Without a powerful and positive reputation or nation brands, no country can consistently compete for consumers, tourists and investors and the respect and attention of other countries and the worlds media.
Not
many countries are lucky enough to be economically wealthy,
yet virtually all are rich in intangible assets: almost every
country on earth possesses a wide variety of cultural, historical,
geographical, human and intellectual capital. But in most
cases, for one reason or another, there have not been the
right conditions, the ability or the motivation to translate
these natural assets into consistent economic performance.Yet
in a global economy increasingly driven by services, intellectual
assets and "virtual" products, the human capital
of nations is more than ever the critical factor in their
economic progress, and a lack of conventionally marketable
resources is less of a bar to economic development than it
has been in the past.
Whether
the product being sold is tangible or intangible, intellectual
capital plays a vital role in the modern economy by adding
value to the product. Without a distinctive and attractive
brand, few of today's leading companies could have achieved,
still less maintained, their profitability, their market share,
or the loyalty of their consumers and employees. The
same basic principle applies to countries. Without a powerful
and positive reputation or nation brand, no country can consistently
compete for consumers, tourists, investors, immigrants and
the respect and attention of other countries and the world's
media.
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