The effect of the product’s country-of-origin and Polish, Ukrainian and Romanian consumers’ purchasing decisions

Elżbieta Wolanin-Jarosz

The effect of the product’s

country-of-origin and Polish,

Ukrainian and Romanian consumers’

purchasing decisions

Problemy Zarządzania, Finansów i Marketingu 35, 281-294

2014

ZESZYTY NAUKOWE UNIWERSYTETU SZCZECIŃSKIEGO

NR 824 PROBLEMY ZARZĄDZANIA, FINANSÓW I MARKETINGU NR 35 2014

E L Ż B IE T A W O L A N IN -JA R O S Z

T h e State H ig h e r S chool o f T e c h n o lo g y an d E c o n o m ic s in J a ro s ła w 1

THE EFFECT OF THE PRODUCT’S COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN

AND POLISH, UKRAINIAN AND ROMANIAN

CONSUMERS’ PURCHASING DECISIONS

Summary

The results of empirical research have been presented in the paper. Their main aim was to determine attitudes and preferences of Polish, Ukrainian and Romanian consumers in relation to the products’ country-of-origin. The main source material was achieved thanks to direct inter­ views conducted in three cities: Rzeszów (Poland), Iwano-Frankowsk (Ukraine) and Oradea (Romania), on the sample of 1200 respondents (400 people in every city). The questionnaire was used as a measuring tool. The presented analyses showed that, among others, the effect of a prod­ uct’s country-of-origin is not a factor which decides about purchasing a certain good in the opi­ nion of Polish, Ukrainian and Romanian consumers. Nevertheless, the respondents in their market choices pay attention to the following criterion. Moreover, the people who took part in the ques­ tionnaire unambiguously said that the most important features describing domestic products were: high quality and ecology; however foreign products were described in terms of modernity and conformity with fashion.

Keywords: the effect of the product’s country-of-origin, consumer, the Poland-Ukraine-Romania empirical research

Introduction

D e v e lo p m e n t o f th e in te rn a tio n a l co m m o d ity e x c h a n g e , e c o n o m y g lo b a liz a ­ tio n an d p ro c e e d in g in te g ra tin g p ro c e sse s c a u se d , th a t th e m a rk e t b e c a m e an a re n a o f stro n g , c o m p e titiv e fig h t. M o st o f th e m e th o d s o f co m p e titio n m ean s b e tw e e n its p a rtic ip a n ts, is c o n c e n tra tin g aro u n d m a rk e tin g a c tio n s an d stra te ­ g ies, w h ic h re fe r to a c o n su m e r. T he m a rk e t su ccess o f a c o m p a n y d e p en d s

however, on constantly updated knowledge about consumers’ behavior, espe­

cially concerning the identification of factors, which influence the final buying

decisions of an individual and dependencies, which appear between them.

Consumers’ behavior, above of all the decision making processes of buyers,

in the conditions of the developed market, are extraordinarily complex issues.

Consumers follow many criteria in their choices, which are connected to their

internal conditions (motives, attitudes, perception, experience, ability to search

and absorb information, etc.) and widely understood external factors (reference

group, existing value system, information coming directly from media, mecha­

nisms and institutions ruling modern economy, and other stimuli coming from

the environment). Present trends in consumption and more general phenomena

such as consumption globalization or a contrary tendency - consumer ethnocen-

trism, belong to the rules, which govern people’s behavior. Consumption glo­

balization means spreading identical or similar consumption patterns in transna­

tional scale and creating global consumption culture. Consumer ethnocentrism

in turn, is a reaction to a fast progressing globalization and means consequent

and aware preferences of domestic products in relations to the foreign ones.

Crucial influence on consumers’ buying decisions, especially at times of eco­

nomic crisis, has also so called the effect of the country’s product origin. In

general understanding, this phenomenon means the influence of the country

where the product is from (especially its image) on the assessment done by the

products (or brands) consumers who come from a given country. Often enough,

the image of the country, where the product comes from, can dominate the as­

sessment of the product itself and finally solve the dilemmas connected to the

purchase.

The aim of the present publication is to conduct a wide diagnosis of Polish,

Ukrainian and Romanian consumers’ attitudes and preferences in relations to

the country of products’ origin. A particular attention has been paid to the iden­

tification of domestic and foreign products’ features, which served to define

both products’ categories and naming the factors of domestic and foreign prod­

ucts choices.

In order to achieve the above mentioned aims, the first part of the paper has

been dedicated to the discussion about the theoretical aspects, so called the ef­

fect of the country of origin and consumer ethnocentrism. In the subsequent

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

part, h o w e v e r, m eth o d o lo g ic a l asp e c ts an d th e resu lts o f d ire c t re se a rc h hav e b e e n p re se n te d .2

