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This article explores brand positioning and authenticity within the global-local continuum, utilizing the evolution of the Italian rock band, Måneskin, as a case study.

Employing Greimas’s (1987) semiotic framework, I analyze social media and media articles on Måneskin’s success, unveiling consumer perceptions of global, local and intermediate brand positionings and related authenticity dimensions. I particularly uncover a narrative centered on “global” versus “local” brand positioning and their counterparts (i.e. “not global” and “not local”), forming a semiotic square.

In the “global” perception, the band is evaluated in terms of conforming to global standards, while, in the “local” understanding, the emphasis shifts to connections to local roots. In the “glocalization” perspective (global and local), the band’s activities are assessed concerning an integration between global conformity and local connections. The “glalienation” viewpoint (neither global nor local) is related to consistency, in the sense of being unique and avoiding a commitment to either global or local values. The data also highlight issues of inconsistency regarding brand positioning’s contradictions, such as the band’s incoherently merging local and non-local elements.

The proposed structural semiotics approach enriches previous theories by examining authenticity within global-local dynamics, offering insights into various authenticity dimensions and their interplay. It underlines shifts in authenticity perceptions and challenges binary brand positioning, advocating for strategic placement across the global-local continuum. Moreover, it emphasizes leveraging cultural elements and semiotics to effectively communicate authenticity.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and to assess the capabilities of the most common finite element (FE)‐based tools to deal with global‐local analysis. Two kinds of coupling were investigated: shell to shell and shell to solid.

The issue of connecting non‐matching FE global and local models, characterized by different mesh refinements and/or different element types, was addressed by introducing appropriate kinematic constraints on the nodes at the interfaces. The coupling techniques available in the three FE‐based codes (ABAQUS^®, NASTRAN^® and ANSYS^®), were assessed by applying them on a common numerical test case (non‐linear buckling analysis of a square plate). Results of the global‐local simulations were compared to the results obtained for relevant reference solutions.

The continuity of displacements and stresses across the interface between global and local models and the influence of the presence of the local model on the global model solution were used as parameters to test the quality of the results. It was observed that the tools implemented in the different codes provide different results. The results characterized by a higher quality were found by using the Multi Point Constraint available in ABAQUS^®.

When dealing with complex structures, multi‐scale (global‐local) approaches are commonly adopted to optimize the computational cost by increasing mesh refinements and/or introducing elements with different formulations in specific region of the structures identified as “local model”. In this paper an overview of the coupling tools available in the main commercial FE code is given.

The purpose of this paper is to study whether the consumer’s perceptual processing style impacts consumer preference. Specifically, whether consumers with local perceptual processing style in emerging Asian countries are more likely to perceive that Asian skincare brands are suitable for them, compared with emerging Asian consumers with global perceptual processing.

An experiment was conducted with 249 Asian female respondents in an emerging Asian market. The Navon letter – a hierarchical letter – is used to classify the respondents’ perceptual processing style. The Navon stimulus used is a big letter H made up of small letter Ls. Those who saw letter H (L) at first glance were classified as consumers with global (local) perceptual processing style. ANCOVA was used to analyze the main effect of global/local perceptual processing style on product preference, as well as to test the moderating effect of age.

The results suggest that consumers with local perceptual processing style are significantly more likely to perceive that Asian brands are suitable for them, compared with respondents with global perceptual processing style. Additionally, the covariate “age” is not the covariate between global/local perceptual processing and skincare preference.

Managers can apply the findings to their targeting and communication strategies. First, it will be advantageous for managers marketing Asian skincare products to target Asian consumers with local perceptual processing style. For managers marketing Western skincare products in Asia, it will be better to target Asian consumers with global perceptual processing style. In terms of communication strategy development, managers marketing Asian skincare products to Asian consumers are recommended to encourage local perceptual processing, while managers marketing Western skincare brands to emerging Asian consumers should encourage global perceptual processing.

The value of this paper is that it applies the perceptual processing style to explain consumer decision-making in the context of consumers in emerging Asian countries. It also highlights a new perspective that helps managers craft targeting and communication strategies that help make their products to be perceived as a better fit or to facilitate consumer processing style so the product becomes a preferred choice.

