The value of place names has been studied from historical, linguistic, political, social and cultural perspectives. Recent observations and discussions, however, indicate that it has high capacity to be extended to the real economic value. Just as a b...
The value of place names has been studied from historical, linguistic, political, social and cultural perspectives. Recent observations and discussions, however, indicate that it has high capacity to be extended to the real economic value. Just as a brand name of a product or of a service has the function to distinguish it from others, a place name as a brand distinguishes it from other names of places or of geographical features, and in this process accrues value on it.
This study, as an exploration of this economic value of place names, employed the concept of customer-based brand equity, developed in the debates of the business management, and attempted to evaluate the brand equity of place names. A framework to evaluate the brand equity of place names has been designed, which is composed of four elements; awareness of place names; evaluation of the quality of place names; association with place names; and loyalty to place names. Researchable variables had been drawn to concretize these elements. Some factors which may influence the brand equity had also been suggested, such as demographic factors, social background, and more importantly, perception of the geographical boundary associated with the place names.
A case study had been conducted on two place names, Gwanghwamun (광화문) and Gangnam (강남) in Seoul, Korea. Offline and online surveys with a structured questionnaire evaluating the brand equity of place names were completed with 210 adults who live in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. Results of the survey showed that the brand equity of place names is an effective tool to evaluate their economic value: the brand equity of both names was evaluated positively; Gwanghwamun as being an important place name in the respect of its value and Gangnam in the respect of its awareness. It is found in the case of Gwanghwamun that the wider the people perceive the geographical boundary in association with the name, the more highly they evaluate the value of the name and the deeper emotional attachment they have to the name.
This study attempted to discuss that place names as brand are a valid topic in economic geography. Further studies on explaining relationship between place name and place; understanding process of becoming a place name as brand with economic value; evaluating each element of the brand equity are expected, either in theoretical or in empirical aspects.
，韩语论文范文，韩语论文范文 |