The effect of a product’s country-of-origin - the essence of the phenomenon

T h e p h e n o m e n o n o f th e e ffe c t o f a p ro d u c t’s c o u n try -o f-o rig in is d e fin e d as a n e g a tiv e o r p o sitiv e in flu e n c e o f th e c o u n try im ag e, w h e re th e p ro d u c t w as m a n u fa c tu re d (th a t is a g e n e ra l c o n cep ts a n d o p in io n s a b o u t a g iv e n c o u n try ), o n th e a sse ssm e n t o f th is p ro d u c t b y a c o n su m e r an d fin al c o n s u m e rs ’ p u rch ase d e c isio n s.3 T h is c o n c e p t ca n h av e d iffe re n t b ases: ratio n al, affectiv e a n d n o rm a ­ tiv e. T he ra tio n a l b ase is k n o w le d g e a b o u t th e p o ssib ilitie s an d ex p e rie n c e o f a g iv e n c o u n try in m a n u fa c tu rin g o f a c e rta in c a te g o ry o f p ro d u cts. T he p u r ­ c h a se rs sh o w p o sitiv e attitu d e s w h e n th e y b u y p ro d u c ts, m a in ly in re la tio n to th e q u a lity o f th e g o o d s. A ffe c tiv e b a sis, in tu rn , is c o n n e c te d to a sy m b o lic and e m o tio n a l v a lu e w h ic h is fo llo w e d b y in fo rm a tio n a b o u t th e c o u n try -o f-o rig in o f th e p ro d u c t (p o ssessin g a p ro d u c t fro m a g iv e n c o u n try is o fte n c o n n e c te d to n ic e m e m o rie s o r e x p erien ces). It also h a p p e n s th a t th e c o n s u m e rs ’ p re fe re n ce s, in re la tio n to th e p ro d u c ts, w h ic h co m e fro m a g iv e n c o u n try , re su lt fro m the c e rta in p e rso n a l o r so cial n o rm s (fo r ex am p le w e do n o t b u y an y p ro d u c ts w h ere h u m a n rig h ts are ab u se d ).4

It is w o rth m en tio n in g a t th is p o in t th a t in p re s e n t m a rk e t c o n d itio n s - rich su p p ly o ffer, as fa r as q u a n tity an d a sso rtm e n t are c o n cern ed , c o n s u m e rs ’ p u r­ ch ase d ec isio n s are e x tre m e ly d ifficu lt. A p u rc h a se r u s u a lly c h o o se s th e p ro d ­ u cts, ac c o rd in g to h is o r h e r o w n ex p e rie n c e, k n o w le d g e an d in fo rm a tio n fro m th e p ro d u c e rs. In fo rm a tio n c o n n e c te d to th e c o u n try w h e re th e p ro d u c t co m es fro m , are u su a lly p re se n te d in the fo llo w in g w ay: a p ro d u c e r’s ad d ress, a n e x ­ p re ssio n “m ad e i n . . . ” , a b a r co d e, n a tio n a l q u a lity sy m b o ls, a la n g u ag e o f th e p ro d u c t d esc rip tio n , a b ra n d o r an a d v e rtise m e n t (the m o st fre q u e n tly a d v e rtis­ in g slo g a n )5.

It is o fte n o b se rv e d th a t th e co m p a n ie s u se ta c tic s to d eceiv e co n su m ers. T h e y m a n ip u la te th e b ra n d a n d a d v e rtise m e n t in th e ir m a rk e tin g stra te g ie s in o rd e r to su g g e st th e b u y e rs th a t th e p ro d u c t co m es fro m a d iffe re n t c o u n try th a n

2 The research has been financed from the budget means on study in the years 2010-2014 as a research project.

3 G. Elliott, R. Cameron, Consumer perception o f product quality and the country o f origin ef­

fect, “Journal of International Marketing” 1994, No. 2, pp. 49-62.

4 K. Liczmańska, Efekt kraju pochodzenia produktu a decyzje nabywcze konsumentów sektora

alkoholi wysokoprocentowych, http:// www.kpsw.edu.pl/menu/pobierz/RE3 (28.10.2013).

5 A. Figiel, Etnocentryzm konsumencki. Produkty krajowe czy zagraniczne, PWE, Warszawa 2004, p. 32.

it re ally does. In th is case, th e m a rk e tin g sp e c ia lists m u st in clu d e th e fa c t th a t th e in flu en ce o f th e co u n try -o f-o rig in o f th e p ro d u c t o n c o n s u m e rs ’ b u y in g b e ­ h a v io r ca n b e p o sitiv e o r n e g ativ e a n d u su a lly d e p en d s o n th e c a te g o ry o f th e p ro d u c ts assessed . F o r e x am p le, th e C h in ese a c c e p t th e su p e rio rity o f th e J a p a ­ n ese p ro d u c ts, b u t th e y do n o t b u y th e m b e c a u se o f th e ev en ts in th e p ast. T he in h a b ita n ts o f m o st o f th e E u ro p e a n co u n trie s ap p re c ia te F re n c h p e rfu m e s an d fa sh io n , h o w e v e r, n o t n e c e ssa rily w o rk o rg a n iz a tio n .6 O n th e P o lish m ark et, th e re are m a n y b ra n d s, w h ic h seem to be fo re ig n o n es b e c a u se o f th e ir n am e, fo r e x am p le c lo th es co m p a n ie s like L av ard , R ese rv e d , M o n n a ri o r th e sh o es c o m ­ p a n y G in o R ossi.

