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Since the eighties, the subject of brand equity has been one of the best-known and discussed concepts in the academic literature of marketing. Due to this, on one hand it has allowed to increase its importance, but on the other hand, it also meant a proliferation of definitions, conceptualizations and theories, without a unique and universally accepted ones (Keller, Busacca, & Ostillio, 2005). In particular, a major area of concern within this academic strand is related to methods and models of measuring brand equity, because this analysis can be a very important tool, not only for the marketing management, but also, and especially, for the whole business management. The objective of this doctoral thesis is threefold. First, it offers a detailed review of the literature about methods and measurement models of customer-based brand equity, starting with an overview of the definitions of brand and brand equity, as well as the advantages of a positive brand equity and the potential uses of this parameter within the business management. Moreover, it allows analyzing which product categories and communication tools have already been presented in the literature, in relation to the impacts of these tools on brand equity. In this context, particular attention is paid on the issue of communication 2.0, on its peculiarities and the new challenges that brand equity is taken to address through these media. In fact, the impact of social media on business performance remains an issue a little bit explored (Bruhn, Schoenmueller, & Schaefer, 2012; Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015). Subsequently, I intend to present an innovative model for measuring customer-based brand equity 2.0. More in details, through the literature review it is possible to identify assumptions, measurement scales, items and methods useful for the formulation of a measurement model of customer-based brand equity. Specifically, it has been identified the methodology of structural equation modeling, which allow to che

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how a mega event can be an opportunity for a territory to be developed as a marketing product. The topic is analysed in the pre-event phase, from the point of view of marketing mix and governance. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative method was adopted with a case study on Monza and Brianza province (northern Italy) which is strongly involved in EXPO2015 initiatives. The triangulation among multiple sources such as documents, interviews and observation, allow for deeper data collection. Findings: A mega event can enhance development and repositioning also of minor territories. There are, however, two main conditions for benefiting from such an opportunity: to plan the marketing mix, taking into account people and partnerships, and to ensure a vision on territory through coordination with a legacy perspective. Research limitations/implications: This study is not representative or generalizable. However, it gives insights into the mechanism of coordination and collaboration between different stakeholders and on how to plan the Monza and Brianza marketing mixes. Practical implications: The research has implications for governance mechanisms and for marketing politics both for public and private decision-makers, especially in the pre-mega event phase, but also with some inputs into legacy phase. Originality/value: The research is original for three reasons: the context concerns Monza and Brianza province, and so can help understand how mega events can help a minor territory reposition itself; the research looks at the managerial implications of place marketing in this pre-event phase; and in Italy, provinces are being reorganized or abolished: this case study looks at a province and its future.

Intangibles are becoming increasingly important to enterprises for their growth, especially for SMEs, which play a vital role in Italian economic development. This is mainly due to a highly competitive business environment where resources are limited and knowledge is often seen as a commodity. This makes it difficult for firms to differentiate themselves over their competitors, where intangibles became the main drivers for competitive advantage. This research tries to provide empirical findings on the role of communication developing intangibles assets, with a focus on the SMEs of the territory of Monza and Brianza. Through a quantitative analysis on 886 SMEs, we developed a PCA on the variables of communication objectives and tools, in order to represent the graphical distribution of respondents with respect to their use of communication. The added value of the research concerns the significant empirical evidence to the how and why for SMEs when implementing their communication strategies.

Obiettivo del paper: Presentare una metodologia innovativa di esercizio di foresight che risponda alle esigenze derivanti dai cambiamenti del contesto sociale, tecnologico ed economico. Metodologia: Abbiamo analizzato un excursus storico all’interno della letteratura classica della metodologia e degli ambiti di applicazione di esercizi di foresight, per evincere quali siano i limiti di tale approccio. Abbiamo poi elaborato un metodologia innovativa e applicato la stessa a un caso pratico nel settore della nautica da diporto. Risultati: Attraverso un esercizio di foresight si realizzano schemi di sintesi (le Road Map) che prendono in considerazione le risorse e le strategie degli attori locali e diventano un riferimento per gli operatori economici, gli enti di ricerca e le Istituzioni del territorio. Limiti della ricerca: Non è stato possibile verificare l’adeguatezza degli output dell’esercizio di foresight nel settore della nautica da diporto, in quanto è necessario attendere il termine dei tempi previsionali di sviluppo delle proposte. Si tratta peraltro di limiti connessi alla natura del modello proposto che non è funzionale ad indicare soluzioni, ma a favorire comportamenti di tipo proattivo. Implicazioni pratiche: La metodologia costituisce una guida operativa dettagliata allo svolgimento di un esercizio di foresight e anche alla rappresentazione dei relativi output attraverso lo strumento delle Road Map. Originalità del paper: La metodologia presenta sostanziali differenze dai tradizionali esercizi di foresight tecnologici e dalle realizzazioni più recenti volte a privilegiare anche aspetti di tipo sociale