Journal of Marketing and Market Studies 10/2022

Competition in the market is constantly intensifying. Thus, companies are looking for new ways to attract consumers and increase their competitive advantage. Brands are becoming “a crucial tool and the value they create for the consumer. It fosters consumer favor and confidence and encourages them to choose brands instead of competitors' offers. Brand solutions could be essential for the customer incentives while forming sales market share and brand value. Thus, this article aims to determine possible brand solutions creating a position in the electronic books market. The literature review method was applied to discuss the brand value and image formation tendencies in the electronic books market. It confirmed that the brand image is formed by emphasizing the distinctive aspects of the brand identity in marketing communication (positioning). On their basis, specific associations are included in the minds of consumers, which become the image of the brand. Accordingly, a theoretical research model was constructed. With the help of a quantitative research survey method, the data of 307 respondents were analyzed. Research data were analyzed using the SPSS program. The questionnaire data was validated using Crombach Alpha (0.829). The research results showed the need for correct consumer leading by creating the positioning strategy with orientation to differentiation in the marketing communication. The authors suggest how analyses of consumers' attitudes in the electronic books market could lead to brand image formation. Some more profound scientific value could be completed in the future while applying surveys to a broader range of organizations and their brands.

Evaluation of service quality is an important aspect of increasing the quality of services — both public and private. Our study focuses on healthcare services that are of significant importance in the quality's context of residents' life. The research aim of the study was an evaluation of healthcare service quality in the selected public hospital by assessment of service quality dimensions-tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy. As the research method was selected, the SERVQUAL questionnaire, which was adjusted to the specificity of the researched unit and there were attributes of dimensions identified in the healthcare service. The quantitative research was conducted among 120 public hospital patients of therapeutic department — clients of the healthcare service. The importance of the dimensions of the healthcare service was evaluated and the gap between perceived and expected service quality was identified. The evaluation of the quality of the healthcare service in the analyzed public hospital proved that it is characterized by a relatively high level of assurance and empathy. At the same time, the biggest gap between perceived and expected healthcare service quality was identified in tangibility and responsiveness dimensions.

In the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic crisis and related economic changes, an increased influx of new individual investors into the Polish stock market has been observed. This raises the need for in-depth research into the behavioral characteristics of this "new generation" to better understand the needs of novice market participants. This article is based on the author's primary research conducted on a relatively large sample of Polish investors (N = 1,067) in April 2021. The paper aims to outline demographic and behavioral profiles, as well as to determine the needs of investors in terms of access to selected methods of market analysis. The results indicate a growing interest in foreign investments, as well as a strong influence of intuition, global events, and stock market liquidity on investment decisions. The results can provide useful signposts for brokerage houses and investment firms to better tailor their offerings to this new audience.