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This paper aims to explore the service quality concept in the context of the rapidly growing Chinese language training market.

The study is based on a mixed methodology that includes secondary research, eight qualitative depth interviews, and a quantitative survey of 200 language students studying in Beijing.

The study identified and quantified the key aspects of service quality relating to language training in China and an importance/performance analysis (IPA) finds that management should focus their attention on improving the cost of training, the availability of learning materials, and lectures starting and finishing on time.

Although the findings are statistically significant, it is not quite at the level normally considered acceptable for research studies. In addition, because the data was collected in a single geographic location (Beijing), it is possible that the findings may not be representative of the Chinese market as a whole.

The paper concludes that there is a considerable gap between the expectations of the students and the performance of organisations delivering language training in China. This gap represents a weakness of those organisations already operating in the Chinese language training market but an opportunity for organisations considering entry. Managers are advised that they should improve the quality of the service offering in terms of the cost of training, the availability of learning materials, and lectures starting and finishing on time.

This paper makes an original contribution to knowledge regarding service quality in the language training market in China. The paper also provides insight into the measurement and conceptualisation of service quality.

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a research study that sought to identify the key dimensions of luxury from a UK consumers’ perspective.

The project was empirical in nature and based on a two-stage methodology that involved a series of depth interviews with consumers and a street intercept survey of 131 consumers in the UK.

The project found that UK consumers appear to recognise five dimensions of luxury (affect, characteristics, status, gifting and involvement).

The main limitation was a small sample size and limited statistical significance.

The paper should usefully focus the attention and efforts of managers of luxury brands, managers of ordinary brands who desire to develop them into luxury brands, and managers who are considering creating luxury brands in the UK. The findings should inform management decisions relating to product development, advertising, promotion and distribution of luxury products and services.

The paper makes an original contribution to knowledge by reporting the findings of an empirical study of luxury from the UK consumers’ perspective. It has value to academic researchers who are interested in the concept of luxury as well as those involved in or considering luxury brand management.

The aim of this article is to consolidate the theory relating to longitudinal attitude surveys, and supplement it with knowledge gained from the execution of an annual attitude survey of consumers.

First, the article presents a distillation of current knowledge concerning longitudinal research; attitudes and behaviour; measurement of attitudes; and conduct of attitude surveys. Following that, a case study is carried out to survey consumer attitudes. This survey, which is intended to predict future behaviour and monitor changes in consumers' attitudes in response to socio‐political and economic changes in the food and agricultural market environment, is then discussed.

The findings of a series of annual surveys of consumers' attitudes first conducted in 1997 and continued annually to 2004 include: British farmers are viewed as “good food producers”; farms are businesses, which whilst forming the financial backbone of the rural community are at present members of a struggling industry; and there is agreement that the Government does not care for the countryside.

The survey on which the findings and the best practices are based upon relates to the consumers' attitudes in response to changes in the food and agricultural market environment. Further research would be required to verify the findings in respect of other market sections.

The article presents a checklist of eight good practices relating to the conduct of longitudinal attitude survey work.

Attitude surveys are a popular means of gathering market research data. Much has been written about attitudes and the conduct of ad hoc attitude surveys. However, much less has been published concerning longitudinal attitude surveys. The study reports empirical findings in an important context, that is: changes in consumers' attitudes in response to changes in the food and agricultural market environment.

This paper seeks to address a gap in the literature relating to crisis brand management in emerging markets.

The study is based on secondary research and 15 qualitative depth interviews with mothers living in Beijing.

The study found that the Chinese infant milk powder incident significantly reduced confidence in domestic brands, altered perceptions of domestic brands, and had a profound effect on buying behaviour.

The study is based primarily on a consumer perspective and the findings cannot be generalised to a wider population with known levels of statistical significance because of the qualitative methodology and small sample size.

The paper concludes that while crisis brand management requires managers to undertake similar actions whether they work in an emerging or a developed market, the cultural environment may cause them to actually take different actions.

This paper makes an original contribution to knowledge regarding crisis brand management in an emerging market via insight provided by the 2008 Chinese infant milk powder incident.

With brands being an important source of competitive advantage, knowledge of branding is needed to inform their management. After reviewing the literature, the article aims to report the findings of a case study that investigated the role of branding in the industrial purchase of agricultural tractors in the UK. The study's overall conclusion is that branding can play an important role in industrial purchase decisions.

Various attributes, together with levels of these attributes, were identified from the literature and a series of semi‐structured interviews with three farmers and farm contractors. Subsequently, conjoint analysis was employed to reveal how purchasers made their purchase decision. A total of 428 farmers and farm contractors (a 28.7 per cent response rate) ranked 25 cards that had been constructed to profile various hypothetical tractor designs.

Five attributes appeared from the literature review and interviews – brand name, price, dealer proximity, quality of dealer's service, and buyer's experience of the dealer. The conjoint analysis revealed that brand accounts for 38.95 per cent of the purchase decision, ahead of price (25.98 per cent) and service (14.90 per cent). The importance of brand varies according to the tractor brand. Also, the overall utility varies, with John Deere and New Holland brand names appearing as marketing assets and Valtra, Massey Ferguson, and Case IH as marketing liabilities. Among the study's other findings are that UK tractor buyers are brand loyal.

The study focuses on tractors in the UK, so while it provides an insight into the role of branding in an industrial purchase situation, further research is required in other product categories before the findings can be generalised.

Manufacturers and distributors need to maintain a strong image. Also, they may charge higher prices for tractors, using the extra revenue to reinforce their brand image. On‐farm demonstration of new tractors is suggested as an experiential marketing strategy. Special attention should be given to the location of dealers and the service they provide.

Research concerning branding in an industrial purchase context is limited, dated, or contradictory. This article contributes with empirical findings on industrial brand management in an important and relevant context.