UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS

DIPLOMA

The corporate brand in multinational corporations

Gorenje and Electrolux

Student: Gregor Kante Address: Limbuška cesta 39 Index Number: 81547706 Regular Studies Programme: University Education Study Course: Entrepreneurship Mentor: Dr. Milan Jurše

Maribor, October 2007

UNIVERZA V MARIBORU EKONOMSKO-POSLOVNA FAKULTETA

DIPLOMSKO DELO

Korporativna blagovna znamka v mednarodnih

korporacijah Gorenje in Electrolux

Kandidat: Gregor Kante Naslov: Limbuška cesta 39 Številka indeksa: 81547706 Študent: rednega študija Program: univerzitetni Študijska smer: podjetništvo Mentor: dr. Milan Jurše

Maribor, oktober 2007

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FOREWORD In the turmoil on competitive markets corporate brands are moving beyond its neglected role in the past, towards becoming a strategic resource for the competitive advantages in successful market-driven companies. Inside the corporate world as an inevitable progress within sustaining competitiveness, branding managers are shifting from product brand towards corporate brand oriented strategies. The convergence of the corporate brand notion has undergone an evolution evident thus in theory as practice. In its organisational role the corporate brand is a multidimensional and complex construction that impacts, and may be impacted by the relationship between the firm and all of its stakeholders thus internal as external. It requires an overall organisational employee’s engagement by adding value in all business processes connected to the corporate brand. Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo are organisations with successfully established corporate brands, each unique in its own essence and endeavours. Nevertheless they all share some common aspects of corporate branding. Each of them is managing a vast brand portfolio consisting of various product brands on global markets. In a metaphoric sense; the corporate brand overlays the product brands as an umbrella, which helps to differentiate and distinguish its products and services in the minds of all its stakeholders. Organisations are saving enormous amounts of investment capital, by using the corporate brand’s economies of scale in marketing thus locally as globally. As the business conditions on global markets are rapidly changing, due the immense effects of globalization, global players as Gorenje and Electrolux are forced to re-enact its competitive positions towards new competitors in low and premium end price segments. Gorenje and Electrolux have both reconsidered its business models in the household appliances market and determined a new path of business development established on corporate brand.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ___________________________________________________ 6

1.1 Research and problem discussion ________________________________________ 6 1.2 Purpose, objectives and main hypotheses__________________________________ 6 1.3 Assumptions and limitations ____________________________________________ 7 1.4 Methodology _________________________________________________________ 7

2 THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE BRANDING ____________________________________________________________ 8

2.1 The convergence of the brand ___________________________________________ 8 2.2 The notion of the brand ________________________________________________ 9 2.3 The corporate brand__________________________________________________ 11 2.4 The corporate brand covenant _________________________________________ 13 2.5 The conceptual clarity between the corporate brand, product brand and corporate identity ___________________________________________________________________ 14

2.5.1 Corporate brand and product brand ____________________________________________ 14 2.5.2 Corporate brand and corporate identity _________________________________________ 16

2.6 The resource based view on the corporate brand __________________________ 18 2.6.1 Rarity ___________________________________________________________________ 18 2.6.2 Durability________________________________________________________________ 18 2.6.3 Inappropriatability _________________________________________________________ 19 2.6.4 Imperfect imitability _______________________________________________________ 19 2.6.5 Imperfect substitutability____________________________________________________ 19

2.7 The corporate brand building process ___________________________________ 20 2.8 The case of corporate brand building in the Swedish corporation Volvo _______ 21

2.8.1 Mission _________________________________________________________________ 22 2.8.2 Vision __________________________________________________________________ 22 2.8.3 Core values ______________________________________________________________ 23 2.8.4 Brand architecture _________________________________________________________ 23 2.8.5 Brand personality__________________________________________________________ 24 2.8.6 Internal brand identity ______________________________________________________ 25

2.9 Brand equity ________________________________________________________ 26 2.10 Brand management and corporate brand management _____________________ 26 2.11 Measuring brand equity_______________________________________________ 28

2.11.1 Product brand measurement methods ________________________________________ 28 2.11.2 Corporate brand measurement methods ______________________________________ 29

2.12 Global corporate branding ____________________________________________ 30 2.12.1 Benefits of global corporate branding________________________________________ 30 2.12.2 Pitfalls of global corporate branding_________________________________________ 31

3 EMPIRICAL ASPECTS OF CORPORATE BRAND MANAGEMENT IN SELECTED COMPANIES _______________________________________________ 33

3.1 Gorenje Group ______________________________________________________ 34 3.1.1 Business activities _________________________________________________________ 34 3.1.2 Brands __________________________________________________________________ 35

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3.2 Electrolux___________________________________________________________ 35 3.2.1 Business activities _________________________________________________________ 35 3.2.2 Brands __________________________________________________________________ 37 3.2.3 Electrolux master brand_____________________________________________________ 37 3.2.4 National consumer brands ___________________________________________________ 37 3.2.5 Special brands ____________________________________________________________ 38 3.2.6 Outdoor brands ___________________________________________________________ 38

3.3 Volvo ______________________________________________________________ 38 3.3.1 Business activities _________________________________________________________ 39 3.3.2 Brands __________________________________________________________________ 39 3.3.3 Volvo's values ____________________________________________________________ 39

4 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE BRANDING – THE CASE OF GORENJE, ELECTROLUX AND VOLVO______________________________ 41

4.1 Defining the corporate brand for Gorenje and Electrolux ___________________ 41 4.2 The corporate brand covenant _________________________________________ 42 4.3 The conceptual clarity between the corporate brand, product brand and corporate identity in Gorenje and Electrolux_____________________________________________ 43 4.4 The corporate brand as a strategic capability _____________________________ 44

4.4.1 Rarity ___________________________________________________________________ 44 4.4.2 Durability________________________________________________________________ 45 4.4.3 Inappropriatability _________________________________________________________ 45 4.4.4 Imperfect imitability _______________________________________________________ 45 4.4.5 Imperfect substitutability____________________________________________________ 45

4.5 The corporate brand building process ___________________________________ 46 4.6 Corporate brand management in Gorenje and Electrolux___________________ 48 4.7 Turmoil on the household appliances market _____________________________ 49

4.7.1 Electrolux’s competitive strategy _____________________________________________ 50 4.7.2 Gorenje’s competitive strategy _______________________________________________ 51

4.8 The benefits and pitfalls of global corporate branding ______________________ 51 5 CONCLUSION _____________________________________________________ 53

5.1 Findings ____________________________________________________________ 53 5.2 Critical view on the work ______________________________________________ 54 5.3 Suggestions for future research _________________________________________ 54

6 POVZETEK V SLOVENSKEM JEZIKU_______________________________ 55 6.1 Uvod _______________________________________________________________ 55

6.1.1 Namen, cilji in osnovne trditve _______________________________________________ 55 6.1.2 Predpostavke in omejitve____________________________________________________ 56 6.1.3 Metodologija _____________________________________________________________ 56

6.2 Teoretični aspekti mednarodnega korporativnega označevanja ______________ 56 6.2.1 Konvergenca blagovna znamke_______________________________________________ 56 6.2.2 Pojem blagovne znamke ____________________________________________________ 57 6.2.3 Korporativna blagovna znamka_______________________________________________ 57 6.2.4 Zaobljuba korporativne blagovne znamke_______________________________________ 58 6.2.5 Pojmovna jasnost med korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto_____________________________________________________________ 58 6.2.6 Na vire naravnan pogled na korporativno blagovno znamko ________________________ 59 6.2.7 Proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke ________________________________ 60

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6.2.8 Primer ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke v Švedski korporaciji Volvo _________ 61 6.2.9 Vrednost blagovne znamke __________________________________________________ 63 6.2.10 Upravljanje blagovnih znamk in korporativno upravljanje blagovnih znamk _________ 63 6.2.11 Merjenje vrednosti blagovne znamke ________________________________________ 63 6.2.12 Globalno korporativno označevanje _________________________________________ 64

6.3 Empirični aspekti korporativnega označevanja in izbranih podjetij __________ 66 6.3.1 Skupina Gorenje __________________________________________________________ 66 6.3.2 Electrolux _______________________________________________________________ 67 6.3.3 Volvo___________________________________________________________________ 68

6.4 Komparativna analiza korporativnega označevanja – primeri Gorenje, Electrolux in Volvo ___________________________________________________________________ 69

6.4.1 Zaobljuba korporativne blagovne znamke_______________________________________ 69 6.4.2 Pojmovna jasnost med korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto_____________________________________________________________ 69 6.4.3 Korporativna blagovna znamka kot strateška sposobnost ___________________________ 70 6.4.4 Proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke ________________________________ 71 6.4.5 Upravljanje korporativne blagovne znamke v Gorenju in Electroluxu _________________ 72 6.4.6 Nemiri na trgu gospodinjskih aparatov _________________________________________ 73 6.4.7 Koristi in pasti globalnega korporativnega označevanja ____________________________ 74

6.5 Zaključek ___________________________________________________________ 75 6.5.1 Ugotovitve _______________________________________________________________ 75 6.5.2 Kritičen pogled na delo _____________________________________________________ 75 6.5.3 Predlogi za nadaljnjo raziskovanje ____________________________________________ 75

7 ABSTRACT _______________________________________________________ 76

8 BIBLIOGRAPHY___________________________________________________ 78

9 LIST OF SOURCES_________________________________________________ 80

10 LIST OF FIGURES _________________________________________________ 81

11 APPENDIX _________________________________________________________ 1 11.1 Questionnaire No. 1 - written in the Slovenian language _____________________ 1 11.2 Questionnaire No. 2 - written in the English language _______________________ 5

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research and problem discussion The corporate brand has undergone an encompassing evolution, as in theory so too in practice. It offers organisations which chose to build, manage and sustain a corporate brand a robust and salient management tool to realize the aspirations, whether on a local or global scale. Still the corporate brand retains immense potentials that need proper consideration by the corporate parent in order for them to prosper. Organisations whose corporate brand portfolio includes a vast amount of product brands, which operate on a global scale, certainly can not afford to invest enormous amounts of capital into management of each product brand separately customized according to the characteristics of the market. Within the globalization process, the markets have opened opportunities, so low-cost manufactures competitively intrude their positioning. Various organisations are under market pressure to restructure and regain their competitive edge resourcefully within their brand portfolio. Therefore the corporate brand presents itself as a prosperous solution, even more as an inevitable step in the competitive business future.

1.2 Purpose, objectives and main hypotheses The purpose as well as the motivation factor to choose the corporate brand as the leading notion throughout the work relies primarily on the facts that, on the one hand we can observe the immensely successful business results that organisations achieve due to the corporate brand. On the other hand, we also note the still unknown and obscure knowledge about corporate brand in companies situated on the domestic market. From the purpose derive the objectives and, as the purpose has already briefly clarified, the objectives are to: - present the constituting structure of the corporate brand, including notion and

convergence of the brand - distinguish and clarify notions regarding the corporate brand, product brand and

corporate brand identity according to Gorenje and Electrolux - determine the essential corporate brand mantra for Gorenje and Electrolux - argue the strategic capability of the corporate brand in relevance to the resource-based

view both in Gorenje and Electrolux, as their competitive strength - present the corporate brand building process encompassed and enlightened with the

Volvo corporate brand - determine the underlying principles of corporate brand management within Gorenje

and Electrolux - define the global nature of the corporate brand in relation to the business scope of

Gorenje and Electrolux - present the competitive strategy of Gorenje and Electrolux facing the present

conditions on the household appliances market - debate the possible paths of development of corporate branding in Gorenje and

Electrolux

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1.3 Assumptions and limitations The research and the collected data upon this work cannot be sufficient to the matter of the topic; therefore, assumptions about certain aspects are included. Since Gorenje and Electrolux are competitively positioned in various countries and cultures, it is possible to compare collected data from two distinct points of view by merely regarding the country of origin, the diversity of cultures and likewise the different national economic conditions. Accordingly, the results will presumably be respectively representative. The limitations mostly focus on the collection of the proper academic resources, especially literature, due the rather insignificant researched material within the Slovenian academic sphere. Since the corporate brand is primarily a corporate parent concern, and the interviewee lacks the appropriate spare time to conduct more than a single interview, we reasonably categorize it as a limitation due to the amount of the collected data. Unfortunately, it was impossible to gain the opportunity to conduct an interview with Volvo representatives; consequently, the extent of collected data is relatively limited, but does still encompass the essential objectives in the work. Intrinsically the corporate brand strongly relates to the corporate strategy itself, which consequently contains relatively important business secrets, therefore certain confidential data were neglected within the interviews.

1.4 Methodology This work will be based on ethnography due the undertaken interviews with the representatives from Gorenje and Electrolux. The interviews will be held over the telephone and later on supported with e-mail correspondence. Both interviewees are by their managerial responsibility and work content, strongly involved with corporate branding. Within the ethnography, the researcher studies an intact cultural group in a natural and dynamic setting over a specific period. The studies focus on the Gorenje and Electrolux setting. According to the research strategy, a case study is the guideline within the methodology. The advantage of the case study method is that it allows investigators to retain the holistic and meaningful characteristics of real-life events. Within the collecting data process, two case studies will be accomplished, concerning Gorenje and Electrolux. We will gather data and information from various sources, but mainly concentrate on the data and information available over their internet sites. Regarding the chosen ethnographic approach, we decided to use the inductive approach and start from the empirical data, furthermore to reflect these findings within the theory. Concerning the corporate branding is it possible to conclude, that the notion is still evolving from its roots and becoming a pillar in economic theory. Therefore, we will chose an inductive approach and first observe and study the actual practice and second relate it to the theory. In continuance, the methodology is based on a qualitative method, whereby the decision to chose two corporate brands instead of one, will give us a more complete notion of the complexity regarding the corporate brand.

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2 THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE BRANDING

2.1 The convergence of the brand The convergence of brand is complex and expanding, with beginnings in the early Roman and Greek civilization. In order to identity which goods were sold, the shopkeepers used to hang pictures of their merchandise and this way the retailer’s specialty was communicated. This process could be defined as an attempt to identify retailer’s sales capability using a brand logo as a shorthand device. Similar use is found today by identifying the concept ‘safety’ with the Swedish Volvo corporate brand (Chernatony, McDonald 1998, 28; Urde 2003, 1024). The medieval times enrich us with an example involving craftsmanship, where craftsmen used to mark their products with stamps like trademarks. The skills of production became important and were used to distinguish different producers, and therefore were taken as a guarantee of production source and craftsman’s quality; moreover this has been legally protected within the trademark – the brand. Nowadays the content considering the legal protection is far more encompassing; nevertheless some basic principles remain the same. Organisations are investing immensely against illegal pirates copying the products and threatening quality and reputation that genuine products offer (Chernatony, McDonald 1998, 28). The next stage in the convergence of brand takes us to the New World of North America where the growth of cattle farming began. In the mass of hundreds of animals, the owners wanted to differentiate which animals belonged to them. Practically, they used a red hot iron with their unique model and made a clear imprint on the animal’s body. This way the animals were identified, differentiated, and related to their owner. Various authors, who have studied the brand, understand this cattle farm example as a basic vigorous platform for what we in recent years understand as the brand. On the basis of these three examples from the early and late history, the convergence of brand gives us some fundamental understanding of the convergence process, albeit the notion is still liable to evolution.

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2.2 The notion of the brand The notion of the brand derives from different attempts to define the brand. It is an ongoing process, which can be related to various philosophies and stakeholder perspectives. Nonetheless, a brand can be defined from two main perspectives; as the consumer’s perspective and/or the brand owner’s perspective, or furthermore considering the brand’s purpose and characteristics (Wood 2000, 664). The American Marketing Association in 1960 defined the brand from a company-oriented perspective as: “A name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors (Wood 2000, 664)”. The stated definition was exposed to criticism for being too product-oriented and for differentiating on the visual aspect, albeit in the modified form the definition is still relevant today. Various significant authors have adopted another variant of the definition that is as follows and refers to Bennett: “[a] brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers (Wood 2000, 664)”. The prominent change refers to the phrase “any other feature” which constitutes the image as an intangible feature and points to the related differentiation aspect as an essential part, furthermore it is possible to distinguish a corporate aspect regarding the American Marketing Association variant (Wood 2000, 664). Furthermore, another milestone in the theory relates to Ambler for its consumer-oriented approach as the following: “[t]he promise of the bundles of attributes that someone buys and provide satisfaction… [t]he attributes that make up a brand may be real or illusory, rational or emotional, tangible or invisible” (Wood 2000, 664). The various attributes derive from the marketing mix which the organisation chooses and the consumer interprets within “perceptual process” whereby she or he can logically be only a partial part of the brand’s communicated massage, and overwhelmingly in a subjective manner (Wood 2000, 664; Chernatony, McDonald 1998, 18). These attributes are essential from an aspect in which we consider the attributes as characteristics of a brand. In this respect, proper understanding of characteristics can establish a relation to the strategic decision-making process. In this matter there is a reasonable continuation with Aaker for its contribution, as follows: “…can help brand strategists by enriching their understanding of people’s perceptions of and attitude toward the brand, contributing to a differentiating brand identity, guiding the communication effort and creating brand equity” (Wood 2000, 665). Nevertheless, brand equity will be explained more extensively later in the text with the brand equity notion.

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Styles and Ambler have enriched the brand definition with the product-plus approach and the holistic approach, which are both categorized as philosophical approaches. The first approach explains branding as an addition to the product and the brand as the identifier that is tailored and constructed to the target group. The second approach exposes the brand as most important and towards which the marketing mix is adopted (Wood 2000, 665). As a development to these approaches, authors Chernatony and McDonald evolved the product-plus approach with their following contribution: “[t]he difference between a brand and a commodity can be summed up in the phrase ‘added values’“(Wood 2000, 665; Chernatony, McDonald 1998, 18). As Myers argues with brand equity and the suggestion that added value is transferred from the brand to the product, so Chernatony and McDonald argue that the brand and added value are “synonymous” in its essence (Myers 2003, 39; Wood 2000, 665; Chernatony, McDonald 1998, 18). The added value jointly with the brand is relatively efficient in a matter, where the added value agents are identified, moreover closely analyzed and managed towards adding value to the organisation (Wood 2000, 665). From relatively all the brand notions from various authors and aspects, we could conclude with Wood’s integrated approach encompassing three essential elements as: brand’s purpose, its achievement due to consumer benefits and added value. Finally it is as: “[a] brand is a mechanism for achieving competitive advantage for firms, through differentiation (purpose). [t]he attributes that differentiate a brand provide the customer with satisfaction and benefits for which they are willing to pay (mechanism)” (Wood 2000, 666). These approaches have characteristics that are actually applicable in defining the brand, but mainly focusing, according to Balmer, on product brands in order to expose the relevance of the consumer. The consumer plays an overwhelmingly important role as the arbiter of whether the consumer’s associations, expectations and experiences are congruent with what the brand stands for (Myers 2003, 39). In this work, the centre of intention is the corporate brand, but from the notion it derives, it is understandable that a brief summary, due to the convergence of the brand and the brand framework done in last decades, was presented previously. Nevertheless, our further attention is directed to the corporate brand.

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2.3 The corporate brand “Adored, venerated and coveted by customers and organisations alike, corporate brands represent one of the most fascinating phenomena of the business environment in the twenty – first century” (Balmer 2003, 973). In an era where the boundaries between corporate entities have become less distinct, where the blurry boundaries between the internal and external environment and where the traditional approaches to marketing have come under scrutiny, the corporate brand has emerged as a particularly salient and robust concept to foster meaningful and beneficial relationships. Once the organisation succeeds to establish a well-managed corporate brand it can be adopted into many forms of business. It can be managed as a marketable asset, borrowed by other organisations, or might even be commonly shared in joint ventures among a group of organisations. It has the possibility to be profitable in many ways for the organisation that uses its legal rights and economics. Since the early beginnings various schools have adopted their own relation to the corporate branding and the brands in general, some of them are the following:

- marks denoting ownership, - image-building devices, - symbols associated with key values, and - means by which to construct individual entities (Balmer 2003, 973)

The corporate brand should express what the organisation strives to achieve or what core values it adheres to, but also act as an organising factor optimising organisational processes and structures in order to fulfil this aspirations (Burghausen, Fan 2002, 94) The corporate brand itself differs from the concept brand in some profound characteristics. The distinctions that define the corporate brand connect ways of communicating the brand’s value in a sense of promise, competences that gain competitive advantage with differentiations to competitors, supporting and nurturing the relationship to various stakeholders (Balmer 2003, 974). An organisation that has established a corporate brand has an opportunity to simply distinguish and differentiate itself in relation to the external environment, as Balmer suggests: “to all of its stakeholders” (Balmer 2003, 985). In the relationship between the organisation and customers the corporate brand enriches in ways similar to the product brand; “a corporate brand makes the company and its espoused values easily identifiable and connotes a level of quality and consistency of performance in the minds of its target audience” (Balmer 2003, 985). According to Balmer: “there is an increasing realization that corporate brands serve as a powerful navigational tool to a variety of stakeholders for a miscellany of purposes including employment, investment and, most importantly, consumer buying behaviour” (Balmer 2003, 985).

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It is obvious in the theory as in the practice that the notion of corporate brand has distinctively developed from the first appearances in the literature and corporate boardrooms. This development enriches many possibilities to define different aspects of the corporate brand, whether is it managed as an equity-asset that creates competitive advantages by delivering added value, or becoming an effective management tool in highly competitive international markets. The corporate brand can be symbolically explained as an melding device embracing all the activities and processes related to each product and service, or groups of products and services, locally and/or globally within the value chain and the whole value creating network, because it is not confined to any single or internal domain of a organisation (Burghausen, Fan 2002, 95). Clearly, it is overseeing all the aspects of product and service brands, but the purpose of the corporate brand is in a relatively reserved role, rather as a provider of general information and a pleader that clearly states the trustworthiness of the product or service. Nowadays consumers want to know from whom they buy their products and services; consequently the brand’s origin is becoming important (Nilson 2003, 88). A corporate brand involves the conscious decision by senior management to distil and make known the attributes of the organisation’s identity in the form of a clearly defined branding proposition. The proposition underpins organisational efforts to communicate, differentiate, and enhance the brand vis-à-vis key stakeholders groups and networks. A corporate brand proposition requires total corporate commitment to the corporate body from all levels of personnel. It requires senior management fealty and financial support. On-going management of the corporate brand resides with the chief executive officer and does not fall within the remit of the marketing. The corporate brand demands synchronization with the corporate identity and its corporate vision, which is expressed in the mission, possibly a special corporate brand mission. This notion has to be communicated to the employees and stakeholders in the sense that commitment is gained as a result and, as such, product and corporate brand are exposed to the political, economic, ethical, social and technological environment (Balmer 2003, 984).

