Symbolic Attributes Research Articles

The Role of Product Design in Developing Brand Association

Purpose - This paper aims to find the role of functional and aesthetic attributes of product design in developing brand association among smart phones users between ages 21 to 30 years by using user image congruence as moderator. Design/methodology/approach - A theoretical framework is developed based on literature review. A close ended questionnaire was used from consumers on psychographic basis. Stratified random sampling with sample size 384 is used to collect data from respondents in twin cities. Data is then analyzed by applying correlation and regression. Findings - The results of the study suggest that both functional and aesthetic attributes of product design significantly build brand association. Result evidences that user image congruence builds brand association and helps in strengthening the relationship between product design’s attributes and brand association. Research Limitations - This study only focuses on two major attributes of product design and scope of the study can be increase by adding other attributes like symbolic and non-product related attributes. Similarly, this study is limited to only one technological product such as smart phone and its scope of the study can also be increase by adding other technological products to proposed theoretical model. Practical Implications - Analysis of the study concludes that industry should focus on components like function, aesthetics and user image congruence when developing design of the smart phone and this helps in building brand association. Originality/Value - The main contribution of this study is that, it combines product design’s attributes, user image congruence and brand association. In Pakistani perspective, this study is the first to identify such relationship among variables in technological product like smart phone. The model that is developed in this study can be further analyzed with other highly technological products. Paper Type – Research Paper.

The Symbolic Attributes of Shemagh and Its Intangible Cultural Aspects in Muslim Society: A Painting Illustration

The Symbolic Attributes of Shemagh and Its Intangible Cultural Aspects in Muslim Society: A Painting Illustration

El valor añadido de la arquitectura vernácula: los casos de la Ruta del Vino y del Tequila en México

tourism has witnessed a shift towards revaluation of traditions as symbolic attributes located in less urbanized areas through a syncretic perspective that exalts both pre-Hispanic and colonial values. In this context, thematic routes have become a tourist variant based on consumption of differentiated sites. The Tequila Route shows many of effects of implementation of Magical Towns Programme, among which coexistence of heritage and neo-colonial architecture with elements belonging to other periods that attempt to exalt aesthetic values of the Mexican stands out. While Wine Route incorporates values associated with border culture into its architectural discourse through use of second-use materials in a quest to define its own architecture. The hypothesis is that in both thematic routes architecture functions as a legitimizing vehicle and that each one exposes a different meaning of the vernacular, through a diversity of typologies produced that pursue same end: to attract tourism.

Water Resource as Axis-Mundi: an Effort to Preserve Water Resource Sustainability

Sumberawan Site is an entity of water resource and an old stupa. Its existence is corroborated by myths, folklore, and legends about amerta water and paradise garden. Rituals, myths, and sacred artefacts are clues that lead to the axis-mundi concept. It is characterized by a sacred space as the central of the environment. It is unique that Sumberawan Site is not located in the village centre, but the activities and symbolic attributes lead to its function as axis-mundi. This possibility was explored by phenomenological paradigm. The study used two approaches: phenomenology and non-verbal communication approach. Field observations and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data. Observational objects included time, space, and activities. In-depth interviews were conducted on key informants to explore their experience. The data were analysed inductively through five stages of phenomenological analysis. Space attributes were recorded, drawn, and interpreted by non-verbal communication approach to support phenomenological interpretation. The results reveal that (1) Sumberawan Site is an axis-mundi which means source of life; (2) This concept relates to water resources in the context of agrarian societies’ culture; (3) In the settlement setting, it is located ‘outside’ the village; (4) The concept of life source is vertical-transcendental, and directly connected to the horizontal-social concept; (5) The sacred zone is bound by time. The findings of this study indicate that efforts to preserve water resources as a source of livelihood of agrarian societies are not only conducted by physical effort, but also directly linked to vertical-transcendental and social-horizontal values.

