развития талантливых сотрудников требуют внесения существенных корректив в систему кадрового менеджмента и мотивационных процессов: карьерный рост, развитие и обучение становится ключевым элементом процесса управления персоналом. Целью статьи является выявление и конкретизация критериев определения талантливых сотрудников на этапе подбора персонала и изучение опыта профессионального развития талантливых сотрудников в ПАО «Сбербанк». В ходе исследования были изучены следующие документы: Положение «Система управления талантами в ПАО «Сбербанк»»; Положение «Кадровая политика в области вознаграждения и квалификационных требований к ключевым работникам ПАО «Сбербанк России»». Проведено анкетирование сотрудников организации с целью анализа системы развития талантливых сотрудников, особенностей реализации данной программы в организации, выявления достоинств и недостатков, сильных и слабых сторон системы обучения персонала. По результатам исследования разработаны мероприятия, которые рекомендуется внедрить в организацию.In modern conditions of economic development, the task of managing talented employees is becoming increasingly important. A talented employee with a wide career potential is the key to the company's success, as well as an indicator of the company's performance. The current talent management system in the organization is an opportunity for an employee to make a good career, identify their hidden talents, move up the career ladder, quickly adapt to new business conditions, changing technologies and tools, gain new knowledge, and develop their skills and abilities. New organizational strategies for the development of talented employees require significant adjustments to the system of personnel management and motivational processes: career growth, development and training become a key element of the personnel management process. The purpose of the article is to identify and specify criteria for determining talented employees at the recruitment stage and to study the experience of professional development of talented employees in Sberbank. The study examined the following documents: Regulations " talent management System in Sberbank»»; Regulation "Personnel policy in the field of remuneration and qualification requirements for key employees of Sberbank of Russia". A survey of employees of the organization was conducted in order to analyze the system of development of talented employees, features of the implementation of this program in the organization, to identify the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of the personnel training system. Based on the results of the study, measures have been developed that are recommended to be implemented in the organization.The work was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) under Grant № 19-010-00705 ‘Development of tools for assessing the impact of social pollution of labor relations on the employees' well-being in a digital economy’.Работа выполнена при финансовой поддержке РФФИ гранта «Разработка инструментария оценки влияния социального загрязнения трудовых отношений на благополучие работников в условиях цифровизации экономики» № 19-010-00705