Research on the Negative Spillover Effect of Scandal Type on National Image in Product-harm Crisis

Abstract

When a product-harm crisis occurs in a multinational company, the negative spillover effect is likely to be larger than a country, affecting the national image of the country of origin and other brands of the country. The results of our study showed that consumers' personality characteristics or way of thinking content could moderate the spillover effect of brand scandal on the country image. Specifically, for the consumers with analytic thinking, ability ( vs. morality) brand scandal had greater impact on country image; for the consumers with holistic thinking，morality ( vs. ability) brand scandal had greater impact on country image. Moreover，this moderation was mediated by consumers' sense of predictability. The research conclusion can bring certain enlightenment and thinking to enterprises, which is more conducive to enterprises to establish accurate contact with consumers and formulate more effective marketing strategies.

Keywords: National image; Spillover effects; Brand scandal; Thinking mode

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-16-14

Publication date: August 31^st 2019