infonet-economy

This research examines the impact of online-offline channel integration (OI), defined as integrating access to and knowledge about the offline channel into an online channel. Although channel integration has been acknowledged as a promising strategy for retailers, its effects on customer reactions towards retailers and across different channels remain unclear. Drawing on technology adoption research and diffusion theory, the authors conceptualize a theoretical model where perceived service quality and perceived risk of the Internet store mediate the impact of OI while the Internet shopping experience of customers moderates the impact of OI. The authors then test for the indirect, conditional effects of OI on search intentions, purchase intentions and willingness to pay. Importantly, they differentiate between retailer-level and channel-level effects, thereby controlling for interdependencies between different channels. The results of three studies provide converging evidence and show that OI leads to a competitive advantage and channel synergies rather than channel cannibalization. These findings have direct implications for marketers and retailers interested in understanding whether and how integrating different channels affects customer outcomes.

„Mary-Kate and Ashley“ lautet der Markenname, der bei amerikanischen Jugendlichen unter 14 Jahren bekannter ist als Coca-Cola (vgl. Jensen 2004: 46ff.). Bereits im Kleinkindalter wurden die amerikanischen Zwillinge Mary-Kate und Ashley Olsen systematisch vermarktet und crossmedial inszeniert. Der wirtschaftliche Erfolg von „Mary-Kate and Ashley“ begann mit Auftritten in TV-Serien und Familienfilmen, schnell kamen Bücher, CDs und Videospiele rund um das Leben der Teen-Stars auf den Markt, zudem Modepuppen, Kosmetikprodukte und exklusiv durch Wal-Mart vertriebene Bekleidung. Mittlerweile sind die einstigen Kinder- Stars Mary-Kate und Ashley Olsen erwachsen. Dennoch lassen sich mit dem Image „der niedlichen Zwillingsschwestern“ nach wie vor Milliarden-Umsätze (vgl. ebd.) erzielen. Das Beispiel zeigt, dass Menschen Fixpunkte wie Stars suchen, Symbolfiguren, die sie als vertraute Größen in ihren Alltag integrieren.

Continuous brand success can be realized only if the brand promise that is communicated through mass media campaigns is lived up to by customer contact employees. In fact, discrepancies in brand experience may lead to customer confusion and dissatisfaction. However, what does that mean to brand managers? A survey among marketing managers shows that a reorganization of brand management routines is needed in order to bring the brand to life: informal management techniques and employee empowerment are required instead of formal management activities. In this article, we elaborate first steps for the implementation and maintenance of behavioral branding considering findings of our survey as well as implications from management focus groups and best practice examples.

Purpose
- This study aims to show that brand success can be improved if the brand promise that is communicated through mass media campaigns is lived up to by each employee of a company. The paper terms such brand consistent employee behaviour behavioural branding and identifies managerial instruments for its implementation and management.

Design/methodology/approach
- The model in the paper explains the brand's contribution to company success by brand consistent employee behaviour, functional employee performance and brand congruent mass media communication. Brand consistent employee behaviour and functional employee performance in turn are modelled as determined by formal and informal management techniques as well as employee empowerment. The model is tested on a sample of 167 senior managers using partial least squares and finds empirical support. Furthermore, practical implications are provided based on additional top management focus groups.

Findings
- The paper finds that behavioural branding determines the brand's contribution to company success. Further, the results show that informal management and employee empowerment have a far stronger impact on the brand consistency of employee behaviour than formal management instruments.

Practical implications
- Managers should spend more time explaining and discussing targets of behavioural branding, and they should create an organisational environment that enables employees to find their own individual ways of articulating a brand to customers.

Originality/value
- The framework in the paper integrates personal and non?personal facets of interaction for a holistic explanation of brand performance. It provides a broader understanding of factors affecting the accruement of a customer's brand experience and enables researchers and practitioners to develop more consistent and promising brand management activities.

Die erfolgreiche Integration der Kommunikationsaktivitäten eines Unternehmens gewinnt auch für die öffentliche Verwaltung (ÖV) an Bedeutung. Jedoch gelingt es vielen Verwaltungsbereichen noch nicht, ihr Image zu steuern. Durch eine strategische Neuorientierung und die Beachtung der Besonderheiten gegenüber der Privatwirtschaft wird interne Kommunikation zu einem erfolgreichen Marketingtool im öffentlichen Sektor