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2.4 The corporate brand covenant “It has been argued that at the core of a corporate brand is an explicit covenant between an organisation and its key stakeholder groups, including customers” (Balmer 2003, 982). This covenant has a special role in the communication process to the external environment, whereas it is usually expressed as “a promise” or “brand mantras”, consisting of a set of three words that encapsulate essential information about the corporate brand. Authors comparatively divide the corporate brand’s ownership into primary two kinds; first regarding the legal ownership protected by laws, and the second relating to emotional ownership, which connects the corporate brand throughout the covenant to the key stakeholders (Balmer, Greyser 2006, 737; Balmer 2003, 982). The corporate covenant represents an important communication process inside and outside the organisation; therefore it is create mostly within the corporate parent. Usually the senior management carefully builds the covenant in order to maximize the effects of corporate brand. Furthermore, the effects can be prompted by using the following areas; various communication channels, organisation’s products and services, and most important staff behaviour (Balmer 2003, 982). We can illustrate that with the example of a well known McDonald fast food chain store, where the management is mechanizing the organisation of all its franchise outlets all over the world so that each can produce and uniform product and service. Another suitable example is the Swedish Volvo that places great importance on what should and should not be appearing in accordance with the Volvo corporate brand, as Balmer points out: “the brand’s association with safety means that we should not expect to see a Volvo appearing in a car chase” (Balmer 2003, 982). All the presented examples have during their long tradition developed successful corporate brands with the contribution of their corporate brand covenant. Otherwise their logos would probably to some extent represent meaningless symbols detached of value attained with the corporate brand covenant. Nevertheless, the corporate covenant has a significant role in the process of perceiving the corporate brand by its different groups of stakeholders. Therefore: “the corporate brand may be viewed as a contract in that the company needs to articulate its accord with its key stakeholders by demonstrating, unceasingly and over time that it has kept true to its corporate branding pledge. The corporate brand’s immense importance as to “what it stands for” inside and outside the organisation should clearly represent an indisputable context, but in practice the organisations tend to fail in this (Balmer 2003, 982; Chevron 1998, 254).

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2.5 The conceptual clarity between the corporate brand, product brand and corporate identity

Corporate brands, corporate identities and product brands all of them can and mostly do derive from one organisation that has defined these entities. Consequently, we could assume that they share some common attributes. From a simplistic perspective, many might agree to this, but there has been much turmoil for decades over these notions and their similarities and differentiation. However corporate brands are closely related to product brands and there is a certain analogy. Still there are some fundamental differences that should enhance our attention. Furthermore, respectively our focus of intention should be on differences between corporate brands and corporate identities, therefore a closer examination from a theoretical point of view is presented (Balmer 2003, 977). Furthermore, a relevant perspective is the relation between the corporate brand and the organisational culture, which is essential in order to constitute the organisation’s vision and mission. A relationship between the corporate brand and organisational cultural aspects is explained by Knox and Bickerton in their work, but related to Balmer, where: “he states that corporate brands are cultural, as they reflect the organisation’s sub-cultures, tangible, as they encompass elements such as business scope and architecture”. Consequently, Balmer points out two main effects: first, the productive relationship to stakeholders in sense of support and, second, the enhancing uniting process towards reaching commitment top-down within the organisation (Balmer 2003, 977; Knox, Bickerton 2003, 1000).

2.5.1 Corporate brand and product brand In almost every aspect of comparison between the corporate brand and the product brand differences appear, perhaps not from a superficial perspective, but more in practice and foremost in constituting theory. It is most important to distinguish them due their essential differences. To achieve clarity within those notions, we concentrate on fundamental differences between corporate brand and the product brand, which are emphasized. Product branding is primary concentrated at various priory chosen target groups and reasonably positioned accordingly to the characteristics of the target group. The product branding as the whole seems rather as a process consisting of various strategies, each customized to the appealing target group. In comparison, corporate branding is focused on all key stakeholders of the organisation; as people within the organisation, possible investors, stakeholders and various governmental agencies. In relation to the essential differences Balmer argues: “the key difference in conceptualization is that corporate brand values tend to be grounded in the values and affinities of company founders, owners, management and personnel, whereas product brand values tend to be contrived and are the product of the not inconsiderable skills of invention held by marketing and advertising creatives” (Balmer 2003, 979). In encompassing the extent of corporate and product brands within the global economy, the previously stated difference is also stated by other various authors (Balmer 2003, 979).

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Furthermore concentrating on the human resource aspect of the corporate brands, the personnel is the melding point where the corporate brand’s value are integrated into the corporate branding process and by doing that they interfere with the internal and external environment and deliver added value as well to the product brands. Meanwhile product brands also execute and transfer the guidelines set by the headquarters into the practice both for products and for services (Balmer 2003, 979). Concerning the differences even more and regarding the strategic role of corporate brands and their importance as a decision factor in building the strategy. The corporate brand is generally a responsibility of senior executive branch, mainly because it’s symbiotic relation to the overall corporate strategy. On the other hand, the product brand management is mostly a middle management concern and closely interferes with marketing personnel. (Balmer 2003, 979) In order to achieve an even broader perspective upon the differences the following table offers guidance. Figure 1: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CORPORATE AND THE PRODUCT BRAND

Source: Balmer 2003, 985.

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The management responsibility as the constituting criteria discerns the corporate and product brand. The brand manager manages how the product brand is managed, while the chief executive manages the corporate brand. In similarity the product and the corporate brand have some defined functions that are for product brands planned in the marketing department and on the other hand, the corporate brand is more an overall organisational responsibility (Balmer 2003, 984). The responsible personnel in both brands are for the product brand narrowed down to the marketing department and on the other hand, the corporate brand is more a multidisciplinary organisational approach. The external environment to which both brands relate is for product brands aimed towards customers and for corporate brands to multiple stakeholders of the corporation (Balmer 2003, 984). Continuously the difference derives from the timescale of the brand gestation, where the product brand gestation is rather short and the corporate brand is medium to long. The values that constitute brands differ from the perspective of the perceiving, where we attach “contrived” to product brands and “real” to corporate brands. Each brand has its own established communication channels that represent fundamental functions of the brand. The product brand is distributed overwhelmingly in the “marketing communications mix” (Balmer 2003, 984). The corporate brand communication can be allocated into three segments; the first segment is the performance of products and services, organisational policies, behaviour of chief executive officer and senior management, and experience and discourse of the personnel. Furthermore, in the second segment we find marketing and other controlled forms of communication. In the third segment, it is word of mouth (Balmer 2003, 984). Jointly for the product brand and the corporate brand, some extension of alignment is required in order to manage them. Both brands are clearly built on the covenant of the brand; usually the covenant is unique and related to the corporate brand. Nevertheless as mentioned earlier the values differ for both brands, although the covenant is possibly the same (Balmer 2003, 984).

2.5.2 Corporate brand and corporate identity Corporate brands and identities may be similar concepts, but indeed, there are some underlying differences between these two concepts. The comparison between the concepts will give us an even more understandable view on the terms corporate brand and consequently corporate identity. The corporate identity is influenced closely by a business scope and organisational culture from which it derives and can be expressed in two fundamental questions: “what are we?” and “who are we?” Regarding these fundamental questions under consideration, some basic differences between the two concepts arise (Balmer 2003, 979). Identity is always present and applicable to each entity the organisation chooses. The identity is inclusive and therefore a necessary concept. On the other side, each organisation has the option to decide whether it is reasonable to have a corporate brand.

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The decision about having a corporate brand is a complex process depending on a vast number of decision criteria. Regarding the decision process from a perspective of an organisation that has a monopoly; it becomes redundant to invest into a corporate brand (Balmer 2003, 980). The difference between the corporate brand and identity can as well be explained by use of certain values. The corporate brand values are constituted with clear articulation, conciseness, clear definition and distinction, mainly unchanged over long-term periods and incorporated due corporate behaviours and activities (Balmer 2003, 980). As to the differentiation, nevertheless there are some values, which relate as to the corporate identity itself. These values can be described as follows: “an organisation’s identity encompasses a bundle of values that are derived from a federation of subcultures, which are found within and outside the organisation; they continually evolve and are amorphous” (Balmer 2003, 981). Constructing an identity involves certain processes that are to some extent similar to those of the corporate brand, for instance; communicating a message, differentiating the products and services, constructing the overall impression of the organisation with the focus on inside perspective, rather than the outside customer focused perspective (Kay 2006, 755). Nonetheless, with the goal of developing consistent corporate identities and brands, managers in both groups do face similar problems in managing multiple meanings. Furthermore, some authors argue that, with the proper use of corporate brands, the corporate identity can be effectively communicated throughout the communication channels. As Kay argues, the benefits of developing corporate identities and brands may largely contribute to boosting the sales, but certainly there are other important aspects as creating consistency with employees and various stakeholders with the corporate essential values, which assembled correctly, should support the corporate brand (Kay 2006, 756).

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2.6 The resource based view on the corporate brand An organisation’s strategic capability may be the leading edge in the strategic development in an organisation. Whether the strategic capability is a tangible or intangible resource depends on each organisation. Nevertheless, the focus in this part relates to the corporate brand and its crucial role in the development of a long-term sustainable competitive advantage (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2005, 116). The organisation’s internal resources and external capabilities provide a sustainable competitive advantage against competitors, and are a prerequisite if the resources and capabilities enable them to either produce at lower cost or generate superior value to the products and services without having a higher level of costs in relation to other competitors that could not exploit the given advantages (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2005, 116). Having in possession such a resource or competence the organisation needs to use it effectively in order to gain long-term sustainability of the advantage. Whereas the resource must meet the following criteria: “of being rare”, “durable”, “inappropriable”, “imperfectly imitable”, and “imperfectly substitutable”. With the present criteria as to the strategic capability the relation to the corporate brand will be briefly explained. As argued by Balmer a “well-managed brand” has the need characteristics to be valued as a “sustainable value resource” (Balmer 2003, 984).

2.6.1 Rarity An organisation which obtains the possibility to exploit a rare strategic resource is in an advantageous market position. Furthermore the corporate brand can be described as rare, according to Balmer: “we argue that a corporate brand is rare because it is a result, a unique historical pattern of development which suffuses a corporate brand, not only with a rich palette of characteristics that are functional (quality, performance, familiarity and predictability), but also with myriad ethereal elements that are rich in image as well as in symbolic terms” (Balmer 2003, 987). The corporate brand functional and ethereal elements, as argued before, derive from the organisation’s culture that is rooted in its values and expressed in its corporate identity. The link between the corporate brand and its cultural aspect is rather complex, but still the results are categorizing the corporate brand as a strategic resource that has an immense market potential.

2.6.2 Durability The corporate brand should be durable in its value over a long-term timescale. Many authors argue that the corporate brand is most likely to have a longevity that surpasses most of the other assets. As in the case of the Coca-Cola brand, the brand itself is much older than the physical assets owned by the organisation in order to produce it. Many other examples offer the same notion of durability considering the corporate brands. This can indeed become an important part of being sustainably competitive in a constantly changing market, where the trend towards short product lifecycles is present. Consequently, many organisations are shifting from product brands towards a relatively more durable corporate

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brand; although the shift itself requires great endeavours by the organisation, the results are promising in this sense (Balmer 2003, 989).

2.6.3 Inappropriatability Inappropriatability means that an organisation cannot lose profit to another organisation when the profit’s source is the corporate brand. In a continually evolving business environment, some tangible resources are constantly being in a position where they are bargained or moved, as in cases of employees leaving the organisation and taking along with them important clients as well. In this notion the practice for corporate brands is rather different, as Balmer states: “it is a resource which is historical and perceptual, a resource that is dependent, to a considerable degree, on perception, beliefs, and experiences” The heritage of the corporate brand is combined upon intangible aspects that are built as mentioned, on perception, beliefs and experiences and that makes it rather difficult for other organisations to bargain (Balmer 2003, 989).

2.6.4 Imperfect imitability If we consider the aspect of imitating something as a corporate brand we can reject this notion as one possible successful business act mainly for two major reasons. The first one is linked to the corporate law enforcement, and the second rests upon the fact that corporate brands are in their elements primarily intangible, therefore hard to copy. The intangible resources, which are in their establishment process strongly connected to a unique historical pattern of development, mostly provide an enduring advantage. These reasons provide a strong protection against any competitors which directly imitate the corporate brand (Balmer 2003, 989).

2.6.5 Imperfect substitutability Products and services can in fact be substituted by other products and services, whereby in some a resemblance substitution can occur to corporate brands. Authors argue that the exposed threat of substitutability presents most difficulties in protection. The market forces determine paths of development that sometimes put a corporate brand into a disadvantageous position with regard to a competitor’s brand. Organisations are being replaced in their once dominant market positions. Nevertheless, corporate brands offer some guidelines as to how to prevent such scenarios. The main threshold competence includes the integration of constant improvement into all the core processes of managing the corporate brand. Reasonably, it should be undertaken firstly in the building process of the corporate brand and further on implemented as adding value to the corporate brand. With regard to the application of this practice, it is necessary to adapt it to each industry’s specific characteristics and furthermore to each product and service itself (Balmer 2003, 991).

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2.7 The corporate brand building process Today’s most forward-thinking companies increasingly realize that the corporate brand is just as much of an asset as an organisation’s people, equipment or capital. As such, it needs as much nurturing and investment over time as any other asset, if the value is expected to prove out and grow over time. The corporate brand building process is commonly focused on the internal dimension of the corporate brand. Employees are a decisive factor in the corporate brand building process, because all the employees though working in different departments determine and contribute to the building process itself. The employees aspire to build a corporate brand that internally and externally is congruent with the core values of the corporate brand. The corporate brand can not exist solely as an entity, but is embedded and influenced in a broader context of economic and socio-culture conditions. Consequently, the whole process of corporate branding as a flux of multitude aspects proves as a rather complex activity. Still, corporate branding itself should concentrate on nurturing consistency as an essential aspect. Moreover, consistency spurs the path determined within the corporate strategy and corporate brand strategy and most importantly based on core values. The corporate brand construct incorporates the core values, which are indeed a central part of the corporate brand (Burghausen, Fan 2002, 96). In practice, the organisation endeavours to communicate the relation between its strategic capabilities and its core values; according to Johnson, Scholes, Whittington: “these are the principles that guide an organisation’s actions”, and furthermore according to Urde they help to construct the identity of the corporate brand by the processes of protecting, building and developing it. The relation between the core values to corporate brand is obvious and immensely important in the processes of building the corporate brand (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2005, 207; Urde 2003, 1017) As an example for the core values Johnson, Scholes and Whittington have described the emergency services such as the ambulance and the firefighters; encompassing their professional commitment towards saving lives is remarkably unstoppable, even on occasions when they are in strike action for instance. Their devotion to its values gives a “clear picture” of which values we can build trust on, as their customers in a wide sense (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2005, 207). Urde has divided core values due the corporate brand into three distinct groups, as follows: - values that relate to the organisation - values that summarize the brand - values as they are experienced by the customer Values that relate to the organisation As explained before; “core values are the principles that guide an organisation’s actions”, continuously as by Urde the organisation’s core values are: “the organisation’s essential and enduring tenets – a small set of timeless guiding principles that require no external justification; they have intrinsic value and importance to those inside the corporation” (Urde 2003, 1017-1018; Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2005, 207).

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Values that summarize the brand Various authors have related to the values that summarize the brand as brand essential. Within the organisation those values are used to define the ‘brand’s mantra’ as they present the core extract of the corporate brand (Balmer 2003, 982). Values as experienced by the customer Values that should define the customer’s experience and construct the perception are especially important due the market success of the corporate brand. The customer’s positive experience is the pillar for customers’ loyalty and furthermore companies’ success.

2.8 The case of corporate brand building in the Swedish corporation Volvo In general for any corporate brand the following statement represents a guideline for building corporate brands:“[t]he development of a brand as a resource and a strategic instrument of competition require that it engages and represents a value for both the organisation and customers in target group or groups” (Urde 2003, 1022). Furthermore, it would be beneficial if the brand as a sustainable competitive advantage would acquire all the characteristics that qualify it as strategic capability in the long-term scale. This objective largely depends on the capability of the organisation to attach added value in between the building process. The added value process is then divided into the internal and external environment of the organisation, while the end results generate corporate brand equity (Urde 2003, 1022). The corporate brand building process is constructed individually for each corporate brand by the corporate parent. In order to gain better understanding of the brand building process based on core values and with an internal focus, the case of the corporate brand Volvo will be presented (Urde 2003, 1024). The following notions regarding the corporate brand building process are created upon Volvo’s corporate brand and divided into six elements of corporate brand building. The content of the chosen elements strongly relate to the Volvo case and therefore offer and more enriched view into the corporate brand building process. The six elements present only an extraction of a more extensive corporate brand building process. The complex of six elements gives us a presentation of important aspects in the corporate brand building process. The elements are as following: - Mission - Vision - Core values - Brand architecture - Brand personality - Internal brand identity

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2.8.1 Mission A mission is a general expression of the overall purpose of the organisation which, ideally, is in line with the values and expectations of major stakeholders and concerned with the scope and boundaries of the organisation. As much to the general vocabulary of mission, our attention is focused on the brand mission. “A brand mission can be described as the brand’s fundamental reason for existence” (Urde 2003, 1024). More encompassingly it creates commitment to the brand’s mission, internally as well as externally, by creating a certain feeling of being a participant. In order to construct the mission statement organisations seek for the ideas in the organisation’s roots, which in this case can relate to the founders (Urde 2003, 1024). In the case of Volvo, where the mission’s statement derives from the thoughts of the founders Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson about safety, and is as well noted in the sales manual that dates back to 1930s, and constitutes the nowadays Volvo brand management policy as follows: “An automobile is made by and for people. The basic principle for all manufacturing is and must remain: safety…On this point, we are proud to be conservative. And even in the future this will remain our guiding light” (Urde 2003, 1024). This excerpt from the sales manual offers at least two significant perspectives: firstly it can be seen as an early attempt to express the Volvo’s mission with its overwhelming importance on safety, and secondly an embryo of a central core value. In today’s mission statement safety is still important, but associated with quality and the concern for the environment (Urde 2003, 1024). “Volvo creates value by providing transportation related products and services with superior quality, safety and environmental care to demanding customers and selected segments” (Urde 2003, 1024). In order for the mission to gain the desired objectives in building the brand, it is essential that it has a true foundation in the organisation’s value base, furthermore the mission is often isolated from the organisation’s daily business and therefore its effective use is difficult. As for organisations that compete with their corporate brand, the mission itself clearly incorporates the organisational goals and is a driving force for success (Urde 2003, 1024).

2.8.2 Vision “A vision is the desired future state of the organisation, it is an aspiration to which the organisational members strive with their attention and energy, and so as in Volvo where the brand vision serves as guidance for the brand’s future and at the same time is closely linked to the mission which it incorporates (Urde 2003, 1025)”.

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Volvo’s brand strategy is given as an example of their vision that includes Volvo’s three core values of safety, quality and concern for the environment; the example is taken from Urde’s work and is as follows: “Based on consumer perceived quality and achievements, Volvo will distinctly, decisively and consistently sustain and develop its brand position as a recognized leader in safety and be ranked as leader in terms of environmental care among the world’s top producers of automotive and transport products, equipment and systems” (Urde 2003, 1025). In Volvo’s brand strategy statement the vision is constituted by the core values (quality, safety, environmental care) and this as well underpins the very essence of the brand strategy in the process of brand building.

2.8.3 Core values “Core values cannot be invented, but have to be earned and proved over and over again – and they must never be jeopardized (Urde 2003, 1026).” In order to endure and achieve business success, every corporation must have a sound set of beliefs or core values, which must always come before policies, practices, and goals (Urde 2003, 1026)”. The excerpt taken from the Volvo brand statement gives us a view on Volvo’s relation to its core values. Due these Volvo corporate values it is possible to expose two functions, where firstly, the organisational values translate into the core values which construct the daily business practice. Secondly, the organisational values are directed towards the external environment, to the customer in order to add value in selected target groups. Moreover, with these, the dilemma of different interpretations of customers about the same values arises. It is possible for us to understand that Volvo’s three core values are shared all over the organisation, interposed by executives and adopted by employees. Albeit the way they are communicated is dependent on the market characteristics, but the common idea is that they create the platform for the Volvo’s brand statement (Urde 2003, 1026).

2.8.4 Brand architecture When the organisation determines a certain brand architecture it certainly is decisive on how to manage its brand or brands, whereby it further defines the number of brands, types of brands, the brand’s role, and their internal relationship. The scope and the contents of the relationship between core values and identity, has some certain forms that, as Urde argues, are four basic brand architectures, as follows: - corporate brand - product brands - corporate and product brands - product brands and corporate brands (Urde 2003, 1028) In Volvo the brand architecture for all five product companies has the same underlying core values, albeit the five different product companies operate on different markets for their own target groups they do share the same brand identity, in order to achieve that, the core values were essential in the brand building process.

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In order to give a clearer picture of Volvo’s brand building process Urde has divided it into the corporate brand and the product brand. Figure 2: THE CORPORATE BRAND BUILDING PROCESS

Source: Urde 2003, 1028. Both levels have the same core values that in fact join the corporate brand and the product brand building process. While on the one hand the ground role of the corporate brand level is to provide the appropriate level of credibility, on the other hand the ground role of the product brand is to provide the needed added value that enriches the competitiveness on markets (Urde 2003, 1030).

2.8.5 Brand personality The mix of core values and its expression determines the personality of the brand; moreover, the interpretation of such core values in certain forms gives us mainly the brand’s image. In order to personify the brand, the communication process must align with the core values and unify with what the organisation stands for (Urde 2003, 1030). Successful organisations like Volvo want to achieve a customer relationship, where the customers adapt to the values that the organisation stands for, and consequently identify with the corporate brand. An example is given of an employee working at an advertising agency responsible for the Volvo product brand, which explains the Volvo ‘persona’ with human traits as “informal” and “critical distance”. Moreover, they ambitiously strive to create a Volvo profile as: “an individual who is generous and who is impassioned”, to conclude this notion with the two human traits that the advertising agency relates to Volvo, which are humanism and the modern family. Urde summarizes it: “one way of describing the logic is by saying that the core value of safety is linked via ‘the modern family’ to the core value of concern for the environment, while quality as core value is regarded as a precondition” Attaining these mentioned human traits to Volvo’s brand personality gives the target groups great possibilities to find their relation to Volvo and jointly nurture it (Urde 2003, 1032).

