Using the Kelly Repertory Grid to Determine the Impact of Country of Origin (COO) and Ethnocentrism on the Evaluation of High Involvement Products
Dr. Michael S. Pepe, Michael R. Pepe

Abstract
This study assesses the relevant saliency of country of origin (COO) and ethnocentrism in shaping the perceptions of high involvement product selection. The research used the Kelly repertory grid technique combined with depth interviews to elicit the attributes associated with the perceptions of six automobile manufacturers, three from the United States (General Motors, Ford, Chrysler) and three from Japan (Toyota, Honda, Nissan). Respondents were asked to rate each of the six automobile manufacturers on each of the identified constructs using a 5-point Likert scale. Ethnocentrism was measured in the study using the CETSCALE. The results of the study supported hypothesis I in that consumers exhibiting a high ethnocentrism score had more favorable perceptions of domestic automobiles compared to foreign manufacturers.

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