A synthesized retail brand personality framework: a cross-cultural study of Taiwan and the United States
Cross Cultural & Strategic Management
ISSN: 2059-5794
Article publication date: 12 July 2022
Issue publication date: 20 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to develop a synthesized retail brand personality scale (RBPS) framework across retail formats. This research also addresses cultural differences by applying an emic-etic approach to scale development with United States (US) and Taiwanese samples.
Design/methodology/approach
After two focus group interviews and a pretest were conducted in both Taiwan and the US, a main test was conducted on consumer samples in Taiwan (N = 412) and in the US (N = 411). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop a valid, reliable RBPS.
Findings
The results revealed that sincerity and sophistication are comparable dimensions to those in the brand personality scale (BPS), and unpleasantness, traditionalism, enthusiasm, antagonism and innovativeness were found to be unique dimensions for retail brands. The findings also indicated that sincerity, unpleasantness and traditionalism are common dimensions across cultures, whereas innovativeness, sophistication and antagonism are culture-specific dimensions in the US, whereas enthusiasm is a specific dimension in Taiwan.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to develop a synthesized scale of retail brand personality that compares the identified dimensions to Aaker's (1997) BPS and includes an emic-etic approach. This research contributes to the branding literature and international marketing field, and has implications for retail practitioners.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Dr. Mary Ann Eastlick for her consultation on manuscript preparation.
Funding: This research was supported by the Higher Education Sprout project, Ministry of Education to the Headquarters of University Advancement at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan (R.O.C.) and the School of Business and Leadership at the University of Puget Sound.
Citation
Kuo, Y.-H., Wu, P.-C. and Ahn, S.Y. (2022), "A synthesized retail brand personality framework: a cross-cultural study of Taiwan and the United States", Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 919-937. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCSM-01-2022-0005
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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