AStudyonJapanese’sImagesandBeliefs
onFinland,SwedenandDenmark
Keyresultsandconclusions
9thofJune2016
Professor,Ph.D.ArtoLindblom,AaltoUniversity
Postdocresearcher,Ph.D.TaruLindblom,UniversityofTurku
Assistantprofessor,Ph.D.MiikkaJ.Lehtonen,UniversityofTokyo
Tableofcontents:
1.  Backgroundandpurpose
2.  Keyconstructsandmeasurementitems
3.  Conceptualmodel
4.  Fewwordsonoursample
5.  Keyresults
6.  ConclusionsandimplicaRons
Backgroundandpurpose(1/2):
o  Tourismisoneoftheworld'sfastestgrowingindustries
worldwide.ItalsohasapotenRaltogeneratesignificantrevenue,wealth
andemploymentinNordiccountries.
o  However,tourismisverymuchanimage-drivenindustry.Images
andbeliefsthattravelersholdregardingspecificcountryaffecttheir
travelintenRons.Inotherwords,whenitcomestothe
individual'sdecisiontochoosethetraveldes8na8on,the
images,beliefsandfeelingsareverycri8calfactors.
o  Eachcountryhasitsownimageandreputa8onthathas
developedthroughRmesandhasbeenaffectedbynumerousfactors.
Backgroundandpurpose(2/2):
o  ThecommonbeliefisthatNordiccountrieshaveaposi8ve
imageinJapanandJapaneseconsumersexhibittheworld’skeenest
interestsinNordiclifestyleandculture.
o  However,thereisalackofunderstandingofhowtheseimages
differbetweenNordiccountries,andwhethertherearesome
uniquefeaturesthateachcountryhasfromtheviewpointofJapanese
people.
o  Basedonabove,ourresearchprojectexploresJapanese’simagesand
beliefsassociatedwithFinland,SwedenandDenmarkand
analyzeshowtheseimagesandbeliefsarerelatedtotheirtravel
inten8onstoeachcountry.
OurresearchquesRons:
1.  WhatkindofcountryimageJapanesehaveof
Finland,SwedenandDenmark?
2.  WhatkindsofbeliefsJapanesehaveonFinland,
SwedenandDenmarkastraveldes8na8ons?
3.  Howtheseimagesandbeliefsarerelatedto
Japanese’slikelihoodtotraveltoFinland,
SwedenandDenmark?
Ourkeyconstructsandmeasurementitems
Cogni8vecountry
image:
• 
• 
• 
• 
Qualityoflife
Wealth
Technologylevel
EducaRonlevel
Affec8vecountry
image:
• 
• 
• 
• 
Pleasant
Friendly
Safe
Trustworthy
Des8na8on
beliefs:
•  Scenery
•  AeracRons
•  AcRviRes
Adaptedfrom:Elliotetal.,2011;Nadeauetal.,2008;BeerliandMarRn2004a;2004b.
Ourconceptualmodel
Cogni8vecountry
image
Affec8vecountry
image
Des8na8on
beliefs
Likelihoodto
traveltothe
country
Aboutoursample:
o 
o 
o 
o 
ThepopulaRonofthisstudyaretheJapanesewhoareinterestedin
Nordiccountriesandfollowthesecountriesmoreorlessclosely.
OurdatawascollectedbyanonlinesurveyinJapanbetween4thof
Apriland6thofMay2016.Onlinesurveywaspromotedanddistributed
throughtheFinnish,SwedishandRoyalDanishEmbassiesandtheir
socialmediachannels(Twieer,Facebook).AlsotheFinnish-Japanese
ChamberofCommerceandtheFinnishInsRtuteinJapanpromotedthe
survey.
Oursamplesizevariesbetween1350and1637Japaneserespondents
dependingonthequesRon.
ThequesRonnairewasiniRallypreparedinEnglish,translatedto
JapaneseandthentestedwithseveralnaRveJapanesespeakersbefore
thelaunch.
Respondentsbygender
n=334
24,9%
n=1006
75,1%
*Approx.300respondentsdidnotinformtheirgender
Whatkindsof
spontaneousbeliefsand
imagesJapanesehaveof
Finland,Swedenand
Denmark?
Whenyouheartheword“Finland”,what
doesitbringtoyourmind?
