Brand destination positioning is one of the most significant marketing concepts that is based on managing business ideas to differentiate them from the competition. Its initial goal is to strengthen associative connections and attract new clients by creating an interesting name, providing simple but informative slogans, and sharing clear statements with value propositions (Pike & Page, 2014).
Each country is free to develop their destination branding ideas and positioning to stabilize their economies, improve their international relationships, and offer a variety of services depending on their geographical or cultural peculiarities. After certain economic and political challenges, Turkey supports a positive atmosphere for the development of tourism marketing with no panic or protests (Nsehe, 2018). In this paper, Turkey destination’s brand positioning will be identified and explained by creating a place where people can forget about their troubles and differentiating their destination from the competition.
Destination Brand Positioning Preparation
There is no need to hide the truth that Turkey is the country where low-income tourists can spend their vacations. It is a source of cheap sand, sun, and sea for people regardless of their financial opportunities and demands. During the last several decades, the task of managers and marketers was the discovery of Turkey’s potential and the creation of a national image (Nas, 2017). As a result, coastal areas have considerably been increased, influencing communication activities and marketing campaigns. It is high time to introduce new destination brand positioning with an image that underlines the uniqueness of Turkey among competing countries.
Destination Brand Positioning
It is not necessary for a tourist to love Turkey and its people. What means is to come to this country and not to lose an opportunity to develop new relationships and fall in love in that unforgettable journey. As almost every relationship between people, this love story may have its positive and negatives and a tourist should be prepared for it. Memorable mornings and unpredictable evenings, impressive landscapes, and alluring sea waves – all this will be a part of the relationships every guest can create with Turkey. It is the place where history and reality are closely intertwined with each other to prove that all these emotions and feelings are real and stay forever.
Evaluation of Destination Brand Positioning
In this destination Turkey brand positioning, special attention is paid to a human factor and the desire to focus on the relationships between a person and a country. There is no need to underline the financial aspects of tourism but to underline what people can get when they decide to visit Turkey. It may not be love at first sight, but it will be a journey to remember. The tourist perspective includes an opportunity to learn the history of the country and visit its places of interest, as well as to enjoy comfort.
Destination vs. Competition
This destination differentiates from competition because of the chosen objective positioning. It includes the description of several objective attributes, emotions, and attitudes towards one single physical product – a ticket to Turkey. This country is the place where people can find out the necessary portion of happiness and peace. Turkey aims to satisfy human needs and desires but not to offer something other countries do. This is how the differentiation between the chosen destination and competition can be explained and proves that Turkey is a place for people to relax and entertain.
References
Nas, A. (2017). Branding and national identity: The analysis of “Turkey: Discover the potential” campaign. Bilig – Turk Dunyasl Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 83, 201-224.
Pike, S., & Page, S. J. (2014). Destination marketing organizations and destination marketing: A narrative analysis of the literature. Tourism Management, 41, 202-227. Web.
The Marriott Hotel chain is one of the world’s best-known organizations operating in the hospitality industry. The company has gained the status of a luxury one due to the quality of services and the extent of comfort that it is ready to provide to its guests. The ability to meet the highest demands of its guests arises from Marriott’s unique way of managing operations, among which front office ones take a crucial spot. Marriott started its journey in 1927 and has been growing ever since.
Due to its focus on expansion and the policies of acquisition, Marriot currently owns more than 100 brands (Marriott Bonvoy, 2019). Among the ones that Marriott considers particularly important assets, one should mention the Courtyard hotels and the Ritz-Carlton services (Marriott Bonvoy, 2019). Having been acquired by Marriott in 2019 and 1998 correspondingly, the two brands represent Marriott’s notion of luxury and high-quality services quite well. While the luxury of the Ritz-Carlton services does not need specific introductions, Courtyard offers much more humble rooms at more affordable prices for families and business travels (Marriott Bonvoy, 2019). The brands in question could not be more different in the environment that they have created for their visitors, Ritz-Carlton boasting its highly luxurious services and Courtyard emphasizing the charm of its simplicity.
The goal of this report is to look at the differences in the implementation of services by the Room Division Departments in each of the brands defined above to compare them and understand what factors matter in achieving guest satisfaction. Despite being drastically different, both brands have achieved high customer satisfaction levels by learning to appeal to their unique demands.
Differences between the Responsibilities
The Room Division Department is the heart of every hotel since it determines the roles and functions that the rest of the brand’s departments will play in meeting customers’ demands and facilitating the required extent of quality. However, due to the necessity to cater to different demands, the responsibilities of Room Division Departments in the Courtyard hotels and the Ritz-Carlton services are quite different from each other.
However, in many areas, the responsibilities of the Room Division Department at Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton overlap since there are set standards for addressing customers’ needs that both luxury brands and their more budget versions have to provide. These services include welcoming the guests, checking them in, and preparing the room (Marriott International, n.d.). While these standards are quite basic, the difference in execution becomes evident once the approaches used at Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton are compared. The traditional set of standards including checking in, preparing the room, and registering new customers is provided at Courtyard, which features a decent set of options for clients. However, At Ritz-Carlton, visitors are also offered complimentary services that elevate the quality of support and make guests feel special (Marriott Bonvoy, 2019). Therefore, there are different dynamics between the staff members and customers at each of the hotels, which separates the luxurious brands from the budget ones.
Front Office Operations
Similar to the Room Division, the Front Office Operations are quite different for luxurious and budget brands, as the examples of Ritz-Carlton and Courtyard show respectively. At both hotels, the managers of Front Office Operations are expected to resolve issues that guests may have when using the hotel’s facilities and services. Addressing complaints is another crucial part of the Front Office Operations Department (Marriott International, n.d.). Although Courtyard represents a significantly cheaper version of Ritz-Carlton, the focus on customers’ satisfaction is substantially high in both settings, which is an indicator of the homogenous corporate philosophy that both services follow. The influence of corporate values and the promotion of Marriott’s concept of quality management is evident when comparing the efficacy of Front Office Operations at Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton.
The preparation for guest arrivals is quite different at Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton, yet the general spirit of hospitality is equally strong in both hotels. At Ritz-Carlton, the preparation includes not only preparing impeccably clean and orderly rooms but also asking visitors about their unique needs and how the hotel staff could meet them. At Courtyard, room preparation may take some time due to possible hindrances in the management of services, yet guests are always provided with compensation for any inconveniences.
Welcoming guests is an inseparable part of hospitality services. The process of welcoming is quite similar at Ritz-Carlton and Courtyard, from the procedure of checking in to the process of showing them to their rooms. However, at luxury brands such as Ritz-Carlton, additional tools that allow guests to feel welcome are used. For instance, the use of automated tools that help to set an ideal temperature in a room as soon as its status changes from vacant to occupied is one of the features that distance luxury services from the ones that are more humble in terms of their budget.
