Brand equity effects on financial performance in Japanese fashion market: applying complexity theory via fsQCA

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study applies complexity theory to examine the effects of loyalty programs (LP) and consumer characteristics, as well as the perceptional and behavioral brand factors that influence brand equity and firm financial performance. It focuses on 14 Japanese fashion brands for a specific duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, this study considers the effects of complex components on performance (brand equity and firm financials) by testing the asymmetric relationships that exist between brand equity, LPs, and financials via fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. We mainly address two research questions: (1) Do insights on brand equity from young generations contribute to firm financial outcomes? (2) In the declining fashion market, do LPs affect brand equity and firm financial performance? The results present causal configurations that could either directly, or indirectly, and positively, or negatively, influence outcomes (brand equity and firm financials) depending on various contexts, such as consumer demographics and shopping conditions.