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Country-of-origin effekten påverkar alla exportföretag. Hur gynnsam effekten är skiljer sig beroende på ursprungsland, bransch och produktkategori. För att ett varumärke ska kunna utvinna en maximal effekt av Sverige som ursprungsland krävs en djup förståelse för hur effekten står sig på olika marknader och hur den bäst förmedlas. Därför syftar studien till att förklara hur svenska exportföretag använder sig av country-of-origin effekten för att stärka sina varumärken. Genom den teoretiska referensramen som berör brand equity och country-of-origin effekten får country-of-origin effekten en tydlig roll i de olika delarna ett varumärke består av. Undersökningen har en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Tre svenska exportföretag från olika branscher deltar i studien för att undersöka syftet. Analysen inleds med en inomfallsanalys för varje fallföretag som utmynnas till en mellanfallsanalys. Studien visar att svenska exportföretag generellt sett gynnas av country-of-origin effekten, men styrkan av effekten skiljer sig beroende på bransch, marknad och produktkategori. / The country-of-origin effect has an impact on all exporting companies. How favorable the effect is differs based on the country-of-origin, line of business and product category. To extract the maximal effect of Sweden as a country-of-origin, a deep understanding of how the effect influences different markets is needed as well as knowledge of how it is best communicated. Therefore, the study aims to explain how Swedish exporting companies use the country-of-origin effect to strengthen their brands. Through the theories on brand equity and the country-of-origin effect, the country-of-origin effect is presented with a clear role within the different parts of a brand. The study has a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews. Three Swedish exporting companies from different lines of business takes part in the study to investigate the purpose. The analysis is structured through three within-case analyses and a cross-case analysis. The study shows that Swedish exporting companies are generally favored by the country-of-origin effect. Although the strength of the Swedish country-of-origin effect differs based on the line of business, market, and product category.

This research examines the growing phenomenon of cross-border brand alliances and the potential factors that influence consumers' attitudes toward these alliances. Building on an existing framework, it establishes country of origin fit as a new variable that influences consumer attitudes toward brand alliances and examines its relationship with brand fit under various conditions of brand familiarity. The results of two studies replicate previous research findings and demonstrate a new relationship between country of origin fit and brand fit in predicting consumer attitude towards cross-border brand alliances. These results extend research in understanding the relationship between the fit variables and the strength of their effects on brand alliance evaluations. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.B.A.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-176). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of country of origin (COO) on the UK fashion industry, with specific reference to retail and wholesale brands. In this study, the fashion industry encompasses both manufacturing and branding perspectives. This qualitative study comprised 23 in-depth interviews with key informants from large-scale retailers, manufacturers and textile consultancy companies, thereby analysing the issues from an industry, rather than consumer, perspective. The key informants were chosen using a judgmental sampling approach, and the data obtained were analysed using a thematic approach. The notion of country of origin is deemed important because the existing literature suggests that COO, has been considered as an effective branding device with which consumers associate when evaluating the quality of the product and when making purchasing decisions. However, no research has examined country of origin from an industry perspective, and the findings in the UK context are limited in the existing literature. Consequently, this study contributes to the body of knowledge about the importance of COO, and its implication on retail and wholesale brands in the UK fashion industry. The findings of this research also have practical implications for manufacturers and retailers, informing the debate on the value of the 'Made in [...]' epithet, and how country of origin can be used as a branding strategy. This study demonstrates that country of origin is considered important in the UK fashion industry in terms of its strategic importance to organisations. Moreover, COO is manifested in different ways, depending on brand positioning, long-term strategic plan, expertise, brand history and values. Another finding that emerged as a key theme is the blurring of retail and wholesale brands. Thus, the study has found that retailers are becoming wholesale-oriented businesses by selling own label products through third party retailers, including online via pure-play retailers (e.g. ASOS), and concessions within department stores. This is being done to expose brands internationally, to develop a global recognition, as well as improve the brand image. Furthermore, wholesale brands are becoming retail-oriented in order to enjoy superior profit margins, to have control over the product merchandise and to increase customer loyalty. Finally, the study developed a typology of strategic action and implications of country of origin to include the blurring of differences whereby, for instance, brand name is used to promote country of brand origin by both retail and wholesale brands, however, how this manifests itself differs in the sense that retailers promote via sub-brand name, and wholesales have associations with company's name.

