Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Entrepreneurship, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran.

2 Department of Business Management, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran.

3 Department of Mathematics, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran.

4 Faculty of Economics, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In the last decade, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was used as the most effective tool to help businesses gain a competitive advantage by attracting customers. Thus, ICT has significantly contributed to the growth of e-commerce. Internet access allows e-commerce to spread globally and cheaply. However, many organizations did not realize the potential value created by e-commerce. Since the provision of information and branding at the destination necessarily involves the focused attention of all tourism companies in the destination, e-commerce can lead to the development of a new distribution channel in a virtual network and connects the producer with the customer. To this end, the present study analyzed the factors affecting brand strengthening drivers in e-commerce in the Iranian tourism industry. Brand strengthening drivers were ranked using Shannon’s entropy method. The results indicated that advertising and brand communication are the most effective brand strengthening drivers.

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. Williams, R., Rattray, R., & Stork, A. (2004). Web site accessibility of German and UK tourism information sites. European business review16(6), 577-589. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555340410565404
  2. Ping, G. (2011). Analysis the application of e-business for the tourism enterprises’ performance evaluation in china. Energy procedia5, 849-854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.150
  3. Scavarda, A. J., Lustosa, L. J., & Teixeira, J. P. (2001). The e-tourism and the virtual enterprise. Proceedings 12th conference of the production and operations management society. Orlando FL. file:///C:/Users/NoteBook/Downloads/Documents/Scavarda%20-%20electronic%20commerce%20applications.pdf
  4. Psillakis, Z., Panagopoulos, A., & Kanellopoulos, D. (2008). Low cost inferential forecasting and tourism demand in accommodation industry. Tourism: an international multidisciplinary journal of tourism, 4(2),47-68. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/25288/
  5. Porter, M. (2001). Strategy and internet. Harvard business review. https://hbr.org/2001/03/strategy-and-the-internet
  6. Valos, M. J., Bednall, D. H., & Callaghan, B. (2007). The impact of Porter's strategy types on the role of market research and customer relationship management. Marketing intelligence & planning25(2), 147-156. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500710737933
  7. Pimenidis, E., Bolissian, J. M., Iliadis, L., & Andreopoulou, Z. (2006). E-readiness or digital exclusion—proposing a new evaluation framework. Proceedings of the 2nd e-democracy national conference with international participation. Athens, Greece. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292732542_E-Readiness_or_Digital_Exclusion_-_Evaluating_a_Country%27s_Status_Proceedings_of_the_2nd_E-Democracy_National_Conference_with_International_Participation
  8. Daud Norzaidi, M., Choy Chong, S., Murali, R., & Intan Salwani, M. (2007). Intranet usage and managers' performance in the port industry. Industrial management & data systems107(8), 1227-1250. https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570710822831
  9. Gibbs, J. L., & Kraemer, K. L. (2004). A cross‐country investigation of the determinants of scope of e‐commerce use: an institutional approach. Electronic markets14(2), 124-137. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10196780410001675077
  10. Swati, D., & Kamal, M. (2007). Managing reservations through online distribution channels: an insight into mid-segment hotels in India. International journal of contemporary hospitality management19(5), 388-396. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20073230388
  11. Sigala, M. (2003). Competing in the virtual marketspace: a strategic model for developing e-commerce in the hotel industry. International journal of hospitality information technology3(1), 43-59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/153373403803617691
  12. Williams, A. P., & Palmer, A. J. (1999). Tourism destination brands and electronic commerce: towards synergy? Journal of vacation marketing5(3), 263-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/135676679900500306
  13. Hutomo, S., & Prasetyo, H. (2018). Visual based brand strengthening for cricket processed food products in Elok Mekarsari Umkm Surabaya. Journal of information system & applied computer science1(2), 26-32.
  14. Jelassi, T., & Leenen, S. (2001). Embarking on ebusiness at ducati motorcycles (Italy). ECIS 2001 proceedings, 75. https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2001/75
  15. Roto, V., Wiberg, M., & Sarkola, S. (2018). Branded online interaction aesthetics: strengthening brand image via dynamic design. Proceedings of the 10th Nordic conference on human-computer interaction(pp. 385-396). https://doi.org/10.1145/3240167.3240208
  16. Khorrami, R., & Boodaghi, H. (2016). The impact of advertising on brand equity (case study: chocolate mamufacturing companies of east azerbaijan). Biannual journal of value chain management1(3), 43-65. (In Persian). https://www.semanticscholar.org/
  17. Schmidt, H. J., & Baumgarth, C. (2018). Strengthening internal brand equity with brand ambassador programs: development and testing of a success factor model. Journal of brand management25, 250-265. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-018-0101-9
  18. Virutamasen, P., Wongpreedee, K., & Kumnungwut, W. (2015). Strengthen brand association through SE: institutional theory revisited. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences195, 192-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.348
  19. Gårdh, V. (2009). Brand heritage: helping strengthen the brand identity of husqvarna motorcycles (Bachelor Thesis). https://5dok.org/document/wye3977q-brand-heritage-helping-strengthen-brand-identity-husqvarna-motorcycles.html
  20. Akbari, M., Nazarian, A., Foroudi, P., Seyyed Amiri, N., & Ezatabadipoor, E. (2021). How corporate social responsibility contributes to strengthening brand loyalty, hotel positioning and intention to revisit? Current issues in tourism24(13), 1897-1917. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2020.1800601
