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The impact of country of origin on context effects in choice

Moon-Yong Kim (College of Business, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Byung Il Park (College of Business, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Republic of Korea)

International Marketing Review

ISSN: 0265-1335

Article publication date: 13 November 2017

1956

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of country of origin (COO) information as an important/salient categorical attribute on choice context effects. Specifically, this research examines whether the introduction of a unique COO in the choice set will have a differential influence on context effects depending on the relative position of the third option (the asymmetrically dominated option vs the extreme option).

Design/methodology/approach

Five experiments were conducted in this research. Study 1 had a 2 (set size: two-option core set vs three-option asymmetric dominance set)×2 (competitor’s COO: common vs unique) between-subjects design. Study 2 had a 2 (set size: two-option core set vs three-option extreme option set)×2 (competitor’s COO: common vs unique) between-subjects design. To address the robustness of the effects, Studies 3-5 replicated the results of Studies 1 and 2. The data were analyzed by χ2 tests and logistic regression analyses.

Findings

The current research demonstrates that the attraction effect is attenuated by the introduction of a unique COO information in the competing option, whereas the tendency to prefer a middle option is not significantly affected.

Originality/value

The present research adds to the current understanding and the practical relevance of COO effects and context effects in marketing by examining the impact of COO as an important/salient categorical attribute on context effects.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund. The authors are deeply grateful to the editors and reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions.

Citation

Kim, M.-Y. and Park, B.I. (2017), "The impact of country of origin on context effects in choice", International Marketing Review, Vol. 34 No. 6, pp. 706-734. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-03-2015-0074

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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