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PurposeThis study seeks to explore the importance of digital platforms in restoring global supply chains interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the research focuses on internally developed digital platforms and their potential to ensure supply chain continuity between developed and emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachMultiple comparative case studies have been selected for the research methodology. Eight cases concerning digital platform implementation for global SC management – four from developed countries and four from emerging markets – have been selected. The four pairs of cases represent four global supply chain mechanisms.FindingsThe results revealed that the use of internally developed digital platforms serves as a quick solution for immediate problems caused by ripple effects in global supply chain and negative environmental conditions. Digital platforms could therefore facilitate reciprocal monitoring and information exchanges between SC partners in different countries.Originality/valueThe digital platform research stream is in its early stages. Research thus far has mostly focused on externally developed digital platforms managed by an orchestrator. The platforms' usefulness in the dialogue between developed and emerging markets requires further exploration.

Consumers show increasing levels of concern regarding disclosing information to companies, as retailers’ access to their personal information heightens their feelings of vulnerability. Although customers’ personal information is crucial for targeting actual and potential customers, the extant discussion regarding the determinants of customers’ willingness to disclose personal information is limited. Drawing upon social judgment theory, this study investigates how consumers experience different levels of perceived warmth, which alleviates privacy concerns and, in turn, affects their willingness to disclose personal information during different stages of the online customer purchase journey. A mixed-method design combining a focus group (Study 1), an online experiment, a field study and a laboratory experiment (Studies 2, 3 and 4) provide a multifaceted representation of this phenomenon. The results show that compared to the prepurchase phase, asking for personal information at the end of the online customer purchase journey (i.e., purchase and postpurchase phases) leads to a higher perception of warmth and lower privacy concerns, thereby increasing customers’ disclosure of personal data. The findings are robust to consumers’ brand familiarity and other relevant sociodemographic variables. This research provides insightful theoretical and practical implications for retailers regarding how to enhance perceived warmth and improve customers’ willingness to disclose personal information.

QR code is an important pull technology tool that has increased exponentially worldwide. Although its usefulness for marketers has been widely recognised, little is known about the type of message ...

This research investigates the effect of digital advertising on the customer-brand relationship, looking at the mediating role of privacy risk perceptions on consumers’ purchase intentions. Through an online experiment, authors show how the source of the customized promotion via e-mail (known source vs. unknown source) has implications on privacy risk perceptions which in turn influence purchase intentions. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

The current study aims to contribute to the literature on brand engagement in self-concept (BESC). Supported by self-determination theory, a comprehensive model that explains the psychological drivers and consequences of BESC is tested. Based on a sample of 600 international highly engaged cosplayers, the results contribute to the literature on BESC by showing that extrinsic personal aspirations positively influence individuals’ propensity to include brands in their definition of themselves. The findings show that higher levels of extrinsic personal aspirations lead to higher BESC manifestations that in turn lead to greater brand loyalty and brand advocacy. Furthermore, the findings indicate that personal aspirations have an indirect effect on brand loyalty and brand advocacy through BESC. The managerial implications for fashion brands are discussed.

Purpose This paper aims to provide scholars and practitioners with an innovative method of analyzing luxury brand associations in social media (i.e. Twitter). To do so, authors investigated the alignment between luxury brand identity and luxury brand image in online communication, taking into consideration firm- and user-generated content (UGC) in the form of bloggers’ contents. This paper introduces new tools that luxury brand managers could use to manage and adapt the way they communicate and interact with their customers. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative approach based on a content analysis of Twitter posts of six luxury fashion brands (1,334 posts) and the related Twitter electronic word-of-mouth of fashion bloggers (329 tweets). Findings The results show a match between luxury brand identity and luxury brand image on Twitter. Specifically, the findings indicate that both brands and bloggers stress the same dimensions of luxury (aesthetic, desirable, symbolic, restricted accessibility and hedonistic experience) confirming that the ways they communicate luxury brands to consumers are aligned. Moreover, the results suggest that luxury brands could reinforce their brand value by making more use of words that are semantically related to luxury. Originality/value This study approaches the relationship between social media and luxury brands in a novel way and provides scholars and managers with a tool for monitoring the gap between desired and perceived brand associations.

