Bernhard Swoboda

Perception of store attributes and overall attitude towards grocery retailers: The role of shopping motives

Abstract Motivational forces are commonly accepted to have a key influencing role in the explanation of shopping behaviour. In retailing research, shopping motives are a field of research that has received considerable attention, often in combination with motivation-based shopper taxonomies. While personal shopping motives and perceived shopping alternatives are often considered independent inputs into a choice model, we argue that shopping motives influence the perception of retail store attributes as well as the attitude towards retail stores. An empirical study, which was carried out in Germany with 560 grocery shoppers as respondents to test these assumptions, showed that the influence of shopping motives is much more profound on the attitude towards retail stores than towards the perception of store attributes, which might be explained by different levels of abstraction and, consequently, subjectivity in the interpretation of these stimuli.

The Effects of Perceived Brand Globalness and Perceived Brand Localness in China: Empirical Evidence on Western, Asian, and Domestic Retailers

Internationalizing retailers have shifted their attention to developing countries in which they pursue different forms of adapted-format transfer strategies to succeed locally. However, little is known about whether such retailers can use their core advantage of a global retail brand and how consumer perceptions of such global retail brands drive retail patronage. To expand knowledge on this issue, the authors use data from 1188 Chinese consumer surveys on 36 Western, Asian, and mainland Chinese retailers. They find that retailers’ perceived brand globalness and perceived brand localness enhance retail patronage only by affecting consumers’ functional and psychological values. These value creation routes to success change according to retailers’ origins. Although Western and Asian retailers draw equally strong benefits from their global perceptions, Asian retailers convince consumers predominantly through functional values, whereas Western retailers also influence consumers emotionally. Chinese retailers gain consumers by being perceived as “glocal” brands. Furthermore, perceived brand globalness enhances retail patronage most strongly for global identity consumers. Thus, retailers in emerging countries benefit from perceived brand globalness depending on retailer- and consumer-specific boundary conditions.

SMEs' internationalisation patterns: descriptives, dynamics and determinants

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the internationalisation patterns of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) quantitatively, to describe SMEs as they follow different patterns over time and to discuss the determinants of these patterns through empirical study.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a questionnaire survey among mature German SMEs (n=674). To identify internationalisation patterns, a latent class clustering approach was applied. Because of the large sample, a multinomial logistic regression analysis could be used to analyse the factors influencing these patterns.Findings – The authors empirically find three internationalisation patterns: traditionals, born globals and born‐again globals. Comparing modern SMEs with the same SMEs from ten years ago, it was found that firms may change their patterns. Moreover, the patterns are determined by international orientation, growth orientation, communication capability, intelligence generation capability and marketing...

The impact of culture on brand perceptions: a six‐nation study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how cultural differences affect the perception of a brand.Design/methodology/approach – A study was carried out in six countries among different involvement groups. The study uses Hofstedes cultural dimensions and Aakers brand personality dimensions to see if brand perceptions of a product are similar among all six countries.Findings – This study provides clear evidence that a same brand is perceived differently in different cultures in spite of its identical positioning. This means that if a firm wishes to achieve the same brand perception in different countries, the firm needs to create brand positioning strategies that emphasize the characteristics that enable consumers to perceive the product in a similar way.Originality/value – This paper examines the perception of a single brand in the context of cultural dimensions in a global setting – in particular in six countries on three continents.

An intersector analysis of the relevance of service in building a strong retail brand

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to try to show the relevance of service quality in building a strong retail brand. It addresses how retailer attributes affect customer‐based retail brand equity, when considering retailers as brands. These attributes are compared with one another, and the importance of service is set in proportion to the other retailer attributes, both intersectorally and sector‐specifically. An integrated model is used here.Design/methodology/approach – This is an empirical study across five retail sectors (grocery, textiles, DIY, consumer electronics and furniture retailing) based on a survey with 2,000 face‐to‐face interviews. Structural equation modelling is used to illustrate the impact of central dimensions of the perception of retailer service and of the other retailer attributes on customer‐based retail brand equity.Findings – In retailing, service quality appears to be the most important retailer attribute in building a strong retail brand – as demonstrated in four out o...

Moderating role of involvement in building a retail brand

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on one of the main antecedents of consumer behaviour concerning its role in building a retail brand. It addresses how consumer involvement influences perception of retailer attributes, which affects customer‐based retail brand equity when considering retailers as brands.Design/methodology/approach – A model is developed that includes the impact of central dimensions of the perception of retailer attributes, their effects on customer‐based retail brand equity and the moderating role of consumer involvement. The empirical study is based on a sample of 3,000 consumers spread over five retail sectors (grocery, clothing, DIY, electronics and furniture).Findings – Using multiple‐group structural equation modelling, the intersectoral relevance of involvement as a moderator in building a strong retail brand is demonstrated. In retailing, consumer involvement has a moderating effect on the influence of retailer attributes on retail brand equity. The direction of this...

Internationalisation of Retail Firms: State of the Art after 20 Years of Research

Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Bernhard Swoboda is Professor of Marketing and Retailing at Trier University, Universitaetsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany, Phone: +49 (0) 651 201–3050, Fax: +49 (0)651 201–4165, EMail: b.swoboda@uni-trier.de. Prof. Dr. Joachim Zentes is Professor and Director of the Institute for Commerce and International Marketing at Saarland University, Campus Building A5.4, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany, Phone: +49 (0)681 302–4475, Fax: +49 (0)681 302–4532, E-Mail: j.zentes@mx.uni-saarland.de. Dipl.-Kfm. Stefan Elsner is Ph.D. Student of Marketing and Retailing at Trier University, Universitaetsring 15, 54286 Trier, Germany, Phone: +49 (0)651 201–2630, Fax: +49 (0)651 201–4165, E-Mail: s.elsner@uni-trier.de. Internationalisation of Retail Firms: State of the Art after 20 Years of Research

Convenience-Oriented Shopping: A Model from the Perspective of Consumer Research

The term “convenience” is here understood to refer to amenity or comfort experienced by the customer. However, this does not only mean the characteristics inherent in the product itself. It includes the convenient purchase of a product (in particular food), which is easy to prepare, and which is generally available in small quantities. Consumption is quick and immediate. The term convenience refers to more than ease of purchase.

Allied groups on the road to complex networks

Abstract This paper analyses aspects of the changing structures of a co-operative organisational form referred to here as allied groups. This term describes informal coalitions of predominantly independent, small and medium-sized retail companies – a category that is an extremely important part of the retail sector in Central Europe. Whereas in the past the contents of these alliances were restricted to joint buying activities (consolidation of purchase volumes), competition is meanwhile forcing allied groups to undergo a strategic reorientation. One of the most significant motors behind this trend is modern information technology, notably in the form of electronic commerce, which will lead to a realignment of allied groups within the framework of globally operating networks. The various stages of this evolution are explained in this paper.

Debit and credit card usage and satisfaction

Purpose – This exploratory study seeks to explore the link between the choices of payment mode to customer satisfaction. It examines the Austrian market in relation to its choice and usage of debit cards versus credit cards and its impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, the study aims to identify the key drivers of customer satisfaction for these two modes of electronic payment.Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was administered in person to 360 Austrian bank customers. These customers were selected using quota sampling based on Austrian census data for a particular Austrian province. However, while the quota sampling was used to determine the categories, selection of the actual respondents was done through systematic sampling. This ensured that the sample was representative of the population of that Austrian province who had credit and debit cards. One group, women who were 65 and older, were not considered as there were relatively few women in this age range who ...