“Carolina Herrera” internationalization strategy : democratic luxury or maximum exclusiveness?

The Company Carolina Herrera has identified a market niche that demands garments, apparel and accessories and to which it can offer a somewhat differentiated product with excellent quality. This market niche is the target of several companies such as Loewe and Vuitton, which may be clearly identified as the leading companies and worldwide references. In this scenario, the question of which internationalization strategy must be pursued to access the luxury fashion product market should be raised. A Benchmarking analysis was carried out for the purpose of identifying best commercial performances of leading worldwide Brand names to determine the marketing planning strategy. Results show the companies’ recognition of a globalised luxury and the discovery of a global market niche with huge growth potential, such as luxury handbags, make us state that there are still growth opportunities that have not been exploited.peer-reviewe

Analysis of value chain and sources of differentiation in international fashion markets

This paper analyzes the value chain of the Galician textile-clothing sector and the main sources of differentiation. To respond to these objectives, 40 in-depth interviews with executives were carried out followed up by a questionnaire. Results indicate that the differentiation focused on specific segments must be the foundation on which companies compete in international fashion markets. Among the variables that contribute most to the creation of that differentiation are the brand and the design. The latter is a strategic variable of the value chain that should not be subcontracted. Galician companies need to have better control of the operations in the value chain, especially the finishes and control of end quality.peer-reviewe

Analysis of value chain in the textile-clothing sector, sources of equity and brand strategy in international fashion markets

[Abstract] Purposes: The aim of this paper is to address three issues. Firstly, this paper aims to make the strategic analysis of the value chain of the Galician textile-clothing sector. Next, we attempt to analyse the sources of competitive advantage on which companies will build the strategy, as well as defining the main sources of differentiation. Lastly, the international projection of different companies that belong to the Galician medium-sized and big companies‟ strategic group will be analysed. Design/methodology: To respond to the objectives put forward, the fieldwork was divided into two clearly different stages. Firstly, 40 in-depth interviews with executives were carried out followed up by a questionnaire. Findings: Results indicate that the differentiation focused on specific segments must be the foundation on which companies compete in international markets. Among the variables that contribute most to the creation of that differentiation are the brand and the design. The latter is a strategic variable of the value chain that should not be subcontracted. Galician companies need to have better control of the operations in the value chain, especially the finishes and control of end quality. Originality/value: This paper advances in the strategic analysis of the value chain of the textile-clothing sector and the contribution of branding and other intangible assets in building the strategy in the international fashion markets.[Resumen] Hemos detectado la importancia y el potencial que tiene el sector textil-confección y moda en la economía de Galicia. Sin embargo, existen amenazas y retos que las empresas deben afrontar correctamente para evitar una pérdida notable de competitividad así como para aprovechar al máximo las oportunidades que se presentan en este nuevo entorno de liberalización e internacionalización del sector. Así, las decisiones de deslocalización, la subcontratación de la producción, la estrategia de internacionalización o la gestión adecuada de la cadena de valor son cuestiones prioritarias en las que entendemos que es necesario aportar una investigación novedosa y eficaz que ofrezca, de un lado, un marco teórico con el que analizar este nuevo entorno económico, y por otro lado, dar respuesta a las grandes interrogantes ante las que se encuentran las empresas del sector: ¿dónde deslocalizar la producción?, ¿cómo gestionar adecuadamente la cadena de valor?, ¿qué estrategia se debe implementar para hacer frente a la gran competencia en costes?, ¿qué activos se deben potenciar?, ¿qué variables de marketing-mix pueden ser más eficaces en la gestión de esa cadena de producción-distribución-comercialización? ¿qué nivel de integración vertical u horizontal se debe afrontar?, ¿qué canal de distribución permite dar una mejor respuesta a la demanda y un mejor control de la producción?, ¿cuál puede ser el papel de la marca en estas decisiones?. Así, el creciente proceso de internacionalización de la economía, unido al de liberalización del comercio exterior de productos de confección ha cambiado el entorno en el que operaban las empresas del sector textil-confección gallego. Estos hechos, unidos a la saturación de los mercados domésticos donde estas empresas operaban y a la proyección internacional de las cadenas de distribución, han ocasionado, de un lado, una excelente oportunidad de crecimiento en los mercados exteriores así como la posibilidad de localizar materias primas y mano de obra que tienen un menor coste, pero, por otro lado, supone también una amenaza al tener que hacer frente a una mayor competencia. Por ello, creemos que es necesario hacer un análisis profundo de lo que está ocurriendo en este sector, tanto para afrontar las amenazas o riesgos que supone, como para dar una respuesta a las oportunidades que también existen en este entorno. En este contexto global, hemos identificado tres cuestiones de investigación. La primera cuestión se centra en establecer cuál debe ser la forma de obtención de la ventaja competitiva y la redefinición de la cadena de valor. Esto permitirá orientar mejor las decisiones de producción, localización, distribución y comercialización. El segundo problema, trata de identificar las fuentes de diferenciación y de valor de marca en el sector textil-confección. Por último y en tercer lugar se investiga el posicionamiento competitivo y la estrategia de marca del caso de Carolina Herrera