The level of service, in general, also varies significantly when comparing Ritz-Carlton and Courtyard. While in the latter, customers are often expected to show a certain amount of autonomy when it comes to addressing specific needs and issues, at Ritz-Carlton, every question is solved by integrating the hotel management system and using the appropriate hotel resources (Kim, Tang, & Roehl, 2018). The described characteristics of luxury services compared to budget ones indicate that the infrastructure of the budget hotels is less sophisticated and, therefore, may not be as timely as one of the luxury brands.
The departure and post-departure processes at Ritz-Carlton and Courtyard also have distinctive differences that allow one to differentiate between luxury and budget hotel brands. During the departure, guests at Courtyard often have to make their way out of the facilities, whereas at Ritz-Carlton, transportation services are most likely to be provided (Schefers, González, Folch, & Munoz-Gamarra, 2018). However, when it comes to the analysis of the post-departure services, the differences between luxury hotels and budget ones have blurred once again. Both Ritz-Carlton and Courtyard give their visitors extensive options for future communication and prepare the foundation for building customer loyalty (Kim et al., 2018). The described steps are achieved by maintaining the dialogue with guests after departure through subscription e-mails, surveys, and other methods of making the target audience feel valued. Moreover, the described techniques allow updating customers on the new services and developments in the hotel environment, thus raising people’s enthusiasm to use the hotel’s services once again.
Three Channels and Tools
Cross-disciplinary collaboration makes the core of successful performance for both luxury and budget hotels. As long as the hotel staff operates coherently and uses collaboration to improve the hotel services and customers’ experience, a hotel is likely to thrive, as the examples of both Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton show. However, the specified cohesion is not quite easy to attain. The communication channels that hotels use to maintain the information flow within their systems constantly need to be elaborate and complex so that no information should be lost during the data management process.
Currently, three main tools used as communication channels in the hospitality industry can be identified. The use of social media is a sure method of keeping customers updated on the latest news and events associated with the hotel, as well as stabling a strong rapport with the target audiences (Berezan, Yoo, & Christodoulidou, 2016). E-mails as a more personal way of contacting target audiences is another important communication channel, yet there is always a possibility that customers may mark new messages as spam if they are sent very frequently and are not targeted specifically at the recipient (Berezan et al., 2016). Finally, credit should be given to public events as an efficient marketing tool and a powerful communication channel (Berezan et al., 2016). Although events cannot be arranged frequently due to the expenses associated with their management and the possibility of losing their significance if performed too often, events serve as the tool for engaging with customers directly and managing the relationships with other participants of the supply chain.
Target Market
The difference in the target markets of the services that position themselves as luxury and those that define themselves as budget is quite evident and self-explanatory. In Marriott’s case, the Courtyard hotel chain as a budget one focuses on the audiences that may have restricted financial resources or find it necessary to use a cost-efficient approach toward travel. Ritz-Carlton, in turn, appeals to the type of public that seeks luxury and probably deems it as a merit of their social status, or, at the very least, searches or exquisite experiences. Therefore, the tools that each brand uses to attract the attention of their selected audiences are quite different from each other. Depending on whether the services provided at the hotel are luxurious or budgetary, different needs of the target clientele are addressed. For Ritz-Carlton, the need to support the guests’ perception of their social status, as well as the desire to experience unique, exquisite, and, therefore, very experience services is what defines the approach used by the brand to market itself and choose performance strategies. At Courtyard, comfort and cost-efficient options are seen as the essential needs that the hotel staff should seek to address, which is why the target audience of the specified brand includes middle-class citizens rather than those of the upper tier of society.
Current and Supplementary Strategies
The approaches that Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton utilize to respond to customers’ requirements share certain similarities, yet there is a distinctive difference in the extent of supplementary options for customers, the amount of space in hotel rooms, the range of dining options, and other options. Ritz-Carlton seeks to focus on diversity and cost of the services to awe its visitors with luxury. Courtyard, in turn, strives toward cleanliness and accuracy in delivering services to compensate for the lack of additional options. While the described solutions work quite well for both services, additional tools may be needed to support the current streak of success for both brands.
For Courtyard, the development of a mobile application that could help customers to maintain the dialogue with staff members should be considered. In addition, Courtyard may focus on personalizing the visitors’ experience. For Ritz-Carlton, additional strategies may include developing cultural awareness in Front Office Operators to tailor the services specifically to customers’ unique needs and experiences. Moreover, virtual reality tools and other options for guests to place themselves into the hotel before visiting it and, thus, make their stay as comfortable as possible, should be included (Pinillos, Marcos, Feliz, Zalama, & Gómez-García-Bermejo, 2016). As soon as customers realize that they are regarded as the priority, they will be able to enjoy the hotel services fully.
References
Berezan, O., Yoo, M., & Christodoulidou, N. (2016). The impact of communication channels on communication style and information quality for hotel loyalty programs. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 7(1), 100-116. Web.
Kim, M., Tang, C. H., & Roehl, W. S. (2018). The effect of hotel’s dual-branding on willingness-to-pay and booking intention: a luxury/upper-upscale combination. Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 17(4), 256-275. Web.
Marriott International. (n.d.). The Marriott management philosophy: A living tradition of values and beliefs. Web.
Pinillos, R., Marcos, S., Feliz, R., Zalama, E., & Gómez-García-Bermejo, J. (2016). Long-term assessment of a service robot in a hotel environment. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 79(1), 40-57. , Web.
Schefers, N., González, J. J. R., Folch, P., & Munoz-Gamarra, J. L. (2018). A constraint programming model with time uncertainty for cooperative flight departures. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 96, 170-191. Web.
In the process of document/image storage, it is imperative that proper identification systems be developed in order to making cataloguing and searching easier. This essay shall focus on the Bates numbering system of document branding.
To this end, a definition and explanation of the basic steps that the procedure entails shall be provided. Aside from this, an example of the usage of the identification system shall be provided.
Bates numbering is an identification system utilized in various professional fields such as medicine and law. It basically involves putting identifying digits alongside dates and the specific time of branding on documents and pictures as they undergo scanning or other forms of processing.
This technique can also be utilized in marking and identifying pictures with copyright symbols by impressing acceptable legal marks such as company logos on them. Aside from identifying images and documents, this technique also provides protection and security for them.
In legal documents, there may be need for identifying each page of a given document. In this usage, the Bates numbering machine gives random and unique tags to each and every page of the document. The identification marks may comprise digits or a combination of digits and letters. In other words there is no standardized format for the technique.
The Bates numbering machines can either be electronic or manual. The manual machine is a wheeled stamp which updates itself upwards every time the stamp is put into use. This stamp mainly comes with 3, 4 or seven wheels and also has a mechanism for re-inking after each usage. It is however worth noting that the manual Bates numbering machines are gradually becoming extinct as the world moves onto digital technologies.
The electronic Bates numbering system is basically a computer application entrenched in various software such PDF readers. They operate in the same incremental way as the manual system such that documents or document pages are assigned uniquely different identification marks.
