The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the consumers’ implicit taste associations (sweetness. freshness, and naturalness) towards the color of product packaging in the context of the non-alcoholic beverage product category – orange juice. Moreover, the current research aims to assess how incongruity, as opposed to congruity, between the color package and product color-code/norm may shape a consumer's evaluation (liking/disliking) of a product. The findings indicate that green appears to be the color that would lead to the highest perception of freshness and naturalness. In contrast, grey is the color implicitly associated with artificial flavors and perceived to be stale. The results of this study do not provide evidence for the existence of color/taste correspondences in terms of perceived sweetness. Also, findings suggest that incongruent (atypical) color package – white, might lead to more favorable consumer attitudinal responses than the product’s color-code package – orange. The current research offers relevant insights for both researchers and practitioners.

The issue of economic convergence has been widely analyzed by the researchers. Convergence hypothesis has been tested at different levels - global, national, regional and local. This paper is analyzing local economic convergence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in last three decades. In this period the country was facing twofold transition: from war to peace and from socialism to market economy. The regression and distributional approach to convergence analysis are combined. The first hypothesis research is testing is that poor municipalities grow faster comparing to rich municipalities – unconditional beta convergence. Second hypothesis is that dispersion of local per capita GDP decreases over time – sigma convergence. To further investigate the issue and check the changes in the distribution, several visual inspection instruments were also used. The research findings are inconclusive. While regression analysis provides some evidence for unconditional beta-convergence, in a case of sigma convergence, results are mixed. This is related to significant structural changes country went through, firmly confirmed with the transitional probability matrix data. Findings confirm the necessity for combining different approaches and instruments while analysing convergence. From the specific country perspective, research results can be used as a strong argument for the necessity of new more balanced regional development policy.

Abstract The purpose of the present research is to explore the effect of brand image on brand loyalty and brand commitment to national and private label brands. Data was collected through a field survey via the store-intercept method. To test the research hypotheses, we used two samples, which implied the collection of usable 528 questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity of the constructs of interest. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was employed to analyze the effect of brand image on brand loyalty and brand commitment. Also, group comparisons were made between national brands and private label brands, using structural equation modeling. This study reveals that brand image has a significant positive effect on brand loyalty and brand commitment, both for national and private label brands. Moreover, it was found that the effect of brand image on brand commitment is stronger for national brands than for private label brands. The present study provides marketing managers of national brands and private label brands some insights into how to spur brand loyalty and commitment by establishing a favorable brand image.

Abstract This study investigates the impact of perceived formal, informal and regulatory support on entrepreneurial intention. In addition, entrepreneurial capacity and fear of failure are analyzed as predictors of the propensity toward entrepreneurship. An empirical analysis of students in B&H finds that informal support perceived as support of family and friends exert a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial intentions. Fear of failure has a significant adverse impact on entrepreneurial intentions while entrepreneurial capacity enhances entrepreneurial intention. The negative relationship between the fear of failure and entrepreneurial intention is moderated by informal support. In other words, support by family and friends dampens the negative relationship between fear of failure and entrepreneurial intention. The findings were confronted with an ex-post literature review.

Abstract Using a person-centred statistical approach (latent class analysis) this study aims to categorise young citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to their citizenship norms, level of trust in institutions and propensity toward political gender stereotyping. We employed the data from The National Survey of Citizens’ Perceptions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (NSCP-B&H) 2017, which documents the civic attitudes of a nationally representative sample of adults (18+) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since this study focuses on the youth, we extracted a sub-sample of 831 young individuals born between 1987 and 2001. Applying latent class analysis, we derived two distinct classes of young citizens with a unique set of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours related to the role of citizens in modern societies, namely ‘enthusiastic citizens’ and ‘outsiders’. The findings offer valuable insights for policy-makers about the design and implementation of measures that aims to foster active citizenship in the laggard transitional economy. Also, it advances the research agenda on citizenship norms beyond the Western European context.

Abstract In the present study, several logit models were tested to identify the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention among the youth of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Specifically, we explore whether demographic and socio-economic characteristic or whether perceptions of education curriculum and social and political engagement as well as the perception of media influence have an impact on the intention to start one’s own business. Data analysis was done on a sample of 3,611 young people. Education level and perception of the standard of living have an impact on the attitude towards self-employment. In addition, the perception of education curriculum and parents support in education is linked with the entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, some campaigns of social and political engagement are significant predictors of the propensity towards starting the business. Finally, the perception of media influence impacts entrepreneurial intention positively. The findings have important implications for policymakers and universities.

