Country Image Research Articles

Information confrontation between Russia and the USA: differences in the principles of public diplomacy, results of activities and prospects

This article examines the complexity of forming an unbiased foreign policy image of Russia with the background of the information war with the United States, examines the specifics of US and Russian public diplomacy at the present stage, analyzes the prospects of overcoming the barrier of negative perception of Russia to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with other actors in the world arena, examines the success of Russia in public diplomacy on the example of a new round of development of bilateral relations with friendly countries. The study focuses particularly on the influence of digital services as the main technical mechanism for exerting political and psychological influence on the formation of the country's image.

Perception of Russia in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf in the context of context of the special military operation

This article analyzes the image of modern Russia in the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf, identifies the main factors in the formation of the international image of the country, and examines the perception of Russia by representatives of the Arab states. The article focuses on the diffi culties of building a favorable image of Russia in the Arab world and ways to overcome them. At the same time, the study takes into account the impact of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine on the perception of Moscow by the Arab countries. The paper also gives examples of «soft power» in creating a positive image of Russia in the Arab world. The study focuses on the infl uence of the media as the main political and psychological mechanism of infl uence on the formation of the country's image.

THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF COUNTRY IMAGE: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH

Although country of origin studies go back to 1960’s, there is still no consensus on the conceptualization and measurement of country image. Country image has been studied from a cognitive dominant perspective and most of the scales measuring this construct has failed to capture affective aspects of it. This study intents to provide a more accurate conceptual framework for the country image construct and provide some insights into the measurement of this concept for future studies. In this study, it is identified that country image consists of cognitive and affective elements in which fifteen sub-dimensions of this concept have been reached. It is determined that cognitive oriented development of the literature causes a major threat to the validity of the studies because studies have mostly applied cognitive dominant perspectives/scales and attributed the results to general country image. As a result of this study, new definition of country image is proposed, and it is thought that this concept has been placed on a more concrete and valid theoretical ground. As a result of the content analysis of the qualitative data and literature review, an item pool composed of 85 items were proposed. Future studies with an intention to measure country image with its cognitive and affective aspects can benefit the findings of this study.

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Mistranslation in Chinese-English Signage Translation

As China's global engagement continues to expand, the need for accurate and effective English translations of Chinese signage in public spaces has become increasingly important. Such signage serves as a crucial window for foreigners to engage with Chinese culture, shaping their perceptions of the nation and its people. However, despite efforts to improve Chinese-English translation standards, the problem of mistranslation remains ubiquitous, even in prominent settings. This undermines the objective of bolstering China's soft power and presents a challenge to maintaining the country's image as a bastion of civility and etiquette. Against this backdrop, this study adopts a cross-cultural perspective to analyze the causes of mistranslation in Chinese-English signage, and offers practical solutions to address the problem. By doing so, this research seeks to inform best practices for foreign language translation in the context of China's public diplomacy efforts, ultimately enhancing the nation's reputation on the global stage.

The inconspicuous benefits of a crisis in shifting perceptions of country image and local goods in Jordan

