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This study aims to draw on cue utilization and irradiation theories to: determine the extent to which country-of-origin image and its sub-dimensions exert an aggregate and relative influence on consumer brand evaluations; and identify the contextual and methodological factors that account for between-study variance in the focal relationship.

A random-effects model was used to examine 166 empirical articles encompassing 499,563 observations, and 282 effect sizes from 1984 to 2020 using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.

Results show that country-of-origin image has a positive, moderate effect on consumer brand evaluations. Moreover, findings reveal that each dimension of country-of-origin image – general country image, general product country image, specific product country image and partitioned country image – significantly influences consumer brand evaluation, but the effect of general product country image is the largest. What’s more, the aggregate impacts of country-of-origin image on consumer brand evaluation – brand commitment, brand-specific associations and general brand impressions – show that the effect on brand commitment is the largest. Finally, findings show that contextual factors (brand source, product sector, culture [individualism vs collectivism], brand origin continents and respondents’ continent) and methodological factors (cues, sampling unit, publication year and sample size) significantly account for between-study variance.

This study provides the first meta-analytic review of the relationship between country-of-origin image and consumer brand evaluation to help clarify mixed findings and balance out the literature, which has only seen quantitative reviews on product evaluation and purchase decisions.

Purpose – Extensive research in the area of consumer behavior has documented the “Country of Origin Effect,” which identifies country of origin as an important decision variable in evaluating products and services. Past research has mostly assumed that country of origin effect is driven by the performance of the products originating in that country. However, consumers can also form opinions about countries based on exposure to information that is unrelated to the product and may have roots in macro factors such as history, culture, and politics. These emotions, while extraneous to the product, can also influence product evaluations along with performance-related country information.Design/methodology/approach – This review examines research addressing both performance and emotional perceptions related to country of origin.Findings – This review presents an integrating framework termed “Nation Equity” to systematically understand and examine the influence of various dimensions of country of origin on consumer decision making.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether or not the strategy of pursuing a global brand identity by leading Asian firms will produce intended outcomes in consumer responses. For this purpose, the study empirically examines whether global Japanese brands (e.g. Toyota) are perceived as global or Japanese by consumers.

Surveys were conducted with Korean consumers for their evaluations of Japanese automobile brands with varying degrees of globalness. As for brands, the study divides Japanese brands into two groups – those with high brand globalness and those with low brand globalness – and to examine if Japanese-origin effects differ between these two groups.

In contrast to the hypothesis, global brands were found to be more subject to country-of-origin effects.

The findings contribute to research on consumer choices and brand globalness by showing country-of-origin effects for global brands.

The findings suggest that even when Asian firms emphasize the globalness of their brands, they may still need to attend to country-of-origin effects.

This study examines an unexplored issue of country-of-origin effects for global brands.

The relative importance of country of origin, product warranty, and retail store image on consumers′ product quality perception, overall attitude toward the product, and purchase intentions is investigated. A 2x2x2 full factorial design with two levels (high and low) of country of origin, warranty and retail store image is utilised. ANOVA results show that country of origin and warranty cues have significant impacts on the three dependent measures. The interaction effects of all three independent variables are significant for the quality perception and overall attitude towards the product but are not significant for the purchase intentions. In addition excellent warranty terms combined with store reputation has a greater impact on the dependent variables than the country‐of‐origin cue. Managerial implications of the research findings are discussed.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the effect of country of origin on consumer perceptions of products and services. Results reveal that consumer perceptions differ significantly on the basis of product/service and country of origin. The country of origin may be an important element in the perceptions consumers have of products and services especially where little other information is known. However, the question of how much influence the country of origin provides in product and service evaluations remains unanswered and a number of other major issues have yet to be resolved. Directions for future research are developed.

Selected empirical findings on the effects of a product′s “made‐in” label are integrated with theoretical developments in consumer information processing and the economics of consumer search. The result is an internally consistent theory of how country‐of‐origin effects vary across situations, individuals and products. The new perspective explains why country stereotyping influences decisions more among well‐informed buyers and dismisses the idea that country‐of‐origin cues are necessarily misleading or bad. It also generates predictions of when country‐of‐origin effects are greater and when they are smaller.