A common usage of the Bates numbering system particularly since the advent of computer technology is the branding of PDF documents. For instance, if an individual has a single page or one PDF document that needs tagging, all that he/she needs is to select the Bates numbering feature from the appropriate tab depending on the type of software used.
Several adjustments will be required including the digit at which to start the numbering as well as the font properties and layouts. The procedure is the same for more than one document/ pages except that most if not all PDF software will require one to specify that there are multiple documents in the series for the numbering to come out as desired.
In summary, it can be said that Bates numbering is a basic system of document organization operating on the principle of clearly embedding documents and images with unique digital or manual identifiers.
The system can be used to arrange individual documents based on their particular types or can isolate the individual pages of one document in such a way that it is easier to go directly to the page that is needed.
The most common usage of the Bates numbering system is the stamping of PDF documents with special identification numbers using a specially designed tool that comes with the relevant software for this particular purpose.
Personal computers were introduced in the 1970s, but they have been improving in terms of specifications over the years. Students use laptops for academic and non-academic purposes, which require diverse computing abilities of computers. This study focused on using a survey to determine the common brands of laptops among students in the UAE. A sample size of 1000 students was used. The survey data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. It was established that the MacBook brand was being used by the highest number of students (P>0.05). Marketing executives of other brands would be advised to adopt the marketing approaches that are being used by Apple and focus on providing excellent features on their personal computers.
Introduction
Allan Kay can be remembered as the pioneer of the idea of laptops in 1968. However, it was not until 1971 when specialists in the field of computer science executed the novel idea. In 1973, the IBM started producing and selling laptops on a large scale. However, the products were limited to the US, preventing other parts of the world from using the new technology. In1984, technology companies commenced large-scale production of laptops, which could be distributed to global markets. Maxwell (2006) argues that people were amazed that the new computing devices could be used anywhere with a lot of ease, unlike workstations.
Purpose of the study
The study aimed at determining the preferred laptops among students in the UAE.
Significance of the study
The study findings would be important in the laptop industry because they would help firms to produce laptops that would attract many customers who would be students in various institutions of learning in the UAE. It would be critical for marketing executives to redesign their marketing approaches so that they would capture the market. In fact, students have computing needs that are different from those of other users of computing devices. Another important aspect of the study is that students would benefit from improved laptops that would be produced and sold by players in the telecommunications industry because they would be competing against each other. The competition would be on the premises of offering consumers with computing machines, which would have excellent features.
Literature Review
Since the concept of personal computers was developed and made practical in the 1960s and 1970s respectively, there have been rapid improvements that have resulted in better laptops across the world (Fert, 2008). Research has shown that the first PC that was characterised by the flip form factor was manufactured in the early years of the 1980s. In fact, the firm involved in the production initially marketed the product in Australia before it was distributed to other parts of the world in mid 1980s. However, when trying to trace the term “laptop”, it is worth noting that it was the Gavilan SC that produced personal computing devices and called them laptops.
Most of the techniques that were included in laptops were mainly those involved in data input such as the touchpad, the pointing stick and handwriting recognition features, among others. Over the years, computer technology has focused on making laptops lighter and more powerful with regard to the ease of performing various operations. For example, some CPUs produced in the 1990s were designed with a better ability to use minimum power than those marketed in the 1980s. The power saving attribute was on the platforms of dynamic power usage features such as those adopted by Intel and AMD (Fert, 2008).
It is no doubt that students contribute to a significant market of laptops in the UAE. Students have diverse tastes with regard to the models of personal computers that they purchase, which are influenced by many factors (Noorali, Karampour & Razmavar, 2014). In a survey conducted among students in 2010, it was established that a significant number of students purchased and used MacBook (Elmer-DeWitt, 2010).
Methodology
The study used a survey to identify the brands that were being used by students in different institutions of learning in the UAE.
The expected study findings
It was anticipated that the study could yield similar results to those published by Elmer-DeWitt (2010), which indicated that the majority of students preferred using MacBook personal computers.
Research findings
The survey was conducted using a sample size of 1000 students who were selected randomly from the population on the premises of owning laptops. Six brands were studied. The survey data were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. The following diagrams represent the results of the study.
PC brand
Number of students
MacBook
450
HP Omnibook
250
Acer’s Extensa
120
Lenovo’s IdeaPad
80
Dell’s Latitude
60
Zenbook (by Asus)
40
Figure 1. A summary of the survey data.
Descriptive Statistics
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
VAR00001
5
.00
450.00
90.0000
201.24612
VAR00002
5
40.00
250.00
1.1000E2
83.66600
Valid N (listwise)
5
Figure 2. A diagram showing the results of descriptive statistics using SPSS table.
Correlations
VAR00001
VAR00002
VAR00001
Pearson Correlation
1
.935*
Sig. (2-tailed)
.020
N
5
5
VAR00002
Pearson Correlation
.935*
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
.020
N
5
5
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Figure 3. A diagram displaying the SPSS results of correlations.
Discussion
The results imply that college students in the UAE have unique preferences with regard to different brands of laptops. The leading type of personal computers among the students was found to be MacBook, which was being used by 450 respondents in the study. Among the brands studied, Zenbook (by Asus) was found to have the least number of users. The results established that a significant number of students were using MacBook PCs. In fact, the correlation test that analysed the brands showed that there was a significant correlation (P>0.05) with regard to the adoption of MacBook. Thus, the findings are similar to those established about four years ago (Elmer-DeWitt, 2010).
The MacBook has maintained the lead among brands of personal computers in the recent past (Wright & Yoshida, 2014). It would be important to conclude that the brand has the best sales in the region. This could be true even in other groups of users apart from the students. Thus, it is important to assess the features that make the product the preferred brand among students. The brand is characterised features that support the educational requirements of students. It has a high level of serviceability that make students buy it because it could be repaired easily. In addition, it is relatively light and easy to carry. Finally, it adopts the current attributes of the computing technology.
Recommendations
Based on the study findings, several recommendations would be made.
Other companies should improve the computing features of their laptops.
Personal computers manufactured to be used by students should have a high level of usability and maintainability.
The competitors of Apple’s MacBook should adopt marketing approaches that are successful in the UAE.
Fert, A. (2008). Nobel lecture: Origin, development, and future of spintronics. Reviews of Modern Physics, 80(4), 1517. Web.
Maxwell, J. W. (2006). Tracing the Dynabook. Web.
Noorali, M. R., Karampour, A. H., & Razmavar, T. (2014). Product Rating Based on Marketing Mix Elements According to Customers’ Preference Using ANP Technique (Case Study: Market of Laptops ASUS, DELL, HP and SONY in Tehran). Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 10(3). 345-359. Web.
Wright, G. D., & Yoshida, M. (2014). Winners of the 2013 JA Medals for excellence. The Journal of antibiotics, 67(5), 351-352. Web.
Many companies today turn to co-branding, pairing their brands with one another in collaborative marketing efforts (“What is the logic behind Co-Branding?” 2010). Although the concept of co-branding is not new, it became specifically evident in the era where the companies’ brands started bearing a value, equal to the company’s tangible assets.