Abstract Despite numerous scholarly attempts, there is a lack of consensus regarding the relevance of various factors influencing consumer’s intention to purchase organic food. The purpose of this study is to asses the impact of subjective and personal norms on consumer attitude toward buying organic food. Moreover, this study aims to explore the moderating role of contextual factors - product knowledge and consumer scepticism on the norms- attitude link. Data were collected through an online survey on a sample of 212 organic food buyers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moderated regression analysis was used to test the hypothesized relations between the constructs of interest. Findings indicate the subjective and personal norms are positively and significantly related to consumer attitude toward organic food purchases. Also, our findings revealed that product knowledge strengthens the subjective norms-attitude relationship, while consumer scepticism toward organic food claims weakens the subjective norms-attitude link. This study informs producers, marketers, and policy-makers about the relative importance of norms, scepticism, and knowledge in the context of organic food consumption.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to obtain empirical understanding of organic food buyers in the context of emergent organic food market (i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina) by using a segmentation approach. Design/methodology/approach A self-administrated online survey was carried out among organic food buyers (n=202) using the snowball sampling technique. Measurement items were mainly adapted from the prior studies. Findings The authors analysed the heterogeneity of organic food buyers with latent class model. Four distinct latent classes (i.e. segments) of organic food buyers were identified. Those segments were named as enthusiastic social-seekers, enthusiastic moralists, hostile seldom shoppers, and hostile heavy shoppers. Originality/value Though the study was exploratory, the identified segments of organic food buyers can enhance our knowledge about differing characteristics of organic food buyers in the context of the country where the organic food industry is in the early stages of development. The findings of this study will give organic food producers and marketers a much better framework for making product, pricing, distribution and marketing communications decision. Moreover, the identification of organic food consumer profiles will provide an insight into how policymakers should tailor their public policy and strategies to expand the size of the organic food market.

Objective : The purpose of this research is to highlight the role which store image and retail service quality can play in private brand image-building in the context of an emerging market in South-Eastern Europe (i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina). We propose to address this issue by seeking answers to the following questions: (1) Does a ‘halo effect’ take place between the store image and the private brand image? (2) How does consumer’s evaluation of the quality of the service delivered by a retailer affect the image of its private brand? Research Design & Methods : Data were collected through a field survey via the store-intercept method. The sample consisted of 699 customers of two large retail chains. The data were analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling technique. Findings: The findings of the present study suggest that store image and retail service quality are important factors in the formation of the image of product-branded products. Implications & Recommendations: This study offers some important insights for retailers who intend to develop their private brand. First, the image transfer from store brand to private brand suggests that retailers should consider the introduction of a private brand as a brand extension, with their stores as the parent brand. Second, we recommend that retailers put more emphasis on quality improvement initiatives related to the store environment attributes. Contribution & Value Added: This study enhances the discussion on the phenomenon of private branding by analysing the store-level factors which underpin the formation of private brand image in the context of less developed European markets.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to create the taxonomy of firms based on the nature of the relationship between market-based resources and marketing capabilities. Anchored in the configuration theory, the present study aims to explore simultaneous roles of market-based resources, i.e. customer orientation and competitor orientation, and marketing capabilities, i.e. the execution of marketing practices and activities within a firm, on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect data from chief executive officers or top managers of 220 firms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a transitional economy in South Eastern Europe. Findings Drawing on a configuration approach via the latent class analysis, the authors empirically derive four distinct strategic marketing patterns, namely, marketing super achievers, marketing-focused virtuosi, marketing drifters and marketing mass pushers. The findings also highlight how business performance outcomes differ as a function of a class membership. Research limitations/implications Cross-sectional research design and focus on a single country are main limitations of the present study. Thus, longitudinal studies in the context of developed and fast-reforming transition economies are advisable for future work. Practical implications This study enhances the knowledge on how a firm can configure or bundle its market-based resources and marketing capabilities to produce desired outcomes. Findings suggest that joint attention to building market-oriented culture and developing marketing capabilities seems to pay off. However, the authors found that a lack of market knowledge can be substituted by the firms’ ability to build effective promotional and branding capabilities. Thus, the present study adds to the emerging dialog on the relative importance of alternative strategic orientations in achieving superior business performance. Originality/value This study contributes to the strategic marketing literature by examining the synergistic effect of market-based resources and marketing capabilities on firm performance using a configurational approach. It also provides support for the equifinality proposition, suggesting that different “bundles” of market-based resources and marketing capabilities can lead to similar level of performance outcomes.