Article: Transforming brand core values into perceived quality: a Volvo case study Journal: International Journal of Product Development (IJPD) 2020 Vol.24 No.1 pp.43 - 67 Abstract: Core values are an important part of Volvo Car Group's and Volvo Trucks' strategic development plans. These two companies share the same core values, quality, safety, and environmental care, but they approach these values in different ways. This study seeks to understand how industry professionals and customers perceive these core values and the attributes that are associated with them, using semi-structured interviews with industry professionals from both companies and quantitative survey methods with customers. The purposes of this study are to investigate how designers convey core values to customers through product attributes and how customers perceive those core values through the same attributes. Such an understanding reveals the commonalities and discrepancies between the perspectives of producers and customers, and can contribute to more effective design processes that communicate company values in the early product development phases. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Transforming brand core values into perceived quality: a Volvo case study

Authors: Kostas Stylidis; Steven Hoffenson; Monica Rossi; Casper Wickman; Mikael Söderman; Rikard Söderberg

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Göteborg, Sweden ' School of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ 07030, Hoboken, USA ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Polytechnic University of Milan, 201 56, Milan, Italy ' Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Göteborg, Sweden; Volvo Car Group, Craftsmanship & Ergonomics Centre, 91300 PVÖS35, 405 31, Göteborg, Sweden ' Advanced Technology & Research, Volvo Group Trucks Technology, BF 40630, M1, 405 08, Göteborg, Sweden ' Department of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Göteborg, Sweden

Abstract: Core values are an important part of Volvo Car Group's and Volvo Trucks' strategic development plans. These two companies share the same core values, quality, safety, and environmental care, but they approach these values in different ways. This study seeks to understand how industry professionals and customers perceive these core values and the attributes that are associated with them, using semi-structured interviews with industry professionals from both companies and quantitative survey methods with customers. The purposes of this study are to investigate how designers convey core values to customers through product attributes and how customers perceive those core values through the same attributes. Such an understanding reveals the commonalities and discrepancies between the perspectives of producers and customers, and can contribute to more effective design processes that communicate company values in the early product development phases.

Keywords: automotive design; product development; communication; perceived quality; core values.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2020.106448

International Journal of Product Development, 2020 Vol.24 No.1, pp.43 - 67

Accepted: 11 Apr 2019
Published online: 07 Apr 2020 *

Title: Transforming brand core values into perceived quality: a Volvo case study

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