Mostpopularanswers:
SantaClause,Moomin,Northernlights,Marimekko,
Fjord,Sauna,JeanSibelius,Forest,Lake,Arabia,
Iieala,AlvarAalto
Andothers…
Midnightsun,Kalevala,Design,Reindeer,Winterwar,Xylitol,EducaRon,
Freezingcoldweather,NOKIA,Birchtree,Finlandia,KimiRäikkönen,
Fiskarsvillage,Heavymetalmusic,Snow
Whenyouheartheword“Sweden”,what
doesitbringtoyourmind?
Mostpopularanswers:
Nobelprize,RoyalFamily,Volvo,Saab,IKEA,
Dalahäst,LisaLarson,ABBA,H&M,SwedishnaRonal
flag,Welfarestate,theCardigans,Design
Andothers…
Kiki’sDeliveryService,Pippi(PippiLongstocking),Freezingcoldweather,
Nature,EducaRon,Goodlookingpeople,Football,Genderequality,
Immigrant,Furniture
Whenyouheartheword“Denmark”,what
doesitbringtoyourmind?
Mostpopularanswers:
Andersen(H.C.Andersen),TheLieleMermaid,Royal
Copenhagen,Tivoli,Viking,Copenhagen(city),LEGO,
Dairyfarming,Furniture,LouisPoulsen,RoyalFamily,
TIGER,DanishnaRonalflag,Football
Andothers…
Dairyproducts,chair,Immigrant,Fairytale,Chocolate,Bread,Danishopen
sandwich,Castle,Island,HighpricesofcommodiRes,Tablewear,Windmill
Whatkindofcogni8ve
countryimage*Japanese
haveofFinland,Sweden
andDenmark?
*referstopeople’sgeneralbeliefsandknowledgeoncountry’swealth,qualityoflife,technologyleveland
educaRonlevel(seee.g.Elliotetal.,2011).
Japanese’soverallcogniRvecountryimageof
Finland,SwedenandDenmark
6.5%
6%
5.93%
PosiRve
image
5.84%
5.59%
5.5%
Slightly
posiRve
image
5%
4.5%
4%
Finland%
Sweden%
Denmark%
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
n=1629-1637
Japanese’soverallcogniRvecountryimageof
Finlandbydemographicgroups
6.50%
6.00%
5.97%
5.92%
5.96%
5.94%
6.01%
5.86%
5.91%
PosiRve
image
5.50%
Slightly
posiRve
image
5.00%
4.50%
4.00%
Male%
Female%
224%years%
25%2%36%years% 37%2%48%years% 49%2%60%years%
612%years%
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
Japanese’soverallcogniRvecountryimageof
Finlandbyrespondents’experience
6.50$
6.00$
5.99$
5.88$
PosiRve
image
5.50$
Slightly
posiRve
image
5.00$
4.50$
4.00$
Have$visited$in$Finland$
Have$not$visited$in$Finland$
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
Japanese’scogniRvecountryimageofFinland,
SwedenandDenmarkbyeachmeasurementitem
7%
6.5%
6.5%
6.15%
6%
6.05%
6.03%
5.85%
5.65%
5.42%
5.5%
5.49%
5.71%
5.64% 5.64%
High
level
5.33%
Somewhat
highlevel
5%
4.5%
4%
Quality%of%life%
Wealth%
Finland%
Technology%level%
Sweden%
Educa@on%level%
Denmark%
7-pointscale:1=verylow;4=moderate;7=veryhigh
n=1629-1637
Cogni8vecountry
image
Affec8vecountry
image
Finland:.069*
Sweden:.045ns.
Denmark:.100**
Likelihoodto
travel
Des8na8on
beliefs
Pearsoncorrela8oncoefficient:
*CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.05level(2-tailed)
**CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.01level(2-tailed)
ns.=notsignificantcorrelaRon
Whatkindofaffec8ve
countryimage*Japanese
haveofFinland,Sweden
andDenmark?