The incorporation of the new embedded technologies and the interconnected networking advances in the automation and monitoring processes of retailers increases security and privacy risks perceived by consumers. A growing numbers of retail companies are gathering massive amounts of customer information and using it in multiple ways. Although customers’ personal information is crucial to target actual and potential customers, to date there is little conversation about customer privacy perspectives. Customers show increasing levels of privacy concern reducing their willing to disclose information with companies, since retailers’ access to their personal information heightens their feelings of vulnerability. The goal of this research project is to provide to retail managers a relevant guideline to manage the customer-firm interface and identifying the best ways to gain customers’ personal information reducing privacy concerns. The project will map privacy concerns throughout the customer journey in order to simultaneously advancing marketing theory and practice on privacy concerns.The incorporation of the new embedded technologies and the interconnected networking advances in the automation and monitoring processes of retailers increases security and privacy risks perceived by consumers. A growing numbers of retail companies are gathering massive amounts of customer information and using it in multiple ways. Although customers’ personal information is crucial to target actual and potential customers, to date there is little conversation about customer privacy perspectives. Customers show increasing levels of privacy concern reducing their willing to disclose information with companies, since retailers’ access to their personal information heightens their feelings of vulnerability. The goal of this research project is to provide to retail managers a relevant guideline to manage the customer-firm interface and identifying the best ways to gain customers’ personal information reducing privacy concerns. The project will map privacy concerns throughout the customer journey in order to simultaneously advancing marketing theory and practice on privacy concerns.

© 2020 Elsevier Inc. There is a general lack of clarity regarding measurement of the self-brand congruity construct, which also calls for cross-national validation. Although previous evidence suggests a positive relationship between self-brand congruity and consumer brand associations (brand attachment), this relationship requires a deeper investigation. This study tests and validates a personality congruence scale in the luxury sector on an international level. Based on a survey of nearly 1500 international luxury customers, it also measures the effect of congruence on brand attachment. The findings confirm that the personality congruence structure is based on five dimensions: prestige, emotion, trust, anxiety, and order. The results highlight the personality congruence effect and its influence on brand attachment. Finally, similarities and differences across countries are detected in the personality congruence and brand attachment relationship. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed. This study contributes to the literature on brand personality congruence and its impact on brand attachment in the luxury context.

This paper aims to understand how user-generated content (UGC) affects the process of place branding by identifying the main associations of various actors related to London and Florence, both traditionally linked to the fashion industry. In particular, this study focuses on fashion as a city image component that contributes to the construction of the image of London and Florence. This research applies a content analysis of visual information (pictures) and textual information (hashtags) available on social networks (i.e. Instagram), typing the hashtags #London and #Florence, to reconstruct the brand image of these two cities. As the recent literature has argued for brands or products, even for places and cities, it is important to monitor the perceived city brand image resulting from the overall online experience, especially on social media. This paper is one of the first to apply content analysis on Instagram in relation to city branding, where the core of communication is based on images. Therefore, in contrast to previous studies, this work principally focuses on visual communication, as a form of textual paralanguage communication, for the construction of a city image for London and Florence.

This special issue was jointly conceived together with the 2015 Global Fashion Management Conference at Florence entitled “Renaissance of Marketing and Management in Fashion” organized by t...

Price has always had a key role in the luxury fashion market, because high prices are linked to the uniqueness and the prestige of luxury products and brands. Because of this direct contribution of price to the luxury essence, scholars have partially neglected the possible existence of unintuitive and controversial pricing strategies followed by luxury firms. This article deals with this literature gap, particularly analyzing a specific pricing strategy that seems to be in contrast with the nature of luxury pricing: the odd-even price (OEP). With the direct observation of physical and digital store windows of 20 luxury brands, this research investigates the role of OEP in the fashion luxury sector. Particularly, this work examines the relationship between the OEP strategy and the luxury level of fashion brands considering both offline and online channels.

