The 4D Model of the country image: An integrative approach from the perspective of communication management

What is it about?

As an antecedent of people’s behavior country images influence • exports, • foreign direct investment, • the stability of international relations, • the prosperity of national tourist industries, • the attractiveness of domestic labor markets and education systems, and • the degree of a country’s political and economic influence in the international system. Research domains such as marketing and social psychology have devoted considerable empirical attention to understanding the constitution and effects of country images from their field perspective. In international PR and public diplomacy, however, there is no widely accepted model available. Such a model is needed to clarify the constitution of this central target construct in public diplomacy and understand how its different dimensions interrelate and affect each other (and how they may ultimately lead to the facilitation of behavior in investment, consumption, political support, or travel and cultural exchange). To work towards a new model, this article draws on and combine established approaches from specialized fields such as attitude theory, national identity theory, and reputation management. As an attitudinal construct, the country image is conceptualized based on a two-component model of attitudes, comprising of cognitions (specific beliefs) and an affects (general feelings) about a county. In a seminal theory on National Identity countries are described as named human collectives consisting of a distinct territory or ‘homeland’, common history and traditions, a domestic economy, a public culture, a set of common norms and values as well as a sovereign political organization or state. When combining this model with a common differentiation of image dimensions used in reputation management, the attitudinal construct of the country image can be defined as consisting of four different but closely interrelated dimensions: a functional, a normative, an aesthetic and an emotional dimension. The functional country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the competitiveness of a country, is specified with reference to Smith’s attributes of national economy and political organization. It consists of beliefs regarding the state of the economy and national businesses, the competitiveness of a country’s products and services, its labor markets and educational system, the competencies and effectiveness of the political system as well as the country’s performance in research and technology. The normative country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the integrity of a country, is specified in relation to Smith’s country attribute of norms and values. This dimension consists of specific judgments regarding both the social and the ecological responsibility of a country. The aesthetic country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the aesthetic qualities of a country, is specified by drawing on Smith’s attributes of public culture, traditions and territory. It comprises judgments regarding the attractiveness of a country’s culture and traditions as well as the beauty of its landscapes and scenery. Finally, the emotional country image dimension, which constitutes the affective component of the country image construct, consists of general feelings of liking and fascination for a country. It is thought of as an outcome or result of the cognitive beliefs that people hold about a country.

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Why is it important?

As an antecedent of people’s behavior country images influence • exports, • foreign direct investment, • the stability of international relations, • the prosperity of national tourist industries, • the attractiveness of domestic labor markets and education systems, and • the degree of a country’s political and economic influence in the international system. Research domains such as marketing and social psychology have devoted considerable empirical attention to understanding the constitution and effects of country images from their field perspective. In international PR and public diplomacy, however, there is no widely accepted model available. Such a model is needed to clarify the constitution of this central target construct in public diplomacy and understand how its different dimensions interrelate and affect each other (and how they may ultimately lead to the facilitation of behavior in investment, consumption, political support, or travel and cultural exchange). To work towards a new model, this article draws on and combine established approaches from specialized fields such as attitude theory, national identity theory, and reputation management. As an attitudinal construct, the country image is conceptualized based on a two-component model of attitudes, comprising of cognitions (specific beliefs) and an affects (general feelings) about a county. In a seminal theory on National Identity countries are described as named human collectives consisting of a distinct territory or ‘homeland’, common history and traditions, a domestic economy, a public culture, a set of common norms and values as well as a sovereign political organization or state. When combining this model with a common differentiation of image dimensions used in reputation management, the attitudinal construct of the country image can be defined as consisting of four different but closely interrelated dimensions: a functional, a normative, an aesthetic and an emotional dimension. The functional country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the competitiveness of a country, is specified with reference to Smith’s attributes of national economy and political organization. It consists of beliefs regarding the state of the economy and national businesses, the competitiveness of a country’s products and services, its labor markets and educational system, the competencies and effectiveness of the political system as well as the country’s performance in research and technology. The normative country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the integrity of a country, is specified in relation to Smith’s country attribute of norms and values. This dimension consists of specific judgments regarding both the social and the ecological responsibility of a country. The aesthetic country image dimension, which covers beliefs regarding the aesthetic qualities of a country, is specified by drawing on Smith’s attributes of public culture, traditions and territory. It comprises judgments regarding the attractiveness of a country’s culture and traditions as well as the beauty of its landscapes and scenery. Finally, the emotional country image dimension, which constitutes the affective component of the country image construct, consists of general feelings of liking and fascination for a country. It is thought of as an outcome or result of the cognitive beliefs that people hold about a country.