*referstopeople’semoRonsandfeelingsaboutaparRcularcountryanditspeople(seee.g.Elliotetal.,2011)
Japanese’soverallaffecRvecountryimageof
Finland,SwedenandDenmark
6.5%
6%
PosiRve
image
5.92%
5.48%
5.5%
5.38%
Slightly
posiRve
image
5%
4.5%
4%
Finland%
Sweden%
Denmark%
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
n=1418-1426
Japanese’soverallaffecRvecountryimageof
Finlandbydemographicgroups
6.50%
6.17%
6.00%
5.87%
5.96%
5.93%
5.97%
5.90%
PosiRve
image
5.93%
5.50%
Slightly
posiRve
image
5.00%
4.50%
4.00%
Male%
Female%
224%years%
25%2%36%years% 37%2%48%years% 49%2%60%years%
612%years%
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
Japanese’soverallaffecRvecountryimageof
Finlandbyrespondents’experience
6.50%
6.24%
6.00%
5.68%
PosiRve
image
5.50%
Slightly
posiRve
image
5.00%
4.50%
4.00%
Have%visited%in%Finland%
Have%not%visited%in%Finland%
7-pointscale:1=verynegaRve;4=neutral;7=veryposiRve
Japanese’saffecRvecountryimageofFinland,
SwedenandDenmarkbyeachmeasurementitem
6.5%
6.15%
6%
5.95%
5.78%
5.64%
5.5%
5.74%
5.36% 5.3%
High
level
5.84%
5.34%
5.44%
5.25%
5.32%
Somewhat
highlevel
5%
4.5%
4%
Pleasant%
Friendly%
Finland%
Safe%
Sweden%
Trustworthy%%
Denmark%
7-pointscale:1=verylow;4=moderate;7=veryhigh
n=1418-1426
Cogni8vecountry
image
Affec8vecountry
image
Finland:.177**
Sweden:.059*
Denmark:.076**
Likelihoodto
travel
Des8na8on
beliefs
Pearsoncorrela8oncoefficient:
*CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.05level(2-tailed)
**CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.01level(2-tailed)
ns.=notsignificantcorrelaRon
Whatkindsofdes8na8on
beliefs*Japanesehaveon
Finland,Swedenand
Denmark?
*referstopeople’sbeliefsandimpressionsonthecountryastraveldesRnaRon.DesRnaRonbeliefs
indicatecountry’saeracRveness.
AeracRvenessofFinland,SwedenandDenmark
astraveldesRnaRons
6.5$
6$
5.8$
AeracRve
5.67$
5.48$
5.5$
Slightly
aeracRve
5$
4.5$
4$
Finland$
Sweden$
Denmark$
7-pointscale:1=veryunaeracRve;4=neutral;7=veryaeracRve
n=1350-1357
AeracRvenessofFinlandastraveldesRnaRonby
demographicgroups
6.50$
5.88$
6.00$
5.91$
5.71$
5.77$
5.86$
5.94$
AeracRve
5.56$
5.50$
Slightly
aeracRve
5.00$
4.50$
4.00$
Male$
Female$
124$years$
25$1$36$years$ 37$1$48$years$ 49$1$60$years$
611$years$
7-pointscale:1=veryunaeracRve;4=neutral;7=veryaeracRve
AeracRvenessofFinlandastraveldesRnaRonby
respondents’experience
6.50%
6.00%
5.80%
5.80%
AeracRve
5.50%
Slightly
aeracRve
5.00%
4.50%
4.00%
Have%visited%in%Finland%
Have%not%visited%in%Finland%
7-pointscale:1=veryunaeracRve;4=neutral;7=veryaeracRve
Japanese’sdesRnaRonbeliefsonFinland,Sweden
andDenmarkbyeachmeasurementitem
7%
6.57%
6.5%
6.28%
5.99%
6%
5.5%
5.63%
5.53%
High
level
5.53%
5.31%
5.11%
4.91%
5%
4.5%
4%
Finland%
Sweden%
Scenery%
A<rac=ons%
Denmark%
Ac=vi=es%
7-pointscale:1=verylow;4=moderate;7=veryhigh
n=1350-1357
Somewhat
highlevel
Cogni8vecountry
image
Affec8vecountry
image
Des8na8on
beliefs
Likelihoodto
travel
Finland:.040ns.
