Confirmatory Study on Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty: A Special Look at the Impact of Attitudinal and Behavioural Loyalty

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to examine relationships between brand equity and brand loyalty (comprising attitudinal and behavioural) which is not well explained in the marketing literature. Should brand loyalty be considered as dimension of brand equity or an outcome of brand equity or as a moderating factor that acts as a mediator between attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty need to be confirmed? The present research is pursued to confirm such relationships. A total sample of 300 respondents was selected from Jammu city in India to gather data on brand loyalty and brand equity from the users of Jammu healthcare services. Scale-item analysis, both EFA and CFA analysis were applied for finalisation of scale and model testing respectively. The findings of the study support all three hypotheses i.e. brand equity is the resultant factor of attitudinal loyalty and results in behavioural loyalty (Model 1), brand loyalty viz. both attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty can be considered as an indicator as well as an outcome of brand equity in healthcare sector (Model 2 and Model 3). Major limitation of the study is the use of convenient sampling since no comprehensive and proper list was available for the persons residing in Jammu city. But at the same time respondents selected were appropriate as they have adequate knowledge about hospitals, being associated with them for more than one year.