There are many reasons to embark on co-branding programs, but the rationale can be seen specifically obvious for the case of mobile phones. With the rapid advancements in mobile technologies, the companies reached a point where the three important components of successful mobile phone models on the market, i.e. technical characteristics, software, and design, are gradually equalized for different manufacturers.
The usage of co-branding is one of the effective methods of overcoming such a dilemma, where the cooperation between different brands was used in other industries (McKee, 2009). It should be noted that the wide recognition of the partner in co-branding is seen as one of the aspects, where the importance of other elements such as the attributes of the product and the preferences of the consumers might be questioned.
The Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the proposed study will be to elaborate on and clarify the link between co-branding and the product attribute preferences for a Motorola mobile phone brand. The study will use data from surveys to answer the following questions: 1) “does co-branding increase consumer perceptions of the price, quality, and image of the product attribute?”; 2) “what attribute(s) preferences are not affected by co-branding?”
Participants
The participants of the study will be young consumers, 20-29 years of age. The participants will be acquaintances, friends, and visitors of social networks on the internet. Additionally, part of the participants will be students affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which the author of the research is currently studying, with no preferences for race, gender or ethnic groups. The main consideration is paid to the age group, which will be selected on the basis that this category falls within the age group of the university and college students.
Research Design/Procedures
The Hypothesis
The hypothesis of this study states that the collaboration of a mobile phone brand with another market brand will not significantly change the attributes preferences of the mobile phone brand. The null hypothesis for this study is:
The collaboration between a mobile phone brand and another market brand will lead to a significant change of attribute preferences for the mobile phones of the selected mobile phone brand.
The Rationale for the Study
The benefits of the study can be seen twofold. On the one hand, the findings might outline the weight that consumers put on the image component of mobile phones, as compared to the functional. Comparing devices with similar functionalities, in which one is co-branded with another major brand, a substantial price difference might exist.
In that regard, from a business point of view, the study might indicate for marketers, which attributes of the product can be reduced in a co-branding initiative. On the other hand, the same can be said about the attribute, the sacrifice of which might negatively impact the sales of the co-branded product. On an individual level, there are direct benefits expected in this study.
Sampling Procedures
The main inclusion criterion for the participants in the high-quality age group, where participants above the age of 30 will be excluded from the study. The exclusion will be based largely on a visual identity for personal selection, and general guidelines on the survey.
The rationale for such criteria can be seen in the importance given by the specific age group for the brand name and the extensive usage of the specific attributes of the product, e.g. cameras, games, etc. The sampling was non-probability convenience sampling of the students whom the authors of the study know, including the students of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW).
The link will be posted on social networks over the internet, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, My Space, etc. For the students of (UWW), the link to the survey will be given upon their approval for participating in the study. Additionally, snowball sampling will be used, in which the participants applicable to the selection criteria will be asked to recommend and provide the link of the survey to their friends, who are applicable to the selection criteria.
Research Procedures
A survey was composed consisting of several parts, a basic survey and a basic information questionnaire intended to categorize the respondents and their basic preferences. The second part is Likert scale questions, which will measure the dependent variable in the study, i.e. the preferences of product attributes. The independent variable is the co-branding of mobile phones with a brand of choice or selected from a list.
The data collection will be consisting of several steps, which after receiving the complete approved protocol from UWW for the UWW participants, the surveys will be collected from the website SurveyMonkey, which link was given to the participants, upon the return of which the answers will be reviewed for completeness. The estimated duration for the study is approximately a week, where 3 days will be given for collecting the participants, with the rest of the week given for data retrieval so as to reduce the possibility of low return. The location of the data collection will be the UWW campus. The data will be analyzed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
Rewards
No rewards will be established for the study, where the participants will be solely on a voluntary basis.
Safeguarding the Identity
The information gathered from the participants might be used as a part of the research, in case it will be published. The data which will be used implies the only statistical representation of the correlation between the investigated variables. No personal information will be given to any third party, including the respondents’ emails. The statistical data used will not allow the identification of the participants in any direct or indirect way.
The immediate use of data will be comprised of measuring the correlation, through a statistical program. The long range of data will show only the findings of the study, and the implications for practical use.
Risk
Minimal risk is expected for the study. In case such risks do occur, such risks might be expected from potential intrusion to the data collected from the respondents, which will be accordingly connected to their email addresses. Nevertheless, it can be stated that such risk is minimal as well as the harm that might be produced, while on the other hand, the potential benefit of the knowledge might outweigh such risks. The study will attempt to contribute to the area of marketing and explaining the behavior of consumers.
Deception
No deception will be used
Consent
As the survey will be provided in electronic form, the consent of the participants will obtain through include the consent statement on the cover page of every survey. The informed consent statement, which will be used, can be seen below:
You are to participate in a research project called “Effects of Co-branding on Product Attribute Preferences.” The study has the main purpose of learning what effect co-branding has on the product attributes preferences. The expected length of this study is 10-15 minutes, during which you will be required to select the answer that corresponds to your preferences as well as providing personal information. The answers to the survey will be collected electronically, by sending the survey sheet to the email address indicated at the end of this page.
The potential risks of this study include the possibility of information theft and subsequent misuse. There are no direct or indirect benefits to you from participating in this study. The answers that you provide might help marketing analysts better understand buyer behavior. The study does not involve any treatment or any alternative procedures.
The answers that you will provide will be kept confidential, where every effort will be made to safeguard your personal and other information from unauthorized access. Your name will not be used in any reports, publications or future presentations that might be derived for this study. The information used will be encrypted using TrueCrypt, disk encryption software, which will limit the access only to the author of this research. The research project is not conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater or any affiliated department, and they will not be able to identify the identity of the respondents through the copy of the results, which they shall receive.
Participation in this study is voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time. There is no penalty for the withdrawal of the study as well as there is no reward for participation.
References
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.
McKee, S. (2009). The Pros and Cons of Co-Branding. Business Week. Web.
Trochim, W. M. K. (2006). Nonprobability Sampling. Social Methods Research. Web.
What is the logic behind Co-Branding? (2010). Management-Hub.com. Web.
Bling H20 is a brand of mineral water bottled in Dandridge, Tennessee and the design was inspired by Kevin Boyd, a writer and producer. After spending a lot of time in the studio with celebrities, he observed that the water bottle type could be used to identify one’s class. This brand of mineral water is packaged in snowy bottles decorated with Swarovski crystals and to further add class, it is purified in a nine-step course that comprises Ozone, UV treatment and micro-filtration (Bling H20, N. d., para. 1). Its price ranges from $25 to $75, depending on volume.
Objective
The aim of the paper is to explore how the product would perform in an Australian Market and its likely buyers.
