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This research studies sales force incentive compensation in brand-managed retail (BMR) operations, which are particularly prevalent in high-end department stores and vertically integrated retailers. In particular, the research explores how a brand's strength may affect the relative benefit to a brand from using individual versus group incentives for motivating its salespeople in BMR settings. The authors investigate this issue using a theoretical principal–agent model consisting of a risk-neutral firm employing multiple risk-averse salespeople. Interestingly, they find that a group incentive is more beneficial to a weaker brand than to a stronger one. Furthermore, the authors find empirical support for their theoretical findings from an analysis of sales compensation data from BMR operations in two different settings. The research findings suggest that managers should factor in the brand's strength when deciding on the optimal salesperson compensation structure in BMR settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past customer spending in a category is generally a positive signal of future customer spending. Analyses of historical data at two retailers demonstrate that there exist "canary categories" for which the reverse is true. Purchases in these categories are a signal that customers are less likely to return to that retailer. The authors propose an explanation for the existence of canary categories and then develop a stylized model that illustrates four contributing factors: the probability that a customer finds their favorite brand, customers' willingness to substitute brands, the cost and attractiveness of visiting other stores, and expectations about future brand availability. The analysis uses both field data and experiments to investigate these factors. The findings suggest that canary categories exist (at least in part) because store assortments are not completely adjusted to local preferences. An implication is that canary categories are endogenous to each retailer; the same category may be a canary category at one retailer and a destination category at a competing retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on shifting standards theory from social psychology, the authors suggest global versus local branding as an important categorization that affects consumers' reactions to product-harm crises in emerging markets. Specifically, the distinct associations attached to global and local brands create shifting standards and lead to differential consumer expectations and evaluations. In four main and two supplementary experiments, the authors demonstrate that consumers from emerging markets react more negatively toward a product-harm crisis by global (vs. local) brands. Higher initial expectations for global brands are the underlying cause of this more pronounced consumer response to failures. The authors demonstrate which specific expectations are driven by the shifting standards around global and local brands and identify product category as a relevant boundary condition. Finally, consumers with high ethnocentrism appreciate it directionally more when a local brand provides compensation after a product-harm crisis than when a global brand provides compensation. The results have important implications for brand management and crisis management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media allows sport entities (organizations, athletes, coaches, fans, and partnering companies) to reach audiences across the world and create, extend, maintain, and improve their brand equity through constant communication. Brand management and the strategies employed by entities to create effective content that reinforces brand image and brand equity are a common goal among sport marketers. Over the last 20 years, scholars have investigated a wide range of topics in sport social media and branding, yet there is a need to continue to expand the social media brand management literature to address and reflect rapidly changing industry challenges. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a reflection of past academic literature, while critically examining areas in methodology and theory to guide future research. The recommendations of more sophisticated designs, along with a call for experimental designs, qualitative approaches, and critical communication inquiry, among others, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to provide an evidence base and conceptual framework to inform new guidelines for achieving a balance between sports and employment commitments (i.e., dual career, DC) of the employee-sportspersons. To shape a DC discourse in the workplace, the distinct and combined views of the employee-sportspersons (i.e., the Employee), the managers (i.e., the Employer) were considered. Methods: Following a concept mapping methodology, 257 international participants (25% employers and 75% employee-sportspersons) sorted and rated 50 potential statements associated with DC circumstances and supports in the workplace. Results: Six distinct clusters emerged, with the combined employers-employee co-creation scenario assigning 6 statements to the micro dimension (Cluster 1 = Workplace Benefits), 4 statements to the meso dimension (Cluster 2 = Role of National Sports Governing Bodies), 19 statements to the macro dimension (Cluster 3 = Dual Career Policy Development), 4 and 5 statements to the organizational dimensions (Cluster 4 = Employee-Employer Collaboration and Responsibility; Cluster 5 = Sport Career Integration), and 12 statements to the policy (Cluster 6 = Workplace Strategies for Dual Career Support) dimension. With respect to the employers, the employee-sportspersons showed higher scores (p < 0.05) for importance of clusters 2, 4, and 6, and for feasibility of clusters 2 and 6. Discussion: