Research on the Influence Mechanism of Corporate Brand Equity on Consumers' Purchase Intention from the SOR Perspective

Abstract

In today's highly competitive market environment, corporate brand building has become a core element determining a company's market position. Brands not only carry corporate image and reputation but also serve as a crucial reference in consumer decision-making. Based on the SOR (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theoretical framework, this study systematically explores the mechanism through which corporate brand equity influences consumers' purchase intentions, revealing how corporate brand equity, as an external stimulus, affects purchase decisions (behavior) through cognitive and emotional responses (organism). This study adopted a questionnaire survey method for data collection, with a sample of 237 consumers. The survey was distributed through a combination of online professional platforms and offline mall locations to ensure sample representativeness. Empirical analysis was carried out using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 software, including reliability and validity testing, correlation analysis, and mediating effect testing via the PROCESS macro program. The empirical results indicate that: Corporate brand equity has a significant positive impact on purchase intention, and perceived value plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. Specifically, the three dimensions of corporate brand equity (brand image, brand awareness, brand communication) all exert significant direct positive effects on purchase intention, with path coefficients of 0.234, 0.207, and 0.193 respectively; meanwhile, they indirectly influence purchase intention through perceived value, with indirect effect values of 0.206, 0.181, and 0.289 respectively.

This study's core contribution lies in clarifying the intrinsic psychological mechanism of corporate brand equity affecting consumers' purchase intention based on the SOR framework, enriching the theoretical system of brand management. From the perspective of originality, it integrates corporate brand equity as a holistic stimulus variable into the SOR model, and verifies the differential effects of its three dimensions on purchase intention and the mediating role of perceived value, filling the research gap in the existing literature regarding the lack of in-depth exploration of corporate brand equity dimensions in the consumer purchase decision process. In practical terms, the research conclusions provide targeted guidance for enterprises to formulate differentiated brand strategies, helping them accurately grasp consumer psychological needs and enhance brand competitiveness.