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The interplay between SME owner-managers and the brand as a person

Centeno, E.; Cambra, F.J.; Vazquez, C.R.; Hart, S.; Dinnie, K.

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Authors

E. Centeno

F.J. Cambra

C.R. Vazquez

K. Dinnie



Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the largely unexplored conceptualisation of the brand-as-a-person metaphor in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by examining its potential relation with the SME owner-manager, the pathways to its creation and development and the intuitive nature of this relationship. Design/methodology/approach: A grounded theory approach was used, and data were collected through a set of 36 semi-structured interviews with 30 SME owner-managers in various sectors in Mexico. Findings: The results indicate that SME owner-managers intuitively humanise their brands. The study revealed four pathways to develop the brand-as-a-person metaphor in the SME context: through personality traits, tastes and preferences, abilities and knowledge and values, all suggesting that SMEs’ brand-as-a-person metaphors are largely an extension of their owner-managers. Research limitations/implications: The paper presents a theoretical framework that illustrates the four pathways to the creation and development of brand-as-a-person that are derived from the brand’s relationship with the SME owner-manager. The results of cross-industry semi-structured interviews are limited to a single culture context. Practical implications: SME owner-managers should first undertake an introspective personal assessment of their intuitive and conscious decision-making, as SME owner-managers often make decisions in an intuitive way. The results suggest that they should act in a more conscious, responsible and rational way when formulating their brand strategies. Originality/value: This is the first study to clarify the profound influence of SME owner-managers’ personal characteristics, including personality traits, tastes and preferences, abilities and knowledge and values, on the brand-as-a-person metaphor. This study also confirms the intuitive learning strategy formulation of SME owner-managers’ branding practices and SMEs’ need for a more rational approach to branding.

Citation

Centeno, E., Cambra, F., Vazquez, C., Hart, S., & Dinnie, K. (2019). The interplay between SME owner-managers and the brand as a person. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28(4), https://doi.org/10.1108/jpbm-10-2017-1645

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 15, 2019
Online Publication Date Jun 19, 2019
Publication Date 2019
Deposit Date May 13, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Product and Brand Management
Print ISSN 1061-0421
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue 4
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/jpbm-10-2017-1645
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1301675

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Copyright Statement
This article is © Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-10-2017-1645. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.




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