This paper aims to present a computational framework to generate numeric enrichment functions for two-dimensional problems dealing with single/multiple local phenomenon/phenomena. The two-scale generalized/extended finite element method (G/XFEM) approach used here is based on the solution decomposition, having global- and local-scale components. This strategy allows the use of a coarse mesh even when the problem produces complex local phenomena. For this purpose, local problems can be defined where these local phenomena are observed and are solved separately by using fine meshes. The results of the local problems are used to enrich the global one improving the approximate solution.

The implementation of the two-scale G/XFEM formulation follows the object-oriented approach presented by the authors in a previous work, where it is possible to combine different kinds of elements and analyses models with the partition of unity enrichment scheme. Beside the extension of the G/XFEM implementation to enclose the global–local strategy, the imposition of different boundary conditions is also generalized.

The generalization done for boundary conditions is very important, as the global–local approach relies on the boundary information transferring process between the two scales of the analysis. The flexibility for the numerical analysis of the proposed framework is illustrated by several examples. Different analysis models, element formulations and enrichment functions are used, and the accuracy, robustness and computational efficiency are demonstrated.

This work shows a generalize imposition of different boundary conditions for global–local G/XFEM analysis through an object-oriented implementation. This generalization is very important, as the global–local approach relies on the boundary information transferring process between the two scales of the analysis. Also, solving multiple local problems simultaneously and solving plate problems using global–local G/XFEM are other contributions of this work.

This paper aims to present the issue of glocalization in transnational advertising and to investigate various patterns of global‐local fusion in the discursive construction of automobile advertisements in People's Republic of China.

A sample of 110 web ads is collected between 2004 and 2005, representing product branding from the local enterprises, the joint‐venture enterprises, and the foreign enterprises in the automobile industry in People's Republic of China. A tripartite framework is developed to examine the patterns of global‐local fusion in the ads along three dimensions: value appeals, language appeals, and visual appeals.

The paper finds that the global appeals tend to be used more frequently in the value dimension while the local appeals tend to be used more frequently in the language dimension, while there is not much difference in the frequency of distribution in the global versus the local appeals in the visual dimension. Furthermore, a large number of the multinational advertisers tend to hybridize both the global and the local elements and there are three possible patterns as representing the scenarios of the global and local fusion in the discourse of Chinese advertising: weak globalization but strong localization, strong globalization but weak localization, and a balanced correspondence between the global and local elements.

The paper has developed a tripartite framework for systematically examining the phenomenon of global‐local hybridity in the discourse of Chinese advertising and calls for attention to the process as well as products of glocalization in the other forms of transnational corporate practice.

The purpose of this paper is to represent the first empirical attempt to explore global-local consumer identities as drivers of global digital brand usage. Specifically, this study considers a unique category of digital products, social networking sites (SNS), and develops a set of hypotheses to assess the mechanism through which location-based identities influence the actual usage of global SNS (Facebook and Instagram). Moreover, cross-country variations are investigated under the lens of developed vs developing countries.

Cross-country surveys in a developed (Austria) and a developing country (Thailand) were conducted. Data collected from 425 young adults were analyzed using SEM techniques in order to test a set of hypotheses.

Results show that in Thailand, users with a global identity enjoy participating in global SNS more than their counterparts in Austria. In addition, consumers with a local identity in Thailand demonstrate less pleasure when participating in global SNS than their counterparts in Austria, and consequently are less inclined to use global SNS.

Findings provide digital marketers with useful insights into important strategic decisions regarding the selection and potential adaptation of global digital brands according to the country context.

This research is the first to extend the location-based identity research in the context of global digital brands, explain how global-local identities predict SNS usage through an engagement mechanism and investigate cross-country variations of this mechanism.

The dominant paradigm in international branding research treats perceived brand globalness (PBG) and localness (PBL) as attributes algebraically participating in brand assessment and disregards the perception of brands as humanlike entities actively embedded in consumers’ social environments. Challenging this view and drawing from stereotype theory, the purpose of this paper is to suggest that PBG/PBL trigger the categorization of products under the superordinate mental categories of global/local brands which carry distinct stereotypical content. Such content transfers to every individual product for which category membership is established and shapes brand responses.

One experimental study (Study1, n=134) tests the process of global/local brand stereotype formation, identification and content transfer. Subsequently, two consumer surveys test the impact of brand stereotypes on brand approach/avoidance tendencies (Study2, n=328) and consumer–brand relationships (Study3, n=273). Data were analyzed with experimental techniques and structural equation modeling.

