Abstract
The present study analyzes the brand image dimensions and the purchase intention determinants for an extra-virgin olive oil produced by a small firm located in the Salento area (South Italy). The market of reference is the Japanese one, which represents a growing market toward which the small firm exports part of its production. This study uses the Prospect Method Caprara, Barbaranelli and Guido 2000) as an investigation tool, which integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen 1991), which analyzes the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control), and the Big Five Model(Digman 1990), which identifies the latent traits of the brand image, in a single predictive and diagnostic model. On the whole, the research has involved more than 300 Japanese consumers, including experts and novices, in a pilot study and a main one. Results indicate the main perceived advantages and disadvantages at the basis of consumers’ attitudes, the “important others” perceived as a source of social pressure, and the events that could facilitate or hinder the consumption of the branded product in the reference market. They also show how the purchase intention is influenced by social pressures at the basis of the subjective norm. On the other hand, a factor analysis stresses how brand image is perceived along three main dimensions regarding the originality, the familiarity, and the healthiness of the product. Results have implications for the future development of marketing mix strategies of small firms aimed at improving their competitive advantages in the Japanese olive oil marketReferences
Ajzen, I. (1991), “The Theory of Planned Behavior,” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211.
Brucklacher, A.D. (2000), “Facing Globalisation: Japanese Farmers’ Responses to Changing Markets,” a cura di Philipp F. Von Siebold, Japanstudien. Jahrbuch des Deutschen
Instituts für Japanstudien, Verlag, München, 229-247.
Caprara, G.V., e Barbaranelli, C. (2000), Capi di Governo, Telefonini e Bagni Schiuma, Milano: Carocci editore.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (1998), “Pesonality as a Metaphor; Extension of the Psycholexical Hypothesis and the Five Factor Model to Brand and Product Personality
Description,” a cura di Basil G. Englis e Anna Olofsson, European Advances in Consumer
Research, 3, 61-69, Provo (UT): Association for Consumer Research.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (2000), “The Prospect Model: How to Analyze and Forecast the Influence of Brand and Product Personality on Determinants of Purchase
Intention,” Testing, Psicometria, Metodologia, 7 (3-4), 113-128.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (2001), “Brand Personality: How to Make the Metaphor Fit?,” Journal of Economic Psychology, 22, 377-395.
Digman, J.M. (1990), “Personality Structure: Emergence of the Five Factor of the Five Factor Model,” Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417-440.
Guido, G. (2009), Behind Ethical Consumption. Purchasing Motives and Marketing Strategies for Organic Food Products, Non-GMOs, Bio-Fuels (a cura di), Long Hanborough: Peter Lang.
Guido, G., Peluso A.M. e Rizzato F. (2005), “Il Mercato Online del Comparison Shopping: Come Classificare gli Infomediari,” Economia & Management, Marzo/Aprile (2), 2005, 55-76.
Huang, C.L. e Sumpio, B.E. (2008), “Olive Oil, the Mediterranean Diet, and Cardiovascular Health”, Collective Reviews, The American College of Surgeons, 407-416.
IOOC (2009), International Study of Table Oil Sector, documento disponibile online: http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/.
Krystallis, A. e Ness, M. (2003), “Motivational and Cognitive Structures of Greek Consumers in the Purchase of Quality Food Products,” Journal of International Consumer
Marketing, 16 (2), 7-36.
McEnvoy, D.G. e Gomez, E.E. (1999), The Olive Industry: A Marketing Study, RIRDC Publication, No. 99/86.
MIPRO (2000), “Survey of Consumer Perceptions of Imported Products,” documento disponibile online: http://web-japan.org.
Mtimet, N., Kashiwagi, A.K., Zaibet, L. e Masakazu, N. (2008), “Exploring Japanese Olive Oil Consumer Behavior”, paper presentato al 12esimo EAAE Congress “People, Food
and Environments: Global Trends and European Strategies,” Gent (BE), 26-29 Agosto.
Ohanian, R. (1990), “Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure Celebrity Endorsers’ Perceived Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Attractiveness,” Journal of Advertising,
19 (3), 39-52.
Sanchez, S. e Casilli A.A. (2008), “Status and Use of Food Products with Health Claim (FPHC) in the USA, Japan and France: an Anthropological Perspective,” Food Quality and Preference, 19, 682-691.
