Abstract
Country of origin cues ofien trigger global evalua- tions by which consumers infer the presence of quality, performance levels or product attributes that they are unable or unwilling to evalu- ate directly. This premise is used as a basis for this study in which the perceptions held by Malaysian, Taiwanese and Australian consumer samples regarding U.S. and Japanese-produced consumer goods were compared and contrasted. Across each market, Japanese imports were perceived as significantly more desirable along a number of perceptual dimensions. Implications for the strategic promotion and competitive repositioning of U.S. consumer goods within each mar- ket are developed.