These findings suggest priorities for changes within the DC dimensions identified, and envisage flexible models for aligning corporate brand values and corporate social responsibility strategies through meaningful and proactive DC support of the employee-sportspersons in the workplace. The findings provide a rigorously derived evidence base to inform the formulation of new DC workplace guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of pharmaceutical products is the critical bridge that moves a potential new medicine from academic discovery to applied treatment of patients. It translates an idea for a new drug to bench-level research on how it can be manufactured, formulated, characterized and controlled for use in non-clinical and early clinical trials. From pre-clinical R&D discovery work through the commercial launch, substantial R&D CMC data is generated to develop and optimize cGMP manufacturing and testing operations, while also supporting product comparability, elucidating product / impurity structures, assessing critical quality attributes, developing the drug delivery mode, and developing the product formulation for long-term stability. Significant R&D CMC work continues post-approval to support continuous improvement and market expansion of the commercial product. These activities are crucial elements of Product Lifecycle Management, and taken together, they comprise Pharmaceutical Quality or Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC). The objective of this paper is to mitigate the regulatory ambiguity of R&D quality systems with practical, risk-based examples and recommendations when conducting supportive CMC studies for biological products. Making sound strategic CMC decisions under any circumstances assumes data from R&D studies are reliable, traceable, and complete. While there are specific regulatory guidelines on phase-appropriate cGMP activities, none exist for quality practices in R&D CMC laboratories conducting non-cGMP studies. Hindsight is not the time to discover that R&D studies lack key elements that would otherwise have allowed the data to be directly presented to regulators, if needed. There is a strong prospective business interest in protecting considerable investments made for CMC R&D studies. Therefore, establishment of a robust and stage-appropriate R&D laboratory quality system is essential for companies seeking to capitalize on prior knowledge, protect investments, and be prepared for accelerated approval pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the role of consumer perceived value in mediating the relationship between cause-related marketing and consumer brand engagement with emotional and functional brands. Two real brands that had developed cause-related marketing campaigns were selected as case studies for this research. In a survey with 369 participants, one brand was classified as emotional and the other as functional. A second survey with 268 participants tested the hypotheses using PLS-SEM and bootstrapping procedures. The results confirm that consumer perceived value exerts full mediation (in the case of the emotional brand) and complementary partial mediation (in the case of the functional brand) on the relationship between cause-related marketing and consumer brand engagement. The multigroup analysis reveals that the indirect effect is significantly stronger in the case of the emotional brand than in the case of the functional brand. This paper suggests the positive effect of cause-related marketing campaigns on consumer brand engagement and proposes that this relationship is enhanced when consumers perceive the brand as valuable, particularly in the case of emotional brands. This study is the first to test consumer brand engagement as an outcome of cause-related marketing and highlights the importance of brand value in this effect, which is reinforced by brand management that fosters the emotional side of brands. This study is also the first to test the effect of brand type – emotional and functional – on the engagement developed by cause marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P2P platforms offer accessibility to individuals aspiring to become micro-entrepreneurs by sharing their resources through online platforms. Among users of P2P platforms, there exists a common misconception that hosts merely list their properties as products under the platform's brand. However, individual hosts on platforms actively establish and promote their own personal or host brand. Presently, recommending effective P2P brand management strategies for hosts to boost their performance and gain a competitive edge poses a challenge. This study achieves this through two main objectives: 1) conceptualizing the P2P brand and 2) examining the impact of host branding on consumer behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building brand coolness is widely used as a means of brand innovation and differentiation strategy, but its potential benefits have not been explored yet. In this paper, a multilevel mediation model with moderating effects was hypothesized. Integrating social exchange and customer inspiration theories, we examine how brand coolness influences customers co-creation willingness via inspiration. We also investigate the role of different interaction types in this process. This lead to a questionnaire that was distributed to a total of 400 customers within 10 branded sports chain stores. Our findings show that brand coolness positively impacts customers willingness to co-create through customer inspiration. Moreover, interaction exhibits different effects at various stages: increased customer-to-customer interaction weakens the impact of brand coolness on inspiration, whereas heightened brand-customer interaction fortifies indirect brand coolness effects that are contingent upon customer