Brewing the recipe for beer brand equity

This research study aims to analyze the sources and consequences of beverages’ Brand Equity, and more specifically, the beer Brand Equity in a Sothern European mature market. For this purpose, based on the customer-based Aaker’s Brand Equity model, we developed an empirical study, using structural equation modeling (SEM) in order to assess how beer Brand Equity stems from in the brewery industry and to analyze its consequences in consumer behavior. Our findings suggest that the beer brand image is the most important dimension for beer Brand Equity. Moreover, a significant positive influence was found for all the dimensions analyzed, namely brand awareness, perceived quality and loyalty; while we found empirical support for the influence of beer Brand Equity on purchase intention and the consumer willingness to pay a premium price. This research brings relevant implications for brewery marketing managers, who should strengthen their beer brand image, and further consider beer Brand Equity as a key variable in consumer behaviour.peer-reviewe

La influencia moderadora de la implicacion con las TICs en los servicios moviles

[Abstract]: Purpose – The growing availability of wireless internet services and the great popularization of smartphones and other mobile devices means a greater challenge for mobile service companies that need to identify the factors influencing the use behavior of mobile services. So considering that the level of consumer involvement can lead to differences in service outcome evaluations, this study aims to examine whether consumer involvement with information and communication technologies (ICTs) has a moderating influence on consumer behavior in mobile services Design/methodology/approach – The authors propose an integrative model of the usage of mobile services to examine the moderating role of involvement with ICTs. Drawing on a sample of 493 users, two levels of involvement with ICTs were examined; and data were analyzed through multiple-group structural equation modeling. Findings – Findings show that the level of consumer involvement with ICTs influences the behavior in the mobile services. Further, the findings support that mobile services’ perceived quality, followed by the service perceived value are the factors with a stronger influence in satisfaction with mobile services, regardless the level of consumer involvement with ICTs. However, the mobile company corporate image has a lower influence. In addition, the results support the partial moderating role of involvement with ICTs in the loyalty toward mobile service providers, suggesting that consumers lowly involved with ICTs experience a greater impact of the service quality on their loyalty. Originality/value – The main contribution of this study is the examination of the influence of involvement with technologies in consumer behavior in the mobile services[Resumen]: Proposito – La disponibilidad creciente de los servicios internet inalámbrico y la gran popularización y adopción de los smartphones y de otros dispositivos móviles supone un gran desafío para las compañías de servicios móviles que necesitan identificar aquellos factores que influyen en el comportamiento de uso de los servicios móviles. Así, considerando que el nivel de implicación del consumidor puede llevar a diferencias en las evaluaciones de los resultados de los servicios, este estudio analiza si la implicación del consumidor con las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs) tiene una influencia moderadora en el comportamiento del consumidor en los servicios móviles. Metodología – Se propone un modelo integrador sobre el uso de los servicios móviles para examinar el rol moderador de la implicación del consumidor con las TICs. Sobre la base de una muestra de 493 usuarios, se analizaron dos niveles de implicación con las TICs; y los datos fueron analizados mediante un modelo multigrupo de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados – Los resultados muestran que el nivel de implicación del consumidor con las TIC influye en su comportamiento hacia los servicios móviles. Además, nuestros