scholarly journals Country of origin as a determinant of young Europeans` buying attitudes — marketing implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Bartosik-Purgat

Research background: Country of origin and brand image are among the main factors influencing consumer buying decisions. The phenomenon known as the Country of Origin Effect (COE) refers to the influence of a country’s image on consumer product evaluations and the perception of brands originating from specific countries. The COE describes consumer attitudes towards certain product categories and is connected with the perception of quality of such products manufactured in particular markets. The changing market conditions and proliferation of hybrid products cause certain problems for consumers who find it increasingly difficult to identify the country of origin of specific products and face a dilemma whether a product manufactured in China is of equal quality as a product of the same brand, but manufactured in France. Purpose of the article: The main purpose of the paper is to identify the young Europeans` attitudes towards the country of origin of purchased products. An attempt has been made to answer two research questions: firstly, whether are young Europeans guided by stereotypes associated with the country of origin of specific product categories in their conscious buying decisions? Secondly, do young European consumers attach higher value to a product’s brand than its country of origin? Methods: The analysis has been based on literature studies and empirical data collected in two different period of time 2008 and 2015 among 1362 respondents (in 2008) and 1125 respondents (in 2015) from eight European countries (Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Great Britain). In the exploratory empirical study, the author of the paper used two research methods: PAPI in 2008 (Paper and Pen Personal Interview) and CAWI in 2015 (Computer Assisted Web Interview). Findings & Value added: The study results reveal that in some countries, namely Poland and the Czech Republic, young consumers are guided in their deliberate buying choices by certain mental schematics perpetuated, for example, in the mass media (the best wine comes from France, best watches are made in Switzerland, and superior quality cars originate from Germany). Respondents representing other nationalities showed more support for domestic products. By far, the most ethnocentric in their choices turned out to be the French who in almost all product categories showed preferences for products originating from their country. Furthermore, the empirical study showed that with respect to different product categories young European consumers attach more importance to a product’s brand than its country of origin.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3268
Author(s):  
Farhad Aliyev ◽  
Ralf Wagner ◽  
Stefan Seuring

Luxury is often blamed for creating social inequality and hampering sustainability, especially in the social and environmental realms. For instance, luxury goods entice people to conspicuous consumption that may result in showing off. However, study results show that luxury and environmental sustainability have common features. Notably, previous research mainly examined motivations for green purchases in general without relating to the specific product categories such as durables. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between these two—green and luxury automobile buying intentions—by analyzing the survey results of 1601 respondents relating to more than 60 nationalities. In contrast to a substantial effect on luxury buying intentions, perceived conspicuousness has no significant positive effect on green auto purchase intentions, and that price value has a limited influence compared with the effect on luxury automobile purchase intentions. Furthermore, hedonism has a less positive impact on green auto purchase intentions compared to its impact on luxury automobile buying intentions. The ‘extended self’ and the perception of high quality have been found to be drivers of luxury and green automobile purchase intentions, while unique value appears to have no impact on purchase intentions for green and conventional luxury automobiles. The present study contributes to the extant research by investigating common and contradictory motivations for luxury and green buying intentions of automobiles. Furthermore, it suggests a reconsideration of the traditional view that luxury and environmental consumption are inconsistent and contradictory concepts. The complementary managerial implications of this study guide practitioners in positioning the situatable variants of their automobiles as ethical luxury.


2021 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 09004
Author(s):  
Jan Chocholáč ◽  
Šárka Vančurová ◽  
Michal Míka

Research background: The issue of green logistics is a very current topic not only from a scientific point of view but also from the point of view of business practice. The pressure to reduce negative environmental, social and economic impacts presents new challenges and pressures for companies, which will become more important in the coming years. This manuscript deals with green logistics tools applied in selected companies in the Czech Republic. The manuscript strictly focuses on the view of companies on green logistics and its tools, as well as on barriers and drivers for the implementation of green logistics. The aim of the article is to identify the attitude of selected companies in the Czech Republic to green logistics, to analyse barriers and drivers in the implementation of green logistics and to analyse the applied activities of green logistics and the reasons for their application. Purpose of the article: The main aim of the article is to identify the attitude of selected companies in the Czech Republic to green logistics and green logistics tools, to analyse barriers and drivers in the implementation of green logistics and to analyse the applied activities of green logistics and the reasons for their application. Finally, the results of this research are compared and discussed with the results of a study conducted in the Slovak Republic. Methods: To conduct the research, we have used computer-assisted web interviewing with selected Czech companies’ representatives. Findings & Value added: The results show that green logistics is very popular for companies. At the same time, barriers (most often financial) were identified, but also drivers and reasons for the implementation of green logistics tools. Comparing the results with the research conducted in the Slovak Republic, it can be stated that the results of both surveys were very similar, i.e. the location of the company in the Czech Republic or Slovakia does not affect the view of green logistics and its tools.