It is w o rth m e n tio n in g , th a t in th e o p in io n o f m a rk e t a n aly tics, th e im p o rta n t re se a rc h p ro b le m is th e c o rre c t an d d e ta ile d d e fin itio n o f th e c o u n try w h e re the p ro d u c t w as p ro d u c e d .7 T ra d itio n a l d iv isio n in to d o m e stic an d fo re ig n p ro d u c ts h a s b e e n d istu rb ed . T h e g lo b a liz a tio n , in te rn a tio n a l c o o p e ra tio n p ro c e sse s, flo w o f c a p ital, th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f d iffe re n t ty p e s o f so lu tio n s b e tw e e n c o m p an ies, as w e ll as th e w o rk in g force flo w , cau se th e “in te rn a tio n a liz a tio n ” o f th e p ro d ­ u c ts, w h ic h m a k e s d iffic u lt to u n a m b ig u o u sly esta b lish th e c o u n try w h e re th e p ro d u c t is from . T ak in g into co n sid e ra tio n th e a b o v e, th e ex te n d e d d e fin itio n o f th e p ro d u c t’s co u n try -o f-o rig in , p ro p o se d b y T. S ikora, is w o rth qu o tin g . A c ­ c o rd in g to it “ [ ...] it is a n in flu e n c e o f th e c o u n try an d its in h a b ita n ts ’ im age a n d attitu d e s to w a rd s th e m to im ag e, a ttitu d es an d b e h a v io r (as w ell as p u rc h a s ­ in g an d o th e r - a d v isin g , ad v isin g a g ain st, b o y c o ttin g , etc.), w h ic h re fe r to the g o o d s a n d b ra n d s m a n u fa c tu re d in th e c o u n try o r a sso c ia te d w ith it.”8 T he e x ­ p re ssio n “o r a sso c ia te d w ith it” su g g ests th e re se a rc h o f th e p ro d u c t’s c o u n try - o f-o rig in in th e ex p lo ra tio n a l w ay , a n d n o t - as it h as b e e n so fa r - in fo rm in g th e re sp o n d e n ts a b o u t a c e rta in c o u n try o r ta k in g fo r g ra n te d th a t th e c o n su m e r p o sse sse s th is k n o w le d g e .9 In tu rn , A . F ig ie l d e scrib es a d o m e stic p ro d u c t in th e fo llo w in g w ay: “in th e c o n d itio n s o f th e la c k o f u n a m b ig u o u s d iv isio n s crite ria b a se d o n th e id e n tity o f th e c re a tio n p la c e , th e cap ital p o sse ssio n , th e o rig in o r ra w m a terials an d w o rk fo rc e , it sh o u ld be a c c e p ted th a t th e 100% d o m estic p ro d u c t is th e o n e, w h ic h w as p ro d u c e d in th e c o u n try a n d b y th e co m p an y ,

6 S. Sneiderbaur, Country o f origin, “Journal of Brand Management” 2009, Vol. 6, Issue 3/4, pp. 63-74.

7 T Sikora, Znaczenie efektu kraju pochodzenia dla komunikacji w biznesie międzynarodowym, Research Bulletin SGH, 2008, http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.dl- catalog-0cd15285-d35d-4d2a-abdd-1ebe567e0aa2?q=515ac855-8fe9-41d4-8bce-

26d40c8de222$1 &qt=IN_PAGE (14.10.2013). 8 Ibidem.

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

w h e re th e sh a re h o ld e rs are d o m e stic su b jects, d o n e fro m d o m e stic ra w m a te ria ls an d b y th e d o m e stic w o rk fo rc e .” 10 11 H e d e fin e s a fo re ig n p ro d u c t in a sim ila r w a y . In re a lity a 1 0 0 % d o m e stic o r fo re ig n p ro d u ct, w h ic h co m es fro m one c o u n try d o es n o t ex ist. T h ere p ro d u cts, h o w e v e r, w h ic h are c o n sid e re d m o re o r less d o m estic.

C o n su m e r e th n o c e n trism c a n b e c o n sid e re d as a sp ecial case o f th e c o u n try - o f-o rig in effect. T .A . S him p a n d S. S h arm a d e fin e th is te rm as “a b e lie f sh ared b y c o n su m e rs a b o u t th e o b lig a tio n an d m o ra lity to b u y d o m e stic p ro d u c ts ” .11 C o n su m e rs’ e th n o c e n tric b e h a v io r co n c e rn s d e c isio n s c o n n e c te d to th e ch o ice, p u rc h a se a n d use o f d o m e stic p ro d u cts. C o n su m e r e th n o c e n trism h a s th e fo l­ lo w in g fe a tu re s.12. F irstly , it d e riv e s fro m th e c o n c e rn a b o u t o n e ’s o w n c o u n try an d fo r fe a r o f th e c o n tro l lo ss o v e r th e eco n o m y , w h ic h ca n be c a u se d b y im ­ p o rt. S eco n d ly , it co n ta in s m o tiv e s e n c o u ra g in g sto p p in g p u rc h a sin g p ro d u c ts w h ic h com e fro m a b ro ad . F o r co n su m e rs, w h o sh o w h ig h e th n o c e n tric level, b u y in g fo re ig n p ro d u c ts is n o t o n ly a n e c o n o m ic a l m a tte r, b u t it creates m o ral p ro b le m s to o . M o ral in v o lv e m e n t c a u ses th a t co n su m e rs, in ex trem e c a se s, p u r­ ch ase d o m e stic p ro d u c ts, ev en th o u g h th e ir q u a lity is m u c h lo w e r th a n the q u a lity o f im p o rte d p ro d u cts. T h ird ly , it c a n b e a ssu m e d th a t th e c o n su m e r eth - n o c e n trism lev el is a su m o f te n d e n c ie s o f in d iv id u als w h o are p a rt o f a g iv e n so cial g ro u p .13

The research methodology

A s it h as a lre a d y b e e n m e n tio n e d , th e resu lts o f e m p iric a l re se a rc h h av e b e e n p re se n te d in th e p ap er. T h e ir m a in b a sic aim h a s b e e n a d ia g n o sis o f P o lish , U k ra in ia n an d R o m a n ia n c o n s u m e rs ’ a ttitu d es a n d p re fe re n ce s in re la ­ tio n to th e p ro d u c ts ’ c o u n try -o f-o rig in . T he p a rtic u la r a tte n tio n h as b e e n p a id to:

