Partitioned country of origin effect on consumer behavior: a meta-analytic review of empirical evidence
(R2020-84077)

AUTHORS

Alessandro De Nisco, University of International Studies of Rome - UNINT; Stephen Oduro, University of International Studies of Rome - UNINT

KEYWORDS

country of origin; partitioned country of origin; meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

This study proposes a quantitative assessment of the results of research on partitioned country of origin using a meta-analysis. The authors systematically reviewed a total of 81 independent samples in 64 empirical papers published in the last 30 years, involving 25,483 respondents and 1,239 effect sizes, to assess: a) the overall effect of selected COO sub-components (country of assembly, country of brand, country of design, country of manufacture, and country of parts) on product evaluation, brand evaluation, and purchase intentions; and b) the effect of selected methodological and theoretical characteristics of the studies (e.g., number of cues, sampling procedure, product type, study design, etc.) on the variance of the results. Findings reveal that partitioned country of origin dimensions have a positive, significant influence on consumer behavior in terms of product evaluation, brand evaluation, and purchase decision. The study contributes to the advancement of COO research by facilitating empirical and quantitative assessments of the theoretical and methodological shortcomings that affect the relevance and generalizability of this field of study, identifying and proposing potential avenues for further research.