resultados respaldan que la calidad percibida de los servicios móviles, seguida del valor percibido de estos servicios son los factores con mayor influencia en la satisfacción con los servicios móviles, independientemente del nivel de implicación del consumidor con las TIC. Sin embargo, la imagen corporativa de la compañía de servicios móviles tiene una influencia menor. Adicionalmente, nuestros resultados muestran el rol moderador parcial de la implicación con las TIC en la lealtad hacia los proveedores de servicios móviles, sugiriendo que los consumidores poco implicados con las TIC experimentan un mayor impacto de la calidad del servicio en su lealtad. Valor – La principal contribución de este estudio es el análisis de la influencia de la implicación del consumidor con las tecnologías, en su comportamiento hacia los servicios de comunicación móvil de los smartphones y de otros dispositivos móviles supone un gran desafío para las compañías de servicios móviles que necesitan identificar aquellos factores que influyen en el comportamiento de uso de los servicios móviles. Así, considerando que el nivel de implicación del consumidor puede llevar a diferencias en las evaluaciones de los resultados de los servicios, este estudio analiza si la implicación del consumidor con las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs) tiene una influencia moderadora en el comportamiento del consumidor en los servicios móviles. Metodología – Se propone un modelo integrador sobre el uso de los servicios móviles para examinar el rol moderador de la implicación del consumidor con las TICs. Sobre la base de una muestra de 493 usuarios, se analizaron dos niveles de implicación con las TICs; y los datos fueron analizados mediante un modelo multigrupo de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados – Los resultados muestran que el nivel de implicación del consumidor con las TIC influye en su comportamiento hacia los servicios móviles. Además, nuestros resultados respaldan que la calidad percibida de los servicios móviles, seguida del valor percibido de estos servicios son los factores con mayor influencia en la satisfacción con los servicios móviles, independientemente del nivel de implicación del consumidor con las TIC. Sin embargo, la imagen corporativa de la compañía de servicios móviles tiene una influencia menor. Adicionalmente, nuestros resultados muestran el rol moderador parcial de la implicación con las TIC en la lealtad hacia los proveedores de servicios móviles, sugiriendo que los consumidores poco implicados con las TIC experimentan un mayor impacto de la calidad del servicio en su lealtad. Valor – La principal contribución de este estudio es el análisis de la influencia de la implicación del consumidor con las tecnologías, en su comportamiento hacia los servicios de comunicación móvil

Drivers of value in the beer market : comparing an imported and a national brand

The European brewing industry is a main economic sector and a major activity in the agro food area. While the majority of the product consumption is domestic, imported beer has also increased remarkably in the recent years. This study raises two objectives; firstly to obtain an approximation of the profile of the Spanish beer consumer through a descriptive analysis, and on the other hand, it aims to compare brand equity variables from a domestic brand to an imported brand. A quantitative study is carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire to potential customers, obtaining 281 valid responses. Then, we proceed with an analysis of the variables of brand equity and with comparative study between the two brands in one major European market - the Spanish market-, one domestic-Mahou-and the other one-Corona-imported from México, to analyze differences in brand value from the consumer viewpoint. Our results highlight that Coronate brand has been positioned properly in the market, suggesting that has been able to offer beer consumers a remarkable brand value, and that the consumer is perceiving it.peer-reviewe

The Circular Economy Business Model: Examining Consumers’ Acceptance of Recycled Goods

