Methodology in Cross-Cultural Consumer Research

Abstract

The present study reviews the methodologies used in recent cross-cultural consumer studies. We examine published cross-cultural consumer studies in nineteen journals between 1991 and 1996 in terms of research design, data equivalence and reliability check, as well as data analysis methods. Results show that despite the increase in international business activities and the great efforts spent in advancing cross-cultural business studies, the status of cross-cultural consumer studies remains low. Moreover, it is found that about half of the recent cross-cultural consumer studies involve only two cultures. Most of the recent cross-cultural consumer studies have been non-experimental and have used surveys to collect data. In addition, cross-cultural consumer researchers appear to have paid limited attention to data equivalence issues. Only a few have reported making attempts to establish metric and sample equivalence. Finally, recommendations are made to advance the quality of cross-cultural consumer studies.