Managing heritage brands: A study of the sacralization of heritage stores in the luxury industry

We investigate the concept of the heritage store, that is, the locations that lies at the heart of a brand׳s identity and history. Based on store observations and interviews with managers and sales personnel in the luxury industry, we analyze the characteristics of heritage stores and their role in the management of heritage brands. We show how managers sacralize a store׳s heritage to nurture the value proposition of the brand. Our analysis yields new insights into retailing, introducing the concept of the heritage store and emphasizing its sacralizalization. We outline the implications for retail marketing in developing and maintaining the sacralization of heritage stores.     

Virtual destination image: Testing a telepresence model

Telepresence is a concept originally developed in virtual reality research. Telepresence is the feeling of being there. This paper describes how researchers can use telepresence to expand previous models of destination image formation, producing an initial model of virtual destination image formation (VDIF). The findings of this study confirm previous fundamental models of the formation of destination image. The study also suggests that, whereas previous research shows that travel information directly influences the formation of image without a mediator, telepresence can act as a mediator in online environments. The study shows that the presence of varied Web-mediated information can act as a positive influence on telepresence, and indirectly lead to a positive virtual destination image. The study was done in collaboration with Tourism Tasmania, and data from 328 respondents was used to validate the model of VDIF. The paper presents contributions to researchers as well as practical advice for developers of destination marketing websites.     

Building toward a solid foundation: The effect of thinking concretely about the future

According to construal level theory, consumers tend to think about their future abstractly, making it unclear and inexact. Here, a new approach is developed to help people enhance their future‐oriented outcomes by priming them to think about their future concretely. Two experiments show that priming a concrete mindset about the future leads to enhanced future‐oriented outcomes. Specifically, the studies show that participants discounted current funds in favor of future gains less when they were primed with a concrete mindset. Opportunity cost consideration is shown to be the mechanism driving this effect. Though research suggests that most consumers do not consider opportunity costs unless they are explicitly presented to them, priming a concrete mindset increases consideration of opportunity costs so that consumers can make better current decisions that will enhance their future‐oriented outcomes. This research helps to better understand why thinking concretely about the future is beneficial to future‐oriented outcomes.     

East meets West: Toward a theoretical model linking guanxi and relationship marketing

This conceptual study critically examines the separate concepts of guanxi and relationship marketing, explores the differences between the two approaches, and proposes innovative linkages between them. Chinese guanxi develops relationships at the inter-personal level, whereas relationship marketing develops relationships at the inter-organizational level. Both concepts are well known, but a dearth of critical comparison remains in academic literature, even though evidence suggests that managers can use the linkages between the approaches to improve customer recruitment and retention. Through a critical review and synthesis of prior research on guanxi and relationship marketing, this study proposes a novel theoretical model that links guanxi and relationship marketing and develops theoretical and managerial implications of such linkages. As such, this study offers new and valuable insights and benefits for Asian firms, which employ only guanxi-type relationships.