Maktoba Omar

Global brand market‐entry strategy to manage corporate reputation

Purpose – This paper aims to present a case for the practical management of corporate reputation, in relation to two groups of concepts: communication, identity, and trust; and communication, identity, and image.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the current knowledge of corporate reputation, personality, identity, and image leads to development of a strategy framework to enhance/protect corporate reputation. A case study involving a corporate logo introduced into a developed market by an emerging multinational corporation (EMNC) is presented.Findings – The paper identifies that credibility and trust are significant elements which must be managed and communicated to maintain the firms corporate image and reputation.Originality/value – A conceptual model is presented illustrating a series of internal and external factors affecting communication and trust, which influence the customer and assist in shaping corporate reputation. The case of the EMNC Chinese corporation Haier to introduce its brand in...

Branding strategy and consumer high‐technology product

Purpose – The paper aims to propose a model to investigate the relationships between price, use, quality, and culture regarding the adoption of high‐technology branding strategy.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the identified areas of influence – price, use, quality and culture – a questionnaire was designed and randomly sent out to 70 respondents via e‐mail. At the same time, those respondents were asked to pass on the e‐mail, resulting in a total number of 94 people from 21 different countries responding to the request. The findings were evaluated and analysed by using the computer‐aided data analysis programme SPSS.Findings – The study concluded that people purchase high technology products primarily for prestige (usage) rather than to satisfy particular needs, and perception of change (culture) affected the adoption process of high‐technology.Research limitations/implications – Because of the focus of this survey to discover the incentives behind the adaptation process, the possibilities of usin...

Transition to a market orientation in China: preliminary evidence

– The research objective was to assess the challenges of transition that firms face in adopting a market orientation in China, as the basis for providing a context‐specific explanation of market orientation., – A sample from the He Bei Light Industry Directory was selected by the systematic‐selection‐from‐lists procedure. The survey instrument was adapted from the widely used MARKOR scale., – Although some of the early results are consistent with those obtained in the West, an underlying lacuna needs to be addressed in order for a useful culture‐sensitive interpretation of market orientation to be offered vis‐a‐vis locale‐specific knowledge., – While there can be little doubt that market orientation delivers superior performance in developed western economies, implementations in many transition‐economy contexts reveal a range of paradoxes, which point to some gaps in both the theory and practice of marketing., – A useful explanation of market orientation in transition economies should necessarily embed an approach that accommodates the institutional peculiarities of the environment under study, focusing the temporal, spatial and wider socio‐cultural and historical characteristics of marketing itself.

How branding process activities impact brand equity within Higher Education Institutions

This Special Issue on Branding in Higher Education presents a most timely and relevant topic, as exemplified by the large number of submissions from scholars at higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world. Not only does this issue highlight important current topics, but also models and theories are put forth which can be tested – offering a wealth of opportunities not only in the HEI marketplace, but in the wider range of branding and marketing applications. As an industry with greater and greater competitive pressure, HEIs will benefit from considering traditional business theories and processes while making strategic and organizational brand management decisions. Most notably, in the US HEI market, as government funding continues to decline, more institutions will need to sharpen their brand management skills, due to a competitive market for post-secondary education (Dill, 2003; Hoxby, 2002); corporatization and focus on increased ‘managerialism’ (Brookes, 2003; Constanti & Gibbs, 2004; Hemsley-Brown & Goonawardana, 2007; Meyer, 2002); and aggressive marketing (Pusser, 2002; Ruch, 2001). This marketization creates increasingly promotionalized brand building (Edmiston, 2008; Hemsley-Brown & Goonawardana, 2007; Morphew, Toma, & Hedstrom, 2001; Vidaver-Cohen, 2007; Williams, Osei, & Omar, 2012). The submissions for this Special Issue exemplify this shift and support Wernick’s (2006) premise of the objectification and monetization of academic reputation itself as a brand. Common motivations for HEI branding include counteracting declining enrollments, reduced retention, and overall competition; enhancing image and prestige; increasing financial resources; honoring a philanthropic donor; mission alignment; or signifying a merger between institutions (Koku, 1997; Morphew et al., 2001; Nguyen & LeBlanc, 2001; Sevier, 2002; Toma, Dubrow, & Hartley, 2005). Consequently, when the results of an objective brand audit uncover an unhealthy brand, it is paramount from a financial and competitive viewpoint that the HEI determine why their brand is not working. Most institutions will be able to embark on a strategy to either

Internet marketing and customer satisfaction in emerging markets: the case of Chinese online shoppers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence customer satisfaction among Chinese online shoppers. It applies the normative categories identified in the literature and tests them for effect in the emerging Chinese online consumer market.Design/methodology/approach – Electronic survey instrument was used to obtain data from Chinese online shoppers. The survey covered 15 composite items that could potentially influence the level of customer satisfaction related to online shopping experience. These, in turn, were further decomposed to six driving factors (convenience, product performance, customer services, security concerns, web site interactions, and web site sensory stimulations).Findings – It was possible to identify and classify the most critical moderators of online customer satisfaction (most of which are consistent with similar studies in the West). Paradoxically, the data also revealed the existence of some behavioral differences which are context‐specific.Research lim...

