A Cross-National Study Investigating the Role of Country of Origin and Word of Mouth in Expatriates’ Decision Process When Seeking a Healthcare Provider

Abstract In a globalized world, the expatriate community continues to expand. Selecting trustworthy healthcare providers is fundamental for their adaptation to a new country. Through interviews and a survey, this paper adds to the literature by theoretically discussing and empirically analyzing the decision process of a cross-cultural sample of expatriates in Dubai. It focuses on evaluating the role of two cues: Country of Origin (COO) and Word of Mouth (WOM). The findings show personal WOM is the most influential factor. The paper also explores the effect of expatriates’ origin (developed vs. emerging countries) and their levels of fluency in English.