How can High Quality Gain a Favorable Reputation in International Markets?—The Ethical Quality Strategy for Place Brand on Basis of Moral Legitimacy
In international business,the high quality in the economic dimension could not always lead to a favorable international reputa-tion.How to build a high quality in the ethical dimension has become a practical issue to address in order to gain a favorable reputation in international markets.This study,based on the theory of moral legitimacy,investigates the relationships among ethical quality strategy for place brand,place brand reputation,and host country's consumer acceptance.The empirical results from 967 valid sample respondents who have purchased foreign place brand products indicate that each of the ethical quality strategies for place brand(ideal quality confor-mation,value quality selection,and image quality manipulation)has positive effects on place brand reputation.The relative predictabili-ty of these dimensions on place brand reputation also falls into a particular order:Value quality selection is most predictable,followed by image quality manipulation,and then ideal quality conformation.In addition,place warmth and economic development level have differ-ent moderating effects on the influence of ethical quality strategy on place brand reputation.Finally,place brand reputation has a positive effect on host country's consumer acceptance.These results altogether provide valuable insights into the effect of ethical quality strategies on place brand reputation,which encourages place brand managers to be collaboratively involved in ethical quality strategies in interna-tional markets.
place brandethical quality strategiesbrand reputationhost country's consumer acceptancemoral legitimacy
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