5. Discussion and conclusion
5.1. Discussion
This study examines brand resonance and its antecedents in the context of franchisee-franchisor relationships. Brand resonance symbolizes highly active and intense brand-centric relationships and is characterized in terms of cognitive, affective, and conative consequences directed toward the brand (Keller, 2012). The results offer insights into various antecedents of brand resonance. In particular, franchisors' trade equity and franchisees' trust in franchisors exert direct, positive influence on brand resonance whereas franchisors' knowledge specificity exerts an indirect effect on brand resonance. The proposed relationship between franchisees' asset specificity and brand resonance was not supported. These findings suggest that the formation of brand resonance among franchisees is complex in that franchisees form attachments with the brands they manage through both direct and indirect assessments of franchisors. Through ongoing interactions with franchisors, franchisees assess knowledge specific investments made by franchisors and develop trust. In addition, through their interactions with the franchisor and the franchised brand community, franchisees form assessments of the franchisor's trade equity. Together, the direct and indirect factors signal the attractiveness of the franchisor and influence the formation of brand resonance among franchisees.
The theoretical contributions of this study extend to both branding and franchising literatures. For the branding literature, this study offers an empirical assessment of the construct of brand resonance. Although prior researchers have identified brand resonance as a powerful indicator of heightened brand relationships, very little empirical evidence exists on its nature and antecedents. Toward that end, this study positions brand resonance as indicative of brand-centric relationships, operationalizes the construct using cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions, and offers a framework of its antecedents in the context of brand-centric relationships between franchisees and franchisors. As for the franchising literature, this study focuses attention on three important lacunae identified by previous researchers: (1) franchisees' relationship with the brands they manage, (2) franchisees' perspective on franchisor-franchisee relationships, and (3) testing theoretical frameworks on franchising in contexts other than the United States. Accordingly, the brand resonance framework sheds light on how franchisees form heightened relationships with the brands they operate, incorporates franchisees' perceptions regarding factors that nurture brand resonance, and tests hypothesized relationships using data from franchisees in South Korea.