EDUCATION FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION: "MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND SUCCESS"

Entrepreneurship and innovation education has derived from established university curriculum and the context is set of concepts and tools used in the corporate world. The challenge of transforming a start‐up company into a business success needs different capabilities. It goes beyond the development of an idea and writing‐up a comprehensive business plan. This study analysed over 200 technology‐driven companies which have been created under the formal requirement of a business plan competition since 1996. The objective was to identify drivers for innovation and success. From the results, an agenda of entrepreneurial and innovation education was derived and is discussed.

Market Orientation and Innovators’ Success: an Exploration of the Influence of Customer and Competitor Orientation

The concepts of market orientation and innovation and their interrelationship with business success have been explored from a number of perspectives. However, research in this area has not explored the differences between start-up and mature companies. The research study acquired data from over two hundred Chief Operating Officers (CEO’s) and Managing Directors from both start-up and mature companies. The results illustrate the differences in both types of company and reveals new insights with regard to market orientation and its constituent elements and its relationship with both incremental and radical innovations. Key research results are that strong competitor orientation, a key ingredient of market orientation, has positive relationship to incremental innovation for start-up companies but it is contra productive for mature companies. In mature organizations a strong customer orientation is associated with radical innovation.

Gastro-tourism as destination branding in emerging markets

Gastro-tourism, a niche that attracts billions in revenue worldwide, involves intentional pursuits of authentic memorable culinary experiences while travelling internationally, regionally or locally. For gastro-tourists, food is the motivation for travel; the locations merely functions as vehicles for gastronomic experiences (food-related-activities that involve behind-the-scenes observations, cultural/regional illuminations and often hands-on participation, culminating in partaking food or drink.) This paper identifies three phases of travel and corresponding elements essential for the creation of new gastro-tourism enterprises. It introduces the significance of shared Gastro-Tourism Brand Promises, agreed upon, cross marketed, and fulfilled by individual hosts, groups/networks, and regional/government entities. By providing basic infrastructure elements – health, safety, transportation and communication; identifying loosely organised home-grown resources and talent; creating and marketing shared brand promises; and incorporating ongoing feedback during three travel phases; emerging markets in underdeveloped countries and underdeveloped pockets in developed nations can ignite and maintain successful gastro-tourist enterprises.

Higher Education Institution branding as a component of country branding in Ghana: Renaming Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

As Higher Education Institutions (HEI) become more marketised and increasingly promotionalised, brand building gains in intensity and names become increasingly important. This conceptual paper plans to explore the application of the Renaming Process Model which depicts the key components that impact the organization brand renaming process, regarding the renaming of the African HEI Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This work will not only apply the model to a service organization renaming, but will investigate it in terms of its relationship to nation branding regarding the potential to rebrand Africa such that its virtues would be widely communicated to the international community, to enhance the brand equity of the continent. Additionally, the individual African countrys ability to create brand awareness, unique competitive identity and customer loyalty is crucial in todays competitive global environment, thus the role of renaming one of its most important and visible institutions will be explored.

Marketing to the bottom of the pyramid: opportunities in emerging markets

The significance of emerging economies to global marketing within the context of a paradigm shift of international business is enormous. The purpose of this paper is to show that emerging markets have two separate areas of opportunity for multinational corporations: to buy and to sell. The paper first involves a discussion of economic growth in emerging markets, and the importance to the global marketplace, and the emergence of the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) market. Then, recent strategies by companies to address this potential are analysed. Emerging markets do not consist of one market. They are diverse and can require separate market entry and market development strategies. With more manageable risks, ease of communications and transportation, higher income growth and increasing consumer purchasing power, there are both low cost, high quality resources to buy from and new opportunities for multinational corporations to sell to, at the BOP. The paper suggests that managers address both high-end developed markets as well as low-end emerging markets. The paper reviews many key concepts involved with managing profitable BOP market growth related to operating in emerging markets. It analyses strategies to satisfy consumer needs globally by both entering emerging markets and sourcing from them.