En undersøgelse i bæredygtigheds indflydelse på Country of Origin image

Abstract

The purpose of the thesis is to study how Danish consumers perceive sustainability, and if it has an effect on how they rate the Country of Origin brand image of the USA. This is done by utilizing the three sustainability parameters, climate, social and financial, also known as the Triple Bottom Line. Furthermore, the paper aims to identify if Schwartz (1992) 10 basic human values and demographic variables can be used as moderating variables to explain the relationship.
From a post-positivist perspective, we test our hypotheses through quantitative statistical properties to find significance between the observed relations of sustainability and willingness to buy (WTB) products from USA. The formed hypothesizes are based on wide research of the literature on the field, as well as six semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, the moderating variable of human values are tested by Short Schwartz Value Survey, and demographic variables are tested through background variables.
None of the three sustainable parameters provide statistical support in explaining the relationship of sustainability and WTB products from USA. However, we categorize the social sustainability as a borderline significant increasing function to WTB products from USA. The results also show that the human value of universalism is moderating an increasing function between climate sustainability and WTB products from USA. Finally, women are moderating a more increasing function than men in the relationship of all three sustainability parameters and WTB products from USA.
The research can be used as a starting point in study of interrelatedness of sustainability and Country of Origin. Furthermore, it can with cautiousness be used by marketeers in relation to involve the findings in practice.