[Abstract] The circular economy strategy supports the transformation of the linear consumption model into a closed-production model to achieve economic sustainability, with the consumers’ acceptance of circular products being one of the major challenges. Further, one important aspect of product circularity remains unexplored, such as the consumers’ purchase intention of recycled circular goods. In this context, the present study proposes and tests a conceptual model on consumers acceptance of recycled goods through PLS Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), based on the data obtained from 312 respondents. Results indicate that the positive image of circular products is the most important driver of consumers’ acceptance, followed by the product perceived safety. This study provides an empirical foundation for the important role of consumers in circular economy business models through the examination of consumers’ acceptance of recycled goods

Examining the Influence of Store Environment in Hedonic and Utilitarian Shopping

[Abstract] Much of the literature on the attractiveness and pleasantness of retail stores has focused on the critical influence of store atmosphere or ambient attributes, which influence customer satisfaction and store choice. However, little is known about the environmental cues that influence customers’ satisfaction in different shopping contexts. In this context, the present research aims to answer the following questions: “Are the store atmospheric variables equally relevant in hedonic and utilitarian shopping?”; and further: “Does the influence of store environment on customer satisfaction vary depending on the type of shopping?”. For this purpose an empirical research is developed through PLS Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) based on data obtained from hedonic (n = 210) and utilitarian (n = 267) shopping contexts. Results indicate that customers perceive differently store atmospherics in utilitarian and in hedonic shopping. More precisely, findings report that customer satisfaction is driven by internal ambient and merchandise layout in hedonic shopping contexts; while the external ambient and the merchandise layout are major atmospheric cues in utilitarian shopping. Interestingly, store crowding does not influence customers’ satisfaction. This study provides a deeper understanding into the specific store attributes that influence customer satisfaction, which could be used by retailers to differentiate themselves from competitors

The Asymmetric Emotional Associations to Beverages: An Approach through the Theory of Positive Asymmetry

[Abstract] Consumers experience mainly positive emotions in response to food products, and the reason is that, for most individuals, eating and drinking is a pleasurable experience. On this premise, in light of the Theory of Positive Asymmetry, this study answers the following question: “What emotions prevail in beverage consumption?” A MANOVA test was developed comparing emotions associated with spirits (n = 247), alcoholic beverages (n = 560) and non-alcoholic beverages (n = 254). The findings report that the positive asymmetry of emotions occurs in beverage consumption, regardless of the type of beverage product, since pleasant or positive emotions are primarily associated with beverages’ consumption. The analysis suggests that individuals predominantly associate beverages with pleasant emotions, regardless of the type of beverage, while the level of alcohol content seems to be influencing the different emotions and affect. The research results provide valuable insights to help managers and marketers understand the choice and preference for different beverages

The Influence of Celebrity Endorsement on Food Consumption Behavior

[Abstract]: “Is consumer food behavior influenced by celebrity endorsement?”. This question remains unsolved despite celebrities constantly recommending different products in their social media networks. Much of the literature on celebrity endorsement focuses on the characteristics of celebrities influencing consumers’ behavior, but there is scarce research about how celebrity endorsements about food and food products influence consumers’ behavior. In this context and based on the source credibility and source attractiveness models, as well as on the match-up theory, this study aims to examine whether consumers’ food purchase intention and consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price is influenced by celebrity endorsement. For this purpose, an empirical study is developed through Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) based on data gathered from 316 consumers who read celebrity recommendations. Findings report that consumers are most influenced in their food consumption behavior by the congruence between the celebrity endorsement and the product being recommended, and by the celebrity credibility. Interestingly, celebrity recommendations show a similar influencing pattern both for consumers’ food purchase intention and consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price for food. The major contribution of this research is to show that congruence is the main route by which celebrity endorsement influences food consumption behavior.This research was funded by Cátedra Luis Fernández Somoza, for the internationalization of research studies on the area of Business and Economics of the Universidade da Coruña (Spain