Although widely considered to be a Stalinist dictatorship, the country is ranked 130th out of a total 200 including all 192 United Nations members, along with eight non-members and territories. China appears in 138th position.
The index reportedly uses a text analysis tool, Perception Metrics, to assess positive and negative references to the countries in leading global media. East West President Thomas Cromwell explained that the index’s analytical process took into account media perception of competitiveness in a range of sectors including tourism and investment.
The index reportedly uses a text analysis tool, Perception Metrics, to assess positive and negative references to the countries in leading global media. East West President Thomas Cromwell explained that the index’s analytical process took into account media perception of competitiveness in a range of sectors including tourism and investment.
Overall, Asia-Pacific ranked highly, with Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Australia respectively claiming the top five positions. Japan is listed 25th, while South Korea is in 28th place. But also somewhat surprisingly, India is ranked 112th, two places below the Micronesian island of Nauru, which as one of the world’s poorest countries has an unemployment rate of 90 per cent.
The survey is conducted on a quarterly and annual basis. Cromwell noted that due to the potential implications of a single event such as a scandal or a major sporting event on a country brand, the annual index would “carry the most weight”.
The firm’s annual Global Index 200 for 2008 is due to be published in January.