interactions. These findings deepen the exploration of brand coolness strategic value, provide positive confirmation of the applicability of social exchange theory within brand management, and enrich the mechanisms involved in formation and functioning of customer inspiration. Moreover, it provides brand managers with a feasible way to enhance customers willingness to co-create and a new perspective on managing customer relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the considerable magnitude of negative brand personalities in the marketplace, prior research has disproportionately focused on positive personality traits. To address this research gap, the authors present a conceptual and empirical approach that draws from the Dark Triad of psychology and applies it to the branding domain. They conceptualize and validate the Dark Triad of brand personality which comprises brand narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy dimensions. Through a multiphase scale development process, a reliable and valid 12‐item brief version of the Dark Triad of brand personality is created, enabling its assessment in both research and management contexts. Examining the Dark Triad in branding is crucial as it provides a unique lens to understand the rise of negative, dark brand personalities. It accounts for brand personality aspects not yet captured by existing scales, including manipulation, exploitation, grandiosity, and lack of empathy. This introduction of the Dark Triad brand personality opens new avenues for research into brand transgressions and ethics in brand management. In terms of managerial implications, insights from this research can inform strategic brand management, enabling companies to better manage their brand's image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRACTITIONER TAKEAWAYS: To be meaningful, sustainability assessments need to account for the whole product life cycle. This requires strong partnerships with suppliers, customers, and end users, beginning already in the new product development cycle. Culture is an essential ingredient: We need to ensure that sustainability is not just a checklist but a core value for our employees and our business. Innovation and product management are both part of the product life cycle: How we assess sustainability impact for a new product in development needs to be consistent with how that product will be assessed once it is fully commercial. The methodology a company uses in its innovation process cannot be different from the one it uses in product line management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimensional and profile measurements of deep-hole parts are key processes both in manufacturing and product lifecycle management. Due to the particularity of the space conditions of deep-hole parts, the existing measurement instruments and methods exhibit some limitations. Based on the multi-axis, highly precise servo drive system, a novel measuring device is developed. The laser displacement sensors are fed by the flux-switching permanent magnet linear motor, and the part is rotated by the servo motor. On this basis, the assessment methods of roundness, straightness, and cylindricity are proposed by employing the least square method (LSM). Additionally, considering the axial center deviation between the sensors and the part, the rotating center coordinate is optimized by the gradient descent algorithm (GDM). Then, the measurement system is constructed and the experiment study is conducted. The results indicate favorable evaluation error of the LSM fitting and GDM iteration. Compared with the coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the measured results show good consistency. In the error analysis, the angle positioning error of measured point is less than 0.01°, and the axial positioning error is less than 0.05 mm. The proposed system and assessment method are regarded as a feasible and promising solution for deep-hole part measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic product use among preschool children is gradually widespread. To explore whether and how electronic product use causes problem behaviours in preschool children, this study analyses the relationships between the degree of electronic product use, problem behaviours, and the roles of parenting styles and parent-child relationships in between using questionnaires to survey 582 parents of children aged 3-6-year-olds. Results (1) There are significant correlations between the four; (2) the Parent-child relationship mediated the relationship between electronic product use and problem behaviours; (3) Parenting style moderated both the relationship between electronic use and problem behaviours as well as parent-child relationship and problem behaviours. Conclusion: Excessive electronic product use can lead to parent-child conflicts and problem behaviours, while highly positive parenting styles can buffer these influences. This study provides further insights into the negative effects of excessive electronic product use and the protective role of parental guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two things consumers look for in household cleaning applications are a well-defined viscosity and good foaming properties. These attributes are achieved by optimising the combination of surfactants and thickeners. Jungbunzlauer's xanthan gum is a safe, odourless and bio-based product and therefore represents an excellent thickening and stabilising agent for such applications. Since it is of natural origin it fits well with the recent trend towards more sustainable household cleaning products. This study examined the compatibility of three different xanthan gum grades with two different surfactants at various pH levels. For this purpose regular viscosity and pH measurements were taken over a period of six