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Mental Wellbeing Policy Addressing Anxiety Amongst Primary School Learners
Yew Chung International School of Shanghai
Mental Wellbeing Policy: Addressing Anxiety Amongst Primary School Learners
1. Rationale for the SEL Policy Document
The Yew Chung International School in Shanghai is committed to providing a safe learning environment that is inclusive of all students, has a varied student population, and is academically demanding. Only when kids are content, comfortable, and secure, and when their school environment fosters and supports their academic goals, can they realize their full academic potential and grow into successful adults. An environment that heightens anxiety and stress is an impediment to student success. Because there is an unbreakable link between students’ feeling of well-being and their level of academic accomplishment, the school is aware of the need to promote good mental health and general well-being among its student population. Consistently going to class and retaining an interest in studying for as long as one’s circumstances permit are important elements that affect how one’s life turns out. Not only are they an important aim, but they also provide a foundation for future progression into better high schools and institutions as well as a facilitator of excellent grades. They are also a key objective for the development of a learning culture. The mental health of kids should be prioritized while trying to increase student involvement and achievement. All major stakeholders of the organization, including instructors, students, and parents, have a duty to prioritize the mental health of the kids. The Yew Chung International School in Shanghai is aware of the strong link between its students’ wellbeing and the outcomes of the educational opportunities they have been given.
A subjective feeling of dread, worry, or concern that may be accompanied by both physical and emotional symptoms is what defines anxiety as a mental health disorder (Gong, 2019). A generalized anxiety disorder is one that is characterized by anxiety brought on by a wide variety of circumstances, as opposed to an anxiety disorder that is linked to a single object or event (phobias) (Dong and Cao 2021). School counselors need to have a basic understanding of anxiety as well as the capacity to spot its signs due to the large prevalence of untreated anxiety disorders among young people. Today’s youth, in the great majority, experience anxiety. Approximately half of people who have had therapy for anxiety say that the symptoms started while they were a kid or teenager (He & Li, 2021), despite the fact that the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders are often delayed until early adulthood (Hill & Seah, 2022). Approximately 50% of children with anxiety disorders have severe trouble functioning at school, according to the findings of several studies (Hill, Waite, Creswell, 2016). Although anxiety has a negative impact on productivity and academic performance, students with moderate anxiety may sometimes be able to make up for these negative effects via tenacity and hard effort. More severely anxious people are less likely to exhibit behaviors like tardiness, absenteeism, and perfectionism, all of which may raise the chances that assignments will go unfinished, tests will be failed, or grades will need to be redone (Li & Wei, 2022). Anxiety-ridden students are more prone to leave school early. People who experience anxiety while in school are often misunderstood. They could be accused of being difficult and attempting to manipulate or get attention from their parents and other people (Liu & Dong, 2020). In the confines of Chinese primary schools, children with anxiety have a hard time explaining their own actions, which makes it more likely that they will be misunderstood. These young people often exert a lot of effort to fulfill all the demands that have been placed upon them while also coping with mental health problems.
As per the wishes of this policy document, the end goal is to ensure that instead of dismissing the possibility of a problem or placing the blame on the parents, educators must understand that a student’s conduct may be an effort to deal with anxiousness. The goal of this policy is to assist the institution in creating and maintaining a learning environment that is secure, supportive, and welcoming for all students in accordance with the most recent guidelines for reducing the negative effects of anxiety and stress on children in order to elicit the highest level of performance from those learners.
2. The Aims of the SEL Policy Document
The Yew Chung International School in Shanghai is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and encouraging learning environment for all of its students. This policy serves to highlight that dedication. The institution acknowledges that the health and well-being of all students are very important, and that their improvement benefits not only the individual, but also the faculty, the other students, their families, and the larger community as a whole. In addition, the institution strives to create a constructive learning atmosphere in which individuals’ efforts to lead healthier lifestyles are acknowledged and encouraged. As a result of this, the goal of the policy statement at Yew Chung International School is to develop the community’s shared expectations in the areas of mental health, involvement, and diversity.
