Week 10 - Katrina Shi

10. If you were to come up with your own nation branding framework, what would it look like?

If I were to come up with my own nation’s branding framework, I would look at both the nation’s strengths and weaknesses first, as the nation’s strengths can be easily utilized and incorporated when establishing a national branding framework, while the weaknesses of a nation would allow me to see what needs to be improved upon or swept under a rug.  While ideally the government of the nation will be willing to improve upon any weaknesses or inequalities it might have, the reality of governments are often far from ideal, and in order to establish a successful branding image I have to consider the things that the government aren’t willing to change due to lack of interest or whatever perceived benefit it might bring.

Another thing to consider is the effectiveness of the nation’s government or policy implemented by the government. Vietnam, for example, was unable to effectively facilitate foreign educational and vocational training due to its unclear and confusing rules. Effective policy is key as a successful policy or regulation can lead to the government steering the industry in the direction they desire, while an unsuccessful one could not only cause problems within an industry but also make the government lose reputation.

Question: How important is it for the government to actively try to improve its nation when considering nation branding? Is it possible for a government to establish a successful image without being necessarily democratic, as most people would envision? 

Image source: Flicker.com