【正文】 d by the meansubstitution method. The sample size selected was well above 200, which is generally considered a minimum requirement for conducting a structural equation modeling analysis. It was ensured that the chosen sample matched the target market for the chosen industry, that is, young urban men in the 18 – 25 year age group (that is generation Y) belonging to middleto upperine households. Stimulus selection A real brand and its hypothetical extension were chosen as stimulus in this research, which was in line with prior brand extension literature. The Indian men’s fashion footwear sector was chosen for the study owing to its high popularity among young male consumers belonging to uppermiddle to upperine households. This segment closely matched the sample chosen in this study. Another consideration in stimulus selection was that only wellknown brand names be examined for their potential to be extended, as fictitious brands do not carry wellformed associations and feelings that are requisite for brand extensions. Therefore, to arrive at a wellknown parent brand, a few exploratory informal discussions were held with small groups of subjects, with 8 – 10 participants in each. The participants were asked to mention their favorite brand from those they had previously purchased. The popular Indian fashion footwear brands that were most mentioned by the groups were Lee Cooper, Provogue, Woodland and Red Tape. All four of these brands were suitable for the study of brand extensions because they met the prerequisite of being well known to the sample. The brand Woodland was randomly chosen as the parent brand from the options. Secondary data supported this choice, as Woodland currently owns around 40 percent of the casual premium shoe market, has a retail presence across India and is planning future expansion into other product categories. The branded sunglasses category was predetermined as the probable extension category for this research. The rationale in doing so was the current trend among Indian fashion brands to provide lifestyle solutions for their consumers by extending into other lifestyle product categories like watches, leather garments, lingerie and eyewear, especially to the 18 – 25 year old demographic. Thus, the hypothetical brand extension scenario used as stimulus in the study was the launch of Woodland sunglasses. It was clarified in the questionnaire that the scenario of Woodland launching Woodland sunglasses was purely hypothetical. The second contribution of the study is a clear ranking of the major determinants of feedback effects on the parent brand when considered simultaneously. Previous studies have considered only one or two major antecedents, and have been unable to prehensively rank them. This study considers a larger list than usual, and is therefore able to contribute to a ranking assessment. This rank order is more meaningful and realistic, as it considers interrelationships among the key brand extension variables. The ranking of effects is as follows: 1. Perceived fit 2. Parent Brand Image 3. Brand extension attitude When the parent brand is considered strong enough, consideration can be given to designing a brand extension. The results suggest that a key principle in design should be a close fit with the parent brand. This is achieved through choosing appropriate brand elements that are consistent with the parent brand. Examples include the use of consistent packaging as well as the use of the brand’s lettering and color. Apart from ensuring brand extension acceptance, it would also ensure a positive contribution to the parent brand. Implications also exist regarding promotional decisions. Given the central importance of fit, all munications designed for the