Operational process stages of brand alliances: A case study from the reinforcing bar and the construction industries

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate how companies in the reinforcing bar industry and the construction industry operate and implement brand alliances.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a qualitative interview survey and the grounded theory method to extract key factors of brand alliance development and management in the targeted industries. The interview survey included six managers from different construction companies in Taiwan.

Findings

This research identifies four common firm-level operational process stages (core categories) of brand alliances including different multidimensional factors, and proposes a conceptual model based on these identified core process stages. The four common core process stages include selection of brand alliance partners, communication with brand alliance partners, enforcement of brand alliances and assessment of brand alliances.

Originality/value

The proposed model offers a tentative explanation of the development and management of brand alliances between the reinforcing bar industry and the construction industry. This study represents an initial research attempt in this field and explains how reinforcing bar and construction companies operate and implement brand alliances.

Citation

Tsai, C.-J., Lee, T.-R.(.-S., Yen, S.-W. and Hilletofth, P. (2015), "Operational process stages of brand alliances: A case study from the reinforcing bar and the construction industries", European Business Review, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 389-408. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-04-2014-0038