{"id":{"repo_id":"heriot-watt","oai_identifier":"oai:ros.hw.ac.uk:10399/5272"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/heriot-watt/oai:ros.hw.ac.uk:10399/5272","repository":{"repo_id":"heriot-watt","name":"Heriot-Watt University","base_url":"https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Building a competitive brand advantage through importer integration : a qualitative case study on collaborative brand-building in export-import relationships","abstract":"This thesis aims to examine how an internationalizing medium-sized firm can build a competitive brand advantage by integrating importers as a strategic resource, drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV). In addressing the aim, the study identifies importers’ brand-building patterns, analyses their influencing factors, and evaluates how exporters and importers can co-create a collaborative competitive brand advantage. Based on a qualitative case study of a medium-sized German brewery, the findings provide a holistic analysis of brand-building patterns from the perspective of importers. Further, brand orientation as one major influential factor on brand-building patterns is identified, leading to three brand-building typologies classifying importers by brand-building sophistication. Moreover, the role of the imported brand within the importer’s portfolio is identified as a critical factor influencing the extent of brand-building support. Finally, the findings highlight the nuanced roles of both the global brand owner and local importer in developing a collaborative competitive brand advantage. This thesis contributes to international business, branding and marketing literature by highlighting the role of importers as strategic brand-building partners for internationalizing resource-constrained firms, thereby demonstrating the relevance of the extended RBV to the domain of export–import brand collaborations. The first brand-building typology developed for importers is a novel contribution not only to theory but also to practice, guiding exporting firms in selecting and collaborating with international partners more effectively to achieve a sustainable competitive brand advantage. Finally, this thesis introduces a model for building a collaborative competitive brand advantage, highlighting interfirm collaboration and the strategic interplay of the importer and brand owner as key drivers of brand success in international markets.","abstract_html":"This thesis aims to examine how an internationalizing medium-sized firm can build a competitive brand advantage by integrating importers as a strategic resource, drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV). In addressing the aim, the study identifies importers’ brand-building patterns, analyses their influencing factors, and evaluates how exporters and importers can co-create a collaborative competitive brand advantage. Based on a qualitative case study of a medium-sized German brewery, the findings provide a holistic analysis of brand-building patterns from the perspective of importers. Further, brand orientation as one major influential factor on brand-building patterns is identified, leading to three brand-building typologies classifying importers by brand-building sophistication. Moreover, the role of the imported brand within the importer’s portfolio is identified as a critical factor influencing the extent of brand-building support. Finally, the findings highlight the nuanced roles of both the global brand owner and local importer in developing a collaborative competitive brand advantage. This thesis contributes to international business, branding and marketing literature by highlighting the role of importers as strategic brand-building partners for internationalizing resource-constrained firms, thereby demonstrating the relevance of the extended RBV to the domain of export–import brand collaborations. The first brand-building typology developed for importers is a novel contribution not only to theory but also to practice, guiding exporting firms in selecting and collaborating with international partners more effectively to achieve a sustainable competitive brand advantage. Finally, this thesis introduces a model for building a collaborative competitive brand advantage, highlighting interfirm collaboration and the strategic interplay of the importer and brand owner as key drivers of brand success in international markets.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lee, Hyeun-Mi"],"institution":"Heriot-Watt University","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Hammer, Professor Doctor Dominik"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-06","date_published":"2025-06","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:31:07Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/handle/10399/5272","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Hammer, Professor Doctor Dominik"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lee, Hyeun-Mi"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-01-27T17:12:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-06"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Heriot-Watt University","Edinburgh Business School"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/handle/10399/5272"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis aims to examine how an internationalizing medium-sized firm can build a competitive brand advantage by integrating importers as a strategic resource, drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV). In addressing the aim, the study identifies importers’ brand-building patterns, analyses their influencing factors, and evaluates how exporters and importers can co-create a collaborative competitive brand advantage. Based on a qualitative case study of a medium-sized German brewery, the findings provide a holistic analysis of brand-building patterns from the perspective of importers. Further, brand orientation as one major influential factor on brand-building patterns is identified, leading to three brand-building typologies classifying importers by brand-building sophistication. Moreover, the role of the imported brand within the importer’s portfolio is identified as a critical factor influencing the extent of brand-building support. Finally, the findings highlight the nuanced roles of both the global brand owner and local importer in developing a collaborative competitive brand advantage. This thesis contributes to international business, branding and marketing literature by highlighting the role of importers as strategic brand-building partners for internationalizing resource-constrained firms, thereby demonstrating the relevance of the extended RBV to the domain of export–import brand collaborations. The first brand-building typology developed for importers is a novel contribution not only to theory but also to practice, guiding exporting firms in selecting and collaborating with international partners more effectively to achieve a sustainable competitive brand advantage. Finally, this thesis introduces a model for building a collaborative competitive brand advantage, highlighting interfirm collaboration and the strategic interplay of the importer and brand owner as key drivers of brand success in international markets."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Building a competitive brand advantage through importer integration : a qualitative case study on collaborative brand-building in export-import relationships"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Hammer, Professor Doctor Dominik"],"dc:creator":["Lee, Hyeun-Mi"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-01-27T17:12:29Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis aims to examine how an internationalizing medium-sized firm can build a competitive brand advantage by integrating importers as a strategic resource, drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV). In addressing the aim, the study identifies importers’ brand-building patterns, analyses their influencing factors, and evaluates how exporters and importers can co-create a collaborative competitive brand advantage. Based on a qualitative case study of a medium-sized German brewery, the findings provide a holistic analysis of brand-building patterns from the perspective of importers. Further, brand orientation as one major influential factor on brand-building patterns is identified, leading to three brand-building typologies classifying importers by brand-building sophistication. Moreover, the role of the imported brand within the importer’s portfolio is identified as a critical factor influencing the extent of brand-building support. Finally, the findings highlight the nuanced roles of both the global brand owner and local importer in developing a collaborative competitive brand advantage. This thesis contributes to international business, branding and marketing literature by highlighting the role of importers as strategic brand-building partners for internationalizing resource-constrained firms, thereby demonstrating the relevance of the extended RBV to the domain of export–import brand collaborations. The first brand-building typology developed for importers is a novel contribution not only to theory but also to practice, guiding exporting firms in selecting and collaborating with international partners more effectively to achieve a sustainable competitive brand advantage. Finally, this thesis introduces a model for building a collaborative competitive brand advantage, highlighting interfirm collaboration and the strategic interplay of the importer and brand owner as key drivers of brand success in international markets."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://www.ros.hw.ac.uk/handle/10399/5272"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Heriot-Watt University","Edinburgh Business School"],"dc:title":["Building a competitive brand advantage through importer integration : a qualitative case study on collaborative brand-building in export-import relationships"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:31:07Z"}