Country‐of‐origin effects in service evaluation in emerging markets: some insights from five West African countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore country‐of‐origin (COO) effects on service evaluation in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach – To gain insight, 24 in‐depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders in five West African countries. A conjoint analysis was also conducted to further explore COO effects. Findings – Propositions were developed based on findings from the qualitative study and conjoint analysis. Situational personal characteristics, such as motivation and ability to process information, may influence use of COO attributes in evaluating a service. Individual characteristics, such as ethnocentrism and culture orientation, may influence COO preference in service evaluation. Practical implications – Propositions and findings will assist firms considering entering a market in terms of service offerings and positioning strategies. Originality/value – While COO and consumer products have been widely studied in the literature, mostly within the contexts of industrialized nations, the paper examines COO effects with a service within the context of an emerging market.