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to explore the influence of the pandemic on manoeuvring consumption decisions towards goods and encouraging the trial of local food goods in a developing country, Jordan; primarily by taking an internal look into country image from a local perspective. Given the lack of studies analysing the impact of crises on consumption decisions, this research highlights the hidden benefits of the pandemic in shifting the perceptions of local food goods among Jordanian consumers.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts an exploratory approach to obtain rich, descriptive data to aid in the understanding of the shift in country image perceptions after the COVID-19 crisis and associated influences on purchase intentions. Using a qualitative open-ended approach eliminates the boundaries of closed-end methods of experimental research. Due to the nature of the phenomena being explored in this research, this study adopts the approach of responsive interviews with 26 participants.FindingsFindings indicate that participants’ perceptions of country image and local goods and their consumption changed responding to COVID-19 for different reasons, creating new norms and perceptions of country image and local food goods. The findings precisely indicate a shift from negative to positive perceptions of country image and local food goods due to the pandemic. Results reveal that there are inconspicuous benefits associated with the role of the pandemic in shifting perceptions of country image and local food goods in Jordan.Research limitations/implicationsConsumers’ perceptions and consumption decisions continue reciprocally to respond to and reflect on the COVID-19 crisis. Adjusting to the new normal is now the focus of research to understand the variance in consumption decisions across the world, including in emerging markets such as Jordan. Results also extend research on cue theory, as crisis seems to have a moderating role in the extent of influence cue theory has on perceptions of goods.Practical implicationsAssisting local brands in improving their marketing strategies, by identifying the barriers that hinder the “desire to try” phase among Jordanian consumers.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique and first of its kind, as it investigates perceptions of Jordanian consumers of their country’s image and whether the perceptual change in their country image would also stimulate a shift of perceptions in local food goods concerning the COVID-19 crisis. The results provide new insights into understanding consumer behaviour and preferences in crises; and the inconspicuous benefits that a crisis may have on local goods.

Multimodal metaphor and metonymy in political cartoons as a means of country image construction

The interrelation of metaphors and metonymies often attracts the attention of linguists, but the combination of multimodal metaphors and metonymies, which are important components of cognition and are essential for the creation and understanding of multimodal texts, has not been sufficiently studied. The purpose of this study is to delineate the interaction between multimodal metaphors and metonymies in political cartoons and identify their role in forming the country image. The research material includes 30 political cartoons on the topic of the Sino-American trade dispute 2018-2021, selected from Yandex search engine according to keywords (tags, Hashtag). We considered the metaphors and metonymies contained in the cartoons and analyzed their cognitive interrelation. Since the currently existing categorization of the varieties of metaphtonymy does not meet the goal, we used our own typology of the interaction of multimodal metaphors and metonymies, which includes two categories: inclusive and interactive. We have identified 20 interactive and 10 inclusive political cartoons with characteristic cultural attributes. The use of cognitive-discursive analysis allowed us to reveal the features of visual, verbal and conceptual interaction of metaphorical transfers and metonymic shifts in the construction of the positive image of China and the negative image of the United States. The results showed that multimodal metaphors and metonymies in political cartoons are intertwined in different ways, they can make an impact on the mind of people and form the country image.

ARBITRATION PROCEDURE FOR RESOLVING INVESTMENT DISPUTES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ICSID CONVENTION (THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR SETTLEMENT OF INVESTMENT DISPUTES)

The ICSID Convention provides a well-established arbitration system that has been utilized by both states and investors for over 50 years. To date, ICSID arbitration has considered 19 lawsuits filed against Kazakhstan, with the number expected to rise in the future. The aim of this paper is to uncover the content of the ICSID arbitration process. The article examines the jurisdiction of the ICSID, including the criteria for a dispute to be considered for resolution. The paper provides an example of a case in which Kazakhstan challenged the ICSID's jurisdiction. The procedure for ICSID arbitration, starting with the request for arbitration and culminating in a binding arbitral award, is outlined. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of the ICSID system for resolving investment disputes fairly and impartially, and the significance of the binding nature of the arbitral award. The methodology is based on legal literature analysis and a comprehensive literature review of Convention, including its rules and jurisdiction, with a focus on relevant legal precedents and cases involving Kazakhstan. The author emphasizes that the future of global arbitration is facing scrutiny due to the challenges in enforcing ICSID arbitration awards and suggests that reforms are imperative. Additionally, the author notes that arbitration law in Kazakhstan is under-researched and emphasizes the importance of increasing research in this field, as it will assist the country in cultivating its own arbitration lawyers and enhancing the judiciary's understanding of the subject. This will certainly improve the country's image as a place for conducting business and increase its attractiveness for foreign investments.

