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This article reviews the quantitative marketing literature on artificial intelligence (AI) through an economics lens. We apply the framework in Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence to systematically categorize 96 research papers on AI in marketing academia into five levels of impact, which are prediction, decision, tool, strategy, and society. For each paper, we further identify each individual component of a task, the research question, the AI model used, and the broad decision type. Overall, we find there are fewer marketing papers focusing on strategy and society, and accordingly, we discuss future research opportunities in those areas.

Quality has been widely recognised as an important source of competitive edge in the tourism industry. Much of the focus of research to date has been on the individual firm. However, there has been a shift from interfirm competition to interdestination competition, resulting in a lacuna in the research and a need for more attention to be afforded to management of quality at the destination level. Given the fragmented and diverse nature of the tourism destination, many researchers have underlined the need for co-operation in any effort to improve quality at the destination. However, there is often a reluctance among tourism businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) to cooperate. This paper sheds light on the impact of training on interfirm dynamics within a destination quality management network. The findings revealed that training of network members influenced the development of a referral system, which in turn helped to create a tourism quality value chain for the visitor.

The purpose of this study is to extend previous research by using a longitudinal design to examine the differential contribution of brand understanding (BU) drivers at various moments in the early tenure of service employees. Employee BU is a prerequisite of brand promise delivery among service employees. Previous studies, using cross-sectional samples, established that brand-oriented recruitment, training and leadership are significant BU drivers.

A three-wave survey was collected from a 105-member panel of recent hires at a restaurant chain that displayed a strong brand culture and adopted internal brand management (IBM) practices. Structural equation models with carryover effects were estimated to measure the impact of BU drivers on Day 1, as well as at four and seven months of tenure. In addition, a latent growth model of BU was estimated using random coefficients modeling.

Results show a significant positive effect of IBM practices on BU at each point in time; however, despite this, by the seven month milestone, BU is still not fully developed.

As with most organizational longitudinal studies, there was sample attrition because of the high turnover that characterizes the restaurant industry. This attrition is not believed to be correlated with the variables measured in the study.

Managers seeking a differentiated customer experience should not assume new hires attain a good understanding of the service brand even after the first seven months of tenure. Hence, brand training and leadership should extend well beyond this time frame.

This study is the first, as per the authors’ understanding, to use a longitudinal design to model BU as a dynamic variable because it befits the learning trajectories of new employees.

The purpose of this paper is to consider whether the affective components of brand association influence the key stakeholders of business‐to‐business (B2B) brands. The aim is to demonstrate the importance of branding to organisations involved only in B2B markets by testing three hypotheses: that the customer's affective brand associations predict satisfaction with the company; that customer and employee affective brand associations correlate, and; that the better the training employees believe they receive, the stronger their affective brand associations and the higher their satisfaction with the organisation.

The paper uses a survey of the customers (280) and employees (367) of two construction companies involved only in B2B markets using a multidimensional measure of corporate brand personality. Structural equation modelling and regression are used to test the hypotheses.

Customer satisfaction is predicted by corporate brand personality. The customer view correlates significantly with the employee view. The quality of training in turn helps predict the employee view and their satisfaction.

Building affective associations with a pure B2B brand is an effective way to increase customer satisfaction. This in turn appears to depend on the employee view which depends, inter alia, on their view of the quality of training they receive. Further work is required to identify other factors that may influence the employee view of a B2B brand and how the employee view influences the customer view.

Few studies in B2B marketing are of companies involved only in B2B markets, despite the large number of firms and the volume of business that is conducted in this sector. The study demonstrates both the influence of a strong brand image in B2B marketing but also how customers might acquire such an image.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how horizontal collaboration aids organisations in responding to modern slavery legislation and in gaining a socially sustainable competitive advantage.

Action research has been conducted in the textiles and fashion industry and a relational perspective adopted to interpret five collaborative initiatives taken to tackle modern slavery (e.g. joint training and supplier audits). The primary engagement has been with a multi-billion pound turnover company and its collaborations with 35 brands/retailers. A non-government organisation and a trade body have also participated.