This paper aims to monitor brand image of two important fashion cities on social media (Instagram). Through a content analysis of pictures and texts authors attempt to identify the main associations that various actors have of London and Florence, both traditionally strictly related to the fashion system. As recent literature has argued for brands or products, even for places and cities (Gilboa et al. 2015), it is important to monitor the perceived city brand image resulting from the overall online experience (Choi et al. 2007), especially on social media. Indeed, it is demonstrated that word of mouth on social media is able to strongly affect users’ perceptions (Gretzel, Yuan, and Fosenmaier, 2000), thus contributing at the construction of the city brand image. This paper is one of the first one that applies content analysis on Instagram in city/place branding, where the core of communication is based on images. Therefore, differently from previous studies (Andéhn et al. 2014; De Moya and Jain, 2013), this work principally focuses on visual communication, as form of textual paralanguage communication (Luangrath, Peck, and Barger, 2016), for the construction of city image of London and Florence.

Price has always had a key role in the luxury fashion market, because high prices are linked to the prestige of luxury products. Because of this, scholars have neglected the possible existence of unintuitive and controversial pricing strategies followed by luxury firms. This article deals with this literature gap, analysing the odd even price strategy. With the direct observation of physical and digital store windows of 20 luxury brands, this research examines the relationship between odd even price strategy and the luxury level of fashion brands considering both offline and online channels.

As perceptual focus on retailer's green marketing, this study explores how green store atmospherics can positively influence green trust and green purchase intention of consumers

International audience; Scant evidence is available on of how social media marketing activities influence brand equity creation and consumers' behavior towards a brand. This research explores these relationships by analyzing pioneering brands in the luxury sector (Burberry, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton). Based on a survey of 845 luxury brand consumers (Chinese, French, Indian, and Italian), who follow the five brands studied on social media, the study develops a structural equation model that helps to address gaps in prior social media branding literature. Specifically, the study demonstrates the links between social media marketing efforts and their consequences (brand preference, price premium, and loyalty). The study measures brands' social media marketing efforts as a holistic concept that incorporates five aspects (entertainment, interaction, trendiness, customization, and word of mouth). Another contribution of the study is that it finds that SMMEs have a significant positive effect on brand equity and on the two main dimensions of brand equity: brand awareness and brand image.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between fashion events and the territory where they take place, focusing on how this relationship can also affect fashion consumers’ behavior. History and culture, together with creativity and innovation, represent the distinctive traits of global fashion cities; at the same time, these characteristics are the basis of the fashion industry, which combines past, present and future in a constant state of renewal. On the empirical side, using a qualitative methodology, the research presents a case study, investigating the relationship between the city of Florence and its most important fashion events, Pitti Immagine fairs. Main findings show the distinctive elements of these events, highlighting the strong synergy and the mutual influence between Pitti Immagine fashion events and the territory of Florence. In terms of managerial implications, the authors suggest the existence of a mutual effect between the Florentine city and Pitti Immagine, both i...

Purpose. This paper aims to define the overall Made in Italy perception within the on-line and off-line contexts. Particularly, authors attempt to consider three main aspects; the first one regards the key product categories linked to the Made in Italy production; the second aspect concerns the key characteristics linked to the Italy Country Image and the overall sentiment related to it. Finally, the research aims at identifying whether Italian brands enhance their Country of Origin (COO) image or not.

A growing body of research has emerged on digital retailing due to the introduction and rapid spread of technologies that changed the retail settings. Retailers are constantly making decisions about the implementation of digital technologies, evaluating every negative and positive effect from the costs saving to the customers’ satisfaction (Verhoef et al., 2009). These developments are modifying the way to do shopping, making it more exciting and involving, thanks to a large range of services offered (Liao & Shi, 2009). This systematic review of the literature (Tranfield et al., 2003) aims to identify, classify, and analyze the main current research fields on digital retailing developing an overall interpretation of the topic investigated. The process of analysis has been divided into three stages. In the first one, authors planned the review by delimiting the subject area, identifying the main purposes of the analysis, and consequently developing the review protocol including details of the information source (authors, title, year of publication, journal, keywords). During the second stage, authors collected the papers published from 2013 to 2016 in the databases EBSCO, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. In order to retrieve relevant publications in the field of digital retailing, authors selected the search query keywords “digital” and “online” linked via Boolean and with the keyword “retailing.” The search resulted in overall 693 articles. After a screening process, authors select 290 papers belonging to the field of B2C level and tangible goods digital retailing. In the third stage, authors codified the results by running a content analysis through the software NVivo (Bazeley & Jackson, 2013) aiming at codifying a set of main themes, according to the thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The themes were identified launching the auto-coding wizard query of the software on titles, abstracts, and keywords allowing researchers in the identification of the main topics. This process resulted in both father nodes and son nodes, summarized by authors into six father nodes with relative son nodes. Finally, the interactions among the nodes were measured to understand the eventual conceptual links and bonds between them, running the word similarity cluster analysis, through the using of the Pearson correlation, a tool for estimating the linear relationship between two quantitative random variables (De Ona et al., 2014).

