This study empirically examines the effects of perceived value on purchaseintention toward Korean and Japanese automobiles in the Vietnamese automobilemarket. Functional value, economic value, emotional value, social value,environmental value, and cou...
This study empirically examines the effects of perceived value on purchaseintention toward Korean and Japanese automobiles in the Vietnamese automobilemarket. Functional value, economic value, emotional value, social value,environmental value, and country image were specified as key variables, and theirstructural relationships were tested. Survey data were collected from 261 consumersin major regions of Vietnam, and a total of 247 valid responses were used for theanalysis. Reliability analysis, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, andmoderation analysis were conducted using SPSS 30.0.
The results indicate that emotional value and social value have significantpositive effects on purchase intention for both Korean and Japanese automobiles,whereas functional value and economic value do not show statistically significanteffects. Environmental value has a significant positive effect on purchase intentionfor Korean automobiles but not for Japanese automobiles, indicating across-national difference. These findings suggest that Vietnamese consumersevaluate automobiles not merely as transportation tools or price– performance-oriented products, but rather from the perspectives of emotionalsatisfaction, social image, and, in some cases, environmental responsibility.
Country image is found to have a direct positive effect on purchase intentionfor both Korean and Japanese automobiles; however, its moderating effect on therelationship between perceived value and purchase intention is not supported. Thisimplies that country image functions as an independent evaluative criterion in the Vietnamese automobile market, while its role in strengthening or weakening theeffects of individual value dimensions remains limited.
Overall, the findings suggest that consumers’ purchase intentions in the Vietnamese automobile market are shaped more by emotional and social valuesand country image than by economic considerations. Accordingly, automobilemanufacturers should move beyond function- and price-oriented competitivestrategies and adopt branding strategies that emphasize emotional appeal andsocial image. In particular, Korean automobile firms should actively leveragecountry image associated with environmental friendliness, whereas Japaneseautomobile firms are encouraged to complement their established reputation fortechnological reliability with emotional and social value elements.