Discussion
Australia’s population as at September 2010 was roughly 22.4 million, almost a quarter of these (4.5 million) live in Sidney, 4 million in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide follow with 2 million, 1.6 million and 1.2 million respectively. With a total area of 7.687 square Kilometers, the population density of Australia is two persons per square Kilometer, this would be one of the lowest figures in the world, however, most of the continent is either desert or semi desert (40%) and little agricultural activity is practiced. As a result, Australia is one of the most urbanized countries with 90% of the population living in urban areas. The age structure is fairly balanced with more than two-thirds of the total population being between the ages of 15 and 64.
If Bling H20 was to be introduced in Australia, the highest sales would be recorded in Sydney, besides being the most populous city in the continent, it has the highest population density and the highest urban population. Besides, it has a median age of 35 and is the economic hub of Australia, for example, out of the 54 banks operating in the continent, 44 have their headquarters in Sydney.
Melbourne would follow closely due to its population but this is not the case, it is not as economically active as Sydney’s. Melbourne is Australia’s centre for arts, education and cultural and entertainment and is often referred to as the cultural capital of the continent. Melbourne’s woes are further worsened by the weather; the city experiences low rainfall and high temperatures and this has created a water shortage which forced the government to enforce water restriction among the residents. The city also has housing problems resulting from its low-density housing. These factors, coupled with the high housing rates and a high population growth rate, reduce the resident’s ability to be high-spenders and Bling H20 would not perform well in the city.
Bottled Water in Australia
Australians spend more than half a billion dollars on bottled annually and it is no surprise that the sale of bottled water rises by 10% in the same period. There have been environmental concerns regarding use of bottled water with experts suggesting that a lot of oil is used in producing bottled water, moreover, just 36% of the bottles are recycled (Do Something, 2009, para. 1). The continent’s use of bottled water leads to the production of more than 60,000 tonnes of Greenhouse discharge yearly- equivalent to what 13,000 cars would emit over the same duration. More than 1000 bottled water brands are sold in Australia, examples of companies producing mineral water are Coca Cola, Amatil and Schweppes, even companies manufacturing beer have joined in this business.
The extent to which bottled water affects the environment in Australia was seen recently when residents of Bundanoon voted to ban its sale, saying that the high amounts of energy used to package the water deplete the environment. The waste bottles also pollute the soil (BBC News, 2009, para. 1).
Ethical Concerns on H20
The first ethical concern that people have on Bling H20 is its ridiculous high price, an average water bottle costs about $3.00 but Bling H20 costs as much as $75.00, at this price, it is the most expensive mineral water in the world, Bling H20 has been made expensive for no apparent reason. Obviously, the owners are ripping the public of their money in the name of ‘the best tasting water’. The second concern is on the environment. If the treatment procedure is truly a nine-step process as said by the company, then this means that a lot of Greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere, worsening the already bad environmental situation. The third ethical concern is the influence that this company might have on others. Other companies may learn from the success of Bling H20 and increase their prices in the hope of persuading people that ‘if it is expensive, then it is quality’. This kind of mentality may make other companies to hike their prices beyond the reach of an average citizen.
Brand Manager
If I was the brand manager, my message would mainly dwell on the need to produce a unique brand for the affluent members of the society, which, of course, should come at a price. I would inform the board that this product is not meant for everybody, rather for the celebrities who are willing to pay any sum of money to maintain their status quo.
The growth of international brands can be supported by international trade organizations. They can create an opportunity for businesses to offer specialized products to the markets while expanding globally. The reason for it is that they reduce costs of distributing products to other countries, make possible trading with countries that were not available to distributors earlier, and help with resolving disputes that may occur. Therefore, the international trade organizations can significantly assist international brands in their expansion.
The main goal of international trading organizations is liberalizing trading in the world. This is implemented by assisting countries and their representatives in negotiations and coming to conditions beneficial for all sides. An example of such an organization is the is the World Trade Organization that was established specifically to monitor the international trade with the goal of liberalizing it (Anderson, n.d.). This liberalization consists of minimalizing the engagement of government in trading. This helps international brands to deal with less bureaucracy and reduce costs of export. The fees that have to be paid by organizations would be much higher without the engagement of international trading organizations. They organize negotiation processes between representatives of countries where they set specific conditions based on which the trades will be conducted. This allows to avoid many issues that could possibly occur (Smith, n.d.). The problem of extra taxation would be one of them. Because the process of exporting a product is organized, countries have agreements on how fees must be paid, which eventually helps to reduce them.
Without international trade organizations, there would be many obstacles for international brands to deliver their products worldwide. They would face issues with taxation, unnecessary governmental engagement in the trade, high export costs and inability to resolve occurring disputes. Therefore, the growth of international brands would be impossible without assistance of international trade organizations. Even though their help is mostly indirect, yet setting proper conditions for a liberalized and accessible system based on transparent international agreements improves the possibilities for international trading.
It is important to note that protecting trademarks and brands on the internet, especially on social media, is of paramount criticality not allow anyone to infringe one’s intellectual property. Both brand and trademark are designed to identify and be associated with a specific product or service. Therefore, a company is obliged to protect such a unique aspect of their business, which can be used by other parties to promote their interests. The necessary measures include registering the brand or trademark, proactively securing accounts on all essential platforms with relevant hashtags, and actively enforcing and protecting these elements through legal framework as well as regular monitoring.
Trademark and Brand
In order to ensure an in-depth discussion on the protection efforts in regards to trademarks and brands, it is vital to define them beforehand. A brand is an identity of a particular product and service, whereas a trademark is “any kind of name, logo, motto, device, sound, color, or look that identifies the origin of a particular good or service” (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d., para. 2). There is a wide range of various trademarks, such as collective marks, certification marks, service marks, trade dress, or phrases (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d.). It should be noted that a trademark is permanent with no expiration date, and it can be anything unique, such as color, words, or design.
Existing Legal Frameworks of Protection
One should be aware that there is a federal law and corresponding agency which are responsible for registering and protecting trademarks. The Lanham Act is designed “to prevent consumer confusion, the public good is best served by allowing companies to maintain their trademarks as long as consumers associate a trademark with a specific origin” (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d., para. 4). A company must be cautious of genericide occurring to its trademark when the consumer begins using the word for a class of goods rather than a specific product or service. One must actively educate the consumers on how to properly use the trademark (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d.). Domain names online can result in trademark infringement, which is called cybersquatting, and it is protected by the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d.). The Lanham Act’s fair use “prohibits the use of someone else’s trademark when selling goods” (“9.4 trademarks,” n.d., para. 20). Therefore, there are many legal frameworks protecting trademarks.
Internet and Social Media
Since trademark protection laws apply to the internet as well, companies need to be aware of domain names conducting cybersquatting. These domains need to be constantly searched for and identified before determining whether or not a violation occurred. The challenge becomes even more complicated and complex in the case of social media. A most effective way to protect one’s trademark is to proactively register the trademark or brand by securing relevant hashtags, account names, and pages (“Trademark and copyright: 3 steps,” n.d.). It is up to trademark owners to enforce their rights for trademarks by committing to a routine search for infringement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, protecting brands and trademarks on the internet, including social media, is done by knowing one’s legal rights and enforcing them proactively on these mediums. In the case of social media, all major platforms must be used to actively register the relevant brand and trademark accounts, names, or hashtags. It is important to note that enforcing one’s rights is solely dependent on the owners for the most part. The primary reason is that they are responsible for identifying the infringement cases.