The aim of this paper is to analyze how Made in Italy products are retailed in the international markets. The research investigates the level of coherence between Italy country image and the image of the stores where Italian brands are sold abroad; the focus is about the internationalization process of Italian firms producing and distributing high value goods in the fashion, furniture, food sectors with an explicit Italian Country-of-Origin (COO). The existent literature has considered and analyzed the relationships between Brand and COO and its effect on consumers' perceptions and behavior. However, less attention has been devoted in the understanding of the interaction between COO and point of sales. On the empirical side, using an observational methodology, the research investigates nine mono-brand and multi-brand retail stores in three international markets (France, Russia and The United Kingdom). Main findings show various degrees of the coherence level between the point of sales and Italian country ...

This research aims to analyse the potential impact of new technologies on the shopping experience with particular reference to the shopping values (utilitarian and/or hedonistic). For collecting a preliminary answer to the research question, Authors have selected 9 cases of technology implementation at a retail level thanks to a secondary data analysis on retailing reports about innovations (GS1, Deloitte, PwC, Kiki Lab). Using a demi-structured research protocol, 5 retail marketing specialists were asked to express their evaluation about the potential impact of new technologies on shopping values. Relying on this exploratory research results, Authors propose 3 qualitative clusters of technology implementations at a retail level depending on the prevalence of utilitarian or hedonistic values.

This special section, “Italian Fashion Case Study”, is part of the Global Fashion Landscape project initiated by the Global Alliance of Marketing & Management Associations. Researchers and business leaders aspire to understand current trends, types and characteristics and their application to consumer behavior in leading fashion cities. Understanding consumer behavior in those major global fashion cities will affect the success of the fashion business in the future. The current special section shows the relevance of the link between fashion cities and fashion brands. It provides the opportunity for marketing scholars to investigate the transfer of culture and heritage of a city in the perception of fashion brands through different points of view. Undeniably, the reputation of a city and of the street where a store or a museum is located could influence fashion brands’ identity.

This paper presents an explorative analysis of the contents shared through QR codes as a tool of proximity marketing. The aim of the research is to identify the most common links shared through the QR code technology, in order to investigate the use of this tool from a marketing point of view. Moreover, the research explores the main aspects of the communications related to the contents shared through QR codes. Specifically, the authors focus on hedonic aspects and functional ones. Finally, the research aims at identifying preliminary best practices in the use of QR code technology. Due to the widespread use of this tool in the sector, the research focuses on the wine industry, as one of the most involved with QR code practices. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on a content analysis of 91 wine labels. Considering the importance of this integrated communication, the purpose of this explorative analysis is to deduce implications that enable managers to master the use of this tool, exploiting all its potential.

Globalization has substantially transformed the fashion industry. Firms that conduct innovative marketing campaigns for SPA brands, also known as fast fashion, are operating worldwide. Because SPA brands tend to have short trend cycles, corporate profitability is sensitive to consumers' attitudinal changes. The authors of this study establish a theoretical framework by examining research trends related to customer equity at home and abroad by delving into the current state of global SPA brands, defining customer equity, developing customer equity measurements, and conducting empirical analyses. This study uses structural equation models to analyze corporate marketing activity effects on customer lifetime value through brand attitude. Although earlier studies identify customer equity as driving value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity, the authors introduce social network equity as another driver.

This special issue of the Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, “Creativity and Passion between Global Branding and Country of Origin Roots”, includes five articles selected from papers presented during the IMTC/KSMS Joint Symposium 2012 Global Marketing Conference held from 19 to 22 July 2012. The articles in this special issue consider recent issues in marketing theory, research, and practice which are of interest for marketing scholars and readers around the globe. Special issue topics embrace brand–consumer relationships in a global environment, country-of-origin impact on business-to-consumer and business-to-business markets, and creativity at the territorial level from a network perspective.

