Consumers are social beings: A contextual investigation of social network influences on the consumer-brand relationships of Chinese consumers

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Copyright: Teo, Siew Imm Theresa
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Abstract
Abstract This dissertation considers consumers as social beings, with a focus on the way social networks influence Consumer-Brand Relationships (C-BR): study one looks broadly at the influence of social networks on consumers relationships with brands, studies two and three drill deeper into the influence of social networks in C-BR theory. Study two investigates the brand strategies of consumers in different age brackets and how these cohorts interact and influence each other s C-BRs. Study three extends the social network theme by considering consumers on the move attention is paid to how the community in a place of settlement influences consumers C-BRs. The approach is interpretive, making use of insights from qualitative in-depth interviews of key informants and members of their network. All key informants are female and Chinese: those who are the subject of studies one and two live in China, whereas study three includes consumers who have migrated within China and international migrants to Australia. Three specific questions are addressed: (1) How do interactions within social networks influence consumers relationships with brands? Kinship, friendship and business relationships are shown to impact C-BRs. (2) How do consumers in different age brackets make decisions about brands and influence each other s relationships with brands? Results show how the age and personality of individual consumers, and of members of their social networks, influence decisions about brands and shape C-BRs. (3) How do migrant consumers decide on brand strategies as they experience new places of settlement and influence each other s relationships with brands? Insights are gained into how consumers embrace new consumer cultures and experience changes in their C-BRs at the place of settlement. Theoretically, social networks are shown to be an important overlay for understanding C-BRs in that emphasis shifts from a consumer and her brands, to a consumer within her social network and her brands. Practically, the existence of an influential social network may produce new brand relationships or accentuate vi existing ones. Finally, treating the consumer and her social network as a single unit of analysis is seen as a methodological strength.
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Author(s)
Teo, Siew Imm Theresa
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Publication Year
2016
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Thesis
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PhD Doctorate
UNSW Faculty
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