This study extends the conceptualization of corporate identity (CI), and develops a valid and rel... more This study extends the conceptualization of corporate identity (CI), and develops a valid and reliable scale for the concept via multistage research design. After detailed literature review, key elements of CI in practice are clarified using 20 semi-structured interviews with senior managers in leading UK companies, followed by an online survey among senior managers in the UK food and beverage sector. Five dimensions of CI are identified following two-step structural equation modelling: consistent image, top management behavioral leadership, employee identification, mission and values dissemination, and founder transformational leadership. The scale is examined for nomological validity with an outcome variable, namely corporate social responsibility. The contribution is novel, as for the first time CI is empirically validated as a second-order hierarchical construct. The resultant scale guides practitioners to specify priorities when developing CI, acts as a tool to assess the effectiveness of activities over time, and enables corrective action where needed.
The aim of the paper is to investigate consumer perceptions involving green communication, analys... more The aim of the paper is to investigate consumer perceptions involving green communication, analysed with reference to audience efficacy. In particular, the focus of the study is on the object of communication, in terms of responsible corporate processes or products, which are ecosustainable, natural, green and so on. Starting from a critical overview on the topic, an interpretive model of green communication is suggested and an empirical analysis is conducted, using a quali-quantitative approach. In particular, to verify whether the green content of communication encourages consumer purchases, the perceptions of the sample with respect to four print advertisements of companies positioning themselves as «green», are examined. The variables used to evaluate the advertisements are extracted from the Iso standard 14021. Findings suggest that sustainable communication can be redefined, in terms of «response-ability» for the requirements of what still remains nowadays, a niche market.
International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2019
Internet penetration and usage are accelerating in all countries due to individuals using online ... more Internet penetration and usage are accelerating in all countries due to individuals using online platforms to express their views and opinions. These activities are conducted widely in emerging economies such as India. There, internet penetration usage level in 2016 was 34.8%-primarily undertaken by young adults aged between 18-35 years. While there are multiple studies regarding online image, personal branding, digital sharing and consumption, no
Integrated Communications in the Postmodern Era, 2015
This book is intended for marketing and brand managers, market researchers, and in any field dire... more This book is intended for marketing and brand managers, market researchers, and in any field directly related to marketing and communication (Kitchen, 2010; 2013). It is proposed for postgraduate and under-graduate students, and other interested publics, who wish to develop their knowledge, insight, skills, and facility into integrated communications within the postmodern era — a topic of relevance everywhere, but particularly apposite as the setting for several chapters is in Turkey, a rapidly developing nation, an EU accession nation, and a nation enjoying significant economic growth in the global marketplace. The book is based primarily on the opinions, views, and expertise of significant authors in the field (see Contents).
From the early 1990s, marketing literature began to feature a number of articles suggesting that ... more From the early 1990s, marketing literature began to feature a number of articles suggesting that integrated marketing communications (IMC) would have a major impact on advertising as we know it, and on client—advertising agency relationships. A counter-view appeared at that time in the literature suggesting that IMC was nothing more than co-ordinated promotion and that many companies had been doing ‘it’ for some considerable time. More recent articles have lamented that the concept has not been embraced by marketing communications specialists and that implementation has proven difficult. A common definition of IMC—and how it differs from traditional advertising, both in philosophy and in implementation—has not evolved despite considerable academic discussion on the subject. This paper reviews the most comprehensive definitions of IMC and the competing paradigms—‘new’ versus ‘nothing new’—and summarises the results of a recent two-part study that compares the perceptions of clients with those of senior ad ...
Customer education has been widely recognized to play a key role in client satisfaction, particul... more Customer education has been widely recognized to play a key role in client satisfaction, particularly in the context of industrial markets (Business-to-Business or B2B). However, little is known about the effect of customer education on customer satisfaction within the B2D (Business-to-Distributors) sector. To address this gap, the paper develops a comprehensive model of consumer education applied to the mass consumption of coffee and seeks to verify its suitability relative to this industry. After reviewing the international literature on customer education, an analysis of Honebein and Cammarano's (2011) model allows the development of an adapted framework and then to validate it through a case study of a major private coffee distributor-a pioneer Italian company in the industry. The findings illustrate that this adapted model fits well with the coffee industry and identifies six dimensions of customer education which would lead to increased customer satisfaction. Despite the fact that this is an explorative study and needs to be applied to a larger number of cases, and testing via subsequent regression analysis, some early managerial implications from the retailer perspective are provided. Finally, the conclusion offers avenues for future research.
