Kuwaiti Managers' Perceptions of the National Competitiveness of the U.S., Germany, and Japan

In international business, the customers' perception is vital for marketing and strategic planning. This study is designed to address the perceptions of managers in Kuwait of the national environments of Japan, Germany, and the U.S. and the prospect of global leadership for each nation. Sixty‐four major Kuwaiti firms participated. The results indicate that Japan is perceived to offer the most conducive business environment for effective global competition. In addition, participants believe that Japan will surpass the U.S. economically and technologically in the near future. Nevertheless, the results show that U.S. based firms are perceived to be more adaptable to changing world conditions and that they do a better job of attracting the best human resources than German or Japanese based firms.