Country Image and Its Impacts on the Entry into the Medical Services Market in China

국가이미지가 중국의료시장 진출에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

This study is focused on the medical services market in china which would be the largest one in the world sooner or later. An empirical research has been performed on the country images and related buying attitudes of the Chinese potential consumers for foreign medical services of more higher level. Upon the basis of this research results, the components of a country image has been restructured and the country image effects on the process of a purchasing decision of the advanced foreign medical services in China has been investigated and analyzed. This research shows that the forming process and the dimensions of a country image in Chinese consumers are rather simplified than the former researches of the same kind in any other countries. In China the expectation and buying intension for foreign medical services is found to be affected directly by a country image. Furthermore among various components of a country image the expected service quality level of the Chinese is found to be mostly dependent on the social stability and safety rather than on the degree of economic developments. Recently breaking through the domestic medical market crisis, more and more hospitals consider to advance into Chinese medical market. This research shows that the reexamination and political concerns on the country image of Korea are needed in the level of government's public relations. Especially the proactive policy making and propaganda of political, social and economic stability and safety in Korea are thought to be more important for successful entry in Chinese medical services market.