months. All xanthan gum grades performed exceptionally well in neutral and alkaline pH ranges, whereas the best performance in the acidic pH range was achieved with a special grade. In a second step, the study investigated the foam formation, decay and structure of xanthan gum/surfactant combinations at different pH levels. No differences were observed among the xanthan gum grades tested, although higher concentrations resulted in more and finer foam bubbles. Xanthan gum demonstrated very good foam stability throughout the pH range. Hence, because of its excellent compatibility, stabilisation and foam properties, xanthan gum is a great choice for household cleaning applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of consumer ethnocentrism and xenocentrism beliefs in influencing purchase behavior in India. Given its status as the most populous nation globally, with diverse consumer cultures and backgrounds, understanding Indian consumers' biases toward domestic and foreign products holds significant value for both researchers and practitioners in refining their marketing communication strategies. A technology product, specifically a laptop computer, was selected to examine the ethnocentrism and xenocentrism tendencies of Indian consumers. Data (n = 373) for the study were collected through personal interviews with Indian consumers. The study's results indicate that both perceived brand image and brand attitudes exerted a robust positive influence on Indian consumers' purchase intentions for laptop computers. While the direct effects of ethnocentrism and xenocentrism on purchase intentions were minimal, they acted as moderators in the relationship between brand image, brand attitude, and purchase intentions for foreign brands. Developing a strong brand image and fostering positive brand attitudes should be prioritized in marketing communication campaigns to enhance global brand management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐objectification, the tendency to perceive oneself predominantly through the lens of physical appearance, has been a focal point of study in psychology and mental health fields. Yet, its intersection with marketing and consumer behavior remains underexplored. This study endeavors to fill this gap, unveiling self‐objectification as a novel driver behind the consumption of appearance‐related luxury goods. Such a tendency is hypothesized to arise from the heightened self‐presentation motivation prevalent among those exhibiting self‐objectification. Through three empirical experiments, we validate this connection, emphasizing a strong association between self‐objectification tendencies and luxury consumption, especially for appearance‐related products, with self‐presentation motivation mediating this relationship. Theoretically, our study integrates self‐objectification into the marketing area, linking it to consumer behaviors and enriching the prevailing literature while indicating directions for future research. From a practical perspective, our results offer important insights for luxury brand management. Moreover, by clarifying the impact of self‐objectification on purchasing behaviors, we aim to promote more informed consumer decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid product scandals, corporate malpractices, and the proliferation of misinformation, consumers are becoming increasingly more skeptical about the brands they purchase. Transparency is often hailed as a strategic imperative to reassure consumers and increase brand trust; however, its deployment can be complex. With additional transparency, consumers may become overloaded with information, and the brand may be exposed to unwanted external scrutiny. Consequently, before disclosing strategically sensitive information, brands need more insight into how increasing transparency might translate into strategically desirable consumers' brand evaluations. Addressing this need, we examine how transparency initiatives translate into consumers' evaluation of brands by delineating the dimensions of the perceived brand transparency construct, namely, observability, comprehensibility, and intentionality. Next, we use this conceptualization to develop and validate a scale to measure perceived brand transparency. We close with a brand transparency research agenda, as well as practical guidance for managers considering investing in strategic transparency initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brands play an important role in shaping the impact of a company's marketing activities on its customers. The key concept Of customer-based brand equity in brand research suggests that the ellects of different brands differ, even for identical marketing activities. However, empirical analyses that have confirmed the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands are scarce and even fewer studies have compared the effectiveness of multiple marketing activities simultaneously. As a comparison of marketing eflectiveness relative to competing brands is important for brand management, this paper presents a method tbr measuring the differences in marketing e#ectiveness across brands. The paper employs a hierarchical Bayesian model to compare the effects of pricing and promotional strategies across six makeup cosmetics brands on customers' responses in japan, The results reveal that: (a) there are differences in marketing effectiveness between brands for both pricing and promotional strategies, (b) the extent of marketing effectiveness differs between brands for each marketing activity and (c) the effects of pricing and promotional strategies on customers' responses differ between brands. These results indicate that the hierarchical Bayesian model-based measure for assessing marketing effectiveness proposed in this paper is effective for comparing brands, which highlights