Consumer-to-consumer conflicts and brand moderation strategies during COVID-19 service failures: a framework for international marketers

Purpose: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, one dark social-media phenomenon in particular has experienced a significant rise: consumer-to-consumer (C2C) conflicts, i.e. consumers who verbally attack each other in response to COVID-19 service failures. The aim of this paper is to uncover the sources of such conflicts and to gain an insight into the corresponding conflict moderation strategies that international brands adopt. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology consists of non-participatory netnographic observations of 13 national, international, and global online brand communities (OBCs) on Facebook. The authors use purposeful sampling to collect relevant data on conflict sources and brand moderation strategies during COVID-19 service failures and a hybrid approach to thematic analysis to derive distinct themes from these data. Findings: The paper identifies five C2C conflict sources: brand attack, brand dissatisfaction, brand skepticism, brand contention and brand defense;these are then classified as having either an individualistic (self-oriented) or collectivistic (other-oriented) orientation. The authors also uncover several moderation strategies: non-engaging, automated, bolstering, asserting (direct, indirect) and informing (factual, empathetic, apologetic), which are broadly categorized into two levels based on their passive vs active approach and authoritative vs cooperative orientation. The paper further highlights that brands adapt their moderation strategies to specific sources of C2C conflicts, thereby producing a range of OBC outcomes. Practical implications: The study's empirically informed framework comprising sources of undesirable conflicts and brand moderation strategies offers a practical tool that can aid marketing managers in nurturing civil C2C engagement and interactive behaviors in their OBCs. By adopting our framework, brand and marketing practitioners can tailor their communication strategies toward different sources of C2C conflict and minimize their adverse consequences, thus, fostering an overall constructive OBC engagement. Originality/value: The authors offer a novel framework to international marketing research, consisting of C2C conflict sources and corresponding moderation strategies that take place in response to service failures during the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights, in turn, inform international marketers about new ways of transforming the dark side of OBCs into a source of competitive advantage based on real-world brand practice. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

The role of advertising, distribution intensity and store image in achieving global brand loyalty in an emerging market

PurposeScholars have paid considerable attention to the importance of brand loyalty of durable consumer products in developed markets. However, no study has investigated the simultaneous impact of advertising efforts, distribution intensity and store image on global brand loyalty (GBL) of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in emerging markets. This study aims to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts (1) established theoretical lenses: brand equity, marketing mix and cue utilization theories, (2) a mixed-methods approach: a focus group and two surveys and (3) structural equation modeling on two samples of consumers (one homogeneous and one heterogeneous) of global soft drink brands in Vietnam.FindingsThe study reveals significant and nonsignificant relationships among the selected marketing mix elements and brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG. Slight differences in these relationships among the two samples are found. The existing scales are also reconciled with more suitable indicators. The results significantly contribute to the existing knowledge on marketing mix, brand equity and GBL, and global consumer culture.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate the simultaneous effects of advertising efforts, distribution intensity, and store image on brand loyalty and its antecedents of global FMCG in an emerging market. The findings will help practitioners develop suitable global branding strategies to manage global brand image and achieve consumer loyalty across emerging markets.

Investigating the revised international marketing strategies during COVID-19 based on resources and capabilities of the firms: A mixed method approach.

This paper aims to identify the revised international marketing strategies in communication during the COVID-19 pandemic by utilizing the firm's resources and capabilities. We conducted in-depth interviews and a questionnaire survey with key stakeholders of retail organizations which changed their digital marketing strategies during COVID-19. The data is collected from 587 respondents from different parts of the world through resource orchestration theory. The qualitative findings support a high degree of association among the firm's resources and capabilities, leveraging processes based on the revised international marketing strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have developed a conceptual model based on these findings with six variables: leveraging process of the firm's capabilities information technology-related resources; information technology-related capabilities, dynamic capabilities, environmental uncertainty, and leveraging process of the firm's resources. However, environmental uncertainty and leveraging of the firm's resources were not influential in forming digital marketing strategies during COVID-19. This study proposes a new process for international marketing managers in business organizations to restructure the resources within their organizations by creating new capabilities and leveraging them.

