Country Image Effects Research Articles

Images of Australia and its Product in Korean Market: In the Case of Beef

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, tries to validate the correlation between country image and information search behavior toward its product. Secondly, investigate the effect of country image on the purchase intention toward its product. Well-developed questionnaire was distributed to 168 consumers residing in Seoul metropolitan area. Results of survey provided empirical support that country image is correlated to information search behavior, and also country image significantly affects purchase intention. That is, the higher perceived country image, the lower the customer's information search effort and higher purchase intention toward its product. The research results provide important message to Australia and for its products marketed in Korea.

A study on the joint effect of country image and brand image on brand preference

A study on the joint effect of country image and brand image on brand preference

Country image effect on Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy from neighboring countries

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated model of Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy from China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachUsing 284 completed questionnaires, LISREL and multi‐group analysis were employed to examine the relationships among country image, product beliefs, affect, familiarity, world‐mindedness, and willingness to buy.FindingsThe empirical research results showed that country image has no direct influence on Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy, but it has indirect influence on Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy via product beliefs. However, affect has both direct and indirect influence on Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy, and affect is observed to have stronger influence on product belief than on Taiwanese consumers' willingness to buy.Practical implicationsTaiwanese enterprises having ongoing mass production in China are recommended to prominently feature their original Taiwanese brand names and technology cooperation with developed countries to build up positive country image.Originality/valueBy introducing the concept of world‐mindedness, this research generalized the conclusion drawn by earlier research in the context of Taiwan.

Modeling country image effects through an international crisis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose and test a longitudinal country‐people image effect model involving a significant negative international incident between countries; study how such a model changes over time; and study the extent of image recovery in terms of how the offending country, people, and its products are perceived.Design/methodology/approachAustralian consumers were surveyed before, during, and a decade after the French nuclear testing in the Pacific in 1995. Model testing was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques.FindingsThe model was strongly supported in all three‐time points. During the crisis, negative feelings toward France/French rose and consumers' response to French products dropped. Country‐people competency has risen over country‐people character in explaining product evaluations. In the final period, the Australian views on country‐people character and product response had more than recovered. The country‐people character beliefs now play a significant role in influencing product evaluations after the crisis than before, while the impacts of country‐people competency on product evaluation and response have diminished dramatically. Product evaluation is fairly stable over time.Originality/valueStudies to date have focused on country image at a point in time in relatively stable environmental conditions. The proposed model is helpful in understanding the processes of country‐product image effects through the study of all attitude components and through differentiation of beliefs about country and people production‐related and non‐production related characteristics. The cross‐temporal validation of the model indicates its usefulness for general applicability in country image effects research.

Country image in the context of European Union membership: the Turkish case

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the opinions of owners/managers of Turkish furniture firms on country image effects of expected improvements in Turkey's democratic, economic, and political life resulting from Turkey's likely EU membership.Design/methodology/approachSurvey‐based empirical data are analyzed via multiple regression analysis.FindingsThe paper finds that political and economic influences of EU negotiations will improve country image, whereas democratic influences will not have a significant effect.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is conducted in one industry and findings may not be generalizable. As opinions on country image are affected by discussions in the media or temporary situations between EU countries and Turkey, the study should be repeated at regular intervals. Official bodies need to make sure that reforms made in the democratic arena are well communicated to business communities. Also, business communities can promote implementation of democratic adjustment efforts by joining democratic establishments.Originality/valueMost previous studies on country of origin (COO) effects were conducted with high risk or very low risk product groups. In this paper, a mid‐level risk product category, furniture, is examined with respect to country image.

The Study on the effect of Korea's country image perceived by Australian on made-in Korea product evaluation

The Study on the effect of Korea's country image perceived by Australian on made-in Korea product evaluation

The country image effects on the milk powder market of southern region in Sri Lanka

This study examines the differences among the perceptions of country image effects on the milk powder market for urban and rural consumers in the southern region of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan milk powder market consists of local brands and foreign brands. The choice of one of the brands has been characterised by quality attributes of each. The sample consists of 268 respondents. A personal interview method is used to collect primary data with the help of a structured questionnaire developed and based on the Semantic Differential method. The findings of the study provide significant implications on the role of country image in evaluating product.

What Matters to Korean Products in Australia: Focus on the Country Image Effects

This study examines the country image effects, especially applying hierarchy of effects model. Theoretically, country image has influences on consumer perceptions and behaviors toward a product with a certain country-of-origin. This study suggests the conceptual model including a number of variables, such as country image, product credibility, perceived quality, perceived risk, information costs, and purchase intention. With suggested hypotheses, further empirical study will be conducted to test the hypotheses. Despite general theoretical review on country image effects, empirical study will focus on country image of Korea in Australian market.

