ANIMOSITY AND PURCHASE INTENTION: HOW PERCEIVED QUALITY IMPACTS CONSUMERS' WILLINGNESS TO BUY, AS A MODERATING FACTOR

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the interactive effect of consumer animosity and perceived quality. More specifically, it is focused on measuring how consumers' attitudes and behavior toward a brand are affected by varying levels of both animosity (high and low) and product quality (high and low). Design/methodology/approach - A two-by-two experimental design was used for this study. The hypotheses of which was tested using a specific Japanese automobile brand among Chinese consumers. Findings - The analysis confirmed a strong interactive effect between consumer animosity and perceived quality: for a high-quality product, an insignificant effect of consumer animosity on product judgment and purchase intention was found. On the contrary, for a low-quality brand, a negative effect of consumer animosity on both of the same attitude and behavior variables was found. Research limitations/implications - Future research needs to study different types of products and samples to enhance the external validity of the findings. Real market data that records consumer animosity status over time needs to be examined to confirm the findings of the study. Practical implications - A managerial implication drawn from the study is: firms aiming to develop in an offending country need to downplay their country of origin, while communicating and stressing their-high quality and performance. Originality/value - The study is very original because it does not repeat any past research, but taps into a problem not previously investigated. The value of the study is very straightforward for brand and positioning managers.