Finding Cross-National Consistency: Use of G-Theory to Validate Acculturation to Global Consumer Culture Measure

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe authors use G-theory to explore a parsimonious measure of global consumer acculturation for its cross-national applicability. Our study is based on data from four countries that vary in size, location, and economic development—United States, China, New Zealand, and Nigeria. Given the spread of globalization and as consumption behaviors are becoming more homogeneous between countries and heterogeneous within countries, the measure of acculturation to global consumer culture serves as an important indicator for segmenting international consumers. Moreover, global consumer acculturation is considered to be an antecedent to consumer behavior variables like consumer ethnocentrism and materialism, while being viewed as a predictor of consumption-related behaviors. It is in this context that the parsimonious measure would find application—both in academia and in practice.