Portrayal of PAK-US Relations in Elite Press of Pakistan and USA before and after 2018 General Election in Pakistan

The mass media play a pivotal role in portraying the images of various countries. Portrayal of Pak-US relations in the US media has always been a topic of interest for researchers. The proposed study focused on the portrayal of Pak-US relations in elite newspapers of U.S. and Pakistan i.e. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The News International and Dawn two years each before and after the 2018 General election in Pakistan. The objective of the study was to explore the nature of portrayal (favourable, neutral or unfavourable) given to the Pak-US relations by the mentioned print media with reference to Paulus foreign policies, importance and contribution of Pakistan in “war on terror”, Pak-US economic and strategic relations and domestic affairs of Pakistan. This study based on research questions “What was the extent of coverage given to Pak-US relations by elite press of Pakistan and America before and after 2018 general election in Pakistan?.” and Was there any difference in the amount of coverage given to the selected categories between selected press during selected time?" Out of 323 articles in context of Pak-US relations during selected time period, The New York Times published 49 (15.2 %), The News International published 114 (35.3), The Washington Post 55 (17.2%) and Dawn published 105 (32.5) articles. It is concluded that the 2018 General elections in Pakistan influenced the Pak-US relations. AFTER THIS EVENT, the US press changed its stance toward the portrayal of the Pak-US relations.

Translating North Korean Refugee Poets: Implications for DPRK Country Images

Translating North Korean Refugee Poets: Implications for DPRK Country Images

Tärähdyttävät sankarit New Yorkin maailmannäyttelyssä 1939 – Mieskuoro Finlandia Suomen maakuvan viestijänä

At the opening of the Finnish section of the New York World’s Fair on May 4, 1939, the Finlandia Male Chorus performed; the choir had been founded especially for the trip to North America, and in particular for performing at the New York World’s Fair. In addition to general coverage in the press, the choir’s travel plans, its preparations, and the trip itself were followed on many different radio broadcasts. What did Mieskuoro Finlandia want to tell about Finland at the New York World’s Fair in the spring of 1939? How was the choir founded, how did it work towards the goal of its journey, and what did it do afterwards? Answers to these questions are sought here especially through the concepts of cultural diplomacy and country image. According to the article, the Finlandia Male Chorus’ activities serve as a good example of the creation of a country’s image implemented through the means of cultural diplomacy, which also includes cultural propaganda, i.e. the promotion of a country using its culture as a tool. The methodological approach of the article is situated in the cultural and historical research field of music.

Find their country-of-origin Facebook and cross the threshold of overseas legitimacy: a multi-case study of Chinese enterprises

PurposeOwing to dual constraints including liability of foreignness and liability of origin when emerging multinationals internationalize, they inevitably face the challenge of overseas legitimation. However, few studies have explored how latecomers cross the threshold of legitimacy in the dynamic context of transnational operation. The purpose of this paper is to unravel the evolution process, triggers and specific strategies of overseas legitimacy threshold crossing of emerging multinationals.Design/methodology/approachThrough the longitudinal case study of Haier Group and Goldwind Sci & Tech Co., Ltd, this study investigates the periodical characteristics of overseas legitimacy threshold crossings and the co-evolution among critical factors influencing the legitimation process in the host country.FindingsFirst, it summarizes that the legitimacy threshold in the host country experiences a sequential process from pragmatic legitimacy to normative legitimacy, and finally cognitive legitimacy. It is an inevitable choice for emerging multinational enterprises to realize and sustain legitimation from passive adaptation to active creation. Second, it reveals that the triggers for crossing the threshold of overseas legitimacy include periodically dynamic factors – international network linkage and resource system reconfiguration, as well as cross-stage spiral interaction effects. Third, it determines the specific strategies for crossing the threshold of overseas legitimacy, namely, replacement, upgrading and reconstruction of organizational identity, and reveals the important role of insisting on the country-of-origin Facebook in promoting the legitimation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study enriches the legitimacy threshold crossing literature from an evolutional perspective, especially the traditional static legitimacy research. This study also reveals the key impacting factors – international network linkage and resource system reconfiguration – and their evolution process interacted with the legitimation process.Practical implicationsThe emerging multinationals should break the stereotypes from developed markets in that only creating new cognitive patterns through active legitimate strategies can they truly cross the legitimacy threshold in the host country. The emerging multinationals also need to retain their own home country legitimacy traits – Facebook and balance the relation between the image of the home country and the image of host country.Originality/valueThis paper investigates the process of overseas legitimacy threshold crossing for emerging multinationals in a dynamic context of transnational operation, particularly with respect to the evolutionary role played by international network linkage and resource system reconfiguration.