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2.8.6 Internal brand identity At this point of the corporate brand building process it becomes essential that the core values present a melding point where various identities of the organisation and the customers establish an effective communication process, whereby it is a prerequisite that everyone involved understands and agrees with the content of each core value itself. The communication process should add value to the corporate brand by enriching the organisation and the customers as well, and this process should anchor the core values into ways of thinking, working and nevertheless behaviour (Urde 2003, 1034). Volvo enriches with an example about how the organisation internally commits to the corporate brand. As taken from Urde, Volvo established a Core Value Group in 1995. The main idea was that responsible executives from all the product areas were appointed to the group, in order to openly share their views on the corporate brand. The process of sharing knowledge and experiences was equally assigned to each of the product group representatives. At the end of the discussions the primary interest of the Volvo corporate brand was superior to possible different interests of individual product groups. The most important task at these sessions was the development of the Volvo corporate brand, and simultaneously its core values and identities are being nurtured (Urde 2003, 1034). The Core Value Group has indeed many various functions, which could be explored in a more intensive study, but concentrating on three primarily functions that encompass the entities’ contribution. Managing the international tracking studies which oversee how the core values develop in each product group in each market, further managing the development of official documents and policies that are intended for internal and public relations as the Volvo brand management policy, and the thirdly regarding Volvo’s sponsoring issues (Urde 2003, 1034). According to various authors, the corporate brand itself can and should be properly managed in order to qualify and manage it as a sustainable competitive advantage. Throughout the corporate brand building process the organisation can construct a proper platform that enables the creation of a strategic resource at an early-building stage, as the Volvo example with the focus on core values throughout the process.

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2.9 Brand equity If we consider Coca Cola, whose brand is estimated to a value of $69.6 billion, IBM follows closely with the value $51.5 billion; undoubtedly, these are just a few examples that obviously represent organisations that already long ago understood their brand as a manageable value. Nowadays organisations are getting more flexible when it comes to qualifying the brand as an asset, moreover having the corporate brand management developed properly gives an organisation possibilities that can result in profitable ends and added value to the costumer (Leiser 2004, 217). Brand equity defined as a set of assets and liabilities in relation to the brand adds value to the product, customer and the organisation. The product without the added value as brand equity would otherwise be considered as a commodity possibly being without the sustainable competitive advantage (Myers 2003, Wood 2000, 665; Leiser 2004, 217). The customers play a decisive role with their expectations, experiences and associations; if these are positive and perceived with added value they overwhelmingly result as the brand’s equity. Brand equity enriches the possibilities of brand choice, which consequently leads to higher customer awareness and loyalty, therefore gaining competitive advantages over the competitors (Myers 2003, Wood 2000, 665; Leiser 2004, 217). Recognizing brand equity gives the organisation prosperous business possibilities that would otherwise present costs of unrealized business opportunities. Managers should consider brand equity as an asset which is included in the balance sheet, moreover is quoted in stock value, therefore the focus on profits should be on long-term, rather than short-term periods (Myers 2003, Wood 2000, 665; Leiser 2004, 217). Brand equity can articulate like almost any other investment strategy, with an asset-based management approach towards the brand, the focus on long-term investment value, thus having a positive net present value during the investment period. It is essential to understand both tangible and intangible aspects of brand equity and their sources for the organisation. Furthermore, to benchmark the ‘best practice’ competitors brand and upon it to extract important market knowledge (Myers 2003, Wood 2000, 665; Leiser 2004, 217).

2.10 Brand management and corporate brand management Brand management has the primary function of managing brand equity in the most effective matter aligned with corporate and product brand strategy. Once the organisation has accepted brand management as a strategic management tool it needs to focus on some guidelines that give direction for effective brand management. Management must distinctly understand the brand in all its perspectives and characteristics from an internal and external (market) point of view, in order to make optimal decisions about the brand’s future (Davis 1995, 74; Wood 2000, 666; Nilson 2003, 25). The management’s decisive intention to invest into the brand, as in any other business investment, is crucial. Even more, the management needs to argue its decisions against others within the corporate boardroom and outside against investors. Additionally it needs

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to articulate clearly which organisational and ‘outside’ resources will be needed to support the processes required to achieve the brand management ends. In the process of designing the brand management strategy plans, the dedicated involvement of the corporate parent is essential to achieve all the objectives set (Davis 1995, 73; Wood 2000, 666; Nilson 2003, 25). Effective brand management has to deliver superior added-value perceived by present and potential customers to gain a sustainable competitive market position. In order to achieve the competitive market position, a consistent continuous process of the adding-value for the improvement of customers’ value perception is essential. Managers need to integrate the relation to the brand inside the daily business routine and within the strategic long-term plans (Wood 2000, 666; Nilsson 2003, 26). Brand management and brand equity as the core concern needs from the effective support other organisational departments in order to operate cost effectively. Otherwise, considering cost effectiveness, various difficulties could arise in maximizing the market opportunities. The theory, however, is rather different from the practice, where still many managers tend to prioritize short-term advantages due to brand value possibilities, rather than overwhelmingly essential long-term advantages and benefits by which a brand can enhance the business (Davis 1995, 74; Wood 2000, 666; Nilsson 2003, 26). Regarding the present principles and guidelines of brand management, the theory can evolve to corporate brand management. In today’s turbulent business environment the corporate parent increasingly recognizes the strategic necessity of building and sustaining successful and well-reputed corporate brands. Corporate brands require a certain degree of systematization within the implemented process of creating and maintaining favourable images, consequently for maintaining the favourable reputation of the whole company. Administration of corporate brand management clearly belongs to the corporate parent, where the managing should be executed. The support and proper consideration from top-level executives is required to add the greatest possible value. Their processes gain an overall organisational scope by focusing on various aspects of corporate brands. The scope and the relation of corporate brand management decisions are directed towards all stakeholders of the organisation. Corporate brand management should be the driving force for a continuous process of thinking and evaluation on how the organisation can leverage its strengths and its corporate identity to evolve into the kind of organisation it desires. Synergy and successful realization between the organisation strategy and corporate brand long-term strategy is a key element in practice. The corporate brand strategy goals need to be adapted to the organisation’s strategy in order for the corporate brand’s potential to be maximized for overall strategic goals. The corporate brand management decision-making process should be constituted on an interdisciplinary decision making approach.

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Volvo’s Core Value Group set an effective example on this matter. Questions regarding long-term plans for corporate brand management, other organisational departments, or even other product units in other areas locally or internationally, should be included. The aspect of an ongoing process with regular intervals of reassessing these matters should be applied in practice, which is considerably better than a less serious approach (Davis 1995, 74).

2.11 Measuring brand equity Brands can be valued in various different ways depending on what the organisation is trying to measure. While managers are focusing on brand value, their focus turns towards brand equity. A measuring method should provide results for the corporate parent and simultaneously help them to understand the brand’s value as any other asset. The feedback gathered from the measurement methods constructs a platform for the brand manager’s decision-making process. In recent years, a prevailing proportion of academics and managers focused mainly on product brands and their value.

2.11.1 Product brand measurement methods Primary measure methods expand from financially influenced methods to more consumer related methods, each suitable in its own ends. The financial measures mostly focus on either stock prices or brand replacement. The measuring methods depending on stock prices explain the brand equity value in future markets. Meanwhile other authors in situations such as acquisitions and mergers measure the brand’s financial value. The second group refers to brand replacement, but in situations which relate to new product launches (Myers 2003, 40). The following approaches towards brand valuation were popularized during the early to mid nineties by two British concerns, Financial World magazine, and Interbrand, a Brand consultancy based in London. Financial World magazine publishes each year an annual listing of world-wide brand valuation. The listing presents a gathering of the most successful brands determined under the magazines own formula. The formula calculates net brand-related profits, then assigns a multiple based on brand strength, which is defined as a combination of leadership, stability, trading environment, internationality, ongoing direction, communication support, and legal protection (Myers 2003, 40). The consumer related measuring methods focus on the consumer are their perception and behaviour with regard to the brand’s value. Therefore, the methods divided into two groups with the first oriented on perception and the second on behaviour. Perception focused methods include parameters such as awareness, brand associations, and perceived quality with regard to the brand. Behaviour focused methods include parameters such as brand loyalty and price differential, perceived value, utility and satisfaction (Myers 2003, 40).

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2.11.2 Corporate brand measurement methods However, as a consequence of the rapidly growing number of product brands that offer little or no differentiation between competitors, a step closer to the corporate brand and its value has been taken. The measuring methods used for product brands do not deliver appropriate results concerning for corporate brand measurement. The measurement methods for the corporate brand require distinctive approaches on how to determine its value. Before the organisation can start to develop its corporate brand measurement and valuation, it is essential to separate the corporate from product brand measurement methods. Often managers select measuring methods which wrongly centre on just the financial return that the corporate brand generates for the organisation, consequently undermining the enriching potential of corporate brands belonging to the organisation. The corporate brand value lies mainly within the parameters of the organisation’s reputation, which is nurtured among the people and various entities that are in some way connected to the organisation. The corporate brand measurement itself requires some certain systematical approach, whether a scorecard or any other suitable method. Reasonably, the managers as a result of their chosen method can evaluate the measured outcomes in an effective and efficient manner. The organisation should realize that the corporate brand is espoused to at least two different groups of people or other organisations that have either a direct or indirect financial impact on the corporate brand value. Groups that directly affect the financial success of the organisation are usually customers, distributors, and dealers that commonly create income flows. Additionally the suppliers who, by their business conditions influence the operating costs of the firm also have a direct impact. Financial entities such as banks and investors also have a direct impact as a source of capital. Nevertheless, employees also, directly affect the value of the corporate brand by either improving their outputs or reducing their costs (Schultz, 2004, 11). On the other hand, different groups indirectly affect corporate brand value and those are: governments, non-government organisations, and regulatory commissions. While these groups indirectly affect the organisation’s cash flows, they have an impact on how efficiently and effectively the organisation can manage its business. Consequently, that influences the value of the corporate brand as well (Schultz, 2004, 11).

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2.12 Global corporate branding Organisations that have set their goals on global aspiration have the forefront in many cases by having created a successful corporate brand that enriches their business activities. Corporate brands are important in an international context, but only if they are managed in a manner that adds value to the international corporate offering. Furthermore, aligned with the corporate strategy, the corporate brand serves as a useful management tool to succeed in achieving the goals set within the global aspiration. The decision making process, on whether to internationally expand the corporate brand along with the organisation’s global business strategy, consequently offers managers certain motives which are indeed decisive decision factors. The motives focus on the local business environment due to the amount of opportunities for prosperous profit margins. If the organisation realizes that the potential of growth within the country of origin is not prosperous enough for its own set of goals, it needs to expand globally.

2.12.1 Benefits of global corporate branding According to authors such as Quelch, organisations that undergo the process of establishment and development a global corporate brand are awarded with the following benefits. The benefits are relatively transferable within organisations around the globe. Added value for the customers A corporate brand should provide the platform for successful differentiation and recognition, both locally and globally. The key for this achievement is a clear vision and mission about its corporate brands and for its global business aspirations. The platform can sustain the corporate brand’s identity abroad. If the organisation is capable of delivering added value locally, then the corporate brand can expand its added value beyond the national market (Quelch 1999, 3). Therefore the customer can identity and perceive the added value within products under the same corporate brand’s umbrella on foreign markets as well. Organisations in such scenarios can attain benefits as, for example, the corporate brand Volvo, which offers their customers the Scandinavian design and its strong commitment to safety. Customers all around the world mostly perceive the Volvo’s corporate brand mantra in notions like safety, as one of many others. Therefore, on markets where safety is the key decision factor to choose a car, Volvo’s corporate brand proved effective and added value (Quelch 1999, 3). Lower costs Organisations that operate on global markets with their wide range of products under their corporate brand umbrella attain a competitive advantage against those which chose a business strategy where they develop and manage various marketing strategies, each individualized for each region specific market. Such encompassing business conditions are relatively in conflict with a lower cost policy.

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Therefore, it is possible to argue that international expansion of the corporate brand will create economies of scale and furthermore prove more efficient in other procedures that need to be undertaken on foreign markets. It is certainly less difficult to manage a single global brand than a series of national brands for specific local markets. A great amount of costs can be eliminated with the proper management steps on a global scale (Quelch 1999, 4). Cross-border learning Probably the best way to become good at something is to follow the golden saying: “practice makes perfect”, this translates to the notion of the corporate brand regarding the global markets. As argued by many authors, the overwhelming advantage of the global corporate brand is the fact that organisation can attain the “best practice” by practising it in each market where it operates around the world (Quelch 1999, 4). Organisations manage the same corporate brand on different markets and therefore gather experiences and valuable information for improvement. The corporate parent absorbs the information gathered and translates it into market valuable data for global brand management. One of the most essential tasks of the corporate parent is to integrate the attained knowledge into the global corporate brand strategy at the most efficient and synergetic level (Quelch 1999, 4). Cultural benefits In a highly competitive business environment, a highly qualified workforce presents a sustainable competitive advantage. To attract such talented candidates it takes more than a good pay package, the potential employee should be able to identify itself and its goal with the organisation’s values incorporated within the culture. If the organisation has a prominent global corporate brand, its reputation is way ahead of its needs to hire the most qualified employees. The factor of being a part of such global enterprise enriches the employee’s motivation (Quelch 1999, 4).

2.12.2 Pitfalls of global corporate branding The global corporate brand offers an encompassing variety of opportunities to attain, but there are some potential pitfalls, which can appear in some circumstances. An organisation which has a highly diversified product brand portfolio might experience disunity of all product brands with the corporate brand. This would indeed confuse the customers as to what the organisation is exactly offering (Melevar 2004, 162). In case this scenario is realized with a product brand, the corporate reputation is not necessarily profoundly damaged. The corporate brand can temper the damage. Otherwise, if the scenario arises with a corporate brand, the organisation has relatively huge problems that might result in negative business results in the future. Moreover, also other product brands suffer a damaged reputation under the corporate brands failures (Melevar 2004, 162).

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Excess standardization The mistake presents a pitfall and is related to the approach the organisation internally chooses in a rather simplistic manner to standardize the complete marketing mix. It can be argued as which extent the global corporate brand can be standardized or localized in markets, nevertheless the managers mostly choose costs as a decisive factor in both strategic options. Having an extra adaptation process within some markets consequently results in higher costs for headquarters, which need to be exceed by higher margins within the same sales volume, or the same margin level in an increased sales volume (Quelch 1999, 6). Ignoring levels of development As different as the position on the learning curve in each market is, likewise different is the level of development of global corporate brand in each market. The mistake in this case is undermining the importance of the order of development in each market, whereby the market determines and offers different opportunities to grow and attain goals with the corporate brand. Each market requires some adaptation is order to maximize the ends (Quelch 1999, 6). Excess headquarters control As organisations have been establishing their business units around the globe and therefore giving these units possibilities to manage themselves according to their best capabilities, there has been tension between the parent and its units around the globe. Giving to them extensive possibilities may result in business practice that is not completely in-line with the corporate brand’s essence, identity and values. The parent oversees that the unit operates in ways which are aligned with the predefined rules and is adding value to the corporate brand (Quelch 1999, 6).

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3 EMPIRICAL ASPECTS OF CORPORATE BRAND MANAGEMENT IN SELECTED COMPANIES

The empirical part represents the notions taken from the actual business practice of Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo. The primary focus in the content relies on the corporate brands Gorenje and Electrolux. The significant portion of the data derives from the interviews held with representatives from Gorenje and Electrolux. The data in relation to Volvo is enriching the example within the corporate brand building process. Both interviews held were realized upon a prior prepared questionnaire in the Slovenian and English language. The questionnaire consists out of three parts, as following; the corporate brand, the corporate brand management and the corporate brand building process. The questionnaire will be included in the enclosure at the end of the work. In the case of Gorenje, an interview was held in Velenje at the headquarters with a highly positioned representative who wishes to stay anonymous. Unfortunately it was impossible to conduct a person-to-person interview with a Gothenburg based Electrolux representative due to the pragmatic distance and financial rationality, but the data were nevertheless, acquired from a telephone interview held with the vice president of the brand management department. Additional data have been gathered from the internet homepage for both organisations. Unfortunately, it was also impossible to arrange an opportunity to conduct an interview with the Volvo representatives; consequently the extent of collected data is relatively limited, but still encompassing the essential objectives in the work. Respectively the chosen organisations have been selected upon their respected market presence and their accomplishment relative to the corporate brand, especially in the field of household appliances on a global scale. Gorenje is one of the most prominent companies situated in Slovenia. Due to its nearness, this company offers great possibilities for conducting the needed interviews and foremost presents an enriching example as for the corporate brand. Electrolux is the next organisation, and is situated in Sweden. The reasons for choosing Electrolux are of both subjective and objective nature. On the subjective level, Sweden was the host country of my international studies abroad for one year. As well, it has left a positive impression on my persona and opened my horizons for considering working in Sweden. On the objective level, Electrolux is an inexhaustible example for the corporate brand in this work. Additionally in the same context the motivation relates to the Volvo corporate brand in its content.

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3.1 Gorenje Group Gorenje gospodinjski aparati d.d. with its roots and headquarters in Velenje stands today for a highly competitive and respected company. It is remarkably recognized locally and internationally for its products and services (www.gorenje.si). From the early beginnings in the 1950s, when they started with kitchen-ranges and agricultural machinery it has enriched a progress that consequently results in the present business philosophy “everything for the home”. Their core business is the production and sales of large Household Appliances (www.gorenje.si). The Parent Company Gorenje d.d. has 47 companies of which 33 are situated abroad and 11 in Slovenia. Its business has a respective international scope, due to the fact that 86 % of its consolidated incomes are from exports. It has more than 50 years’ experience in the field of production and trade of household appliances (www.gorenje.si). Consequently, Gorenje is grouped among the eight biggest manufacturers of household appliances, with sales in 60 states around the world and a 4 % European market share. In 2005, they had consolidated net revenues from sales amounting to EUR 1,015 m. According to that they sold 3.4 million large Household Appliances which counts for 3.5 million units (www.gorenje.si).

3.1.1 Business activities In relation to the Gorenje group organisational scheme, the various Gorenje enterprises are divided into three divisions: - Household Appliances Division The division: “encompasses the manufacture and sale of household appliances; the production and sale of water heaters, tools and equipment for industry” (www.gorenje.si). - Home interior Division The division: “encompasses the manufacture and sale of kitchen and bathroom furnishings, bathroom fittings and ceramic tiles” (www.gorenje.si). - Trade and Service Division The division: “encompasses trade, engineering, distribution, catering services, tourism and real estate management; waste management, sludge effluent removal and processing, as well as the manufacture and sale of bricks, ceiling joists and lintels” (www.gorenje.si) The Gorenje group incorporates all its divisions on a local and global market scale. The larger portion of the sales is accounted by the Household appliances division, with 87%, followed behind by the Trade and Service division with 7 % and the Home interior division closely behind with 6 % of the total.

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3.1.2 Brands Gorenje represents itself on the domestic and/or world market with the following brands; Figure 3: BRANDS OWNED BY GORENJE GROUP

Source: www.gorenje.si According to the total amount of sales, a portion of 72 % is made under its own brand name.

3.2 Electrolux AB Electrolux was founded in 1919 by merging AB Lux and Elektromekaniska AB. Some milestones in the history are 1925, when the first absorption refrigerator was launched on the world market, later on in 1951, the group launched its first household washing machine and respectively in 1962 when the group acquired Electro Helios and expanded the product range to include cookers, freezers and a new line of washing machines (www.electrolux.com). It sells 55 million products to customers in 150 countries every year. The company focuses on innovations that incorporate thoughtful design, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals (www.electrolux.com). Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cookers sold under esteemed brands such as Electrolux, AEG-Electrolux, Zanussi, Eureka and Frigidaire. In 2005, Electrolux had sales of SEK 100 billion, and 57,000 employees (www.electrolux.com).

It all started approximately 90 years ago, when the founder Axel Wenner – Gren, while walking through the streets of Vienna spotted a vacuum cleaner in a shop window. The particular vacuum cleaner inspired his business sense. Consequently, Electrolux’s history began with the idea of selling vacuum cleaners from door-to-door and which developed until today’s global appliance business (www.electrolux.com).

3.2.1 Business activities Electrolux business activities divide into four main groups: - Household appliances, - Commercial appliances, - Outdoor appliances and - Industrial appliances (www.electrolux.com).

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Within the four main groups, Electrolux offers a wide scope of solutions that integrate into their 55 million products all around the world under all its brands. The solutions segment into two main parts as consumer products and professional solutions. According to their vast amount of products and due rationality we do not try to list the offered products, but rather follow the Electrolux classification into consumer products and professional solutions (www.electrolux.com). Consumer products: - Fabric care Fabric care focuses on the production of washing machines and tumble dryers used at home (www.electrolux.com). - Food preparation Food preparation focuses on the simple idea of how to prepare food, for which they produce gas cookers, electric cookers, regular ovens and steam ovens and many more (www.electrolux.com). - Dish care Dish care is focused on producing dishwashers with extend innovative solutions for customers. Its dishwashers are produced for professional and personal use (www.electrolux.com). - Home cleaning Home cleaning is the area where Electrolux first started its business and has until today presented a vast amount of vacuum cleaners with various characteristics (www.electrolux.com). - Food preservation and storage Food preservation and storage focuses on refrigerators and their technological possibilities (www.electrolux.com). Professional solutions - Commercial laundry systems Electrolux has proven its dominance in the commercial laundry systems since 1902 and until today. Its commercial laundry equipment is used all around the world in hotels, hospitals and so on (www.electrolux.com). - Professional food service equipment Professional food service equipment covers more than 80 % of the equipment for a professional kitchen, ranging from prestigious gourmet establishments to the high volume catering needs of schools, hospitals and cruise ships (www.electrolux.com).

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3.2.2 Brands The corporate brand Electrolux is found on a large number of products, satisfying a wide range of consumer and professional needs. Sometimes the name appears alone and sometimes it is double-branded with one of the local brands. Electrolux divides brands into four main groups; Electrolux master brand, national consumer brands, special brands and outdoor brands. Due to a history of acquisitions, Electrolux today has a large portfolio of brands that enjoy strong positions in their home markets (www.electrolux.com).

3.2.3 Electrolux master brand Under the master brand, numerous product brands are established around the world and new are still being developed. These product brands, except for Electrolux, are mainly present in foreign markets outside Sweden. The mentioned brands are the following: - Arthur Martin-Electrolux (France), - Electrolux-Chef (Australia), - Electrolux-Dishlex (Australia), - Electrolux-Kelvinator (Australia), - Juno-Electrolux (Germany), - Rex-Electrolux (Italy), - Zanussi-Electrolux (Europe).

