نقش تصویر برند در شکل گیری قصد خرید مسافران خطوط هوایی: مطالعه صنعت حمل و نقل هوایی ایران The Role of Brand Image in Forming Airlines Passengers’ Purchase Intention: Study of Iran Aviation Industry

1 Introduction Identifying factors playing a role in purchaser’s behaviour has attracted the attention of many researchers. One of the most important factors is company brand image (Kim and Hyun, 2011). Brand is one of the most important elements in marketing and successfulness of an organisation, and is an image that introduces the organisation or company with all its dimensions to everybody and it is also the image of what you are and what you want to be to the mind of observers, consumers, etc. The value of a brand lies in what consumers have experienced and learned about the brand (Shahin and Pourhamidi, 2013). In today’s competitive world, companies should differentiate themselves from competitors, and brand is a tool for differentiation. In addition to having powerful brands, consolidating it in customers’ mind is important; so that customers attach to it. Nowadays, with regard to increase of similarity and standardisation of products, the main competition is over brand and its image, and companies are going to make their image which is the major basis of purchasing products (Sondoh et al., 2007). In the service industry, brand name is the same of the name of company (Berry et al., 1988). Hence, in the aviation industry, brand image is assumed as the image of company’s brand (Mun and Ghazali, 2011). According to Esch et al. (2006), brands reflect people’s requirements and therefore, studying customer perception of a brand is necessary. Brand image is numerous perceptions which customers have in their minds about brand induced from introducing brand to the market (Martinez et al., 2009). Nowadays, organisations are aware that customers’ positive notion about brand creates strategic asset and competitive advantage (Camarero et al., 2010). Moreover, Veloutsou and Moutiho (2009) believe that consumers purchase images, not products. According to Hsieh et al. (2004) a successful brand image creates differentiation from competitors and consequently increases the possibility of purchasing brand by consumers. Although various models and theories have been offered for investigating factors impacting on purchase behaviour so far, in this survey customer’s behavioural intention has been only assessed, and all factors impacting on purchaser’s ultimate behaviour are not investigated Moreover, it is obvious for everyone that aviation services industry is regarded as one of the most important and strategic industries in the country and the world, and especially because of the nature of its service, the role of brand is very remarkable in its success. But the question is ‘could the airlines of this industry create appropriate brand for itself, and has this brand been shaped, and perceived (brand image) well in customers’ minds?’ Therefore, after reviewing studies of recent half century (from 1950 to 2013) concerning the brand image structure, the major aim of this survey is to identify indicators shaping brand image in the airlines of country, and ultimately to investigate the impact of brand image on purchaser’s intention, in order to provide approaches for managers and researchers whereby accessing to the desirable brand image is facilitated which is the prerequisite of company positioning in the market. Regarding the survey aim, the questions and hypotheses of survey are as follows: Major question What are the main effective dimensions and indicators of brand image of national airlines? Major hypothesis Brand image influences purchase intention in national airlines.