Bu araştırmada KOBİ’lerin kurumsal marka kavramını nasıl tanımlandığı, kurumsal marka sahibi olmalarının önündeki engeller ve KOBİ’lerde marka anlayışı keşfedilmeye çalışılmıştır. Kurumsal marka sahibi olmanın işletmeler için rekabet avantajı sağladığı ve birçok pazar avantajını beraberinde getirdiği literatürde vurgulanmıştır. Ancak, literatürdeki kurumsal marka araştırmalarının büyük işletmelere odaklandığı ve KOBİ'leri göz ardı ettiği görülmüştür. KOBİ'lerin dünya genelinde önemli bir ekonomik rol oynadığı göz önüne alındığında kurumsal marka oluşturmanın onlar için de uzun vadede faydalar saylayacağı öngörüldü. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmanın amacı KOBİ'lerin kurumsal marka oluşturmasını daha iyi anlamak ve literatürdeki bu boşluğu doldurmaktır. Araştırmadan elde edilen bulgulara göre KOBİ'lerde kurumsal markayı tanımlama ve geliştirmede işletme sahipleri ve yöneticilerinin rolünün büyük olduğunu ve bu kişilerin karakterinin kurumsal kültür ve kurumsal kimliği üzerinde etkili olduğunu ortaya çıkmıştır. Çalışma Türkiye'nin Kayseri şehrinde farklı sektörlerden 15 KOBİ sahibi veya yöneticisi ile yarı yapılandırılmış mülakatlar kullanarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler tematik analiz yöntemi ile incelenmiş ve beş ana tema belirlenmiştir: kurumsal marka kavramı, girişimci markası, ürün/hizmet markası, kurumsal marka sahibi olmanın önündeki engeller ve başarı. Sonuç olarak, bu araştırma KOBİ'lerin kurumsal marka oluşturmasının önemini ve işletme sahipleri/yöneticilerinin bu süreçteki kilit rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın KOBİ'ler için kurumsal marka oluşturma sürecini daha iyi anlamak ve geliştirmek isteyen işletmelere rehberlik edebileceği düşünülmektedir.EXTENDED ABSTRACT. Background & Purpose: The existing literature emphasizes the significance of establishing a distinctive corporate brand for achieving sustainable competitive advantages in business (Balmer, 2013; Brexendorf and Keller, 2017; Harris and de Chernatony, 2001). A well-developed corporate brand is a vital intangible asset within a company's portfolio (Biraghi and Gambetti, 2015; de Chernatony, 1999), offering various market advantages such as improved visibility, customer appeal, product support, visual distinctiveness, investor confidence, embodiment of organizational values, and workforce motivation (Balmer and Gray, 2003, p.973). Moreover, corporate branding acts as a strategic tool enabling firms, irrespective of their size, age, or industry, to secure a more effective market position and differentiate themselves from competitors (Hatch and Schultz, 2008). Notably, the benefits of corporate branding extend beyond large multinational corporations, as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can also leverage it to attain strategic advantages, including sales growth (M'zungu et al., 2019).
However, most research in corporate branding has predominantly concentrated on large or multinational companies (Balmer, 2012; Krake, 2005), often overlooking SMEs (Centeno et al., 2013; Rode and Vallester, 2005; Wong and Merrilees, 2005). Given that SMEs constitute nearly 95% of global businesses and contribute around 60% to 70% of employment in OECD economies, they represent a significant segment that demands attention (OECD, 2018). Similar to large multinational corporations, SMEs benefit significantly from a robust corporate brand, allowing them to effectively communicate with both internal and external stakeholders, thereby enhancing their ability to create value (Nielsen and Thomsen, 2009; Gabrielli and Balboni, 2010). Regardless of their size, the creation, development, and maintenance of strong brands are imperative for gaining a competitive edge in the market (Hoeffler and Keller, 2003; Ojasalo et al., 2008). Nonetheless, experts in SME branding widely agree that the exploration of (corporate) branding at the SME level is limited and under-researched (Horan vd., 2011; M’zungu et al., 2019; Inskip, 2004). While some researchers, like Keller and Swaminathan (2015), argue that (corporate) branding is not a priority for SMEs, a substantial body of scientific literature underscores its significance and necessity within SMEs (Krake, 2005; Wong and Merrilees, 2005; Agostini et al., 2015; Centeno et al., 2013; Berthon et al., 2008).