- d efin in g c o n s u m e rs ’ b u y in g h a b its to w a rd s d o m e stic an d fo re ig n p ro d ­ u cts,

- id e n tific a tio n o f d o m e stic an d fo re ig n p ro d u c ts ’ fe a tu re s, w h ic h served to id e n tify b o th p ro d u c t c ateg o ries,

10 A. Figiel, Etnocentryzm..., p. 89. 11 Ibidem.

12 A. Szromnik, A. Figiel, Etnocentryzm konsumencki jako bariera rozwoju i wymiany towaro­

wej, in: Wybrane problemy handlu międzynarodowego, Wyd. Akademii Ekonomicznej, Kraków

1997, pp. 129-140.

13 E. Wolanin-Jarosz, Ethnocentric tendencies o f Polish, Hungarian and Ukrainian consumers

- the comparative analysis on the basis o f direct researches, in: Economy Studies. La Societe de

L’information. Perspective Europeenne et Globale, ed. C. Martin, M. Jaciow, Research Bulletin of University of Economy in Katowice, Katowice 2013, No. 151, pp. 13-15.

- d istin c tio n o f facto rs, w h ic h d ecid e a b o u t th e c h o ice o f d o m e stic and fo re ig n p ro d u cts.

T h e m a in so u rce m a te ria l h as b e e n a c h ie v e d th a n k s to th e d ire c t in terv iew s c o n d u c te d in th re e cities, w h ic h b e lo n g to K a rp a c k i E u ro re g io n : R z e sz ó w (P o ­ la n d ), Iw a n o -F ra n k o w sk (U k rain e) an d O ra d e a (R o m a n ia ).14 T h e in terv iew s w ere d one fro m D e c e m b e r 2011 to A p ril 20 1 2 . T h e re se a rc h sam p le in c lu d e d 1200 re sp o n d e n ts15 (4 0 0 p e o p le in e v e ry c ity ), q u o ta w ay. T h e q u o ta s w e re - g e n d e r, age an d ed u catio n . T h e su rv ey q u e stio n n a ire , w h ic h in c lu d e d q u estio n s c o n fo rm e d to th e rese a rc h aim s, w as u se d as a m e a su rin g to o l.

T h e p ro c e ss o f c o lle c tin g d a ta h a d tw o p h a se s. T he first one in c lu d e d th e p i­ lo t rese a rc h - 70 re sp o n d en ts. It w as d o n e to c h e c k th e e ffic ie n c y o f th e m e a s u r­ in g to o l effe c tiv en e ss. In th e seco n d p h ase, in tu rn , th e p ro p e r re se a rc h w as d o n e. A s a resu lt, th e an sw ers fro m 1183 re sp o n d e n ts w e re collected .

T h e g a th e re d re se a rc h m a te ria l, a fte r th e p re v io u s re d u c tio n , w as u se d to create a d atab ase. T he su rv e y re su lts w ere e la b o ra te d w ith th e u se o f S T A T IS T IC A 7.0. p ro g ra m m e , w h ic h w a s u se d to ta b a n d cla ssify th e c o lle c ­ tio n o f th e data, m a in ly b a se d o n th e scalin g p ro cess. It sh o u ld be m e n tio n e d at th is p o in t th a t in th e p re se n t w o rk , th e a u th o r c o n c e n tra ted o n th e a c h ie v e d re ­ su lts an d th e ir in terp retatio n , o m ittin g th e p ro fo u n d m eth o d o lo g ic a l d e sc rip ­ tio n s, c o n d u c te d an a ly se s, w h ic h are th e su b je c t o f d e ta ile d ex p la n a tio n in the lite ra tu re fro m th e ran g e o f statistics a n d e c o n o m etrics.

The product’s country-of-origin effect research - the empirical data analysis

In th e d a ta an a ly sis ach ie v e d fro m th e d ire c t su rv ey s, c o n d u c te d am o n g th e P o lish , U k ra in ia n an d R o m a n ia n re sp o n d e n ts, th e sta tistic a l te s t m e th o d w as m a in ly u sed . In case o f th e fe a tu re s, w h ic h w ere n o m in a l in c h a racter, th e a n a l­ y sis w as b a se d on th e p e rc e n ta g e d isp e n sa tio n o f th e a n sw e rs in c o m p a re d c o u n ­ trie s a n d a sse ssm e n t o f d iffe re n c es b e tw e e n th e m w ith th e u se o f in d e p e n d e n ­

14 In Rzeszów, the direct interviews have been conducted by the authors of the article. The cho­ sen respondents answered the questions. In turn, in Iwano Frankowsk, the research was done by the research workers and students of the Higher School of Socio-Information Technologies in Tarnopol, under dr A. Goszczyński’s direction. However, in Oradea , the empirical material has been gathered by the team of research workers and the students from the Department of Universi­ ty of Economy in Oradea under Prof, dr F. Stefanescu’s direction.