3.2.4 National consumer brands Consumers who look for innovation, design and durability at affordable price levels trust these brands (www.electrolux.com). Figure 4: NATIONAL CONSUMER BRANDS OWNED BY ELECTROLUX

Source: www.electrolux.se

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3.2.5 Special brands Electrolux enjoys a leading position with professional users in the industries they serve around the world, such as professional food-service equipment and commercial laundry systems. Electrolux Professional, Dito Electrolux, Molteni and Zanussi Professional provide an extensive range of professional-grade products and solutions from our major international brands, but in addition, they also have a number of specialist brands serving particular demands of professional users (www.electrolux.com). Figure 5: SPECIAL BRANDS OWNED BY ELECTROLUX

Source: www.electrolux.se

3.2.6 Outdoor brands As of 12 June 2006, the former Outdoor Products operations of Electrolux have been divested as a separate company, Husqvarna AB. Husqvarna AB is the parent company in the Husqvarna Group, covering outdoor brands such as Husqvarna, Jonsered, McCulloch, Partner, Poulan and WeedEater, as well as construction equipment brands like Diamant Boart and Partner Industrial (www.electrolux.com). 3.3 Volvo Volvo Group business deploys in more than 180 countries worldwide, while mainly in Europe, North America as well in Asia. The business model functions so that the group’s sales of products and services are conducted through wholly owned and independent dealers (www.volvo.com). Volvo’s encompassing and overwhelming history began in 1927, when the first series-manufactured Volvo car, the Volvo ÖV4, rolled off the production line on the island of Hisingen, Göteborg. Ever since, “Volvo has developed from a small local industry to one of the world's largest manufacturers of heavy trucks, buses and construction equipment, with more than 83,000 employees, production in 25 countries and operations on more then 185 markets” (www.volvo.com).

In 2006 the Group’s employment rose to more than impressive figure of 90,000 employees operating in 58 countries, but the predominant proportion is situated in Sweden, France and the United States. In the same year Volvo’s sales increased to nearly SEK 250 billion (www.volvo.com).

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3.3.1 Business activities Volvo’s business activities are realized within its business units all around the world. According to Volvo, business units’ main tasks involve development and supply of components, services and support for the Group’s companies. Furthermore Volvo categorizes the following business units as major; - Volvo Powertrain

business unit: “supplies the Volvo Group with diesel engines, transmission systems and axles “(www.volvo.com)

- Volvo IT

business unit: “supplies IT solutions for industrial and commercial processes within and outside the Group“(www.volvo.com)

- Volvo Parts

business unit: “supplies services to support the aftermarket for business areas within the Group“(www.volvo.com)

- Volvo 3P

business unit: “is responsible for product planning, product development and purchasing for the Group's truck operations“(www.volvo.com)

3.3.2 Brands “The Volvo brand, which has been built up over decades, is one of the world’s best known and respected brand names” (www.volvo.com).

The corporate brand Volvo, which is a brand achievement of ongoing development over decades, enjoys a solid position worldwide.

“Volvo’s core values – Quality, Safety and Environmental Care – have been developed and nurtured over decades and generate benefits to our customers – and value to our shareholders” (www.volvo.com).

3.3.3 Volvo's values

The corporate brand Volvo incorporates a set of core values that constitute their corporate culture. Furthermore Volvo Group articulates their corporate culture as: “corporate culture as a unique asset, since it is difficult for competitors to copy”. Furthermore, Volvo adds: “by applying and strengthening the expertise and culture we have built up over the years, we can achieve our vision” (www.volvo.com).

“Quality, safety and environmental care are the values that form the Volvo Group’s common base and are important components of our corporate culture” (www.volvo.com).

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Quality, safety and environmental care are also stated by Volvo, as their “corporate values” and comprehensively transfer the notion: “each reflected in how we develop our products, how we act in society, and how we approach our customers and employees” (www.volvo.com). “The values have a long tradition and permeate our organisation, our products and our way of working” (www.volvo.com). Included in the matter of Volvo’s values, the following notions are presented as the platform to their corporate identity and culture. Social responsibility – As the platform for “open exchange of information and active participation in society are key components of the Volvo Group culture, manifested in both our external and our internal activities” (www.volvo.com). Company culture – ‘The Volvo Way’ is our company philosophy, describing Volvo’s values, our corporate culture and the way Volvo works”. It involves the Volvo brand history and constitutes their vision (www.volvo.com). Diversity – Volvo Group recognizes the value of diversity internally and externally and therefore it stresses diversity in the group’s current and future business success (www.volvo.com).

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4 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE BRANDING – THE CASE OF GORENJE, ELECTROLUX AND VOLVO

4.1 Defining the corporate brand for Gorenje and Electrolux In the highly competitive and globally expanding markets, competition is getting fierce and relentless. Achieving a unique selling position and competitive advantages both on the local market as well as on the global scale becomes quite a difficult task. Moreover, the traditional marketing approaches have become outdated; therefore, the corporate brand has emerged as a particularly resilient and robust concept. Gorenje and Electrolux are no exceptions and therefore are dealing with comparable conditions in the global household appliances market. Gorenje and Electrolux are since their early beginnings till nowadays congruent with their corporate brand and moreover aware of the enhanced value of the corporate brand for the organisation; therefore they develop and sustain their competitive positions under the corporate brand. Albeit in comparison to the corporate brand nowadays and the brand in early beginnings, it is rather simplistic to refer to early Gorenje and Electrolux brand as the corporate brand, but preliminary as ‘the brand’ that rooted the corporate brand’s evolution. While the brand’s essence as a mechanism for achieving competitive advantages through its purpose of differentiation, which deliver added value to the customer with it’s satisfaction and benefits for that he or she is willing to pay for, still counts as valid. Corporate brands serve as a powerful navigational tool for encompassing a variety of fields within the internal and external environment. Gorenje and Electrolux link their corporate brand strongly to the corporate strategy within fields such as employment, investment, global business ventures and most importantly consumer buying behaviour. The corporate strategy is constituted with the mission and the vision whereby the corporate brand adds ways of communicating the brand’s value in the sense of promise, delivers competence that gains a competitive advantage by differentiation from the competitors, and by supporting and nurturing the relationship to the employees and various stakeholders. According to Gorenje and Electrolux, it is possible to determine that the corporate brand presents a unique and differentiated identity that evokes the brand’s essence, individuality and values. This helps customers all over the world to understand what the company stands for, its aims and values, and nevertheless what they might experience from the brand, whereby both companies have a vast portfolio of product brands globally spread, but still the corporate brand delivers a unified experience. The corporate brand in addition to being the core of the branding process from which the product brands generate their value, also provides the necessary elements that combine and hold the organisation together, both in Gorenje as in Electrolux. Within the relationship between Gorenje and Electrolux to their customers, the corporate brand locally and globally identifies and connotes a level of quality and consistency of performance in the minds of the customers; moreover, it adds value to product brands, market entries and new products. Both corporate brands have achieved a certain level of global recognition that enriches their corporate identity and sustains the competitive positions.

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As explained by both interviewers a corporate brand must deliver enhanced value, be clearly defined in consumer terms and above all provide a sense of security and trust as with Electrolux: “buy me and you will get this experience” and Gorenje where the consumer can rely on buying state of the art design products. It is important that consumer can relate positively to the corporate brand over an enduring relationship. Such a relationship can secure future earnings by securing customer loyalty and enhancing value at both ends, as for the organisation and so too for the customer.

4.2 The corporate brand covenant Various authors strongly stress the importance of having a corporate brand covenant or ‘brand’s mantra’ as an essential part of the corporate brand. Nevertheless, the practice delivers the evident positive results. It represents the core of the corporate brand and connotes the corporate brand’s essence to all its key stakeholders, including customers. Electrolux’s ‘brand mantra’ focuses on three words; quality, innovation and leadership. Moreover, Electrolux has lately made some changes according to their ‘brand mantra’. Since then, thoughtfulness would represent the ‘carrier’ of Electrolux’s message. It is also intended as platform to affirm relationships with the group’s stakeholders; foremost consumers, also with employees, investors, suppliers and government officials. Although the ‘brand mantra’ usually consists of three distinctive words, we can assume that in case of Electrolux it is overwhelmingly also ‘in addition to quality, innovation and leadership’ a core value as the link to key stakeholders. The whole content composes the ‘promise’. Meanwhile Gorenje's ‘brand mantra’ is constructed upon innovation and design. Moreover, their ‘brand mantra’ relies on other attributes than constituting three words, in this case two words, but more on the whole set of activities, relationships with its customers, business partners and suppliers. The corporate brand’s ‘promise’ stands as a pledge to its key stakeholders that the company has to demonstrate unceasingly and over time. It can be viewed as a bond, which enables synergies internally within the employees and externally to all its key stakeholders, including customers.

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4.3 The conceptual clarity between the corporate brand, product brand and corporate identity in Gorenje and Electrolux

As the theory has enriched and cleared our understanding between concepts as corporate brands, product brands and the corporate identity, the practice of Gorenje and Electrolux gives us a more concrete presentation of the concepts. When concentrating on fundamental differences between corporate and product brands we can briefly underline three essential ones that mostly relate to the values presented, the human resource aspect, and the scope of responsibility.

In Gorenje, we can observe the differentiation of the corporate brand to the product brands in some dimensions. Concerning the values both brands stand for, there is no pragmatic diversity, though still the appearance of both brands is presented differently. While the values for both brands are conjoint, the communication process is distinguished both locally and globally. The product brand’s values are incorporated within the corporate in its essence. Meanwhile the product brands are communicated differently with values suited for a unique product brand, subsequently the consumer is aware of Gorenje’s corporate brand values but additionally espoused to the product brand’s communicated values.

Furthermore, the human resource aspect is distinguished between both brands, while the corporate brand is a headquarters’ matter, the product brands on international markets are managed individually by local personnel to some extent of content.

Relating to the scope of responsibility the corporate brand adds value to the product brands and the other way around, but the corporate brand holds the responsibility for all the product brands on all markets. The corporate brand Electrolux is aligning a vast amount of product brands around the world. Electrolux products are not necessarily always or immediately recognizable by consumers under the Electrolux brand, especially on the international markets where they are present under a different brand. Electrolux certainly distinguishes between the corporate brand and the product brands, including all three essential differences mentioned previously. The corporate brand’s values, clearly articulate with conciseness and distinction, while the product brand’s values can differ depending on the market and the segment of the product, additionally the price range. For instance, a professional range merchandised for professional use by primary restaurants incorporates values diverse from those of a regular range. Furthermore, the human resource aspect differs, concerning the sales personnel in outlets where both ranges are sold. According to the corporate and product brands scope of responsibility it is obvious that corporate has an overreaching responsibility for all product brands, whereas the product brand is responsible for delivering positive market results in the determined market and therefore individualized if necessary.

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The corporate identity is closely related to the business scope and organisational culture from where it derives and is always present and applicable to each entity the organisation chooses, it is inclusive and therefore a necessary concept. The corporate identity is constructing an overall impression of the organisation from an inside perspective, whereas the corporate brand does it from an outside – consumer perspective. Gorenje emphasizes five essential values called polka, which incorporate and constitute their corporate culture as pillars and are as follows; probity, openness, loyalty, key of creativeness, ambition. These five values determine Gorenje’s every business aspect, are found inside and outside, and constitute the corporate brand. The five values are especially important when it comes to integrating the new employees. It is essential for Gorenje to align with its set of values due their synergy within the internal and external environment. Electrolux corporate identity has taken a change in the last years towards a path of development to become a sustainable ‘thoughtful innovative brand’. Primarily, they want to integrate sustainability into their corporate entities, with thoughtfulness as their core value within their set of core values. It is also possible to assume that their identity has a strong relation to the Scandinavian culture itself and its ground principles. Still, from a business perspective Electrolux’s corporate identity aspires towards building strong brands and an externally recognized credible company.

4.4 The corporate brand as a strategic capability In today’s increasingly competitive business environment, organisations focus their business goals towards creating and sustaining a competitive advantage that can be categorized as a strategic capability. Gorenje and Electrolux are most certainly evaluating its corporate brands according to their strategic capabilities towards the sustainable competitive advantages. Each of them has their own set of criteria which thus have to be met both inside the organisation and, most importantly in competitive positions on various markets. Still the theory enriches us with a set of generally applied criteria, which can be relatively successfully checked upon various corporate brands. Corporate brands which meet the predominant set of criteria can most certainly be recognized as “well-managed brand” and a “sustainable valuable resource”.

4.4.1 Rarity Rarity can be explained in situations where the organisation has an advantageous position on the market and has the possibility to exploit a strategic resource considered as rare. The corporate brand, due to its characteristics, can be determined as rare in Gorenje and Electrolux. Those characteristics refer to the unique historical pattern of development, respectively in Gorenje as Electrolux and accompanied by functional and ethereal characteristics. Moreover, the functional and ethereal characteristics derive from Gorenje’s and Electrolux’s culture expressed through the values and constituted in their communicated identity.

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4.4.2 Durability The household appliances market is a fast growing market which is expanding in number of new products and innovations and is furthermore in competition within a large scale of price segments. In order for Gorenje and Electrolux to keep up with their competitive positions they need beside other requirements to gain their corporate brands on a long- term timescale. Having a long-term investment corporate brand strategy could leverage positive market results.

4.4.3 Inappropriatability In a continually evolving business environment successful corporate brands are under constant threat of being taken over within the merger and acquisition process. Nevertheless, corporate brands question economical reasonability in the process of acquiring at least from one point of view. Hypothetically, a business entity decides to acquire corporate brands Gorenje or Electrolux. Depending on the executed business strategy of the acquiring process, Gorenje and Electrolux have a heritage of combined intangible aspects contrived from consumers’ perceptions, beliefs and experiences which are attained to the corporate brand. These aspects make corporate brands rather difficult to bargain.

4.4.4 Imperfect imitability Imperfect imitability strongly relates to the corporate brand itself mainly for two reasons. Firstly the legal law enforcement aspect, which protects corporate brands against illegality, and also against imitability. Nevertheless, this is sadly not sufficient for proper protection of some entities as products. Still in some perspectives, corporate brands are in their existence relatively protected against imitability due their intangible characteristics. Gorenje and Electrolux have attained during their market presence a certain set of experienced and perceived values for their product brands and consequently products and services. It would be tremendously difficult to other companies directly imitate their products and services.

4.4.5 Imperfect substitutability Imperfect substitutability can in fact present a disadvantageous situation to the corporate brand. Constantly changing market conditions sometimes determine paths of development in which a corporate brand, previously in advantage position, can turn instead into a relatively disadvantageous position. Gorenje and Electrolux are no exception with regard to this threat, especially since they are present with various product brands on various international markets. Since both are exposed to the threat, the issue of effectively protecting against it is prominent. The theory proposes integration of constant improvement into all core processes of managing the corporate brand, which in fact in some deviation is the reality in Gorenje and Electrolux. Gorenje adds value to its corporate brand and consequently to its product brands through design and innovation. Electrolux is sustaining its competitiveness both through design and innovation, and furthermore through the corporate brand values.

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4.5 The corporate brand building process A mission is a general expression of the overall organisational purpose, which, ideally is in line with the values and the expectations of major stakeholders and concerned with the organisation’s scope and boundaries, while a corporate brand mission is the corporate brand’s fundamental reason for existence. For Gorenje and Electrolux we can observe that their overall mission is supporting and complementing the corporate brand’s mission with the aspiration to create synergies. Moreover, their mission is rooted within first beginnings of their corporate existence and their founders as in the case of Electrolux. While the mission expresses the overall organisational purpose, the vision presents a clearly defined desired future state of the organisation or any entity, furthermore a guideline for achieving the strategy to which the employees strive with their energy and attention. Whether it is an overall organisational mission or the corporate brand mission the essence proves the analogy. Since Gorenje, like Electrolux, competes primarily on the household appliances global market we respectively assume their vision might be congruent. Both have individually constructed their visions upon the core competences and competitive advantages inline with their corporate brands. Reasonably, each of them is building upon its core, where Gorenje exposes design, Electrolux is concentrating on innovation. The relation between the core values and the corporate brand are immensely important within the corporate brand building process and for prosperous results concerning the corporate brand. If the organisation is not persistent enough within the process of defining the core values, the next steps could prove inconsistent with the strategy. Gorenje has clearly defined and articulated set core values that constitute every aspect of the corporate brand Gorenje. The set consists of five notions called polka, each indicating its characteristics as: probity, openness, loyalty, key of creativeness, ambition. These notions contrive a ‘construct’ that constitutes the corporate brand and corporate identity. The ‘construct’, communicated inside and outside the organisation in various forms, is dependent on the goals. It can be something simple as a ‘guideline text’ for fresh employees and or an essential part of a marketing campaign on a strategic market. The Electrolux’s core value would represent thoughtfulness. According to Electrolux’s interpretation, a word conveys promise and radiates empathy. Its purpose is to build on functional and emotional value, although concerning the notion of other core values; they do not seem to have such explicit ones as Gorenje does. Rather they interpose content related text within their mission and vision statements. Their corporate brand values are established by external influence, especially by their customers. It is more an outside-in approach constituting the corporate core values. Their focus tends to concentrate on ‘listening’ to the outside world, and by listening also being able to deliver through thoughtful and innovative solutions.

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Furthermore, we can assume that their core values intensively connect to the Scandinavian culture from which they derive. Electrolux has therefore shifted their strategic important assembly line plants from higher-cost locations to low-cost locations, logically communities and individuals once working in those plants were faced with negative consequences. Particularly in Västervik Sverige, Electrolux shut down a plant, which employed 511 primary locals. The closing date was realized one year earlier than previously announced, which in fact caused economic damage to the small town, since Electrolux was the town’s main employer. In a joint act of local authorities and Electrolux, the former plant was donated to the local entrepreneurs and Electrolux is investing into small and medium sized industry to stimulate the local economy. In such determination towards social responsibility, Electrolux’s values are justified and reflected in the Scandinavian culture. Volvo, as another key Scandinavian corporate brand, has strong influences related to the Scandinavian culture in its core values. Their both shared principles are, among others, ethical business, openness and concern for the environment. Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo have similar brand architecture, whereas all of them have a corporate brand, which serves as an ‘umbrella’ to a vast amount of product brands. Their corporate brand strongly relates to the product brands through one or more core values or notions that relate as substitutional core values. The core values represent the link between both brands, whereby the corporate brand provides the credibility for all the product brands and the organisation as the whole, while the product brand building provides the added value which is also translated to the corporate brand itself. If any of them successfully introduces a new product on any market, the corporate reputation can prosper immensely. The core values and their expression determine the personality of the corporate brand, as the customer interprets core values into a corporate brand’s image. In order to personify the corporate brand and consequently establish a consumer relationship and gain consumer loyalty, the corporate brand has to communicate values in ways that enable the consumer to identify with the corporate brand. Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo strive to achieve a customer relationship built upon such foundations. It is essential to enable the consumer to have a melding point with the corporate brand, whether through design in Gorenje, or simply the ‘Swedish way’ in Volvo and Electrolux. Hence, the corporate brand has through the core values constructed a corporate identity, which the consumer can perceive and identify with. At this point, it is essential to establish a communication process with the consumer, but all the participants need full understanding of the content of each value involved. As soon the communication process is established, companies such as Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo can focus on aspirations to add value to their key stakeholders. It is essential to support and nurture the communication process with activities supporting the corporate brand, such as internet advertisements, trade shows and other similar arrangements.

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Gorenje is every year organizing a Gorenje trade show situated in Velenje to which they respectively invite all the key stakeholders, such as consumers, suppliers and business partners. Within the tradeshow, they present their assortment of products accompanied with the latest design and innovation achievements and the ideas for future products. Eventually this way they gain much support and feedback from the visitors, which is essential for strategy development. In addition, numerous suppliers, business partners and major consumers are invited during the whole year to personally view Gorenje’s facilities. The approach delivers, in Gorenje’s opinion, a certain ‘homeliness feeling’ that with its great positive effects contributes to the corporate brand Gorenje. Similar activities are organized simultaneously on the international markets, but to a relatively smaller extent and with the headquarters supervision in their realization. Still the principles remain alike, and the positive effects are similar. Concerning a set of rules upon which to assemble an effective corporate brand building process; Gorenje and Electrolux have their own unique solutions. Every activity, whether internally or externally, is focused upon building a stronger corporate brand, either in Gorenje or Electrolux. In accordance within the perspective, but still distinguished upon the notions that they communicate and connote with the corporate brand. Gorenje is focusing on systematization and stability within the corporate brand strategy. At the same time, Electrolux is focusing on consistency and focus while building the corporate brand strategy. Nevertheless, this is an ongoing process with the attitude towards delivering added value inside and outside the companies.

4.6 Corporate brand management in Gorenje and Electrolux Brand equity is defined as a set of assets and liabilities in relation to the product and corporate brand, essentially adds value to almost every organisation’s entity and to the key stakeholders including consumers. Managers are well aware about brand equity, both in Gorenje and in Electrolux. Simultaneously they realize that brand equity has it roots and growth potential within the added value. Moreover, they realize brand equity as an asset that can indeed articulate like any other investment strategy. According to Gorenje, the added value derives from the design which is integrated into Gorenje’s products. Moreover all products manufactured under Electrolux’s corporate brand are based on seven dimensions of thoughtful design: insight, functionality, usability, sense, aesthetics, total experience and sustainability. By integrating these components on a global scale, ‘Made in Electrolux’ stands for core values and adds value no matter where the products are assembled. The added value and product brands and the corporate brands are strongly related, both in Gorenje and in Electrolux. Concerning the product brands, the focus is concentrated towards the consumer, whether from an intangible perspective or a design dominated perspective. Meanwhile the corporate brand is focused on other aspects as communicating the mission and the vision and therefore added value. The corporate brand and product brand create synergies that deliver added value which is translated into brand equity. In order to achieve

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this, Gorenje and Electrolux are both considering the corporate brand as a strategic management tool with all the characteristics that a strategic management tool incorporates. The corporate brand management links with the corporate strategy and contrives into a long-range plan that is conjoint with other business plans. The corporate brand activities and principles are integrated to a reasonable extent into the daily practice, further revised and developed by directors’ in Electrolux and by the marketing department with director’s cooperation in Gorenje. Additionally Electrolux has established an internal network, which connects every department together. The network provides support on an operational level to the brand management. Electrolux has also established a Brand leadership group that deals with issues regarding the corporate brand and the product brands mostly held in meetings at the headquarters in Gothenburg. Corporate brand management should be the driving force for a process of constant evaluation and development. In order to manage the corporate brand effectively, they need to apply a measurement method to understand the corporate brand assets value. In Gorenje, managers have not applied any direct measurement methods regarding the corporate brand’s value, rather indirectly by concentrating on the sales numbers delivered from the product brands. By contrast in Electrolux managers are using a ‘brand tracking’ system installed to value/measure brand equity on the corporate brand. The ‘brand tracking’ system is strictly isolated from the product brand measurement methods, which indeed is in-line with the proposed theory. Moreover, they do not use a measuring method concentrating solely on corporate brand’s financial value, which is also congruent with the proposed theory. The data for the ‘brand tracking’ is deriving from indexes related to consumer perception. Additionally Electrolux is also appointing external agencies to conduct analyses relating to the corporate brand’s value.