An experimental design is used to examine the effect of products’ country‐of‐origin on first‐mover advantage. Specifically, focuses on the effects of favorable/unfavorable country‐of‐origin on first‐mover advantage, as well as its effects with regard to “early followers” and “late followers”. The results have direct implications for products entering international markets as a first mover, “early” follower, or “late” follower. Results indicate that with increasing number of competitors entering an international market, a product’s favorable country image begins to lose its strategic importance. Consequently, the pursuit of first‐mover advantage may be more relevant than a positive country‐of‐origin effect. Also, the results suggest that for products from countries with a less than favorable image, it may be more useful to be a “follower” than a “first‐mover” because the advantage of being first in a market can be negated by the unfavorable country‐of‐origin effect.

The purpose of this paper is to use a diachronic analysis to explore the influence of country of origin effect and country of management effect on the adoption of human resource management (HRM) practices at different stages.

The methodology starts with an intensive literature review to establish an analytical framework by bringing country of origin and country of management effects on the HRM transfers. By using a longitudinal qualitative research design, a total of 164 interviews from four British subsidiaries of four Taiwanese multinationals were conducted to explore the change over time during the HRM transfer processes over a five‐year period.

The results provide evidence of the paradox as a result of country of origin effect and country of management effect on the adoption of HRM practices over time.

It is problematic to conclude absolutely regarding the convergence or divergence of HRM practices. This is due to HRM practices being in a constant state of flux between global integration and local adaptation during the transfer process.

This is the first empirical study to examine the impacts of country of origin effect and country of management effect on the HRM transfers from emerging multinationals in the advanced economy from a diachronic perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of country of origin image on brand equity of branded generic drugs.

Brand equity of branded generics is examined through an analytical review. Country of origin image is hypothesised to influence components of brand equity, i.e. brand strength and brand awareness, which in turn influence brand equity. An empirical investigation was carried out among professionally similar respondents, i.e. doctors of different categories in Kolkata megapolis, India.

Results showed that country of origin image had a positive and significant effect on components of brand equity, i.e. brand strength and brand awareness, derived from factor analysis conducted on brand equity components. The result also showed that country of origin image of branded generics significantly, but indirectly, affected brand equity through the mediating variables, brand strength and brand awareness.

Different variables have influence on brand equity. This study dealt with only one type of variable, i.e. country of origin image, that may limit the total process of brand equity enhancement.

Marketing actions should be implemented to enhance brand strength and awareness levels. Country of origin image should be assessed as a multidimensional concept for enhancing brand equity. Marketers should be aware of the fact that physicians are influenced by the brand's original country image.

This research work has extended prior country of origin research by conceptualising the country of origin image as a brand equity enhancing tool in a new area called branded generic drugs.

The main purpose of this study is to explore the influence of the country‐of‐origin image, product knowledge and product involvement on consumer purchase decision.

Taiwan, China and the USA were the three countries selected for research into the country‐of‐origin, insurance and catering services. Structured questionnaires and convenience sampling were used. Samples were collected from consumers in the Taipei area. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed with convenience sampling method, and 369 effective samples were collected, the effective rate being 92.25 percent. Stepwise regression analysis was adapted to test hypothesis.

The main findings were listed as follows: the country‐of‐origin image, product knowledge and product involvement all have a significantly positive effect on consumer purchase decision; the country‐of‐origin image has a significantly positive effect on consumer purchase decisions under different product involvement; and product knowledge has significantly positive effect on consumer purchase decisions under different product involvement.

Limitations of the study are: it is unable to infer to national consumers and to other service areas and the explanatory power of some empirical models is relative low. Implications of the study are that: a more thorough structure about consumer purchase decisions should be provided and the relationship between product knowledge and information search quantity should be verified.

Practical implications pf the study are that the company must face competitive strategies from many countries and also the effect of consumer product knowledge on business competitive strategy.

The added value of this paper is to link between theory and practice, and explore the different country‐of‐origin image, product knowledge and product involvement on consumer purchase decisions.