Krake's (2005) study in the Netherlands, utilizing the funnel model and interviews, explored branding in SMEs. The funnel model suggests that SME brand management is chiefly influenced by owner/manager experiences, creativity, and knowledge, with these individuals primarily making brand decisions, thereby establishing a strong link between SME manager/owner traits and brand identity, corporate culture, and organizational identity (Krake, 2005). Additionally, research by Spence and Hamzaoui Essoussi (2010) and Ojasalo et al. (2008) underscores the significant role of managers and owners in SME branding. Consequently, when examining brand concepts in SMEs, it's evident that the character of the business owner or manager is the primary factor shaping brand identity, corporate culture, and organizational identity (Rode and Vallaster, 2005; Boyle, 2003; Krake, 2005). Similarly, Rodeand Vallaster (2005) examined corporate branding in eight newly established German SMEs, discovering that entrepreneurs significantly influence employee behaviours aligned with corporate branding. Berthon et al. (2008) conducted a survey among 263 SMEs in the business-to-consumer (B2C) services sector, revealing disparities in brand management perceptions between SMEs and larger enterprises.
Most studies examining branding in SMEs have primarily been conducted in developed countries. Furthermore, despite providing valuable insights, the process of corporate branding in SMEs remains inadequately explored. Therefore, this research aims to address this gap in the literature by conceptualizing corporate branding in SMEs and addressing the following research questions: How do SME managers and/or owners in developing countries define corporate branding? What are the barriers to the development of corporate branding in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)?
Research Method: To achieve these research objectives, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with SME owners/managers from various sectors in Kayseri, Turkey. This approach aimed to encourage diversity between groups while maintaining a certain level of homogeneity. These participants were chosen for their roles as internal stakeholders and their close relationships with other stakeholders. As suggested by Spence (1999), SME owners and managers maintain close relationships with the business's stakeholders. The initial participant was contacted through the researcher's network, and this participant subsequently recommended another person for the study, leading to a chain reaction where each participant recommended a new participant for the interviews. Thus, snowball sampling was employed to collect the necessary qualitative data for this study. Snowball sampling is frequently used in research on cultures where individual communication networks are crucial (Coleman, 1958). In this study,
Interview questions were developed based on the literature, research philosophy, and methodology. The interviews were conducted face-to-face in Turkish. Due to political sensitivities in Turkey, all SME owners/managers were reluctant to allow audio recordings, so handwritten notes were taken for all interviews. Interviews were concluded when data saturation was reached, defined as no new data, codes, or themes emerging during interviews (Guest et al., 2006). Demographic information about the participants is summarized in Table 1. In accordance with the ethical guidelines from Brunel University, consent forms (refer to Appendices 1 for the Consent Form) were provided to all participants before each interview. Initial interviews were conducted with SME owners and managers, and notes were taken during these interviews to collect data. Subsequently, these notes were transcribed and integrated into the NVivo 11 software program for analysis. Throughout this study, the personal and company names of all interview participants were anonymized.
Conclusion: The research identified five key themes in explaining the corporate branding concept in SMEs: corporate brand concept, entrepreneurial brand, product/service brand, barriers to becoming a corporate brand owner, and success. Although the majority of corporate branding research has centered on large or multinational companies, this study contributes to the literature by shedding light on the underexplored realm of corporate branding in SMEs. Understanding how SMEs conceptualize and navigate corporate branding provides valuable insights into this crucial aspect of business management