Maximal-Discernibility-Pair-Based Approach to Attribute Reduction in Fuzzy Rough Sets

Attribute reduction is one of the biggest challenges encountered in computational intelligence, data mining, pattern recognition, and machine learning. Effective in feature selection as the rough set theory is, it can only handle symbolic attributes. In order to overcome this drawback, the fuzzy rough set model is proposed, which is an extended model of rough sets and is able to deal with imprecision and uncertainty in both symbolic and numerical attributes. The existing attribute selection algorithms based on the fuzzy rough set model mainly take the angle of “attribute set,” which means they define the object function representing the predictive ability for an attribute subset with regard to the domain of discourse, rather than following the view of an “object pair.” Algorithms from the viewpoint of the object pair can ignore the object pairs that are already discerned by the selected attribute subsets and, thus, need only to deal with part of object pairs instead of the whole object pairs from the discourse, which makes such algorithms more efficient in attribute selection. In this paper, we propose the concept of reduced maximal discernibility pairs, which directly adopts the perspective of the object pair in the framework of the fuzzy rough set model. Then, we develop two attribute selection algorithms, named as reduced maximal discernibility pairs selection and weighted reduced maximal discernibility pair selection, based on the reduced maximal discernibility pairs. Experiment results show that the proposed algorithms are effective and efficient in attribute selection.

Preference for a career in retailing: a question of personality

Drawing on previous findings from the field of brand personality research and employer branding, this paper aims to explore the symbolic attributes of the retail industry image in South Africa and to identify those personality traits that distinguish preferred industries from the retail industry. The research provides a contemporary overview of the current image of the retail industry in South Africa from the perspective of young university students and allows retailers to strengthen their joint communication effort accordingly. Therefore, a quantitative survey study with 1426 participants from five South African universities was conducted. Participants assessed personality characteristics of the retail industry as well as their most preferred industry. The main results suggest that retail and non-retail students hold different personality perceptions of the retail industry and that prior retail involvement accounts for this difference to some extent. Moreover, the analysis shows that retailing performs significantly worse on those personality attributes that are of major importance for future job seekers. Additionally, the study identifies those attributes that exert a strong effect on students’ preferences for the retail industry. The findings provide useful communication themes for educational institutions, retail companies, and industry associations in order to foster positive personality perceptions associated with the retail industry.

Dimensions of job advertisement as signals for achieving job seeker’s application intention

PurposeGrounded in the concept of signaling theory and instrumental-symbolic framework, the purpose of this paper is to develop a model to examine the impact of print job advertisement (ad) dimensions (message contents) and organizational familiarity on job seeker’s perception of attitude, organizational attractiveness, and application intention.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a theoretical exploration based on existing literature.FindingsThe presence of instrumental and symbolic attributes in print job advertisement such as job and work characteristics, aesthetics, employee testimonial/picture, corporate image enhancing statements, organizational culture-enhancing statements, and human resource offerings are more likely to play influential roles in creating favorable attitude, organizational attractiveness, and application intention in a job seeker. Apart from this, organizational familiarity plays a moderating role on job seeker’s attitude formation and in gaining organizational attractiveness.Practical implicationsThe study offers a clear guideline to recruiting organizations, HR managers, recruitment agencies, or consultants on how to design a recruitment advertisement to pool a large number of potential applicants. The study also throws light on testing the effectiveness of a recruitment advertisement, similar to commercial ads. Moreover, the outcome of testing would help the recruiters understand the pulse of the job seeker toward the ad, job, and organization.Originality/valueThis study theoretically clarifies the role of instrumental and symbolic attributes or dimensions of job ads and the role of organizational familiarity in inducing positive attitude formation and organizational attractiveness, in the process that cultivates application intention in a potential job seeker.

Employer Branding in the Indian Armed Forces Context: A Comparative Study of Potential Defence Applicants and Defence Employees

Indian Armed Forces are one of the largest organizations around the globe. Joining the forces is based on the voluntary service. Hence, it is important and critical for the armed forces to attract skilled talent and also to retain the current employees. This research is based on the study of instrumental and symbolic attributes related to Indian Armed Forces as an employer brand. The attractiveness of the Indian Armed Forces as an employer for potential candidates and the current employees of the armed forces is also studied. A sample of 200 people was used (150 potential candidates and 50 current employees) for studying the perceptions of potential and current employees. Results showed that there is significant difference between the perceptions of potential candidates and current employees for the instrumental functions related to Indian Armed Forces. Potential candidates were more favourable towards the instrumental function. The perceptions regarding ‘symbolic functions’ and ‘the Indian Armed Forces attractiveness as an employer’ were explained in similar proportion between the potential candidates and the current employees.

