• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.34 no.12
• /
• pp.2022-2038
• /
• 2010

Our study was designed to provide some insights on positive country image and the mechanisms of influence that Asian fashion industries can draw upon for future benefit. We focused on a country image and fashion products with Asian ethnic influence. Asian traditional costume elements reflected in contemporary fashion products may be important representative tools for national cultural identity. This study qualitatively investigated how and to what extent country image and additional information influence the evaluation of fashion products influenced by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean traditional dress. We conducted four focus-group interviews (FGI) with 30 students from a fashion program at a university in the United States. We analyzed the evaluation of fashion products influenced by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean traditional dress, and their associations with country image. Our qualitative analysis offered more developed empirical evidence for the various paths through which country image affects the evaluation of fashion products influenced by the ethnic dress of Asians. The results of our study showed that the more direct the source of prior knowledge, the larger the influence on product evaluation. This study showed that certain cues in the evaluation of fashion products with Asian ethnic influence induce changes in the affective state (that stem from the psychological and social nature of fashion products) and illustrate the necessity of considering the affective processes involved in the appropriate use of the country image. In the fashion industry, extrinsic properties such as the country image significantly influence the attitude and purchasing decisions of consumers. The significance of this study lies in its verification of the relationship between the country image and additional information. Modular and situational-contextual influences are also revealed as important factors that deserve more attention, as well as considerations regarding the dimensions of the country image described in attitude theory.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.362-377
• /
• 2017

This study examined the relationship between country-of-brand-origin perception and brand equity elements among Korean and Chinese male consumers. It also examined if there were differences between the two national consumers in the effect of country-of-brand-origin on brand evaluation. We analyzed survey responses from 414 Korean men and 393 Chinese men in their 20s-30s. Country-of-brand-origin perception was found positively related to brand awareness and brand image for both Korean and Chinese men in each group that selected domestic or foreign country-of-brand-origin. The results revealed a positive relationship between brand attitude and brand awareness as well as brand image for the two national consumers in each country-of-brand-origin selection group. The results indicated differences in the influence of brand image on brand attitude between these two male consumers in the group that selected the domestic country-of-brand-origin. The results also support the hypothesis on differences in the effect of country-of-brand-origin as well as brand evaluation between male consumers in the group that selected foreign country-of-brand-origin. This study has significant implications for fashion marketers, particularly when building brand equity by revealing country-of-brand-origin.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.455-472
• /
• 2013

This paper's aim is to explore how China's country image affects the product evaluations and purchase intentions through three major hypothesize. Four hundred eighty-nine Korean adult consumers, who have the purchase experiences of goods made in China before, were invited to take part in this investigation. Data analyses were conducted by reliability test, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with SPSS ver. 19.0 and AMOS ver. 18.0. This study focused on multi-dimensional country image and found that China's country image contains 5 elements (people, evolution, politic, economic and culture). Empirical verification through structural equation modeling indicates that the data offer substantial supports, such that China's country image represents the predominant influence on product evaluations and people, evolution, and politic image showed positive effects. Also, China's country image has a positive influence on the product purchase intentions directly (culture image) and indirectly (people, politics, and evolution image) through the product evaluations. Practical implications of findings will be discussed and suggested as follows. First, this study complements the lack of researches on China among the studies regarding country image. Secondly, research results would help us to understand the perception on China's country image of Korean consumers' and to seek the criteria by which consumers evaluate goods made in China. Finally, this research can help Chinese companies to make market strategies effectively when they entering Korean market by exploring the factors which have strong influences on Korean consumers' purchase behaviors.

• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.55-71
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study was to establish the causal structural model among brand image and country image associated with consumers' purchase decision of products. The specific objectives were 1) to analyze the effects of brand image on consumers' purchase decision of products, 2) to analyze the effects of country image on consumers' purchase decision of products, 3) to analyze the effects of brand image on country image, 4) to analyze the mediating effects of country image between brand image and consumers' purchase decision of products. The conclusions of this study are as follows: First, companies must have an advantage strategy for brand image along with country image. To this end, a strategy to promote the brand image through various media is effective. Second, it is necessary to find new transformation through the establishment of brand identity at the corporate level so that consumers can have a good impression on the brand image. Third, it is important for companies to make efforts at the level of brand image and country image to provide consumers with information that can increase expectations and actual satisfaction and to build product reputation. In addition, it is necessary to embody brand images and country images into global marketing mix strategies. Fourth, if companies build a brand image that symbolizes a differentiated culture, the brand image can have a positive effect on consumer purchase decisions. Along with this, companies can further increase their positive effects by developing representative brand image contents. Fifth, this study confirmed that the higher the image level of the manufacturing country in a situation where consumers' preferences are diversifying, the more the brand image leads to consumers' purchasing decisions. Therefore, brand managers are required to build a country image suitable for the existing brand image when advertising at the time of product introduction.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.27-53
• /
• 2008

