Purpose: This research studies the relationship between corporate heritage brand identity and customer satisfaction of John Lewis Partnership (JLP) which is one of the most successful British retail heritage brands internationally. It conceptualizes and addresses the key factors of corporate heritage brand identity including brand price, quality, design, and symbol. It examines the corporate heritage brand experience of JLP customers through which corporate heritage brand identity influences customer satisfaction. It also establishes the moderating role of brand innovation, word of mouth and multiple time dimensions on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework of corporate heritage brand identity is developed from the literature review. To improve the validity of this study, semi-structured interviews were carried out with JLP managers, senior partners and their loyal customers recommended by JLP. These interviews have verified and advanced the hypotheses informed from the reviewed literature. This study mainly adopts the quantitative survey research method approach to test the conceptual framework. An online questionnaire was sent to JLP customers through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Off-line paper-based survey questionnaires were collected from customers in JLP stores located in five cities in the UK (London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester and Southampton). In total, a sample of 596 clean questionnaire responses were collected and used for this study to test the developed hypotheses. Findings: Data analysis results have confirmed the dynamic and essential role of heritage brand identity on attaining and sustaining customers' satisfaction of a corporate heritage brand from the retailing industry in the UK. The results revealed that corporate heritage brand identity dimensions (price, quality, design and symbol) are effective in representing the strength of corporate heritage brand identity. The confirmed that the dimensions of the corporate heritage brand identities of this study are indicating positive impacts on corporate heritage brand experience according to the data analysis results. The findings also suggest that these brand experience dimensions (sensory, affective, behavioural and intellectual) have a positive influence on improving customer satisfaction. Additionally, brand innovation and the time stream in this study strengthens the relation between corporate heritage brand identity and corporate heritage brand experience. Furthermore, word of mouth and the prospect future of a corporate heritage brand are of significance to improve customers' satisfaction through positive heritage brand experience. Originality/value: This is one of the few attempts to develop a conceptual framework of corporate heritage brand identity. The conceptual framework has confirmed the multiple dimensions of corporate heritage brand identity (including brand price, quality, design and symbol) and their impact on customers' experience and satisfaction. This study also identified the moderating role of brand innovation, word of mouth and multiple time dimensions on the relationships between corporate heritage brand identity and customers' experience and satisfaction. This is one of the first attempts to study corporate heritage branding management in the retailing industry sector. Managerial implications: The corporate heritage brand identity dimensions identified from this study have the potential to help brand managers develop and augment their corporate heritage brand management strategy, especially for the retailing industry as revealed in this study. Marketers and brand managers need to be aware of their corporate heritage brand treats such as price, quality, design and symbol to satisfy and sustain their customers. The findings reflect the importance of sustaining the traits of corporate heritage brand and being responsive and innovative to the market on time. Additionally, the fundamental function of Word of Mouth (WOM) in extending the communication channels between a brand and customers. The findings confirmed that Time Streams have a central role in demonstrating the identity and sustainability of a corporate heritage brand.

Kaohsiung City locates in the Southern Taiwan, being the second largest municipality directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. Among all the cities in Taiwan, Kaohsiung City not has the highest population density, but also prospers in heavy industry. Following with the population aggregation, urbanization trends, and industry development, Kaohsiung City has become the most important urban metropolis and is now the centre of economy, administration, education, and entertainment in the Southern Taiwan. Kaohsiung City is representative for the characteristics and spirits of Taiwan, comprising mountains and oceans. Kaohsiung harbor is the 6th largest harbor in the world, the center of Taiwan's shipbuilding industry, a key position of pelagic fishing business, as well as home to a large R.O.C. Navy base. Kaohsuing is therefore considered as the Marin Capital. Nowadays, Kaohsiung City further develops its tourism markets and endeavors to make Love River, most representative symbol of Kaohsiung, become one of the well-known tourist attractions in Taiwan. ¡§Promoting business and encouraging economy¡¨ is the slogan for developing Kaohsiung City. In Kaohsiung Lantern Festival 2006, there were 6,000,000 tourists coming to Kaohsiung and thus raised 15% of the lodging rate for Tourism Hotels in Kaohsiung. In order to mold Kaohsiung City into a International Tourist City, it is plan to continuously developing the Love River Transportation System, and working on landscaping projects around the Lover River and Kaohsiung Harbor. Kaohsiung City is expected to be a Tourism Spots of the Southern Taiwan, and an International Urban Metropolis. This study investigates the tourism business of Love River. By conducting in-depth interviews with experts in business and history of Kaohsiung, we explores whether if the media marketing strategies in tourism is contributive to the tourism industry of Kaohsiung Love River.

