The present investigation proposes a new type of reinforcing material in the form of three-dimensional geogrid. The performance of a model square footing resting on the three-dimensional geogrid reinforced sand bed is investigated by conducting laboratory scaled plate load tests. Two types of 3D geogrids with triangular and rectangular pattern were used. The improvement in bearing capacity and surface deformation were evaluated and the effect of depth of placement of the first layer of reinforcement, the spacing between layers and number of layers were investigated. The results obtained were compared with the results of unreinforced sand bed and conventional geogrid reinforced sand bed. The bearing capacity of the footing was improved by 1.85 times by the provision of a single layer of conventional reinforcement, whereas, 2.7 and 3.1 times improvement was observed with 3D geogrids of the triangular and rectangular pattern at an optimum depth of 0.25B. The results show that the spacing between two consecutive layers varies with the type of reinforcement. Two layers of 3D geogrid (rectangular) at an optimum spacing of 0.75B completely eliminate the surface heave of soil surrounding the footing. In the case of conventional geogrid and 3D geogrid with triangular pattern, the optimum number of reinforcement layer was obtained as four. Three layers of 3D geogrid with rectangular pattern placed at an optimum spacing of 0.75B give a BCR value of 6.4. Also, 3D geogrids perform better than conventional geogrids in reducing surface deformation.

Behaviour of Model Square Footing Resting on Sand Reinforced with Three-Dimensional Geogrid

Nowadays when internet marketing is on the wave, marketing experts recognize the importance of content; content marketing becomes a new field in marketing research. This paper provides a theoretical analysis, which ends up with a theoretical model of the content marketing influence on search system advertisement. Conclusions, practical insights and future development research directions are presented as well.

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Content marketing elements and their influence on search advertisement effectiveness: theoretical background and practical insights

Research background: There are many consultative groups and market research companies on the market that have also brand valuation included in their service portfolios. Such companies tend to adopt their own unique approaches to value brands to face increasing competition, which is also reinforced by the fact that brand constitutes the company's most valuable commercial and  intangible assets. The paper compares selected internationally recognized brand valuation methods, using the mathematical statistics apparatus (Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients), on the sample of 12 global well-known brands (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Toyota, IBM, Disney, McDonald's, General Electric, Samsung and Amazon).Purpose of the article: The aim is to analyze the brand values and the methods applied for possible deviations, and identify whether they are statistically significant and/or find any statistical correlation, or eventually recognize them as totally different and independent approaches.Methods: The analysis is carried out by pairwise comparison of selected brand values provided by selected consultative companies (Forbes, Interbrand, Brand Finance and Millward Brown). The degree of correlation of brand values provided by respective consultative groups is calculated using the following correlation coefficients: Pearson's correlation coefficient and its modified non-parametric version involving ordinals ? Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.Findings and Value added: The analysis proved the highest correlation of the brand values provided by the Forbes and Interbrand; Subsequently, a trend analysis is carried out to determine the development over time, identifying the most striking development in the brand values provided by Millward Brown (BrandZTM) for the period 2013?2016.

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Comparison of Selected Internationally Recognized Brand Valuation Methods

By maintaining continuous satisfaction and high level of the brand’s equity the customers express the intention of long-term buying of product and their choice spreads on other products in the organization’s portfolio. By developing a brand which represents value to the customers, the customers’ satisfaction will grow reinforcing relationship between satisfaction and brand development. Purpose of this paper is to obtain insight about the relationship between elements of brand equity and customer loyalty among self-medication products. The research results show that elements of brand equity do increase customer brand loyalty. But not all elements do contribute in the same manner.

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Exploring relationship between brand equity and customer loyalty on pharmaceutical market

Nowadays, companies have more freedom on how they can report their corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions and outcomes, despite them being increasingly important for how investors and shareholders can obtain knowledge about companies’ non-financial aspects. This is why more importance is being attached to sustainability rankings as an additional tool to seek excellence and distinguish between companies. The main objective of the present research was to analyze the degree of similarity in sustainability valuations among the most important open-access sustainability rankings that have appeared in the last decade (Green Ranking, RepTrack, Global 100 most sustainable corporations, and Finance Yahoo Sustainability). The secondary objective was to study whether these rankings incorporated the most de facto prestigious brands, and the third objective was to learn of the influence of the level of controversy in Finance Yahoo Sustainability scores in technological companies. Our results reveal wide variability among open-access CSR rankings. Not all the most valued brands appear in the sustainability rankings, which indicates the differences between the rankings of brands and CSR rankings. Finally, the level of controversy was found to be an important aspect in companies’ CSR scores.