Singapore Island is currently positioning itself as a hub for medical tourism. The country’s health care sector attracts approximately over two hundred thousand patients from other countries on an annual basis.
The country is strategizing on how to serve one million patients by the near future since this would form crucial source of revenue to the government.
The country is known to provide world class treatment based on modern-technology and best medical expertise.
One of the largest private healthcare facilities in Asia is found in Singapore with highly competent physicians and nurses. These hospitals generally deal with the treatment of wide scope of ailments and patient care.
Singapore’s hospitals also offer special clinics for international clients. The courtesy of their hospitals extends to receiving patients and their families from the airports and at the same time providing help on necessary arrangements.
This makes Singapore’s health care industry outstand amidst the 140,000 hospitals serving within Asian region. The Asian population is expected to grow at a higher rate by 2050, providing a potential base for healthcare business (Chantarapitak, 2006).
Singapore needs to beef up its medical tourism promotion through Medicine website. Such website would provide important links required to access Singapore’s major hospital chains, clinics, specific physicians as well as international patient centres.
The estimated regular tourist spending stands at $ 144 per day while that of medical tourists stand at $ 362. Coordinated national strategy within Singapore could be utilized to boost medical sector (Chantarapitak, 2006).
National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and its Services mix
The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) is a health facility found in Singapore specializing in the provision of cancer treatment services.
The facility became a national cancer centre in the year 1999 and has evolved through the years to become an established regional centre used for research and cancer treatment.
It became the first established one-stop multi-disciplinary centre where physicians are granted the opportunity to sub-specialize to deeply understand various types of cancer.
In addition the NCCS became the first centre to introduce various innovative services for patients such as establishment of fluorescence diagnosis in 2004 and drug-induced light therapy.
In addition the facility introduced use of Images-Guided Radiotherapy capable of enhancing radiation based treatment.
NCCS is known as a regional and national centre of excellence. The centre also offers services on cancer prevention and deals with Thoracic, Pancreatic, Head, Hepatobiliary and Neck cancers.
These cases are attended by highly qualified oncologists having international recognition. This makes it possible for the centre to offer internationally recognized services with the support of nursing and allied health professionals.
The oncologists present at the centre provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary cancer care services which include surgical, radiation and medical oncologists. The oncologists also conduct clinical and basic research aimed at prevention and treatment of cancer.
The nature of training of the physicians is also an important aspect used to market the hospitals. Professionalism of the physicians within the hospital acts as an added advantage and a tool for promoting quality services.
The websites of Singapore should feature physicians and their training backgrounds including academic credentials. This guarantees consumers’ confidence since physicians providing their care are trained in the best world institutions.
It is important for hospitals providing international care to encourage their physicians to obtain United States board certification which is used to signal international standard of training. Such certification helps medical facilities present an elite image within the international medical care sector.
Most of the private hospitals focus on attracting customers from around the world. This provides opportunities for medical brokerages and at the same time outsourcing of health services for the purposes of cutting down costs (McNeill, 2009).
The establishment of global market for health care services would benefit patients and the nature of health care delivery. However, both the advantages and disadvantages of medical tourism require consideration for the reality in experience and organization of health systems.
NCCS Brand elements
The company’s brand image determines its current position, future development and progress within the market. The brand elements of the company include an encouraging statement offering sense of hope to patients and the presence of oncologist with the ability to listen and provide treatment patients from diversified backgrounds.
The brand elements might not be likeable but provides the necessary information on NCCS activities and capabilities making it easier to memorize hence suitable for international market.
Such positioning within the global market provided by attractive brand elements has contributed towards NCCS recognition as one of the sole leaders in health care sector.
The facility utilizes the use of modern and upgraded technology hence providing patients with services associated with their preferred system. NCCS use elite professionalism as one of the aspects of pulling international patients, eventually; this has made them win considerable customer base hence an outstanding brand name.
The use of highly qualified oncologists and provision of one-stop integrated and holistic patient-focused services has helped the company gain popularity by serving 70% of all cancer cases within the public sector (Chantarapitak, 2006).
At the same time the facility offers excellent work environment to its employees and this contributes to the company’s good image.
However, for NCCS to strengthen its coverage there is need for reinforced relationship with consumers and other potential partners like prestigious colleges within the global marketplace.
From technological view-point NCC works with facilities which ensures comprehensive digital document handling services, from storage to retrieval, and this is to the benefit of international customers.
Such approaches helps the company to consolidate its relationship with potential customers and at the same time the provision of services prove cost-effective since it makes it easier to deal with loyal customers.
Such applications are usually considered of profound advantage within the competitive market environment especially in the effect that majority of the players apply modern technology (Kotler and Keller, 2007).
The company’s involvement in training seminars within various countries all over the world and offering assistance in the building of institutions contributes towards its established image.
They offer learning services focused on educating consumers on quality health care for the purposes of preventing future occurrences of cancer.
The company’s image could as well be promoted through active involvement in environmental issues where they utilize their own resources to meet environmental objectives.
Their concerns for the general health of the community enables them earn great favour with consumers (Kotler and Keller, 2007).
Three pricing methods Used by NCCS
Singapore owns the biggest share of the international patient market in Asia ahead of other regional competitors like Bangkok. The basic money unit in Thailand, baht, was devalued making it difficult for Singapore’s hospitals to compete for clients since the prices of other regions were lower (Chantarapitak, 2006).
This made the government officials and hospital management to forgo discount offered on surgery market. At the same time the government invested in research and development making the country boom as a service economy.
The investment was geared towards transforming the city-state into centre for biomedical activities. Despite the prices, Singapore’s hospitals were marketed as leading destinations for quality treatment hence attracting international interest (SCRI, 2001).
International Pricing
Participants within the international market usually charge different prices on the same good depending on the region of operation. The decision is based on various factors prevailing within the country of operation such as economic conditions.
At the same time different marketing objectives may determine the pricing strategy adopted for various countries. Setting of international prices is also determined by consumer perceptions on the services provided and costs.
In some occasions, services that appear relatively inexpensive at home carry higher price tags within other countries owing to differences in market conditions (Larson and Lusch, 1992).
The nature of population of Singapore makes it possible for the government to draw international patients as well as medical specialists (Chantarapitak, 2006). There’s need to prevent the brain drain within health care sector and maximize on institutional efficiencies.
Such move would also help in promoting economies of scale. With the increased influx of international patients to Singapore, there would be notable increase in hospital revenue and increased number of specialists owing to majority of health care providers’ interest in Singapore.
Most of the medical equipment would be affordable to hospitals leading to increased contribution of health care to Singapore’s economy (Grimwade, 2000).