Sweden:.126**
Denmark:.153**
Pearsoncorrela8oncoefficient:
*CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.05level(2-tailed)
**CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.01level(2-tailed)
ns.=notsignificantcorrelaRon
Conclusions(1/2):
o  Ingeneral,Japanesehaveaposi8veimageofFinland,
SwedenandDenmarkandperceivethesethreecountries
asaWrac8vetraveldes8na8ons.
o  ItseemsthatJapanesehaveaveryposi8veimpressionon
qualityoflifeandeduca8onlevelinFinland,Swedenand
Denmark.AlsoJapanesevalueNordiccountries’scenery.
o  Itseemsthatfemalesandyoungestandeldestagegroups
havemostposi8veimagesandfeelingsonFinland,Sweden
andDenmark.However,differencesbetweenvariousdemographic
groupsarerelaRvelysmall.
Conclusions(2/2):
o  OneinteresRngfindingwasthatthoseJapanesewhohavevisited
Finland,SwedenandDenmarkhavemoreposi8ve
impressiononthesethreecountriesthanthosewhohave
notvisited.
o  OurfindingsindicatethatJapanese’simagesandbeliefsare
related(atleasttosomeextent)totheirinten8onsto
travelNordiccountries.
o  InparRcular,affec8vecountryimageanddes8na8onbeliefs
canbeconsideredaskeydriversofJapanese’stravel
inten8ons.
ItemsthataremoststronglyrelatedtoJapanese's
intenRonstotraveltoFinland,SwedenandDenmark
Perceived
safety
.164**
Likelihoodtotravel
toFinland
Scenery&
aeracRons
.112**
Likelihoodtotravel
toSweden
.136**
Likelihoodtotravel
toDenmark
AeracRons
Pearsoncorrela8oncoefficient:
*CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.05level(2-tailed)
**CorrelaRonissignificantatthe0.01level(2-tailed)
ImplicaRons:
o  Basedonourresults,itisobviousthattourismandtravel
servicesofferedforJapanesetravelershaveagreatpoten8al
forNordiccountries.
o  However,inordertotakefulladvantageofJapanese’sposiRve
percepRonsonNordiccountries,eachcountrymusthavea
clearac8onplanhowtoturntheseposi8veimagesintotravel
flow.
o  Furthermore,althougheachNordiccountryhasitsownunique
features,andtheymightaeractdifferenttypesofJapanese
travelers,Nordiccountriescouldworkmorecloselytogether
inordertoincreasevisitorsineachcountry.
SomekeyquesRons:
o  HowtoturnJapanese’sposiRveimagesonNordiccountriesintoactual
travelflow?
o  WhatarekeydriversorpossibleobstaclesforJapanesetravelerstochoose
(ornottochoose)theNordiccountriesastheirtraveldesRnaRons?
o  AretheresometargetgroupsthatNordiccountriesorFinlandshould
focuson?Ifso,whatwouldbethemostaeracRvetargetgroups,andwhy?
o  Whatshouldbeourkeymessagesand“sellingarguments”toJapanese
travelers?
o  HowtoenhancecollaboraRonbetweenNordiccountries?Shouldtherebe
jointmarkeRngcampaignsorsomeco-createdtravelpackages?
Ourresearchteam
ArtoLindblom
Professor,Ph.D.
AaltoUniversitySchoolofBusiness
Marke8ngDepartment
arto.lindblom@aalto.fi
Areasofteachingandresearchexper8se:
•  RetailMarke8ngandManagement
•  RetailBusinessModels
•  RetailEntrepreneurship
•  ConsumerBehavior
TaruLindblom
Postdocresearcher,Ph.D.
TurkuUniversity
EconomicSociology
taru.lindblom@utu.fi
Areasofteachingandresearchexper8se:
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Sociologyofconsump8onandlifestyle
Sociologicalperspec8vesofleisure
consump8on
Sociologyoffood
Cross-culturalstudies
Urbanlifestyle
Tourism
MiikkaJ.Lehtonen
AssistantProfessor,Ph.D.
UniversityofTokyo
i.school
[email protected]
Areasofteachingandresearchexper8se:
•  Crea8veindustries,esp.gameindustry
•  Businessmodels
•  Crea8veresearchmethodologies
•  Japan
•  Design-intensivefirms
IncollaboraRonwith:
www.kuluta.fi
KotanaOy
-ContentwithaNordictwist-
www.kotana.fi