Enhancing international marketing capability and export performance of emerging market SMEs in crises: strategic flexibility and digital technologies

PurposeThis study investigates to what extent strategic flexibility of international strategic alliances (ISAs) affects export performance of emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises (ESMEs) via international marketing capability in crises. It also examines whether these ESMEs' adoption of digital technology strengthens the impact of strategic flexibility of ISAs on international marketing capability.Design/methodology/approachBased on the international alliance and dynamic capability perspectives on strategic flexibility, the authors develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the mediation and moderation effects between strategic flexibility of ISAs, international marketing capability, export performance and adoption of digital technology. The authors collected survey data from 129 ESMEs located in Pakistan between May 2021 and August 2021 and tested the conceptual model with hierarchical-moderated regression analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that strategic flexibility of ISAs positively impacts on export performance of ESMEs in crises. Moreover, the authors found that international marketing significantly mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs and export performance of ESMEs. Also, the adoption of digital technologies significantly moderates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs positively and international marketing capability.Originality/valueThe authors take strategic flexibility of ISAs in the context of the emerging market and how ESMEs enhance export performance in a time of crisis, which extends the prior ESMEs' international marketing strategy and crisis management literature. In particular, the authors show that strategic flexibility of ISAs is a vital dynamic capability to enhance export performance of ESMEs via international marketing capability and adoption of digital technologies.

The evolving international entrepreneurship orientations and international entrepreneurship capital in the rapidly changing and digitizing international environments

The relationship between entrepreneurial orientations and internationalization has been examined extensively, but the recent developments in the rapidly changing environment point to the need for further examination of international entrepreneurs’ orientations in their own embedding contexts and beyond. There is ample evidence suggesting a positive relationship between the firm’s combined overall international entrepreneurial orientation, its extent of innovativeness, export (or international marketing), collaborative, and socio-cultural orientations and the scope and speed of its internationalization. The aim of this article is to examine the challenges and developments among the integral components of international entrepreneurial orientations and their associated activities, strategies, and resources to integrate their interactive impacts for better understanding of the broader concepts of international entrepreneurship orientations and international entrepreneurship capital in the increasing complexities of entrepreneurial internationalization processes.

CSR communication and international marketing: Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication of the Fortune top-100 companies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, the authors examine the messages of international companies' CSR communication to customers during the pandemic, focusing particularly on the companies' posts on Twitter. In addition to identifying what international companies communicate, the authors determine the motives of companies' COVID-19-related CSR communication as well as how companies strategically approach CSR communication. Design/methodology/approach Using Nvivo, the authors carried out content analysis of the COVID-19-related tweets of the Fortune top-100 companies using Twitter's 'advanced search' tool. The analysis included tweets posted between 1 February 2020 and September 2021, a period that represents the peak of the pandemic. Findings Study findings indicate that COVID-19-related CSR responses of international companies are driven by commitment to organizational values, attainment of recognition for timely response to COVID-19, altruistic motives to combat COVID-19 and congruence with social movements that create expectations from customers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most companies adopt a response strategy to CSR communication, by informing customers of their COVID-19 responses in relation to several issues such as alterations in companies' processes and the impacts of the pandemic on health. Practical implications The study suggests that the CSR practices of companies should be strategically embedded in organizations' international marketing plans and not remain just on-off responses to crises should marketing-related benefits be obtained. Several recommendations are made to strengthen companies' adoption of a proactive, engagement-oriented approach to CSR communication. Originality/value The CSR communication of international companies during external crises has not been sufficiently studied in relation to international marketing, as most studies considered internal corporate crises. Focusing on an external crisis (COVID-19 pandemic) with global impacts, this study advances existing knowledge on international companies' CSR communication to their customers. Additionally, this study offers new insights on the role of integrated, coordinated and consistent CSR messages and strategies, which are targeted to the needs and expectations of domestic and international customers in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Managing disruptive external forces in international marketing