In addition to this, Yew Chung International School endeavors to cultivate an environment that places a premium on positivity, respect, justice, equality, and the acknowledgement of one’s own originality. In addition to these admirable characteristics, the institution makes an effort to include learning about one’s self and others into the academic program, as well as to enhance the students’ social and emotional competence. The overarching goal of the plan is to improve the mental health and general well-being of students, which includes addressing the widespread problem of anxiety experienced by today’s pupils. Overall, the policy ensures that families, students, and staff are key participants in improving health and wellbeing, and it engages health professionals to collaborate with the school. This is accomplished by recognizing stress and anxiety as essential mental health concerns, which is done through the use of the policy. Additionally, the method will ensure that stress and anxiety are treated as serious mental health problems in the treatment process. The policy of Yew Chung International School is to promote a safe environment for all individuals, cultivate an atmosphere in which good behaviors and learning are expected, and build a healthy school culture. It also works to reduce and manage problems associated to anxiety, with the end goal of lowering the percentage of students who experience this condition.
3. Policy Statements and Strategies
3.1 Background
There has been a lot of research linking school-related stress to anxiety since schools are the main arena where teens are exposed to expectations for both academic achievement and interpersonal relationships. This is because schools are the places where adolescents are most exposed to pressures in both areas. It is natural for children to feel anxious when they are expected to perform in class, be assessed on activities such as completing an exam, delivering a presentation in front of the class, or moving to a new school. As a consequence, feeling nervous is frequent among children and teens. The children’s mental health and academic performance, on the other hand, may suffer if their worried feelings become excessive and chronic, interfering with their normal school routines. This is because disrupting the typical school routine heightens the sensation of anxiety. It is especially important for anxious children and adolescents to seek therapy since anxiety disorders may have a significant negative influence on their academic, behavioral, and emotional development, as well as a long-term effect on their future psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Furthermore, the long-term impact of anxiety disorders may influence how people behave in social settings (Zhou et al., 2007). Recent studies have started to stress the importance of the school environment in the treatment and prevention of children anxiety disorders (Mazzone et al., 2007). Teachers may better detect pupils who have exterior behavioral issues, such as hyperactivity or defiance. However, generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by perfectionism and a strong desire to please others, is less often identified by teachers in children (Xiao, 2015). Teachers see indicators of anxiety in students who have social anxiety, physiological anxiety, or high levels of anxiety in general, but they are less likely to identify symptoms in students who have generalized anxiety disorder. Furthermore, teachers and others may wrongly interpret children’s nervous behaviors, such as their unwillingness to complete difficult schoolwork, as being on deliberately unpleasant, delayed, attention-seeking, disrespectful, or manipulative (Yang, 2014). Avoiding difficult homework is one example of such an activity. This topic comes up often. Although some teachers are aware of the signs of anxiety, they may still seek further professional help from local mental health specialists, such as school psychologists or guidance counselors.
3.2 Scope
Help in adhering to this policy will be provided to the whole Yew Chung International School community, which includes teachers and staff members of various school departments, as well as students, their families, and volunteers.
3.3 Engagement Strategies
To achieve the set aims, Yew Chung International School has established a range of initiatives to promote participation, excellent conduct, and respectful relationships among all of the students. We recognize that certain students, whether as a group or as individuals, may need more social, emotional, or intellectual help in order to thrive in school. As a consequence, we will devise tactics to locate these children and offer them with the assistance they need. We also acknowledge that some students may need assistance in all three of these areas. Yew Chung International School will develop fair and respectful conduct rules and procedures in conjunction with students, parents, and caregivers, based on the school’s fundamental values, required social skills, and healthy peer connections. The essential principles of the school will serve as the basis for these policies. There are additional intervention measures in place to deal with inappropriate conduct that might affect both one’s own and others’ learning settings.
3.3.1 Actions for Teachers
To make it simpler for students with anxiety and mental health needs to get an education, Yew Chung International School will provide efficient, helpful, and up-to-date leadership, guidance, and information. These needs fall within the categories of social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and behavioral needs, and they will be addressed in a domain built expressly for instructors. In terms of anxiety, the educational institution will employ a wide variety of tools to identify and assist pupils at either extreme of the inclusion spectrum. Attendance and engagement in class, as well as the assignment of interesting tasks for admittance, the provision of specific instructions and learning goals, and the encouragement and monitoring of student involvement, will all be considered. Furthermore, throughout the course of the lectures and classroom time, instructors will check over the students’ projects and give comments and modifications.
