Brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity in SMEs: an empirical evaluation

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to facilitate the understanding of brand building among owners/managers of SMEs by highlighting the relationships among the multidimensionality of brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity.Design/methodology/approachIn addressing the research issue, the study uses responses from 158 domesticated SMEs in North Macedonia, afterwards relying on structural equation modeling to test the research propositions.FindingsThis study validates brand orientation as a multidimensional term that is underlined by brand artefacts, norms and values. This study also validates the assumptions that brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity are significantly related.Research limitations/implicationsWhile it is possible that our evidence base is limited to the context studied, the research findings nevertheless contribute primarily to the emergent scholarship on SMEs' brand building.Practical implicationsThis study has practical consequences for SMEs' brand building. More specifically, it enriches the understanding of the interrelationships between brand orientation, brand-building behavior and brand identity.Originality/valueThis study provides an advanced perspective of brand orientation as a complex phenomenon and further provides understanding of its relations to brand-building behavior and brand identity of the domesticated SMEs.

Online branding strategies of family SME wineries: a Hungarian-German comparative study

“…Therefore, brand identity needs to build on company brands' strengths and values, which affect brand performance indirectly, through brand vision and brand positioning (Muhonen et al, 2017;Baggio and Valeri, 2020). This is in contrast with the conceptual model developed by Osakwe et al (2020), who propose that brand values impact brand orientation which then impacts brand identity. It appears JFBM therefore that there is a kind of mutual interrelation between brand identity and brand positioning, while brand values are their antecedent.…”

Identidade de Marca de Cachaças Artesanais: Um Gole Pro Santo!

“…Conforme Osakwe, Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, Mihajlov, e Ciunova-Shuleska (2020), em pequenas empresas a construção das marcas carrega valores como padrões éticos, autenticidade e criatividade, como uma espécie de reflexo dos valores pessoais dos proprietários. A dificuldade para esses empresários, por vezes, é operacionalizar o uso de tais valores (Osakwe et al, 2020). Ainda na visão da marca como organização, a empresa pode optar por se posicionar como local ou global, sendo esse o oitavo elemento do modelo.…”

“…Conforme Charters e Spielmann (2014), o elemento país de origem pode ser utilizado mesmo por organizações que não possuam ligação direta com o lugar. Outras empresas utilizam associação com a Europa e, em especial, com a Alemanha, justificando as origens de seus antepassados, refletindo valores pessoais à marca (Osakwe et al, 2020). Foi observado, também, a busca por associar a marca ao Brasil, se valendo da denominação de origem que a cachaça possui, e buscando um diferencial para produtos destinados à exportação, em particular.O uso do elemento país de origem se mostrou congruente com o apontado por Charters e Spielmann (2014), por meio do uso de sugestões como idioma e imagens.…”

Reaching for Customer Centricity—Wine Brand Positioning Configurations

“…Wine brand identity literature builds on the findings from SME and digital branding literature, where the most important brand identity components are brand values, brand vision, and brand positioning [72,73]. In addition, identity in SMEs is conceptualized as having strong ties to brand-building behavior of SMEs as well as brand orientation (consisting of brand norms, brand values, and brand artefacts) [8].…”

“…Distinctive brand identity indirectly strengthens the market power of a brand [7]. Understanding of how to deploy brand orientation as a strategic resource in an SME is a prerequisite and an antecedent of creating a strong brand identity [8]. On the other hand, brand image is considered to be a tool for controlling the realization of the created brand concept in action and facilitating corrective action [9].…”