Narrow Results

Luxury brand consumption by female consumers in the rich Arab Gulf states has never been systematically studied, and thus most of our knowledge in this area remains shaped by preconceived notions that are not likely to withstand scientific scrutiny. This study fills that gap in research and provides significant evidence on the actual consumption behavior of this enigmatic consumer segment. In our study, focus groups and expert feedback were used to construct a Luxury Consumption Scale (LCS) to measure actual luxury purchases, while Tiliouine's Scale (RS) was used to measure religiosity. Results show that the sample tended to be religious with moderate luxury consumption, but no relationship was observed between these two. Results also demonstrate that brands transcend boundaries; ridges created by politicians and extremists are bridged by Burberry, Hermes and Versace. Religious Arab women did not perceive a problem in being defined by international brands of non-Muslim origin. This study contributes to the literature by examining the underexplored intersection of female luxury brand consumption and religiosity in the lucrative markets of the Arab Gulf.

How do brand and product development processes interact? How do brands and branding strategies influence product development? Moreover, does a branding strategy facilitate or impede the development process? So far, research on product development has focused on the development of new products and services, whereas research on marketing and especially branding has emphasized what types of line extensions to create rather than on how to integrate brands and product development processes.

The present models of the product development process mostly distinguish between the process of innovation and that which follows, and also distinguish between the company as a sender and the user as a receiver of the communicated values. In the present study we suggest an alternative understanding of the innovation process: A network process perspective (NPP) as derived from the actor network theory (ANT), is used to explore the co-created relationship between the new product development process and branding.

The network process perspective is used to analyse and understand the innovation process and represents a constructivist theory that departs from an ontological assumption that the 'world' is the relations and networks among heterogeneous human and non-human actors and that these networks are not per se stable, but are created, negotiated and dynamic. This theory is especially suitable for comprehending 'branding' where the 'ing' underscores the dynamic nature of this concept and to explore the dynamics in innovation.

The empirical analysis identified four incidents as critical to the co-construction of the product and the brand in two companies. The effects are measured using the framework provided by Kapferer. The present analysis indicates that branding and innovation processes are interrelated in more subtle and complex ways than indicated in prior research on the subject. It further shows that even with well-organized marketing departments, consistent branding strategies and skilled project managers, the product development process is not easily managed. The brand and the branding strategies are non-human actors among other actors in the process, and it requires skill, persistence and energy if the 'brand' wants to become an influential 'actor'. Sometimes, the processes may even be reversed.

New research on the behaviour and performance of over 200 fast-moving consumer businesses selling through multiple outlets show that: (i) the "economic case" for branding can be demonstrated — there is evidence that brands can help producers bring new products and services to market, and that they help consumers exercise effective choice of "value for money"; (ii) branded producers are more innovative than their non-branded counterparts; (iii) branded producers typically create significantly more value added from investment in innovation; and (iv) non-price competition is particularly strong in the branded sector, with the key drivers of growth for individual businesses being improving value position, innovation advantage and reputation. Branded product markets show these "rules" for business growth much more clearly than businesses in the economy as a whole. In branded businesses, we can identify the impact of investment in intangibles — communication and technology development — through the strengthening of capabilities, the building of intangible business assets in the form of reputation, innovative edge and value advantage. This comprises a model for innovation which is both statistically valid and endorsed by practising managers.

The world is changing, and so are businesses, customers and technological advancement. With new innovations of technological advances, various new businesses have established to make themselves the market leaders just like large organisations, which are known as start-ups. Similarly, several small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have also adopted the latest and innovative technologies in their businesses, to make themselves competitive and attract a large customer base. Artificial intelligence, deep learning, robotics, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technologies are the latest technologies, which are being adopted by start-ups and shall be adopted by SMEs. This chapter aims to explore and provide insights about the importance of the latest innovative technologies and their usage by the start-ups and SMEs by reviewing the literature. Indian society has adopted digitalisation and so as the start-ups and SMEs which have flourished the Indian markets and engaged the customers and it builds the brand strong and credible.