Samuel MainaGodfrey Muigai KinyuaHilda, Khasaya Muteshi2023-08-072023-08-072023http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/26610A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Marketing) to the School Of Business, Economics and Tourism of Kenyatta University March, 2023Decision by investors to locate a business internationally is determined by comparison of various countries as potential places for investment. Competition among countries and the increasing need for foreign direct investment has led to countries being marketed as brands. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of country marketing mix on country brand choice for foreign direct investment in Kenya. The specific objectives were: to establish the effect of country physical evidence, country prices, country attributes, business processes, and country promotion strategies on country brand choice for foreign direct investment in Kenya. The study also sought to establish the mediating effect of country brand equity and the moderating effect of country regulatory environment on the relationship between country marketing mix and country brand choice for foreign direct investment in Kenya. This study was anchored on eclectic theory of international production, marketing mix model and Aaker’s brand equity model. The study adopted both descriptive and explanatory research design. The target population was 1,038 foreign investors who registered companies between the year 2015-2020 in Kenya. A sample of 254 companies were chosen. Respondents were identified using stratified random sampling, a questionnaire was used in data collection. The study tested for validity of research tools as well as reliability through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Cronbach Alpha coefficient, 0.60 was the acceptable reliability. Data was analysed using logistic regression analysis and descriptive statistics (in form of measures of central tendencies). The F-statistic was used to confirm variables level of significance. Variables with p-value ≤ 0.05, were significant. The adjusted R-Squared (R2) and Exp(B) was used to interpret the relationship between country marketing mix and country brand choice. The study conducted diagnostic tests for collinearity and Goodness of fit and the data is presented in tables, charts and figures. The findings indicated that the models were found to be a good fit, and there was no multicollinearity. Based on hypothesis testing, country physical evidence, country attributes, country promotion have significant direct relationship with country brand choice, the study rejects the null hypotheses H01, H03, H05 while country prices and country business processes have no significant effect on country brand choice, therefore study fails to reject H02 and H04. Country marketing mix has a significant effect on country brand choice and country brand equity mediates the relationship between country marketing mix and country brand choice. Country regulatory environment has a significant moderation effect on the relationship between country marketing mix and country brand choice. An unfavourable regulatory environment decreases the likelihood that an investor will choose Kenya for foreign direct investment. The study concludes that country marketing is critical in attracting foreign direct investment, and should exist in a favourable country regulatory environment. The study recommends the use of stepwise logistic regression and hierarchical logistic regression to determine variables contribution in the marketing mix model and also the retention of country prices in the model despite its insignificance.enMarketing MixCountry Brand ChoiceForeign Direct InvestmentKenyaThesis