This article addresses the topic of creativity at the geographic territory level from a network perspective. Its objective is to propose an innovative representational model of creative networks in geographical territories that is suitable for analyzing the process of the management of creativity.This model aims to go beyond the boundaries of the creative industries (Florida, 2002; Stolarick & Florida, 2005) by identifying specific territorial networks with creative content. The new perspective adopted is based on the construction of project networks (Ramos & Ford, 2009). In order to identify territorially-based creative project networks, the authors utilize the concept of the network mobilizer (Mouzas & Naude, 2007).Some managerial implications derive from the proposed model. With it, actors involved in territorial networks enhance their capabilities to know their network position and their contribution to creativity generation.The empirical research involves the territories of Florence and Paris, which ...

PurposeThe authors' research was carried out with the aim of analyzing perception of luxury and luxury brands among an international sample of young people.Design/methodology/approachThis article was based on an empirical study among 233 respondents. First, a qualitative analysis of content using the respondents' own words was conducted. Then, to show whether there are differences between countries and significant groups of countries, an analysis of variance (one‐way ANOVA) was performed and analyzed with Fisher F‐test and post‐hoc Duncan tests.FindingsBeyond the belief in the existence of two stable groups of developed and developing countries with regard to luxury, this study shows a situation that requires further analysis. The main results show some strong cross‐cultural differences in the perception of luxury, which is multi‐faceted as demonstrated by previous studies in this field.Research limitations/implicationsResults of this exploratory study confirm that the concept of luxury presents multiple facets, and the authors' analysis provides an in‐depth survey of the main categories and attributes that can be used to describe this concept. Although this study was only exploratory in nature, a number of comments can be made to highlight the congruence between the concept of luxury for young people and recent academic literature.Practical implicationsTo maintain their brand equity, companies in the luxury sector seek to improve their image within younger targets. Managerial implications of the authors' research indicate that international luxury companies should take into consideration the multi‐faceted concept of luxury in general, but also the main differences between countries in the continuum between the “status” and “emotional” dimensions of luxury. According to the authors' research, luxury companies cannot adopt a global strategy when addressing the six countries analyzed. Some managerial recommendations are developed in this perspective.Originality/valueThe additional value of this article stems from its reliance on a cross‐cultural in‐depth study between six countries (Italy, France, Germany, China, Japan, and USA). The balance between qualitative and quantitative techniques makes this article particularly relevant when drawing both conceptual and managerial conclusions.

1. Creativity and passion between global branding and country of origin roots Gaetano Aiello, Raffaele Donvito and Tiziano Vescovi 2. Modeling links between the decision-making process and luxury brand attachment: An international comparison Bruno Godey, Daniele Pederzoli, Gaetano Aiello, Raffaele Donvito, Priscilla Chan, Junji Tsuchiya, Irina Ivanovna Skorobogatykh, Bart Weitz, Hyunjoo Oh and Rahul Singh 3. Creative Networks in Florence and Paris: empirical results on project networks Raffaele Donvito, Gaetano Aiello and Silvia Ranfagni 4. Country-of-origin effect and firm reputation influence in business-to-business markets with high cultural distance Elena Cedrola and Loretta Battaglia 5. Does country of origin affect brand associations? The case of Italian brands in China Francesca Checchinato, Marta Disegna and Tiziano Vescovi 6. Managing favorable product - country match in international markets: The case of 'Made in Gessi' Michela Matarazzo and Riccardo Resciniti 7. Effects of atmospherics on emotions and intention with respect to involvement in different shopping environments Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, Dong-Mo Koo and Lara Ribeiro 8. What's going on in SNS and social commerce?: Qualitative approaches to narcissism, impression management, and e-WOM behavior of consumers Seong-Yeon Park and Yeu-Jin Kang

The growth of many industrialized developed countries relies on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are the basis of a solid industrial sector and contribute to the development of the main macroeconomic variables (Calabrese et al. 2002).

