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Country-of-origin misclassification awareness and consumers’ behavioral intentions: Moderating roles of consumer affinity, animosity, and product knowledge

N. Meltem Cakici (Department of Business Administration, Okan University, Istanbul, Turkey)
Paurav Shukla (Department of Business, Glasgow Caledonian University, London, UK)

International Marketing Review

ISSN: 0265-1335

Article publication date: 8 May 2017

3671

Abstract

Purpose

Extant research shows that consumers regularly misclassify country-of-origin (COO) associated with brands. The purpose of this paper is to examine changes in behavioral intentions (i.e. purchase intentions for self and others and brand judgments) when consumers are made aware that they have misclassified the COO and then are informed of the brand’s correct origin. Drawing on cognitive dissonance theory, the authors also explore the moderating roles of consumer affinity, animosity, and product knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments test the direct and moderating effects of COO misclassification awareness on behavioral intentions.

Findings

The findings show detrimental effects of misclassification on behavioral intentions when consumers have high affinity with misclassified COO. Moreover, the experiments demonstrate a significantly greater decrease in behavioral intentions among experts than novices in the low-affinity condition and the reverse effect in the high-affinity condition.

Practical implications

The negative effects of COO misclassification on consumer behavioral intentions highlight the need for managers to proactively avoid misclassification. The findings should also aid managers in developing responsive marketing campaigns that consider consumer affinity, animosity, and level of product knowledge.

Originality/value

This research is the first to compare consumer behavioral responses before and after COO misclassification awareness. The study demonstrates that cognitive dissonance underpins the process of misclassification. It also contributes to COO literature by examining the interaction of consumer affinity and animosity with product knowledge and their influence on consumer behavior in the case of COO misclassification.

Keywords

Citation

Cakici, N.M. and Shukla, P. (2017), "Country-of-origin misclassification awareness and consumers’ behavioral intentions: Moderating roles of consumer affinity, animosity, and product knowledge", International Marketing Review, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 354-376. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-08-2015-0178

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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