外文翻译--知觉变异和有关品牌延伸推论

毕业论文外文翻译一、外文原文标题：Perceived Variability and Inferences about Brand Extensions原文：Recent research on consumer reactions to brand extensions has focused on the judgmental effects of the match between the attributes, benefits, and uses of established versus new products sharing the same brand name. The present experiment extends this research by investigating the effects of two types of perceived variability on consumers'inferences about brand extensions: (a) the perceived variability of a firm's current offerings, and (b) the perceived variability of brands in an entry category. Inferences about the potential quality of the brand extension, and about the manufacturer's reasons for attempting to enter the new product category were measured. Repercussions of these inferences on judgments of the firm launching the brand extension were also examined. Implications of the results for product management are discussed.A great deal of recent research has focused on the concept of brand equity, which refers to the value added to a product by a brand name (Farquhar 1989; Leuthesser 1988). A successful brand name is strongly associated with concepts designed to (a) enhance the perceived value of a product, and (b) differentiate a product from competitors' offerings. However, building a successful brand name requires the commitment of a large pool of resources for an extended period of time (Park, Jaworski, and Maclnnes 1986).Because organizations have limited resources, risks and costs must be managed in an efficient manner. One way to manage risks and costs is through brand leverage, which refers to the use of s. successful, established brand name to facilitate entering new markets. This can be achieved by attaching the established brand name to a new offering in either the same (a line extension) or a new (a brand extension) product category. Extending a strong brand name should result in easier and wider acceptance, on the part of both consumers and distributors.Recent research on consumer acceptance of brand extensions has focused primarily on the effects of the categorization process on judgment and choice (for reviews of the categorization literature, see Alba and Hutchinson 1987; Cohen and Basu 1987; Sujan and Bettman 1989). Several studies have shown that judgments of original brands are generalized to judgments of new branas only when there is a good match between the attributes, benefits, and uses of parent and new brands (Aaker and Keller 1990; Farquhar, Herr, and Fazio 1990; Leuthesser 1988; Tauber 1988). Hence, new products should benefit from established brand names if (a) concepts having favorable implications for the purchase decision are strongly linked to the brand name, and (b) generalization is likely due to a high degree of overlap between the attributes, benefits, and uses of parent and new brands.Although the degree of similarity between new and parent brands is clearly an important mediator of consumer response to extensions, other factors are likely to be important as well. We suggest that some parent brands provide greater leverage than others, and that some new product entry categories are more receptive to extensions, even when one controls for similarity. Specifically, we focus on two new variables that should influence consumer response to extensions: the perceived variability of a parent brand's current offerings, and the perceived variability of existing brands in an entry category.Perceived Variability and the Generalization ProcessWhy do people make sweeping generalizations on the basis of limited evidence, in some cases, whereas in others, they fail to generalize even when extensive evidence is available? In addressing this issue, it becomes immediately apparent that other factors besides perceived similarity are also likely to infiuence the generalization process. Theories of categorization must address not only the abstraction and use of distributional knowledge such as knowledge about the central tendency of category members on a given dimension (e.g., attributes, benefits, uses), but also knowledge about the perceived variability or dispersion of category members on focal dimensions (Flannagan, Fried, and Holyoak 1986; Fried and Holyoak 1984).For example, social judgment research has shown that generalization is greaterwhen perceived variability on a target dimension is low, as opposed to high (Linville, Fischer, and Salovey 1989; Nisbett, Krantz, Jepson, and Kunda 1983; Park and Hastie 1987; Quattrone and Jones 1980). That is, when perceived variability is low, the observed characteristics of one individual is attributed to all members of the individual's social category ("you've seen one, you've seen them all"). Because perceptions of variability are lower for unfamiliar categories (e.g., out-groups), and for abstractionbased (as opposed to instance-based) categories, greater generalization occurs for unfamiliar and for abstraction-based categories.Perceived Variability of a Parent Brand's Current OfferingsSome firms attach a single brand name to a wide variety of products in several different categories. Other firms use one brand name for one current offering. Henceforth, tJiese end-points of the breadth continuum will be referred to as umbrella vs. niche brands, respectively. Because there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each of these ilternatives, strategy selection calls for an analysis of costs and benefits.One advantage of the umbrella strategy is that the miuufacturer is likely to be perceived as having a wide variety of strengths and skills in several different product categories. Such a firm may be perceived to have the requisite knowledge and skills for entering new markets, and, consequently, brand extensions should seem legitimate.A firm adopting a nichi strategy, on the other hand, may be perceived to possess highly specialized knowledge and skills tliat cannot be transferred