3.3.1 Actions for Parents
One of the primary responsibilities of parents and other caregivers is to connect a kid with a member of the staff whom the youngster respects and feels comfortable speaking with. At addition, a kid would benefit from having trustworthy adults there in critical moments of his or her life, such as at the beginning or end of the school day. This would provide a supportive environment. One further duty that falls on the shoulders of the parents is to find a friend or a guide among the child’s peers. The primary objective of these types of techniques for parents is to establish an atmosphere conducive to the provision of a secure location, such as a mentor’s office or a wellness room, for use during breaks or other challenging periods such as when a child gets a panic or anxiety attack (Śniadach et al., 2021). It is crucial to have parents find methods for kids to feel more connected in the school community, such as by having them join a club or taking on a duty such as becoming a library monitor. In the near term, parents and other caregivers may work toward the objective of reducing the kid’s anxiety by breaking down the child’s day and asking the child what could assist them through each step, such as having a buddy meet them at the gate (Su et al., 2006). Last but not least, significant activities for parents that are recommended by this policy statement include having a flexible start-time or schedule, help for transitioning between classes, and having a “exit card” so a kid may leave a course if they get too concerned about it.
4. Evaluation
As part of the school’s two-year review cycle, the school management board and the Ministry of Education in China will both go at this policy to determine whether or not it should be implemented.
References
Dong Y, Cao X. (2021). Investigation of the emotional status of primary school pupils in Nanqiao Community of Fengxian District. Shanghai Medicine, 10,7-10.
Gong Y. (2019). Research on the Significance, Background and Countermeasures of Social Emotional Learning. Mental Health Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, 14-003,15-18.
He, Y. & Li, Y. (2021). An investigation of anxiety and depression among Chinese primary school students after the resumption of school post-COVID-19. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies. 1-16.
Hill, J. L., & Seah, W. T. (2022). Student values and wellbeing in mathematics education: perspectives of Chinese primary students. ZDM–Mathematics Education, 1-14.
Hill, C., Waite, P., Creswell, C. (2016). Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Paediatrics and Child Health, 26(12).
Li, C., & Wei, L. (2022). Anxiety, enjoyment, and boredom in language learning amongst junior secondary students in rural China: How do they contribute to L2 achievement?. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 1-16.
Liu W., & Dong X. (2020). The anxiety state and intervention of primary school students. Educator (36), 2.
Mazzone, L., Ducci, F., Scoto, M. C., Passaniti, E., D’Arrigo, V. G., & Vitiello, B. (2007). The role of anxiety symptoms in school performance in a community sample of children and adolescents. BMC Public Health, 7, 347.
Śniadach, J., Szymkowiak, S., Osip, P., & Waszkiewicz, N. (2021). Increased depression and anxiety disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents: a literature review. Life, 11(11), 1188.
Su L., Gao, X. Jin Y., Liu J., Luo X., Wen H. (2006). Investigation on the current situation of coexistence of anxiety and depression in primary school students.Chinese Journal of Mental Health.20(1),1-4.
Xiao Q. (2015). Research on the current situation and countermeasures of social-emotional learning of junior high school students: Based on a survey of junior high school students in Chongqing. Chongqing: Chongqing Normal University.
Yang Q. (2014). Research on the application strategy of social-emotional learning in schools in China: Taking the project school in Yanchi County, Ningxia as an exampleYinchuan: Ningxia University.
Zhou H., Li D., Song Y., Zong C., Wu J., Lu H. (2007). Epidemiological survey of anxiety among primary and middle school students in China. Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University: Medical Edition,27(11):1379-1381.
Mental Illness
Valerya Galindo
Mental Illness
General Purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To persuade my audience to help reduce the stigma attributed to mental
illness in this country.
Thesis: Mental illnesses is associated with a lot of stigmatization especially on adolescents and therefore people should be made aware of the risk factors as well as the possible solutions of mental health.
Introduction
The problem regarding mental health among adolescents has for a long time been a threat, counting thousands of young people being held captive of the various mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. Being a mental health patient is associated with stigmatization. There is a need for the people the to be sensitized about the causes of mental health problems so that they are able to detect the conditions before they arise and through knowing the causes, they will, therefore, be able to take preventive measures against the mental illnesses.
Body:
Causes
The most probable risk factors of mental illness among the adolescent is drug and substance abuse (Erskine, 2015).
Stressful life events have also been attributed to the onset of mental illnesses not only among the adolescents but also to the general population (Spinazzola, 2017).
Sexual abuse can trigger mental illness.
Domestic violence has been linked to the onset of depression.
Solution
Avoiding substance and drug abuse have been said to reduce the onset of mental illnesses (Cockerham, 2016).
