The development of relationships between university brand communities and social networks in a transitional economy : the case of Vietnam

Abstract

This thesis investigates relationship development between brand community and social network in the research context of a university setting in the context of a transitional economy of Vietnam, where higher education makes a significant contribution to the nation's economic and social building agenda. The aims of this research are to develop a better understanding of what constitute a brand community within the Vietnamese university setting; how they evolve through these communities interface with social networks via relational drivers, between and within brand community and social networks; and what are their contributions towards the university's effort in building and reinforcing the university brand. This study employs a qualitative multiple-case research design to identify the existence or otherwise of brand community of stakeholders in four selected universities. In particular, this study focuses on the development of the relationship among brand communities as well as the relationship between brand community and social network within the university. This research found consistent evidence that multiple brand communities of internal stakeholders co-exist amidst the backdrop of an embedded social network within the university. These communities share rituals, traditions and a sense of responsibility toward their university as a product and as a brand. Although these communities are characterized by type of stakeholder with different interest and varying collective activities, they all serve the educational objectives of their university, consolidate the university brand and support the branding initiatives of their university. Brand communities continuously create and negotiate the value among themselves or between brand community and other social networks. Despite different members constituting brand communities, they are able to mobilise different resources that they each possesses as well as actively engages in community activities and interacts with another brand community members to achieve common outcomes. These relationships, over time and many interactions consolidate the consciousness of kind, which eventually lead to social networks and brand communities being formally constituted, even that transforms a social network into a brand community.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	English