4.7 Turmoil on the household appliances market The household appliances global market has recently emerged into turmoil. Competitors from eastern markets have intruded their competitive positions on global markets accompanied with competitive advantages posing a challenge to the existing market players. Ongoing changes are reshaping the fundamental market structure, regarding the price segments and product segments. Gorenje and Electrolux are completely aware about the flux within the global household appliances markets and have undergone some development and preparation related to response due to the existing market conditions. According to Electrolux, the market conditions are described in the sense of where the market has undergone the process of polarization in its structure. The polarization has been around for quite a while, but to a reasonable extent. Nevertheless, the process of globalization has enabled lower-cost manufactures to intrude the markets. Consequently market’s polarization has split the market into two developing segments according to their characteristics. The value end market segment is the most intruded with low-cost manufactures and principally dominated by the lowest price determinant. Meanwhile oppositely the premium end segment constitutes on a high quality

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determinant. With products and services enhanced with superior added value. Before the undergone polarization, companies could earn profits within three segments: the lower one, the middle one and the higher one. Electrolux and Gorenje have both effectively adopted with their own unique selling proposition and have maximized their business goals. However, within the globalization the market has turned into a flux of conditions that demanded some adjustments in order to hold competitive global market positions. Globalization has opened the markets and enabled the exploitation of technology and knowledge in parts of the world where production costs are competitively low compared to the economically developed markets.

4.7.1 Electrolux’s competitive strategy Electrolux has responded and proposed a new path of organisational development. Most of their assembly line plants were shifted from established western and northern European locations to lower-cost countries such as those of Eastern Europe as Poland and also Mexico. In the motion of change they have consequently developed a new concept constituted on an ‘outside-in’ logic. Thus they have chosen a path where they actively redefine their consumer’s perspective, by actively striving to ‘understand the consumer by ‘listening’. If they are able to ‘listen’ well they will deliver thoughtful and innovative solutions. Furthermore, they have abandoned their traditional industry segmentation. Consequently, their brand portfolio was redeployed into twenty product brands and one master global corporate brand. Electrolux has changed from a multibrand strategy into one master global corporate brand strategy. Within the process of adopting the master global corporate brand, the corporate culture has simultaneously evolved into one global corporate culture, which derives from one global corporate identity. Electrolux has evaluated its unique selling proposition and determined to compete at both ends of the market. They compete in the commodity-like segment and in the higher-value segment by having two distinct business models. Therefore, their product brands are separately delivering added value in two allocated market segments. Consequently, the product brands in the value end market (commodity-like segment) have to subordinate to the business conditions that require obtaining costs at a reasonably low level. Accordingly, it becomes relatively difficult to differentiate its products from those of the competitors. Without the differentiation the consumer less likely develops brand awareness and furthermore brand loyalty throughout brand behaviour. The value end market conditions offer less or no possibilities to differentiate its product brand with its own lower-cost limited budgets. In the premium end market (higher-quality segment), the competitors aspire to deliver superior value through the products and services. Companies like Bosch primarily focus on the premium end market and deliver overwhelming business results. Nevertheless, Electrolux is achieving positive results in the premium market, through its innovative approach towards product development. Additionally it relies on the successfully established global network of business branches and therefore yields market knowledge which is essential to sustain competitiveness. Moreover, Electrolux has delivered value through its post-sell activities as call centres especially in the United States.

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4.7.2 Gorenje’s competitive strategy Gorenje has, like Electrolux, determined a new path of development. In order to follow the new path, they will restructure their brand portfolio and operate under one master global corporate brand, as Gorenje’s transformation to the master global brand is still in progress and aligned with their strategy. Gorenje is constructing its unique selling proposition upon its endurable endeavour of delivering products with superiorly recognized design. It has proved successful individually and within the cooperation alongside ‘design giants’ such as Pinnifarina. Moreover, various similar projects are in their preparation or already have been presented with positive market responses. Concerning the global market polarization, Gorenje has prepared its competitive strategies in order maintain its level of business results. According to Gorenje, the company’s core competence related to the polarizing household appliances market is flexibility, primarily due to the relatively smaller organisational extent. Gorenje’s flexibility enables them to adjust properly to the persistent global market trends. Principally, having the ability to develop products faster and more importantly position them on the market within a shorter period than the competitors. Furthermore, deriving from their flexibility there are capable to apply innovative and design enriched product solutions faster in their production line. Nevertheless creating brand awareness demands quite respectively large budgets, which themselves are economically questionable according to their non-guaranteed market results. At the same time, Gorenje is building its future business propositions in rather higher value segments with the accentuation on design and innovativeness and aspiring towards the goal of becoming the world’ number one corporate brand in design dimensions. Following the changes, all the products will be presented only with the corporate brand Gorenje. In the past, for instance, Gorenje’s bathroom products were communicated as Gorenje bathrooms, now the change implies solely the corporate brand Gorenje with no regard to the products’ characteristics in the name.

4.8 The benefits and pitfalls of global corporate branding The corporate brands Gorenje and Electrolux have already undergone the organisational evolution stage of becoming international. Globally recognized and competitive are Gorenje and Electrolux implementing the global component into their corporate strategy, moreover their corporate brand strategy. Nevertheless, the determinant of global scope proves advantageous while competing on the turmoil household appliances market. According to the theory, those organisations that undergo the process of establishing and developing a global corporate brand are awarded with the following benefits; added value for the customer, lower costs, cross-boarder learning and cultural benefits for the company.

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In relation to Gorenje and Electrolux all the stated benefits can be argued for as existing within Gorenje and Electrolux. Reasonably, each benefit is already included to a certain degree depending on the business circumstances provided within both companies. Added value in this sense is extracted from the notion that an organisation with a vast amount of product brands chooses to operate under one global corporate brand to attain competitive advantage over those who choose to operate with various marketing strategies, each individualized for each specific region. Gorenje and Electrolux have determined a path of development constituting a master global brand. Consequently, such conditions enable economies of scale and cost efficiency in other procedures on foreign markets. While the corporate brand attains brand awareness on the present international markets, it simultaneously delivers added value through the communication process. Gorenje is overwhelmingly well known for its design achievements on the Slovenian market and with the corporate brand; the achievements are transparent as well on foreign markets on which Gorenje’s corporate brand is present. Therefore, added value is delivered in international dimensions. Cross-border learning is another benefit accompanied with the global corporate brand. Electrolux has established a brand council situated in Gothenburg. The goals of the council consist in gathering the data channelled from various markets around the world. From the data collected information is gained and continuously transferred into market valuable knowledge. The knowledge can be used for the brand valuation process or for developing innovative products. In times when ‘talent’ is determined as the most valuable human resource asset, the corporate brand can attract within the communicated values new ‘talented’ employees who strive to become a part within the company. Gorenje and Electrolux have the possibility to attract employees probably also with the contribution of the corporate brand, moreover corporate identity. According to the theory the corporate brand on a global scale presents benefits, which were respectively present earlier concerning Gorenje and Electrolux, but pitfalls arise as well. They are: excess standardization, ignoring levels of development and excess headquarters control. Depending on the managers and the prior gathered knowledge and experiences from the process of standardization, Gorenje and Electrolux determine the ‘optimal’ extent. If they choose an intensive level of standardization, logically the costs could rise, and if they are not level with the increased sell results, the strategy proves to be inefficient. Ignoring the levels of development within each market could prove to be cost ineffective towards the prior set strategic goals. Gorenje and Electrolux are both putting great importance on prior market analyses before setting the proper market strategy aligned with the corporate strategy. Relating to the possible excessive headquarters control in Gorenje and Electrolux, we can recognize that they are well aware of the pitfall. Furthermore Gorenje has arranged a ‘tool -box’ which has been prepared for its business units around the world. The ‘tool-box’ consists of a set of rules upon how to communicate the corporate brand and the product brands additionally. The business units get their manoeuvring business possibilities in order to maximize the results. The corporate parent mainly oversees that the business unit operates in accordance with the corporate rules and adds value to the corporate brand.

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5 CONCLUSION

5.1 Findings In the flux of rapidly changing markets, evolving consumer’s profiles and encompassing extent of global competition due to globalization, organisations seek for effective solutions within the corporate brand. Gorenje and Electrolux have during the last decades intrinsically understood the potentials and pitfalls of the corporate brand and managed them in prosperous terms. Both corporate brands are remarkably well-known and trusted on the global household appliances market. From the undertaken interviews constituted on the questionnaire some interesting and valuable information has been gathered, which enables us a content enriched view on their perspectives towards the corporate brand. Furthermore, in comparison to the theory, some deliberating notions have been created. Gorenje and Electrolux have determined a set of clearly defined core values, which incorporate their mission and vision and are transparent through the corporate brand and the product brands. In Gorenje, the set of five values ‘POLKA’ presents the core values, whereby Electrolux constitutes the set upon thoughtfulness and “Made in Electrolux”. The core values encourage their employees and inspire all the key stakeholders. However, due to their organisational changes, some values might need to be rearranged to meet the new goals, but respectively not in a pragmatic sense. In alliance with the ‘brand mantra’, they confirm consilience that connotes a level of quality and consistency of performance in the minds of the customers and all the key stakeholders. It is the ‘brand mantra’ that in functional and ethereal dimensions constructs a link to the external environment, as Gorenje and Electrolux throughout the link sustain competitive positions on local as well as global markets. ‘Brand mantra’ is the corporate brand’s melding point between the whole organisation and the external environment, the consumer particularly. Their corporate strategy is supporting and aligned with the corporate brand strategy and the core competences upon which the competitive advantages are constituted. Continuously every year at an annual meeting the corporate brand is evaluated within the agenda. Electrolux has as a supplement established a brand council responsible for all brand’s concerning matters. In both, the corporate parent provides the support and compassion essential for the corporate brand’s success. Both Gorenje and Electrolux recognize brand equity in relation to the corporate brand and the product brands. Furthermore, in theory proposed five criteria qualify the corporate brand as a strategic capability. Fundamental principles, as for any other organisational asset, apply in corporate brand management. Although only Electrolux directly measures the corporate brand’s value, Gorenje still has the opportunity to enhance value to the corporate brand management processes by applying direct measurement methods.

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Gorenje and Electrolux have overwhelmingly responded to the present turmoil in the household appliances market, respectively each in its own proper manner, they have chosen a comparable path of development toward the master global corporate brand. In the sense of the determined organisational changes, Gorenje and Electrolux confirm the corporate brand as a resilient and robust solution in high demanding and competitive global markets. As did Coca-Cola many decades ago and has till today developed into the most value corporate brand around world, so too have Electrolux and Gorenje once more as already in the past reassured. The corporate brand can be the driving force for continuous processes of thinking and evaluation about how the organisation can leverage its strengths locally and globally and how its corporate persona is to evolve into the kind of organisation it desires to be.

5.2 Critical view on the work As practice teaches us, there is no finished work or achievement which cannot be improved in some variations. It principally depends on different points of view from different persons as to which path of improvement should be taken. Having a critical reflective view on what has been achieved by the prior set goals: we indeed realize that improvements are still possible. Perhaps we would do a few things differently if we did it a second time; nevertheless, we have definitely gained a lot of experience and knowledge by writing about it. In order to assure as much validity as possible, our goal was to use multiple sources of evidence collected from two companies each having a global business scope.

5.3 Suggestions for future research Since Gorenje and Electrolux have undertaken a new branding approach regarding the master global corporate brand and, foremost, the process itself is still ongoing, it would be interesting to evaluate the process after it has developed to a reasonable extent proper more in-depth studies to be conducted. In conditions which would enable us to conduct interviews with suitable Volvo representatives, great research developments could be achieved towards defining corporate brand notions.

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6 POVZETEK V SLOVENSKEM JEZIKU

6.1 Uvod Iz nemira prisotnega na konkurenčnih trgih se korporativne blagovne znamke prerojevajo iz zanemarjene pretekle vloge, v nastajajoči vir konkurenčnih prednosti uspešnih tržno- naravnanih podjetij. Konvergenca pojma korporativne blagovne znamke je prestala evolucijo, ki opozarja nase tako v teoriji kot v praksi. Kot neizbežen proces pri zagotavljanju konkurenčnosti, managerji blagovnih znamk zamenjujejo strategije produktnih blagovnih znamk s strategijami korporativnih blagovnih znamk. V okviru organizacijske vloge lahko korporativno blagovno znamko razumemo kot kompleksen konstrukt, ki ima aktivno in pasivno vlogo v odnosu med podjetjem in vsemi delničarji podjetja v širokem pomenu besede, tako interno kot eksterno.

Gorenje, Electrolux in Volvo so korporacije z uspešno zgrajeno korporativnimi blagovnimi znamki, unikatnimi v svojih bistvih in prizadevanjih. Vendar, med njimi obstajajo skupni nazori, ki si jih korporativne blagovne znamke delijo znotraj korporativnega označevanja. V prenesenem pomenu je možno korporativno blagovno znamko opredeliti kot dežnik, ki v celoti prekriva produktne blagovne znamke in s tem pripomore pri razlikovanju in razločevanju vseh produktov in storitev podjetja v mišljenju delničarjev v širšem pomenu besede. Podjetja zaradi ekonomije obsega, doseženega s korporativno blagovno znamko, prihranijo ogromne vsote kapitala v marketingu doma in na tujem.

Na svetovnih trgih se pogoji poslovanja neprestano spreminjajo zaradi učinkov procesa globalizacije, zato so globalni ekonomski akterji kot Gorenje in Electrolux prisiljeni nenehno dokazovat svojo konkurenčnost na trgih z nizko in visoko cenovnimi segmenti, kakor tudi oblikovati pot razvoja in napredka podjetja.

6.1.1 Namen, cilji in osnovne trditve Namen in hkrati motivacijski faktor izbrati korporativno blagovno znamko kot rdečo nit skozi celotno diplomsko delo temelji na dejstvih, da lahko na eni strani lahko opazujemo izjemno uspešne poslovne rezultate podjetij doseženih s korporativno blagovno znamko. Po drugi strani smo priča primanjkljaju znanja o korporativnih blagovnih znamkah v domačih podjetjih.

Cilji raziskave so sledeči: - predstaviti konstitucijo korporativne blagovne znamke, vključno s stališči in

konvergenco blagovne znamke - razločiti in razjasniti stališča med korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno

znamko in identiteto korporativne blagovne znamke na primeru podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux

- argumentirati strateško sposobnost korporativne blagovne znamke glede na vire naravnan pogled kot konkurenčna moč podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux

- predstaviti proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke na primeru korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo

- definirati osnove upravljanja korporativne blagovne znamke znotraj podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux

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- določiti globalno dimenzijo korporativne blagovne znamke v povezavi s poslovnimi razsežnostmi podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux

- predstaviti strategijo konkurenčnosti v podjetjih Gorenje in Electrolux glede na obstoječe razmere na svetovnih trgih gospodinjskih aparatov

- debatirati možne smeri razvoja korporativnega označevanja v podjetjih Gorenje in Electrolux

6.1.2 Predpostavke in omejitve Zaokrožena raziskava in zbrano gradivo ne zadostujejo v celoti globini vsebine diplomskega dela, zato smo diplomsko delo zgradili na določenih predpostavkah vsebine. Gorenje in Electrolux sta v samem obsegu poslovanja izrazito internacionalizirana, kar nam omogoči primerjavo zbranega gradiva iz različnih pogledov, upoštevajoč raznolikost kultur in nacionalnih ekonomskih razmer.

Omejitve diplomskega dela se navezujejo na dve prvenstveni podstavki; prvič na relativen primanjkljaj obstoječega gradiva na temo korporativne blagovne znamke v slovenskem prostoru. Drugič na samo eden izveden intervju s primernim vodstvenim kadrom v obeh predstavljenih podjetij. V podjetju Volvo je bilo navkljub številnim poskusom preprosto nemogoče pridobiti priložnost izvedbe intervjuja.

6.1.3 Metodologija Diplomsko delo bo temeljilo na etnografskem pristopu predvsem zaradi izbire intervjuja, kot poglavitne metode pridobivanja gradiva. Izbrana intervjuvanca sta po svoji vlogi in položaju nadvse primerna in s tem obogatita vsebino diplomskega dela. V okviru podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux bomo opravili študijo primera z namenom kakovostnejše predstavitve izbrane teme. Znotraj izbranega etnografskega pristopa smo nadaljevali z induktivno metodo raziskave, katera predvideva prvotno proces zbiranja empiričnih podatkov, nato primerjavo le-teh v teoriji. V celoti se bomo uprli na kvalitativno metodo raziskave, ki obsega raziskavo dveh korporativnih blagovnih znamk.

6.2 Teoretični aspekti mednarodnega korporativnega označevanja

6.2.1 Konvergenca blagovna znamke Konvergenca blagovna znamke je kompleksna in razsežna s koreninami v rimski in grški civilizaciji. V stari antiki so prodajalci z namenom identifikacije svojega blaga izobesili slike blaga in s tem poudarili posebnost njihove ponudbe. S tem postopkom so bili storjeni prvi koraki v smeri razlikovanja prodajnih sposobnosti prodajalca od ostalih, namreč s pomočjo logotipa. Podobnosti opazimo danes na primeru izpostavljanja vrednote varnosti v povezavi korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo.

Srednji vek nas obogati s povezovanjem ročnih spretnosti posameznika in prikazovanjem ter zaščito le-teh s pomočjo pečata, ki je jamčil izvor produkta in kvaliteto izdelave. Takratni začetki zaščite in identifikacije produkta s pomočjo pečata so prvi koraki, ki se danes odsevajo v pravni zaščiti blagovne znamke.

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Naslednji koraki konvergence nas ponesejo v Novi svet Severne Amerike, kjer se je začela živinoreja. V ogromni masi čred so živinorejci želeli razlikovati svojo čredo od preostale, kar so storili s postopkom ožigosanja telesa živali z individualnim pečatom. Mnogi sodobni avtorji na področju blagovnih znamk razumejo primer označevanja čred, kot pragmatično podlago za razvoj današnje teorije blagovnih znamk.

6.2.2 Pojem blagovne znamke Pojem blagovna znamka je rezultat porajajočega procesa številnih poskusov definiranja blagovne znamke. Vendar je možno blagovno znamko definirati iz primarno dveh pogledov; s pogleda uporabnika ali s pogleda lastnika blagovne znamke. Skozi pretekla desetletja je iz množice poskusov definiranja blagovne znamke vredno omeniti nekatere dosežke, ki preudarno zaokrožijo pojem blagovne znamke. Prvi omembe vreden poskus definiranja je nastal v Ameriškem marketinškem združenje leta 1960. Blagovna znamka je definirana kot ime, fraza, znak, simbol ali dizajn katere glavna funkcija je razlikovati produkt ali storitev od konkurence. Z nekoliko popravki je kasneje izšla nova definicija, ki je razširila pojem blagovne znamke na nivo katerekoli komponente blagovne znamke, ki doseže razlikovanje od konkurence.

Z uporabniško usmerjenega pogleda je blagovno znamko mogoče definirati kot sveženj atributov, ki jih nekdo kupi in dosežejo zadovoljitev potreb uporabnika. Sveženj atributov je lahko oprijemljive ali neoprijemljive narave. Omenjeni atributi so bistvenega pomena za razumevanje in razvijanje blagovne znamke v okviru strateškega planiranja. Na podlagi pravilnega razumevanja atributov blagovne znamke lahko podjetje blagovno znamko in ustvarjeno dodano vrednost pretvori v povišano vrednost blagovne znamke.

V nadaljnjo avtorji poudarjajo produktni in holističen pristop. Prvi razlaga označevanje kot dodatek k produktu in blagovno znamko kot identifikator, ki je prilagojen in zgrajen glede na ciljno skupino. Drugi pristop postavi blagovno znamko kot najpomembnejši del, kateremu je prilagojen celoten marketing miks. V povezavi z blagovno znamko in produktom je dodana vrednost najpomembnejši člen in rezultat povezave pri procesu označevanja. Ne glede na šolo marketinga ali avtorja je mogoče pojem blagovne znamke opredeliti s tremi komponentami namreč; namenom blagovne znamke, dosežkom pri zadovoljitvi potreb uporabnika ter dodano vrednostjo.

6.2.3 Korporativna blagovna znamka V poslovnem svetu, kjer korporativne entitete postajajo vse bolj prepletene, meje med notranjim in zunanjim okoljem nejasne in tradicionalni marketinški pristop vprašljivo učinkovit, korporativna blagovna znamka zbuja vse več pozornosti kot robustno in preudarno upravljalno orodje. Že od zgodnjih začetkov teorije korporativne blagovne znamke so številni akademski krogi privzeli različne pristope do korporativnega označevanja in blagovnih znamk, nekateri med njimi so sledeči: - znamenja označevanja lastništva - sredstvo gradnje ugleda - simboli asociirani z ključnimi vrednotami - načini kako zgraditi individualne entitete

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Vplivi korporativne blagovne znamke morajo dosegati raven izraženih ciljev in vrednot podjetja in hkrati prispevati k optimiziranju procesov in strukture na celotni ravni podjetja. Podjetje s korporativno blagovno znamko ima možnost se razlikovati in ločevati od konkurence in pri tem graditi poslovni ugled podjetja. V odnosu med podjetjem in zunanjim okoljem korporativna blagovna znamka poenostavljeno komunicira izpostavljene vrednote podjetja in pri tem izraža nivo kakovosti in konsistence v storitvah in produktih, ki so interpretirani skozi mišljenje uporabnikov. Korporativno blagovno znamko je mogoče interpretirati kot navigacijsko orodje, ki služi pri zbirki različnih namenov, med drugim tudi pri kadrovanju, investicijah in najbolj pomembno pri vedenju uporabnikov. Korporativna blagovna znamka je neizpodbitno domena vrhnjega managementa, ki določa vizijo in misijo korporativne blagovne znamke ter s tem oblikuje vrednote korporativne identitete podjetja. Korporativna blagovna znamka zahteva sinhronizacijo v odnosu s korporativno identiteto ter korporativno vizijo, ki je izražena v misiji korporativne blagovne znamke.

6.2.4 Zaobljuba korporativne blagovne znamke V jedru korporativne blagovne znamke je jasno izražena zaobljuba med podjetjem in zunanjim okoljem. Zaobljuba je pogosto predstavljena kot 'prisega' ali 'mantra' blagovne znamke, ki jo sestavljajo tri besede katere predstavljajo bistvene informacije o korporativni blagovni znamki. Korporativna zaobljuba predstavlja pomemben del komunikacijskega procesa znotraj in zunaj podjetja. Zaradi svoje pragmatične vloge je pogosto ustvarjena znotraj vrhnjega managementa s ciljem maksimiranja učinkov korporativne blagovne znamke. Podjetje mora neprestano skozi konsistentnost in resničnost utrjevati izraženo zaobljubo do notranjega in zunanjega okolja.

6.2.5 Pojmovna jasnost med korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto

Korporativna blagovna znamka, produktna blagovna znamka in korporativna identiteta so entitete katere izvirajo in so oblikovane v okviru enega podjetja. V zadnjih desetletjih je bilo ogromno akademskega dela posvečenega definiranju podobnosti in razlik omenjenih pojmov. V procesu enostavnega pojmovanja je mogoče izraziti določene skupne značilnosti, vendar kljub temu med njimi obstajajo določene fundamentalne razlike, ki so bistvene za temeljito razumevanje pojmov.