Title: According to Swedish Citizens – Sweden has the Safest and Best food in the world – Really? Level: Thesis for Master’s Degree in Business Administration Authors: Benny Berggren and Mai Nasser Fouda Supervisor: Jonas Kågström, Ph.D. Date: May 20, 2013 Aim: The aim of this thesis is to fill the research gap on whether there are differences in how Swedish consumers remember publicized scandals in regards to the Country of Origin (COO), focusing on age, gender and time. Furthermore, this paper will also aim to look at how different scandals have affected the consumers trust based on whether foreign food scandals have a higher impact. Methodology: Since this thesis tested different relationships a deductive approach was taken with a conclusive research design. Quantitative data was collected via a VAS-scale questionnaire to 187 individuals via random sampling at train stations which had a response rate of 75,9%. By using SPSS, the primary data was analyzed via a Correlation and Factor analysis in accordance with scientific articles from within the fields of Purchasing Decision theory, the COO and Consumer Memory. A semi-open telephone interview with an expert from within the food industry was conducted as additional explanations to the findings were needed. Result & Conclusions: It was found that Swedish consumers remembered scandals differently depending on origin, and were according to themselves more affected by the foreign scandals. Gender did not have a preference depending on the COO of the product and consumer memory while age did. It was also found that trusting food was the essential theme throughout the empirical findings where the Swedish consumers valued cues such as food quality and food safety. This played a significant role on impacting the consumer’s long-term memory. Three different types of trust was found and divided by their characteristics; High-level-involvement products, the COO of the product or the company which the scandal was involved with, and finally, the size, positioning and equity of the brand involved. Business implications: Media can be seen as a key source of spreading negative publicity regarding scandals. It is therefore extra important for companies to act immediately, especially if they have any of the three characteristics of trust since it influences the consumer’s long-term memory in a negative way. These three characteristics combined could have strong more negative impact on the companies, where there is a risk of losing potential & current business partners, decreased brand equity & image and risk of facing legal aspects. This can be very costly both financially and time-wise which ultimately could lead to a negative turnover. Research Implications: future research is suggested to study why the results in this thesis differ from the other scientific findings when it comes to gender. Also suggested is that studies should be conducted similar to this, but based on specific types of food products since this thesis only studied food in general. Furthermore, studies comparing the effect of the consumer memory in regards to food scandals based on different companies are also suggested. Key words: Country of Origin, Scandals, Memory, Trust, Purchasing behavior.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att genom en fallstudie av företaget Boomerang utreda hur ett varumärkeskoncept med en stark koppling till företagets ursprungsland påverkar beslutsfattandet kopplat till företagets internationalisering. Med avstamp i det teoretiska ramverket där det beskrivs hur country of origin som en del av ett varumärkeskoncept kan påverka ett företags internationalisering genomfördes intervjuer med Boomerangs VD och med företagets marknadschef. Resultatet av intervjuerna visade att det är av vikt att ett företag utvärderar om country of origin är en framgångsrik del av varumärkeskonceptet då det avgör hur varumärket uppfattas på en internationell marknad. Det visar sig även vara viktigt för Boomerang att noggrant utvärdera eventuella partners vid internationaliseringen via triader då företagets varumärkeskoncept behöver kommuniceras på ett enhetligt sätt på samtliga marknader och för att undvika risken att bilden av Boomerang blir splittrad och otydlig.

Group number:         2838 Research Questions:  Does the country of origin influence Thai consumers’ buying decision towards beer purchasing?  What are the consumers’ attitudes and perception towards beer consumption? Purpose: The authors aim to explore the effect of COO towards beer purchasing behavior of Thai consumer. The research study examines the attitudes of Thai consumers in terms of the beer purchasing based on two aspects: foreign and domestic brands. Method: Qualitative approach and quantitative approach was used in order to get the primary data. Questionnaire online were sent out 247 forms to the respondents and get the response 240 forms that could answers the question effectively. Interviews also were conducted with ten beer drinkers. Furthermore, several articles, researches, and literatures were used to strengthen reliability of the paper and improve the validity as well. Conclusion: Based on the study results, country of origin does not affect much in consumers’ buying decision in term of low-involvement products. Also country of origin showed that can influence consumer first purchasing activity. The research also portrayed when consumers have more knowledge or experience other cues such as price and taste have definitely effects in their buying decision more than Country of Origin factors.

Purpose The main purpose of the research is to continue to the understanding of the relationship between the country-of-origin effects and automobile evaluation and apply the Extended COO-ELM model(Bloemer, Brijs and Kasper, 2009) for the cognitive processes underlying country of  origin-effects. The study also aims to give managers some information to assess consumer's purchase intentions of car and assist them in managing their product's COO. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered survey was used in this study.The main samples consist of the 31 students in Linnaeus university from more than 10 countries.The Spss software was used to analyze the empirical data which provide the source of judging three hypothesis of the study. Findings The results indicated the impact of country of origin on automobile evaluation is mainly moderated by other prior country-product knowledge rather than the perceived economic development.In addition, the different cognitive processes  underlying country of origin-effects occur when responders evaluating Chinese automobile and Swedish automobile Originality?Value The paper applies ELM model with extensions.This finding yields some insight for the efficiency in marketing strategy of Chinese car and Swedish car. By designing the marketing strategy more efficiently, the managers will subsequently make a better decision of how brand and country of origin should be managed. Paper type Research paper

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Appendix A in English and Spanish. Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-149). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.