This thesis is concerned with the strategic alliances between British and Korean companies with special reference to marketing, in particular branding, strategies. Our thesis fills a research gap in the extant research: a lack of research on the alliances involving partners outside the advanced economies; and the dearth of studies approaching alliances from a marketing perspective. In exploring strategic alliances, we develop two models. a modified Strategic Posture and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Model, and a Brand Integrity Model (BIM), both drawn from the existing literature in the respective fields, strategic alliances and brand extensions. The modified SP ACE Model, a novel modification of the SPACE model, is a four dimensional model comprising 28 variables, relating to dimensions covering strategy, reputation, branding, and environment. The BIM consists of three factors: brand complementarity; brand technology transferability; and perceived quality of brand. We investigate the factors that explain the success and failure of strategic alliances between British and Korean companies by utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods within the two model framework. We also observe the differences by control variables, country of origin, industry sector, and the type of legal entity. Korean and British companies exhibit salient differences in most of the twenty eight variables especially core-competence learning, cultural differences, government pressures, and profit potential. By industry sector, the most significant difference was in the branding dimension, particularly brand complementarity, brand market share, and perceived brand quality. The most significant difference between the joint ventures and contractual agreements was in the environmental dimension, in particular government pressures and subsidies, and barriers to entry. Our research provides practical guidelines for British and Korean executives involved in strategic alliances with a partner from the other country. Practitioners can gain better understanding of which of the twenty eight variables are considered important and may, as a consequence, lead to success of an alliance in particular, perceived brand quality, industry competitiveness, growth potential, quality of chief executive offict!r and middle manager. Deeper understandings may also be gained from the results of three case studies that encompass both consumer and industrial sectors, and both joint ventures and contractual agreements, particularly how different, and often conflicting, agenda between partners affect the performance of the alliance. As a first study investigating strategic alliances between British and Korean firms, and furthermore, from marketing perspective, our research contributes to the literature on a strategic alliance, especially in the role of marketing, in particular branding in strategic alliances. Contribution is also made to the comparative importance of strategic and marketing factors on alliances by country of origin, industry sector, and legal entity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:630463 |
| Date | January 1997 |
| Creators | Kim, Jai-Beom |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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