Successful horizontal collaboration is dependent on both relational capital and effective (formal and informal) governance mechanisms. In collaborating, firms have generated relational rents and reduced costs creating a socially sustainable competitive advantage, as suggested by the relational perspective. Yet, limits to horizontal collaboration also exist.

The focus is on one industry only, hence there is scope to extend the study to other industries or forms of collaboration taking place across industries.

Successful horizontal collaborative relationships rely on actors having a similar mindset and being able to decouple the commercial and sustainability agendas, especially when direct competitors are involved. Further, working with non-business actors can facilitate collaboration and provide knowledge and resources important for overcoming the uncertainty that is manifest when responding to new legislation.

Social sustainability improvements aim to enhance ethical trade and benefit vulnerable workers.

Prior literature has focussed on vertical collaboration with few prior studies of horizontal collaboration, particularly in a socially sustainable supply chain context. Moreover, there has been limited research into modern slavery from a supply chain perspective. Both successful and unsuccessful initiatives are studied, providing insights into (in)effective collaboration.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between franchisee support and brand value in micro-franchise chains. This study aims to understand the importance of value delivery in support to the micro-franchisee aiming at increasing brand value.

The sample was composed of 148 micro-franchisees belonging to 70 chains located in Brazil. The questionnaire aimed to verify the franchisee’s degree of concordance with the support and brand value provided by the franchisor through a Likert scale. The questionnaire structure comprised of ten metrics associated with franchisee support, four metrics associated with the brand value perception and four potentially intervenient metrics. A regression analysis was carried out to confirm the results for the factor analysis, assuming that the three factors associated with support as independent variables and the brand factor as a dependent variable.

The three factors related to franchisee support were found to be significant predictors of brand value. Based on the values of the coefficients, it is possible to infer the positive nature of the association. An increase in franchisee support leads to an increase in the franchisee perception about brand value. The positive effect of training and franchisor’s support in prospection and installation improvement on the brand value evaluation by franchisees was supported by the statistical analyses conducted.

This research complements the studies on brand citizenship behavior and franchisee brand commitment; the greater the support provided to the micro-franchisee, the greater its commitment to the brand values of the chain. This contribution is critical because we deal with micro-enterprises in a business environment with an intense resource scarcity. These aspects place restrictions on the delivery of support and brand value in these franchise chains.

Structured support plans and greater approximation with franchisees seem to be alternatives for this perception of value to be increased in micro-franchise chains. The attractiveness of a micro-franchise chain can be enhanced if the franchisor is able to show to its potential micro-franchisees that it offers adequate support for its business; and also for the capture of new micro-franchisees.

The social implications aimed at entrepreneurs with low financial expenditure. The sustainability of these businesses is highly relevant in the case of emerging markets given the high rates of unemployment and informality. Hence, micro-franchises become one of the means for micro-entrepreneurs to enter the job market.

When dealing with micro-franchises, there is an intensification of this scarcity of resources due to the smaller amount captured by the franchisor, as well as the lower technical level found in the franchisees. The relationship between brand value and the perceived level of support and the consequent franchise satisfaction with the chain in franchises, symbolized by brand citizenship behavior, is still little studied, and there are promising new studies, especially on the different types of franchises.

This paper aims to examine the strategic importance of perceived internal branding in building symbolic and behavioral relationships with a corporate in the service sector. Research on internal branding has been confined only to how internal staff understand brand values. Despite the importance of alignment between internal and external communication, little emphasis has been placed on consumers’ perception of how internal staff understand brand values. Even before experiencing service, consumers can shape their overall evaluation on service based on external communication about internal training and its congruence with brand values.

The theoretical model of cognitive, affective and behavioral responses is empirically tested using the structural equation modeling approach with a sample of 258 adults. Multiple group comparison is also conducted to identify the difference between user and non-user groups.

The findings indicate that perception of employees’ training and its congruence with external communication enables consumers to shape their cognitive and affective response toward a corporate, which is a source of future purchase intention. How consumers think about internal branding forms their attitudes and images of business and social conduct and enhances their behavioral intention.

