Research on the Construction of Town Brand Value Chain Based on the Niche Theory
At present, China is in the process of rapid urbanization. To ensure healthy promotion of China's urbanization process, the keys are to find models for town brand, to set a benchmark, to enhance the attractiveness and the core competitiveness of town brand, and to boost active rational flows of population by town brand. This paper uses the frontier theories such as value chain and brand niche to discuss effective growth model of town brand, which meets the demand of China's major strategic issue of town development. This paper, in accordance with China's current planning requirements of "applying big strategies to small towns", starts the research around the main line of the town brand value chain while considering the need of China current practice and the theoretical research. Rapid urbanization will lead to town branding. This is the inevitable result of China's urbanization trending. However, theoretical research in this area lags behind the rapid urbanization of the current practice. At the same time, regional brand competition has become an intemational trend. The research into regional brand competition and worldwide city brand provides the foundation of town brand research. Brand is the foundation for sustained competitiveness. Town branding is the inevitable need for the transformation of China's urbanization from executive-led to the market-oriented.
The present study, from the angle of niche, compares the town to the ecological element, which helps town operators distinguish the town environment and ecological system and lays the foundation for the strategic positioning of town brand. By using the metaphor research method, literature research method, typical investigation, comparative analysis, theoretical research and countermeasure research, combining qualitative analysis with quantitative analysis method, this study defines the concepts such as "town brand", "low-carbon town brand", "town brand niche", "town brand value chain", and "town brand ecological value chain" concept. The study analyzes the present situation of the theoretical research and practice development, and answers questions such as "What factors do the town brand niche have?", "What is the town brand niche factors mechanism"? "How is town brand niche constructed?" "Which are the factors which form town brand value chain?", "How is the town brand value chain built?" , "What are the suggestions and countermeasures of the town brand management ? "And "What is the main direction of the town brand development?"
Chapter 1 is the introduction and the starting point of the study. It analyzes the current context of town quality under the process of rapid urbanization, and studies the strategic situation of "applying big strategies to small towns "from the macroscopic angle. By analyzing the status of town brand building, the paper puts forward the necessity, urgency and possibility for this study, determines the research problems and perspectives, defines related concepts, research methods, and designs the overall logical framework for the present research. The main objective of this paper, based on the background of China's current rapid urbanization, is to find brand model for towns, to set a benchmark, to enhance the attractiveness and the core competitiveness of town brand, and to boost active, rational flows of population by town brand. Along the construction line of town brand value chain, the paper designs a complete growth route for brand growth.
Chapter 2 commentates on town brand, value chain of brand and the theory of brand niche. Documents, spreading from basic research to application research, summarizes the history, status and trends of the town brand. As for value chain of the brand, the paper cites both its foreign origin and domestic application. The part of brand niche analyzes niche theory, and the theory of brand niche, along with the theory of town brand niche and its application, research history, research status and developing trends.
Chapter 3 is the theoretical basis of this paper. The more mature development theory of small town in developed countries is macro-level background, which provides perspective of economics for development and regional economics. And it's the "air and atmosphere" of the topic. Brand growth theory is the medium level, which is the "soil"of the paper. Theory of brand niche and brand value chain is the micro level of the specific application for this study, and they play a dual role of being both the fundamental supportive theories and the application theory. The paper, with the support of fundamental theory and application theory, refines application theory of town brand niche and value chain construction on the basis of brand growth theory, brand niche theory, brand value chain theory.
Chapter 4 analyzes the situation of town brand development in our country. Seen from the time series, Chinese towns has experienced a stage of "from small to big" then "from big to small". The stage of town brand includes 4 parts, town without brand in its youth, town without brand in the middle, town without brand later, and town with brand in its youth. In view of the overall situation, we are experiencing a time of town with brand in its youth.
Chapter 5 and 6 is the key content of the paper, which is about the construction of town brand niche. On the foundation of preceding chapters, this chapter puts forward a town brand mechanism model, construction strategy and management suggestion.
Chapter 7 and 8 is about construction of town brand value chain. It focuses on how to construct town brand value chain considering whether the resource level of town niche can support the ecological level of town niche and whether the ecological level of town niche can support the value chain of town brand. This chapter firstly sums up theoretical research and application research, and then analyzes factors and action mechanism of town brand value chain, and lastly puts forward suggestion to construct town brand value chains and sets a model of town brand value chain.
Chapter 9 takes Town of Zhonggong for an example, which is in the nearby suburbs of the City of Jinan. According to theory of town brand niche and value chain, the paper examines the current situation of its ecological niche, analyzes reengineering and optimization path, and puts forward suggestion. The suggestion includes: analysis of Zhonggong's current niche, potential and ideal niche; outline of living and production niche; the positioning to be livable and suitable to travel, development of ecological agriculture, the processing industry of agro-products, tourism, agricultural circulation; increasing weight of livable niche; emphasis on habitat selection Habitat selection is the key content in the period of newly established brand. In the process of brand growth it should continuously repair degree of overlap and separation, generalization and specialization degree, suitability; constantly optimize the ecological niche, and follow the path of collaborative evolution. And finally we could realize people's wishes in their pursuit of "Agurbs" and "Dream Country' by brand attractiveness and radiation formed through niche potential field.
The chapter 10 is the summary and outlook. It summarizes the basic viewpoints and draws a conclusion, refining the main innovative points, pointing out the main limitation of the research, and putting forward the prospect of future research.
The main innovation of this research is: The study, from the angle of niche, compares the town to the ecological element,contributing to town operators in distinguishing the town environment and ecological system. It opens a new perspective on town brand research; it constructs the theory framework of town brand value chain management. Based on the angle of niche, it constructs the model of the town brand niche,including Microcosmic ecological niche models of town brand , TBE model, town brand suitability evaluation index system model, path optimization model of town brand niche. It also constructs the model of the town brand ecological value chain and the model of Low-carbon urban brand value chain (key elements and mechanism). Suggestions are put forward about the conducting experiments ofiSlow Town", "Color marketing", "Niche specialization" helping to solve functional reconstruction of town, and "The Agurb" vision.
This paper hopes to stimulate more research passion and inspiration in related research fields, theoretically promote related research into the regional brand especially town brand niche and value chain in China which could be of great value for decision-making in management.
城镇品牌;价值链管理;生态位理论;品牌生命周期
中国海洋大学
博士
Agricultural Economic Management
Quan Xijian
2012
F299.2;F205
288
2012-12-27（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）