Nation Branding, Country Image, and the Scope of Sport-Tech Diplomacy: Lessons from the Case of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

This case study explores the scope of sport-tech diplomacy through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The study discusses the research question: How do the intersections between sports, technology and diplomacy manifest through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? Tokyo 2020 was originally designed to help with Japan’s recovery from the 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster while celebrating Japanese traditions, and creative and innovative culture and technologies. The outbreak of COVID-19 that led to the postponement of the Olympics to 2021 and to Tokyo going in and out of states of emergency forced Japan to implement unprecedented restrictive guidelines and policies through innovative technologies to deliver the Games despite the challenges. The article is significant as it expands the literature on the newly used concept sport-tech diplomacy in the context of nation branding and country image, and offers lessons and recommendations for scholars and practitioners on sport-tech diplomacy.

Sports branding as an object of scientific analysis based on the study of publications in the international scientometric database Scopus

Background and Study Aim: Sports branding is a systematic process of communication with a mass audience, aimed at creating a special sports culture: understanding the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle; maintaining interest in sports activities; formation of a positive image of the country through large-scale events, etc. Branding technologies are currently actively used not only by sports clubs, individual athletes, public authorities, but also by non-profit physical culture and sports organizations. Thus, this study was aimed at systematizing modern scientific ideas about sports branding. The purpose is a bibliometric analysis of sports branding research based on the study of publications in the international scientometric database Scopus. Material and Methods: the literature on sports branding included in the Scopus database for the period from 1999 to 2023 was studied. Bibliometric methods of information processing were used in the context of sports branding. VOSviewer software was used for visual analysis in terms of publication, author, country, journals, citations and keywords with bibliometric mapping, visualization of cluster density, citation weights. Results: after verification, a total of 160 publications from the Scopus database were included. The largest number of works relate to the following areas of research: Business, Management and Accounting, Social Sciences, etc. The leading country in terms of publication activity is the United States with 59 publications. As for the authors, Y. Dubinsky and A. Richelieu have published the largest number of works and made a great contribution to the study of sports branding. The biggest keyword cluster was sports, and the most popular keywords in recent years were: social media, branding, destination branding, sport tourism, content analyses, etc., which provides ideas for further research in this area. Conclusions: the constructed bibliometric maps made it possible to determine the most popular areas of research to study the problem under study: sports branding as an effective tool for forming the country's image; branding of sports events; social media as a tool for sports branding; the importance of brands in the professional sports industry; athletes personal branding. The use of the VOSviewer program, version 1.6.18, made it possible to provide a comprehensive analysis of the problem, to identify priority research areas in this area: the principles of using sports branding as a mechanism for constructing a territorial brand, as well as technologies for promoting sports brands in social media.