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 2020
Purpose Based on the managerial perceptions from large firms, this paper aims to explore the emer... more Purpose Based on the managerial perceptions from large firms, this paper aims to explore the emergence, growth and importance of corporate communications and how it is evolving and creating competitive advantage for Italian firms. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach is deployed, comprising in-depth interviews with senior managers from Italian corporations from a broad spectrum of industries, including: energy, telecommunications, automotive, transport, retail chain, appliances, technology and engineering, private shipping, government-owned holdings, marketing consultancy and construction. Findings The paper offers insight into corporate communications (corpcoms) practices in the sampled companies. The paper shows that corpcoms involves a complex range of activities leading to performance – managed and implemented under CEO direction. Practical implications Corpcoms is perceived as a strategic concept with effective application relative to managing corporate image and ...
Purpose of the paper: This paper has a dual objective: it explores how to build an effective awar... more Purpose of the paper: This paper has a dual objective: it explores how to build an effective awareness/education program in terms of customer education (CE) and verifies how this can lead to improved satisfaction and whether customers find value in the education involved in these programs. Methodology: It consists of a literature review on the role of CE, a description of two models-the '5Ms' CE Model and that of Honebein and Cammarano, and adaptation/application of these to two major Italian coffee firms via qualitative research. Findings: Findings indicate that the adapted models fit well with the coffee industry and outline CE dimensions which-if applied-could help underpin increased customer satisfaction in the B2D (business-to-distributor) sector. Research limits: Despite the research contribution, this is an exploratory study that needs to be applied to a larger number of cases, and subsequent empirical testing via quantitative methods. Practical implications: The application of these models to the B2D sector allows the suggestion of strategies to better develop CE programs. Originality of the paper: CE plays an important role in satisfaction, particularly in industrial markets (B2B). However, little is known about CE's educational effect in terms of ROI related to satisfaction in the B2D sector. In addressing this, two models of consumer education are analyzed and applied to the Italian coffee B2D market.
This research investigates the impact of brand perception on brand loyalty and brand purchase int... more This research investigates the impact of brand perception on brand loyalty and brand purchase intention using the lenses of complexity theory. First, the study conceptualizes and operationalizes perceptional and behavioral components of brand equity. It then examines the dimensions of brand perception, and by assessing the consequences of favorable brand perception, the study enables a better understanding regarding whether a brand marketing approach helps to improve marketing performance. The research was conducted using a mixed methodology, beginning with interviews in order to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the dimensions of brand perception. These were followed by a questionnaire survey, and the resulting data were analyzed through content analysis and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results indicate that brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association, brand fondness, brand image, and product country image have a strong impact on the management of brand perception. The finding illustrates that it is the combinations of various perceptional elements of brand equity rather than any single factor that have strong impacts on brand loyalty and brand purchasing intention. The results support the importance of brand perception for the fashion industry, which needs to be more interactive in order to increase their customers' brand loyalty and brand purchasing intention.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between community of place and small... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between community of place and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lombard industrial districts in Italy. Design/methodology/approach A brief literature review of international authors from the stakeholder approach and Corporate Community Relations (CCRs) field is presented. This paper refers to a survey of Lombard industrial districts conducted by ALTIS. The data were collected via a telephone survey from 834 firms. Findings The main finding is that managing CCRs is of major importance for company success. The results of the survey show that there are some tools and actions that Italian industrial district SMEs use to interact with their particular communities of place to develop effective and coherent relationships with their stakeholder groups. Moreover, although the survey shows that though SMEs do implement different CCR activities, they are not able to communicate these effectively through systematic commun...
PurposeThis paper aims to operationalise and juxtapose variables related to identity, strategy an... more PurposeThis paper aims to operationalise and juxtapose variables related to identity, strategy and communications, and then examine the impact of such integration on organisational stakeholders’ trust, loyalty and commitment by using commitment/trust theory.Design/methodology/approachThis research design utilises explanatory research at the preliminary stage, as informed by the literature and conceptual framework. The subsequent model was examined via a positivist survey carried out among stakeholders in high-end retail stores in London. Structural equation modelling (SEM) via AMOS was conducted to gain insight into the various relevant influences and relationships.FindingsThe results indicate that identity and strategy are key drivers of integrated corporate communication, and they serve to build stakeholder trust, loyalty and commitment.Originality/valueThe paper shows that while practitioners have indicated that integrated marketing communication is important for organisations, t...
