Advanced and emerging economies Generation Y’s perception towards country-of-origin

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of Generation Y from advanced and emerging economies towards the country-of-origin (COO) of fashion products. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted by employing a qualitative research method. Virtual interviews in a chat room and e-mail interviews were conducted with 53 participants from 21 advanced and emerging economies. Findings – The findings indicated that most Generation Y consumers perceive that fashion products made in advanced economies are of better quality compared to those made in emerging economies. However, most Generation Y consumers from advanced economies did not only pay attention to the quality of the products but also to associated ethical issues. In contrast, most Generation Y consumers from emerging economies only paid attention to functional issues. Furthermore, Generation Y’s perceptions of COO also influence their attitudes and behaviour towards the fashion products made in their own country. Practical implications – This research brings a valuable insight to global fashion marketers about different perceptions between Generation Y consumers in advanced and emerging economies towards COO. Originality/value – The majority of COO research has been conducted quantitatively and based on one or a small number of nationalities. Qualitative studies which investigate the perceptions of Generation Y from advanced and emerging economies towards COO are still limited. Thus, this study can contribute to the development of research into COO.