Purpose: Disruptive external forces can bring businesses to a standstill and make their strategic plans obsolete overnight. COVID-19 exemplifies such a disruptive force, which has caused worldwide havoc and ongoing disruption in many sectors of the economy, while concurrently providing great opportunities for others. The goal in this study is to examine the experiences of firms that have been impacted by a prior disruptive force, offer five theoretical lenses for framing and examining such events, and provide a set of axioms based on the research findings. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a qualitative approach involving five short international marketing case studies of firms based in South Korea and Taiwan. These nations and firms were selected on the bases of their overall judicious navigation of the conditions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors gathered information about these firms through primary sources of information (personal and remote interviews as well as other communications), which the authors augmented with information from secondary sources. Findings: The results indicate that external forces can bring both opportunities and threats to firms' international marketing strategies. The authors found that two strategies help firms cope with managerial issues associated with both the demand and the supply sides in successful firms in these nations: (1) leveraging opportunities presented by the pandemic through the successive introductions of new product and (2) the expansion of both the domestic and international markets. Research implications: The research provides five theoretical lenses to articulate the impact of disruptive external forces on international marketing strategies. Practical implications: The research offers thirteen demand and supply side axioms for marketing managers involved in international business (e.g. exporters, importers, MNCs) to cope with disruptive external forces, like COVID-19. Social implications: Disruptive external forces, such as the pandemic, have enormous impact on firms and consumers alike. This research aims to limit the negative impact of future disruptions by engaging in contingency planning and added resilience, through which firms may continue to function and, to a large extent, consumers are able to acquire the necessary goods and services to maintain their quality of life. Originality/value: The authors attribute the quicker response of these firms to their agility in managing the market impacts related to COVID-19 and to their prior conditioning in their respective geopolitical spheres. The authors summarize the findings in a set of nine supply side and a set of four demand side axioms. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

National customer orientation: a framework, propositions and agenda for future research

Purpose>This paper aims to propose a new country-level construct, national customer orientation, to provide a benchmark for global headquartered managers’ decisions and scholars investigating cross-national research.Design/methodology/approach>A conceptual framework and unique propositions are developed that focus on how one macro-economic driver, e.g. the wealth of a country, and one macro-marketing driver, e.g. customer price sensitivity, affect national customer orientation during and after global economic downturns such as recessions and a pandemic.Findings>An agenda setting section proposes distinct theoretical, empirical and managerial themes for future research aimed at testing the propositions at the country and organization levels over time.Research limitations/implications>Although the new construct offers substantial benefits for scholars and managers, current measures of national customer orientation are limited to data provided by the World Economic Forum or expensive primary survey-based research that restrict the number of countries, respondents and time periods.Practical implications>The new national-level customer orientation construct and propositions about its drivers over time promise to provide global managers a country-level customer-based benchmark so that they can better understand, set expectations and manage customer orientation across different countries over time.Originality/value>Research on market and customer orientation is consistently designated a priority by academics and practitioners. However, most previous studies exclusively focus at the micro organizational-level, with less known on how customer orientation varies at the macro country-level and over time.

Charting research on international luxury marketing: where are we now and where should we go next?

Purpose>Despite luxury's increasing globalization and broadening scope via digitalization and new markets, the intellectual structure of the overall research corpus remains tenuous. This work therefore aims to provide an overview of published work on international luxury marketing and to contribute to a better understanding of the research area.Design/methodology/approach>Using a systematic approach, 1151 items (papers) were retrieved and 181 selected from the international luxury marketing field published before 2019. These items were analyzed by using various bibliometric techniques to identify the most productive countries, journals, influential authors, papers and research clusters.Findings>Although most of the outputs originate from business, management and marketing journals, other disciplines also research this topic. The analysis reveals an emerging field, with 85% of the published papers appearing between 2010 and 2018, which are primarily the output of US- and UK-based authors and none of whom dominates the field. The three identified keyword clusters are (1) consumers and consumption (2) tools and (3) core themes.Practical implications>This article contributes to our understanding of the evolution, current status and research trends of published research on international luxury marketing by presenting a mapping analysis and proposing future research directions.Originality/value>This is the first bibliometric mapping analysis of research on the topic from its conception to 2019. It contributes insights from different research disciplines, adds to the categorization of the international luxury marketing literature and provides promising future research directions in terms of research areas and strategies.