the need for different brands to adopt distinct marketing strategies. As the dominant strategy varies by brand, marketers should consider this aspect carefully. Future studies should examine whether purchase intention is directly linked to actual purchases as well as consider alternative independent variables (eg comparisons between promotional strategies) and dependent variables (eg willingness to pay and brand choice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Metal Working (1674-165X) is the property of Metal Working Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The leather sector remains one of the sectors that encounters a multitude of problems on an international scale, particularly in Morocco. Therefore, we carried out a literature review through which we were able to identify the major problems found within the leather sector. After that, we conducted a case study on the Chouara tannery in the Fes Meknes region where we studied the problems found within the sector by using the 5M and SWOT methods as well as the proposal of certain improvement actions with a view to revitalizing the sector. The novelty of our work lies in the proposal of certain functionalities that could play the role of product lifecycle management (PLM) within the sector, such as life management, complaint management and cost management since the notion of PLM is absent within traditional tanneries. In addition, we propose integrating ecological PLM to limit the amount of garbage generated during the execution of tasks. Highlights: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify key problems within the leather industry. A case study was undertaken at the Chouara tannery in the Fes Meknes region to analyze sector-specific challenges via the 5M and SWOT methodologies. The proposed improvement strategies were then developed to enhance the sector's performance. A notable aspect of this study is the introduction of functionalities that could serve as product lifecycle management (PLM) tools within the sector, including life management, complaint management, and cost management, which are typically absent in traditional tanneries. Furthermore, the integration of ecological PLM practices is recommended to reduce waste generation during operational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex products and systems (CoPS) development demands effective risk management, which is frequently impeded by a lack of clarity regarding the impact of risks on performance. This study aims to investigate how multiple risks jointly affect innovation performance in CoPS projects. Based on the configurational theory and WSR framework, we use fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) with data from 97 CoPS projects and examine the combined effects of risks on innovation performance. We identify two types leading to high innovation performance and four patterns causing low innovation performance. The results verify the asymmetrical causality of the influence of risks on innovation performance in CoPS projects. The findings contribute to broadening the relationship studies of risk and innovation performance by adopting an empirical method in the context of CoPS. Moreover, our study can help managers implement flexible risk management activities within CoPS projects, by addressing several equivalent and distinctive paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of research is the state policy on provision of strategic stocks of petroleum products in the structure of the state reserve. The article defines the importance of reserving for ensuring the strategic needs of the state in the state reserve system of Ukraine of such resources as oil, petroleum products, fuel and lubricants. There were established the factors of influence that require the transformation of approaches to the formatting the state reserve of strategic materials. It was proved the need to create a special model of state management of petroleum products, fuel and lubricant reserves in the structure of the state reserve. It was disclosed the peculiarity of the functioning of the oil transportation and storage market as an alternative to the state reserve system as for Ukraine. It was made an analysis of the Ukrainian legislation regarding the formation of the strategic reserve of oil and petroleum products. It was investigated the foreign experience of state policy in the field of reserving strategic reserves of oil and petroleum products. There were explored the ways of revealing the potential of legal adjusting of the processes of forming the strategic state reserve in Ukraine. There were developed the directions for improving the state policy in Ukraine regarding the formation of reserves of petroleum products based on the example of foreign countries. It was proved the expediency of expanding various forms of involvement of private sector entities in the processes of forming the state strategic reserve. There were determined the peculiarities of the model of interaction between the state and the private sector in this matter. there were prognosed further trends in the development of the global oil and oil products storage market. There were identified the potential opportunities for expanding Ukraine’s participation in the global oil and oil products storage market. It was disclosed the mechanisms of state participation in the process of forming strategic reserves of oil and oil products in foreign countries. There were also determined the further need for the formation of the Ukrainian market for the storage of oil and oil products as an element of the state reserve system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a business innovation in the e-commerce marketplace, the use of live streams to boost sales has become an important strategy for e-tailers on major e-commerce platforms globally. However, little