Geographical pricing
This represents the act of pricing goods and services based on geographical zones. Prices can at times be charged based on the distance covered for the good or service to reach the intended consumer.
Zone pricing is when the company sets its prices based on zones (Magretta, 2002). Customers from a given zone are entitled to single total price; hence the distance plays an important role in pricing of commodities.
Base-point pricing is the process where a seller identifies specific city as point of reference when calculating total costs and prices of goods and services.
Psychology pricing
At some point international consumers basically use prices to judge on the product quality. In this kind of pricing, sellers base their mathematics on psychology of prices rather than the economics.
Higher quality goods and services are perceived to be higher priced than the actual cost. Consumers normally resort to price level for the purposes of judging the quality in cases where they are unable to judge quality based on information and skill (Rosenbloom, 2007).
The reference price is reached after comparison between current, present and past prices. Consumers’ reference pricing can then be used by sellers as a means of setting price of goods and services.
One of the major determinants of consumer response towards goods and services within the market is the level of price attached to it. Prices also determine the degree of loyalty to a particular brand.
Higher prices always have the tendency of turning away potential clients. It is necessary for International companies to adopt new technologies capable of assisting them in improving their marketing abilities. This ultimately helps in building strong reputation within the market of operation.
Evaluation of prices through customer perspective is a very crucial aspect and helps in contributing towards the Company’s performance internationally.
It is important for the company to adopt the use of Business Score Card system since this assists the company make clear focus on customer centric measures which include; lead times, on-time delivery services, customer index and consumer satisfaction levels.
Such strategies help in creating some level of uniformity in the way services are offered across various regions (Jaworski and Kohli, 1991).
Partnerships
The two possible partners recommended for NCCS are Joint Commission International (JCI) and Manchester Cancer Centre (MCC).
Since NCCS desires to compete favourably within the global market, there is need for creating a partnership with competent organizations capable of assessing the required international standards within the hospital.
Such international accreditation services are offered by an American company, which assists in assessing the global standards. Hence, NCCS needs to partner with Joint Commission International (JCI) which serves as one of the known organization providing international accreditation of hospitals services.
The body has regional offices in Dubai and Singapore and hence provides an opportunity to market NCCS since it plays crucial role in hospital marketing campaigns. JCI labels provide necessary signals that an accredited hospital offers quality and safe international services hence recommended for patients (Chantarapitak, 2006).
NCCS needs to promote cancer advocacy and research within other regions including Asia. To ensure this is accomplished, NCCS should partner with other national cancer centres in Asia.
At the same time, the facility requires more improvement within its research portfolio. Such provisions require quality training programs which can only be achieved through collaboration with such institutions as Manchester Cancer Centre.
Partnership with Manchester Cancer Centre (MCC) would help in enriching NCCS research capabilities since it believes in learning and sharing of information. The nature of trainings and credentials provided by MCC, help in shaping up the services provided by NCCS, within the global market.
This provides a good platform for NCCS in targeting international patients since they will advertise their physicians and nurses as those from elite learning institutions.
The issue on co-branding plays major role in enriching international health services marketing campaigns since they send signals on quality of care at affordable prices (SCRI, 2001).
Trainings received at elite institutions and partnerships with these institutions are used as tools to sell health services since the symbols used for advanced biomedical technologies provide an indication that the hospitals offer high-quality health care services.
For instance, Apollo Hospitals are known for their advanced diagnostic imaging suites (Paswan, 2003). Such institutions permit health care providers to undertake services at affordable rates which would otherwise be charged highly within United States. These facilities would help in protecting the image of hospitals in Singapore.
Marketing communication tools utilized
The communication objective suitable for promoting the company amongst South Koreans is building awareness and providing information. Hierarchy-of-effects model is often explained by use of pyramid comprising of various objectives.
International patients can be drawn to private hospitals within Singapore by use of various marketing tools. This can be done through various channels such as hospital websites, television commercials, newspaper advertisements, medical brokerages, press releases and word-of-mouth marketing.
The use of the internet provides easy access to medical and hospital information to international clients. Many prospective international clients are always concerned about the quality and safety of health services within Singapore (Chantarapitak, 2006).
The nature of quality of medical services has been identified as a major impediment to health services available at international facilities.
These calls for change of marketing strategies within the international market, such strategies should strongly signal quality, competence and high standards on international care.
Since the Company is new in South Korea, there is need to first of all establish its identity within the market. NCCS would use their brand name, the services they offer and present achievements.
This should be communicated through internet and social cites to capture the attention of consumers since majority of population in S. Korea use internet.
Detailed information on the nature of facilities, wide range of services offered with its rich base of oncologists could be communicated through the media. Such services should incorporate detailed information on the sub-specialist teams and their elaborate areas of coverage such as women’s cancers (Breast, Ovarian, Cervical and Endometrium).
Information should be based on the recent accomplishments of NCCS towards complicated matters, the recent being in 2006 where they established an expansive molecular roadmap of stomach cancer.
Also the establishment of a first-in-man mini allogeneic stem cell transplant capable of handling advanced nasopharyngeal cancer. Such kind of communication is capable of marketing the quality of NCCS services to patients (Rangaswamy and Van Bruggen, 2005).
The use of newspapers and magazines as communication tools could be utilized in the process of providing detailed information on NCCS and also making comparison between the kind of services offered at NCCS and other hospitals within the region.
The conviction might not automatically lead to purchase of the company’s services, hence the need to offer the services at affordable prices and at the same time promotional activities where consumers are allowed to access the facilities free of charge.
The best tool that can be utilized in this case is advertising since it is capable of creating a series of fulfilled mental effects within the consumers (Sinickas, 2007; Doole and Lowe, 2008).
The use of public relations could also be utilized since it helps in building good relationship between NCCS and Korean patients. This would make NCCS brand, more attractive hence promoting the company’s image within the new market.
Public relations would adequately expose the facilities strength and efficiency through available media. Using the media would help in familiarizing the market about distinct services provided at NCCS. Efficiency can be realized through public relations since it has the capability of creating stronger impact amongst the public at a lesser cost.
Conducting immunotherapy trials in Korea where patients are assisted in fighting cancer through reprogramming their immune system.
Such activity would provide good platform for relations since people’s attention would be attracted and eventually interested in obtaining more information about NCCS services.
Focus on effective use of public relations should be utilized since they have access to media channels including websites. This should be utilized in the process of providing necessary information to consumers.
Utilization of company’s local sites in marketing has quick identification and location of the various services offered by hospitals, free listing services and intensive sales promotion contributes towards capturing good percentage of market share.
Summary on the significant components of service brand equity in healthcare sector
The study examines the three significant components of service brand equity and the relationship existing amongst its components. The methodology approach of the study involved a survey which was done amongst two hundred and six respondents from the city.
The analysis of the data was then done by the use of statistical analysis. Brand loyalty and the nature of service given are all important aspects of marketing health care sector. At the same time brand image poses indirect effects on service brand equity.