15 The size of the sample complies with the requirements of the representative nature. It has been calculated on the basis of the formula: n= —-— 2 a ; where П= population proportion, E =

E

permissible mistake, Z2=the number of standard deviations. Por. S. Mynarski, Praktyczne meto­

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

cies o f th e ch i-sq u a re te s t.16 H o w e v e r, in re la tio n to th e featu res, w h ic h hav e o rd in a l c h a ra c te r (w h ere 5 -d eg ree o r 7 -d eg ree ad je c tiv e scale w as u s e d m o st fre q u e n tly ), th e av erag e sco rin g in c o m p a re d g ro u p s w a s c a lc u la ted a n d th e sig n ifican ce o f d iffe re n c es b e tw e e n th e m w ith th e u se o f K ru sk a l-W a llis te s t17 h as b e e n assessed .

T h e re se a rc h re su lts p re se n te d in th e tab le 1 c o n c e rn e d th e a sse ssm e n t o f th e im p o rta n c e o f th e ch o se n facto rs, w h ic h d ecid e a b o u t th e ch o ice o f ch o se n co n su m p tio n p ro d u c t g ro u p s: fo o d , c lo th es, fla t am e n itie s an d articles co n n e c te d to sp o rt, cu ltu re an d leisu re. T he an sw ers w ere m a rk e d o n th e 5 -p o in t L ik e rt scale, w h e re 1 - m e a n t to ta lly u n im p o rta n t, w h e re a s 5 - v e ry im p o rtan t. T he h ig h e r th e av erag e v a lu e , th e b ig g e r th e im p o rta n c e o f a g iv e n facto r. T h e h ig h ­ e r th e av erag e v alu e, th e b ig g e r th e im p o rta n c e o f a g iv e n facto r. T he v a lu e the te s t p ro b a b ility p w a s c a lc u la ted w ith th e use o f K u rsk a l-W a llis test.

It re su lts fro m th e p re se n te d d ata, th a t th e y k e y fa c to r d e c id in g a b o u t the ch o ice o f fo o d is q u ality . T h is crite rio n is th e m o st im p o rta n t an d it d o es n o t m a tte r w h ic h c o u n try th e resp o n d e n ts re p resen t. T h ere h a v e n ’t b e e n a n y s ta tisti­ c a lly c ru cial d iffe re n c es in a sse ssm e n t o f th e d eg ree o f th is im p o rta n c e am o n g th e p e o p le fro m th e th re e su rv ey ed g ro u p s. H o w e v e r, th e p a rtic u la r a tte n tio n to th e q u a lity o f fo o d p ro d u c ts p a y P o lish re sp o n d e n ts (4 .6 2 ), n e x t co m e R o m a n i­ an s (4.60) a n d p e o p le fro m U k ra in e (4.59). P rice also p la y s a n im p o rta n t role in b u y in g fo o d , b u t th e a sse ssm e n t is on a little lo w e r lev el - it o sc illa te s aro u n d 4 p o in ts in case o f all th e re s p o n d e n ts ’ g ro u p s. H o w e v e r, a m o n g th e p e o p le fro m th e p a rtic u la r c o u n tries, w h o ta k e p a rt in th e su rv ey , statistic a lly c ru cial d iffe r­ en ces c a n be o b serv ed . C h a ra c te ristic statistical d iffe re n c es in th e im p o rtan ce a sse ssm e n t also a p p e a r fo r th e re st o f th e facto rs, ex c lu d in g “b ra n d ” . A s fa r as a c rite rio n - “T he co u n try -o f-o rig in o f a p ro d u c t” is c o n c ern ed , th e score done b y th e resp o n d e n ts fro m th e th re e re se a rc h e d c o u n tries is o n th e av erag e lev el - ab o v e 3 p o in ts (P o lish p e o p le gav e 3.33 p o in ts, U k ra in ia n s - 3.13 p o in ts, and R o m a n ia n s - 3.08 p o in ts).

16 A.D. Aczel, Statystyka w zarządzaniu, Wyd. Naukowe PWN, Warszawa 2000, pp. 757-766; A. Stanisz, Przystępny kurs statystyki w oparciu o program STATISTICA na przykładach z medy­

cyny, Wyd. StatSoft Polska, Kraków 2001, pp. 221-262.

17 The Kruskala-Wallis test serves to compare an arrangement of a numerical feature (or meas­ ured at least on the ordinal scale) in a few groups. It is so called nonparametric test, it doesn’t require fulfilment of any restrictive establishments, which appear in parametric tests of variancy analysis. Low values of test p probability allow to claim that the grouping factor differentiates an average level of a numeric feature which is considered. Por. J. Koronacki, J. Mielniczuk: Statysty­

ka dla studentów kierunków technicznych i przyrodniczych, Wyd. WNT, Warszawa 2001, pp.

S im ila r c o n c lu sio n s can b e d ra w n b y an a ly z in g th e fa cto rs o f p ro d u c ts ch o ice fo r th e re st ty p e s o f co n su m p tio n g o o d s (clo th es, fla t am e n itie s and th in g s c o n n e c te d w ith sp o rt an d leisu re - ta b . 1). Q u a lity a n d p rice are th e m o st im p o rta n t fo r P o lish , U k ra in ia n an d R o m a n ia n c o n su m ers, e v e n th o u g h th e re are c h an g eab le d iffe re n c es in a sse ssm e n t o f m o st sp e c ifie d criteria. H o w ev er, “th e p a c k a g in g ” an d “th e c o u n try -o f-o rig in ” b e lo n g to th e c rite ria w ith th e lo w ­ e st score (“th e p a c k a g in g ” re c e iv e d fro m 2 .3 4 -2 .8 0 p o in ts, h o w e v e r, “th e co u n - try -o f-o rig in ” b e tw e e n 2 .9 2 -3 .3 0 p o in ts).

