The importance of variables such as price, promotional message, packaging and distribution policy in influencing consumer perceptions and attitudes towards products is well established. However, the additional information input of "Made in . . ." (i.e., the product's country of origin) has attracted little research attention in the United Kingdom, a fact which, in view of our changing status within the European community and the ensuing re-orientations in our international trade, suggests a fruitful course of enquiry for UK marketers faced with intense competition from imports. Similarly, the "Made in ..." concept has usefulness for exporters wishing to determine and exploit the stereotyped images ascribed to their country within specific foreign markets. These generalised images, created by variables such as representative products, economic and political maturity, historical events and relationships, traditions, industrialisation and the degree of technological virtuosity, will have effects upon consumer attitudes additional to those emanating from the significative elements of products. For example, Gaedeke [1] found that attitudes towards a specific product or brand could be substantially changed, both favourably and unfavourably, when the country of origin of the product/brand was revealed to the consumer.In a sense countries have images too, perhaps not so far removed from the marketers' concept of "brand image". National reputations for technological sophistication, reliability, design and value will naturally vary from country to country but, more importantly in the context of this study, consumers may be expected to generalise their attitudes and opinions across wide ranges of products from any given country. The aim of this particular study is to reveal these current stereotyped attitudes of UK consumers towards domestic products and the product offerings from a selection of foreign countries highly active in the UK domestic market.

This conspectus attempts to achieve three objectives:

Many previous studies have established the potential effects of a nation's stereotype image upon consumers' attitudes towards its products. This study takes 'country-of-origin' research a stage further by specifically investigating effects in the U.K. clothing market. By employing depth interviews and market-research surveys, consumers' attitudes towards products made in various countries are revealed. Similarly, a survey of retailers' policies is included.Various attributes of clothing, including value for money, fashion, and quality, are compared for clothing originating from different countries. Country of origin is established as an information input that consumers may use in making purchasing decisions, clear-cut differences in consumer attitudes towards various countries being revealed. The4mplications for the U.K. clothing industry are discussed with particular emphasis on the need for more attention to and investment in consumer research, design, and marketing.

This is the fourth comprehensive register of current research in marketing to appear in this Journal. It is hoped that it will prove useful as a source of information to all those with interests in the subject. The projects listed do not include research work undertaken by commercial organisations or studies conducted in educational institutions where the results are not intended to be generally available. Otherwise, every effort has been made to obtain basic information from research workers willing to discuss their efforts with other interested individuals.

In compiling the preceding Register of Research in the UK the opportunity was taken to elicit brief additional information from respondents regarding their future research intentions, their preferences for particular marketing specialisations, the nature and content of their current research and their opinions on possible areas of neglect in marketing.