柬埔寨消费者对中国产品和品牌的购买知觉范文研究：以OPPO为例

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
As Cambodia’s economy is continuing to grow steadily; China’s economy has also been moving toward very fast in the last four decades, rising from a poor developing country to a major  economic  power  after  reforming  in  the  late  of  1970s.  According  to  Congressional Research  Service  (CRS)  reported  on  June  2019,  the  China’s  GDP  grew  at  an  average  9.5 percents from 1979 to 2018, made it among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Since the introduction  of  economic  reforms,  however,  China’s  economy  not  only  has  grown substantially,  but  its  technologies  level  also  has  been  subsequently  improving  in  a  last  few decades.  This  phenomenon  does  not  occasionally  take  place;  it is the result  of  endeavor  and paying  much  more  attention  of  Beijing  President.  Due  to  these  commitments,  the  quality  of Chinese  brand  products  are  taking  a  lot  of  attention  and  recognition  of  their  qualities remarkably.  Currently,  under  the  administration  of  President  Xi  Jinping,  the  conventional wisdom  mad  in  U.S.  is  good  or  China  is  bad  is  no  longer  concern  for  Chinese  consumers. According to Zipser (2017) indicated that there’s 62% of Chinese buyers were more familiar local brands than foreign brands. For previous research institutions also found out that there’s more than 90% of Chinese buyers, to be in the age of 18 to 29 year-old, chose local appliances rather  foreign  appliances  (Credit  Suisse,  2018).  Today,  Chinese  products  especially  brand products  including  TCL  (Telephone  Communication  Limited;electronics  company),  Haier (appliances), Lenovo (computer), Huawei and OPPO (telecommunication) and others’ re very well-known including Mainland China and some overseas countries (Wang & Gao, 2010).
During  2011,  if  compared  with  local  Smartphone  brands,  there’re  only  three  foreign brands of Smartphone which were the most famous brand phones on Chinese market, and the statistical sale had reached to 70%. At that time, foreign brands such as Samsung, Apple and Nokia  became  a  hero  for  China’s  buyers,  there’re  no  any  local  brands  could  compete  with them.  For  local  consumers,  they  viewed  local  brands  seem  to  be  out  of  fashion  and  lacking quality  if  compared  with  foreign  brands  (Shepard,  2016).  Since  People  Republic  of  China (PRC)  has  relied  on  the  ideas  of  “Research  and  Development  (R&D)”,  quality  of  Chinese products rapidly increased, and its products’re also getting support both local and abroad. In the last few years, due to the innovation of its quality products, Chinese Smartphone brands are  standing  the  most  leading  brand  in  China  (Counterpoint  Research,  2019). 
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1.2 Problem Statement
China  is  currently  not  only  the  most  productive  country  and  integrating  into  modern nation very fast in the last few decades, but its products quality mainly brand products have been improving and getting support from China’s buyers, developing and developed countries. Nowadays,  a  number  of  Chinese  products  especially  China’s  brand  products  in  Cambodian market are still a question. Many people still do not know about Chinese brand products when they  perceive  sound  “Made  in  China  or  Chinese  products”,  they  always  judge  Chinese products and Chinese brand products as the same products.  These maybe led by un-spreading to the public, un-imported products, un-qualified products, not meet the needs of Cambodian consumers, or due to the negetive perception of Cambodian consumers. The other studies also showed  that  the  Chinese  products  were  low  quality  if  compare  with  developed  countries (Schniederjans et al., 2011; Diliberto, 2014). The improvements of Chinese products straight brand  products  quality  are  increasing;  nevertheless,  most  of  Cambodian  consumers  still  feel hesitate  when  they  hear  the  word  “Made  in  China  or  Chinese  Products”.  There’re  no  any evidences  have  demonstrated  that  Chinese  brand  phones  used  to  get  the  first  rank  among mobile  vendor  market  share  in  Cambodian  marketing  (Statcounter  Globalstats,  2019).  As  a result, in order to solve these problems, Chinese producers or manufacturers should produce highly  qualitative  products  to  reach  an  international  standard  in  order  compete  with  western product  and  gain  international  market.  After  products  are  built  with  highly  standard  quality, the  marketers  should  find  suitable  ways  to  boost  up  its  selling  products  more  efficiency.  In contrary,  if  it  is  caused  by  Cambodian  buyers’  behavior  what  factors  are  influences  on Cambodian  people’s  purchase  behavior  toward  Chinese  brand  products?  The  solutions  will based  on  the  real  situation  of  the  research  finding;  among  those  factors  which  factor  is  the most influence on customers’ perception. So recommendations and suggestions will do step by step to reach the research objectives.
