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The introduction of the original Mazda 323 five‐door into the South African market in 1977 launched the brand from virtual obscurity to instant success. The 323 became the top selling derivative in the country and the brand became a household name. However, during the 1980s the brand′s equity steadily eroded and it was perceived to be a staid, boring marque with a poor image. Describes how the brand was successfully revitalized in the early 1990s. Draws a distinction between revitalization and the successful “renaissance” advertising strategy. Reviews the outcome of the renaissance campaign, ini addition to Mazda′s current performance, concluding that the brand has been successfully revived – to the point that Mazda′s market share in South Africa is the highest achieved by the brand anywhere in the world.

As the tide of globalization rides high and global competition intensifies, more and more firms are resorting to strategic alliances as a means to increase competitive‐ness. Despite apparent advantages that a strategic alliance may bring, it does not compensate for weaknesses in corporate culture which, as shown in this article, could only be done through organizational learning. Such learning cannot be acquired through purchase or by contract, it has to be gained by effort.

To boost productivity in car body assembly, the Japanese firm Mazda has installed robots that can handle panels as well as weld them in place. It has also extended the use of large articulated welding robots.

At a time when almost every business practice is undergoing a thorough reengineering process, many companies are discovering the value of going back to basics in one crucial area: design. Management, preoccupied during much of the 1980s with a set of concerns that were far removed from creating value for customers, is rediscovering the power of that fundamental building block of all commercial success: the interaction between a customer and a product, tangible or intangible. The quality of that interaction is overwhelmingly driven by two things: product and process design.

Evaluates the applicability of self‐concept and product image congruity theory within the new motor vehicle market. By utilising competitive product offerings, and by employing the perceptions of actual owners, the paper provides a true market assessment of the applicability of the theory. Respondents were examined using self‐concept and product value constructs and their responses were used to test a number of hypotheses. Among others, the results of analysis of variance indicated that when different brands of motor vehicles were physically similar, owners perceived no difference between their own self‐concepts and the self‐concepts they attributed to owners of competing product brands. This finding differs from previous research conducted on other products and suggests a different orientation by owners of similar motor vehicles to that suggested by self‐concept theory.