.............. ................................................................................................................................ v Publications......... ................................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures...................................................................................................... xi List of Tables .........................................................................................................xi Abbreviations............ ........................................................................................................................ xiii Chapter 1 – Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Research bachground ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Research problem, hypotheses/research issues and contributions ............................................ 2 1.2.1 Research problem .......................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Research objective......................................................................................................... 3 1.2.3 Theories and hypotheses ............................................................................................... 5 1.2.4 Research contribution .................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Justification for the research ..................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Research Methodology ........................................................................................................... 10 1.4.1 Data collection and procedure ..................................................................................... 11 1.4.2 Data analysis ............................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Definition of theoretical constructs ........................................................................................ 12 1.6 Delimitations of scope ............................................................................................................ 13 1.7 Structure of the thesis ............................................................................................................. 14 1.8 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2 – Research issues ................................................................................................................. 16 2.1 Identification theory and identification process ...................................................................... 18 2.1.1 Identification ............................................................................................................... 18 2.1.2 Social identity theory .................................................................................................. 22 2.1.3 Organisational identification ....................................................................................... 24 2.1.4 Brand identification ..................................................................................................... 26 2.2 Country of origin (COO) effects ............................................................................................ 28 2.2.1 Country of origin (COO) ............................................................................................. 28 2.2.2 Factors of COO effects ................................................................................................ 30 2.3 Branding ....................................................................................... . ..........38 2.3.1 Consumer based brand equity (CBE) .......................................................................... 40 2.3.2 Consumer based brand credibility (CBC) ................................................................... 45 2.3.3 Key brand choice concepts in the conceptual framework ........................................... 45 2.4 Country of origin effects and brand ........................................................................................ 46 2.4.1 Relative significance of COO and brand evaluation (CBC and CBE) ........................ 52 2.4.2 Brand image and country of origin effects .................................................................. 54 2.5 Gaps in the literature .............................................................................................................. 54 2.5.1 Gap 1: Lack of empirical research on positive consumer bias towards foreign brands .......................................................................................................................... 55 2.5.2 Gap 2: Lack of empirical research linking COO effects factors to brand evaluation .................................................................................................................... 55 2.6 Addressing the gaps in the literature ...................................................................................... 56 2.6.1 Focus on extending the meaning of the CIN concept .................................................. 57 2.6.2 Focus on linking COO effects factors to brand evaluation .......................................... 57 2.7 Conceptual model and hypotheses.......................................................................................... 58 2.7.1 Definitions of key variables ........................................................................................ 58 2.7.2 Development of conceptual model and hypotheses ................................................... 63 ix 2.7.3 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................. 64 2.8 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 73 Chapter 3 – Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 74 3.1 Overview of the research methodology .................................................................................. 74 3.1.1 Research design ........................................................................................................... 75 3.1.2 Research context decisions .......................................................................................... 76 3.2 Operationalisation................................................................................................................... 79 3.2.1 Consumer identification with a nation (CIN) .............................................................. 79 3.2.2 Consumer based country image (CCI) ........................................................................ 80 3.2.3 Consumer based brand credibility (CBC) ................................................................... 81 3.2.4 Consumer based brand equity (CBE) .......................................................................... 82 3.3 Data collection process ........................................................................................................... 83 3.3.1 Empirical study design ................................................................................................ 83 3.3.2 Data collection method ................................................................................................ 85 3.4 Questionnaire design .............................................................................................................. 86 3.4.1 Questionnaire design process ...................................................................................... 86 3.4.2 Pre-test ........................................................................................................................ 88 3.4.3 Main questionnaire design........................................................................................... 90 3.5 Data analysis ........................................................................................................................... 91 3.5.1 Overview of the SEM method ..................................................................................... 91 3.5.2 Data analysis procedure .............................................................................................. 93 3.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 101 Chapter 4 – Data analysis and model verification ............................................................................ 102 4.1 Details of responses to the questionnaire .............................................................................. 102 4.2 Details of the sample profile ................................................................................................. 103 4.3 Testing reliability and validity of the scales by Cronbach’s alpha and EFA ........................ 104 4.3.1 Reliability assessment of the scales ........................................................................... 104 4.3.2 Results of validity assessment of the scales: EFA ..................................................... 117 4.4 Results of testing measurement model by CFA .................................................................... 120 4.4.1 CFA results for the measurement model of CIN ....................................................... 120 4.4.2 CFA results for the measurement model of CCI ....................................................... 123 4.4.3 CFA results for the measurement mode