Table 1 The choice factors of certain consumption goods

(the 1-5 scale; 1 - totally unimportant, 5 - very important)

The choice factors

Food The value of

test p factor -

p Kruskala-

-Wallisa

Poland Ukraine Romania

Price 3.97 3.89 4.07 0.0320*

Quality 4.62 4.59 4.60 0.5945

Brand 3.18 3.13 3.21 0.6464

Country-of-origin 3.33 3.13 3.08 0.0025**

Packaging 2.47 2.76 2.80 0.0017**

Ecological values of the

products 3.75 4.19 3.54 0.0000*** Sales personnel 3.20 3.52 3.19 0.0003*** Recommendation of friends 3.41 3.16 2.78 0.0000*** Clothes Price 4.07 4.28 4.07 0.0001*** Quality 4.42 4.53 4.31 0.0000*** Brand 3.34 3.28 3.32 0.9263 Country-of-origin 2.98 3.28 3.07 0.0018** Packaging 2.44 2.65 2.59 0.1575

Ecological values of the

products 3.23 4.04 3.15 0.0000*** Sales personnel 3.29 3.65 3.17 0.0000*** Recommendation of friends 3.23 3.22 2.86 0.0000*** Flats amenities/furnishings Price 4.17 4.18 4.05 0.0324* Quality 4.45 4.59 4.43 0.0000*** Brand 3.12 3.33 3.39 0.0008*** Country-of-origin 2.92 3.26 3.11 0.0001*** Packaging 2.34 2.64 2.59 0.0124*

Ecological values of the

products 3.25 4.11 3.25 0.0000***

Sales personnel 3.20 3.62 3.17 0.0000***

Recommendation of

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

Products connected to sport, culture and leisure

Price 3.90 4.11 3.80 0.0000***

Quality 4.31 4.53 4.02 0.0000***

Brand 3.34 3.34 3.10 0.0019**

Country-of-origin 3.09 3.30 2.92 0.0001***

Packaging 2.40 2.72 2.55 0.0118*

Ecological values of the

products 3.08 4.04 3.01 0.0000***

Sales personnel 3.28 3.66 3.14 0.0000***

Recommendation of

friends 3.49 3.23 2.86 0.0000***

Source: own elaboration.

In th e p re s e n t research , b u y in g h a b its o f th e re sp o n d e n ts in re la tio n to the c o u n try w h e re th e fo o d an d n o n -fo o d p ro d u c ts co m e fro m h av e also b e e n d e ­ te rm in e d (table 2). T o th e q u e stio n co n c e rn in g c h e c k in g th e co u n try , w h e re the g iv e n fo o d p ro d u c t w as m a n u fa c tu red , w h ile d o in g sh o p p in g , o n ly 6 0 % o f P o lish p e o p le a n sw e re d th a t th e y do it “v e ry o fte n ” o r “o fte n ” . A m o n g U k ra in i­ an s, th e cu m u lativ e re su lt o f th e se tw o o p tio n s is 4 4 .6 % , h o w e v e r am o n g R o ­ m a n ia n s 45.8% .

M o re o v e r, w ith th e u se o f th e ch i-sq u a re in d e p e n d e n c y te st, it h a s b een p ro v e d th a t th e re is a statistic a lly h ig h ly c ru cial d ifferen ce in th e a p p ro a c h o f c h e c k in g th e fo o d p ro d u c ts co u n try -o f-o rig in b e tw e e n th e in h a b ita n ts o f the th re e re se a rc h ed co u n tries.

Table 2 The frequency of checking “the food products country-of-origin” by the respondents,

while doing shopping The frequency of check­

ing “the products’ coun- try-of-origin”

The test p factor = 0,0000*** (chi-square)

Sum Poland (quantity) Ukraine (quantity) Romania (quantity) Very often 131 (33.0%) 62 (15.5%) 72 (18.0%) 265 Often 101 (25.4%) 116 (29.1%) 111 (27.8%) 328

Neither often nor seldom 63 (15.9%) 76 (19.0%) 86 (21.6%) 225

Seldom 44 (11.1%) 82 (20.6%) 69 (17.3%) 195

Very seldom 31 (7.8%) 38 (9.5%) 36 (9.0%) 105

Never 27 (6.8%) 25 (6.3%) 25 (6.3%) 77

Sum 397 399 399 1195

Source: own elaboration.

T h e p u rc h a se rs sim ila rly b e h a v e in re la tio n to “ch e c k in g th e co u n - try -o f-o rig in o f fo o d p ro d u c ts” (fig. 1). In th is c ase, as w ell, th e re sp o n d e n ts fro m P o la n d do it m o st fre q u e n tly (4 8 % - “v e ry o fte n ” an d “o fte n ”), th e seco n d p la c e e x aeq u o ta k e th e in h a b ita n ts fro m U k rain e an d R o m a n ia e q u a lly w ith 45% .

never

very seldom

seldom

neither often nor seldom

often

very often

0 % 1 0 % 2 0 % 3 0 %

Fig. 1. The frequency of checking “the non-food products’ country-of-origin” by the respondents while doing shopping

Source: own elaboration.

It has also been established in the analyses done in what way the respond­

ents recognize “the country-of-origin”. It turned out that according to the Polish

people’s opinion (79% of answers), Ukrainians (53.3% answers) and Romani­

ans (75.2% answers) the sign “made in” indicates the origin of a given product.

The rest of the forms, which present the country, where certain goods were

manufactured, were differently assessed by the respondents (tab. 3).

