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In response to consumer and society demands for firms to be socially responsible, brands have been taking a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by integrating socially responsible activities into their brands’ core value propositions to strengthen brand equity. Thus, from a brand building perspective, this paper aims to investigate the immediate effect that brand CSR communications have on the change in brand awareness, perceived quality and loyalty, to provide a deeper understanding of how each dimension affects the overall change in brand equity.

With evidence from an experiment conducted in three different countries (Australia, United States and Spain), based on an actual brand CSR program, this paper explores the different immediate effects of change in brand awareness, perceived brand quality and brand loyalty, after the exposure to a CSR message, on the overall immediate change in value that consumers give to a brand. Furthermore, it examines the role of brand-cause fit and the influence that differences in cultural, economic and political environments have on this effect.

The change in brand loyalty due to CSR communication is the key dimension driving the immediate positive change in overall brand equity. In addition, change in brand awareness has an inverted U-shape relationship with change in overall brand equity, whereas the change in perceived brand quality does not have an influence. Finally, the results indicate that this immediate effect holds regardless of the level of brand-cause fit, but is greater in countries where firms are expected to participate and CSR reporting is not mandatory, making such practices be seen as voluntary.

The findings of this study offer research implications for academics, and practical considerations for brand managers, interested in how to rapidly generate changes in consumer perception by leveraging CSR activities for brand building in global settings. Specifically, it indicates that when the aim is to quickly build brand equity, the goal of communicating CSR activities must be to increase the level of attachment that consumers have to the brand since loyalty is the main driver of the immediate change in overall brand equity.

Although many scholars have demonstrated the impact of CSR on various consumer behavior outcomes (e.g., brand attitude, purchase intention, loyalty), from a brand build perspective the implications of the immediate effect of a brand communication of CSR practices on consumer-based brand equity remain less clear. This study addresses this gap to gain a deeper understanding of how to rapidly generate changes in consumer perception to build strong brands while leveraging CSR practices.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between marketing strategy types – aggressive marketing, price leadership and product specialization strategies – and the extent of relationalism in marketing channels.

Data were collected using a self‐administered survey from managers responsible for marketing and channels management in US pharmaceutical firms. The responses to the questions capturing focal constructs were measured using a five‐point Likert type scale. Data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling procedures.

Aggressive marketing strategy and price leadership strategy are positively associated with the level of relationalism in marketing channels. In contrast, product specialization (focus) strategy is negatively associated with the level of relationalism in marketing channels.

The relationship between marketing strategy and the emergent relationalism among marketing channel intermediaries is critical for the firm's ability to meet objectives. This relationship has not been investigated so far and, from a managerial perspective, managing marketing channels is critical for successful implementation of marketing strategies.

This study investigates the relationship between accuracy of brand‐country of origin (COO) knowledge and COO image, in a franchising context. Accuracy of brand‐COO knowledge is found to be positively related to COO image. Inaccurate brand‐COO knowledge leads to a confusing and somewhat negative image about COO. In addition, antecedents to the brand‐COO knowledge are also investigated. Factors such as social class, education and travel abroad positively influence brand‐COO knowledge. This investigation, conducted in an emerging market, holds interesting research and managerial implications, especially for multinational franchisors.

Examines the effects of financial resource availability and system size on ownership redirection patterns – the argument that successful franchisors will acquire less successful franchisee units, resulting in corporate ownership – in 12 franchising business sectors. Discusses the theory of ownership redirection in more depth. Hypothesizes that: as franchise systems gain increased financial resources, there is a greater likelihood of ownership redirection favouring the franchisors; and that, as the size of the franchise system increases, there is a greater likelihood of ownership redirection favouring the franchisors. Draws on data from the US “Franchising in the economy”, over the period 1977‐1986. Conducts a LISREL‐based path analytic approach. Finds a more complex interplay of effects than anticipated, particularly that differences occur depending on the business sector – uniform effect patterns occur in educational products and services, laundry and dry cleaning services, and rental equipment; conversion orientation patterns occur in hotels, motels and campsites; cautious redirection patterns occur in the automotive products and services industry; and, finally, strategic dilemma patterns occur in food retailing. Concludes that further research is required to substantiate (or not) the theory on ownership redirection.

This paper proposes a knowledge-exchange framework for value co-creation in franchise network.

This conceptual study integrates literature on franchising, knowledge based view of the firm, absorptive capacity, and service dominant logic to propose a theoretical framework for value co-creation in franchising using knowledge as an operant resource.

The proposed framework suggests that in a franchise network value is co-created by three key actors – franchisor, franchisees, and the customers; the operant resource these key actors bring to the value creation process is knowledge; and the absorptive capacity of principal actors and the appropriation hazard affect the flow and sharing of knowledge.

The authors hope that the proposed knowledge exchange framework for value co-creation in franchise networks provides an impetus for future research in this critical aspect of franchising – i.e. viewing knowledge as an operant resource and viewing the three actors as resource integrators and co-creators of value.

The proposed framework suggests that managers in franchise industry should stop looking at consumers and franchisees as passive operand resources, but look at them as operant resource. They should also alter their perspective about the source of competitive advantage, with the focus shifting to knowledge as the operant resource.

The study takes a new approach to value creation in a franchising network by introducing the concept of knowledge as an operant source.

This study empirically explores one of the important channel issues – the relationship between various channel support given to channel partners and the perceived (by managers) goal‐orientation of a firm. Results from an emerging market, India, indicate that perceived orientation towards both profitability and market share is not associated with any of the channel support considered. Growth orientation however is strongly associated with most of the channel support activities – both business (e.g., business advice, pricing and ordering assistance, and personnel training) as well as marketing (advertising support, sales promotional material, and inventory management assistance) oriented activities. In contrast, perceived sales volume orientation is only associated with advertising support and business advice, however, the relationship is negative. These findings have interesting implications for channel management and channel motivation.

The current paper describes various co‐branding methods that are available to franchisors and franchisees. The paper also presents an exploratory study that provides some insight into the activities in which franchisors in the food service industry may be willing to engage, in collaboration with other firms, when entering and maintaining co‐branding relationships. A sample of International Franchise Association (IFA) members was selected for the survey.

Services are inherently intangible, and high on experience as well as credence quality. To promote services effectively, a service provider must go beyond mere creation of awareness. There is a need to induce trial so that consumers are able to assess the experience and credence qualities. In addition, the notion of timing in the consumption process also plays a key role, i.e. pertinent information about the service at the appropriate time. These issues are empirically investigated in a higher educational setting, with a focus on learning augmentation services. The results indicate that although consumer interest increases with awareness, the increase in interest is even higher when awareness is coupled with trial. This study also indicates that interest in a service is a function of timing in the overall service consumption cycle. Finally, interest in service items offered is positively associated with the overall interest in the service provider. Promotion planners and brand managers need to take these into account for an efficient and effective promotional plan.

Franchising has long been seen as an avenue into small business. For some, it offers opportunities to build up franchise systems, as franchisors, by cloning small business success in exchange for a royalty. For many others, as franchisees, it offers opportunities for self‐employment, combining elements of the independence normally associated with self‐employment allied with the security derived from association with a tried‐and‐tested business system. However, there is an ongoing debate, the ownership redirection thesis, which suggests that franchise systems will only characteristically seek to involve franchisees in their business growth strategies during the early phases of business development. Thereafter, when finance, human capital and local market intelligence resources are no longer at a premium, the thesis predicts, franchisors will reduce their dependence on franchising with franchisees the prime casualties. Assesses the available evidence on the ownership redirection thesis and offers some fresh data on the issue.