Global Consumers Research Articles

Acculturation to the global consumer culture: a generational cohort comparison

While on a global scale consumers are becoming more homogeneous, as a result of the increasingly globalized marketplace, researchers suggest that consumers within individual countries are becoming more culturally heterogeneous. Consequently, M. Cleveland and J. Laroche (2007. Acculturation to the global consumer culture: Scale development and research paradigm. Journal of Business Research, 60, 249–259) advocate segmenting consumers across markets on the basis of acculturation to the global consumer culture (AGCC) rather than segmenting at the individual country level. In this they anticipate AGCC will reflect demographic characteristics. However, little empirical work exists to validate or challenge the assertion that demographics moderate AGCC. This exploratory study uses generational cohort theory (GCT) to examine the relationships between cohort membership and level of AGCC among a sample of US consumers (N = 492). The findings suggest AGCC does identify differences between cohorts.

Automotive foreign direct investment in the United States: Economic and market consequences of globalization

This article examines the substantial growth of foreign direct investment into the United States by international (i.e., non-domestic) automotive firms over the past quarter century. Global macro-environmental factors influencing this investment are examined, as are the resulting impacts on numerous stakeholders including global automotive firms, consumers, and regional and state economies. The findings illustrate effective adaptive strategies that both automotive firms and economic development stakeholders follow in an increasingly global environment, resulting in significant economic, market, and quality-of-life benefits. The stakeholder perspective affords a more comprehensive view of globalization, forwarding a position counter to the protectionist viewpoint often espoused in business and popular culture.

PERSONAL SELLING DALAM PERSPEKTIF ISLAM

Currently the business world faces a new era of competition is very tight.For example in the trade industry, the strictness of a competition requirescompanies to be more active in promoting its products. By applying the strategy or the right marketing methods, business must be better prepared to deal with that era. Moreover in this era of globalization, appears a new phenomenon of global consumer (global consumers), as a result the company must improve competitiveness to maintain the continuity of their business through various improvements, both in terms of pricing, promotion, product quality, distribution, sales and service strategies . Represent improvements that must be done by a company, in terms of personal selling islami is a method appropriate promotional strategies to achieve corporate objectives in the face of this globalization era. In making a purchase, one will go through several stages of the buying decision process consisting of problem recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase decision and behavior after purchase. With personal selling have direct effects that arise in face-to-face meetings between sellers and buyers, where there is communication of the necessary factors to influence the decision to purchase or use of psychological factors in order to persuade and to give courage to the time of purchase decisions with the goal of keeping the sales transaction

글로벌 소비자의 패션 라이프스타일 변화에 대한 종적연구 - 미국, 중국, EU 소비자를 대상으로 -

The purpose of this study is to examine the fashion lifestyle variable of global consumers and to compare among US, Chinese and EU consumers. The data were collected in US(n=749), China(n=702) and EU(n=1083) from 2008 to 2010. For analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, K-means cluster analysis and chi-square analysis of SPSS 18.0 are used. The research results are as follow: First, it is shown that significant lifestyle factors of global fashion consumers are "adventure seeking", "fashion-oriented", "conspicuous consumption", "leadership", "brand-oriented", and "DIY". As a result of the cluster analysis of lifestyle types, four cross-national market segments are identified. These segments can be labeled as follows: "conservative fashion-oriented group", "passive consumer group", "neutral consumer group", "active fashion-oriented group". Second, findings also reveal that fashion lifestyle segments had meaningful differences between nationality and by year. Third, the US consumers tended to have conservative fashion-oriented lifestyle in 2008, however global consumers were changed to have active fashion lifestyle in 2010. This research will be useful to global brands in planning marketing strategies by offering specific information for global consumer fashion lifestyle.

Major Australian tropical fruits biodiversity: Bioactive compounds and their bioactivities

The plant kingdom harbours many diverse bioactive molecules of pharmacological relevance. Temperate fruits and vegetables have been highly studied in this regard, but there have been fewer studies of fruits and vegetables from the tropics. As global consumers demand and are prepared to pay for new appealing and exotic foods, tropical fruits are now being more intensively investigated. Polyphenols and major classes of compounds like flavonoids or carotenoids are ubiquitously present in these fruits, as they are in the temperate ones, but particular classes of compounds are unique to tropical fruits and other plant parts. Bioactivity studies of compounds specific to tropical fruit plants may lead to new drug discoveries, while the synergistic action of the wide range of diverse compounds contained in plant extracts underlies nutritional and health properties of tropical fruits and vegetables. The evidence for in vitro and animal bioactivities is a strong indicator of the pharmacological promise shown in tropical fruit plant biodiversity. In this review, we will discuss both the occurrence of potential bioactive compounds isolated and identified from a selection of tropical fruit plants of importance in Australia, as well as recent studies of bioactivity associated with such fruits and other fruit plant parts.

