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Brand Symbolic Representation in Spanish Speaking Countries

1. PhD regulations

Brand Symbolic Representation in Spanish Speaking Countries

2. UNESCO codes related to the research line
FIELDSUBFIELD
5101: Cultural Anthropology01: Symbolism
5311: Organization and Business Management01: Advertising
05: Marketing
06: Market Research
07: Operations Research
5304: Economic Activity01: Consumption
5605: National Legisaltion and Law03: Commercial Law
5910: Public Opinion02: Mass Media
6106: Experimental Psychology09: Perception Process
6111: Personality01: Creativity
02: Culture and Personality
06: Personality Theory
6114: Social Psychology01: Advertising
07: Culture and Personality
13: Marketing
18: Symbolic Communication
6300: Cultural Sociology02: Cultural Relations
6308: Social Communications01: Signs
03: Symbols

3. Recommended admission requirements for candidates

Candidates are interested in research on communication in the brand symbolic representation in promoting their products and establishing branding strategies in Spanish-speaking countries, trained in the field of Humanities and Social Sciences. Candidates must have a B2 linguistic competence in Catalan, Spanish or English and availability in accordance with the requirements of the doctoral regime of the European Higher Education Area. Lastly, prospects preferably have a link with a catalan university institution that motivates and justifies their application.

4. Chair

Max Weber Chair of Economic and Social Sciences

5. Leading Centre

European Communication Observatory

6. Main Coordinator

Dr. Daniel Tena-Parera

7. Main Coordinator

This line of doctoral research studies the symbolic representation of food brands in Spanish-speaking markets. That is, it studies the reception of brands and their products in these markets.

8. Hypothesis

The line of research is proposed, as a general hypothesis, to demonstrate that food brands promote their products in Spanish-speaking countries with an inconsistent symbolic representation among product brands of the same business group. Therefore, the greater the consistency of the symbolic representation of the brands of the same business group, the better the brand positioning.

9. Length

3 years

10. Analytical model

In this line, doctoral research must necessarily assume the following analytical structure in their Doctoral Research Plan:

  • Introduction
  1. Justification of the research.
  2. Presentation of the doctoral research case.
  3. Formulation of the general hypothesis and the specific ones.
  • First part
  1. Conceptualization of the Brand Symbolic Representation.
  2. Approaches and theoretical perspectives applied to the Brand and the Brand Symbolic Representation.
  3. Methodology and techniques for the scientific analysis of Brand Symbolic Representation (Instrumental Analysis of Brand Symbolic Representation).
  4. General and specialized documentary and bibliographic sources for the study of Brand Symbolic Representation.
  • Second part
  1. Descriptive analysis of the market and sector of the country in the world to which the brand object of the doctoral case study belongs.
  2. Descriptive analysis of the brand object of the study of the doctoral case.
  3. Empirical analysis of the Brand Symbolic Representation of the object of the study of the doctoral case.
  4. Analysis of the results of the Brand Symbolic Representation of the object of the doctoral’s study case.
  • Third part
  1. Concluding analysis on the Brand Symbolic Representation of the object of the doctoral’s study case.
  2. Comparative analysis on the result of the Brand Symbolic Representation of the object of the doctoral’s study case in relation to the other entities analyzed by the line of doctoral research.
  • Fourth part
  1. General and specialized bibliographic sources used in the research.
  2. Specific documentary sources used in the investigation.
11. Options of doctoral research

Initially, candidates admitted to this line of doctoral research may choose one of the following brands and Spanish speaking countries as a case study:

  1. Coca-Cola (North American multinational food company)
  2. Pepsico (North American multinational food company)
  3. Unilever (British multinational food company)
  4. Associated British Foods (Multinacional Britànica d’alimentació)
  5. Danone (French multinational food company)
  6. Nestlè (Swiss multinational food and drink company)
  7. General Mills (North American multinational food company)
  8. Mondelez (North American multinational food company)
  9. Mars (North American multinational food company)
  10. Kellog’s (North American multinational food company)

Study cases are going to be assigned to doctoral students by strict order of admission date and taking into account the interest or the accredited link with one or another business organization.

12. Specialized training

In accordance with the Doctoral Program guidelines, the doctoral research line organizes the corresponding training activity, which the doctoral students must carry out online during the first year of the program.

This specialized training allows doctoral students to gain prior knowledge of all the necessary theoretical and methodological elements to carry out their research. It is structured in seven units:

  1. Construction of the object of study.
  2. Theoretical approaches to the object of study.
  3. Research methodology and techniques.
  4. Sources of information and documentation for the investigation.
  5. Research hypothesis.
  6. Context and scope of the investigation.
  7. Structure of the investigation.
13. Scientific calls and activities

The Coordination of the line of doctoral research annually convenes a Scientific Conference to present and debate on the theoretical and methodological issues that affect the object of study of the line. These conferences are open to all doctoral students and researchers working in the same scientific field, who are invited to share their findings and engage in debates.

Likewise, at the end of the second year of the program, doctoral students can attend public events carried out by other doctoral students, which are also convened by the Coordination of the Doctoral Program

Doctoral students can participate in public events organized by the J. H. Newman Doctoral School, such as presentations of publications or projects, conferences and debates, etc.

In addition, the Coordination of the research line informs the doctoral students of the calls that other scientific and academic entities carry out about the object of study or related fields, so that they are aware of them and can present, if appropriate, works carried out during their doctoral research.

14. Scientific Publications

The Coordination of the research line is going to provide doctoral students with a list of specialized publications and papers, to which they have to direct their proposals in order to publish their doctoral research.

15. Languages

Català / English / Español

16. Additional information

Contact details: lrd.14.sim@euniv.eu

PhD regulations: https://euniv.eu/en/university/regulations/