Purpose This study aims to identify integrated marketing communication (IMC) antecedents and the ... more Purpose This study aims to identify integrated marketing communication (IMC) antecedents and the consequences of planned brand identity in the context of higher education, and empirically test a number of hypotheses related to the constructs of these antecedents and consequences. Design/methodology/approach A model of the IMC antecedents and consequences of planned brand identity was tested in a survey conducted among stakeholders in two London-based universities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to gain insight into the various influences and relationships. Findings The study identifies and confirms key constructs in planned brand identity. IMC antecedents of planned brand identity, such as brand elements, service attributes, public relations and place/country of origin, were found to positively influence the planned brand identity consequences of awareness, image and reputation. However, websites, social media, advertising and direct marketing were not found to have...
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 2016
PurposeThis paper aims to develop a framework that links the concepts of place branding, place im... more PurposeThis paper aims to develop a framework that links the concepts of place branding, place image and place reputation. Focusing on the antecedents and outcomes of place branding in the context of an emerging country, namely, Iran, the model further examines critical moderation variables.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was undertaken, comprising face-to-face in-depth interviews with 15 respondents, involved in communicating about their country for various purposes such as encouraging tourism, promoting exports and attracting investments. Based on analysis of the qualitative data, a comprehensive framework for place branding was formulated.FindingsFindings indicate that the key indicators of identifying a place brand come under two headings, namely, national culture (country’s name, country’s brand, country attributes, social changes, geography and environment, people, culture (history, language, etc.) and infrastructure (security, economic condition, technologic...
Brand equity is now receiving significant attention, both as a result of changes to international... more Brand equity is now receiving significant attention, both as a result of changes to international accounting standards relating to intangible assets and as a result of the renewed focus on the impact of marketing communications on brand performance. This paper reports on an investigation of the perceptions of senior marketing and advertising agency personnel regarding (1) the importance of brand
This study extends the conceptualization of corporate identity (CI), and develops a valid and rel... more This study extends the conceptualization of corporate identity (CI), and develops a valid and reliable scale for the concept via multistage research design. After detailed literature review, key elements of CI in practice are clarified using 20 semi-structured interviews with senior managers in leading UK companies, followed by an online survey among senior managers in the UK food and beverage sector. Five dimensions of CI are identified following two-step structural equation modelling: consistent image, top management behavioral leadership, employee identification, mission and values dissemination, and founder transformational leadership. The scale is examined for nomological validity with an outcome variable, namely corporate social responsibility. The contribution is novel, as for the first time CI is empirically validated as a second-order hierarchical construct. The resultant scale guides practitioners to specify priorities when developing CI, acts as a tool to assess the effectiveness of activities over time, and enables corrective action where needed.
The aim of the paper is to investigate consumer perceptions involving green communication, analys... more The aim of the paper is to investigate consumer perceptions involving green communication, analysed with reference to audience efficacy. In particular, the focus of the study is on the object of communication, in terms of responsible corporate processes or products, which are ecosustainable, natural, green and so on. Starting from a critical overview on the topic, an interpretive model of green communication is suggested and an empirical analysis is conducted, using a quali-quantitative approach. In particular, to verify whether the green content of communication encourages consumer purchases, the perceptions of the sample with respect to four print advertisements of companies positioning themselves as «green», are examined. The variables used to evaluate the advertisements are extracted from the Iso standard 14021. Findings suggest that sustainable communication can be redefined, in terms of «response-ability» for the requirements of what still remains nowadays, a niche market.
International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, 2019
Internet penetration and usage are accelerating in all countries due to individuals using online ... more Internet penetration and usage are accelerating in all countries due to individuals using online platforms to express their views and opinions. These activities are conducted widely in emerging economies such as India. There, internet penetration usage level in 2016 was 34.8%-primarily undertaken by young adults aged between 18-35 years. While there are multiple studies regarding online image, personal branding, digital sharing and consumption, no
Integrated Communications in the Postmodern Era, 2015
This book is intended for marketing and brand managers, market researchers, and in any field dire... more This book is intended for marketing and brand managers, market researchers, and in any field directly related to marketing and communication (Kitchen, 2010; 2013). It is proposed for postgraduate and under-graduate students, and other interested publics, who wish to develop their knowledge, insight, skills, and facility into integrated communications within the postmodern era — a topic of relevance everywhere, but particularly apposite as the setting for several chapters is in Turkey, a rapidly developing nation, an EU accession nation, and a nation enjoying significant economic growth in the global marketplace. The book is based primarily on the opinions, views, and expertise of significant authors in the field (see Contents).
