Comparison of Brazil Image from the application of two different scales: A study with british consumers about Brazil

Author(s)

Isadora Bacha Lopes

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2011-09-30

Examining board members

Janaina de Moura Engracia Giraldi; Eduardo André Teixeira Ayrosa; Dirceu Tornavoi de Carvalho

• Advisor: Janaina de Moura Engracia Giraldi

Abstract

The increasing trend towards free trade and the high rate at which national economies are becoming global, has shown an increase in the importance of the country image contruct, since, for many authors, the image impacts the way in which consumers evaluate the products manufactured in different countries and thus influences their buying behavior. However, in the literature, there is divergence regarding the concept. For many authors, despite the knowledge about its importance, there is no consensus on how to conceptualize and operationalize the construct. Thus, there is no systematic analysis of existing concepts, and no best way to operationalize them. Thus, this study aims to determine whether different forms of measurement of the \"country image\" construct would lead to similar results. For this, we compared two scales used to measure the image of the country of origin, to verify, empirically, the behavior of these scales, since they are owned by the same theoretical basis and thus contribute to a deeper discussion, regarding the reliability and validity of studies on country image. Although there are many articles about the image of the world countries, Brazil was the focus of few of such studies. Thus, this work also has aimed to measure the image of Brazil. This country is the largest holder of agricultural trade balance of the world and has a history of surplus. So, we intend to observe which is the image of Brazil in relation to British consumers, who were chosen for their relevance in international trade, while it is ranking fourth among the main importing countries of agricultural products in the world. Survey method was applied, and the research is characterized as being quantitative and 223 questionnaires were collected, with students of the Royal Agricultural College, located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire in England. To compare the scales, Pisharodi and Parameswaran (1992) scales and Nebenzahl, Jaffe and Usunier (2003) scales were grouped. As a result, five dimensions (specific product attributes, people facet, interaction facet, desirable product attributes and undesirable product attributes) were obtained for the Pisharodi and Parameswaran (1992) scale, and the scale of Nebenzahl, Jaffe and Usunier (2003) obtained 3 dimensions (underdog, quality and satisfaction seeker and economic value seeker). A negative image of Brazil was observerd using the Pisharodi and Parameswaran (1992) scale and for the Nebenzahl, Jaffe and Usunier (2003) scales a positive image of Brazil was seen. With these results, yet, a non-hierarchical cluster analysis was made, forcing two clusters for each scale and again there was a difference in the results, since the respondents were grouped differently in each scale, which means that a person who was framed in the cluster of negative image in Pisharodi and Parameswaran (1992) scale was framed in another cluster of positive image in Nebenzahl, Jaffe and Usunier (2003) scale. Thus, comparing the scales, 61% of people were not framed the same way by the cluster and we had to reject the initial hypothesis of the work, that the result of applying two diferent scales would be similar. The research contributed to the advancement of gaps in the discussion on the country image theory, and provides information that may be useful both to marketers and government officials, aimed at strengthening the image of Brazil. The limitations of the work may be cited: the comparison of only two scales of the literature, the length of the questionnaire and the focus given only to Brazil. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/04506-0 - Comparison among three scales for measuring the country-of-origin effect: a study with English consumers in relation to Brazilian fresh fruits
• Grantee: Isadora Bacha Lopes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master