Table 3 The ways of recognizing information about the product’s country-of-origin by the consumers

Specification

Country Test p

factor =

0

Poland Ukraine Romania

N - number of answers % N - number of answers % N - number of answers % Brand 157 39.3 94 23.5 141 35.3 0.0000*** A product’s lan­ guage description 118 29.5 100 25.0 113 28.2 0.3394 Bar code 31 7.8 61 15.3

20

Sign “made in” 317 79.3 213 53.3 300 75.2 0.0000***

It is difficult to

say 24

6.0

12.0

Source: own elaboration.

For example Poles indicated “brand” (39,3% answers) on the second place,

however on the third one - “language of the product description” (29.5%). The

respondents from Romania chose similarly: “brand” - 35.3% answers, “lan­

guage of a product’s description” - 28.2%. The inhabitants of Iwano-Frankowsk,

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

h o w e v e r, sh o w e d “la n g u ag e o f a p ro d u c t’s d e sc rip tio n ” (25% ) o n th e seco n d p lace a n d o n th e th ird o ne “p ro d u c t’s b ra n d ” (23.5% ).

T h e a im o f th e p re s e n t re se a rc h h a s also b e e n th e a tte m p t to define “a d o m e stic p ro d u c t” . T he re sp o n d e n ts fro m th e th re e a n a ly z e d c o u n tries sim i­ la rly p e rc e iv e a n d d escrib e “a d o m e stic p ro d u c t” . A lm o st h a lf o f th e p eo p le q u e stio n e d fro m P o la n d an d R o m a n ia cla im th a t it is “p ro d u c e d in its o w n c o u n ­ tr y ”, w h ic h is q u ite a g e n e ra l sta te m e n t b e c a u se m a tte rs o f th e b ra n d o w n ersh ip , ra w m a te ria ls o r e m p lo y e d p e o p le h a v e n ’t b e e n b ro u g h t u p (fig. 2). 4 3 % o f the U k ra in ia n s claim sim ilarly . In tu rn , o n th e seco n d p la c e , ac c o rd in g to th e re ­ sp o n d e n ts’ o p in io n fro m all th e th re e c o u n tries, th e fo llo w in g d e fin itio n h as ap p eared : “a d o m e stic p ro d u c ts are b ra n d n am e g o o d s ” , h o w e v e r o n th e th ird p lace - “d o m e stic p ro d u c ts are g o o d s m a n u fa c tu re d in a co m p an y , w h ic h is o w n e d b y th e in h a b ita n ts o f a g iv e n c o u n try ” .

other

produced from domestic raw material

produced by domestic employes

owned brand products

produced in the company, which is owned by the inhabitants

produced in one’s own country

Romania Ukraine Poland

0 % 10% 2 0 % 3 0 % 4 0 % 5 0 %

Fig. 2. The domestic product definition in the respondents’ opinion Source: own elaboration.

D u rin g th e d ire c t re search , th e re sp o n d e n ts sh o w ed fe atu res, w h ic h c h a ra c ­ te riz e d o m e stic a n d fo re ig n p ro d u cts.

P e o p le fro m d iffe re n t c o u n tries, w h o to o k p a rt in th e survey, attrib u te d m a n y p o sitiv e fe a tu res to d o m e stic p ro d u cts. H o w e v e r, th e re w ere som e m e a n ­ in g fu l d iffe re n c es b e tw e e n th e ir o p in io n s. G en erally , th e in h a b ita n ts o f P o lan d an d R o m a n ia cla im e d th a t th e m o st im p o rta n t featu re o f fo o d p ro d u c ts is “e c o l­ o g y ” . U k ra in ia n s d e fin ite ly c h o se “h ig h q u a lity o f th e p ro d u c ts ” (tab. 4). P oles an d R o m a n ia n s p u t “h ig h q u a lity ” o n th e seco n d p la c e , in c o n trast, U k rain ian s “p ro -h e a lth v a lu e s ” an d “re lia b ility ” .

Table 4 Domestic and foreign products features

Domestic products features Country Test p factor 0,0000*** (chi-square)

Poland Ukraine Romania

N - number of answers % N - number of answers % N - number of answers % High quality 163 40.8 128 32.0 83 20.8 0.0000*** Modernity 32 8.0 86 21.5 54 13.5 0.0000*** Ecology 165 41.3 82 20.5 106 26.5 0.0000*** Pro-health valor 88 22.0 87 21.8 74 18.5 0.3956 Innovation 14 3.5 29 7.2 32 8.0 0.0189* Current fashion 28 7.0 47 11.8 30 7.5 0.0329* Pretty packaging 42 10.5 55 13.8 49 12.3 0.3714 Adequate pat­ tern-designing 46 11.5 53 13.3 91 22.8 0.0000*** Reliability 80 20.0 87 21.8 29 7.2 0.0000*** Foreign products features

Poland Ukraine Romania

N - number of answers % N - number of answers % N - number of answers % Test p factor= 0,0000*** (chi-square) High quality 107 26.8 181 45.3 149 37.3 0.0000*** Modernity 233 58.3 80 20.0 127 31.8 0.0000*** Ecology 25 6.3 77 19.3 26 6.5 0.0000*** Pro-health valor 9 2.3 76 19.0 14 3.5 0.0000*** Innovation 73 18.3 56 14.0 43 10.8 0.0100** Current fashion 121 30.3 70 17.5 109 27.3 0.0001*** Pretty packaging 54 13.5 30 7.5 64 16.0 0.0009*** Adequate pat­ tern-designing 43 10.8 34 8.5 68 17.0 0.0007*** Reliability 24 6.0 80 20.0 19 4.8 0.0000***

Source: own elaboration.