Bajaj Auto (B): challenges in LATAM and Southeast Asian (SEA) markets

Learning outcomes: After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to critically analyze a firm's international partnership strategies for its export market;assess international markets and a firm's entry strategies in them;identify various problems that a firm can face in international markets;and recommend strategies for growth in international markets. Case overview/synopsis: Bajaj Auto's (BA) strategy to be a global motorcycle manufacturer had enabled it to hold its ground in the difficult times posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time, two-wheeler exports from India between January and May 2021 were equivalent to domestic sales showing increased exports and decreased domestic sales. This reinforced BA's belief in its global expansion strategies. Rakesh Sharma (Sharma), the Executive Director at BA, was increasingly buoyant of BA's ambitious plans to enter new markets in Latin America (LATAM) and South-East Asian (SEA) Market.Sharma knew very well that though the LATAM and SEA markets were up-and-coming and lucrative, there were innumerable challenging factors pertaining to Indian and foreign competitors, domestic and international economic and business environment, supply chain and logistical issues, as well as uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic that BA had to face before tasting success in these markets. Was BA moving in the right direction with its global business expansion strategies? Would Sharma be able to handle the challenges and successfully take BA toward its goal? Complexity academic level: The case can be taught in advanced undergraduate, MBA or executive-level programs. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code: CSS 5: International Business. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

International luxury marketing

Purpose:This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.Design:This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.Findings:The authors outline pivotal changes in luxury marketing including the growing prominence of emerging nations and technology adoption. A systematic review of luxury marketing literature reveals that most research is still centered around developed nations. The field has a relatively low impact and no dominant authors. The research content does not converge with luxury industry trends. This provides an exciting contribution opportunity for academic researchers.Originality:The briefing saves busy executives, strategists, and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format

International luxury marketing: Emerging Trends

Purpose:This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.Design:This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.Findings:The authors outline pivotal changes in luxury marketing including the growing prominence of emerging nations and technology adoption. A systematic review of luxury marketing literature reveals that most research is still centered around developed nations. The field has a relatively low impact and no dominant authors. The research content does not converge with luxury industry trends. This provides an exciting contribution opportunity for academic researchers.Originality:The briefing saves busy executives, strategists, and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format

The impact of animosity, brand image, consumer boycott, and product judgment on made-in-China covid-19 vaccination intention.

This study measures consumers' intention to receive the Covid-19 vaccine using an international marketing approach. Vaccination intention was tested by analysing animosity, consumer boycott, brand image, and product judgment, which had dropped from the attention of marketing researchers. Data was collected in Malang, in Indonesia. participants were selected using an online convenient sampling method. There were eight hypotheses examined. Data was processed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation models. The results showed that animosity has positive impact on consumer boycott and a negative impact on brand image. Consumer boycott, brand image, and product judgment was significantly affected vaccination intention.

Tweets to escape: Intercultural differences in consumer expectations and risk behavior during the COVID-19 lockdown in three European countries.

This study aims to understand the extent to which a time of emergency, (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic), impacts consumer behaviour in terms of risk and expectations. The methodology involves the systematic content analysis of 15,000 tweets collected from three countries (UK, Italy and Spain) in April 2020. The results suggest that the top-of-mind expectation by consumers deals with escaping from home and enjoying freedom, either by having a good meal (UK), drinking alcoholic beverages (Spain), or travelling (Italy). They also suggest that the high levels of risk individuals were exposed to during the pandemic will not influence behavior in the long-term post-lockdown. Instead, they suggest consumers are willing to restore their consumption levels especially of activities that contribute to the sense of escapism. Finally, results provide evidence of the cultural differences emerging from consumers from different countries during the pandemic. Implications for international marketers and retailers are provided.