دانلود رایگان مقاله انگلیسی درک جهانی و محلی در برند های B2B: یک چشم انداز مشترک - الزویر 2018

ABSTRACT

This research explores the topics of perceived brand globalness (PBG) and perceived brand localness (PBL) in the B2B context—specifically in terms of how brand localness and globalness factor into B2B buyers' decision making. It does so by examining co-branding relationships that involve alliances between well-known global and local B2B brands with unknown B2B brands in order to tease out the specific influence of brand globalness and localness on buyers' quality evaluations of the unknown brand. In other words, it considers the potential spillover effects of well-known PBG and PBL ally brands on lesser-known focal brands in brand alliances. Notably, we analyze data collected from a sample of Brazilian and U.S. based purchase decision-makers and uncover a number of robust findings likely to benefit both academics and practitioners.

5. Discussion

The global economy is experiencing push backs on long-held beliefs tied to the overall notion of globalization (O'Sullivan, 2016). This shift suggests a number of implications for B2B brands that are positioned as global or local (Mann & Spegele, 2017). Accordingly, this research set out to examine whether B2B brands perceived to be global and local have any bearing on how B2B buyers approach their purchase decisionmaking processes. This research adopts a standard brand alliance framework, rooted in signaling theory, to explicate the contingent effect of a brand ally's PBG or PBL on an unknown focal brand's perceived quality evaluations. Thus, it sheds light on previously unexplored phenomena related to the role of PBG and PBL in B2B settings, and their relevance within a co-branding context.

In Study 1, based on a U.S. sample, the findings reveal that both perceived globalness and localness of the brand ally matter to B2B buyers in how they evaluate an unknown focal brand in a brand alliance. This baseline finding is immediately impressive since the positive impact of the brand ally's PBG and PBL on buyers' perceived quality evaluations of the unknown focal brand cannot be attributed to brand familiarity towards the ally brand since it was controlled in the analysis. Notably, the impact of PBG and PBL on the perceived quality evaluations of the focal brand operate via different process mechanisms. Study 1 reveals that the PBL of the brand ally serves to mitigate the risk associated with purchasing an unknown brand, consistent with the risk reduction hypothesis. However, in the case of PBG, the bonding conceptualization is not supported since the effect of PBG of the brand ally on the perceived quality evaluations of the focal brand occurs directly. Utilizing a Brazilian sample, Study 2 also finds that brand localness matters to B2B buyers. However, the influence of PBG on perceived quality evaluations of the focal brand found in Study 1 was not replicable. Interestingly, in Study 2, by way of examining additional moderators, we find that buyer ethnocentrism conditions the indirect effect of PBL of the brand ally on the perceived quality evaluations of the focal brand via the risk-reduction path. However, buyers' attitudes towards globalization, had no significant impact on the pattern of results associated with PBG.