D. Education and doing some exercises have as well been said to reduce the onset of mental illnesses (Weinberg & Gould, 2018).
Conclusion
Mental illnesses have been for a long time known to have an early onset among the young adults especially the adolescents and this has been provoked by the individual behaviors such as drug and substance abuse while others have been caused by unavoidable stressful events. The public should be made aware of the causes of the mental illness so that they are able to prevent them at an early stage before they become severe and therefore reducing stigmatization.
References
Cockerham, W. C. (2016). Sociology of mental disorder. Taylor & Francis.
Erskine, H. E., Moffitt, T. E., Copeland, W. E., Costello, E. J., Ferrari, A. J., Patton, G., … & Scott, J. G. (2015). A heavy burden on young minds: the global burden of mental and substance use disorders in children and youth. Psychological medicine, 45(7), 1551-1563.
Spinazzola, J., Ford, J. D., Zucker, M., van der Kolk, B. A., Silva, S., Smith, S. F., & Blaustein, M. (2017). Survey evaluates: Complex trauma exposure, outcome, and intervention among children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 433-439.
Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. S. (2018). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Human Kinetics.
Made In China Literature Review
Made In China Literature Review
Table of Contents
TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332791″1.Introduction PAGEREF _Toc286332791 h 1
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332792″2.The country of origin effects PAGEREF _Toc286332792 h 2
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332793″2.1.Country of origin and consumer decision making PAGEREF _Toc286332793 h 2
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332794″2.2.Principle elements forming country of origin effect PAGEREF _Toc286332794 h 3
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332795″2.3.Consumer bias and discrimination economics PAGEREF _Toc286332795 h 4
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332796″2.4.Case studies PAGEREF _Toc286332796 h 4
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332797″3.Made in China effects PAGEREF _Toc286332797 h 5
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332798″3.1.The growth of the Made in China brand PAGEREF _Toc286332798 h 5
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332799″3.2.China brand perceptions PAGEREF _Toc286332799 h 6
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332800″3.2.1.Quality PAGEREF _Toc286332800 h 7
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332801″3.2.2.Price PAGEREF _Toc286332801 h 7
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332802″3.2.3.Reliability/ Safety PAGEREF _Toc286332802 h 7
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332803″3.3.China as an emerging economy PAGEREF _Toc286332803 h 8
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332804″4.Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc286332804 h 8
HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332805″5.References PAGEREF _Toc286332805 h 9
LITERATURE REVIEW
IntroductionThe literature review section aims at examining what other scholars have established about the consumers’ attitude towards Chinese products, based on the ideology of ‘country of origin effects’. The section will review literature available on the country of origin effects and how this has affected Chinese products in the international market. The chapter is divided into four sections whereby the first and the last section represent the introduction and conclusion respectively. In the second section, the literature review will entail views and findings about the country of origin effects and how it affects decision making, the factors that cause it and why consumers discriminate. The section will also include case studies to show the impact of country of origin. In the second section, a review of literature on Made in China perceptions will be established. This will include identifying how China is penetrating the international market, people’s perceptions about Chinese products and how the China’s stage of economic development has affected perceptions about its products.
The country of origin effects
Country of origin and consumer decision makingIn the process of decision making, consumers make use of both the intrinsic and the extrinsic informational product cues in evaluating the product. Intrinsic cues denote the physical aspect while the extrinsic cues are product related but not part of the physical product (Cai, 2002). It is in the extrinsic cues that the consumer considers the brand name, reputation of the retailer and country of origin among other factors (Verlegh & Steenkamp, 1999). While the country of origin as an extrinsic cue has no direct impact on the performance of the product whatsoever, the importance of the country of origin on consumer perception is incontestable. The country of origin effects is a subject that has triggered interest among many researchers and the impact of the country of origin on the customer’s choice has been declared undeniably true. As established in the empirical study by Schooler (1965), the made in country label had significant effect on the product evaluations by a consumer.
Contemporary studies have often used the dual process models developed by Chaiken (1980), Maheswaran and Chaiken (1991) and others as the theoretical framework for examining the country of origin effects. The systematic and heuristic processing are considered the two main criteria through which individuals evaluate the products in this theoretical framework. This framework distinguishes between different types of motivation which can affect the human perceptions on different products. It is these motivations that single out the country of origin as an important factor in the customers’ decisions.