From the early 1990s, marketing literature began to feature a number of articles suggesting that ... more From the early 1990s, marketing literature began to feature a number of articles suggesting that integrated marketing communications (IMC) would have a major impact on advertising as we know it, and on client—advertising agency relationships. A counter-view appeared at that time in the literature suggesting that IMC was nothing more than co-ordinated promotion and that many companies had been doing ‘it’ for some considerable time. More recent articles have lamented that the concept has not been embraced by marketing communications specialists and that implementation has proven difficult. A common definition of IMC—and how it differs from traditional advertising, both in philosophy and in implementation—has not evolved despite considerable academic discussion on the subject. This paper reviews the most comprehensive definitions of IMC and the competing paradigms—‘new’ versus ‘nothing new’—and summarises the results of a recent two-part study that compares the perceptions of clients with those of senior ad ...
Customer education has been widely recognized to play a key role in client satisfaction, particul... more Customer education has been widely recognized to play a key role in client satisfaction, particularly in the context of industrial markets (Business-to-Business or B2B). However, little is known about the effect of customer education on customer satisfaction within the B2D (Business-to-Distributors) sector. To address this gap, the paper develops a comprehensive model of consumer education applied to the mass consumption of coffee and seeks to verify its suitability relative to this industry. After reviewing the international literature on customer education, an analysis of Honebein and Cammarano's (2011) model allows the development of an adapted framework and then to validate it through a case study of a major private coffee distributor-a pioneer Italian company in the industry. The findings illustrate that this adapted model fits well with the coffee industry and identifies six dimensions of customer education which would lead to increased customer satisfaction. Despite the fact that this is an explorative study and needs to be applied to a larger number of cases, and testing via subsequent regression analysis, some early managerial implications from the retailer perspective are provided. Finally, the conclusion offers avenues for future research.
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 2020
Purpose Based on the managerial perceptions from large firms, this paper aims to explore the emer... more Purpose Based on the managerial perceptions from large firms, this paper aims to explore the emergence, growth and importance of corporate communications and how it is evolving and creating competitive advantage for Italian firms. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach is deployed, comprising in-depth interviews with senior managers from Italian corporations from a broad spectrum of industries, including: energy, telecommunications, automotive, transport, retail chain, appliances, technology and engineering, private shipping, government-owned holdings, marketing consultancy and construction. Findings The paper offers insight into corporate communications (corpcoms) practices in the sampled companies. The paper shows that corpcoms involves a complex range of activities leading to performance – managed and implemented under CEO direction. Practical implications Corpcoms is perceived as a strategic concept with effective application relative to managing corporate image and ...
Purpose of the paper: This paper has a dual objective: it explores how to build an effective awar... more Purpose of the paper: This paper has a dual objective: it explores how to build an effective awareness/education program in terms of customer education (CE) and verifies how this can lead to improved satisfaction and whether customers find value in the education involved in these programs. Methodology: It consists of a literature review on the role of CE, a description of two models-the '5Ms' CE Model and that of Honebein and Cammarano, and adaptation/application of these to two major Italian coffee firms via qualitative research. Findings: Findings indicate that the adapted models fit well with the coffee industry and outline CE dimensions which-if applied-could help underpin increased customer satisfaction in the B2D (business-to-distributor) sector. Research limits: Despite the research contribution, this is an exploratory study that needs to be applied to a larger number of cases, and subsequent empirical testing via quantitative methods. Practical implications: The application of these models to the B2D sector allows the suggestion of strategies to better develop CE programs. Originality of the paper: CE plays an important role in satisfaction, particularly in industrial markets (B2B). However, little is known about CE's educational effect in terms of ROI related to satisfaction in the B2D sector. In addressing this, two models of consumer education are analyzed and applied to the Italian coffee B2D market.
