Date of Award
2-2022
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Advisor(s)
Dr. Zhaohui Hong
Second Advisor
Dr. Jinjie Wang
Abstract
In the information age, the cultural perspectives associated with brand trust have undergone fundamental changes. Hyperconnectivity in the digital era has transformed social interaction between consumers and firms, leading to the creation of a sphere between the digital spheres where brands construct cultural meaning and thereby influence community members in the spheres. This sphere is dynamic, and perpetually influenced by technology to reach an equilibrium where an inter-sphere cultural phenomenon is formed. The high volume and velocity of information generated with technological advances have led to the blurring and broadening of brand boundaries to create mega-sized brand communities, further reinforcing the occurrence of this phenomenon.
Although the measurement of a single parameter is not sufficient to capture new constructs to conceptualize brand trust from the consumer’s point of view, technology serves as the common denominator in this equation and capacity. Information asymmetry is greatly reduced in this era, where search costs are low and external information is available in abundance. From the consumers’ perspective, the conceptualization of brands based on their reliance on brand experiences is also reduced, and the basis of their judgements is more objective and focused on their needs. Therefore, a new framework is required to capture these changes.
With the vast improvements brought by technology, reassessment of brand trust from a macroscopic perspective is crucial. Following an examination of the current phenomenon using abductive reasoning, this study utilizes mixed methods based on grounded theory to conceptualize three components of brand trust: commodity attributes associated with material life, instrument attributes in social life, and meaning attributes in spiritual life. The effectiveness of these constructs as a means to investigate brand trust is explored using semi-structured interviews, a quantitative survey and in-depth interviews.
The product-centric approach of Chinese businesses in the Indian market differs significantly from that of other developed countries where a brand trust-oriented approach is employed. By comparing how the conceptualized constructs differ between Chinese, Indian and American brands in the Indian market, this research explores crucial factors contributing to the low brand trust image associated with Chinese brands, in the hope of also stimulating new business strategy development in the inter-sphere culture phenomenon.
Recommended Citation
Han, Yan, "Research on Ternary Brand Trust Components in the Inter-Sphere Culture Context: Chinese Brands in Indian Market" (2022). Fordham Dissertations and Theses. 14.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertation/14
