Description:

This indicator measures Scotland's overall score on the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands IndexSM (NBI).

The NBI measures public perceptions of a country's nation brand across six areas of national competence (comprised of 23 attributes)using an online survey questionnaire in 20 panel countries.

The data gathered through the global panels to obtain the overall NBI score are processed and analysed by GfK-Roper using the NBI analytical model, which is the intellectual property of Simon Anholt and GfK-Roper. 

Source of Data:

Scotland's performance on the Nation Brands Index in 2016 is summarised in a publication available on the Scottish Government website (in addition to the overall score used to assess indicator performance, this report includes detail on Scotland’s performance across all individual dimensions and attributes, comparing performance to the most recent previously collected data).

Twenty countries are selected (by GFK) for the survey of the NBI study, representing major developed and developing countries that play important and diverse roles in international relations, trade and the flow of business, cultural, and tourism activities. The data reflects the views and opinions of online populations in these 20 countries; citizens who are connected to the world. Scotland was included as a 21st panel country in 2016 to enable analysis of how Scotland views itself.

To maintain consistency, the core 20 panel countries in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2016 were:

• Western Europe/North America: the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden
• Central and Eastern Europe: Russia, Poland, Turkey
• Asia-Pacific: Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia
• Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico
• Middle East/Africa: Egypt, South Africa

In each country, a minimum of 1,000 adults who are internet users are interviewed; . Pre-recruited online panels are utilized for the study. Based on the most up-to-date online population statistics in each country, the outgoing sample in each country is stratified by four sample cells: males 18-34 and 35+, and females 18-34 and 35+. For each cell, random sample replicates are drawn and invitations are sent out to respondents to participate in the survey.

Using the most up-to-date online population parameters, the achieved sample in each country has been weighted to reflect key demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and education of the online. Additionally, in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India and Brazil, race/ethnicity has been used for sample balancing.

Using a survey questionnaire in each panel country, the list of 50 nations is randomly assigned to respondents (except in Egypt), each of whom rates 25 nations, resulting in each nation getting approximately 500 ratings per panel country.

The data gathered to obtain the overall NBI score are processed and analysed by GfK-Roper using the NBI analytical model, which is the intellectual property of Simon Anholt and GfK-Roper.

The Anholt GfK-Roper Nation Brands Index as developed by Simon Anholt and Nation Brands Hexagon are trademarks and copyrights of Simon Anholt and GfK Roper.

Definitions:

A nation's brand, as defined by Simon Anholt's 'hexagon methodology' (i.e. the six characteristics of a nation), is about national identity and how a country is understood and perceived by others. It measures a nation's reputation as it exists around the world.

The six characteristics of a nation examined by the NBI are:

• Culture
• Exports
• Governance
• Investment and immigration
• People
• Tourism

Criteria for Change:

• Any difference within +/- 1 percentage point of the previously available figure (Scotland has subscribed to the NBI bienielly since 2010) suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change.
• A reduction of 1 percentage point or more suggests the position is improving.
• an increase of 1 percentage point or more suggests the position is worsening.