International students' decision‐making process

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical model that integrates the different groups of factors which influence the decision‐making process of international students, analysing different dimensions of this process and explaining those factors which determine students' choice.Design/methodology/approachA hypothetical model is presented which shows the purchase intention as an independent variable dependent on five factors: personal reasons; the effect of country image, influenced by city image; institution image; and the evaluation of the programme of study. The consideration, whether conscious or unconscious on the part of the prospective student, of the different elements making up the factors included in this study will determine the final choice made by that student.FindingsThe limitations of this study stem from the nature of the study itself. As a theoretical model, it aims to integrate the factors identified in the existing literature. Thus, future research must try to examine the existing relationships among the aforementioned factors. In particular, it must analyse the weight of each factor on the purchase intention, and the relative importance of each element for the factor it belongs to. Therefore, determining the relative importance of each element and factor would constitute an important source of information for future work in international marketing.Originality/valueThere are few studies which try to tackle the decision‐making process of the prospective international student from an integrated point of view. This paper contributes to bridging that gap.

Country image and international tertiary education

Researchers have investigated the effects of country image on consumers' product evaluations for over three decades. These studies, however, concentrate mainly on manufactured products, disregarding services. To fill gaps in the literature, this paper proposes the conceptual model of country image effects on international tertiary education. Five research propositions are developed around the proposed conceptual model, and implications for future research are presented.

Country of origin as a source of competitive advantage

In an increasingly competitive global market it is becoming more and more difficult to establish a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). In this context it is surprising that the emphasis is upon competing in export markets as opposed to defending domestic markets from such global competition, particularly when offensive strategies are generally more risky than defensive ones. One attribute that offers the potential for an SCA in both home and foreign markets is the country of origin or product country image. This was confirmed by a review of the literature and the Australian Made campaign. However, an analysis of the Scotland the Brand initiative and exploratory in-depth interviews with senior Scottish executives indicated that there is continuing reluctance to use the country of origin/product country image effect in domestic markets.

Product Country Image Effects for Food Products

Many studies exist which have explored the effects of product country image (PCI) in the marketing of goods; however, few have considered these effects specifically for food products. This paper reports on a study of PCI effects in the product category cheese. In a survey, respondents were asked to rate identical fictitious British and German cheeses according to eight different attributes. Analysis revealed that there were significant differences in the ratings of two of these attributes. In addition, the importance was investigated of four cues of product quality, including country of origin. Overall, the results suggest that there are PCI effects in relation to cheese products, which may be usefully exploited by marketers.

Effects of partitioned country image in the context of brand image and familiarity

This article examines the effects of brand image country image and familiarity with both brand and country on consumer evaluation of binational brands. Specifically two sub‐constructs of country image: overall image and product specific image and three different types of familiarity: product familiarity brand familiarity and country familiarity are identified and utilized. Hypotheses based on categorization theory are developed and tested using a mail survey of a random sample of US households. The study shows that product specific image plays a mediating role between overall country image and consumer evaluation. With product and brand familiarity moderate familiarity consumers utilize country‐of‐origin information less than low or high familiarity consumers. Likewise with country familiarity low familiarity consumers rely more on country‐of‐origin information than high familiarity consumers.

Erratum

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/02651339610127220. When citing the article, please cite: Israel D. Nebenzahl, Eugene D. Jaffe, (1996), “Measuring the joint effect of brand and country image in consumer evaluation of global products”,International Marketing Review, Vol. 13 Iss: 4, pp. 5 - 22.

Measuring the joint effect of brand and country image in consumer evaluation of global products

States that few studies have attempted to measure the joint effect of brand and country images, or the dimensions of these images, on consumer evaluation of global products. Suggests a methodology for defining product value by consumers’ perception of brand and country image dimensions when sourced internationally. Brand‐country image profiles were factor analysed to provide dimensions of each brand‐country combination. Shows that consumer perception of product value changes, evidenced by brand‐country dimensions, as production is sourced internationally, and suggests a modified marketing strategy.

Removing Negative Country Images: Effects of Decomposition, Branding, and Product Experience

This article reports two studies on how negative country images can be removed by investigating the effects of decomposing country image into component and assembly origins, as well as the effects of global branding and product experience. Study 1 examines the psychological mechanism consumers use when a country image is decomposed into component and assembly origins. Study 2 extends the effect of decomposing country image to the context of global brands and product experience. It was found that subjects do not seem to differ either in the psychological mechanism they use or in their confidence in evaluating a product which is “made in “ a country versus a product which has its “components from” and “is assembled in” the same country. As hypothesized, the effect of country image was weakened when it was decomposed. A strong positive brand was found to override negative assembly origin effect. After the product experience, the component origin effect was also removed. These findings suggest that when manufacturers lower their production costs by globalizing their production lines, they may simultaneously benefit from having a positive product image.