Principle elements forming country of origin effectIt is widely accepted that the consumer’s choice based on the country of origin emanates from a myriad of thoughts, attitudes and experiences that customers have towards products from a particular country. Vrontis and Thrassou (2007) in their study established that the consumers’ product perception based on the country of origin was dependent on experience, knowledge, stereotypes, ethnocentrism, general country of origin image, brand image, political/cultural relationship with country. These are factors that can also be identified in other studies. In the study by Lang and Crown (2007), it was established that the age and educational background of customers impacted highly on the country of origin effect; factors that may be attributable to experience and knowledge. In a study conducted by Nes and Gripsurd (2010), a concept of micro and macro societal images were introduced in explaining the impact of the country of origin. The macro country images included societal images, people images and political images. The micro images included the images associated with a product developed by a nation (Nes & Gripsurd, 2010). The factors described highly resemble those established in Vrontis and Thrassou (2007), insinuating that a variety of factors influence perception.
Lee (1999) examined the country of origin effects, brand image effects and the interaction between these effects on the consumer evaluation of bi national brands. It was established that the specific product image, country of manufacture overall image and country of brand overall image were highly important in the buyer decision making process. The theoretical foundation for the study was categorization theory and empirical methodology was based on structural equation modeling. The study showed the need for building brand image rather than building country image by a firm because the brand image had a rather strong effect. The main limitations with this study included problems of generalization with only students as the subject of study. The small sample size also signified another limitation and so were order effects and the design problems which also might have provided biased results.
Consumer bias and discrimination economicsThe country of origin as an affective attribute of the product reflects the preferences and biases of the consumer. This is an aspect that has been established by socio-psychology researchers including Becker (1971) and Maheswaran (2006). According to Becker (1971), the country of origin is treated like a subjective attribute which is highly relevant to the consumer’s decision and that a consumer may discriminate or favor a product due to its origin. Maheswaran (2006) indicates how discrimination can be quantified by establishing a discrimination coefficient (DC). In essence, the cost of the transaction may not directly translate into the real costs such as durability; replacement costs and need for repair of products bought hence the need to discriminate through comparing various aspects of products before making purchases. The DC therefore acts as the bridge between the money cost of the product and the net costs and therefore aids the consumer in making a choice. In this regard, any poor reputation regarding the quality of a product is therefore bound to affect the consumer’s choice and exercise of discrimination. Webb and Po (2010) examined the impact of country of origin and brand images on the three dimensions of outcomes namely the intention to purchase, expectations regarding the service quality and the willingness to pay by the consumers. The study was based on a sample of 150 undergraduate students from a university in Western Australia. The study showed significant impact of made in country labels and brand images on the three dimensions of outcomes under consideration. It is an indication that consumers are capable of discriminating foreign products based on their quality and expectations.
Case studiesA variety of studies have sought to examine the practical application of country of origin effects, through the use of surveys and most have concluded that the country of origin indeed affects the perception of customers. Maheswaran (2006) examined the perceptions regarding the Japanese products in South East Asia where the Japan had main investments. This empirical study was based on primary survey of the South East Asian consumers and the results indicated the country associated with a product had significant influence on the consumers. The origin was seen as a factor that creates varied emotions in the customers’ minds, which in turn affect the product evaluations by the consumers. Hence the study demanded the need for a framework based on the emotions of consumers to analyze the made in country labels and their effects on the product evaluations by consumers.
In another study, Lang and Crown (2007) examined the perceptions and preferences of the consumers in Canada about the products made in Canada, China and some other low cost nations like Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong. The study which was based on the theoretical foundations of information integration theory showed considerable differences in perceptions regarding the quality, price; style and fit in products different nations. It was therefore undoubtedly established that the country of origin plays a vital role in determining the customer decision. In the study by Lang and Crown (2007), the utility of the products to a large extent influenced the perceptions based on country of origin effects. In particular, the Canadian origin garments were considered to be of the most superior quality but also the most expensive. This insinuates that while the customer considers that Canadian products are of superior quality, he or she must consider the price. The age and educational background of respondents also impacted on their perspectives.
Made in China effects
The growth of the Made in China brandProducts made in China are swiftly infiltrating the world market and they have suddenly become cheaper alternatives for goods produced in developed countries (Williamson (2009). Apoteker (2006) in his study examined the two alternative views regarding the sudden rise in the share of China in world trade, thus reassessing the meaning of made in China. The two alternative views examined were China as merely a low value addition and China as a highly competitive exporting nation. Based on the analysis, it was obtained that trade-processing as a main component of overall Chinese trade performance and FIEs as the main trade processing agents. In conclusion, it was established that the effective competitiveness of Chinese products was lower than the assumed one in the study. As if to support the need to enhance Chinese product competitiveness, Interbrand (2008), notes that the Chinese brands have are not achieving their maximum potential due to various setbacks based on quality and general negative perception of Chinese products. Accordingly, there is need to establish a relevant niche through correcting these setbacks and building the China brand.
