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1 – 5 of 5Chih-Pin Lin, Chi-Jui Huang, Hsin-Mei Lin and Cheng-Min Chuang
Country of origin has profound effects on consumer behavior; yet few studies have examined an antecedent of these effects: why some countries enjoy a positive image while others…
Abstract
Purpose
Country of origin has profound effects on consumer behavior; yet few studies have examined an antecedent of these effects: why some countries enjoy a positive image while others suffer a negative one. Developing an institutional theory of country image, the authors argue that weak legal institutions at the country level increase firm opportunistic behavior that expropriates consumers and decrease the product quality of local brands, thus decreasing the country’s image regarding its products and brands.
Design/methodology/approach
This study measures country image for products and brands using the number of valuable brands (i.e. brands included in the top 500 brands from 2008 to 2016) in a particular home country. Data concerning the rule of law in each country come from the World Bank, and data on the efficiency of countries’ judicial systems comes from Djankov et al. (2007). We also collect patent data from the US Patent and Trade Office, national culture from Hofstede Insights and GDP and GDP per capita from the World Bank as control variables. Panel Poisson regression, Tobit regression and truncated regression are used in the analyses.
Findings
Supporting the institutional theory of country image, both the rule of law and efficiency of the judicial systems show positive and significant effects on country image, even when economy size (GDP), degree of economic development (GDP per capita), level of technology and skill (patents) and culture are controlled.
Practical implications
To improve their country’s image and the brand value of local firms, policymakers should strive to strengthen legal institutions aimed at punishing firm opportunistic behavior in their countries.
Originality/value
Previous research on the country-of-origin effect has not yet appreciated the role of legal institutions in developing the construct of country image.
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Keywords
Chih-Pin Lin and Tse-Ping Dong
Although recent models of place branding have proposed culture as a crucial element in establishing a strong place or nation brand, the way in which cultural products influence…
Abstract
Purpose
Although recent models of place branding have proposed culture as a crucial element in establishing a strong place or nation brand, the way in which cultural products influence the brand equity of other products from the same nation has not yet been studied. This study aims to argue that when a nation has strong legal institutions, as perceived by investors and managers, it offers fertile soil for cultivating cultural products that, when exported, can act as “cultural ambassadors,” promoting the country image in the minds of consumers and the value of the country's brands.
Design/methodology/approach
Exports of cultural products are provided by UNESCO. Valuable brands are those that brand finance included in its global top 500 most valuable brands list. The rule of law is provided by the World Bank. Panel regression models are used.
Findings
Supporting the hypotheses, exports of cultural products show positive effects on the value of brands from that country, and the rule of law shows positive effects on exports of cultural products.
Practical implications
Policymakers could improve the brand value of local firms by promoting exports of cultural products. To do so, policymakers should initiate judicial reforms that strengthen the rule of law to protect contracts and property rights.
Originality/value
This study examines the hitherto underexplored effects that a country's cultural product exports have on the brand value of firms from that country. Most prior research has focused on factors affecting imports of cultural products.
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Chih-Pin Lin and Cheng-Min Chuang
Although multinational enterprises (MNEs) based in emerging economies arose quickly during the past decade, most of these firms lack marketing capabilities and strong brands…
Abstract
Purpose
Although multinational enterprises (MNEs) based in emerging economies arose quickly during the past decade, most of these firms lack marketing capabilities and strong brands. Emerging-economy MNEs that have tried to build their own brands have been largely unsuccessful. The purpose of this paper is to argue that corruption in the MNEs’ home countries has been detrimental to their brand values. Corruption makes it more difficult for consumers to govern their transactions with local firms, thus decreasing firms’ trustworthiness and brand values.
Design/methodology/approach
Data of the global top 500 most valuable brands of 2008 and 2014 and the Poisson regression model are used.
Findings
This study finds that firms based in countries with lower levels of corruption establish more valuable brands than those based in countries with higher corruption, even when GDP and GDP per capita are controlled.
Practical implications
Policymakers who want to help local firms increase their marketing capabilities and establish strong brands should strive to increase the trustworthiness of local firms by undertaking anti-corruption reforms aimed at protecting consumers.
