The Impact of Country of Origin on Brand Equity: Special Reference to Milk Powder Market in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

35 The Impact of Country of Origin on Brand Equity: Special Reference to Milk Powder Market in Sri Lanka W.B.G.P.S.Gamage Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka\ H.M.R.P.Herath Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Researcher has focused to study on the impact of Country of Origin on Brand Equity with special reference to milk powder market in Sri Lanka. The key objective of this research is to identify and investigate the dimensions of Brand Equity, critically analyze image of Country of Origin and, analyze and understand the impact made by Country of Origin on Brand Equity. Based on the Literature review, the dimensions of Brand Equity and Country of origin were analyzed in depth.In order to gain the in depth knowledge required for the thesis, a deductive approach was utilized with Questionnaires to collect data. The validity and reliability of the instruments were tested by using appropriate methods. The relationships between country of origin and Brand Equity were examined along with hypotheses developed. Convenience sampling was incorporated to collect the data from the respondents. Simple Regression & Correlation Analysis was conducted to measure the relationship between country of origin and brand equity. Results revealed that there were significant relationships between Country of origin and Brand Awareness, Brand Association, Brand loyalty and Brand Perceived Quality. Building a successful brand requires using creative marketing and branding strategies to create strong brand equity.