Country-of-Origin Effects in B2B Markets

Abstract

This study investigates the country-of-origin (COO) effect on organizational buyers. Five hypotheses were developed to test how Norwegian COO information influences B2B buyers’ evaluations, purchase intentions, and perceptions, with a focus on factors such as presentation method, complexity, familiarity and subjective norm. The effects of these variables were assessed using a three-group experimental design (control group, COO label, and COO added benefit link) in the context of two sectors (grocery/retail/wholesale and medical/healthcare), where respondents viewed a product advertisement followed by a questionnaire.

The results indicate that exposure to COO information enhances organizational buyers' evaluations of Norwegian products, although this effect appears to be product dependent. Adding a benefit link that highlights a specific Norwegian advantage did not yield additional positive effects in this study; in some cases, it even showed a negative impact. The influence of product complexity was found to be non-significant, potentially due to the relatively low technical complexity of the tested products (facemasks and salmon). Product familiarity influenced the use of COO information, but the effects were mixed, showing both positive and negative outcomes. Finally, our findings on the mediating effect of subjective norm were inconclusive, likely due to the theoretical challenges of accurately measuring subjective norms through questionnaires.

This study offers new insights into the relatively modest research area of COO effects in B2B markets. Specifically, it provides evidence of favorable COO effects for certain Norwegian products, such as facemasks. Furthermore, the study suggests that these enhanced evaluations may arise from factors like the higher potential for perceived quality improvement and the perception that such products are typically associated with newly industrialized countries. These insights could prove valuable for Norwegian companies determining whether to implement the “Made in Norway” label as a marketing tool.