Shima, S., e Satoh, E. (2006), “Somatoform disorders in the workplace in Japan. International,” Review of Psychiatry, 18 (1), 35-40.
Takeda, Y., Kawachi, I., Yamagata, Z., Hashimoto, S. Matsumura, Y., Oguri, S. e Okayama, A. (2004), “Multigenerational Family Structure in Japanese Society: Impact on Stress and Health Behaviours among Women and Men,” Social Science & Medicine, 59, 69-81.
Wentz, L. (2004), “Olive Oil Isn’t Just from Italy Anymore,” Advertising Age, 75 (1), 16.
Brucklacher, A.D. (2000), “Facing Globalisation: Japanese Farmers’ Responses to Changing Markets,” a cura di Philipp F. Von Siebold, Japanstudien. Jahrbuch des Deutschen
Instituts für Japanstudien, Verlag, München, 229-247.
Caprara, G.V., e Barbaranelli, C. (2000), Capi di Governo, Telefonini e Bagni Schiuma, Milano: Carocci editore.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (1998), “Pesonality as a Metaphor; Extension of the Psycholexical Hypothesis and the Five Factor Model to Brand and Product Personality
Description,” a cura di Basil G. Englis e Anna Olofsson, European Advances in Consumer
Research, 3, 61-69, Provo (UT): Association for Consumer Research.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (2000), “The Prospect Model: How to Analyze and Forecast the Influence of Brand and Product Personality on Determinants of Purchase
Intention,” Testing, Psicometria, Metodologia, 7 (3-4), 113-128.
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., e Guido, G. (2001), “Brand Personality: How to Make the Metaphor Fit?,” Journal of Economic Psychology, 22, 377-395.
Digman, J.M. (1990), “Personality Structure: Emergence of the Five Factor of the Five Factor Model,” Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417-440.
Guido, G. (2009), Behind Ethical Consumption. Purchasing Motives and Marketing Strategies for Organic Food Products, Non-GMOs, Bio-Fuels (a cura di), Long Hanborough: Peter Lang.
Guido, G., Peluso A.M. e Rizzato F. (2005), “Il Mercato Online del Comparison Shopping: Come Classificare gli Infomediari,” Economia & Management, Marzo/Aprile (2), 2005, 55-76.
Huang, C.L. e Sumpio, B.E. (2008), “Olive Oil, the Mediterranean Diet, and Cardiovascular Health”, Collective Reviews, The American College of Surgeons, 407-416.
IOOC (2009), International Study of Table Oil Sector, documento disponibile online: http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/.
Krystallis, A. e Ness, M. (2003), “Motivational and Cognitive Structures of Greek Consumers in the Purchase of Quality Food Products,” Journal of International Consumer
Marketing, 16 (2), 7-36.
McEnvoy, D.G. e Gomez, E.E. (1999), The Olive Industry: A Marketing Study, RIRDC Publication, No. 99/86.
MIPRO (2000), “Survey of Consumer Perceptions of Imported Products,” documento disponibile online: http://web-japan.org.
Mtimet, N., Kashiwagi, A.K., Zaibet, L. e Masakazu, N. (2008), “Exploring Japanese Olive Oil Consumer Behavior”, paper presentato al 12esimo EAAE Congress “People, Food
and Environments: Global Trends and European Strategies,” Gent (BE), 26-29 Agosto.
Ohanian, R. (1990), “Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure Celebrity Endorsers’ Perceived Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Attractiveness,” Journal of Advertising,
19 (3), 39-52.
Sanchez, S. e Casilli A.A. (2008), “Status and Use of Food Products with Health Claim (FPHC) in the USA, Japan and France: an Anthropological Perspective,” Food Quality and Preference, 19, 682-691.
Shima, S., e Satoh, E. (2006), “Somatoform disorders in the workplace in Japan. International,” Review of Psychiatry, 18 (1), 35-40.
Takeda, Y., Kawachi, I., Yamagata, Z., Hashimoto, S. Matsumura, Y., Oguri, S. e Okayama, A. (2004), “Multigenerational Family Structure in Japanese Society: Impact on Stress and Health Behaviours among Women and Men,” Social Science & Medicine, 59, 69-81.
Wentz, L. (2004), “Olive Oil Isn’t Just from Italy Anymore,” Advertising Age, 75 (1), 16.
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