Internal Nation Brand Equity of Bangladesh: Conceptualization and Measurement

Abstract

The study first attempts to design an integrated model which may help in
evaluating the nation and next measures the brand value of Bangladesh. Equity
measure was assessed at four distinct levels for both Non-Resident Bangladeshi
(NRB) citizens as well as Resident Bangladeshi (RB) citizens, termed as,
Dimension variable, Wellbeing variable, Component variables, and Utility
variables. Results indicate that there is ample scope for improvement and at the
same time, it is also apparent that the perception of NRB differs that from the RB
regarding various utility factors. Also, results indicate that the Bangladesh brand
equity of internal populace is higher compared to results depicted by global
indices. At the macro dimensional levels, the statistical difference between the
three dimensions; relational, subjective, and material were undertaken. Though
the equity perception of citizens is better than the global perception scores for
Bangladesh, however, the scores for economic wellbeing and social wellbeing
is significantly lower compared to natural wellbeing and human wellbeing.
The final analysis was at the micro level with 36 variables termed as the utility
variables. The strengths of Bangladesh comprise of a total of 12 (33%) variables,
mediocre performing variables constitute 17 (47%) variables, while the concern
areas encompass 7 (20%) variables. One other major finding at the utility level is
the, pollution management, lack of media positivity, and public trust. These three
implies that the first requires changing mindset and practices of the population
in general to create a physical evidence of a clean nation. The second requires
the media to be more responsible in portraying the nation, research has clearly
outlined many positivity of the nation which must be outlined and communicated
to the population at large. The third is a direct outcome of the second, lack of
trust on the nation. This is where a serious drive to focus on the basic concept of
‘Nation First’ must be embedded across all levels of the citizenry.