The Asymmetric Effect of Sex Role Orientation on Japanese Family Purchase Decision Making

Zsolt Varga,Sotaro Katsumata,Wirawan Dony Dahana

doi:10.4172/2168-9601.1000266

Abstract

Family purchase decision making is driven by the bipolar gender stereotypes of husband and wife. However, relatively little is known about how individual perceptions of Sex Role Orientation (SRO) affect authority in an integrated decision. The present research is aimed to narrow the gap in the literature by dissecting the four dimensions of Sex Role Orientation and exploring the interplay among the elements of household decision making: SRO, gender, and purchase decision stage. The authors carry out a comprehensive analysis by utilizing representative empirical data collected from 500 demographically heterogeneous individuals who filled out a survey related to gender role orientation and automobile purchasing behavior. The analysis reveals asymmetric effects of females and males norm perceptions. While the fundamental relationship between SRO and decision making authority is predominated solely by the gravity of male values, the moderating effect of gender is primarily affected by female dimensions. The research breaks beyond the limitations of prior research by elucidating households’ decision making structure through isolating the dimensions of female and male gender norms, and contributes to the literature by providing a deeper and more comprehensive insight into the underlying factors of decision making mechanism between husband and wife. In addition, given the sparse research on gender roles and purchasing behavior in Japanese society, the results provide a basis for cross-cultural comparison and actionable items for immediate management implication by practitioners.

Highlights

The influence of Sex Role Orientation (SRO) on household decision making is well acknowledged, within a family, husband and wife often have incongruent perceptions
Because our research focuses on the relationship between family decision making and Sex Role Orientation, in the subsequent section we will review some studies related to household influence that has contributed to the body of knowledge
The profile of the sample population is representative for the entire Japanese population and the distribution of characteristics follow the data provided by the Japanese Statistical Bureau

Summary

Introduction

The influence of Sex Role Orientation (SRO) on household decision making is well acknowledged, within a family, husband and wife often have incongruent perceptions. What is the effect of the polarity of female and male individual perceptions of authority in an integrated decision? The crucial factor determining authority is gender role orientation [2,3]; a transgenerational cultural imprint built on norms prescribing roles and inequalities between men and women [4,5]. The theory of family decision making still heavily relies on the conceptual developments of studies published in the 1960s and 1970s [1]. Wives’ influence increased over all decision areas [4], opening a new, fertile area for research. Few authors have attempted to measure the profound alterations occurring in family decision making within the modern family, despite ‘frantic’ changes in the family structure [4,5]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion