A consumer-based brand equity approach to detect perceived incongruity and its impact upon consumer perceptions

An analysis of the retail market environment reveals two striking trends - remarkable growth of private brands, exerting increased pressure on national brands, and the increased market share of discounters and mass merchandisers stirring market competition with other retail types. These trends press the question - how do different product brand images interact with the variant images of different retailers? In order to thoroughly address, a comprehensive multiple mediator model was devised and empirically tested, tapping into three literature streams: the psychological, sociological and business literature on incongruity; studies on Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE; Keller 1993); and works on Retailer Brand Equity (RBE: Ailawadi and Keller 2004). In addition, various approaches discussing the quality concept in marketing were employed. Lastly, this research credited the emerging relevance of the retailer as brand concept (Burt and Sparks 2002). In order to account for the impact of private versus national brand, the combined effect of store image and brand cues on perceptions of quality and behavioral intentions, an incongruity construct was incorporated into the model. The components of the empirical model were Retailer Brand Image (RBI), Product Brand Image (PBI), (in)congruity, perceived value (PV), CBBE (Overall Brand Equity; OBE) and purchase intent (PI). Overall, the study was able to validate the proposed model, particularly in its focal incongruity condition (national brand - low image retailer). The findings across all conditions suggest that (in)congruity perceptions exert a decisive effect upon CBBE (OBE), mediated by PV. In addition, it could be shown that CBBE (OBE) has a strong impact on purchase intent independent from the product brand / retailer brand constellation. RBI shoa strong effect upon incongruity in the key incongruity condition, whereas in other situations the effect was not as strong. In summary, while private brands are well-received in both high and low image retailer settings, there is a definite perceived disconnect in consumer\u27s perception of national brands offered at lower image retailers. It is a reoccurring phenomenon that lower image retailers seek to include high image national brands in their assortment, but this may be a risky endeavor for the national brand

Gap Analysis in Practice - An Example From Brown And Caldwell, Louisville, KY

Gap analysis is a very common tool being utilized to account for any potential discrepancies between a desired and actually delivered performance level. Gap analysis is illustrated utilizing Brown and Caldwell in Louisville, KY. Brown and Caldwell engineers, scientists, consultants and constructors help municipal, private and federal agencies solve complex environmental challenges

Rebranding MSU Career Services - In Pursuit of Enhancing Quality

This study is part of a term project for the MKT 565 Marketing Research class in fall 2017. The objective of this exploratory project is to inquire about means to enhance the service experience for MSU students rendered by the Career Services (C.S.) department. It specifically seeks to address the following research questions: To what extent are MSU students aware of current services offered by C.S.? How many students have utilized the help of C.S.? Which specific types of C.S. offerings are perceived as being of particular relevance? What measures should be taken to meet the career needs of MSU students even better

Customer Satisfaction Survey Best Practices - The Case of Walmart

A class project sought to review customer satisfaction surveys of major retailers in light of survey creation best practices. Student Melissa Jackson provided a succinct oral presentation based on her written review

From Basement Twilight To Mainstream Spotlight: The State of the E-Sports Industry

This study is part of an independent study/ special problems (MKT 595) The objective of this exploratory project is to inquire about the history, current state and future prospects of the e-sports industry. Headlines such as Esports continue TV push with ESPN and Turner, sparking enthusiasm and eSports hits big time, with or without Olympics seem to suggest an unstoppable boom of e-sports. Is the hype justified? Can e-sports really appeal to mainstream customers or is the hype only a fad

Customer Satisfaction Survey Best Practices - The Case of Dollar Tree

A class project sought to review customer satisfaction surveys of major retailers in light of survey creation best practices. Student Ross Jones provided a succinct oral presentation based on his written review

Oh Millennials, Where Art Thy Communication Skills?

It is a truism that communication skills are an essential building block for being “career ready.” This notion applies to students of all majors. Regarding college graduates US employers have complained for years about rather “suboptimal” communication skill sets in general and deficient writing skills in particular. The objective of this conceptual study is two-fold: On the one hand it provides a detailed overview why it is of such paramount importance for students – especially marketing and other business majors – to have a rock solid command of written English. On the other hand, the study points to certain factors that might explain why some Millennials struggle with writing proficiency

Customer Satisfaction Survey Best Practices - The Case of Burger King

A class project sought to review customer satisfaction surveys of major retailers in light of survey creation best practices. Student Courtney Swafford provided a succinct oral presentation based on her written review

No Need To Go To A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Internship Opportunities in Murray, KY

It is a truism that internships provide students with invaluable insights for their professional career pursuits. However, some students hesitate to do an internship because allegedly there is nothing interesting to be found in the immediate geographic area. Two students will prove the opposite: They will present on their internship experiences in Murray, KY - on and off-campus