Zugl.: Köln, Univ., Diss., 2009

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bern, 2003 entitled: Rätz. / Text partly in German, partly in Englis.

Network strategy in the New Zealand wine industry: how firms in an industry understand and use their business relationshipsThis theory-building study offers new theoretical explanations for how and why companies within a case industry use relationships in their strategies. Using qualitative data from multiple case studies within the New Zealand wine industry, the thesis captures and explains the strategic heterogeneity of diverse patterns of relationships and network interactions and how these are used strategically. Drawing on strategic management and business network theory, it emphasises how firms value their relationships in strategy, that is, how they contribute to strategy formation process and realisation outcomes. The study builds new interpretations and extends theory through in-depth exploration, providing two extensive typologies of relationships, one categorised according to the range of relationships, their functions, content and contribution to strategy, and another according to strategies and how relationships are used in their realisation. A model of relationship drivers in strategy is then developed, tested, and refined to show the purposes and outcomes of relationships and clarify the processes and conditions under which they arise and are used within an industry. The data support converging assumptions in strategic management and business network theory on the connectedness of firms in business relationships and the embeddedness of economic action in ongoing ties within social structures. Concepts of intentionality and emergence are used to show that emergence primarily arises out of intentionality.Understanding of relationships was based on the historically collective nature of the industry, on personal values, experience or approaches to relationships, on firm level strategy, especially decisions around grow, buy or connect options, and whether the firm aimed to control resources and activities internally or used relationships to achieve strategic goals. Firms focused on (in order of priority): resource-based input requirements, activity-based capability related strategies and actor-based values and these inputs operated at three levels which, singly or in combination, drove the diverse use of relationships: firm level strategy influences, relationship level influences and industry environment level influences. Two frameworks emerge which have strong explanatory power. One models how firms understanding and value placed on relationships is integrated into strategy processes. Another integrates concepts in a new way to show the main pathways through ways of understanding relationship development and use in strategy.

Network strategy in the New Zealand wine industry: how firms in an industry understand and use their business relationshipsThis theory-building study offers new theoretical explanations for how and why companies within a case industry use relationships in their strategies. Using qualitative data from multiple case studies within the New Zealand wine industry, the thesis captures and explains the strategic heterogeneity of diverse patterns of relationships and network interactions and how these are used strategically. Drawing on strategic management and business network theory, it emphasises how firms value their relationships in strategy, that is, how they contribute to strategy formation process and realisation outcomes. The study builds new interpretations and extends theory through in-depth exploration, providing two extensive typologies of relationships, one categorised according to the range of relationships, their functions, content and contribution to strategy, and another according to strategies and how relationships are used in their realisation. A model of relationship drivers in strategy is then developed, tested, and refined to show the purposes and outcomes of relationships and clarify the processes and conditions under which they arise and are used within an industry. The data support converging assumptions in strategic management and business network theory on the connectedness of firms in business relationships and the embeddedness of economic action in ongoing ties within social structures. Concepts of intentionality and emergence are used to show that emergence primarily arises out of intentionality.Understanding of relationships was based on the historically collective nature of the industry, on personal values, experience or approaches to relationships, on firm level strategy, especially decisions around grow, buy or connect options, and whether the firm aimed to control resources and activities internally or used relationships to achieve strategic goals. Firms focused on (in order of priority): resource-based input requirements, activity-based capability related strategies and actor-based values and these inputs operated at three levels which, singly or in combination, drove the diverse use of relationships: firm level strategy influences, relationship level influences and industry environment level influences. Two frameworks emerge which have strong explanatory power. One models how firms understanding and value placed on relationships is integrated into strategy processes. Another integrates concepts in a new way to show the main pathways through ways of understanding relationship development and use in strategy.