Originality/value
Few studies have address the research question that why emerging-market MNEs lack marketing capabilities and strong brands. This study finds that institutional factors such as corruption at country level prevent them from establishing strong brands.
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Although existing partial theories contribute to scholarly understanding of strategic alliances, the lack of a comprehensive framework to explain strategic alliances is…
Abstract
Purpose
Although existing partial theories contribute to scholarly understanding of strategic alliances, the lack of a comprehensive framework to explain strategic alliances is unfortunate. The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated framework for maker‐buyer strategic alliance performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the concept of embeddedness developed by Granovetter, this paper argues that maker‐buyer alliances are economic actions intended to pursue synergies; meanwhile, these economic actions are embedded in social contexts.
Findings
This paper argues that the economic goal of firms entering alliances is to combine their complementary resources to create synergies. To achieve this goal, managers must efficiently manage the economic problems associated with such alliances, including searching for partners with complementary resources, allocating value‐added activities correctly, establishing efficient interorganizational routines, and introducing proper governance structures. Furthermore, alliances are embedded in their social contexts. Firms are constrained by their specific social environments and behave accordingly, impacting their performance. It is difficult for firms to modify the contexts in which they are embedded without strong strategic intent. The social contexts in which firms are embedded may also be sources of sustainable competitive advantage or disadvantage.
Research limitations/implications
Several managerial implications and future research directions are presented.
Originality/value
This study, by integrating economic and sociological theories into a framework and focusing on maker‐buyer alliances, depicts not only the full picture but also the necessary details of maker‐buyer alliances for scholars and practical managers.
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Radha Subramanyam, Y. Adline Jancy and P. Nagabushanam
Cross-layer approach in media access control (MAC) layer will address interference and jamming problems. Hybrid distributed MAC can be used for simultaneous voice, data…
Abstract
Purpose
Cross-layer approach in media access control (MAC) layer will address interference and jamming problems. Hybrid distributed MAC can be used for simultaneous voice, data transmissions in wireless sensor network (WSN) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Choosing the correct objective function in Nash equilibrium for game theory will address fairness index and resource allocation to the nodes. Game theory optimization for distributed may increase the network performance. The purpose of this study is to survey the various operations that can be carried out using distributive and adaptive MAC protocol. Hill climbing distributed MAC does not need a central coordination system and location-based transmission with neighbor awareness reduces transmission power.
Design/methodology/approach
Distributed MAC in wireless networks is used to address the challenges like network lifetime, reduced energy consumption and for improving delay performance. In this paper, a survey is made on various cooperative communications in MAC protocols, optimization techniques used to improve MAC performance in various applications and mathematical approaches involved in game theory optimization for MAC protocol.
Findings
Spatial reuse of channel improved by 3%–29%, and multichannel improves throughput by 8% using distributed MAC protocol. Nash equilibrium is found to perform well, which focuses on energy utility in the network by individual players. Fuzzy logic improves channel selection by 17% and secondary users’ involvement by 8%. Cross-layer approach in MAC layer will address interference and jamming problems. Hybrid distributed MAC can be used for simultaneous voice, data transmissions in WSN and IoT applications. Cross-layer and cooperative communication give energy savings of 27% and reduces hop distance by 4.7%. Choosing the correct objective function in Nash equilibrium for game theory will address fairness index and resource allocation to the nodes.
Research limitations/implications
Other optimization techniques can be applied for WSN to analyze the performance.
Practical implications
Game theory optimization for distributed may increase the network performance. Optimal cuckoo search improves throughput by 90% and reduces delay by 91%. Stochastic approaches detect 80% attacks even in 90% malicious nodes.
Social implications
Channel allocations in centralized or static manner must be based on traffic demands whether dynamic traffic or fluctuated traffic. Usage of multimedia devices also increased which in turn increased the demand for high throughput. Cochannel interference keep on changing or mitigations occur which can be handled by proper resource allocations. Network survival is by efficient usage of valid patis in the network by avoiding transmission failures and time slots’ effective usage.
Originality/value
Literature survey is carried out to find the methods which give better performance.
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