Partner Selection Strategies in Global Business Ecosystems: Country Images of the Keystone Company and Partner Companies on the Brand Quality Perception

Dongock Bang, Jiwon Lee and Matthew Minsuk Shin
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Dongock Bang: Department of International Trade, College of Social Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
Jiwon Lee: ELM Business School, HELP University, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia
Matthew Minsuk Shin: Department of International Trade, College of Social Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-12

Abstract: Consumers perceive brand quality from the country of origin of the brand. Global business ecosystems represent multiple countries such as the country of the keystone company and the country of the assembly companies. Thus, the brands of global business ecosystems have multiple countries of origin. This study aims to examine the impacts of the country images of the keystone company and assembly companies on consumers’ brand quality perceptions. In addition, depending on the assembly partner selection strategies of forming a global business ecosystem, the characteristics of the associated countries with the business ecosystem may change. The keystone company may select an assembly partner from a developing country or from a developed country. These two cases are compared to examine the impacts of the combined country images of the keystone and assembly companies. To do so, this study surveys Vietnamese consumers’ perceptions of the brand Hyundai Motor, the country images of South Korea as the country of the keystone company, India as the assembly partner from the developing country, and USA as the assembly partner from the developed country. The collected data were analyzed using a structural equations modeling method and results are discussed with theoretical and managerial implications.

Keywords: global business ecosystem; keystone country company; cognitive country image; affirmative country image; sustainability; downward and upward assembly (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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