O th er, an d also d iffe re n tia ted b e tw e e n th e re sp o n d e n ts fro m th e th re e re ­ se a rc h e d c o u n tries, are fe a tu re s attrib u te d to fo re ig n p ro d u cts. T h e p eo p le, w h o w ere su rv ey ed , m o st fre q u e n tly sh o w ed to th e ir h ig h e r m o d e rn ity (P o lish and R o m a n ia n re sp o n d e n ts in p a rtic u la r) an d c o n fo rm ity w ith fa sh io n o r h ig h q u a li­ ty (esp e c ia lly U k ra in ia n s).

Conclusions

T h e re se a rc h resu lts, p re se n te d in th is ela b o ra tio n , allo w fo rm u la tin g som e m e a n in g fu l co n c lu sio n s. It c a n g e n e ra lly be stated th a t th e k e y fac to rs, w h ic h d ec id e a b o u t th e ch o ice o f c e rta in p ro d u c t c o n su m p tio n g ro u p s (fo o d , clo th es, fla t a m en ities, an d p ro d u c ts c o n n e c te d to sport, cu ltu re an d leisu re) are q u ality a n d p rice. T h ese c rite ria are th e m o st im p o rtan t, in d e p e n d e n tly fro m w h ic h c o u n try is re p re se n te d b y th e re sp o n d en ts. H o w e v e r, th e re are c ru cial statistical

The effect o f the product’s country-of-origin...

d iffe re n c es in th e d eg ree a sse ssm e n t o f th is im p o rtan ce. “T he e ffe c t o f th e co u n - try -o f-o rig in ”, in tu rn , is a sse sse d b y th e re sp o n d e n ts fro m th e th re e co u n tries, o n th e av erag e o r lo w level.

In th e p re s e n t re search , th e p u rc h a se h a b its o f th e p e o p le w h o to o k p a rt in th e su rv ey , in re la tio n to fo o d an d n o n -fo o d p ro d u c ts ’ co u n try -o f-o rig in , hav e also b e e n d efin ed . It tu rn s o u t th a t P o lish p e o p le , w h ile d o in g sh o p p in g , c h e c k th e p ro d u c ts ’ “c o u n try -o f-o rig in ” m o st often.

W h a t is m o re, th e resp o n d e n ts fro m th e th re e a n a ly z e d c o u n trie s u n a n i­ m o u sly ag re e d th a t th e y reco g n ize “th e c o u n try -o f-o rig in ” b y re a d in g th e sign “m ad e in ” o r b y a n a ly z in g th e p ro d u c t’s b ran d .

T h e c o n d u c te d e m p iric a l re se a rc h d id n o t allo w , h o w e v e r, u n a m b ig u o u sly d efin e “a d o m e stic p ro d u c t” . H o w e v e r, m o st P o lish , R o m a n ia n a n d U k rain ian re sp o n d e n ts th in k th a t th e m o st im p o rta n t c rite rio n , w h ic h d esc rib e s a d o m estic p ro d u c t is “p ro d u c e d in o n e ’s o w n c o u n try ” .

T h e an a ly se s re su lts also sh o w ed w h ic h p ro d u c ts featu res, in th e c u s to m e rs ’ o p in io n , are c h a ra c teristic fo r d o m e stic an d fo re ig n p ro d u cts. A s fa r as d o m estic p ro d u c ts are c o n c ern ed , th e re sp o n d e n ts ch o se “h ig h q u a lity ”, “e c o lo g y ” an d “p ro -h e a lth v a lu e s ” . In tu rn , in case o f fo re ig n p ro d u c ts, th e p e o p le w h o to o k p a rt in th e su rv ey m o st o fte n in d ic a te d th e ir h ig h e r m o d e rn ity , “h ig h q u a lity ” an d “co n fo rm ity w ith fa sh io n ” .

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EFEKT KRAJU POCHODZENIA PRODUKTU

A DECYZJE NABYWCZE

POLSKICH, UKRAIŃSKICH I RUMUŃSKICH KONSUMENTÓW

Streszczenie

W publikacji przedstawiono wyniki badań empirycznych, których głównym celem było określenie postaw i preferencji konsumentów polskich, ukraińskich oraz rumuńskich w odniesie­ niu do kraju pochodzenia produktów. Podstawowy materiał źródłowy pozyskano dzięki wywia­ dom bezpośrednim, przeprowadzonym w trzech miastach: Rzeszowie (Polska), Iwano-Frankowsku (Ukraina) oraz Oradei (Rumunia), na próbie 1200 respondentów (po 400 osób w każdym mie­ ście). Jako instrument pomiarowy wykorzystano kwestionariusz ankietowy. Przedstawione anali­ zy wykazały m.in., że efekt kraju pochodzenia produktu nie jest czynnikiem decydującym o zakupie danego dobra w opinii konsumentów polskich, ukraińskich i rumuńskich. Niemniej jednak, respondenci w swoich wyborach rynkowych zwracaj ą uwagę na niniejsze kryterium. Ponadto ankietowani zgodnie uznali, że najważniejszymi cechami opisuj ącymi produkty krajowe są: wysoka jakość i ekologiczność zaś produkty zagraniczne - nowoczesność i zgodność z modą. Słowa kluczowe: efekt kraju pochodzenia produktu, konsument, badanie empiryczne Polska- Ukraina-Rumunia