The effect of cultural configurations on international business performance – Case: Moomin Characters

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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Business | Master's thesis
Date
2019
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Marketing
Language
en
Pages
95
Series
Abstract
Several academics have studied macro environment and strategic decisions and their importance to international business. A new trajectory concerns culture especially important. However, contradictory suggestions are found to occur in existing research regarding the importance and effects of culture on international business performance. Opposite perspectives create a current dilemma for both international business scholars and practitioners and indicate a need for additional research in the field. The aim of this study is to examine how culture affects international business performance from a brand licensor perspective. The main research question is “How does culture affect brand licensor sales revenue?”. Two methodologies are applied, multiple regression analysis (MRA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The case company of the study is Moomin Characters. Several public databases and information from Moomin Characters management is utilized to collect data. Regarding macro environment and strategic decisions, the results of the study support existing theory on their importance and effect on international business performance, especially from a brand licensor sales revenue perspective. Regarding the main focus of the research, culture, while no cultural configurations are found to consistently lead to outperforming brand licensor sales revenue, four configurations are found to consistently lead to underperforming brand licensor sales revenue. Therefore, while a brand licensor may perform well in several different cultures without a certain cultural fit taken into account, the results of the study indicate that some cultural combinations may lead to a weaker performance than others. Even though this study is conducted as a case study and it reflects the business of Moomin Characters as an extensively international brand licensor with a unique artistic and literary brand dimension, the results can be interpreted to other contexts as well. In addition to such international brand licensors that share similar values to their brand than Moomin Characters, internationally operating brand licensors in general and to some content even international companies as a such benefit from the results.
Description
Thesis advisor
Luoma, Jukka
Keywords
culture, configuration, international business performance, brand licensing, macro environment, strategic decisions, multiple regression analysis, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis
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Citation