Branding in senior care home services in China and Finland : Comparative case study in private sector
Kittilä, Petri (2011)
Kittilä, Petri
Kemi-Tornion ammattikorkeakoulu Lapin ammattikorkeakoulu
2011
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011111514582
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2011111514582
Tiivistelmä
ABSTRACT
Kittilä, Petri 2011. Branding in senior care home services in China and Finland: Comparative case study in private sector. Bachelor’s Thesis. Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences. Business and Culture. Pages 88. Appendix 1.
The objective of this thesis was to study how the private sector senior care home services are branded and how significant the care homes see the brand building. In addition, my objective was to study differences in service branding between China and Finland from the thesis topic’s point of view. The case companies of the study were a senior care home company Le Amor Senior Living operating in China and Company F (pseudonym) operating in Finland.
The data for this qualitative comparative case study was gathered by conducting semi-structured open-ended email questionnaire interviews with managers of the case companies. In addition, the research method was complemented by the writer’s own observations in the Chinese case company. The theoretical framework of the study draws from service branding and employee branding theories with modifications of senior care home services approach. Furthermore, the theoretical framework of the study is based on comparisons of cultural dissimilarities in Chinese and Finnish branding processes.
The results of the research provide several insights into the branding process and brand thinking in the two case companies representing different cultural environments. Deriving from the findings from the two case companies, the study results indicate that the brand building and management methods in the Chinese and Finnish senior care home services do not have extensive differences. The long-term nature of senior care home service relationship makes it a special case in the service sector business. Furthermore, the study results indicate that the importance of the brand internalization of the company's personnel, the service quality consistency and constant development needs are to be emphasised.
Keywords: brands, service branding, employee branding, senior services, cultural differences.
Kittilä, Petri 2011. Branding in senior care home services in China and Finland: Comparative case study in private sector. Bachelor’s Thesis. Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences. Business and Culture. Pages 88. Appendix 1.
The objective of this thesis was to study how the private sector senior care home services are branded and how significant the care homes see the brand building. In addition, my objective was to study differences in service branding between China and Finland from the thesis topic’s point of view. The case companies of the study were a senior care home company Le Amor Senior Living operating in China and Company F (pseudonym) operating in Finland.
The data for this qualitative comparative case study was gathered by conducting semi-structured open-ended email questionnaire interviews with managers of the case companies. In addition, the research method was complemented by the writer’s own observations in the Chinese case company. The theoretical framework of the study draws from service branding and employee branding theories with modifications of senior care home services approach. Furthermore, the theoretical framework of the study is based on comparisons of cultural dissimilarities in Chinese and Finnish branding processes.
The results of the research provide several insights into the branding process and brand thinking in the two case companies representing different cultural environments. Deriving from the findings from the two case companies, the study results indicate that the brand building and management methods in the Chinese and Finnish senior care home services do not have extensive differences. The long-term nature of senior care home service relationship makes it a special case in the service sector business. Furthermore, the study results indicate that the importance of the brand internalization of the company's personnel, the service quality consistency and constant development needs are to be emphasised.
Keywords: brands, service branding, employee branding, senior services, cultural differences.