Abstract Date: 2020/06/09 Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration, 15 credits. Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University. Authors: Yi Wei (85/01/01) & Jiaying Zhu (95/10/27)  Title: Factors Affecting Consumers’ Purchase Intention towards The Smartphone of The Chinese Brands  Tutor: Professor Ulf R Andersson Keywords: Country-of-Origin, Perceived Brand Quality, Chinese Brands, Subjective Knowledge, Price Sensitivity Research Question: How do the factors of perceived brand quality on COO cues, price sensitivity, and subjective knowledge of product influence consumers’ purchase intention towards the smartphones of the Chinese brands?  Purpose: This study aims to investigate factors related to the purchase intention towards smartphone of the Chinese brands in the developed market and provide managerial suggestions for Chinese smartphone firms. Method: This empirical study is conducted by the quantitative research method with an online survey for data gathering. Conclusion: It concludes that the purchase intention of western consumers towards Chinese smartphones is positively influenced by two factors: perceived brand quality on COO cues and subjective knowledge of product. The price sensitivity has no impact on purchase intention. Therefore, the lower price strategy of smartphone should not be adopted by Chinese firms. The Focus should be on brand management to convey the superior quality performance of smartphone of Chinese brands.

There are major challenges for Chinese firms that may jeopardise the creation of credibility when establishing in the Swedish market. It is therefore important for Chinese firms to implement efficient international branding strategies that contribute to the formation of credibility for Chinese companies. International branding strategies of brand positioning, brand awareness and brand image constitute a foundation that Chinese brands can adopt to obtain credibility among Swedish consumers. Abductive research in accordance with the topic of study has been conducted through qualitative means. Primary data collection through semi-structured interviews with participants contributed to the investigation of the theoretical framework presented in the second chapter: Literature Review, and analysed in chapter five: Analysis. Through the analysis of the data, along with the presented prerequisite knowledge, the authors have been able to identify international branding strategies Chinese firms can implement to gain credibility. The thesis presents a conclusion of positioning a brand in accordance with Westernisation, price setting, presenting the country of origin, and beneficial attributes, while establishing familiarity through brand awareness and finally, conveying trustworthiness and high quality through the brand image to gain credibility.