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2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Products and Brand Products
In the age of modern technology, brand name of a product plays very significant role to attract purchasers’ heart, and it is a centre to any business long-term success.  In accordance with  Feng  (2014)  found  out,  a  brand  was  very  important  for  a  company  and  manufacturer because  it  offered  a  good  position  and  value  for  a  producer.  When  customers  buy  any products,  they  won’t  buy  a  sole  product,   but  it  will  include  brand  name  of  the  firms. Therefore, brands serve as several valuable functions. However, in the basic function, brands serve as the spokesperson of a company, it facilitates to deliver the products to the buyers. For consumers,  brands  offered  an  accurate  choice  for  them  because  brands  could  guaranty products quality and reduce risks (Keller & Lehmann, 2006). The term product was different from a brand, as said by Alamgir et al., 2010. In common sense,  a product is something made to be sold, and it is produced by an industrial process or obtaining through farming, whereas a brand  is  something  bought  by  a  client.  A  product  maybe   be  able  to  reproduction  by  other competitor,  but  a  brand  is  unique  and  protected  by  trademark  law  in  contemporary.  In addition, a product can be out-of-date in sometime, while a winning brand is timeless and it depends on manufacturer how good the quality is.  The term brand product has been utilized  very long time ago; it is considered as old as the human civilization. Conversely, the process of branding a product is seem to be a little difference depend on point in time. Date back to the cave paintings from the south-western Europe about brand cattle during Stone Age and Early Bronze Age when the herd cattle were driven to the north for sale on the market, in  order to identify  their  cattle  ownership,  the  cattle  owners  used  hot  iron   to   stamp  on  their  cattle. Meanwhile, painting on Egyptian funerary monuments about 4000 year-old, the brands were painted with pine tar (Briciu & Briciu, 2016). In Mesopotamia, China, Greece, Roman, Israel, Syria and other places civilization were also used marks, symbol, or name put on the products to identify or indicate quality control, ownership, origin as well as authenticity before offering them to consumers or accessing on the market (Eckhardt & Bengtsson, 2010; Briciu & Briciu,2016; Maurya & Mishra, 2012). 
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2.2 Brand Reputation
In  the  global  competitive  business  and  e-commerce,  brand  reputation  of  a  product  or firm serves as vital role to boost its products manufacturing, and it’s good or bad brand depend on the brand implantation. The reputation of a brand refers to the particular brand of a firm or company which was viewed by entire consumers, stakeholders and market through its offering goods and service (Bhasin, 2019). In charge of an outstanding producer, brand must build with a  positive  reputation  because  solid  brand  would  assist  a  business  long  term  sustainable  and survival.  Hence,  the  company  with  a  good  reputation  brand  name,  there  would  be  more supporters and generate more revenue for the firm (Ngwese & Zhang, 2007).  In fact, however, good  reputation  of  the  brand’s  important  for  some  clients  in  some  places  and  times,  not  all businesses  consumers  (Mudambi,  2002).  For  customers  who  have  limited  income  or  low income, they will look deeply into product price rather than brand reputation.  
2.2.1 Country of Origin
In  globalization,  the  term  Country  of  Origin  (COO)  is  not  a  new  phenomenon  in contemporary world. Due to the trade barrier, the manufacturing of a product has been moved everywhere  around  the  globe.  It  is  the  nature  of  manufacturers  who  try  to  maximize  their profit when they operate a business. In addition to trade barrier, labour cost is another factor which can influence of companies decision making, wherever they can gain more profit, they will  start  up  their  business  or  companies  immediately.   COO  is  referred  to  the  origin  of  a product which required putting a sign or label on goods where it was manufactured, designed, developed  or  assembled  (Brenda  &  Adjnu,  2018).  COO  played  very  important  role  on consumer’s decision making (Saydan, 2013), and most consumers used it as a key or beliefs to evaluate  the  quality  of  a  product  (Verlegh  &  Steenkamp,  1999).  Moreover,  COO  likes  a whetstone  which  could  sharps  customer  perceptions,  consumers’  preference  and  choice  on  a product brand making them dare to buy pricy goods (Mostafa, 2015).  

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