Gary Warnaby

Towards a Service-Dominant Place Marketing Logic

A recurring theme in the place marketing literature relates to the inadequacies of traditional theory in accommodating the context specificity of places. Such special characteristics of place marketing relate to the complexity of place ‘products’, the complexity of the organizational mechanisms for their marketing, and the ways in which branding theory can be applied. This paper explores these three aspects through the ‘mindset’ of the service-dominant logic of marketing and its foundational premises. The paper concludes that, viewed through the lens of S-D logic, issues which have in the past been argued to create a degree of distinctiveness in place marketing theory and practice could actually have much resonance with more mainstream marketing. Thus, place marketing could be seen as being more similar to more ‘mainstream’ marketing practice than previous place marketing literature implies, and in some areas the specific place context may shed some light on issues relating to the service-dominant logic more generally.

Public Relations Practitioner Role Enactment at the Senior Management Level Within U.K. Companies

This article presents the findings of an initial investigation into the role that the public relations function plays in some of the leading companies in the United Kingdom. The study sought to uncover the pattern of practitioner role enactment within these companies and, in particular, the extent to which practitioners are involved directly in the formulation and implementation of corporate and business strategies. The study revealed considerable differences in the level of practitioner involvement in strategic decision making, with some practitioners fulfilling primarily technical roles and others enacting a more significant managerial role, advising senior executives on policy issues and assisting in the implementation of strategies. Factors such as the industry and organizational context, management expectations of public relations, and the perceived professional competence of practitioners emerged as important determinants of the level of practitioner involvement in strategic decision making. Drawing on the studys findings, a number of propositions have been advanced that may help to guide future inquiries into practitioner role enactment, particularly at the senior management level within organizations.

What about the 'place' in place marketing?

This article considers the concept of ‘place’ in the context of place marketing. Following a discussion of the disciplinary antecedents of place marketing/branding, the article evaluates the concept of the ‘place product’, with specific reference to the construction of place narratives. In particular, contrasts are drawn between notions of materiality and realm of meaning as devices for conceptualising places as products to be commodified and marketed. This is illustrated using as a case study, a place marketing initiative in the city of Manchester in the north west of England. The implications of this are analysed in terms of three questions, relating to (1) what is being marketed, (2) who is implementing the place marketing activity and (3) how places are represented as a consequence. The article concludes by arguing that the place product should be regarded as a dynamic concept, composed as much from changing and competing narratives in and over time, as it is from its tangible and material elements.

'Town centre management in the UK: A review, synthesis and research agenda'

Despite rapid growth in the number of town centre management schemes in the UK there have been few attempts to consider this topic from an academic perspective. This article develops a typology of town centre management schemes, based upon a comprehensive review of existing literature. The criteria of organizational structure and resource origin are identified as primary influences in the initiation and development of such schemes. The article concludes by outlining a research agenda which considers both local governance and spatial and temporal themes in the initiation and development of town centre management. The analysis of such factors is vital to a fuller understanding of this area.

Commentary: Cities as service factories? Using the servuction system for marketing cities as shopping destinations

States that the importance of retailing to the vitality and viability of many town and city centres is widely acknowledged. However, the marketing of these locations to date has largely focused on tourism or inward economic investment. Identifies many of the factors to be considered in the definition of the “place” product, with particular reference to how urban centres can define their retail “offer”. Proposes an exploratory conceptual framework for the determination of the urban retail offer based on the servuction system.

Alternative perspectives on marketing and the place brand

Purpose – This paper aims to consider the role of demarketing in the specific context of the marketing of places, and to introduce a typology of place demarketing and related place marketing activity.Design/methodology/approach – Following a review of the extant literature on place marketing and branding, place image and demarketing, the paper outlines a number of different types of place demarketing and more unusual place marketing strategies, with examples of each.Findings – The marketing of places has grown in scale and importance, both as a practice and as an area of academic research, as places have had to become more entrepreneurial in an ever‐increasing competitive environment. Places are increasingly conceptualised as brands to be marketed, and a key emphasis of such activity is the creation of an attractive place image and/or the dilution of negative place images. This is reinforced in the academic literature. Counter to this “conventional wisdom”, this article conceptualises various types of pla...

Marketing at the public/private sector interface; town centre management schemes in the south of England

Abstract The last ten years have witnessed the rapid expansion of town centre management (TCM) schemes in the UK. In many TCM schemes the original ‘janitorial’ emphasis on improvements to the fabric of the town centre has been replaced by a more ‘strategic’ perspective, manifested inter alia by the increased use of marketing and promotion. The article considers the use of marketing planning concepts and specific marketing and promotional techniques (using Kotler et al’s Principles of Marketing, 2nd European Edition, Prentice Hall Europe, Harlow, 1999) four-stage marketing planning framework, comprising analysis, planning, implementation and control) in five contrasting TCM schemes in the south of England. A framework of marketing objectives for TCM schemes is proposed and three broad types of marketing activities identified: footfall drivers; participation builders and awareness builders. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for TCM schemes.

Reasons for retailers’ involvement in town centre management

Building on an earlier publication in the International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, the following article investigates the reasons for retailers’ involvement in town centre management (TCM) schemes in the UK. Findings are drawn from interviews with representatives of independent traders and national multiples, and a questionnaire survey of town centre managers. The article reveals several key reasons for retailers’ involvement in TCM and identifies some significant differences between independents and multiples in this respect. The findings show that the overriding motivation for the participation of retailers in TCM is their belief that it may benefit their business in some way. Equally importantly, the research identifies a number of reasons why retailers do not become involved in TCM schemes. The article concludes by showing that an understanding of the reasons for retailers’ involvement in TCM can play a significant role in attracting retail support for the concept.

Town centre management by co-operation. Evidence from Sweden

Abstract The 1990s have witnessed the rapid expansion of the concept of Town Centre Management (TCM). This article considers the extent to which urban stakeholders (particularly retailers and property owners) participate in TCM schemes, drawing on evidence from three towns in Sweden. Perceptions relating to participation, and motives for actual participation (or non-participation) in TCM schemes are analysed using as frameworks models of co-operative behaviour. The problem of “free-riders” is discussed and the article concludes with a typology of co-operative behaviour amongst urban stakeholders and possible strategies for overcoming problems of non-co-operation.

Market orientation and performance in small independent retailers in the UK

Many commentators suggest that market and competitive dynamics threaten the very survival of small shops in the UK. In light of this, the research presented here reports the findings of a major study that investigates the relationship between market orientation and performance in small UK retailers through an empirical analysis of survey data. Findings indicate that market orientation and performance are positively related and, moreover that, the customer strategy focus of small retailers is the key determinant of success compared with other components of market orientation and environmental influences. The implications for practitioners and policy makers are considered, particularly the importance of market-oriented culture in formulating and implementing customer-led strategies which distinguish successful small retailers from those that struggle to survive.