theoretical research has been conducted to understand the role of streamers and products in live streaming commerce. Thus, in this study, to examine consumers' perceived diagnosticity and purchase intention, we adopt a 2 (streamer type) × 2 (product type) × 2 (brand awareness) experimental design and conduct a field experiment at a university in southern China, drawing on stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory. Our results indicate that when a product is recommended by an influential streamer during an e-commerce live stream or has high brand awareness, consumers perceive a high level of diagnosticity, which improves their purchase intention. However, we find no significant effect of product type on the perceived diagnosticity of viewers watching e-commerce live streams. We also discuss the implications of our findings for both theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with increasing the efficiency of logistics flows for the area of storage and picking. The aim of the processed study was to focus on the analysis of logistics activities and processes, the state of supply and inventory management. An assessment of the effectiveness of the introduced information system at the selected warehouse was carried out, which led to changes in a positive direction in the very process of storage and management of special products. The study presents the design of variants, the selection of the optimal one using selected decision-making methods and the introduction of a new warehouse system, which leads to the efficiency of the entire storage process in the NPI (New Product Introduction) warehouse. The output of the study is also the implementation of the selected variant into industrial practice, which is declared by the elaborated project of the introduction of the selected variant. The article is a contribution related to the process of implementing a warehouse and picking system for specialized material items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate brand identity is becoming a strategic issue in the UK fashion industry, as it is complex and constantly under pressure to differentiate. Fashion brands are expanding through a range of channels and rapidly changing takeovers, and it is unclear whether internal stakeholders are aware of the possible consequences of these approaches. In particular, there appears to be no literature on how retail and wholesale brands develop and manage their corporate brand identities during these changes and whether they draw on any meaningful connections with their customers. To understand how brand architecture might support the development of brand strategies in the UK fashion industry, perceptions of corporate brand identities were explored in retail and wholesale brands. Fifteen qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with elite informants. The findings reveal that retail brand identities can become disconnected from their sub-brands; therefore, brand identity may be invisible to consumers, while wholesale brands maintain a strong visible brand identity dependent on the brand's values, historical legacy, innovation and positioning. A brand architecture model is developed that more accurately reflects the complex dimensions of UK fashion brands, particularly when channels expand and takeovers take place. These perspectives have not been reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in brand management. It aims to understand how AI technologies can optimize brand awareness, enhance personalized communication, and improve brand equity measurement, thereby redefining brand management strategies in the digital era. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing research studies published between 2014 and 2024. The methodology focused on articles that delve into the integration of AI and ML within brand management contexts. This approach was chosen to consolidate and synthesize a broad spectrum of findings on AI’s impact on brand management practices. Findings: The review identified significant enhancements in brand management facilitated by AI, particularly in consumer engagement and customization of consumer interactions through data-driven insights. AI's capability to analyze big data has enabled more precise consumer segmentation and targeting, thereby influencing brand loyalty and overall brand equity positively. Research limitations/implications: The primary limitation of this study is its reliance on data from articles indexed only in Scopus, potentially omitting relevant studies published in other languages or databases. Future research should expand the scope to include these sources and explore empirical validations of the proposed theoretical impacts of AI on brand management. Practical implications: This research highlights the practical applications of AI in improving brand management strategies, offering insights into effective AI integration into marketing practices. Businesses are encouraged to adopt AI-driven tools for better market segmentation, consumer behavior predictions, and enhanced customer relationship management. Social implications: The findings could influence public attitudes towards brand interaction by fostering greater acceptance of AI in consumer relations. The research supports enhanced corporate social responsibility through AI's ability to provide more targeted and meaningful consumer interactions. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the academic and practical understanding of AI’s role in brand management by synthesizing existing research and identifying future research directions. It is valuable to academicians, marketing professionals, and policymakers interested in the implications of AI technology in brand strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the challenges of developing a global business-to-business (B2B) offering from an emerging economy (Chile) during an internationalization endeavor. This study analyzes the development and management of an offering evolving from local to global. