Consumer perceptions of Country of Origin Brand image and product quality on the purchase intention of high-tech products: A multi-country study of Ghanian, Norwegian and South Korean consumers

Purpose: In recent times, smartphones can be considered as one of the basic needs of every person. The flexibility, efficiency and ease of use it comes with make it a necessity in today's age and world of technological development. The main purpose of this study therefore, is to find out what factors motivate consumers to purchase a particular smartphone brand. Design/methodology/approach: Online survey and conjoint analysis were the two approaches used in conducting this research. A total number of 394 respondents from Ghana, Norway and South Korea participated in the experiment. Findings: The empirical findings reveal brand image, product quality and customer satisfaction positively influence consumers purchase intention in all three (3) countries. Research limitation: The main limitation is that, this study covers only a very small part of smartphone users across the world, which makes the research setting very limited thus, findings and results cannot be generalized. Practical implication: Theoretically, this study aids in revealing those variables that affect a consumer's purchase intention of high-tech products (smartphones). It also uncovers the indicators and signals consumers use during the process of deciding to purchase smartphones (purchase intention). A managerial implication could be the suggestion for organizations to be more concerned on establishing a strong brand image by making products that are perceived to be of high quality and satisfying existing and potential consumers. Keywords: Country-of-origin image, Brand Image, Product Quality, Product Knowledge, Customer Satisfaction, Habitual Usage, Brand Visibility on Social Media, Purchase Intentio