负面信息对品牌资产的影响：品牌的国家身份调节效用机制研究

Although prior research suggests that negative information such as negative publicity would greatly impact brand perception, there is little work to specifically examine the difference of this effect between local and foreign brands. This project intends to close this gap with four objectives. Firstly, drawing on psychological contract and corporate brand association theories, we propose a comprehensive theoretical framework suggesting that local vs. foreign brands tend to form different psychological contracts with their consumers and these formed psychological contracts would, in turn, magnify or mitigate the effect of negative information on brand perception. Secondly, using a multi-methods and multi-source approach, we gather empirical data through qualitative research, lab experiments, and consumer surveys in China as well as in the U.S. Thirdly, we develop statistical models to empirically test the moderation effect of local vs. foreign brands on negative information’s impact on brand perception and the underlying mediation process. In addition, we identify contextual and boundary conditions of the proposed relationships. Fourthly, based on our empirical findings, we offer insights to understand the conditions under which brands would either benefit or hurt from their local or foreign identities—offering relevant implications to brand and crisis management. Against the background of Chinese brands’ recent international expansion, our findings are particularly meaningful for Chinese brands to better understand how to interact with the consumers of different cultural values and enter new markets as foreign brands.

负面信息对品牌资产有重大影响，但未有理论深入研究品牌的国家身份（国内、外品牌）如何系统影响负面信息对品牌的危害。本课题（1）以心理契约理论和公司品牌理论为基础，提出品牌国家身份的系统理论，指出不同的品牌国家身份与消费者构成不同的心理契约，进而会弱化或强化不同类别的公司负面信息对品牌的影响，引申出理论假设；（2）采用定性访谈、行为实验、实地调查等多方法多口径，在中、美两国，收集实证数据；（3）通过统计模型，验证品牌国家身份对负面信息危害品牌资产的调节作用（moderation），并通过统计方法，检验该调节作用为什么会发生的心理学中介机制（mediation），最后识别该效应的边界条件和情景条件；（4）在实证基础上，回答品牌国家身份在什么作用条件下有优劣势，以协助企业在品牌管理、危机管理方面，提供决策依据，也为中国品牌进入海外市场，如何应对“国外品牌”身份和文化价值差异等问题提供有益探索。

负面信息对品牌资产有重大影响，针对未有专门的理论深入研究品牌的国家身份（国内、外品牌）如何系统影响负面信息对品牌的危害。本课题（1）以心理契约理论和公司品牌理论为基础，提出品牌国家身份的系统理论，指出不同的品牌国家身份与消费者构成不同的心理契约，进而会弱化或强化不同类别的公司负面信息对品牌的影响，引申出理论假设；（2）采用定性访谈、行为实验、实地调查等多方法多口径，收集实证数据；（3）通过统计模型，验证品牌国家身份对负面信息危害品牌资产的调节作用（moderation），并通过统计方法，检验该调节作用为什么会发生的心理学中介机制（mediation），最后识别该效应的边界条件和情景条件；（4）在实证基础上，回答品牌国家身份在什么作用条件下有优劣势，以协助企业在品牌管理、危机管理方面，提供决策依据，也为中国品牌进入海外市场，如何应对“国外品牌”身份和文化价值差异等问题提供有益探索。