This research investigates the impact of brand perception on brand loyalty and brand purchase int... more This research investigates the impact of brand perception on brand loyalty and brand purchase intention using the lenses of complexity theory. First, the study conceptualizes and operationalizes perceptional and behavioral components of brand equity. It then examines the dimensions of brand perception, and by assessing the consequences of favorable brand perception, the study enables a better understanding regarding whether a brand marketing approach helps to improve marketing performance. The research was conducted using a mixed methodology, beginning with interviews in order to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the dimensions of brand perception. These were followed by a questionnaire survey, and the resulting data were analyzed through content analysis and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results indicate that brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association, brand fondness, brand image, and product country image have a strong impact on the management of brand perception. The finding illustrates that it is the combinations of various perceptional elements of brand equity rather than any single factor that have strong impacts on brand loyalty and brand purchasing intention. The results support the importance of brand perception for the fashion industry, which needs to be more interactive in order to increase their customers' brand loyalty and brand purchasing intention.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between community of place and small... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between community of place and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lombard industrial districts in Italy. Design/methodology/approach A brief literature review of international authors from the stakeholder approach and Corporate Community Relations (CCRs) field is presented. This paper refers to a survey of Lombard industrial districts conducted by ALTIS. The data were collected via a telephone survey from 834 firms. Findings The main finding is that managing CCRs is of major importance for company success. The results of the survey show that there are some tools and actions that Italian industrial district SMEs use to interact with their particular communities of place to develop effective and coherent relationships with their stakeholder groups. Moreover, although the survey shows that though SMEs do implement different CCR activities, they are not able to communicate these effectively through systematic commun...
PurposeThis paper aims to operationalise and juxtapose variables related to identity, strategy an... more PurposeThis paper aims to operationalise and juxtapose variables related to identity, strategy and communications, and then examine the impact of such integration on organisational stakeholders’ trust, loyalty and commitment by using commitment/trust theory.Design/methodology/approachThis research design utilises explanatory research at the preliminary stage, as informed by the literature and conceptual framework. The subsequent model was examined via a positivist survey carried out among stakeholders in high-end retail stores in London. Structural equation modelling (SEM) via AMOS was conducted to gain insight into the various relevant influences and relationships.FindingsThe results indicate that identity and strategy are key drivers of integrated corporate communication, and they serve to build stakeholder trust, loyalty and commitment.Originality/valueThe paper shows that while practitioners have indicated that integrated marketing communication is important for organisations, t...
Purpose This study aims to identify integrated marketing communication (IMC) antecedents and the ... more Purpose This study aims to identify integrated marketing communication (IMC) antecedents and the consequences of planned brand identity in the context of higher education, and empirically test a number of hypotheses related to the constructs of these antecedents and consequences. Design/methodology/approach A model of the IMC antecedents and consequences of planned brand identity was tested in a survey conducted among stakeholders in two London-based universities. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to gain insight into the various influences and relationships. Findings The study identifies and confirms key constructs in planned brand identity. IMC antecedents of planned brand identity, such as brand elements, service attributes, public relations and place/country of origin, were found to positively influence the planned brand identity consequences of awareness, image and reputation. However, websites, social media, advertising and direct marketing were not found to have...
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 2016
PurposeThis paper aims to develop a framework that links the concepts of place branding, place im... more PurposeThis paper aims to develop a framework that links the concepts of place branding, place image and place reputation. Focusing on the antecedents and outcomes of place branding in the context of an emerging country, namely, Iran, the model further examines critical moderation variables.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was undertaken, comprising face-to-face in-depth interviews with 15 respondents, involved in communicating about their country for various purposes such as encouraging tourism, promoting exports and attracting investments. Based on analysis of the qualitative data, a comprehensive framework for place branding was formulated.FindingsFindings indicate that the key indicators of identifying a place brand come under two headings, namely, national culture (country’s name, country’s brand, country attributes, social changes, geography and environment, people, culture (history, language, etc.) and infrastructure (security, economic condition, technologic...
Brand equity is now receiving significant attention, both as a result of changes to international... more Brand equity is now receiving significant attention, both as a result of changes to international accounting standards relating to intangible assets and as a result of the renewed focus on the impact of marketing communications on brand performance. This paper reports on an investigation of the perceptions of senior marketing and advertising agency personnel regarding (1) the importance of brand
Every business, everywhere, faces challenges in the market spaces and places of the 21st century ... more Every business, everywhere, faces challenges in the market spaces and places of the 21st century and no market is immune. Competitive forces are heightening and accelerating. Governments have intervened (often with little discernible effect), and customers- the lifeblood of any business - are now more demanding and more discerning of what businesses and brands are and what they stand for. Technological progress has opened up new horizons for innovation and communication, with social media transmitting news within seconds to different parts of the world. These shifting tectonic plates of communication overlay the gravitational economic forces which necessitate integration of on and offline communications. There are no invisible companies, and what happens in one market is transmitted instantly via global media to receptive consumer video display units (VCDs), or computer, television, and cell-phone screens - or is almost immediately accessible. The world of information accessibility and the concomitant demise of corporate invisibility is today's world, and is a communications reality in the 21st century.
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Papers by Philip Kitchen