Network strategy in the New Zealand wine industry: how firms in an industry understand and use their business relationshipsThis theory-building study offers new theoretical explanations for how and why companies within a case industry use relationships in their strategies. Using qualitative data from multiple case studies within the New Zealand wine industry, the thesis captures and explains the strategic heterogeneity of diverse patterns of relationships and network interactions and how these are used strategically. Drawing on strategic management and business network theory, it emphasises how firms value their relationships in strategy, that is, how they contribute to strategy formation process and realisation outcomes. The study builds new interpretations and extends theory through in-depth exploration, providing two extensive typologies of relationships, one categorised according to the range of relationships, their functions, content and contribution to strategy, and another according to strategies and how relationships are used in their realisation. A model of relationship drivers in strategy is then developed, tested, and refined to show the purposes and outcomes of relationships and clarify the processes and conditions under which they arise and are used within an industry. The data support converging assumptions in strategic management and business network theory on the connectedness of firms in business relationships and the embeddedness of economic action in ongoing ties within social structures. Concepts of intentionality and emergence are used to show that emergence primarily arises out of intentionality.Understanding of relationships was based on the historically collective nature of the industry, on personal values, experience or approaches to relationships, on firm level strategy, especially decisions around grow, buy or connect options, and whether the firm aimed to control resources and activities internally or used relationships to achieve strategic goals. Firms focused on (in order of priority): resource-based input requirements, activity-based capability related strategies and actor-based values and these inputs operated at three levels which, singly or in combination, drove the diverse use of relationships: firm level strategy influences, relationship level influences and industry environment level influences. Two frameworks emerge which have strong explanatory power. One models how firms understanding and value placed on relationships is integrated into strategy processes. Another integrates concepts in a new way to show the main pathways through ways of understanding relationship development and use in strategy.

Network strategy in the New Zealand wine industry: how firms in an industry understand and use their business relationshipsThis theory-building study offers new theoretical explanations for how and why companies within a case industry use relationships in their strategies. Using qualitative data from multiple case studies within the New Zealand wine industry, the thesis captures and explains the strategic heterogeneity of diverse patterns of relationships and network interactions and how these are used strategically. Drawing on strategic management and business network theory, it emphasises how firms value their relationships in strategy, that is, how they contribute to strategy formation process and realisation outcomes. The study builds new interpretations and extends theory through in-depth exploration, providing two extensive typologies of relationships, one categorised according to the range of relationships, their functions, content and contribution to strategy, and another according to strategies and how relationships are used in their realisation. A model of relationship drivers in strategy is then developed, tested, and refined to show the purposes and outcomes of relationships and clarify the processes and conditions under which they arise and are used within an industry. The data support converging assumptions in strategic management and business network theory on the connectedness of firms in business relationships and the embeddedness of economic action in ongoing ties within social structures. Concepts of intentionality and emergence are used to show that emergence primarily arises out of intentionality.Understanding of relationships was based on the historically collective nature of the industry, on personal values, experience or approaches to relationships, on firm level strategy, especially decisions around grow, buy or connect options, and whether the firm aimed to control resources and activities internally or used relationships to achieve strategic goals. Firms focused on (in order of priority): resource-based input requirements, activity-based capability related strategies and actor-based values and these inputs operated at three levels which, singly or in combination, drove the diverse use of relationships: firm level strategy influences, relationship level influences and industry environment level influences. Two frameworks emerge which have strong explanatory power. One models how firms understanding and value placed on relationships is integrated into strategy processes. Another integrates concepts in a new way to show the main pathways through ways of understanding relationship development and use in strategy.

Zugl.: Düsseldorf, Universiẗat, Diss., 2007.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2006--München.