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected via an in-depth interview (105 min). Findings: The interviewee presented a mixed of interesting marketing and/or marketing-related decisions (e.g. marketing–sales interface and marketing capabilities development) that support the internationalization of a firm and consequently its offering. Research limitations/implications: The data represent a practical, ongoing rationalization of the events perceived by a manager. New theory can emerge from further exploring identified research opportunities. Practical implications: The findings suggest that an emerging economy firm can gradually transition toward a multinational condition by coordinating a series of marketing and/or marketing related decisions, where the CMO (i.e. maximum marketing authority in the organization) plays an essential role. Originality/value: This study brings the voice of practitioners to an academic environment and serves as an innovative effort to analyze B2B practitioners' reality from a scholarly perspective. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first one of the new series "Practitioners Insights" in the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transfer: Zeitschrift für Kommunikation & Markenmanagement is the property of Deutsche Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Transfer: Zeitschrift für Kommunikation & Markenmanagement is the property of Deutsche Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brands play an important role in shaping the impact of a company's marketing activities on its customers. The key concept of customer-based brand equity in brand research suggests that the effects of different brands differ, even for identical marketing activities. However, empirical analyses that have confirmed the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands are scarce and even fewer studies have compared the effectiveness of multiple marketing activities simultaneously. As a comparison of marketing effectiveness relative to competing brands is important for brand management, this paper presents a method for measuring the differences in marketing effectiveness across brands. The paper employs a hierarchical Bayesian model to compare the effects of pricing and promotional strategies across six makeup cosmetics brands on customers' responses in Japan. The results reveal that: (a) there are differences in marketing effectiveness between brands for both pricing and promotional strategies, (b) the extent of marketing effectiveness differs between brands for each marketing activity and (c) the effects of pricing and promotional strategies on customers' responses differ between brands. These results indicate that the hierarchical Bayesian model-based measure for assessing marketing effectiveness proposed in this paper is effective for comparing brands, which highlights the need for different brands to adopt distinct marketing strategies. As the dominant strategy varies by brand, marketers should consider this aspect carefully. Future studies should examine whether purchase intention is directly linked to actual purchases as well as consider alternative independent variables (eg comparisons between promotional strategies) and dependent variables (eg willingness to pay and brand choice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering circularity aspects during the engineering of smart products implies a significantly increased complexity of engineering processes. Especially technical reconfiguration of smart products, offered as services in availability-oriented business models, enables the integration of circular economy aspects in sustainable products and lifecycles, through realizing several aspects of the 9R strategies. This paper introduces an analysis of interdependencies between 9R strategies potential reconfiguration options, technical characteristics of smart products, different maturity levels of smart product and abilities for circularity. Partial engineering models managed in different product lifecycle management systems provide a technical basis for systematization and evaluation of circular abilities of reconfigurable smart products in different lifecycle phases. The approach aims to improve circularity-related decision making in systems engineering processes in the early development phases and during the reconfiguration of smart products during utilization phase. An industrial use case considering a microelectronic-centered smart product used in e-mobility solutions validates the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brand architecture decisions have important performance implications but have seen little quantitative research. In particular, there is little empirical evidence on how the strength of the link established among clusters of products within the company's portfolio impact the sales effects of typical marketing actions such as line extensions. This paper quantifies the effect of different brand architecture choices and product feature similarity in moderating the impact of line extensions on brand sales. Based on categorization theory, the authors hypothesize that brand name similarity and feature similarity, both independently, and in interaction, increase brand cannibalization. The empirical analysis in three consumer packaged-goods categories shows that it is more critical to minimize the feature similarity than brand name similarity to limit cannibalization and generate higher incremental sales from line extensions. Controlling for feature similarity, line extensions introduced under sub-brands cause greater cannibalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]