This paper investigates factors determining the level of nontraditional activities at banks around the world. Specifically, the paper examines what kinds of firm-specific and country-specific characteristics determine the level of noninterest income using a comprehensive multi-country database. This paper focuses beyond the traditional U.S. based analyses and provides detailed asset-liability management practices of banks around the world.The findings suggest that banks' size and loan loss provision, explicit deposit insurance, banking restriction, banking freedom ranking of respective countries, the extent of state and foreign ownership, governance, and transparency of the country have positive effects on the level of nontraditional activities. Greater dependence on traditional lending and financing, market based economy, and multiple bank supervisory bodies in the country have negative associations with noninterest income. The economic development of country however affects the extent of the relationship.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.207-211
• /
• 2020

In the global economy, trade is not confined in geological boundaries, enhancing the international relation among countries. However, the trade tension between the largest economy and the second-largest economy raise concerns among the world economies, enhancing the uncertainties around world. In particular, the trade tension between the two countries is highly related with South Korea's trade balance, because the country is highly dependent on the trade with the two countries. Given this, we analyzed the news editorials published in Korean quality newsaper, with related to U.S. and China Trade War by looking at the ideological perspectives of news outlets or journalists to the issue within the framework of critical discourse analysis. In particular we gave a special attention to the attitude to each country in order to investigate their ideological stance to the country, following van Dijk (1998)' ideological square. The results are as follows: first, the Chosun Ilbo emphasized 'their' bad properties directly and aggresively, while the Hankyoreh designated the U.S. as a member of an out-group, thus mitigating 'our' bad quatilies; Second, the two strategies of emphasis and mitigation enabled both newspapers to reinforce in-group homogeneity and out-group exclusion. Thus, we could conclude that the editorial is a clear indicator to show the news outlet's ideological stance to each country in regard to the trade issue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.21 no.8
• /
• pp.1396-1405
• /
• 1997

This study investigated country-of-origin effects by comparatively analyzing consumer attitude toward country-of-origin of imported apparel according to apparel product attributes. Fishbein attitude model was used. The effects of consumer characteristics such as attitude of consumers toward general imported apparel and demorgraphic variables on consumer attitude toward country-of-origin were also identified. Italy, U.S.A, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea were used as country of origin. Data were obtained from male and female subjects(total 570) aged mostly 20's. Statistical analysis showed: 1) Apparel product attributes were classified into 3 factors, expressive, instrumental and brand, which are the order of importance for purchasing. 2) Consumer indicated more favorable attitude toward 'made in 'Italy' nd made in 'Korea' in each attribute factor. 'Made in Korea' roducts were evaluated highest in expressive attribute factor but less favored than 'made in Italy' n brand attribute factor. 'Made in U.S.A and made in Japan' were evaluated favorable in instrumental factor, whereas 'made in Hong Kong' had the least favorable attitude in every attribute factor. 3) The uniqueness and good quality of imported apparel appeared to be the most strong variable in predicting consumer attitude toward each country-of-origin. 4) The attitude toward country of origin was different according to sex and age.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.21-32
• /
• 2021

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between country-level institutional quality and public debt in the context of Pakistan. The hypotheses of this study were assessed by using the country-level institutional quality data for Pakistan throughout the years from 1996 to 2018. Data came from the World Databank, IMF and Worldwide Governance Indicators databases. For the analysis, ordinary least square, quantile regression and robust regression were employed to assess the factors influencing the public debt. The results of this study indicate that the factors of voice and accountability, regulatory quality, and control of corruption have a positive and significant relationship with public debt, while political stability, government effectiveness, and the rule of law have a negative and significant effect on public debt. Based on the findings, a weak country-level institutional quality poses a substantial market risk as it signals the existence of an unfavorable economic condition that raises public debt. It was also revealed that an improved performance of country-level institutional quality can lead to the improvement of financial market transparency, hence reduce public debt. In contrast to previous studies, the present study will be breaking ground in enhancing public insight regarding the impact of country-level institutional quality on Pakistan's public debt.

• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.221-237
• /
• 2019

Multinational corporations (MNCs) usually face indigenous business environments in host countries which are different from a home country's. In this circumstance, MNCs would accomplish low-investing performance if they pursuit the same as the home oriented business strategy in the host country. The more different kinds of specialized environments a host countries have, the more pressure of modifying the international strategy needed for MNCs. This paper examines that how a different market environment between a home country and a host country, through MNC's local responsive managements, can influence investing performance in a host country. This paper conducts structural equation analyses with collected empirical data focusing upon a MNC's market orientation efforts and the realization of management localization (i.e., increasing local sourcing intensity or local sales intensity) as mediators between the specialized environment in a host country and the MNC's investing performance. This paper has several contributions in developing the prior approaches: first, the market orientation variables are regarded not as normal independent factors but mediators; second, two step mediation model is examined to make link between host market's heterogeneity and MNC's performance.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2014

In this paper, we propose an ontology-based approach to measuring degree-of-interest in country by analyzing wikipedia usage data. First, we developed the degree-of-interest ontology called DOI ontology by extracting concept hierarchies from wikipedia categories. Second, we map the title of frequently edited articles into DOI ontology, and we measure degree-of-interest based on DOI ontology by analyzing wikipedia page views. Finally, we perform chi-square test of independence to figure out if interesting fields are independent or not by country. This approach shows interesting fields are closely related to each country, and provides degree of interests by country timely and flexibly as compared with conventional questionnaire survey analysis.