AI Paper Political Leader Image and its Role in Shaping India’s Global Country Image During Periods of Geopolitical Uncertainty

Abstract

A nation is represented by its leading political figures. The nation is affected by every move made by the political figurehead. Research on how the perceptions of political leaders affect those of their home nations is lacking. Our study examines for the first time how a political leader's image affects the image of their home country, even though prior research suggests that a political leader may have significant influence in bringing benefits to their nation. Initially, a qualitative study is done using focus groups. Then, 322 respondents from various Indian cities are given a questionnaire as part of a quantitative study. Three crucial leader traits—leadership, competence, and integrity—are defined by factor analysis. Four characteristics are also used to categorize a nation's image: values and ethics, the socioeconomic-political system, aesthetics, and belongingness. The findings indicate that the perception of a nation is significantly influenced by the image of its political leaders. Additionally, different aspects of a political leader's image have different levels of influence on the image of the nation; competence has the biggest effect on the country image, followed by leadership and integrity.