Equilibrium ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-284
Author(s):  
Lucia Svabova ◽  
Eva Nahalkova Tesarova ◽  
Marek Durica ◽  
Lenka Strakova

Research background: The COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the world in the first quarter of 2020, has impacted almost every area of people's lives. Many states have introduced varying degrees of measures to prevent its spread. Most of these measures were, or still are, aimed at reducing or completely stopping the operation of shops and services, or in some cases, also the large manufacturing companies. However, as many companies have failed to cope with these restrictions, unemployment has risen in almost all EU countries. A similar situation was also observed in Slovakia, where the mentioned measures also had a significant impact on unemployment. Purpose of the article: In this study, we deal with the quantification of the impact of a pandemic, or more precisely, anti-pandemic measures, on the development of the registered unemployment rate in Slovakia. Methods: This quantification is based on the counterfactual method of before-after comparison, which is one of the most widely used methods in the field of impact assessments and brings very accurate results, based on real data. In the analysis, we use officially published data on the unemployment rate in Slovakia during the years 2013?2020 on a monthly basis. Such a long time series, using statistical methods of its decomposition and modelling of its trend, will allow predicting the development of the unemployment rate in Slovakia, assuming a counterfactual situation of no pandemic, and compare this development with the actual situation that occurred during 2020. Findings & Value added: The study results indicate an increase in the unemployment rate in Slovakia during 2020 by 2?3% compared to the trend of its development, which would have occurred without a pandemic. Given the counterfactual method used, this difference can be described as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the study can be used in practice in the design and implementation of measures introduced to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on unemployment and, in the long-term perspective, also to eliminate these effects as much as possible. It can also be used as a theoretical tool in conducting impact assessments, which have so far been carried out very rarely in Slovakia.


1985 ◽  
Vol 24 (02) ◽  
pp. 101-105
Author(s):  
C. S. Brown ◽  
S. I. Allen ◽  
D. C. Songco

SummaryA computer-assisted system designed to write drug prescriptions and patient instructions has been in operation in a dermatologist’s office for two years. Almost all prescriptions are generated by the machine. Drug dosages, directions, and labeling phrases are retrieved from a diagnosis-oriented formulary of 300 drug products. A prescription template with preselected default options is displayed on a terminal screen where selection is made with the use of the video pointer. Typing skill is not required, as a detailed prescription can be produced from the use of only five function keys. Prescriptions and sets of relevant instructions for the patient are computer-printed. Therapy summaries for the medical record also are automatically composed and printed.


Author(s):  
И.Б. Алчинова ◽  
М.В. Полякова ◽  
И.Н. Сабурина ◽  
М.Ю. Карганов

Механизм терапевтического действия мультипотентных мезенхимных стволовых клеток (ММСК) на облученный организм в последнее время вызывает повышенный интерес исследователей. В качестве активного участника паракринного механизма реализации этого эффекта предлагают рассматривать внеклеточные везикулы, секретируемые практически всеми клетками живого организма. Цель работы: выделить и охарактеризовать внеклеточные везикулы, продуцируемые стволовыми клетками различной природы. Материалы и методы. Суспензии внеклеточных везикул, выделенных по модифицированному протоколу дифференциального центрифугирования из культуральных жидкостей от культур ММСК костного мозга человека 2-го пассажа и ММСК жировой ткани крысы 4-го пассажа, были проанализированы методом просвечивающей электронной микроскопии и методом анализа траекторий наночастиц. Результаты. Исследование показало наличие в обоих образцах микрочастиц размерами до и около 100 нм, однако процентное содержание частиц разных размеров в суспензии различалось для двух анализируемых типов клеток. Заключение. Полученные результаты могут свидетельствовать о специфике секреции, обусловленной клеточным типом. A mechanism of the therapeutic effect of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MMSC) on irradiated body has recently arisen much interest of researchers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by almost all cells of a living organism were suggested to actively contribute to the paracrine mechanism of this effect. The aim of the study was isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles produced by various types of stem cells. Materials and methods. Suspensions of EVs were isolated from culture media of passage 2 human bone marrow-derived MMSC and passage 4 rat adipose tissue-derived MMSC using a modified protocol of differential centrifugation and then studied using transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Results. The study showed the presence of microparticles with a size of >100 nm in the examined samples. However, the percent content of particles with different sizes in the suspension was different in two analyzed types of cell culture. Conclusion. The study results might reflect a specificity of secretion determined by the cell type.


