Editorial

Citation

Phau, I. (2012), "Editorial", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 24 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/apjml.2012.00824daa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Volume 24, Issue 4

The fourth issue of the year opens with a compilation of papers with an underlying branding theme investigating various perspectives within the field.

The first paper from our colleagues in Thailand, examines the impact of SMS advertising on consumer perceptions of Au Bon Pain’s brand equity in Thailand. Using an experimental study of real text-based promotions from an existing brand on actual consumers, the authors found that SMS marketing has a significant and positive impact on brand awareness and perceived quality. The second paper by Liu et al. examines the relationships between affective loyalty, perceived benefits, attitude towards co-branded products and intention to use co-branded products. Data were collected across four Chinese cities among bank/department store co-branded credit card holders. It was found that affective loyalty and perceived benefits positively influence consumers’ attitudes towards co-branded products. Some valuable suggestions to current branding partnerships and to practitioners seeking to enter co-branding programmes were discussed. The third paper by Abdullah et al. examines brand credibility, customer loyalty and the impact of religious orientation in Pakistan. The authors found that there are significant positive relationships between brand credibility and trustworthiness, perceived quality and customer loyalty. Religious orientation is also found to have an impact on customer loyalty. Based on the findings, the authors have several recommendations for brand managers who are looking to expand into Pakistan or looking to explore religious orientation within their branding programmes.

Still on the branding theme, the next two papers examine brand personalities in two different contexts. Le et al. investigates the predicting roles of extension naming strategies and categorical fit on the transfer of brand personality from a parent brand to its extension brand in Taiwan. Based on a 2×2 factorial experimental design, the authors found that consumers perceive higher brand personality transfer when a direct naming strategy is applied or when the parent brand extends to a high perceived fit product. Gopal et al. explores the impact of retailer personality on consumer based brand equity by adopting the scale developed by Pappu and Quester (2006). Using a structural equation modeling approach, the authors addressed each retailer personality dimension on each consumer based brand retailer equity dimension. The authors found that only sophistication, dependability and thoughtfulness of the store personality dimensions have a positive impact on consumer based brand equity.

The next two papers explore the topical issue of services and marketing orientation. Al-Hawari investigates how offline factors can trigger online continual usage by customers of airline e-ticket booking services. Based on a conceptual model developed for this study, the authors found that employee based service quality has a positive and direct relationship with offline trust and image, and no direct relationship with continual usage. The authors postulates that the importance of offline factors cannot be overlooked as a vital tool that supports organizations’ attempts to encourage customers in using online channels. The paper also highlights general guidelines to manage offline factors in order to stimulate online continual usage. Shin and Aiken explore how various combinations of orientation link to firm performance as opposed to past singular explorations of strategic orientation. The study found that mediation exists between role of marketing capability and strategic orientations and firm performance. The authors suggest that marketing capability will have a direct positive impact on firm performance.

This issue closes with two places in the Chinese context of mainland China and Taiwan. Yang examines the functional relationship among 14 different brands’ price, quality, marketing expense and sales in the shampoo industry. Using data envelopment analysis models, the authors found that exponential sales function is better suited to characterize the Chinese shampoo market. The price factor is also an important determinant in influencing sales. The authors suggest that by using this method of study, the study can be applied to other markets and sectors to maximize sales. Wu et al. examines high-tech companies in Taiwan to verify the fit of the commitment-trust theory and to explore supply-chain relationships. The findings revealed that in an exchange relationship, higher levels of trust could lead to better interactions. Furthermore, the paper suggests a number of strategies, which practitioners can use to create strategic alliances to develop competitive advantages that can benefit both parties.

Once again I would like to express my gratitude to the EAB and reviewers for their timely feedback and the authors for submitting papers of high caliber. While we are fast approaching the end of 2012, APJML continue to strive to provide interesting and mind stimulating papers within the region.

Ian Phau