Cross-cultural comparison of Chinese and Arab consumer complaint behavior in the hotel context

Abstract

There is no universal pattern of consumer complaint behavior as individual consumers from different cultures have diverse needs and expectations when they complain. This study combines the cultural dimensions of Hofstede (1980, 2001) and Schwartz (2006) to form a new theoretical model for examining cross-cultural consumer complaint behavior. The model is applied empirically in comparing the complaint behavior of consumers from two different Asian cultures (Arab and Chinese) in the context of the Iranian hospitality industry. The results address the implicit assumption contained in previous cross-cultural studies that Asian consumers are homogeneous in their behavior, revealing significant difference in Arab and Chinese consumer complaint behavior. The findings provide new insights into cross-cultural consumer complaint behavior. Managerial implications for the hospitality industry are offered.