Makna Simbol Budaya Lokal Bagi Komunitas Tanah Aksara

In this modern era, as culture evolves into a popular culture mixed with western culture, there is still a community that wants to maintain the tradition of local cultural heritage, in the field of literacy. This is also reflected in a study that will raise researchers this time. The community is called “Tanah Aksara”. Researchers raised research on the Meaning of Local Culture Symbol for “Tanah Aksara” Community in Bandung. “Tanah Aksara” has its own characteristic in Bandung, which upholds the cultural heritage of the local script. They have peculiarities that characterize their identity through the attributes of clothing or other symbols that characterize the main individual in the “Tanah Aksara” community. In this study, researchers used a qualitative approach with qualitative descriptive method. Data collection techniques used were interviews, observation and documentation. Data analysis techniques used are observation persistence, data triangulation, and referential adequacy. Researchers use communication theory to analyze this research is the theory of symbolic interaction. The results of research that has been done by the researcher shows that the meaning of local culture for the Tanah Aksara community include: (1) Symbol as the formation of identity for the Tanah Aksara community; (2) Symbols as preservation of local traditions and cultures for Tanah Aksara communities; (3) Symbols as preservation of the script of the archipelago; (4) Symbols as symbols of ancestral heritage/ ancestors; (5) Symbols as an encouragement of social activities.

WHAT EXPLAINS SPECIALTY COFFEE QUALITY SCORES AND PRICES: A CASE STUDY FROM THE CUP OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

AbstractThis study investigates the effects of material and symbolic quality attributes on the Cup of Excellence specialty coffee quality scores and prices. The estimates from the quality score equations suggest that material attributes are important determinants, but symbolic attributes have a greater explanatory power. The hedonic price estimations show that specialty coffee prices are mainly determined by symbolic attributes and market conditions such as the number of coffees in the auction. Overall, the study reveals that fruity, floral, sweet, spice, and sour acid are cuppers' and buyers' most favorite coffee flavors and aromas.

Robust vectorization method for electrical circuit drawings using component morphology

Decomposition and representation of electrical circuit drawings to a suitable vector form has widespread applications related to data compression, storage, analysis, and editing. In this paper, we propose an efficient method for segmenting and identifying electrical circuit symbols from the image of a circuit drawing with an objective of its complete vectorization. The segmentation procedure is based on morphological operations with automatic selection of structuring elements. After segmentation, the symbols are identified by an SVM classifier that works with certain morphological and topological features of the segmented symbols. Related information like orientations and terminal attributes of the circuit symbols are finally stored in appropriate vector form. Text annotations associated with the symbols are also recognized and vectorized. Detailed performance analysis demonstrates the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method.

The chain of effects from brand personality and functional congruity to stages of brand loyalty

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the impacts of brand personality and functional congruity on various components of brand loyalty (i.e. cognitive, affective, and conative) by examining the moderating role of gender.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model is examined by considering car as a product brand stimulus. Using a self-structured questionnaire, 263 usable responses are considered for data analysis by applying the structural equation modelling method.FindingsThe findings indicate that all hypotheses on the relationships between brand personality, functional congruity, and stages of brand loyalty are supported except for the relationship between brand personality and conative loyalty, whereby brand personality indirectly have impacts on conative brand loyalty via functional congruity. The outcome of the multi-group analysis shows that the impact of brand personality and functional congruity on cognitive, affective, and conative brand loyalty varies across gender groups.Practical implicationsThe results indicate that if marketing managers are willing to create cognitive, affective as well as conative brand loyalty among consumers, they ought to tally their consumers’ purchasing and evaluation criteria with the functional and symbolic attributes. If the target consumers were motivated to purchase the product based on the symbolic attributes (as preferred by females in the present study), more attention should be focussed on communicating and delivering the symbolic attributes during their marketing campaign; on the other hand, if the consumers were inclined to buy product based on the utilitarian functions (as preferred by males in the current study), more emphasis should be placed on the functional values and attributes.Originality/valueThis study is the first to utilise self-congruity and the elaboration likelihood model to explain the influence of brand personality and functional congruity on each component of brand loyalty within the automobile industry’s context. This study on the moderating role of gender shows that the effect of brand personality and functional congruity is different across gender groups. The findings can help marketers to design an effective brand positioning and marketing strategies in order to stay competitive.