International luxury businesses are challenged by the identification and satisfaction of the common needs and desires of global market segments. Although luxury goods have become available to a wider range of consumers, the traditional conspicuous consumption model has been transformed into a new experiential luxury sensibility that is marked by a change in the way that consumers define luxury. Based on an empirical study in collaboration with American, European, and Asian researchers, the results provide evidence that consumers in various parts of the world purchase or wish to purchase luxury products for varied reasons but that such consumers generally possess similar values. Regardless of their countries of origin, the basic motivational drivers of luxury consumers are similar among the financial, functional, personal, and social dimensions of luxury value perceptions, although the relative importance of these dimensions varies.

As leisure time is extended, the time that consumers spend at one shopping space increases, and complex shopping malls are taking center stage as a new type of retail venue, channeling family-focused shopping culture by allowing, the whole family to enjoy themselves at the same time in a space with both shopping space and entertainment facilities. With their new combination of traditional retail activities with entertainment elements, these complex shopping malls satisfy a variety of consumer’ needs, changing buying patterns, in the competitive distribution market. Complex shopping malls are evolving into a living space that offers goods, service, entertainment facilities, and a variety of experiences. Companies have been increasingly employing SNS as a new marketing communication tool. Companies can appeal to consumers and cut marketing costs through use of SNS. Companies use SNS as an important means of marketing to form, keep, and develop relations with consumers. These social network service ...

The present study contributes to the international literature on brand personality and congruence. There is still a general lack of clarity regarding the measurement of the self-brand congruity construct. Moreover, in the light of international branding research cross-national validation of this measurement is needed. Previous empirical evidence also suggests a positive relationship between brand-self congruity and consumer-brand relationships (i.e. brand attachment) across nations and cultures, but the strength of these relationships requires deeper investigation. The present study therefore aims to test and validate a personality congruence scale at an international level and to measure the effect of congruence on brand attachment with specific reference to the luxury sector. A survey of nearly 1,500 international luxury customers has been conducted. Results confirm that personality congruence is based upon five dimensions (Prestige/Emotion/Trust/Anxiety/Order). In addition, the results highlight the existence and relative importance of the link between “personality congruence” and “brand attachment”. Finally, findings suggest similarities and differences across countries regarding specific dimensions of congruence scale and the personality congruence and attachment relationship. Both theoretical and managerial implications are provided.

International audience; The effects of the country-of-origin (COO) upon consumer perceptions and purchase intentions remain of interest to marketing researchers. Our paper analyses the perception of the COO and of brands, and their influence on consumer perception and purchasing intention. A cross-national sample was set up in order to obtain a more complex understanding of how the COO concept operates in various countries across different product categories (convenience products, shopping goods and specialty/luxury products).

The paper analyses the phenomena of congruence between consumer, brand and store personality and its effect on attachment to brands in luxury sector at an international level. From a theoretical point of view, human personality, brand personality, store personality, congruence and attachment constructs are considered. From an empirical point of view, the paper presents the results of a quantitative primary research run on a sample young people “luxury experienced” from 10 countries. The empirical research considers specifically 6 luxury brands. In term of results this paper presents the validation of the personality congruence measurement scale proposed by the authors; furthermore the research highlights the existence of a correlation between personality congruence and brand attachment.

This paper analyzes the characteristics of Italy’s country image, the brand image held by representative “Made in Italy” brands and the relationships between the two. Theoretically, academic contributions regarding country and brand image are considered. Empirically, results derive from a quali-quantitative research run on two consumers samples are reported. Theoretical background. The image of a product’s country of origin is defined as the representation, reputation and stereotype that consumers associate with products of a specific country (Nagashima 1970; 1977). According to Roth and Romeo (1992), country image is determined by a series of factors including innovation, design, prestige and workmanship. Regarding to the brand image, the ties and relationships established between the brand and consumer are the result of the brand’s valorization process, which includes building brand image and developing brand personality (Keller 2003). Some scholars believe also purchase decisions are influenced by the combined effect of brand and country of origin (Johansson & Nebenzahl 1986; Ahmed and d’Astous 1996). Others (Aaker 1991; Keller 1993; Pecotich and Ward 2007) highlight the existence of an interaction between country of origin and brand.