A study by You (2004) examined the brand effect of a product on consumer behavior and established that Chinese manufacturers were becoming more concerned about the consumers as opposed to products. This study indicated that the brand effect while important in perception was being replaced by factors like style, quality hence the need to improve on them. You (2004) established that the aesthetic and social values for the consumers regarding the products played an important role in enhancing brand effect.
China brand perceptionsWhile different studies have established various characteristics of products made in China, the price, quality, reliability and safety concerns remain the most imperative factors expressed by customers when referring to Chinese products.
QualityQuality remains one of the greatest concerns on products made in China and as indicated by Synovate (2006), Synovate (2007), Schnierjans, Qing and Olson (2004), Interbrand (2008), Sohail (2004) and Williamson (2009) among others. In the Synovate (2007) study of Turkish customers’ perceptions of Made in China products; it was established that majority of the respondents considered Chinese products as low quality products. Accordingly, they were considered unacceptable and were it not for the low prices; customers would not choose to buy the products. Interbrand (2008) establishes that Chinese products are having difficulties being accepted overseas because their quality is often considered inferior. A similar view is expressed by other researchers indicated above, with the main recommendation being for China to improve product quality.
PriceA significant number of studies have established that one of the main reasons why Chinese products are becoming increasingly popular around the world is their low prices. In the synovate (2006) and (2007) studies, respondents indicated their preference of Chinese products based on the low costs which offered them overall competitiveness. In William (2009), it is determined that the low cost of Chinese products is highly important in enhancing sales since most other products are likely to be expensive. The same views are notable in Interbrand (2008) and Sohail (2004) who note that a significant percentage of customers are likely to purchase Chinese products as alternatives to regular expensive products.
Reliability/ SafetyThe general perception of Chinese products is that they are not likely to be reliable and that they expose users to many hazards. The issue of safety of Chinese products has mostly been exemplified by the number of Chinese product recalls in the international markets. Beamish and Bapuji (2008) based on the toy recalls in USA between 1988 and 2007 raised serious concerns regarding the safety of made in China products. In this study which established that the recalls were mostly based on design and manufacturing flaws, it was established that such issues downplayed the customer’s ability to trust China products. The significant number of recalls over the years denotes the need for more detailed research in this regard. A similar study by Meyer (2008) indicated the implication of recalls of Chinese products including food and toys in determining people’s preference for China made products.
China as an emerging economyCai (2002) establishes the relevance of the degree of economic development at which the country is in determining the country of origin effects. In this respect, Cai (2002) indicates that there is a significant difference in perceptions when customers are purchasing products from a developed country as opposed to a less-developed countries, noting that the stage of development affects customers’ likelihood to purchase. Customers from developed countries are less likely to purchase4 products from less-developed countries. This was also exemplified in the study by Synovate (2006) which indicated that Western consumers mostly from US and Europe appeared skeptical about buying Chinese products due to perceived low quality. The same was observed in Korea which is an indication that the development stage at which the country is to a large extent determines how others view its products.
ConclusionThe review of literature put forth by different scholars and researchers indicates that the country of origin effects to a significant level influences the perception of customers; and hence determines their willingness to buy products from a particular country. In this section of the research paper, case studies on China, Japan, Canada, South Korea and Taiwan among others indicate that the origin of products indeed has an impact on purchase decisions. Notably, developed countries’ products are preferred to products from developing countries. China as the main focus of this study is affected vehemently by the country of origin phenomenon. As indicated by most studies, Chinese products are likely to be discriminated against in the international market. This calls for increased efforts towards working on the setbacks identified by consumers so as to improve China’s products in the international market. In the Chinese case, there are few studies focusing on different sectors and different consumer groups to examine the Made in China label effects. Further, few studies have offered significant recommendations about policies that can help improve the Made in China brand. This study attempts to fill this research gap through examining the Made in China label effects on different consumer groups and for different products in the UK market. It also offers proactive recommendations for improvement in order to enhance China’s competitiveness in the international market.
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