  21. Drewniak, R., & Karaszewski, R. (2016). Brand management in a situation of an economic crisis: methods of strengthening the brand value in the scope of emerging markets. Asia pacific journal of marketing and logistics28(4), 743-758. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-07-2015-0117
  22. Thao, N. T. P. (2012). Strengthening brand awareness through brand elements: the case of Zing me socail network(Doctoral Dissertation, International University HCMC, Vietnam). http://keep.hcmiu.edu.vn/handle/123456789/709
  23. Chi, H. K., Yeh, H. R., & Yang, Y. T. (2009). The impact of brand awareness on consumer purchase intention: the mediating effect of perceived quality and brand loyalty. The journal of international management studies4(1), 135-144.
  24. Sanjari Nader, B., Yarahmadi, F., & Baluchi, H. (2020). The impact of social network-based brand communities on brand evangelism through strengthening brand trust. Consumer behavior studies journal7(2), 24-47. (In Persian). https://cbs.uok.ac.ir/article_61609.html?lang=en
  25. Mudzakkir, M., & Nurfarida, I. (2015). The influence of brand awareness on brand trust through brand image SSRN 2670597. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2670597
  26. Kim, J. H., & Min, D. (2014). The effects of brand popularity as an advertising cue on perceived quality in the context of internet shopping. Japanese psychological research56(4), 309-319. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpr.12055
  27. KaffashPoor, A., Harandi, A. O., & Fatemi, S. (2014). The role of customer based brand equity in the effect of advertising on consumer response. Journal of business administration researches6(12), 137-148. (In Persian). http://bar.yazd.ac.ir/article_534.html?lang=en
  28. Rahahleh, A., Al-Nsour, S., Moflih, M., Alabaddi, Z., Al-Nassar, B., & Al-Nsour, N. (2020). The influence of electronic service quality on relationship quality: evidence from tourism industry. Management science letters10(12), 2759-2768. DOI: 5267/j.msl.2020.4.034
  29. Schivinski, B., & Dabrowski, D. (2015). The impact of brand communication on brand equity through Facebook. Journal of research in interactive marketing, 9(1), 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-02-2014-0007
  30. Kia, A. R. (2012). Investigation of the effects of corporation ability association and brand awareness on repurchase intention and mediator roles of quality perception and brand resonance in consumer decision marketing process. Jounal of marketing management7(14), 89-103. (In Persian). https://jomm.srbiau.ac.ir/?_action=articleInfo&article=1659&lang=fa&lang=en
  31. Hadadian, A., Zakieh., F. K., & Bagheria Mashhadi., A. (2016). The effect of brand awareness on customer loyalty with the mediating role of perceived quality and brand communication (case study of Ansar bank Mashhad customers). Third national conference on modern management and planning sciences paydar Iran, Tehran, Iran. Civilica. (In Persian). https://civilica.com/doc/609501/
  32. Zehir, C., Şahin, A., Kitapçı, H., & Özşahin, M. (2011). The effects of brand communication and service quality in building brand loyalty through brand trust; the empirical research on global brands. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences24, 1218-1231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.142
  33. Rezaii DolatAbadi, H., Khazaii Pool, J., & Amani, M. (2013). Impact of brand personality on brand loyalty with investigating the mediator role of brand affect, brand trust and brand preference: case study Iran Khodro company. Iranian journal of management sciences8(29), 59-72. (In Persian). http://journal.iams.ir/article_157.html?lang=en
  34. Latif, M. A. (2021). Exploring the influence of brand communities on strengthening brand relationship (a novel approach in Pakistan)(Presentation). 2nd international conference on business, economics, & education management – ICBEM 2018At: Sukkur IBA University. https://www.academia.edu/36435398
  35. Rahman, M. S., Bag, S., Hassan, H., Hossain, M. A., & Singh, R. K. (2022). Destination brand equity and tourist's revisit intention towards health tourism: an empirical study. Benchmarking: an international journal29(4), 1306-1331. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-03-2021-0173
  36. Feng, Y., Cao, W., Shin, G. C., & Yoon, Y. (2021). The external effect of international tourism on brand equity development process of multinational firms (MNFs). Journal of brand management28, 578-595. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-021-00245-7
  37. Cheng, Y. Y., Tung, W. F., Yang, M. H., & Chiang, C. T. (2019). Linking relationship equity to brand resonance in a social networking brand community. Electronic commerce research and applications35, 100849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2019.100849
  38. Shirmohammadi, Y., Zargham Broujeni, H., & Javani, M. (2019). The effect of social interaction, appearance, and credit value of tourism brands in cyberspace and its impact‎ on the choice of European tourists destinations (case study: Tehran travel agencies)‎. New marketing research journal9(3), 79-100. (In Persian). https://nmrj.ui.ac.ir/article_24296.html?lang=en
  39. Moro, S., & Rita, P. (2018). Brand strategies in social media in hospitality and tourism. International journal of contemporary hospitality management30(1), 343-364. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-07-2016-0340
  40. Ahmadizad, A., Varmaghani, M., & Kafcheh, P. (2017). A pattern for the effective factors influencing the adoption and implementation of the e-marketing in the tourism industry. Journal of business administration researches9(17), 197-224. (In Persian). http://bar.yazd.ac.ir/article_988.html?lang=en
  41. Otilia-Elena, P. (2013). The role of social media marketing in strengthening the brand image. Ovidius university annals, series economic sciences13(2), 466-470.
  42. Abdolvand, M. A., & Honarisharif, E. (2016). The influence of social media on brand commitment and brand loyalty. Journal of development & evolution mnagement8(24), 69-80. (In Persian). https://jdem.qazvin.iau.ir/article_506.html?lang=en
  43. Sayadi Turanlu, H., Zanjirchi, S. M., & Atai Gharache, M. (2015). Ranking and valuation using Shannon's entropy and gray relational analysis (case study: branches of Agricultural bank of Yazd province). Journal of development in monetary and banking management, 3(6), 31-52. (In Persian). https://journal.ansarbank.ir/article_41353.html