Політичний акціонізм: поняття, форми, досвід використання у політичному процесі.

In the article political actionism is defined as a system of artistically pronounced forms of political protest, public debate and discussed, which demonstrate theatricality, game components, staginess, dynamics etc. It is underlined that political actionism is a combination of spectacular forms of political participation of protest and provocative nature (sometimes also antisocial) intended to challenge the existing political system.The author emphasizes that political activism combines a number of non-violent protest technologies at the intersection of political activism and artistry, aimed mostly and media attention and receiving further public resonance. Political activism is presented as artistic, spectacular and game form of delivering a political message. The author proposed a system of political activism features: non-institutional character; general impartiality in delivering some political message, but attention is paid to the fact that political activism may represent a certain ideology, political force; the idea of action is promoted in order to draw attention to the problem, but the primary interaction is carried out with the spectators rather than with the authorities. The spectators may take part in the action while it is being carried out or respond to it later (through messages in social networks, sharing pictures or videos etc.).The article argues that the system of political actionism consists of political performance, happening, art installations, street art, flash mobs, body art etc. The following functions of political actionism have been defined: information and communication (communicating a certain political idea, generation of new political meanings, rapid spread of new information); political socialization (the political outlook of people and their understanding of politics is shaped under the influence of different actions; actionists play the role of political socialization agents); political mobilization (uniting people in order to promote a political idea, enhancing participation in potential actions).Political performance is viewed as a type of actionist practices, which is a visual and procedural composition (game, performance) on political issues with symbolic attributes that is presented to random or invited audience. Political happening is defined as an actionist, improvisational form of political activity involving casual participant with conventional and dynamically changing scenario of the action. Political installation is viewed as a spatial art composition, the combined elements of which are endowed with symbolism, transmitting and manifesting some political ideas. The article considers political flash mob as spectacular and playful kind of the political actionism technology that consists of single or wavy performance of short theatrical mass actions according to a pre-agreed scenario; it is a spectacular network interaction, which is carried out on the basis of horizontal social communication. Political street art is viewed as politically oriented street art, which visualizes the socio-political process, usually within urbanized space. The article presents scientific approaches to interpretation of political body art as a type of actionism, which uses the body language through drawing pictures on it in order to visualize the political self-identification. Political body art is defined as a method of non-verbal communication, person drawing attention to himself or herself (emphasizing the individuality), and a way of increasing the political “recognizability” of a person.

Educational providers in the marketplace: Schools’ marketing responses in Chile

This paper proposes a framework for analysing the responses of educational providers in competitive contexts. The evidence presented is based on empirical research carried out in one Chilean municipality. The objective of the paper is to analyse the responses developed by the schools with which to position themselves in the Chilean education market. The results show how the schools’ external communication is related to a range of factors such as their perception of competition, their position in the local hierarchy and the characteristics of the local market, as well as the symbolic attributes oriented toward positioning themselves within the market. Different schools’ typologies were identified with regard to marketing strategies in terms of the form and intensity they took on.

A Model and Algorithm of Dynamic Map Expression and Its Application

On the basis of summarizing the research results of visual variables, we define six dynamic visual variables of the map symbol in this paper. We analyze the related attributes of dynamic symbols, and then construct a dynamic map expression model based on symbols. A key technology to realize dynamic expression——the key frame transform algorithm is present in the paper. The cartography process of the urban population proportion dynamic change map of the cities in Shandong province are taken as an example to demonstrate the methods and process of dynamic mapping based on the above map dynamic expression theories and models, which includes base map digitization, sorting and processing of attribute data, adding the map elements, the creation of special dynamic effect such as color transform, continuous flashing and object moving, and realization of interactive function. Finally, the paper shows the dynamic map of sea level rising influence on Qingdao, the Typhoon Soulik traveling map, the Western European natural gas trade flow variation map, the Bangkok flood risk level dynamic map, and other dynamic map effect at the end of the article.