Assessing the Sustainability of High-Value Brands in the IT Sector

The article consists of five parts, where the first part formulates the problem, aim and research methodology. The aim of the article is to prepare integrated economic brand valuation model on theoretical layer analysis and summary of brand valuation models and to test it empirically. The article analyzes the problem how to prepare integrated brand valuation model which enables thorough estimation of brand value in viewpoint of customer and company. The second part of the article presents substantiation of brand valuation and theoretical studies of brand valuation models. Analyzing traditional economic brand valuation models the results of theoretical and empiric researches by authors who study these models are presented. In summary it could be stated that traditional economic brand valuation models estimate only material brand value form and ignore customer influence on brand value. Nonfiction literature presents psychographic and behaviorally oriented brand valuation models. Aaker (1991), Kapferer (1992), Keller (1993) and Mckinsey (1994) present brand valuation models where user, user attitude and behavior are in focus. This article presents composite economic and behaviorally oriented brand valuation models, which unite both economic and psychographic factors. Though composite economic and behaviorally-oriented models reflect brand valuation influencing factors more detailed, still more economic, financial and behaviorally-oriented factors integrating model are missing. After completing theoretical studies of brand valuation models it can be stated that some model only estimate material brand value (economic brand valuation models), others uncover customer attitudes and behavior in brand valuation (psychographical and behaviorally-oriented brand valuation models), and still others mostly estimate material brand value also taking into account customer behavior in the viewpoint of brand value. In the third part of the article on the ground of theoretical study of brand valuation model the integrated brand valuation model is prepared. This model unites economic, psychographic and behaviorally oriented brand valuation models. Integrated brand valuation model mostly measures brand value on the ground of economic brand valuation models. According to this model, brand value is measured from two positions: customer and company.

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Brand Valuation: Viewpoint of Customer and Company

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Peculiarities of Social Media Integration into Marketing Communication

This article presents the global market changes and internet era has influencing consumers today connect with brands in fundamentally new ways, often through virtual media channels that are beyond companies’ control. The customers connect with many brands through new media channels, evaluate and advocate them at the same time, virtual and publically promoting the products they have liked or bought. The companies instead of focusing on how allocate spending across media – television, radio, online and so forth, marketers should target more on customer decision process. Aim of paper – on the basis of scientific and empirical research to evaluate the mains aspect of brand management process and provide the insights, how to increase the brand value of the virtual space. Lithuanian Marketing Association has initiated a study in 2011, aimed to find out which investigates the marketing budgets shifts of Lithuanian companies. The trend for the 2012 is an effective use of its marketing budget without reducing marketing costs for promoting the brands, building up the company’s image and reputation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.17.2.2192

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Prekės ženklų valdymas virtualioje erdvėje lietuvoje

Recent situation with wars, terrorism attacks, climate defrost and other natural and unnatural disasters determine the rise of tourism crises all over the world. Wars, terrorism and catastrophes force to think about reduced tourism condition in problematic regions. Nature elements, such as hurricanes, floods, fires, volcanic eruption do a bigger damage to image of the place than for its infrastructure. Accomplished analysis of literature allows us to formulate the aim of this article – to generalize and to distinguish the means for restoring the attractiveness of tourism destination after crisis, based on scientific research results. Decline of tourism development after some natural or unnatural disasters is proven by the experience of many effects of crises (Sharpley, 2005: 75). There are many examples, showing that disasters have a bad influence on tourism. Trying to reveal the damage done for tourism and to find the possible ways of tourism revival, we need to explore theoretical marketing decisions for tourism development and to provide the list of means for restoring the attractiveness of tourism destination. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.17.3.2129

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Indrė Jucaitytė

Papers

Brand Valuation: Viewpoint of Customer and Company

Peculiarities of Social Media Integration into Marketing Communication

Prekės ženklų valdymas virtualioje erdvėje lietuvoje

Turizmo vietovių po krizinių įvykių patrauklumo valdymas