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Assesses consumers' choice and behaviour with regard to manufacturer brands and retailer own labels and the contributions of these different approaches. Presents the results also of an empirical study that throws additional light on brand‐choice decision. Gives tabular results of two studies, one by Myers and the other by Mintel, and examines the results of these in depth. Goes on to the results and methods used by one of the author's herein, which involved 100 housewives answering a number of questions about their brand choice decisions. Proposes that two, tentative, conclusions emerged: first, consumers can be classified as either manufacturer or retailer brand‐prone based on their needs; and second, the classification is only valid on a product‐by‐product basis — but some consumers had other reasons, such as personal budget, involved in their decisions. Accepts that, because of the study's limitations, more research is required.

Examines the application of marketing principles in the market of TV rental. Looks at empirical data taken from a sample of 200 customers, who were all asked their opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of renting a television set. Provides pointers for improvement of the effectiveness of marketing the rental TV market and the maintenance of customer loyalty.

Despite, or perhaps even because of, the economic uncertainties of the period, the 1970s witnessed a radical transformation of the British distributive system. Most of the changes which occurred were similar to those experienced elsewhere in the Western world, and in a review of developments in EEC countries, Dawson has suggested that the impact of these changes on society could be similar to that produced by the Industrial Revolution. In Britain at least, the changes in distribution were, and remain, a result of very marked changes in society: most notably the change in consumption patterns brought about by endemic inflation, increasing unemployment and periodic world energy crises. The result has been increased competition, a search for greater efficiency and diversification of traditional product lines. Thus the British distribution system throughout the 1970s was dominated by the trend to mass merchandising, by the emergence of large firms and a consequent increase of corporate power and by the appearance of new distribution forms. While many of the conditions and developments experienced in the 1970s are expected to continue into the 1980s, it has been predicted (Distributive Industry Training Board 1980) that by the 1990s further revolutionary changes are likely to have occurred, particularly as a result of widespread automation involving new technology. The industry is, therefore, in the middle of a period of very rapid change.

Examines the concept of brand loyalty with relation to the television rental market. Investigates underlying determinants of consumer behaviour in order to ascertain the market better. Concludes that determinants of brand loyalty can be an important factor in relation to facing competition for marketers in service marketing.

Discusses individual generic ranges based on a series of interviews with senior personnel in major retail companies. Presents data from a survey of 200 generic purchasers, outlining the methodology and findings. Reveals that, in the UK, conditions are suitable for the development of generic ranges within the grocery sector.

Examines the threats posed to the UK rental industry by consumers' decision to buy. Traces the history of the UK rental industry, including the decline of black and white against the boom of colour, and the rise of brand consciousness. Addresses marketing issues including pricing and the location of showrooms. Discusses the consequences of competition in the marketplace. Highlights the results of a survey into consumers' attitudes on buying or renting. Asserts that consumer motivations to continue or renew a rental agreement are not the same as at the initial decision to rent, so rental companies must adopt new marketing tactics. Concludes that rental companies must reverse the trend for replacement decisions to favour purchase over renting or their future looks bleak.

UNTIL 1952 Queen's University was fortunate to have one main library building. With the establishment of the Institute of Clinical Science in the hospital area 1½ miles from the main university site, the formation of a separate medical library near the hospitals was considered essential.

The first aim of the chapter is to offer a characterization of back-reshoring as a possible step of the firm’s nonlinear internationalization process. The second aim is to review the empirical literature on back-reshoring and to complement it with the findings of an extensive data collection.

In this chapter we adopted an explorative approach building on both theoretical and empirical literature from the fields of international business and international operations Management. We also collected secondary data on back-reshoring decisions in order to define the magnitude of the investigated phenomenon and to offer a primary characterization.

Our findings confirm that, though it cannot be considered a generalized trend, back-reshoring is a very topical issue for international business scholars. It represents an autonomous phenomenon consistent with the idea of nonlinear internationalization process.

The chapter is based on cross-sectional data. Longitudinal research is required in order to address the proposed research questions and help understanding “how much” and what kind of manufacturing will be housed in western countries in the near future.

This is the first attempt to conceptualize back-reshoring as a possible step of the firms’ internationalization process. It is also the first chapter that summarizes and discusses the literature and empirical evidence on back-reshoring emerging from a wide range of countries.

Although research demonstrates the importance of ethical product attributes for consumers, a prior study has not examined the role of consumption target (i.e. self-purchases vs gift-giving) on consumers’ preference for products with ethical attributes. Notably, consumers’ preference for quality can differ between self-purchases and gifts, and the presence of ethical attributes can impact product quality perceptions. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the presence of ethical attributes alters decision-making in a gift-giving context using perceptions of product quality as an explanatory variable for these differences.

One field study and two controlled experiments test the proposed hypotheses. The experiments were conducted across different product categories and samples.

Results showed that the presence of an ethical attribute leads to higher purchase intentions for products in a gift-giving context compared to self-purchase. Perceived quality mediates this effect. Further process evidence through moderation, including resource synergy beliefs, support the findings. This paper discusses the theoretical, managerial and societal implications of these results.

Although care was taken to select products to enhance generalizability, the studies presented here are limited to two products. Further, although the present research includes a field study with actual charity-related purchases, the role of time pressures is not explicitly explored. Finally, the role of brand-self connections is not explored in the current research. The ability for a donor to integrate the mission of a charity into their self-perception or the potential for social normative influences to impact behaviors remains open for exploration.

Charities are facing increasing pressures to raise sustainable funds to support their missions. The research provides guidance to marketers and fundraisers in the non-profit sector that allows them to direct more focused fundraising appeals to donors and adapt their fundraising efforts to create a fit between their audience and fundraising appeals.

This research demonstrates that consumption target (purchasing for the self versus purchasing for others) is a vital contextual factor that influences customer preference for ethical attributes. These results complement the extant literature by exploring the underlying mechanism behind consumers’ responses to the ethical attributes in the case of self-purchase and other-purchase. The underlying effect is supported theoretically by resource synergy beliefs.

Entrepreneurial activity is currently a primary concern of many developed economies that struggle with changes in their industrial structures. Many of the traditionally strong industries are encountering strong global competition and declining markets, and national competitiveness is often said to be built on new entrepreneurial firms that are able to grow in global markets. The facilitating national systems for these firms are covered in the emerging start-up ecosystem discussion. This chapter aims to contribute to this discussion by incorporating an analysis of the variety of actors and activities needed in start-up industries that rely on competence bloc theory. Furthermore, inspired by cultural-historical activity theory, the study specifies the contextual-, temporal- and renewal-related determinants of the activity of start-up ecosystems. As a result, a framework for examining start-up ecosystems as platforms for high-growth entrepreneurship is proposed in terms of its core constituencies that influence the emergence and non-emergence of high-growth firms.