| This study focused on the influence of hosting the Olympics on the country's national image. Based on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it investigated the relationships among people's perception of the national image dimensions and those of the image that the host country tried to project during the Olympics. This study also examined the routes for the formation of these perceptions. An online survey was conducted.;It was indicated that while majority of the respondents indicated different degrees of attitude change, only small portion reported a complete change of attitude. Also, more than thirty percent of those whose attitude has changed reported a more negative view toward China.;It was found that although respondents were generally favorable toward the 2008 Olympics, the three promoted Olympic concepts were not well received; especially for the concepts of green Olympics and people's Olympics. A lack of clear understanding of the three concepts was also identified among the respondents. Strong correlations were found among most of the national image dimensions and the projected Olympic image. The two lowest rated national image dimensions, government and exports, were found more correlated to the other dimensions and the projected Olympic image.;Traditional media was found to be the dominant information source for both information about China and the Olympics. But personal experience with the Chinese people had become a very important route for information about China. And the internet played a big part in the distribution of information about the 2008 Olympics. |