The results of an empirical study of the dynamics of perception of the international image of foreign countries by Russian youth in 2002–2023

The article presents the results of empirical studies of 2002–2006 and 2020–2023 by the author Olga Petrovna Gorbushina on the conditions for the formation and promotion of the country's image at the international level. Based on the methodological and empirical tools for studying the structure, models and factors of forming the image of countries, developed and defended by the author in a dissertation research in 2002–2005, a similar empirical study was conducted in 2020–2023, the main results of which are presented in this article. To compare and analyze the dynamics of perception of the image of foreign countries by modern Russian youth, the article provides an analysis of the results of both studies. The author identified and described the dynamics of changes in the ideas of Russian youth about the international image of foreign countries. The data obtained by the author are analyzed at the interdisciplinary level: at the intersection of psychology, political science, economics, and pedagogy. The reasons for the changes in the verbal choices of Russian youth on four scales are analyzed in detail. O.P. Gorbushina revealed an increase in the influence of such factors in the formation of the image of countries as the nature and depth of the image-forming information received about the country and emotionally colored assessments promoted on the Internet and the media through the activities of media personalities (media personalities), bloggers, YouTubers, influencers. The author gives and analyzes an example of the successful promotion of a positive international image of the country due to the purposeful actions of the government of the state to create and regulate the activities of these agents of image-forming information about the country. The results of verbal elections by Russian youth, the most attractive country for life and creating a family, are presented. Ator analyzed the reasons that contribute to the active promotion of the state at the international level on the example of strengthening the positive image of South Korea around the world, studied the phenomenon of the South Korean wave «Hallyu». Based on the data obtained and the analyzed results, O.P. Gorbushina proposed a system of psychological competencies (hard skills and soft skills) — skills, abilities, knowledge that modern Russian media personalities (media personalities), bloggers and influencers and their mentors need to have in order to successfully form and promote a positive international image of Russia. The conditions for the effectiveness of the activities of media personalities (media personalities), bloggers, YouTubers, influencers and their mentors to strengthen and promote a positive international image of Russia are outlined. The spheres and areas of practical application of the results and conclusions in the Federal State Educational Standards, state educational organizations and public youth movements are proposed to form a positive image of Russia, both within their own country and at the international level.

Strategies for transnational projection through international book fairs

The following article aims to analyze the projection and representation of literary systems in some of the main international book fairs (IBF) at present, based on theoretical-methodological proposals from the Sociology of Literature and Culture (Bourdieu in ARSS 145, 3–8, 2002; Sapiro Translatio. Le marché de la traduction en France à l’heure de la mondialisation, CNRS Éditions, 2008; Even-Zohar, Polisistemas de Cultura. Laboratorio de investigación de la cultura, 2017). We begin with the hypothesis of considering IBFs as places for the acquisition of capital (literary, cultural, economic and symbolic) and for negotiating struggles for positions of greater or lesser centrality in the transnational literary field and in the world publishing market, and in terms of the image of countries, cultures, or cities. In those IBFs offering the position of Guest of Honor, this becomes a privileged opportunity—for governments, institutions and different actors involved in the book chain—for the international projection of the image of a country, culture, city or literary system. Different strategies for cultural and literary promotion in this worldwide scenario of symbolic goods will be discussed, with special attention to the case of Brazil (contrasted, partly, with that of Spain).

How Foreign Social Media Influencers Help Shape Destination Country's Tourism Image: The Case of South Korea's Tourism Image in France

In the context of tourism, the current study differentiates social media influencers (SMIs) as local SMIs and foreign SMIs. The current study argues that foreign SMIs help to create a positive (or sometimes negative) image of another destination country abroad that they have visited or lived in, unlike local SMIs who mostly help promote touristic places of their own country in their own country. While prior studies have investigated the influence of social media influencers (SMIs) in travel decisions in general, it is not clear whether foreign SMIs can help shape another destination country's tourism image (DCTI) abroad. The current study fills this gap by investigating French SMIs' influence in shaping South Korea's destination country image in France. The leading French SMIs who actively create and share content about South Korea on their social media channels, such as YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitch, are identified and analyzed. Applying the netnographic method to four SMIs' communities of followers shows that French SMIs directly influence the DCTI of South Korea in France by influencing their cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions, although the effect on each varied. Moreover, the affective route had the highest impact, followed by the cognitive and conative route.