The results imply that internal branding should not be limited to organizational communications but should be stretched into a critical topic for external communications. In particular, notable differences between user and non-user groups determined in the model provide further implications for corporate communication.

This paper stretches the concept of internal branding into the area of public interest. Theoretically, it tests a dual process model that suggests cognitive and affective antecedents in predicting consumer intention. Practically, it provides new ground for viewing internal affairs as part of a continuum of external communication and not a separate element of a corporation. The results are conducive to robust customer-firm relationship building in the service sector.

This research explores the significant contribution of human resource development (HRD) managers in building organisational brands in the hotel industry through the lenses of dynamic capabilities for sustaining competitiveness.

Using a qualitative case study design, this study deployed a semi-structured interview research method. It used a purposive sample of 20 HRD managers across twenty different hotels in India and South East Asia (ISEA) to explore their contribution to organisational brands. The data was analysed using thematic analysis.

The findings show the significance of HRD in building organisational brands. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, it was found that HRD has an impact on fostering brand awareness culture; HRD functional branding enhances the creation and sustaining of quality service culture; functional branding of HRD helps differentiate the brand and quality service, for product development and innovation by linking talent development and growth of key competencies and capabilities; brand training and behavioural training directly influence the right behaviour knowledge and effective communication that is translated into the enhancement of guest experience; and finally, organisational branding through branding culture and employer branding creates organisational wealth.

The authors propose a new conceptual framework for the branding of the Heroes to reclaim the HRD's splendour in the realm of other functions in the hotel industry in ISEA contexts. While the authors do not claim an external generalisability, we believe that an analytical application of this framework could be relevant in similar environments. The study also claims that HRD practitioners could use parallel literature repertoires from brand management discourse to value their strategic contributions in building and maintaining their reputational position at the board level. Practical implications and further research are discussed.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Halal traceability technology usage on Halal logistics performance with a Halal logistics brand as a mediator.

An online survey was conducted to gather responses from logistics service providers (LSPs), including strategic logistics units (manufacturing/brand owners) in Malaysia, which offer Halal logistics services.

Halal traceability technology system and Halal traceability training are two critical domains to strengthen market recognition of Halal logistics brand for LSPs. The study found that the Halal logistics brand played a mediating role in connecting the usage of Halal traceability technology and logistics performance.

The logistics industry needs to focus on Halal logistics services as a unique proposition. The ability of LSPs to build a Halal logistics brand thru traceability technology had created positive impressions for clients. LSPs must consistently engage in Halal training and remain technologically alert to build Halal brand value. Halal-based strategic branding will assist an LSP to stand out among its competitors.

Even though Halal branding has been studied widely, little attention has been given to how the usage of Halal traceability technology can improve Halal logistics branding and logistics operational performance. The result suggests that LSPs need to build a Halal logistics brand and design a proper logistics business strategy to target Sharia compliance-oriented consumers.

This study aims to quantitatively consolidate the research conducted over the past four decades on how internal branding activities drive employee commitment. It summarizes several operationalizations of internal branding and tests the moderating effect of employee’s personal characteristics and job characteristics on the relationship between internal branding and employee commitment.

This paper uses meta-analysis as the research methodology. The analysis includes a sample of 65 studies (from 62 published works), yielding 226 effect sizes (coded into 82 composite effect sizes) over an aggregated sample of 21,706 respondents.

This study finds that brand communication, brand-centered human resource management (HRM), training and development, organizational support and culture, brand-centered leadership and an excellent reward system are the key operationalizations of internal branding. Furthermore, employee’s personal (education, age and gender) and job (tenure, work status and level of customer orientation) characteristics significantly moderate the internal branding–employee commitment relationship.

Limited empirical literature on some of the internal branding operationalizations such as brand-centered HRM and rewards has curbed the scope of moderator analysis.

This paper proposes some effective ways of implementing internal branding strategies and provides support for boundary conditions that brand managers should consider to strengthen the impact of internal branding activities on employee commitment.

As per the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the few quantitative consolidations of four decades of research on the internal branding–employee commitment relationship.