Content area
Full Text
Introduction
The effect of country of origin (COO) on product image has been extensively studied in the COO literature, and recently attention has also been placed on the influence of the COO on corporate image (e.g. [29] Bernstein, 1984; [22] Balmer and Gray, 2000). Yet the other side of the relationship, i.e. the influence that corporate image can wield on the image of the COO (hereafter, country image) has rarely been researched. Filling this gap is important, both in relation to theory and practice. Scholars note that when corporate communication activities endorse a link between the corporate brand and its COO, associations are likely to transfer from the corporate image to the image that individuals hold for the COO ([64] Dowling, 1994; [155] Olins, 1999; [10] Anholt, 2000; [65] Dowling, 2001; [200] Van Ham, 2001; [42] Cerviño, 2002; [139] Melewar and Bains, 2002; [12] Anholt, 2003; [115] Keller, 2003; [17] Balabanis and Diamantopoulos, 2008; [60] Dinnie, 2008). [10] Anholt (2000; [12] 2003), for instance, argues that the image that an individual holds of a corporate brand may improve or even change the image of its COO. However, our understanding of this influence remains limited and emphasis on theory development is therefore necessary ([60] Dinnie, 2008). Focussing on practice, governments are, more than ever before, concerned about managing the image of their countries ([200] Van Ham, 2001) to enable differentiation, and increase tourism, inward investment and exports ([125] Kotler et al. , 1999; [155] Olins, 1999; [123] Kotler and Gertner, 2002; [159] Papadopoulos, 2004). Understanding the positive or negative influence that the image of corporate brands can exert on their COO's image and the factors that are likely to affect this is, therefore, important for tourism boards, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and other organisations that drive nation branding efforts ([14] Anholt, 2007). Associating a country with corporate brands that consumers hold favourable images for, may serve as a source of favourable associations for nation branding initiatives.
Our paper aims to review studies in product, corporate and place branding, as well as image transfer and COO literature, to conceptualise the influence of corporate image on country image and also identify antecedents and variables that potentially moderate this influence. The resulting conceptual framework attempts to open the black...