Interaction between History and Aesthetics: How to Communicate China Stories Well at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics

The successful hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics has a special significance for China to spread Chinese culture and ideas to the world and enhance the country's image, which is also a key channel for China to carry out international communication in the new era. This study uses multimodal analysis to analyze the historical and aesthetic factors behind the clothing, programs, songs, and commentary in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics from three perspectives: images, sounds, and texts, explaining the Chinese cultural connotations behind them. At the same time, the comparative analysis is used to compare the Beijing Winter Olympics with the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the Beijing Olympics, exploring the unique role of historical and aesthetic factors in international communication. The study finds that although the interaction of historical and aesthetic factors in the Beijing Winter Olympics has achieved certain effects in international communication, it has not caused large-scale propaganda and empathy, and there is a certain cultural discount phenomenon. Based on this, this study summarizes the role and future path of historical and aesthetic factors in Chinese culture in international communication.

Are brands re-evaluated when consumers learn about brand origin misperceptions? Outcomes, processes, and contingent effects

This study develops and empirically tests an integrative model of what happens when consumers learn about brand origin misperceptions (BOM). The proposed model suggests that learning about the true origin of a previously misclassified brand influences consumers’ purchase intentions through cognitive and affective brand re-evaluations and that these effects are subject to certain boundary conditions. An empirical study conducted in the United States involving multiple product categories and brands provides empirical evidence for the hypothesized moderated mediation model. The findings indicate that consumers adjust both their cognitive and affective brand evaluations to true brand origin information, but for affective brand evaluations, this is only the case if the true origin has a worse country image than the initially assumed (incorrect) origin. In addition, while several consumer- and brand-related factors moderate the cognitive consequences of becoming aware of BOM, only consumers’ confidence in brand origin moderates its affective consequences.

The changes in perceptions and attitude of Japanese and Russian students towards the neighboring country (comparison of polls from 2007, 2012, and 2021)

With the increase in cross-border educational contacts thanks to the Internet, the importance of obtaining objective, rather than stereotypical, ideas about foreign countries and their citizens by young people increases.One of the several contributory reasons of choosing university students as a target group for our research is the fact that education is closely tied to a nation’s growth and development, which strengthens social cohesion and the active civic participation of the youth. Also, the reason for focusing on students is that it is presumed that university students (future university graduates) would, perhaps inevitably, have firsthand connection or experience with political matters in the future, and so they will influence their country’s future politics and international relations in the Asia Pacific Region.The main aim of this study was to examine the changes in public perceptions and attitude of Japanese and Russian students towards the other country from 2007 to 2021. This study does not concentrate on political developments, but assesses changes and variations in students’ perceptions, images, and attitudes towards Russia and Japan over the 15-year period, seeking to identify the key events that inspired the identified perceptions and reactions. The surveys of Japanese and Russian university students conducted from 2007 to 2021 serve as the empirical basis for this study.In recent decades, images of countries have attracted close attention of scholars from around the world. When we launched the study, to the best of our knowledge, there were no other long-term studies that investigated these topics among this target group. This paper aims to fill this scholarly gap in literature by exploring and discussing the above-mentioned topics.

Consumer animosity: the mitigating effect of perceived brand globalness

PurposeThis research investigates if perceived brand globalness (PBG) can help mitigate the adverse effects of consumer animosity on brand evaluations and purchase intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyze survey data from Chinese consumers (N = 395) and South Korean consumers (N = 420) using multi-group structural equation modeling. In both countries, the authors use Japanese products as stimuli, ensuring high comparability levels between the studies.FindingsThe authors empirically demonstrate that PBG can mitigate the negative consequences of consumer animosity by weakening the spillover effect between product–country image and brand evaluations. However, the authors find the mitigating effect of PBG only in China, not in South Korea.Originality/valueBy highlighting PBG's role as an actionable moderator that firms can manipulate to attenuate the negative consequences of consumer animosity toward a brand's country of origin, this work adds to the much-needed debate about how animosity-induced effects can be mitigated in times of global conflicts and tensions.