Korporativna blagovna znamka in produktna blagovna znamka V skoraj vsakem pogledu primerjave med korporativno blagovno znamko in produktno blagovno znamko se pojavijo razlike. Razlike so prisotne tako v praksi kot v konstitutivni teoriji obeh pojmov. Produktna blagovna znamka je usmerjena na predhodno izbrano ciljno skupino in s tem tudi proces produktnega označevanja temelji na predhodno izbranih bistvenih predpostavkah ciljne skupine. Korporativna blagovna znamka je usmerjena na vse ključne delničarje podjetja, zaposlene, potencialne investitorje in različne državne institucije.

Med ključne razlike pri pojmovanju uvrščamo dejstvo, da so vrednote korporativne blagovne znamke osnovane v vrednotah in naklonjenosti do ustanoviteljev podjetja,

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lastnikov, managementa in osebja. Medtem, ko so vrednote produktne blagovne znamke izmišljene in oblikovane iz veščin ter znanj marketinga ali kreativnih oglaševalcev.

Pomemben aspekt razlikovanja predstavlja kader podjetja, ki integrira vrednote korporativne blagovne znamke v procese označevanja skozi komuniciranje s notranjim in zunanjim okoljem, kar posledično dodaja vrednost produktom in storitvam podjetja. Odnos med produktno blagovno znamko in kadrom je koncentriran na izvrševanje postavljenih planov in doseganje dodane vrednosti na trgu. Upoštevajoč strateško vlogo korporativne blagovne znamke, kot pomemben odločitveni dejavnik pri oblikovanju strategije je razumno, da je korporativna blagovna znamka odgovornost vrhnjega managementa, na drugi strani je produktna blagovna znamka odgovornost srednjega managementa v tesnem sodelovanju z marketinškim oddelkom. Vendar kljub obstoječim razlikam sta korporativna in produktna blagovna znamka tesno povezani z zaobljubo podjetja in v tem kontekstu podobni.

Korporativna blagovna znamka in korporativna identiteta Korporativna identiteta je vsebinsko povezana s področjem poslovanja in organizacijsko kulturo podjetja in je lahko definiramo kot: »kaj smo?« in »kdo smo?«. Identiteta je vedno prisotna in se lahko prenese na vsako izbrano entiteto podjetja. Na drugi strani ima podjetje možnost odločitve; ali bo imelo korporativno blagovno znamko ali ne. Odločitev o izbiri je kompleksen proces in zahteva veliko preudarnega in razumnega odločanja.

Razlike med pojmovanjem je prav tako mogoče definirati s pomočjo vrednot, ki so pri korporativni blagovni znamki jasno izražene in praviloma nespremenjene na dolgi rok. Nekatere vrednote podjetij, je možno prepisati samo korporativni identiteti in se navezujejo skupnost pod-kultur znotraj in zunaj podjetja in se neprestano razvijajo. Z navezovanjem na podobnosti je možno navesti slednje v procesu ustvarjanja obeh entitet, torej pri komuniciranju sporočil, razlikovanju produktov in storitev in oblikovanju vseobsežne slike podjetja.

6.2.6 Na vire naravnan pogled na korporativno blagovno znamko Strateški razvoj podjetja večinoma temelji na strateški sposobnosti podjetja, ki je lahko oprijemljive ali neoprijemljive narave in predvsem omogoča podjetju konkurenčno prednost na trgu. Strateška sposobnost podjetja kot korporativna blagovna znamka omogoča znaten doprinos k razvoju dolgoročne vzdržljive konkurenčne prednosti. Korporativno blagovno znamko lahko označimo kot strateško sposobnost, kadar izpolnjuje naslednje kriterije: - redkost – edinstvenost - trajnost – stanovitnost - neprenosljivost - nepopolna posnemljivost - nepopolna zamenljivost

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Redkost – edinstvenost Kadar ima podjetje možnost izkoriščat redek strateški vir je posledično na trgu v prednostnem konkurenčnem položaju. Korporativno blagovno znamko lahko uvrstimo kot strateško redek vir, ker je rezultat unikatnega vzorca zgodovinskega razvoja, ki nadgradi korporativno blagovno znamko ne samo s funkcionalno lastnostjo kot kakovost, temveč tudi z nešteto eteričnih elementov, ki so izraženi v simbolnih dimenzijah.

Trajnost – stanovitnost Korporativna blagovna znamka mora biti stanovitna v vrednosti skozi določeno dolgoročno obdobje. Mnogi avtorji zagovarjajo stališče, da ima korporativna blagovna znamka dolgoročnost, ki presega trajnost ostalih sredstev podjetja. Slednja lastnost omogoča podjetju pomembno sposobnost pri vzdrževanju konkurenčnosti na nenehno spreminjajočih trgih in prisotnem trendu, ki določa vedno krajše življenjske cikle produktov.

Neprenosljivost V kontekstu korporativne blagovne znamke pomeni neprenosljivost, da podjetje ne sme izgubljati dobiček do drugih podjetij, kadar je vir dobička korporativna blagovna znamka. Korporativno blagovno znamko lahko uvrstimo kot neprenosljivo, ker je zgodovinski in dojemljiv vir in temelji na obsežni ravni na percepciji, zaupanju in izkušnjah.

Nepopolna posnemljivost Korporativna blagovna znamka je skoraj nemogoče posnemljiva v poslovnem svetu pretežno zaradi dveh razlogov. Prvi se nanaša na obstoječo pravno zaščito in drugi na dejstvo, da so korporativne blagovne znamke v svojih elementih neoprijemljive in s tem otežkočene za kopiranje.

Nepopolna zamenljivost Nedvoumno je večina produktov in storitev na trgu zamenljivih in v relativno majhni meri isto velja za korporativne blagovne znamke. Od vseh komponent v okviru korporativnega označevanja je nevarnost tržne zamenljivost korporativne blagovne znamke najzahtevnejši. Smeri razvoja korporativnega označevanja v nekaterih situacijah postavijo korporativno blagovno znamko v situacijo, v kateri je zamenjana v korist druge blagovne znamke s strani uporabnika. Kakorkoli, korporativno označevanje omogoča uporabo aktivnosti, ki preprečujejo realizacijo omenjenih scenarijev. Večina jih temelji na konstantnem izboljševanju sestavnih procesov korporativnega označevanja.

6.2.7 Proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke K napredku naravnana podjetja se vse bolj zavedajo in proaktivno udejstvujejo ob dejstvu, da je korporativna blagovna znamka predstavlja kategorijo aktive bilance stanja, torej kakor sredstva in kapital. Posledično vse več podjetij stori prve korake proti procesu ustvarjanju korporativne blagovne znamke. Ustvarjanje korporativne blagovne znamke je

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pretežno interno usmerjen proces, v katerem ima kader odločilno vlogo, saj preko celotne organizacije prispeva procesu ustvarjanja entitete.

V procesu ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke so bistvene jedrne vrednote, kajti slednje pomagajo definirati korporativno identiteto in jo hkrati ščitijo, gradijo ter razvijajo. Jedrne vrednote je možno sledeče razdeliti v: - Vrednote sorodne podjetju - Vrednote, ki povzamejo blagovno znamko - Vrednote, ki jih doživljajo uporabniki.

6.2.8 Primer ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke v Švedski korporaciji Volvo Ustvarjanje korporativne blagovne znamke mora stremeti med drugim k ciljnem stanju, kjer korporativna blagovna znamka predstavlja strateško sposobnost podjetja. In nadaljnjo ustvarja ter predstavlja dodano vrednost za podjetje in za uporabnike. Proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke bo predstavljen na primeru Švedske korporacije Volvo, ki je ustvarila skozi desetletja mednarodno priznano in prepoznavno korporativno blagovno znamko Volvo. Proces ustvarjanja na primeru Volvo bo predstavljen na podlagi šestih elementov procesa. Elementi si sledijo kot navedeno: - Misija - Vizija - Jedrne vrednote - Arhitektura blagovne znamke - Osebnost blagovne znamke - Notranja identiteta blagovne znamke Misija Misija je splošen izraz za celoten namen podjetja in je v sožitju z vrednotami podjetja ter pričakovanji zunanjega okolja glede na področje in obseg delovanja podjetja. Medtem, ko misija zaokroži podjetje kot celoto, misija blagovne znamke predstavlja fundamentalni razlog obstoja blagovne znamke. Vrednote podjetja sestavljajo misijo blagovne znamke in hkrati so vrednote podjetja tesno povezane z nastankom podjetja. Misija podjetja Volvo izvira iz miselnih konceptov ustanoviteljev Assarja Gibrelssona in Gustava Larson ter se navezuje na koncept varnosti. Koncept varnosti kot osnovna vrednota in vodilo razvoja se je v Švedski korporaciji obdržalo do danes. Poleg omenjene varnosti sta superiorna kvaliteta in okoljevarstvena skrb prav tako vrednoti in hkrati sestavna dela misije podjetja. Vizija Vizija je želeno prihodnje stanje podjetja in hkrati aspiracija, k kateri stremijo člani podjetja z njihovo energijo in predanostjo. Podobno najdemo v podjetju Volvo, kjer vizija blagovne znamke služi kot smernica za prihodnost blagovne znamke in je hkrati tesno povezana z misijo blagovne znamke, ki jo sestavlja. Vizija blagovne znamke Volvo je jasno zgrajena na treh jedrnih vrednotah; varnost, kakovost in okoljevarstvena skrb.

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Jedrne vrednote Jedrne vrednote niso preprosto dane podjetju, ampak si jih mora skozi čas zaslužiti in vedno znova dokazovati predanost do njih. Nikoli ne smejo biti predmet tveganja v poslovnem svetu in vedno morajo biti postavljena načelno pred politiko in cilji podjetja.

Korporacija Volvo se zaveda pomena jedrnih vrednot in jih integrira v dnevno poslovanje ter organizacijske vrednote od koder se preko komuniciranja z zunanjim okoljem dodaja vrednost. Jedrne vrednote morajo biti deljene skozi celotno organizacijsko kulturo in ustrezno vzdrževane skozi čas.

Arhitektura blagovne znamke Vsako podjetje ki nastopi pot ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke s tem definira število, vrsto, vlogo in notranje odnose blagovnih znamk. Področje in vsebina odnosa med jedrnimi vrednotami in identiteto določa arhitekturo blagovne znamke. Povzeti je mogoče štiri modele, ki so kot sledeče: - Korporativna blagovna znamka - Produktna blagovna znamka - Korporativna blagovna znamka in produktne blagovne znamke - Produktne blagovne znamke ter korporativne blagovne znamke. Za Volvo je značilna delitev na korporativno blagovno znamko in pet produktnih blagovnih znamk pozicioniranih na svetovnih trgih. Skupina produktnih blagovnih znamk si deli skupne jedrne vrednote, ki hkrati sestavljajo skupno korporativno identiteto pod okriljem korporativne blagovne znamke. Naloga korporativne blagovne znamke je zagotavljati zadostno mero kredibilnosti, medtem ko je naloga produktnih blagovnih znamk zagotavljati dodano vrednost konkurenčnosti na trgu. Osebnost blagovne znamke Kombinacija in izražanje jedrnih vrednot vpliva na osebnost blagovne znamke. Vendar interpretacija jedrnih vrednot zagotavlja podjetju samo 'golo sliko' blagovne znamke. Z namenom doseči bolj poosebljeno dimenzijo blagovne znamke, je potrebno jedrne vrednote skozi identiteto korporativne blagovne znamke približati uporabnikom, na način kateri omogoča predanost in lojalnost ciljne skupine. Korporativna blagovna znamka Volvo preko treh zasidranih jedrnih vrednot omogoča svojim uporabnikom, da se poistovetijo s Volvo osebnostjo in postanejo del celote. Interna identiteta blagovne znamke V procesu ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke je bistveno, da jedrne vrednote predstavljajo točko spojitve med različnimi identitetami podjetja in uporabniki, z namenom ustvariti efektivni komunikacijski proces. Predpogoj za nastanek omenjenega, je razumevanje in soglasje vseh udeležencev procesa glede vsebine vsake jedrne vrednote. Želja do uspeha v komunikacijskem procesu je realizirana v Švedski korporaciji skozi oblikovano Skupino jedrnih vrednot (Core Value Group). Namen te skupine je razvijanje korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo.

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6.2.9 Vrednost blagovne znamke Vrednost blagovne znamke je definirana kot sklop premoženja in obveznosti v razmerju do blagovne znamke in skozi proces dodajanja vrednosti podjetju. Produkt brez dodane vrednosti blagovne znamke predstavlja samo 'gol' proizvod in je na trgu pozicioniran brez konkurenčne prednosti. V procesu nastanka vrednosti blagovne znamke je zelo pomemben uporabnik, ki s svojimi pričakovanji, izkušnjami in asociacijami določa vrednost blagovni znamki. Kadar so pričakovanja, izkušnje in asociacije pozitivne se povečajo možnosti doseči višjo zavedanje in lojalnost do blagovne znamke, kar vodi do izboljšanja konkurenčnosti na trgu. Prepoznavanje vrednosti blagovne znamke znotraj podjetja, omogoča podjetjem številne obetavne poslovne priložnosti, ki bi se v nasprotnem primeru izrazile v stroških neizbrane alternative. Managerji morajo vrednost blagovne znamke vrednotiti kot ostala sredstva podjetja prikazana v aktivi bilance stanja. Pristop vrednotenja blagovne znamke mora temeljiti na dolgoročnosti upravljanja.

6.2.10 Upravljanje blagovnih znamk in korporativno upravljanje blagovnih znamk Upravljanje blagovnih znamk ima primarno nalogo upravljati vrednost blagovnih znamk na maksimalno efektiven način, v skladu s strategijo korporativne in produktne blagovne znamke. Management mora do natančnosti poznati vse perspektive in lastnosti blagovne znamke tako znotraj kot zunaj podjetja, da lahko delegira optimalne in preudarne upravljavske odločitve. V samem procesu upravljanja blagovnih znamk, je potrebno izpostaviti cilj povečane dodane vrednosti ob optimalni ravni doseženih investiranih sredstev glede na stroškovno raven investicij na dolgi rok.

V današnjih turbulentnih ekonomskih razmerah managerji vse pogosteje prepoznavajo strateško potrebo po ustvarjanju in vzdrževanju uspešne in prepoznavne korporativne blagovne znamke. Korporativno upravljanje blagovnih znamk je nedvoumno pristojnost vrhnjega managementa, ki predstavlja gonilno silo v nepretrganem procesu vrednotenja in evalvacije načinov, kako uporabiti svoje organizacijske sposobnosti za maksimiranje vrednosti podjetja in korporativne blagovne znamke. Sinergija v uspešni uresničitvi strategije podjetja in korporativne blagovne znamke je vodilo za razvoj podjetja. Za doseganje želenega stanja je potrebna prepoznavna angažiranost vrhnjega managementa in trdna pripadnost celotnega kadra, skozi multidisciplinarno odločanje.

6.2.11 Merjenje vrednosti blagovne znamke Blagovne znamke je mogoče meriti na različne načine, ki so odvisni od ciljev meritve. Rezultati merjenja morajo omogočiti vrhnjemu managementu ustrezno in produktivno branje rezultatov v smislu podlage za sprejemanje prihodnjih odločitev povezanih z upravljanjem vrednosti blagovne znamke. Merjenje vrednostni blagovnih znamk je usmerjeno pretežno na produktne blagovne znamke.

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Metode merjenja vrednosti produktnih blagovnih znamk Metode merjenja vrednosti produktnih blagovnih znamk je mogoče uvrstiti na finančno naravnane in uporabniško naravnane metode. Finančno naravnane metode merjenja se osredotočajo pretežno na borzno vrednost delnic ali vrednost zamenjave produktne blagovne znamke. Uporabniško naravnane metode se osredotočajo na proces percepcije in obnašanja uporabnika v odnosu do produktne blagovne znamke. Skupina metod merjenja percepcije vključuje parametre kot zavedanje, asociacije in prepoznavanje kakovosti v zvezi s produktno blagovno znamko. Skupina metod merjenja obnašanja vključuje parametre kot lojalnost, koristi in zadovoljstvo s produktno blagovno znamko.

Metode merjenja vrednosti korporativne blagovne znamke Zaradi drastično naraščajočega števila produktnih blagovnih znamk, ki omogočajo skoraj nič ali malo razlikovanja od konkurence, se je v poslovnem svetu povečal interes do merjenja vrednosti korporativne blagovne znamke. Bistveno načelo merjenja vrednosti korporativne blagovne znamke je spoznanje, da uporabljene metode produktnih blagovnih znamk, ne omogočajo učinkovito merjenje vrednosti. Vrednost korporativne blagovne znamke je pretežno izražena v parametrih kot ugled podjetja, ki je ustvarjen in negovan med ljudmi in ostalimi entitetami povezanimi s podjetjem. Metode merjenja vrednosti korporativne blagovne znamke zahtevajo določen sistematičen pristop v obliki merilne tablice ali druge sistematične oblike merjenja.

6.2.12 Globalno korporativno označevanje Za podjetja, ki v procesu internacionalizacije vstopajo na nove trge imajo ugoden konkurenčni položaj predvsem zaradi korporativne blagovne znamke. Korporativna blagovna znamka jim omogoča že vnaprej doseženo stopnjo prepoznavnosti znotraj izbrane ciljne skupine. Korporativno označevanje v skladnosti s korporativno strategijo podjetja omogoča doseganje dodane vrednosti v procesu internacionalizacije podjetja.

Koristi globalnega korporativnega označevanja Koristi globalnega korporativnega označevanja se razlikujejo od podjetja do podjetja in so odvisne od izbrane strategije in s tem postavljenih ciljev. Vendar je možno izpostaviti nekatere koristi, ki so skupne večini globalnih akterjev in si sledijo kot: - Dodana vrednost za uporabnika - Nižji stroški - Učenje preko meja - Koristi od korporativne kulture Dodana vrednost za uporabnika Korporativna blagovna znamka mora zagotavljati podlago za uspešno razlikovanje in prepoznavnost lokalno in globalno. Ključ do uspeha je jasna vizija in misija korporativne blagovne znamke, ki zagotavlja vzdrževanje identitete na globalni ravni. Uspešna korporativna blagovna znamka omogoča dodajanje vrednosti na domačem trgu in prav tako na tujih trgih. Uporabnik lahko identificira in sprejme dodano vrednost produktov in storitev pod istim dežnikom korporativne blagovne znamke na domačem in tujem trgu.

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Nižji stroški Podjetja ki se odločijo na svetovnih trgih poslovati z obsežnim portfeljem produktnih blagovnih znamk pod dežnikom korporativne blagovne znamke, so v konkurenčni prednosti do podjetij, ki so odločijo za večje število marketinških pristopov individualiziranih glede na posebnosti vsakega trga. Korporativna blagovna znamka v takšnih scenarijih omogoča izkoriščanje ekonomije obsega ter racionalnejšo izbrano obstoječih kapacitet proračuna. Učenje preko meja Kot nas uči stari rek, »vaja dela mojstra«, velja to v prenesenem pomenu tudi za globalno korporativno označevanje. Podjetja, ki vstopajo na tuje trge z globalno korporativno blagovno znamko relativno hitreje osvojijo visok nivo dovršenosti poslovanja. Vsakič kadar vstopijo na nov trg pridobijo izkušnje in se tako pomikajo vse višje po krivulji učenja. Podjetje iz pridobljenih izkušenj pridobiva informacije, ki jih nato pretvori v tržno koristne podatke uporabne za globalno korporativno označevanje. Koristi od korporativne kulture V visoko konkurenčnem poslovnem okolju visoko kvalificirana delovna sila predstavlja konkurenčno prednost. Podjetja potrebujejo nekoliko več kot visoko plačo, da pritegnejo talentirane kandidate. Potencialni kandidat mora poenotit svoje cilje in osebnost s vrednotami podjetja izraženimi v korporativni kulturi. V primeru ugledne korporativne blagovne znamke je podjetje v veliki prednosti, da pritegne in pridobi v svoje kroge ustrezne kandidate okoli sveta.

Pasti globalnega korporativnega označevanja Podjetja z obsežnim portfeljem produktnih blagovnih znamk na globalni ravni so izpostavljena nevarnosti v obliki neskladnosti identitete produktnih blagovnih znamk in korporativne blagovne znamke. V primeru neskladnosti pri produktni blagovni znamki korporativni ugled ni uničen temveč le nekoliko načet. V primeru nastopa neskladnosti in posledično padcem ugleda celotne korporativne blagovne znamke, bi podjetje in celoten portfelj produktnih blagovnih znamk utrpel relativno ogromno škodo. Izpostaviti je možno nekatere pasti, ki lahko nastopijo pri večini globalnih akterjev. Pasti si sledijo kot: - Presežek standardizacije - Ignoriranje ravni stopenj razvoja - Presežek matične kontrole Presežek standardizacije Presežek standardizacije se nanaša na interni proces v katerem podjetje poskuša pretirano standardizirati celotno strategijo korporativnega označevanja. Nevarnost nastane v situacijah, kadar managerji na eni strani podpirajo zniževanje stroškov v procesu standardizacije, vendar se pri tem odrekajo cilju vzdrževanju optimalne ravni standardizacije, glede na raven adaptacije trgu.

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Ignoriranje ravni stopenj razvoja Raven razvoja in s tem obseg doseženih ciljev korporativnega označevanja razumno variira od trga do trga. Upoštevanje dejstva različnosti položajev podjetja na krivulji učenja na posameznih trgih glede na korporativno blagovno znamko, omogoča optimalno vodenje korporativnega označevanja. Ignoriranje ravni razvoja korporativne blagovne znamke na izbranem trgu lahko vodi do ovir v poslovanju. Presežek matične kontrole Podeljevanje svobode poslovnega odločanja v odnosu matične enote do posameznih enot situiranih po svetu, pogosto vodi do trenj med interesi. Posamezne enote težijo k večjem obsegu samostojnosti pri poslovanju, kar lahko vodi do odstopanj od bistva identitete ter vrednot korporativne blagovne znamke. Matična enota mora skrbeti za doseganje dodane vrednosti za korporativno blagovno znamko in hkrati omogočiti posameznim enotam dovolj manevrskega prostora za doseganje skupnih zastavljenih ciljev.