Data used in the study was collected from city residents who were knowledgeable about health care sector and had at least four year experience with hospitals. This was seen as the only research limitation available.
However, the overall research provided the required information which can be used to enhance and sustain competition through service brand equity.
Table 1: Information on Journal Article.
Conclusion
Singapore’s approach to medical tourism incorporates strategies capable of impacting the four functions of management.
This involves internal planning which incorporates quality of services and human resource management which ultimately narrows down to good financial management and creation of favourable working environment to all employees.
Focusing on external plans would ensure formidable partnerships with other potential companies, legislative influences and technological innovations.
However, in case of partnerships and collaborations, the hospitals need to account for demographical changes by offering equal opportunities to all its employees.
In such circumstances, service delivery mechanisms and information set-ups require much attention to ensure maintenance of quality standards.
References
Chantarapitak, P. (2006). The transformation into one of the leading destinations for Health care. Singapore Med. Assoc. News, (38), 25–27.
Doole, I. & Lowe, R., (2008). International Marketing Strategy. Web.
Grimwade, N. (2000). International trade: New patterns of trade, production & Investment. (2nd Ed.). New York: Rout ledge.
Jaworski, B. & Kohli, A. K. (1991). Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences, Journal of Marketing, 57, (3), 53-70.
Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2007). Marketing Management. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Brady, M., Goodman. M., Hansen, T. (2009). Marketing Management. 1st European edition Harlow: Prentice Hall.
Larson, P. D. & Lusch, R. F. (1992). Functional integration in marketing channels: A Determinant of product quality and total cost, Journal of Marketing Channels, 2(1)1-28.
Magretta, J., (2002). Why business models matter. Harvard Business Review, (80), 86-92.
McNeill, R. G. (2009). The Go-To-Market Frontier: Global Account Management (GAM). Journal of Global Business and Technology (1), 12-29.
Paswan, A. K. (2003). Channel support activities and perceived goal orientation: An Exploration in the Indian market, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 15(4), 19-41.
SCRI, (2001). National Cancer Centre Singapore. Web.
Sinickas, A. (2007). Measuring the impact of New Media Tools, Strategic Communication Management, 11(3), 11.
Rangaswamy, A. & Van Bruggen, G. (2005). Opportunities and challenges in Multichannel marketing: An introduction to the special issue, Journal of Interactive Marketing, 19(2) 5-11.
Rosenbloom, B. (2007). Multi-channel strategy in business-to-business markets: Prospects and problems, Industrial Marketing Management, 36.
The progress of medical technologies, the increased financial pressure within the industry, and different reforms affect the fundamental changes in the work of health care organizations. Therefore, various medical organizations have to develop new differentiation and branding strategies to increase their competitive advantage. These strategies can strengthen the organizations’ relationship with clients oriented to meeting their needs effectively. From this point, branding strategies are relevant to achieve the goals of health care organizations. However, there can be many challenges experienced by health care organizations while promoting their services with references to branding. In spite of the fact that the focus on branding can result in such consequences as the increase in financial spendings and service prices, it is important to state that the use of branding is mostly beneficial for health care organizations because the branding strategies contribute to improving the organization’s competitive advantage within the industry and to increase the services’ quality; but it is necessary to refer to such aspects as trust and quality because they are important conditions to affect the organization’s success.
Circumstances and Conditions to Support the Importance of Branding
The competitive advantage of health care organizations depends on the ability to find ways to attract and satisfy the clients and to develop the existing relations while focusing on differentiating from competitors. From this point, there should be a correlation between the brand’s objectives and patients’ requirements. Thus, the development of a branding strategy in the health care industry is based on the principles of trust and quality along with brand awareness and patients’ loyalty. That is why the concentration on promoting trust and quality is the necessary circumstance and condition to rely on the branding strategy as a beneficial one for the health care industry. In this case, the developed branding strategy offers guidelines to improve the quality of services (Snihurowych, Cornelius, & Amelung, 2009, p. 126). This fact also contributes to the sustainability of the health care organization’s brand.
The importance of using the branding strategy is in improving the organization’s competitive advantage within the industry because the quality of the services increases along with developing the clients’ trust toward the organization or company. Strong brands create financial and strategic value because they foster the relationship between health care organizations and clients (Dumovic & Knowles, 2008, p. 5). Thus, the use of a strong brand has positive effects on various aspects of the organization’s performance. These aspects include increased employee motivation and increased patient acquisition. Strong brands attract more patients, but the effect is based not only on brand awareness and loyalty principles but also on the quality of the provided services. The use of branding changes the perception of the consumer about the health care organization, and this fact contributes to developing the organization’s existing identity and increasing the competitive advantage (Dumovic & Knowles, 2008, p. 6; Spur Interactive, 2009). From this point, the branding strategy can offer a new direction for an organization to increase the quality of services.
Negative Consequences of Branding
It is also important to note that there are situations when the focus on the use of branding can have negative consequences for the development of health care organizations. Thus, organizations can spend a lot of money to increase public awareness of the brand. Any mistake in the branding strategy can lead to general strategical loss. As a result, the organization will experience a loss because of the improper development of the health care brand. In addition, ineffective branding in the health care industry can result in liabilities because of the services’ low quality. In addition, if the value of the brand exceeds the value of the organization’s tangible assets, the organization’s competitive advantage decreases (Schmidt & Pioch, 2005, p. 494). Furthermore, the ineffective branding strategy can also lead to an increase in the services’ prices, and this situation can influence the patients’ interest in the definite health care organization negatively.
Moreover, it is also important to refer to the interests of the staff along with the focus on the interests of patients because all the stakeholders play an equal role in influencing the health care organization’s development. There are situations when branding strategies are oriented predominately on patients, and employees become less involved in the organization’s work (Gapp & Merilees, 2006, p. 162). As a result, the quality of the services decreases.
Conclusion
Health care organizations try to increase their competitiveness within the industry using branding strategies. Thus, companies can utilize any opportunity to differentiate their strategies. The use of branding increases the company’s competitive advantage and the customers’ interest in the organization’s services. However, the ineffective use of branding and inadequate development of strategies can result in definite negative consequences. Therefore, health care organizations should orient to receiving adequate knowledge about their target audience and the quality of products and services provided in order to use branding as an advantageous strategy which can affect the customer’s interest in the health care provider.
References
Dumovic, P., & Knowles, D. (2008). Marketing Masterclass: Product differentiation for competitive advantage. Journal of Medical Marketing, 8(1), 5-8.
Gapp, R., & Merilees, B. (2006). Important factors to consider when using internal branding as a management strategy: A healthcare case study. Journal of Brand Management, 14(1/2), 162-176.
Schmidt, R., & Pioch, E. (2005). Community pharmacies under pressure – can branding help? International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 33(6/7), 494-504.
Snihurowych, R. R., Cornelius, F., & Amelung, V. E. (2009). Can branding by healthcare provider organizations drive the delivery of higher technical and service quality? Quality Management in Healthcare, 18(2), 126-134.