Can Country Image Change after Likable Incident? The Case of Chile Miners’ Rescue Operation and the Middle East Consumers

Abstract

Country image plays a key role in influencing consumers' perceptions towards products originating from foreign countries. Economic and commercial relations between countries in the Middle East region and South America have improved strongly in the last decade. However, there is a dearth of studies conducted in the Middle East countries regarding products sourced from South American countries. This study aims to explore how Chile miners' rescue operation has been perceived by Jordanians and how it has influenced the country image of Chile. The study examines the influence of demographic variables and openness to other cultures on the attitudes of Jordanian consumers towards Chile miners' rescue operation. A survey was conducted in the spring of 2011 to collect data from Jordanian consumers. Data were collected from 154 Jordanian customers. The results showed that Chile miners rescue operation has been admired most by Jordanian consumers who live in the capital of the country and by Jordanians who are more opened to other cultures.

How China’s image affects Chinese products in a partisan-motivated US market

“…Giraldi and Ikeda (2009) argued that consumers’ evaluation of products from other countries can be influenced by their deeply rooted stereotype associated with these countries. Studies in international marketing (Chandrasen & Paliwoda, 2009; Ganideh, 2012) also showed a correlation between a nation’s economic status and the superiority of its products because consumers generally are in favor of products made from highly industrialized countries. However, with the complexity of globalized economy and more sophisticated division of labor, a product may be associated with multiple countries in terms of its manufacture, brand, design, assembly, and head office, which further complicates the issue of country-of-origin effects.…”

“…Based on previous findings of country image’s influence on imported products (e.g. Chandrasen & Paliwoda, 2009; Ganideh, 2012; Samiee et al, 2016), it is hypothesized that all three components may affect people’s attitude and behavior related to Chinese products:…”