Abstract:

Within the context of brand image measurement, this paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of two methodological procedures selected for their widely different approaches towards the measurement problem. More specifically, spatial configurations derived from attribute data, a procedure requiring a pre-specification of the image dimensions, are compared with maps obtained from non-metric multidimensional scaling of similarity data, a procedure not requiring such a pre-specification. Systematic variation is introduced both in data collection instruments and space reducing techniques. The basic finding is that of a substantial level of convergence between the results obtained by means of the two measurement methods. Finally, the paper discusses the conceptual, methodological, and managerial implications of such a finding.