Country of origin effects, brand image, and social status in an emerging market.

Country of origin (COO) effects with respect to price, quality, brand effect, and social status to determine elite consumers' buying behavior in the emerging market of Pakistan are investigated. Manufacturers are looking for new consumers with a resilient purchasing power, which is likely to grow, in emergent markets. The most important finding resulting from the present research is the relatively limited significance that COO effects have on product perceptions and on the buying behavior of an elite, affluent group of consumers. The research demonstrated that COO effects, while important, do not often dominate the process of consumer preference formation or the decision to buy. This finding stands in marked contrast to earlier research. The equal importance of specific cue information with COO information when making purchase decisions is emphasized by the significant correlations between some responses to COO, price, quality, brand effect, and social status items. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]