readily to new markets.Of course, an umbrella firm runs the risk of being perceived as a "jack-of-all-trades" (master of none); further extensions into new markets support and strengtlien this perception. Moreover, images and values associated with a brand name become more iinbiguous and more diffuse as extending increases (Ries and Trout 1981). In contrast, a niche firm can more readily build a strong brand name by linking it to unambiguous concepts that clearly differentiate the offering.Perceii-ed Variability of Existing Brands in the Entry CategcrySome product categories may be more receptive to new brands than others.When perceived variability of an entry category is low, category members should be perceived as undiffc;rentiated; new brands entering this category should be perceived as legitimate (e.g., if everyone else is doing it, you can, too), but not really new or exciting. Conversely, when perceived variability is high, ihere is "room" for extensions, but generalization is difficult and consumers may be unable to make predictions about the quality of new brands.Research Propositions and the Experimental DesignInferences about brand extensions should be affected by these two types of perceived variability: (a) the perceived variability of a firm's current offerings (i.e., umbrella vs. niche brands), and (b) the peiceived variability of extant brands in an entry category. Perceptions of variability may be formed for several different dimensions of an existing categoiy. We focused on one key dimension: perceived quality. Quality judgments of parent brands should generalize more readily to brand extensions when perceived variability is low in entry categories.To investigate the role of perceivedvariability in consumer inference, an experiment was conducted in which brand name and new product concept information was manipulated. Subjects received either an umbrella brand name, a niche brand name, or no brand name, paired with concepts for six different packaged goods (i.e., the entry categories). On the basis of idiothetic ratings (Jaccard and Wood 1986), the entry categories were split into high and low perceived variability groups. Hence, a 3 (umbrella, niche, or no brand name [betwecn-subjects]) X 2 (high or low perceived variability in the entry category [within-subjects]) factorial design was employed. This design has several advantages over previous correlational research on brand extensions: (a) subjects were randomly assigned to brand name conditions, (b) reactions to all possible combinations cf brsmd name and concept infonnation were examined, and (c) the no brand name control condition enables one to measure inferences about a new product concept while controlling for prior knowledge about a brand.DISCUSSIONTogether,the quality inference,causal inference,an dconditional inference datasuggests that brand extension can tarnish global evaluations of a parent brand. Even when favorably-evaluated parent brand name are paired with favorably-evaluated brand ixtensions, a less favorable overale impression of the parent brand can result. Furthermore,tliis negative reaction seems more pronounced for umbrell a brand. Thus, an umbrell a brand does not automatically provide more leverage than a niche brand. When a parent brand name is stretched too far, additional extensions can have negative repercussions on judgments about the parent brand.The result also imply that the perceived variability of brands in an entry category is an important moderator of consumers initial inferences about I new offering.When perceived variability is high,jeneralization is difficult and consumer tend to form conservative, moderate judgements. In contrat, when the perceived variability of existing products in an entry category is low,there appears to be iome opportunity for brand leverage.Why is the brand extension strategy so difficult to manage? To address this comp lex issue,we should consider the multiple inferential implications of brand name infor mation.When the brand name is unknown,consumers are unable to determine if a give n new product extends an existing product line or if the new product is the firm's only offering. In contrast,when the brand name is known. Less extreme unique skills and m ore extreme copy cat attributions tend to be formed. If a new product is not perceived to be a natural sequel to prior offerings,it may be perceived to be an inferior brand(bec ause the manufacturer may lack the experience needed to develop a superior brand),or it may be perceived to be the result of a quickly implemented tactic designed to explo it a recently emerging opportunity (if it does not capitalize on unique strengths,why el se would it be launched?). The former case suggests that line extension may be effecti ve,and the latter case suggests that both line and product extensions are likely to be in effective..Future research should attempt to replicate the findings form this project using a more generalizable set of umbrella that and niche brands (we employed only two bran ds ). Although we attempted to select entry categories that were equally applicable to both parent brand,more rigorous controls for similarity or fit between parent and extended brands are needed. Future research should also examine consumer response to lin e and brand extensions using different parent brand names and different entry categori es. Finally,future research on brand equity should (a) include a no brand name control condition to establish the general appeal of a new product concept while controlling f or prior knowledge about the parent brand,and (b) employ pre-and post-launch measur e to assess the ramifications of extending for judgments of the original,parent brand.Source: Kardes, Frank R.; Allen, Chris T.. Advances in Consumer Research, 1991, V ol. 18 Issue 1, p392-398, 7p, 4 Charts二、翻译文章标题：知觉变异和有关品牌延伸推论译文:消费者对品牌延伸反应的最新研究，表明消费者已经对使用同品牌名称的新产品的判断产生了影响，这就就好比一场在属性，收益，用途等方面的竞争。