STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF (INTER)NATIONAL BRANDS: IKEA, L’ORÉAL, STARBUCKS AND FORD, BASED ON THE OPINION OF CONSUMERS

Erika KULCSÁR; Blanka BALÁZS; Norbert BADI; Csilla-Tima BEDER; Ottilia OPRA; Brigitta SZABÓ; Nóra SZABÓ

doi:10.24193/subbnegotia.2020.1.04

Authors

Erika KULCSÁR Lecturer, PhD, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: erika.kulcsar@econ.ubbcluj.ro
Blanka BALÁZS Bachelor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: balazsblanka@yahoo.com
Norbert BADI Bachelor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: mr_badinorbert@yahoo.com
Csilla-Tima BEDER Bachelor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: csillucytimike_beder@yahoo.com
Ottilia OPRA Bachelor of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: opraottici@yahoo.com
Brigitta SZABÓ Bachelor of MBA, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: szabobrige@gmail.com
Nóra SZABÓ Undergraduate student in Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: sz.nori@yahoo.com

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbnegotia.2020.1.04

Keywords:

IKEA, L’Oréal, Starbucks, Ford, consumer opinion, strengths and weaknesses.

Abstract

In our everyday lives the presence of global brands is indisputable, as we decorate our homes with furnishings, purchase cosmetics to reverse the time, use services to make our everyday lives more enjoyable and purchase cars, all of which are available in several countries. It is also true that we typically buy and use those products and services that contribute to our personal appearance and to the development of our personality. In addition, the country of origin of a given product/brand also plays an important role in our purchasing decision. There are products/brands that we immediately associate with a particular country and nation, but there are countries to which we cannot associate any product or brand. This paper analyses the consumer opinions of international brands that are strongly associated with a particular country. The objectives of the analyses are the following: to identify (1) the strengths - (2) weaknesses of IKEA, L’Oréal, Starbucks and Ford, (3) to identify those factors, based on the results, that have an important role in case of two (inter)national brands at least, even though they represent different products/services, and finally, (4) to describe the opinion of the participants.

JEL Classification: M31

References

Edvardsson, B. and Enquist, B. (2002), “‘The IKEA Saga’: How Service Culture Drives Service Strategy”, The Service Industries Journal, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 153-186

Ghodeswar, B. M. (2008), “Building brand identity in competitive markets: a conceptual model”, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17 No 1, pp. 4–12

Harris, F. and de Chernatony, L. (2001), “Corporate branding and corporate brand performance”, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 3/4, pp. 441-456

He, H., Li, Y. and Harris, L. (2012), “Social identity perspective on brand loyalty”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 65 No. 5, pp. 648–657

Hellström, D. and Nilsson, F. (2011), “Logistics‐driven packaging innovation: a case study at IKEA”, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 39 No. 9, pp. 638-657

Hultén, B. (2012), “Sensory cues and shoppers’ touching behaviour: the case of IKEA”, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 40 No. 4, pp. 273-289.

Ivarsson, I. and Alvstam, C. G. (2010), “Upgrading in global value-chains: a case study of technology-learning among IKEA-suppliers in China and Southeast Asia”, available at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.954.8430&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Janonis, V., Dovaliené, A. and Virvilaité, R. (2007), “Relationship of Brand Identity and Image”, Engineering Economics, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 69-79

Jonsson, A. and Foss, N. J. (2011), “International expansion through flexible replication: Learning from the internationalization experience of IKEA”, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 42 No. 9, pp. 1079–1102

Lindqvist, U. (2009), “The Cultural Archive of the IKEA Store”, Space and Culture, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 43-62

Mihailovich, P. (2006), “Kinship branding: A concept of holism and evolution for the nation brand”, Place Brand Public, Vol. 2 No 3, pp. 229–247

Mochon, D., Norton, M. I. and Ariely, D. (2012), “Bolstering and restoring feelings of competence via the IKEA effect”, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 363-369

Nebenzahl, I. D. and Jaffe, E. D. (1996), “Measuring the joint effect of brand and country image in consumer evaluation of global products”, International Marketing Review, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 5-22

Norton, M. I., Mochon, D. and Ariely, D. (2012), “The IKEA Effect: When Labor Leads to Love”, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 453–460

O’Shaughnessy, J. and O’Shaughnessy, N. J. (2000), “Treating the Nation as a Brand: Some Neglected Issues”, Journal of Macromarketing, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 56-64

Olins W. (2004), A márkák: A márkák világa, a világ márkái [The Brands: the World of the Brands, the World’s Brands], Jószöveg Műhely Publisher, Budapest

Randall G. (2000), Márkázás a gyakorlatban [Branding in Practice], Geomédia Szakkönyvek Publisher, Budapest

Rosner, D. and Bean, J. (2009), “Learning from IKEA Hacking: ‘I’m Not One to Decoupage a Tabletop and Call It a Day’”, available at: http://faculty.washington.edu/dkrosner/research/Rosner_Ikea-hacking.pdf

S. Nagy K. (1987), Lakberendezési szokások [Home furnishing habits], Magvető Publisher, Budapest

Salzer, M. (1994), “Identity Across Borders. A Study in the ‘IKEA-World”, available at: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:603282/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Stompff, G. (2003), “The forgotten bond: brand identity and product design”, Design Management Journal, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 26-32

Veres Z, (2004), Szolgaltatásmarketing [Service marketing], KJK Kerszöv Publisher, Budapest

Brădățeanu, V. (2018), “PORTRET. Gheorghe Zamfir – cel mai iportant interpret la nai din toate timpurile, un rebel care a metamorfozat sunetul”, [PORTRAIT. Gheorghe Zamfir - The most important performer of all time, a rebel who metamorphosed the sound] available at: http://www.rador.ro/2018/04/06/portret-gheorghe-zamfir-cel-mai-important-interpret-la-nai-din-toate-timpurile-un-rebel-care-a-metamorfozat-sunetul-2/, accessed on: 15.01.2020

Németh, K. (2018), “Milyen a jó logó? Mire figyelj a tervezésnél?” [“What makes a logo great? What to pay attention when designing one?”], available at: http://blog.webshark.hu/2018/06/04/milyen-jo-logo/, accessed on: 15.01.2020

http://oroszok.reblog.hu/az-orosz-rulett-titka, accessed on: 25.01.2020

https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikaviadal, accessed on: 17.11.2019

https://www.interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2019/ranking/, accessed on: 05.12.2019

https://www.loreal.hu/csr-%E2%80%93-t%C3%A1rsadalmi-felel%C5%91ss%C3%A9gv%C3%A1llal%C3%A1s/l%E2%80%99or%C3%A9al-%E2%80%93-unesco-a-n%C5%91k%C3%A9rt-%C3%A9s-a-tudom%C3%A1ny%C3%A9rt, accessed on: 18.12.2019

https://www.forwomeninscience.com/en/awards, accessed on: 18.12.2019

http://mediapedia.hu/ford, accessed on: 20.12.2019

https://www.ford.com/suvs-crossovers/ecosport/, accessed on: 20.12.2019

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/furniture/ikea.html, accessed on: 01.01.2020 – 02.01.2020

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/retail/loreal.html, accessed on: 02.01.2020

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/food/starbucks.html, accessed on: 03.01.2020

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford-cars-and-trucks.html, accessed on: 04.01.2020 – 05.01.2020

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/about/faq/#what-is-consumeraffairs-for-brands, accessed on: 03.01. 2020