Influence of cognition on product component country of origin evaluation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how need for cognition (NFC), a personality trait, influenced the way consumers used information about product components in forming overall evaluations of motor vehicles. Design/methodology/approach – The study used interviews from a convenience sample of 445 visitors to a motor vehicle show over a three‐day period using a choice‐based conjoint analysis study design. Findings – The NFC scale used in this study focused on abstract thinking. Results showed that consumers' responses to components from different countries changed their overall purchase intentions, and nationalism appeared to play a strong role in consumer attitudes to components. Consumers exhibiting high levels of NFC were more engaged in more complex assessment of the country of origin (COO) cue in their product evaluation than those who have less NFC. Practical implications – Manufacturers sourcing components from low labour cost countries need to be cautious. Even trusted brands may be sullied by components sourced from countries with negative stereotypes. Originality/value – Research on product component systems and the use of choice‐based conjoint analysis in this context are novel contributions to COO research.