Dr. Martin G. Walser promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Hans Mühlbacher am Lehrstuhl für Marketing der Universität Innsbruck. Er ist Unternehmensberater bei der Fokus Management Consulting AG in St. Gallen.

• 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Research problem and purpose.- 1.2. Research process and structure.- 2. Brands.- 2.1. The importance of brands.- 2.2. Historical evolution of brands.- 2.3. Functions of brands.- 2.4. Defining “brand”.- 2.5. Objects of branding activities.- 3. Brand evaluation.- 3.1. Causes for the interest in brand evaluation.- 3.2. Brand evaluation: classification and areas of application.- 3.3. Discussion of terminology.- 4. Brand strength.- 4.1. Classification of existing definitions.- 5. Measuring brand strength.- 5.1. A consumer-behavior framework for brand strength measures.- 5.2. Summary of brand strength measures.- 5.3. Current problems in measuring brand strength.- 5.4. Assessing the necessity for multiple-construct measurement approaches.- 5.5. Conclusions and recommendations for measuring brand strength.- 6. Brand strength formation.- 6.1. A process of brand strength formation.- 6.2. A conceptual model of brand strength formation.- 6.3. Antecedents of brand strength.- 6.4. A situative approach to assess the impact of experiential information on brand strength formation.- 7. Empirical design.- 7.1. Approach and objectives of the study.- 7.2. Operational definition of variables.- 7.3. Empirical model and research hypotheses.- 7.4. Research method.- 8. Empirical findings.- 8.1. Hypothesis testing.- 8.2. Testing the causal model of brand strength formation.- 8.3. Summary and discussion of findings.- 8.4. Limitations.- 9. Conclusions.- 9.1. Contribution.- 9.2. Implications for further research and brand management.- References.

Dr. Martin G. Walser promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Hans Mühlbacher am Lehrstuhl für Marketing der Universität Innsbruck. Er ist Unternehmensberater bei der Fokus Management Consulting AG in St. Gallen.

• 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Research problem and purpose.- 1.2. Research process and structure.- 2. Brands.- 2.1. The importance of brands.- 2.2. Historical evolution of brands.- 2.3. Functions of brands.- 2.4. Defining “brand”.- 2.5. Objects of branding activities.- 3. Brand evaluation.- 3.1. Causes for the interest in brand evaluation.- 3.2. Brand evaluation: classification and areas of application.- 3.3. Discussion of terminology.- 4. Brand strength.- 4.1. Classification of existing definitions.- 5. Measuring brand strength.- 5.1. A consumer-behavior framework for brand strength measures.- 5.2. Summary of brand strength measures.- 5.3. Current problems in measuring brand strength.- 5.4. Assessing the necessity for multiple-construct measurement approaches.- 5.5. Conclusions and recommendations for measuring brand strength.- 6. Brand strength formation.- 6.1. A process of brand strength formation.- 6.2. A conceptual model of brand strength formation.- 6.3. Antecedents of brand strength.- 6.4. A situative approach to assess the impact of experiential information on brand strength formation.- 7. Empirical design.- 7.1. Approach and objectives of the study.- 7.2. Operational definition of variables.- 7.3. Empirical model and research hypotheses.- 7.4. Research method.- 8. Empirical findings.- 8.1. Hypothesis testing.- 8.2. Testing the causal model of brand strength formation.- 8.3. Summary and discussion of findings.- 8.4. Limitations.- 9. Conclusions.- 9.1. Contribution.- 9.2. Implications for further research and brand management.- References.

Dr. Martin G. Walser promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Hans Mühlbacher am Lehrstuhl für Marketing der Universität Innsbruck. Er ist Unternehmensberater bei der Fokus Management Consulting AG in St. Gallen.

• 1. Introduction.- 1.1. Research problem and purpose.- 1.2. Research process and structure.- 2. Brands.- 2.1. The importance of brands.- 2.2. Historical evolution of brands.- 2.3. Functions of brands.- 2.4. Defining “brand”.- 2.5. Objects of branding activities.- 3. Brand evaluation.- 3.1. Causes for the interest in brand evaluation.- 3.2. Brand evaluation: classification and areas of application.- 3.3. Discussion of terminology.- 4. Brand strength.- 4.1. Classification of existing definitions.- 5. Measuring brand strength.- 5.1. A consumer-behavior framework for brand strength measures.- 5.2. Summary of brand strength measures.- 5.3. Current problems in measuring brand strength.- 5.4. Assessing the necessity for multiple-construct measurement approaches.- 5.5. Conclusions and recommendations for measuring brand strength.- 6. Brand strength formation.- 6.1. A process of brand strength formation.- 6.2. A conceptual model of brand strength formation.- 6.3. Antecedents of brand strength.- 6.4. A situative approach to assess the impact of experiential information on brand strength formation.- 7. Empirical design.- 7.1. Approach and objectives of the study.- 7.2. Operational definition of variables.- 7.3. Empirical model and research hypotheses.- 7.4. Research method.- 8. Empirical findings.- 8.1. Hypothesis testing.- 8.2. Testing the causal model of brand strength formation.- 8.3. Summary and discussion of findings.- 8.4. Limitations.- 9. Conclusions.- 9.1. Contribution.- 9.2. Implications for further research and brand management.- References.