Diagnosing Means-End Structures to Determine the Degree of Potential Marketing Program Standardization

Abstract

Although the desirability of marketing standardization versus adaptation has long been debated in academic and business circles, few empirical studies are available that investigate the circumstances under which each strategy is appropriate. The degree of similarity of customer needs and expectations in different nations largely determines to which extend marketing program activities of a company can be standardized. In this study, means-end theory is used to investigate the cognitive structures of consumers for a specific clothing line across three countries. Three hundred laddering interviews were conducted in Austria, Germany, and Italy, using a modified paper-and-pencil approach. The results indicate that a detailed analysis of individual cognitive positioning of products makes it possible to determine the degree of potential standardization of product, pricing, and promotion decisions across Austria, Germany, and Italy.