The influence of corporate brand reputation on the purchase intention of the post-postmodern consumer society

Sammanfattning: Thesis Purpose: The present research investigates the relationship between corporate brand reputation and consumer purchase intention while regarding to the post-postmodern consumer of today. The purpose of the study is to contribute with insights on how the post-postmodern consumer evaluates corporate brand reputation and explore the effect of this evaluation on consumer purchase intention. Methodology: A quantitative research has been designed with an online questionnaire measuring the corporate brand reputation elements with regard to purchase intention, followed by testing 6 proposed hypotheses with a multiple regression and correlation analysis. Theoretical Perspective: The study is mainly based on six reputational elements of the corporate brand literature by Fombrun, Gardberg and Server (2000), Page and Fearn (2005), van Riel and Fombrun (2007), Roper and Fill (2012), and Urde and Greyser (2016) and its influence on the studied purchase intention by Prakash et al. (2019), Policarpo and Aguiar (2020), and Fishbein and Ajzen (2010) to latter be connected to the post-postmodern consumer by Ulver (2021), Samuels (2009), Cova (2013), Holt (2002) and Skandalis, Byrom and Banister (2016). Empirical Data: Non-probability sampling was applied, and respondents were recruited via a self-completion web-based questionnaire (n=221). Findings: The three reputational elements social responsibility, innovation and product and services have a significant relationship on the post-postmodern consumer purchase intent, while the reputational elements of vision and leadership, workplace environment and financial performance do not have a significant impact. Theoretical and Managerial Implications: As a theoretical contribution the study presents and extension of the corporate brand reputation literature and its first comparison to purchase intention under the influence of post-postmodernism, thus adding the managerial contribution of providing brand managers with results on how to better target their customers, reduce the risk of reputational damage and using corporate brand reputation as a competitive advantage.