دانلود رایگان ترجمه مقاله ترکیب اعتماد برند، عملکرد برند و تصویر برند صنعتی (نشریه امرالد 2016)

توضیح برابری برند صنعتی: ترکیب اعتماد برند، عملکرد برند و تصویر برند صنعتی

Explicating industrial brand equity: Integrating brand trust, brand performance and industrial brand image

1 Introduction

Business-to-business markets are evolving and transforming worldwide due to global economic and market changes (e.g., Beverland, Napoli and Yakimova, 2007; Hur, Kim, Kim, 2013). Competitive pressure has increased and firms face challenges from domestic and international firms alike (Cretu and Brodie, 2007; Melewar and Nguyen, 2015). Technological advancements, high capacity information exchange and new supply chain management models all fuel the changing competitive landscape (e.g., Davis, Golicic and Marquardt, 2008). In addition, the differentiation of business-to-business products is fading as firms return to compete merely on pricing (Hinterhuber, 2004) and personal relationships (Han and Sung, 2008), consequently, eroding profits (Keh and Xie, 2008). The various cost reduction measurements adopted by firms, such as low cost production and technology, exacerbate the problem and create generic markets with little differentiation (e.g., Kotler and Pfoertsch, 2007; Wang, Hsu, and Fang, 2009).

Thus, as a result of stiff competition, these industrial manufacturers are turning to industrial brand building activities by adopting differentiation strategies (e.g. via company brand image and supplier reputation) in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage (Bendixen, Bukasa and Abratt, 2004; Wang, Yu, and Ye, 2012). Managing brands is crucial for industrial manufacturers as they increase the industrial brand equity through (1) providing firms with cash flow benefits and increased network power (Beverland et al., 2007), (2) clarifying and strengthening the corporate or (industrial) brand’s identity (Beverland et al., 2007), and (3) building brand equity through corporate brand image and corporate reputation (Chi-Shiun, Chih-Jen, Chin-Fang, and Da-Chang, 2010; Cretu and Brodie, 2007). Such benefits have led to several scholarly research focusing on industrial brand equity and covering more intangible attributes such as brand image and corporate reputation (Davis et al., 2008; van Riel, Pahud, Mortanges and Streukens, 2005).

Corporate (industrial) branding in the industrial branding/B2B context itself is still largely a new area (Chi-Shiun et al., 2010; Leek and Christodoulides, 2011). While research exists regarding most of the sources of industrial brand equity (such as brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness, brand associations and brand satisfaction), ‘trust with the company/brand,’ considered an important aspect of brand equity and an emotional brand aspect (Ambler, 1997), is somehow, with exception of Han and Sung’s (2008) study, rather rarely explored (Ambler, 1997; Chaudhuri and Holbrook, 2001). Indeed, there are conflicting views as to whether trust should be studied as part of, or separate to the brand equity concept (Ambler, 1997). There exists vast research regarding trust in other scholarship of literature, such as in business relationships (seller–buyer), but somehow this stream of research is not connected to branding. As such, the importance of understanding brand-related attributes under which evaluations take place in the B2B context have also been under-researched (Leek and Christodoulides, 2011).

Therefore, in the present study, we explore business customers’ perceptions towards industrial brand attributes by combining multiple branding aspects (rational and emotional) and their effects on the purchase decision-making (repeat buying and long-term commitment). We develop a comprehensive model to examine the relationships between brand performance (tangible), industrial brand image (intangible), and trust (intangible) in relation to industrial buyers’ loyalty and their long-term commitment with the brand. Using the industrial air conditioning brands in Malaysia, with participants involved in the purchase decision-making of industrial air-conditioning systems from the commercial building and industrial plant sub-segments (purchasers, engineers, consultants, etc.), we explore their perceptions and feelings about industrial brand attributes. The heating, ventilating and airconditioning (HVAC) industry is particularly interesting, as branding becomes an afterthought due to (a) businesses exhausting their financial resources paying for fleets and equipment in order to run their business, and thus prefer to maintain costs at the very minimum levels (Maltz, Carter, and Maltz, 2011), and (b) the contractors experiencing difficulties in competing as little differentiation exists in the type of product they manufacture, with little chance of being unique (Antonelli, 2012). Hence, we frame our research question as follows: How do industrial brands’ tangible- and intangible-attributes influence customers’ brand perceptions and purchase decision-making in the HVAC industry in Malaysia?

The study contributes to existing literature in the three ways: (1) First, we show the relative influence of both the intangible and tangible brand attributes by combining three bodies of literature, namely branding, buyer–seller relationship (relationship marketing), and trust in the B2B context. (2) Second, we incorporate the trust construct and develop and test a comprehensive brand equity model more systematically, confirming that trust may be viewed as an integral part of brand equity. (3) Third, we reveal a hierarchical relationship of both tangible and intangible equity sources and confirm trust as a fully mediating effect in our model between brand image, loyalty and commitment. Consequently, we posit that brand performance (tangible) and industrial brand image (intangible) are primary drivers of brand equity (trust, loyalty and commitment), making critical propositions on their direct and mediating relationships, and cultivating important implications for managers the HVAC industry.

The remainder of our paper is organized as follows: We first present a brief review on the literatures on industrial brands and industrial brand equity. In the subsequent section, we develop a theoretical hypothesized model and present our methodology. We then present our research results and discuss managerial and theoretical implications with suggestions for future studies.