6.3 Empirični aspekti korporativnega označevanja in izbranih podjetij Empirični del diplomske naloge zajema vsebine zbrane iz dejanske poslovne prakse podjetij Gorenje, Electrolux in Volvo. Osrednji del pozornosti diplomskega dela je namenjen korporativnima blagovnima znamkama Gorenje in Electrolux. Večina pridobljene vsebine izhaja iz opravljenih intervjujev s predstavnikoma iz Gorenja in Electroluxa. Medtem ko korporativna blagovna znamka Volvo obogati diplomsko delo v poglavju; proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke. Intervjuja sta bila izvedena na podlagi vnaprej pripravljenega vprašalnika v slovenskem in angleškem jeziku, ki je sestavljen iz treh delov. Prvi del zajema korporativno blagovno znamko, drugi del upravljanje korporativne blagovne znamke in tretji del proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke. Vprašalnik je vključen v diplomskem delu v poglavju priloge.

6.3.1 Skupina Gorenje Gorenje gospodinjski aparati d.d. s koreninami in sedežem v Velenju spada danes na svetovni ravni med visoko konkurenčna in ugledna podjetja. Od prvih korakov v začetku petdesetih letih do danes so se razvili v globalno prepoznavno korporacijo z osnovno dejavnostjo proizvodnje in prodaje gospodinjskih aparatov. Skupina Gorenje zajema 47 podjetij od tega jih je 33 v tujini in 11 na domačem trgu. V obsegu poslovanja zajema delež prihodkov iz tujine kar 86 %. Skupina Gorenje spada med štiri največje proizvajalce gospodinjskih aparatov in s prisotnostjo v 60 državah okoli sveta in z 4 % tržnim deležem konkretno na evropskem trgu.

Poslovne aktivnosti Poslovne aktivnosti skupine Gorenje so razdeljene v tri divizije: - Divizija gospodinjskih aparatov - Divizija notranje opreme - Prodajna in storitvena divizija

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Skupina Gorenje je prisotna s tremi divizijami na lokalni in globalni ravni. Največji delež obsega divizija gospodinjskih aparatov z 87 %, sledi prodajna in storitvena divizija z 7 % in na koncu divizija notranje opreme z 6 %. Blagovne znamke Skupina Gorenje se predstavlja na lokalni in globalni ravni z blagovnimi znamkami Gorenje, Sidex, Körting in Mora. Gorenje predstavlja korporativno blagovno znamko in zajema 72 % delež prodaje.

6.3.2 Electrolux AB Electrolux je bilo ustanovljeno leta 1919 s spojitvijo AB Lux in AB Elektromekaniska. Med pomembnejše mejnike podjetja spada predstavitev prvega absorpcijskega hladilnika leta 1925. Sledi leto 1950 s predstavitvijo prvega pralnega stroja na svetovni ravni. Nato leto 1960, s prevzemom podjetja Electro Helios in razširitvijo programa na kuhalnike, zamrzovalnike in novo linijo pralnih strojev. Podjetje danes prodaja 55 milijonov proizvodov v 150 državah okoli sveta. Poslovne aktivnosti Poslovne aktivnosti so razdeljene v štiri glavne skupine: - Gospodinjski aparati - Trgovski aparati - Zunanji aparati - Industrijski aparati Znotraj celote štirih glavnih skupin Electrolux ponuja širok obseg rešitev, ki so integrirane v 55 milijonov produktov. Celota rešitev, ki jih nudi Electrolux v svojih produktih je razdeljena v dva primarna segmenta, ki jih ločijo po vsebini na uporabniške produkte in profesionalne produkte. Blagovne znamke Blagovne znamke podjetja Electrolux se delijo v naslednje skupine: - Krovna blagovna znamka Electrolux - Nacionalne uporabniške blagovne znamke - Specialne blagovne znamke - Zunanje blagovne znamke Korporativna blagovna znamka Electrolux zajema ogromen portfelj produktnih blagovnih znamk, katere so prilagojene glede na geografsko področje in dejavnost produkta, ki ga predstavlja produktna blagovna znamka.

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6.3.3 Volvo Skupina Volvo je prisotna v 180 državah okoli sveta s poslovnim modelom v katerem sta prodaja in storitve realizirani s strani samostojnih zastopnikov. Zgodovina podjetja Volvo se je začela leta 1927 s prvo proizvodnjo avtomobila na tekočem traku v tovarni na otoku Hisingen v bližini Göteborga. Do danes se je podjetje razvilo v enega največjih svetovnih proizvajalcev težkih tovornjakov, avtobusov in gradbeniškega materiala z 90,000 zaposlenimi v 58 državah in prisotnostjo na 185 trgih okoli sveta. Poslovne aktivnosti Poslovne aktivnosti podjetja Volvo so v večini realizirane v poslovnih enotah okoli sveta. Glavne naloge poslovnih enot so, razvijanje in logistika komponent proizvodnje ter servisiranje in podpora podjetij znotraj skupine Volvo. Blagovne znamke Korporativna blagovna znamka Volvo je ena najbolj prepoznavnih blagovnih znamk na svetu in je rezultat nenehnih prizadevanj ter truda podjetja. Korporativna blagovna znamka Volvo temelji na treh jedrnih vrednotah, ki so kakovost, varnost in okoljevarstvena skrb. Vrednote skupine Volvo Kakovost, varnost in okoljevarstvena skrb so jedrne vrednote korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo in se hkrati odražajo v korporativni identiteti in kulturi podjetja. Med ostale vrednote je potrebno omeniti socialno odgovornost podjetja v notranjem in zunanjem okolju nato kultura podjetja ( 'the volvo way') ter poudarek na različnosti tako v notranjem kot zunanjem okolju.

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6.4 Komparativna analiza korporativnega označevanja – primeri Gorenje, Electrolux in Volvo

Na intenzivno konkurenčnih in globalno rastočih trgih postajajo ekonomske razmere vse bolj neizprosne. Doseči ugoden tržni položaj in hkrati krepiti konkurenčni prednosti postaja vse zahtevnejša naloga za mnoga podjetja. V Gorenju in Electrolux so že od samih začetkov dalje znali anticipirati številne koristi korporativne blagovne znamke in prav zato je danes korporativna blagovna znamka steber njihove strategije. V Gorenju in Electroluxu tesno povezujejo korporativno strategijo s strategijo korporativnega označevanja na področjih kot so kadrovanje, investiranje, globalni poslovni podjemi in najpomembnejše pri vedenju uporabnikov. Kljub mednarodni dimenziji poslovanja, korporativna blagovna znamka izraža poenoteno izkušnjo obogateno z vrednotami korporativne blagovne znamke. V Gorenju kot Electroluxu razumejo globalno definicijo korporativne blagovne znamke kot instrument, ki mora omogočiti dodajanje vrednosti in je jasno definiran s strani uporabnikov do katerih se povezuje predvsem preko zaupanja v Gorenje in Electrolux.

6.4.1 Zaobljuba korporativne blagovne znamke Zaobljuba tako v teoriji kot v praksi predstavlja temeljni del korporativne blagovne znamke. Predstavlja jedro in izraža bistvo korporativne blagovne znamke v odnosu do vseh ključnih delničarjev v širokem pomenu besede. V korporativni blagovni znamki Electrolux je zaobljuba sestavljena iz treh besed, ki so; kakovost, inovativnost ter vodenje. V zadnjem času je bilo storjenih nekaj sprememb pri definiranju zaobljube korporativne blagovne znamke Electrolux. Beseda (‘pozornost’) je postala 'nosilec' sporočila podjetja Electrolux. Kombinacija treh skrbno izbranih besed in nosilca sporočila omogoča vzpostavitev učinkovite komunikacije z zunanjem okoljem. V Gorenju je zaobljuba sestavljena iz inovativnosti in dizajna. Korporativna blagovna znamka Gorenje temelji na drugačnih atributih kot treh izbranih besedah, temveč na celotnem obsegu aktivnosti, odnosov s uporabniki, poslovnimi partnerji in dobavitelji. Zaobljuba korporativne blagovne znamke predstavlja jamstvo do vseh zunanjih in notranjih ljudi povezanih s podjetjem in temelji na nenehnem procesu dokazovanja in ustvarjanja sinergije v odnosih.

6.4.2 Pojmovna jasnost med korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto

Pojmovna jasnost med danimi pojmi ni definirana samo v teoriji, temveč tudi v praksi podjetij Gorenje in Electrolux. Na podlagi treh kriterijev razlikovanja, ki so; vrednote, človeški viri in razpon odgovornosti bomo predstavili in približali razlike ter podobnosti omenjenih pojmov v Gorenju in Electroluxu.

V Gorenju je mogoče opaziti razlikovanje med produktno in korporativno blagovno znamko predvsem na nivoju vrednot. Vrednote, ki so komunicirane preko korporativne blagovne znamke podpirajo produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto. Vrednote produktne blagovne znamke so prilagojene na lastnosti določenega produkta in ciljne skupine. Uporabnik je skozi stalen proces komuniciranja soočen s korporativnimi vrednotami in hkrati izpostavljen različnim paketom vrednot prilagojenih za posamezno produktno blagovno znamko.

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Pri razlikovanju pojmov iz vidika človeških virov so v Gorenju enotni pri stališču, da je korporativna blagovna znamka odgovornost vodstva, medtem ko so produktne blagovne znamke, predvsem na tujih trgih upravljane lokalno znotraj podružnic.

Razpon odgovornosti korporativne blagovne znamke Gorenje zajema celoten portfelj produktnih blagovnih znamk in je jasno definiran v vodstvu podjetja.

Electrolux upravlja ogromen portfelj produktnih znamk pod okriljem korporativne blagovne znamke Electrolux, zato tudi ločuje med korporativno in produktno dimenzijo blagovne znamke. Vrednote korporativne blagovne znamke so odločno in jasno definirane v enotnem konceptu. Vrednote produktnih blagovnih znamk pa za razliko od korporativne blagovne znamke, variirajo glede na segment in cenovni razpon trga. Na primeru profesionalnega štedilnika namenjenega predvsem za restavracije bodo komunicirane vrednote drugačne, kot pri štedilniku za vsakdanjo rabo v gospodinjstvu. S stališča razlikovanja glede človeških virov v Electroluxu poudarjajo različni prodajni kader v trgovini kjer se prodajajo oba štedilnika hkrati.

Razpon odgovornosti korporativne blagovne znamke Electrolux zajema celoten portfelj produktnih blagovnih znamk in je jasno definiran v vodstvu podjetja.

Gorenje v okviru svoje korporativne identitete jasno poudarja sklop petih vrednot. Sklop petih vrednot predstavlja steber za gradnjo korporativne identitete. Vrednote zajete so; poštenost, odprtost, lojalnost, kreativnost in ambicioznost. Sklop vrednot je preko korporativne identitete tesno povezan s korporativno blagovno znamko, vendar bolj kot znamko oblikuje organizacijsko kulturo.

Electrolux je pred kratkim predstavil novo pot razvoja korporativne identitete. Jedrne vrednote ostanejo nespremenjene, vendar koncept ‘pozornost’ je dodan kot jedrne vrednota, znotraj skupine jedrnih vrednot. Korporativna identitete Electroluxa je prav tako navezana na skandinavska načela kulture, ki se odražajo skozi njihove vrednote.

6.4.3 Korporativna blagovna znamka kot strateška sposobnost V Gorenju in Electroluxu je prisotno vrednotenje korporativne blagovne znamke glede na strateško sposobnost zagotavljanja vzdržljive konkurenčne prednosti. Strateško sposobnost je glede na teorijo možno preveriti na podlagi v teoriji danih kriterijev, ki pa so tudi istočasno individualno določeni tako v Gorenju kot v Electroluxu. Kljub temu je teoretičen sklop kriterijev možno ovrednotiti tudi na korporativni blagovni znamki Gorenja in Electroluxa.

Redkost – edinstvenost V Gorenju kot v Electroluxu je možno korporativno blagovno znamko opredeliti kot redko – edinstveno predvsem zaradi zgodovine obeh znamk, povezane z ustanovitelji ter vrednotami. Na nivoju funkcijski in eteričnih elementov entitete sta korporativni blagovni znamki definirani kot strateška sposobnost.

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Trajnost – stanovitnost Trg gospodinjskih aparatov kot primarni Gorenja in Electroluxa je hitro rastoč. Lastnosti trga se spreminjano zaradi vse večjega novih ponudnikov in posledično večjega števila novih produktov znotraj širokega cenovnega razpona. V Gorenju in Electroluxu se zavedajo številnih prednosti dolgoročne strukture investicij v korporativno blagovno znamko. Posledično jim to omogoča razvijanje trajnosti kot strateške sposobnosti korporativne blagovne znamke. Neprenosljivost Korporativni blagovni znamki Gorenje in Electrolux sta relativno zaščiteni pred sovražnimi prevzemi in s tem potrjujeta neprenosljivost kot strateško sposobnost. Razlogi za zaščito pred sovražnimi prevzemi temeljijo na dejstvu, da imata obe entiteti dediščino pridobljenih neoprijemljivih elementov ustvarjenih preko percepcije svojih uporabnikov skozi čas. Izkušnje in zaupanje sta sestavna dela neoprijemljivih elementov obeh znamk. Nepopolna posnemljivost Korporativni blagovni znamki Gorenje in Electrolux sta zaščiteni proti posnemanju poglavitno v dveh dimenzijah. V prvi preko legalne zaščite in v drugi preko zgrajenega odnosa s zunanjim okoljem, predvsem na podlagi preteklih izkušenj in deljenih vrednot. Nepopolna zamenljivost Gorenje in Electrolux spadata med vodilni blagovni znamki na svetovnem trgu gospodinjskih aparatov. S tem sta obe korporativni blagovni znamki izpostavljeni situaciji v kateri se lahko poslabša tržni položaj na katerem od številnih mednarodnih trgov. V Gorenju preko konkurenčnih prednosti kot inovativnost in dizajn nenehno krepijo in izboljšujejo obstoječi tržni položaj in predvsem korporativno blagovno znamko. V Electroluxu vzdržujejo konkurenčnost na trgih podobno kot v Gorenju preko inovativnosti in dizajna ter korporativne identitete sestavljene iz jedrnih vrednot podjetja.

6.4.4 Proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke V Gorenju in Electroluxu opazujemo, da misija podjetja podpira in dopolnjuje misijo korporativne blagovne znamke. V primeru, kadar je misija podjetja skladna z misijo korporativnega označevanja, je tudi vizija podjetja povezana s korporativno blagovno znamko. Na temelju strateških sposobnosti podjetja kot dizajn in inovativnost je vizija integrirana v poslovanje podjetja ter procese korporativnega označevanja. Ko podjetje definira misijo in vizijo korporativne blagovne znamke so na vrsti jedrne vrednote, ki so v Gorenju in Electroluxu jasno določene. V Gorenju je tako prisoten sklop petih vrednot imenovan polka in sestavljen iz poštenosti, odprtosti, lojalnost, kreativnosti in ambicioznosti. Omenjen sklop vrednot določa vsak aspekt poslovanja podjetja. V primeru korporativne blagovne znamke je sklop vrednot osredotočen na dizajn in inovativnost kot dominantna atributa. V Electroluxu so vrednote osredotočene na ‘pozornost’. Po mnenju Electroluxa beseda ‘pozornost’ izraža obljubo in izžareva empatijo. V Electroluxu uporabljajo v procesu izbire vrednot pristop, v katerem je uporabnik najpomembnejši

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dejavnik pri sami izbiri vrednot. V bistvu gre za interaktiven proces z elementi kot zakoreninjenimi vrednotami podjetja in izraženimi vrednotami uporabnika. Gorenje, Electrolux in Volvo imajo podobno arhitekturo blagovnih znamk. V vseh primerih je prisotna korporativna blagovna znamka globalnih dimenzij, ki kot dežnik pokriva velik portfelj produktnih blagovnih znamk. Nadaljnjo je korporativna blagovna znamka tesno povezana s produktnimi blagovnimi znamkami preko sklopa jedrnih vrednot in korporativne identitete. Korporativna blagovna znamka zagotavlja kredibilnost celotnemu portfelju produktnih blagovnih znamk, medtem ko produktne blagovne znamke omogočajo preko izkušenj uporabnika s produkti in storitvami povečano dodano vrednost, ki je nato prenesena na korporativno blagovno znamko. Na podlagi dodane vrednosti se odpre možnost zgraditi komunikacijski proces med korporativno blagovno znamko in zunanjim okoljem. V samem procesu se uporabnik pooseblja z izraženimi vrednotami korporativne blagovne znamke in posledično z izbranimi produktnimi blagovnimi znamkami iz portfelja. Vendar, komunikacijski proces korporativne blagovne znamke ni osredotočen samo na uporabnika, kot produktna blagovna znamka, temveč na vse ključne delničarje podjetja v širokem pomenu besede. V Gorenju in Electroluxu organizirajo vrsto aktivnosti namenjenih krepitvi korporativne blagovne znamke in odnosa do notranjega ter zunanjega okolja podjetja. V Gorenju je temelj procesa ustvarjanja osredotočen na sistematičnost in stabilnost korporativne blagovne znamke. V Electroluxu se proces ustvarjanja osredotoča na konsistentnost.

6.4.5 Upravljanje korporativne blagovne znamke v Gorenju in Electroluxu Vrednost blagovne znamke je definirana kot sklop premoženja in obveznosti v odnosu do korporativne in produktne blagovne znamke. V katerem dodaja vrednost vsaki entiteti podjetja v notranjem in zunanjem okolju. V Gorenju in Electroluxu se prepoznali vrednost blagovne znamke in jo upravljajo kot ostala sredstva podjetja. V obeh podjetjih se zavedajo, da je izvor ustvarjanja vrednosti blagovne znamke tesno povezan z dodano vrednostjo korporativnega označevanja. V Gorenju pripisujejo dodano vrednost pretežno komponenti dizajna, ki definira njihove produkte. V Electroluxu je zadeva bolj obsežna. Vsi produkti proizvedeni pod korporativno blagovno znamko Electrolux temeljijo na sedmih načelih 'pozornega' dizajna. Z integriranjem sedmih načel produkta na globalni ravni, dosežejo v Electroluxu stanje v katerem »Made in Electrolux« vselej predstavlja jedrne vrednote korporativne blagovne znamke in dodaja vrednost ne glede na lokacijo proizvodnje produkta okoli sveta. Pomembno je poznati vire nastajanja vrednosti, vendar upravljanje korporativne blagovne znamke zahteva veliko več aktivnosti za končno doseganje ciljev korporativnega označevanja. Naslednji korak se navezuje na integriranje upravljanja korporativne blagovne znamke s načeli dolgoročnega investiranja sredstev in celotno strategijo podjetja. V Gorenju je odgovornost odločanja o upravljanju izvršena v okviru marketinškega oddelka in s koordiniranjem vodstvenega kadra podjetja. V Electroluxu je upravljanje korporativnega označevanja odgovornost vodstvenega kadra, ki ga podpira nekaj dodatnih elementov znotraj podjetja. Omenjeni elementi zajemajo skozi celotno podjetje vzpostavljeno interno mrežo, ki omogoča podporo vodstvenemu kadru. Dodatno so v Electroluxu ustanovili skupino vodenja korporativne blagovne znamke. Odgovorni za korporativno označevanje v Gorenju ne aplicirajo direktnih metod merjenja vrednosti

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korporativne blagovne znamke, temveč indirektne metode merjenja temelječe na številu prodanih produktov posameznih produktnih blagovnih znamk. V nasprotju je Electrolux bolj dovzeten za merjenje vrednosti korporativne blagovne znamke. V vsaj dveh pogledih lahko njihove metode ovrednotimo kot metode merjenja korporativne blagovne znamke. Kot prvo se metode merjenja v celoti razlikujejo od metod merjenja produktnih blagovnih znamk in kot drugo v vsebini metod merjenja. Kajti metode se ne osredotočajo enovito samo na finančne vrednosti in v procesu merjenja uporabljajo metodo 'zasledovanja blagovne znamke', ki jim omogoči pridobivanje potrebnih podatkov.

6.4.6 Nemiri na trgu gospodinjskih aparatov V zadnjih letih so globalne razmere na trgu gospodinjskih aparatov drastično spremenile. Številni konkurenčni ponudniki iz vzhodnih trgov so vstopili na svetovne trge in postali konkurenčen izziv obstoječim ponudnikom. Nastale spremembe trga se navezujejo na preoblikovanje cenovne in produktne strukture trga. V Gorenju in Electroluxu se zavedajo spreminjanja tržnih razmer in so že v sami fazi pripravljanja ustreznih prilagoditev znotraj podjetja. Trenutno se svetovni trg gospodinjskih aparatov nahaja v fazi razdelitve v smeri nizko cenovnega segmenta in v smeri visoko cenovnega segmenta gospodinjskih aparatov. Prvi segment temelji na determinanti nizke cene in je najbolj izpostavljen vstopom novih ponudnikov iz vzhoda. Drugi segment je osredotočen na višji cenovni razred temelječ na visoki kakovosti in superiorni dodani vrednosti.

Strategija konkurenčnosti v Electroluxu V Electroluxu so se odzvali na aktualne tržne spremembe in zastavili novo pot organizacijskega razvoja. Večina proizvodnih kapacitet je bilo preseljenih iz območja zahodne in vzhodne Evrope na območja cenejše delovne sile. Na novo so definirali celoten koncept uporabnika. Nov koncept temelji na principu poslušanja potreb uporabnika in temu ustrezno ponuditi rešitev v obliki produkta in/ali storitve. Opustili so tradicionalno segmentacijo industrije in s tem posledično spremenili portfelj blagovnih znamk. Nov portfelj blagovnih znamk vsebuje eno globalno krovno korporativno blagovno znamko ter dvajset produktnih blagovnih znamk. V Electroluxu so konkurenčno prisotni na obeh koncih razdeljena trga gospodinjskih aparatov. Njihova ponudba zajema tako nizko cenovne produkte kot tudi produkte premium razreda. Temu primerno imajo sestavljena dva modela poslovanja pri čemer vsakega prilagojena razmeram ustreznega segmenta trga. V konkurenci nizko cenovnih proizvodov je poudarek na ohranjanju nizke ravni stroškov in s tem vzdrževanju stroškovne konkurenčnosti. Zaradi zahtevanih nizkih stroškov poslovanja so tudi kapacitete razlikovanja blagovnih znamk relativno omejene. V konkurenci višje cenovnih proizvodov Electrolux ohranja konkurenčno prednost s komponento prepoznavnega inovativnega razvijanja produktov. Prav tako se zanašajo na vzpostavljeno mrežo podružnic okoli sveta, od koder pridobivajo potrebno znanje o razmerah na trgu. V procesu ustvarjanja superiorne vrednosti se Electrolux naslanja inovativne in tehnično dovršene produkte ter na storitve nastale po nakupu produkta, predvsem na klicne centre.