Organizacijos kaip patrauklaus darbdavio įvaizdžio formavimas orientuojantis į Lietuvos Y kartai atstovaujančius specialistus

Keičiantis darbo jėgos demografijai, pastebima Y kartos lūkesčių kaita darbdaviui bei darbdavio įvaizdį formuojančiai komunikacijai. Dėl šios priežasties, siekiant pritraukti Y kartos specialistus, reikia pritaikyti darbdavio įvaizdžio formavimo strategiją jų lūkesčiams – atsižvelgti į patrauklius darbdavio įvaizdžio elementus, komunikacijos būdus. Lietuvos Y kartos specialistų lūkesčių darbdaviui bei darbdavio įvaizdį formuojančiai komunikacijai empirinių tyrimų nėra gausu. Darbo tikslas – nustatyti patrauklaus darb­davio įvaizdžio formavimo ypatumus orientuojantis į Lietuvos Y kartai atstovaujančius specialistus.

Evaluating the impact of early- and late-acquired phonemes on the luxury appeal of brand names

Research has shown that marketers can enhance consumers’ expectations when a product’s attributes are congruent with its packaging, shape, sensory attributes and sound of the brand name (sound symbolism). In the past decade, a reasonable amount of research has focused on sound symbolic attributes of brand names; however, the literature linking the age of acquisition (AoA) of various phonemes, their usage in brand names and their subsequent perception by consumers is lacking. In the present research, we hypothesized that because humans acquire different phonemes at different ages and consequently some phonemes are used more frequently (vs rarely) in everyday conversations and have more concrete (vs abstract) mental representations than late (vs early)-acquired phonemes, this impacts on the way in which brand names are perceived. Specifically, across three experiments, we demonstrate that brand names created from early-acquired phonemes are more suited to basic brands (i.e., brands which are used in an everyday context), whereas brand names created from late-acquired phonemes are more suited for luxury brands. Our research shows an association between the AoA of phonemes, as captured in brand names, and the brand’s perceived luxurious appeal. We discuss the results in light of the literature on speech sound development and provide practical implications for brand managers and marketers.

“We Likkle, but We Tallawah”: Maintaining Competitive Advantage in the Crowded Specialty Coffee Market

ABSTRACTThe Jamaican coffee industry (JCI) has exhibited key characteristics of what it means to have a competitive advantage (CA) for a number of decades. However, the last 5–10 years have seen strong challenges to this CA. The author explores the deeper dynamics of these challenges using a five forces analysis as developed by Michael Porter in addition to a thematic analysis of semistructured interviews and data from various local and international coffee organizations to assess the various forces of the model. It was revealed that the unique nature of the JCI’s product led to moderate bargaining power as a supplier, which acted as an effective buffer to the high bargaining power of global coffee buyers. These findings highlighted the importance of seeking new markets and embedding symbolic attributes as part of the overarching drive to maintain viability within specialty product markets.

La política de vivienda en los pueblos mágicos: el caso de Álamos, Sonora, México

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las prácticas sociales que determinan las condiciones de habitabilidad adoptadas por los pobladores de Álamos, para incrementar su calidad de vida en los nuevos espacios que se han ido desarrollando para vivir. Se busca establecer y definir las condiciones de habitabilidad de esta ciudad, como una localidad turística, promovida por un programa federal, que pretende resaltar sus atributos simbólicos. La investigación se enmarca en la metodología cualitativa, definida a través de los estudios existentes, y se ubica en los trabajos exploratorios, descriptivos y analíticos, como componentes de un estudio de caso sobre Álamos, una entidad dotada de límites espaciales y temporales.

Product attributes and preference for foreign brands among Vietnamese consumers

This research attempted to investigate important product attributes in purchasing fashion goods and the influence of these attributes on preferences for American fashion brands versus local fashion brands, by Vietnamese consumers. A web-based survey was developed to collect the data from Vietnamese consumers who reside in HoChinMinh City, which is the Vietnam's largest urban area. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. It was found that the functional attributes such as fit and comfort were the most important attributes when the Vietnamese consumers purchased fashion goods. Vietnamese consumers who put importance on the subjective norm and the symbolic attributes such as latest fashion, country of origin, and well-known brand preferred American fashion brands over local fashion brands. Vietnamese consumers indicated American fashion brands as more attractive, higher quality and more prestigious than local fashion brands. Quality, brand image, and material were indicated as advantages of American fashion brands while price was the only advantage of local fashion brands. American mass-market brands can be competitive in the Vietnam market with appropriate marketing. In order to better compete, American mass-market brands should actively promote their brands in Vietnam, offering quality products with good fit and comfort at lower prices than high-end brands.