The Effects of Country-Image and Animosity on Asian Consumers’ Responses to Foreign Brands

This study investigates the effects of country image and animosity on brand quality evaluation and purchasing intention among Asian consumers. Data was collected from Chinese (n = 540) and South Korean (n = 360) consumers. Two brands Sony and Dell, originating from countries-target of animosity, respectively Japan and the US, were designated as foreign brands. The model was empirically tested with structural equation modeling. The results highlight the key role of the country image-brand quality association to leverage the purchase intention, in a context of animosity. Although the country image of both US and Japan is negatively affected by Chinese and South Korean animosities, it would still impact positively the evaluation of the quality of their respective brands, which would, in turn, increase the purchase intention. In particular, the results show that Japan’s country image would have an indirect (i.e. through the brand quality path) and direct effects on the purchase intention, however, “the US country image has only an indirect effect on the purchase intention”. Herein, Chinese and South Korean consumers would not buy US brands per se unless the country’s image relates to the argument of brand quality.

Consumption attitudes and behaviors in Asia: a “discovery-oriented” fresh look

PurposeThis paper aims to identify distinct consumption patterns among Asian consumers and examine how these relate to cultural antecedents and key human values.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a large, representative sample of almost 7,000 Asian consumers in 10 culturally varying markets, using latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify the consumption profiles.FindingsThe findings empirically demonstrate that the two profiles are “inner-directed nationalistic frugals” (IDNF) and “outer-directed self-eekers” (ODSS). IDNF consumers spend more time and money on education and prefer ethnocentric consumption. ODSS consumers emphasize individuality, self-expression, seeking novelty and impressing others. Consumers with more collective values in Schwartz's typology tend to demonstrate the IDNF pattern; those with more individualistic values demonstrate the ODSS pattern. The distribution of IDNF and ODSS profiles is influenced by demographics, religion and geographical region: IDNF is greater than ODSS in Southeast Asia; ODSS is greater than IDNF in East Asia; IDNF is roughly equal to ODSS in Northeast Asia. IDNF tends to be found among older and more religious consumers, while ODSS is the opposite. Importantly, in the more religious Southeast Asian countries, even younger consumers are more IDNF than ODSS.Research limitations/implicationsThis research uses an exploratory and discovery-oriented approach; future research can use more confirmatory approaches to systematically examine the relationship between cultural dimensions (e.g. individualism-collectivism) and consumption patterns.Practical implicationsFor their brands to grow in Asian markets, marketing practitioners are advised to use multiple brands to segment Asian consumers based on their values, demographics, geographical location and what religious/faith traditions they follow.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to identify consumption profiles in Asian markets using LPA without prior conceptual biases and relate them to cultural values and demographic variables.

The Tao of consumption: private self in a collective culture

PurposeCollectivism in service research is so bound with Asian cultures as to risk being overly deterministic. Contesting this stereotype, this paper surfaces the individualistic consumption facets of consumers within a collectivist cultural setting, describing the compensating role servicescapes may play and the service marketing opportunities they present.Design/methodology/approachWithin a Chinese cultural research frame, a qualitative grounded approach is adopted that surfaces subconscious metaphors of private consumption through photo elicitation, deep psychological metaphor elicitation and triangulated with field observation.FindingsIndividuals within a collectivist culture do actively seek private psychic space to regenerate the self and prepare for social obligations heavily influenced by Confucian norms. Servicescapes play an important role in private consumption as they provide both a physical and mental oasis of privacy not easily obtainable in regular life and work.Practical implicationsService providers could offer East Asian consumers a package that includes the individual aspect of their value system, whenever and however they see suitable. More specifically, servicescapes can be designed to provide services that facilitate consumer restoration by implementing the mental metaphors consumers of have this process.Social implicationsA stereotype of a consumption has grown around Chinese consumers that while not totally false, misses a vital aspect of human values and risks missing profitable market niches. Consideration of the whole person's collective-individualistic cycle benefits both the consumer and the business.Originality/valueMoving beyond a one-dimensional description of East Asian consumer behavior, focused on collective values, we show the key role servicescapes play in private consumption. A psychological renewal of the self, in preparation to re-enter the collective, show the multiple aspects of Asian consumers.

Cultural dimensions in online purchase behavior: Evidence from a cross-cultural study

The objective of this research is to investigate how cultural differences affect consumers’ online purchase behavior. We reviewed the recent literature on cross-cultural studies on online behavior and building on Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), we developed a conceptual model exploring how the dimensions of national culture influence perceptions of website usability, trust, and perceived risk, which in turn impact on intention to use and online purchase behavior. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 350 European and Asian consumers actively using Alibaba e-commerce platforms. The conceptual model was validated through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to empirically test the hypothesized relationships among variables. Results showed how culture significantly influenced website usability and perceived risk in European consumers and, in turn, their intention and behavior. Differently, culture significantly influenced trust of Asian consumers, as well as their intention and online behavior. With this study, we contribute to the literature on consumer online purchase behavior from a cross-cultural perspective. As culture emerged among the significant antecedents of mechanisms explaining online purchase behavior, e-tailers should tailor digital marketing strategies according to consumer cultural differences.

The influence of brand experience on brand authenticity and brand love: an empirical study from Asian consumers’ perspective

PurposeThis research investigates the effects of multidimensional brand experiences (i.e. behavioral, intellectual, affective and sensory) on brand authenticity and brand love from the Asian consumers' perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis research collected primary data from 418 consumers on global brands, and it tested the proposed hypotheses by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe findings indicate that sensory and affective experiences have direct significant impacts on brand love, while intellectual and behavioral experiences have nonsignificant impacts on brand love. Overall, intellectual, behavioral, affective and sensory experiences positively influence brand authenticity, which in turn have substantial positive impacts on brand love.Research limitations/implicationsThis study investigated consumer behavior in a broader sense, and consumers from 13 Asian countries participated in this research. Future research may collect data on a larger scale from Asian countries to generalize the results.Practical implicationsBy following brand authenticity as an essential positioning tool and implementing several experiential marketing strategies, global managers can develop brand-loving consumers in Asia.Originality/valueUnder the parasol of attribution theory, this research explores the relationships among the multidimensional brand experiences, brand authenticity and brand love from the Asian perspective.

Sensory Characteristics Contributing to Pleasantness of Oat Product Concepts by Finnish and Chinese Consumers

Oats are increasingly popular among consumers and the food industry. While data exist on sensory characteristics of oats as such, previous studies focusing on the pleasantness of oats, and especially investigations of a wide range of oat products by European and Asian consumers, are scarce. An online questionnaire was organized in Finland (n = 381; 83.7% Finnish) focusing on the liking and familiarity of oat products, followed by sensory tests in Finland (n = 65 and n = 73) and China (n = 103) using the Check-All-That-Apply method and hedonic ratings. A questionnaire revealed that the Finnish consumers rated the pleasantness and familiarity of several oat product categories, such as breads and porridges, higher compared to participants of other ethnicities. Sensory tests showed both similarities, e.g., porridges were described as “natural”, “healthy” and “oat-like”, and differences between countries, e.g., sweet biscuits, were described as “crispy” and “hard” by Finnish consumers and “strange” and “musty” by Chinese consumers. Sweet products were unanimously preferred. The ethnicity had an important role affecting the rating of pleasantness and familiarity of oat product categories, whereas food neophobia and health interest status also had an influence. The proved healthiness of oats was a crucial factor affecting the choices of consumers and their acceptance in both countries.