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Strategija konkurenčnosti v Gorenju Gorenje je kot odgovor na spreminjajoče razmere na svetovnem trgu gospodinjskih aparatov zastavil novo pot razvoja korporativne blagovne znamke. V okviru sprememb bo spremenjen portfelj blagovnih znamk. Korporativna blagovna znamka Gorenje bo globalna korporativna blagovna znamka znotraj portfelja blagovnih znamk. V Gorenju gradijo konkurenčnost podjetja na produktih v katerih uporabniki prepoznavajo superiorni dizajn. V preteklosti so že večkrat potrdili svoj sloves tako v lastni režiji kot v kooperaciji s slovečimi imeni dizajna, kot Pinnifarina. Ustvarjanje superiornega dizajna je v Gorenju nenehen proces in temelj za prihodnost podjetja. Glede na razdelitev trga se v Gorenju osredotočajo na fleksibilnost, ki izhaja iz njihovega relativno manjšega organizacijskega obsega. V okviru njihove fleksibilnosti so sposobni se hitreje odzvati na obstoječe trende na področju produktov. Primarno je pomembno imeti sposobnost prepoznavati tržne smernice in jih temu ustrezno integrirati v produkte, katere je potrebno nato hitreje spraviti na trg kot konkurenca. V vsem omenjenem se kaže fleksibilnost kot strateška sposobnost podjetja. Vendar kot ključni segment za prihodnost poslovanja Gorenja so izpostavili konkurenčnost pri produktih z višjo dodano vrednostjo, kot recimo superiorni dizajn. Njihova korporativna blagovna znamka, v bodoče kot krovna in globalna dimenzija jih podpira pri doseganju ciljev strategije podjetja z obstoječo korporativno identiteto in prepoznavnostjo na svetovnih trgih.

6.4.7 Koristi in pasti globalnega korporativnega označevanja V Gorenju in Electroluxu so že zdavnaj prešli točko organizacijskega razvoja v katerem podjetje začne proces internacionalizacije. Komponenta mednarodnega poslovanja je trdno integrirana v strategijo podjetja, vključno z dimenzijo globalnega korporativnega označevanja. Oba predstavnika realizirata svojo strategijo korporativnega označevanja v okviru globalne korporativne blagovne znamke. Ob analiziranju izbrane strategije v Gorenju in Electroluxu so transparentne koristi ekonomije obsega ter stroškovne efektivnosti v okviru korporativnega označevanja in celotnega poslovanja podjetja. Gorenje je v slovenskem prostoru in v tujini prepoznavno in cenjeno zaradi dizajna svojih produktov. Nedvoumno zaradi slednjega pridobiva dodano vrednost tako v slovenskem prostoru kot v tujini. Pri tem globalna dimenzija korporativne blagovne znamke komunicira elemente njihovega slovesa na globalni ravni. Podobno velja za Electrolux ki efektivno izraža jedrne vrednote na svetovnih trgih s pomočjo mednarodne dimenzije korporativne blagovne znamke. V Gorenju in Electroluxu poudarjajo optimalno mero samostojnosti svojih enot po svetu, kar med drugim pomeni tudi definiran sklop pravil poslovanja povezanim z načeli korporativne in produktne blagovne znamke. V obeh podjetjih smatrajo upoštevanje razvoja korporativne blagovne znamke kot pomemben dejavnik strategije in zato z nenehnim spremljanjem dogajanja in analiziranjem konkurence določajo smernice za nadaljnji razvoj strategije.

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6.5 Zaključek

6.5.1 Ugotovitve V Gorenju in Electroluxu so že zdavnaj razumeli koristi in pasti korporativne blagovne znamke in jih uspešno integrirali v strategijo korporativnega označevanja. Ne glede na katero korporativno blagovno znamko je moč prepoznati zasidrano pripadnost jedrnim vrednotam. Prav zaradi jasnega in preprostega izražanja vrednot, je korporativna znamka tako v enem kot drugem podjetju sposobna, se konkurenčno odzvati na spreminjajoče tržne razmere. S trdno osnovo vrednot lahko podjetje po potrebi reorganizira strategijo korporativnega označevanja kot v Gorenju in Electrolux in pri tem ne ogroža korporativne identitete podjetja. Na temelju zaobljube korporativne blagovne znamke je mogoče vzpostaviti vezo z zunanjim okoljem, ki omogoča zelo obetavne rezultate in trdno podlago za razvoj podjetja. Strategije podjetja je v sinergijskem odnosu povezana s strategijo korporativnega označevanja in na podlagi različnih elementov kontrole vedno znova prilagojena. Na osnovi letnega srečanja se v okviru dnevnega reda srečanja analizira doseženo in definira bodoče v zvezi s korporativnim označevanjem. V družbah Electrolux in Volvo napravijo še korak naprej in preko sestavljenih skupin na dnevni ravni spremljajo in koordinirajo dogajanje povezano s korporativno blagovno znamko. V okviru organizacijskih sprememb v Gorenju in Electroluxu je možno prepoznati pomembno vlogo korporativne blagovne znamke, ki postaja vse pomembnejši del poslovne prakse številnih podjetij okoli sveta. Gorenje in Electrolux sta potrdila, z naznanjeno novo potjo organizacijskega razvoja, pomembnost globalne korporativne blagovne znamke.

6.5.2 Kritičen pogled na delo V okviru kritičnega pogleda na opravljeno delo se nam dozdeva, da bi v drugem naletu opravili nekatere stvari drugače. S tem bi morebiti izboljšali do danes napisano diplomsko delo. Vendar se enotno strinjamo, da se skoraj vsako stvar v drugem poskusu opravi bolje kot prvič.

6.5.3 Predlogi za nadaljnjo raziskovanje Glede na dejstvo, da je v Gorenju kot v Electroluxu prisoten proces spreminjanja korporativnega označevanja, smatramo kot izziv za nadaljnjo raziskovanje, analizo stanja korporativnega označevanja po zaključenem procesu spreminjanja.

Pravtako smatramo kot zanimivo področje nadaljnjega raziskovanja korporativno blagovno znamko Volvo v bolj preudarnem obsegu.

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7 ABSTRACT

We start the work with the process of data collection about the corporate brand in general. In continuation we determine the corporate brands Gorenje, Electrolux and Volvo as the platforms upon which the work will constitute. Additionally two arrangements were made to conduct an interview with suitable representative in Gorenje and Electrolux. From the gathered empirical data the research journey continues into theory.

In beginning of the theory research we present the constituting structure of the corporate brand that includes the notion and convergence of the brand. We continue with the notion of the corporate brand as with clear distinction to the product brand and brand identity. In relevance to the resource-based view, we explore the strategic capability of the corporate brand Gorenje and Electrolux. Regarding the creation of the corporate brand we explore the corporate brand building process, which is as well encompassed and furthermore enlighten within the Volvo corporate brand. In aspiration to determine the underlying managerial principles of corporate branding we present the corporate brand management and its main notions in Gorenje and Electrolux. In relation to the business scope of corporate brands we define the global nature of corporate brands. In continuance with the empirical part we present the chosen organisations with some relevant information about their business. In context between theory and empiry we create the analysis in addition with a melding process to each chosen corporate brand itself. In the beginning, we define the corporate brand Gorenje and Electrolux in all its contextual extent. The underlying role of the corporate covenant is deployed to each corporate brand involved. In clarification to the notions of the corporate brand, product brand and corporate identity we resourcefully articulate them upon Gorenje’s and Electrolux brand portfolio. According to the competitive strength of Gorenje and Electrolux’s corporate brand and its strategic capability we argue the case within a determined set of criterions. In continuation we present the corporate brand building process within a defined order and in relevance to Gorenje and Electrolux. Meanwhile we concentrate on crucial steps included in corporate brand building process in Volvo. In respect to the present conditions on the global household appliances markets we explore and present Gorenje’s and Electrolux competitive strategy and in context to corporate brand’s strategy. At the end we debate the possible paths of development in each company in accordance the benefits and pitfalls of global corporate branding. Keywords: corporate brand, corporate branding, corporate brand management, corporate brand building process, global corporate brand, brand equity, product brand, Gorenje, Electrolux, Volvo.

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POVZETEK Proces pisanja diplomske naloge začnemo s pridobivanjem splošnih informacij o korporativni blagovni znamki. V nadaljevanju določimo korporativni blagovni znamki kot podlago na kateri bo zgrajena diplomska naloga. Nato se dogovorimo s Gorenjem in Electroluxom o izvedbi intervjuja s primernim kandidatom. Iz pridobljenih empiričnih podatkov se potovanje nadaljuje v teorijo. V začetku teorije predstavimo konstitutivno strukturo korporativne blagovne znamke, ki vključuje teorijo in konvergenco blagovne znamke. V nadaljevanju se osredotočimo razlikovanje pojmov korporativne blagovne znamke, produktne blagovne znamke in korporativne identitete v Gorenju in Electroluxu. Z navezovanjem na vire naravnan pogled opredelimo strateško sposobnost korporativne blagovne znamke Gorenje in Electrolux. V nadaljevanju se posvetimo procesu ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke, ki je dodatno opredeljen in obogaten s primerom korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo. Z namenom določiti poglavitne principe korporativnega označevanja jih približamo praksi prisotni v Gorenju in Electroluxu. Glede na obseg poslovanja obeh podjetij definiramo globalno naravo korporativne blagovne znamke. Nato predstavimo v empiričnem delu diplome kratko izbrano vsebino o Gorenju in Electroluxu. V povezavi med teorijo in empirijo zgradimo analitičen del diplomske naloge, ki hkrati spojen z obema korporativnima blagovnima znamkama. Na začetku definirano korporativno blagovno znamko v celotnem kontekstu pojma znotraj Gorenja in Electroluxa. V nadaljevanju približamo poglavitno vlogo korporativne zaobljube vsebini korporativne blagovne znamke Gorenje in Electrolux. Korporativno blagovno znamko, produktno blagovno znamko in korporativno identiteto poglobljeno definiramo na temelju portfelja blagovnih znamk Gorenja in Electroluxa. V odnosu do Gorenje in Electroluxa argumentiramo strateško sposobnost korporativne blagovne znamke na vnaprej določenih kriterijih. Nato predstavimo proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke na podlagi primera korporativne blagovne znamke Volvo. Kot odziv na obstoječe razmere na svetovnem trgu gospodinjskih aparatov predstavimo strategijo konkurenčnega pozicioniranja Gorenja in Electroluxa v navezovanju na korporativno označevanje. Na koncu diskutiramo eventualne možnosti poti razvoja Gorenja in Electroluxa glede na koristi in pasti korporativnega označevanja. Ključne besede: korporativna blagovna znamka, korporativno označevanje, upravljanje korporativnega označevanja, proces ustvarjanja korporativne blagovne znamke, globalna korporativna blagovna znamka, vrednost blagovne znamke, produktna blagovna znamka, Gorenje, Electrolux, Volvo.

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8 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Balmer, John M.T. and Edmund R. Gray. 2003. Corporate brands: what are they? What of them? European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 37 No. 7/8, pp. 972-997.

2. Balmer, John M.T. and Stephen A. Greyser. 2006. Corporate marketing. European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 40 No. 7/8, pp. 730-741.

3. Barron, Jennifer and Jim Hollingshead. 2004. Brand globally, market locally. Journal of Business Strategy. Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 9-14.

4. Burghausen, Mario and Ying Fan. 2002. Corporate branding in the retail sector: a pilot study. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 92-99

5. Chevron, Jacques R. 1998. The Delphi Process: a strategic branding methodology. Journal of consumer marketing. Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 254-264.

6. Davis, Scott. 1995. A vision for the year 2000: Brand Asset Management. Journal of Consumer Marketing. Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 65-82.

7. De Chernatony, Leslie and Malcolm McDonald. 1998. Creating powerful brands in consumer, service and industrial markets. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann

8. Frigge, Carsten and Anabel Houben. 2002. Mit der Corporate Brand zukunftsfähiger werden. Harvard Business Manager 1/2002. 24. Jahrgang 2002, pp. 28-32.

9. Johnson, Gerry and Kevan Scholes, Richard Whittington. 2005. Exploring Corporate Strategy. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

10. Kay, Mark J. 2006. Strong brands and corporate brands. European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 40 No. 7/8, pp. 742-760.

11. Knox, Simon and David Bickerton. 2003. The six conventions of corporate branding. European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 37 No. 7/8, pp. 998-1016

12. Leiser, Michael. 2004. Understanding brand’s value: advancing brand equity tracking to brand equity management. Handbook of Business Strategy. pp. 217-221.

13. Melevar, T.C. and Christopher M. Walker. 2003. Global corporate brand building: Guidelines and case studies. Brand Management. Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 157-170.

14. Myers, Chris A. 2003. Managing brand equity: a look at the impact of attributes. Journal of Product & Brand Management. Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 39-51. 15. Nilson, Torsten H. 2000. Competitive branding: winning in the market place with value-added brands. Chichester: Wiley. 16. Schulz, Don E. 2004. Understanding Total Brand Value. Marketing Management. March/April, pp.10-11.

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17. Urde, Mats. 2003. Core value-based corporate brand building. European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 37 No. 7/8, pp. 1017-1040.

18. Quelch, John. 1999. Global Brands: Taking Stock. Business Strategy Review. Vol. 10 Issue 1, pp. 1.14.

19. Wood, Lisa. 2000. Brands and brand equity: definition and management. Management Decision. 38/9, pp. 662-669.

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9 LIST OF SOURCES

1. http://www.electrolux.com/node2.aspx (11.07.2007)

2. http://www.gorenje.si/home (11.07.2007)

3. http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb (11.07.2007)

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10 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CORPORATE AND THE PRODUCT

BRAND ............................................................................................................................... 15

Figure 2: THE CORPORATE BRAND BUILDING PROCESS ....................................... 24

Figure 3: BRANDS OWNED BY GORENJE GROUP...................................................... 35

Figure 4: NATIONAL CONSUMER BRANDS OWNED BY ELECTROLUX............... 37

Figure 5: SPECIAL BRANDS OWNED BY ELECTROLUX .......................................... 38

1

11 APPENDIX

11.1 Questionnaire No. 1 - written in the Slovenian language

EKONOMSKO – POSLOVNA FAKULTETA

Razlagova ul.14, Maribor Slovenija

Gregor Kante Student /Graduate Candidate

grega.kante@siol.net +386 – 40 – 229 – 341

VPRAŠALNIK KORPORATIVNA BLAGOVNA ZNAMKA

THE CORPORATE BRAND

Spoštovana Gospa in Gospod, v okviru diplomskega dela na Ekonomsko – poslovni fakulteti, Vam predlagamo sledeč vprašalnik.

Cilj Vašega in našega truda je bolje spoznati ideje in stališča o vaši korporativni blagovni

znamki.

Predloženi vprašalnik je sestavljen iz treh glavnih delov: vsak izmed njih vsebuje vprašanja relevantna na posamezen del.

Pridobljeni material bo uporabljen samo v akademske namene in bo predstavljen edino v

končni diplomi.

Radi bi se Vam že vnaprej osebno in hvaležno zahvalili za Vaš čas in energijo vloženo v ta vprašalnik.

2

KORPORATIVNA BLAGOVNA ZNAMKA 1. Obstaja kakšna anekdota, ki je povezana z ustanovitelj-em/i organizacije in bi jo lahko

hkrati povezali s korporativno blagovno znamko?

2. Kako bi opisali vašo korporativno blagovno znamko v enem stavku?

3. Opišite na kratko vizijo in misijo vaše korporativne blagovne znamke.

4. Kakšna je ‘mantra – korporativne blagovne znamke – obljuba’, katere tri besede jo

sestavljajo?

5. Kako so za vašo korporativno blagovno znamko pomembna naslednja stališča?

Prosim obkrožite eno izmed ocen

stališče 1: niso pomembni

5: zelo pomembni

Odločitve o korporativni blagovni znamki naj sprejema vrhnji management

1 2 3 4 5

Korporativna blagovna znamka naj bo jasno komunicirana do vseh zunanjih delničarjev v

širšem pomenu besede 1 2 3 4 5

Celoten kader organizacije se naj v celoti preda doseganju koristi za korp. blagovno znamko

1 2 3 4 5

Korporativna blagovna znamka naj bo pretežno domena vrhnjega managementa in ne

marketinškega oddelka 1 2 3 4 5

Razvijanje in definiranje korporativne blagovne znamke za potencialne in obstoječe stranke

1 2 3 4 5

Imeti strategijo korporativne blagovne znamke za razvoj in napredek organizacije

1 2 3 4 5

6. S katerimi aktivnostmi in/ali postopki, dnevno poslovanje podpira korporativno

blagovno znamko in obratno; kako korporativna blagovna znamka podpira vaše dnevno

poslovanje?

7. V okviru vašega dnevnega poslovanja, mogoče ločujete med korporativno blagovno

znamko in produktno blagovno znamko, in kako?

8. Kako bi opisali vpliv vaše korporativne in produktne blagovne znamke na

konkurenčnost izdelkov in/ali storitev?

9. Katere prednosti/slabost/priložnosti/nevarnosti bi navedli glede za vašo korporativno

blagovno znamko?

3

MANAGEMENT-UPRAVLJANJE KORPORATIVNE BLAGOVNE ZNAMKE 1. Kako bi opisali dodano vrednost v vaših izdelkih in/ali storitvah?

2. Kako bi opisali dodano vrednost pri vaši korporativni blagovni znamki?

3. Kakšno vlogo igra korporativna blagovna znamka v poslovnem načrtu organizacije?

4. Bi zagovarjali stališče, da je korporativna blagovna znamka managersko orodje, ki je

upravljivo kot ostala sredstva podjetja?

a. Če ste odgovorili z: DA, katere aktivnosti in/ali postopki ter procedure

zastopajo vaše mnenje v poslovni praksi?

5. Kateri element/lastnost vaše korporativne blagovne znamke je skoraj nemogoče

kopirati s strani vaše konkurence?

6. Katere lastnosti bi kvalificirale vašo korporativno blagovno znamko kot vzdržljivo

konkurenčno prednost?

7. Kako merite in vrednotite premoženje kot korporativna blagovna znamka? (prosim,

navedite kakšen primer, hvala)

8. Kateri oddelek znotraj organizacije in hierarhični položaj odgovornega osebja je

zadolžen za upravljanje managementa korporativne blagovne znamke? (navedite

prosim nekaj nalog iz delovnega procesa omenjenega kadra, hvala)

9. Katere smernice razvoja bi smatrali kot pomembne pri upravljanju korporativne

blagovne znamke?

10. Katere prednosti/slabost/priložnosti/nevarnosti bi navedli glede na upravljanje vaše

korporativne blagovne znamke?

4

PROCES USTVARJANJA KORPORATIVNE BLAGOVNE ZNAMKE 1. Katere vrednote bi kvalificirali kot »core« (srčične, jedrne) vrednote za vašo

organizacijo in ki bi hkrati osnovale korporativno blagovno znamko?

2. Kako bi opisali odnos med vašimi »core« (srčične, jedrne) vrednotami in vašimi

konkurenčnimi prednostmi?

3. Katere aktivnosti in smernice razvoja bi izpostavili kot pomembne v procesu razvijanja

korporativne blagovne znamke?

4. Med poslovnim letom, morda organizirate notranje ali zunanje aktivnosti, namenjene

podpori vaše korporativne identitete?

5. Kako bi opisali (z organizacijskega vidika) arhitekturo vaših blagovnih znamk in odnos

med korporativnimi in produktnimi blagovnimi znamkami?

6. Uporabljate kakšen lasten sklop pravil in/ali postopkov pri razvijanju korporativne

blagovne znamke?

7. Katere prednosti/slabost/priložnosti/nevarnosti bi navedli glede pri razvijanju

korporativne blagovne znamke?

5

11.2 Questionnaire No. 2 - written in the English language

EKONOMSKO – POSLOVNA FAKULTETA

Razlagova ul.14, Maribor Slovenija

Gregor Kante Student /Graduate Candidate

grega.kante@siol.net +386 – 40 – 229 – 341

QUESTIONNAIRE THE CORPORATE BRAND

Dear Madame and Sir, in the frame of my university degree at the Faculty of Economics and Business, we propose you this questionnaire.

The aim of this study is to explore the notions about your corporate brand.

The following questionnaire is divided into three main parts; each of them includes

questions relevant to the part’s content.

The material gained will be used only for academics purposes and presented only in the final diploma.

We would like to thank you personally and gratefully in advance for your time and energy

devoted to this questionnaire.

6

THE CORPORATE BRAND 1. Is there any unique story that is related to the organisation’s founder/s and perhaps can

be related to the corporate brand?

2. How would you define a ‘brand’ for your organisation?

3. How would you define the vision and the mission of your corporate brand in some

words?

4. What is your corporate ‘brand’s mantra – a promise’, which three words constitute it

and why?

5. How are important are the following aspects to your corporate brand?

Please choose estimation

aspect 1: not at all → 5: very

important

Corporate brand decisions should be made by senior management

1 2 3 4 5

The corporate brand should be clearly communicated to all stakeholders groups

1 2 3 4 5

The whole personnel should commit to benefits towards the corporate brand

1 2 3 4 5

The corporate brand should reside within the senior management, rather then the marketing department

1 2 3 4 5

Creating and defining a corporate brand for the prospective and current clients

1 2 3 4 5

Corporate brand strategy should enrich the company’s evolution

1 2 3 4 5

6. In what activities and/or proceedings does your daily business support the corporate

brand, and the opposite, where does your corporate brand support daily business?

7. Do you differentiate between the corporate brand and product brand?

8. How would you describe the relation between the corporate and the product brand

towards your competitors?

9. Which advantages/disadvantages/opportunities/threats can you possibly identify with

corporate brand?

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THE CORPORATE BRAND MANAGEMENT 1. How would you describe added value in your products and/or services?

2. How would your describe added value in relation to product brands and the corporate

brand?

3. What role does the corporate brand play in your corporate agenda?

4. Do you consider the corporate brand as a strategic management tool that can be

managed as other organisational assets?

a. If you answered with YES; which activities, guidelines and/or proceedings

support your opinion in business practice?

5. Which elements of your corporate brand are for competitors almost impossible to

copy?

6. Which characteristics would qualify your corporate brand as a sustainable competitive

advantage?

7. How do you measure and value brand equity on your corporate brand? (please give

some examples)

8. Which department by their rank is primary responsible with corporate brand

management? (could your please, describe some of their work processes related to

corporate brand management)

9. Which set of rules do you assemble for effective managing of the corporate brand?

10. Which advantages/disadvantages/opportunities/threats can you possibly identify with

corporate brand management?

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THE CORPORATE BRAND BUILDING PROCESS 1. Which values would you qualify as ‘core’ values to your organisation that as well

constitute the corporate brand?

2. How would you describe the relation between the core values and your competitive

advantage?

3. Which internal and external activities support your corporate brand’s identity?

4. Which set of rules or activities do you assemble for an effective corporate brand

building process?

5. During the business year, do you internally and externally organize any activities that

support the corporate identity?

6. How would you describe the organisation’s brand architecture and the relation

between the corporate and product brands?

7. Which advantages/disadvantages/opportunities/threats can you possibly identify with

the corporate brand building process?