Author(s):  
Tetiana Fedorchak

The author investigates political radicalism in the Czech Republic, a rather heterogeneous current considering the structure of participants: from political parties to the extremist organizations. The peculiarity of the Czech party system is the existence, along with typical radical parties, of other non-radical parties whose representatives support xenophobic, nationalist and anti-Islamic statements. This is primarily the Civil Democratic Party, known for its critical attitude towards European integration, and the Communist party of the Czech Republic and Moravia, which opposes Czech membership in NATO and the EU. Among the Czech politicians, who are close to radical views, analysts include the well-known for its anti-Islamic position of the Czech President M. Zeman and the leader of the movement ANO, billionaire A. Babich. Voters vote for them not because their economic or social programs are particularly attractive to the electorate, but because of dissatisfaction with the economic situation in the state. Almost all right populist parties oppose European integration, interpreting it as an anti-national project run by an elite distorted by a deficit of democracy and corruption. Keywords: Czech Republic, right-wing radical political parties, European integration, nationalism.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0887302X2199826
Author(s):  
Muzhen Li ◽  
Li Zhao

Nowadays, more fashion companies have started to adopt various sustainability practices and communicate these practices through their annual public CSR reports. In this study, we aim to provide a holistic perspective of fashion companies’ sustainable development and investigate the sustainability practices of global fashion companies. A total of 181 CSR reports from 29 fashion companies were collected. A Dictionary approach text classification method, combined with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a computer-assisted topic modeling algorithm, was implemented to detect and summarize the themes and keywords of detailed practices disclosed in CSR reports. The findings identified 12 main sustainability practices themes based on the triple bottom line theory and the moral responsibility of corporate sustainability theory. In general, waste management and human rights are the most frequently mentioned themes. The findings also suggest that global fashion companies adopted different sustainability strategies based on their product categories and competitive advantages.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110241
Author(s):  
Ya-Ling Chiu ◽  
Yuan-Teng Hsu ◽  
Xiaoyu Mao ◽  
Jying-Nan Wang

When online retailers allow third-party sellers to place certain products on their platforms, these sellers become not only collaborators but also competitors. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in price discounts between Third-Party Marketplace (3PM) sellers and Fulfilled by Walmart (FBW) sellers on Walmart.com over time. The results, based on data collected in the form of the daily prices of 54,162 products offered by Walmart during the holiday season, show that the average discount for 3PM sellers is significantly lower than that for FBW sellers. In addition, across product categories, FBW sellers had significantly higher average discounts than 3PM sellers in the electronics, housewares, and toys categories. Furthermore, the level of discount began to increase in early November and peaked around Christmas. Our findings may help retailers manage their dealings with these third-party sellers while also helping consumers to optimize their purchasing decisions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Chen

PurposeBoth foreign and local companies frequently name their brands in foreign language on the market of developing countries, and some of them choose to disclose the brands' country of origin to consumers. The purpose of this research is to investigate the joint effects between the practices of disclosing the actual country of origin of the brands and the language of the brand names on consumers' purchase intention for foreign brands and local brands in developing countries.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed hypotheses were tested in two studies, namely an experiment and a field experimental survey, with stimuli from two product categories.FindingsThe results of the two empirical studies with Chinese participants consistently demonstrate that revealing the actual country of origin of the brands undermines consumers' purchase intention for local brands that use foreign brand names, but does not impact consumers' purchase intention for foreign brands that use local brand names.Originality/valueThis research first investigates the effects of adapting the brand names into local language of developing countries for brands from developed countries on consumers' purchase intention, which provides new insight into the literature on foreign branding and country of origin effects as well as practical implications for brand managers.


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