At your service!Does country of origin research apply to services?

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine the country of origin (COO) research as it applies to services. This stream of research has seemed to focus on products since the 1960s, but has been applied to services in only a very few areas. This dearth of research is surprising as trade in international services has increased greatly in recent years and continues to grow. This study thoroughly examines the related journal articles and attempts to answer the question: “Does COO research apply to services?” Our investigation found three classes of literature focusing on services, and details the studies in each. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.