A Study on the Effect of Attitude toward the Product on the Product Production Country Image: Mediating Effect of Cultural Openness and Attitude toward Korean Wave Cultural Contents

Abstract

Purpose - This research aims to examine the relationship between the attitude toward the product(product attitude and product attachment) and product production country image through the mediating effect of Korean wave cultural contents and cultural openness. Design/methodology/approach - For this study, a survey was conducted to 330 Chinese consumers who have experience using Korean products in Beijing and Shanghai, China and finally 283 valid responses were collected. The data was analyzed on structural equation model using SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0. Findings - Findings of this study are as follows. First, Korean economic country image has a positive influence on attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents, but the impact of the Korean relationship country image and cultural country image on attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents are founded to be insignificant. Second, Korean relationship country image and cultural country image have a positive influence on cultural openness, but the impact of Korean economic country image on cultural openness is found to be insignificant. Third, cultural openness has a positive influence on attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents, product attitude and product attachment. Fourth, attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents has a positive influence on product attitude and product attachment. Last, there is a mediating effect of cultural openness and attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents between Korean economic country image and product attitude and product attachment and also cultural openness has a mediating effect between Korean relationship country image, cultural country image and product attitude and product attachment. Research implications or Originality - Based on these findings, it suggested the research limitations and future study. This study fills the research gap by exploring the relationship between attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents and cultural openness on country image, product attitude and product attachment. Furthermore, this study extends readers’ understanding of the relationship between attitude toward Korean wave cultural contents, cultural openness, country image, product attitude and product attachment. This study finds that attitudes toward Korean wave cultural contents and cultural openness are the crucial variables for improving the relationship between country image, product attitude and product attachment. It provides practical and theoretical guidelines for suppliers developing marketing strategies.