Alexander Buhmann develops a new model for measuring the constitution and effects of country images by combining well-established concepts from national identity theory and attitude theory with a recent model from reputation management. The model is operationalized and tested in two surveys. Results show how different cognitive and affective dimensions of the country image affect each other and ultimately lead to the facilitation of behavioral intentions. The book introduces a theory-grounded approach to clarify the dimensionality of the country image. It is the first to operationalize and test the dimensions of the country image by combining formative and reflective measures in a mixed-specified model.

Country image and related constructs, such as country reputation, brand, and identity, have been subjects of debate in fields such as marketing, psychology, sociology, communication, and political science. This volume provides an overview of current scholarship, places related research interests across disciplines in a common context, and illustrates connections among the constructs. Discussing how different scholarly perspectives can be applied to answer a broad range of related research questions, this volume aims to contribute to the emergence of a more theoretical, open, and interdisciplinary study of country image, reputation, brand, and identity.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Consumers have significantly different country images or general perceptions about products made in different countries. Consumers use country image in product evaluation because they often are unable to detect the true quality of a country's products before purchase. Extensive research on the impact of country of origin on buyers evaluations of products has been reported in international marketing literature. This study concerns the German beer industry: threatened by imported 'impure' beer, facing a declining and very competitive domestic market many small and medium sized enterprises are beginning to take exporting as an option into consideration. The question is how German beer is perceived in the UK and whether the country image should be utilised in the promotion of new product offerings. The first part of this dissertation provides an overview of the country of origin (COO) literature by compiling and discussing findings regarding the way it operates, the factors influencing value and magnitude, and limitations of previous studies. The market attractiveness of the UK beer market was assessed and compared to the situation of the German market. The primary research of the second part consists mainly of a consumer based attitudinal survey. The sample was restricted to 18-36 years old premium beer drinkers. For this sample COO has only a minor direct influence on the purchase decision. COO should, nevertheless, be communicated because it is likely to have an influence on the quality perception of beer and foreign origin is a prerequisite for being seen as a premium beer. German beer is perceived as being superior in terms of quality and taste. That is one factor contributing to the attractiveness of the UK market. The market is also attractive in terms of size and future growth. The marketing mix should be consistent with a differentiation strategy of a premium beer. A country image dimension might be part of a unique brand image. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: Introduction and Objectives1 1.1Introduction1 1.2The need for information2 1.3Research objectives and information needs3 1.4Organisation of this report3 Literature Review5 2.1Introduction5 2.2The Effect of Country-of-Origin6 2.2.1Country-of-Origin as an Extrinsic Information Cue6 2.2.2Halo and Summary Construct8 2.2.3Country image as a multidimensional construct9 2.3Factors Impinging on Value/Direction and Magnitude of COO [...]

"This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions"--T.p. verso.

This is the first-ever book about product and country images. It discusses the nature and role and influence of product-country images in international marketing strategy and consumer behavior. Thousands of companies use country identifiers as part of their international marketing strategy, and hundreds of researchers have studied the ways in which these identifiers influence behavior. As markets become more international, the more prominently the origin of products will figure in sellers' and buyers' decisions. The time is ripe for practitioners and academicians to delve into the insights offered in this seminal volume so as to better prepare for meeting the competitive challenges of the global marketplace. Product-Country Images is a wide-ranging and state-of-the-art book offering specific information and case studies to further understanding of the various aspects of this complex topic.

Proceedings - International Academic Conference on Management, Economics and Marketing in Vienna 2015

This book, based on a conference in Seoul Korea in 2004, examines the image research in 3 parts under the theory of brand attachment. The 3 parts are Theories of Image, Country Image, and Individual and Celebrity Source Image.

Now in its second edition, this edited book presents recent progress and techniques in partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), and provides a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in PLS-PM research. Like the previous edition, the book is divided into three parts: the first part emphasizes the basic concepts and extensions of the PLS-PM method; the second part discusses the methodological issues that have been the focus of recent developments, and the last part deals with real-world applications of the PLS-PM method in various disciplines. This new edition broadens the scope of the first edition and consists of entirely new original contributions, again written by expert authors in the field, on a wide range of topics, including: how to perform quantile composite path modeling with R; the rationale and justification for using PLS-PM in top-tier journals; psychometric properties of three weighting schemes and why PLS-PM is a better fit to mode B; a comprehensive review of PLS software; how to perform out-of-sample predictions with ordinal consistent partial least squares; multicollinearity issues in PLS-PM using ridge regression; theorizing and testing specific indirect effects in PLS and considering their effect size; how to run hierarchical models and available approaches; and how to apply necessary condition analysis (NCA) in PLS-PM. This book will appeal to researchers interested in the latest advances in PLS-PM as well as masters and Ph.D. students in a variety of disciplines who use PLS-PM methods. With clear guidelines on selecting and using PLS-PM, especially those related to composite models, readers will be brought up to date on recent debates in the field.

This book presents the latest knowledge on the still under-researched field of academic tourism, which over the past decade has gained in importance at local and national economic levels as a result of increasing international mobility of students and academic staff in higher education. A wide range of themes are explored from various perspectives, with the focus on Europe. Particular attention is paid to academic tourism demand, expenditure, and economic impact; the relationships between academic tourism and local and regional development, sustainable development, and environmental sustainability; and the importance of academic tourism for the internationalization of higher education and international cooperation and development. Further topics to be considered include the significance of academic tourism for the dynamics of tourism destinations and insights from experimental tourism research. In addition to theoretical chapters and state of the art reviews, readers will find insightful empirical and case studies. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, students, and practitioners, including policy makers.

This book explores Chinese soft power and public diplomacy, and the way that it has played out in the context of the US-China relationship. As tensions between the two countries have grown in recent years, Chinese foreign policy has oscillated between confrontation and conciliation. In this work, which integrates all facets of China’s public diplomacy especially towards United States, the author explores the past and future of Chinese soft power, in a text that will interest diplomats, scholars and journalists.