The findings suggest that upon categorization under the global or local brand class, individual brands are charged with the stereotypical content of the class. Global brands are predominantly stereotyped as competent while local brands are predominantly stereotyped as warm. Localness-induced warmth has uniformly positive effects, whereas globalness-induced competence acts as a double-edged sword which can both help and harm the brand.

This research contributes by proposing a novel conceptualization of global and local brands as groups of intentional marketplace agents stereotyped along their intentions and abilities, empirically establishing the process through which individual brands are assigned stereotypical judgments and demonstrating how these judgments impact critical brand outcomes and consumer–brand relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate on the behaviour of a delaminated stiffened panel; the delamination growth is simulated via fracture elements implemented in B2000++® code based on the Modified Virtual Crack Closure Technique (MVCCT), matrix cracking and fibre failure have been also taken into account.

In order to correctly apply the MVCCT on the delamination front a very fine three-dimensional (3D) mesh is required very close to the delaminated area, while a 2D-shell model has been employed for the areas of minor interest. In order to couple the shell domain to the solid one, shell-to-solid coupling elements based on kinematic constraints have been used.

Results obtained with the global/local approach are in good correlation with those obtained with experimental results.

The global/local approach based on kinematic coupling elements in conjunction with fracture elements allows to investigate and predict the behaviour of a stiffened delaminated composite panel in an efficient and effective way.

Multinationals have always needed an operating model that works – an effective plan for executing their most important activities at the right levels of their organization, whether globally, regionally or locally. The choices involved in these decisions have never been obvious, since international firms have consistently faced trade‐offs between tailoring approaches for diverse local markets and leveraging their global scale. This paper seeks a more in‐depth understanding of how successful firms manage the global‐local trade‐off in a multipolar world.

This paper utilizes a case study approach based on in‐depth senior executive interviews at several telecommunications companies including Tata Communications. The interviews probed the operating models of the companies we studied, focusing on their approaches to organization structure, management processes, management technologies (including information technology (IT)) and people/talent.

Successful companies balance global‐local trade‐offs by taking a flexible and tailored approach toward their operating‐model decisions. The paper finds that successful companies, including Tata Communications, which is profiled in‐depth, are breaking up the global‐local conundrum into a set of more manageable strategic problems – what the authors call “pressure points” – which they identify by assessing their most important activities and capabilities and determining the global and local challenges associated with them. They then design a different operating model solution for each pressure point, and repeat this process as new strategic developments emerge. By doing so they not only enhance their agility, but they also continually calibrate that crucial balance between global efficiency and local responsiveness.

This paper takes a unique approach to operating model design, finding that an operating model is better viewed as several distinct solutions to specific “pressure points” rather than a single and inflexible model that addresses all challenges equally. Now more than ever, developing the right operating model is at the top of multinational executives' priorities, and an area of increasing concern; the international business arena has changed drastically, requiring thoughtfulness and flexibility instead of standard formulas for operating internationally. Old adages like “think global and act local” no longer provide the universal guidance they once seemed to.

In focusing on the changing dynamics of education governance, this chapter draws on a few key concepts of policy borrowing research, notably the focus on reception and translation of global education policy, and sheds light on the temporal and spatial dimensions of policy transfer. It is not sufficient to simply acknowledge that one and the same global education policies means something different to different actors in different contexts. In addition, to providing a “thick description” of why global education policies are received and how they are translated, a specific strand of policy borrowing research – well represented in this edited volume – examines the global/local nexus and acknowledges that local actors are positioned simultaneously in two spaces: in their own (cultural/local) context and in a broader transnational “educational space.” From a systems theory perspective, the broader educational space is Umwelt (environment) and therefore local actors interact at critical moments with the broader educational space. The policy bilingualism (or in the work of Tavis Jules, the “policy trilingualism” when the local, regional, and global is taken into the account) is a result of policy actors operating simultaneously in two spaces that are populated with two different audiences: local and global actors. The example of bonus payments in Kyrgyzstan, a local adaptation of global teacher accountability reform, is used to explain how the method of comparison is used as an analytical tool to understand the global/local nexus in the policy process.