The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is the agricultural heart of Vietnam and home to nearly 20 million people. Its contributions to the entire country and global food consumers are enormous. The Delta’s delicate ecosystem, however, is distressed by several domestic and regional forces, including rural development, resource mismanagement, upstream damming, climate change, and failure to implement policies to link several systems. The authors examine trends and forces affecting the Delta and offer plausible adjustments to enhance the watershed’s well-being. Solutions will come from scale economies; higher value crops and branding; improvements to marketing channels, technologies to improve data collection and analysis, crop yields, and communication; foreign and domestic investment; and integrative policies to sustain Vietnam’s southern Delta and the entire Mekong Basin.

Barriers to improving energy efficiency within the process industries with a focus on low grade heat utilisation

Process industries are significant global energy consumers, contributing substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions. There is a need to reduce the energy intensity of production and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, but there are significant technical and non-technical barriers to achieving this. Consultation with industrial and academic stakeholders in the UK established that cost, return on investment and technology performance were key barriers to process industry energy efficiency improvements. However, for low grade heat utilization, stakeholder engagement and strategic mapping found that ‘location’ and the need for capital support for infrastructure were the most critical factors. A large number of institutional issues were also identified which help to explain why, even when efficiency measures deliver environmental and economic benefits; they are not implemented by industry.

Designing web platforms for the intermediation between local designers and craftspeople and global consumers

Designing web platforms for the intermediation between local designers and craftspeople and global consumers

Persistent halogenated compounds in aquaculture environments of South China: Implications for global consumers’ health risk via fish consumption

This study examined the potential sources of persistent halogenated compounds (PHCs), including organochlorine pesticides, mainly DDXs (sum of o,p′- and p,p′-DDT, -DDD, and -DDE and p,p′ -DDMU) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, to typical aquaculture environments of South China, determined the relative importance of gill diffusion and fish feeding for exposure of fish to these contaminants and assessed potential health risk for global consumers via consumption of fish from South China. Fish feed is generally a direct and important source of PHCs in both freshwater and seawater aquaculture. In addition, gill diffusion is the predominant uptake route for PHCs (except p, p′-DDMU, o, p′-DDD and -DDT) in farmed freshwater fish, whereas accumulation from the diet is the major route for farmed marine fish. Risks to health of global consumers via consumption of fish from South China are minimal. However, increased risk can be foreseen due to continuous use of brominated fire retardants and electronic waste importation to China.

The Iron Cage: Ugly, Uncool, and Unfashionable

Historical studies reveal how organizational markets supplied artifacts that became fashionable because they met not only consumers’ cultural tastes, but also their technological preferences. This article calls such artifacts cultural-technological fusions. The digital mode of production tends to generate more types of fashionable fusions, which replace each other at a growing rate, and travel increasingly swiftly across consumers globally. These changes in fashion markets mandate a revised theory of fashion bearing on the organizational production of digital culture-technology fusions and on the characteristics of fusions so produced. This article’s theory describes digital production processes enabling fusion’s rapid visualization, creation, and awareness among global consumers, production processes that create or reinforce three types of fusions: ‘beautiful technologies’, that is technologies rendered aesthetic; ‘efficient beauties’, that is aesthetic artifacts rendered technologically efficient; ‘concoctions’, that is new technologies fused with new cultural tastes. Finally, the theory discusses the novel characteristics of the market supply and consumption of fashionable fusions.

Multilingualism and Web advertising: addressing French-speaking consumers

Drawing inferences from both quantitative and qualitative data, this study examines the extent to which American companies tailor their Web advertising for global audiences with a particular focus on French-speaking consumers in North America, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and French Polynesia. Explored from a sociolinguistic and social semiotic perspective, advertising is seen as being strongly rooted in symbolic and cultural codes that are designed to have an emotional impact on consumers. This analysis also draws on the notion of ‘language display’ to explore strategies involving English borrowings used to appeal to French-speaking audiences and the indisputable link between language and identity. By analysing the latest trends in international e-marketing practices, this research underscores the cultural differences among global consumers and the importance of tailoring corporate websites to audiences in different markets.

Indigenous Cultural Bodies in Tourism: An Analysis of Local ‘Audience’ Perception of Global Tourist Consumers

The paper approaches cultural heritage tourism as an artefact of (cultural) globalisation and global (Urry 2007). The premise is that markets of (constructed) cultural 'heritage' and 'cultural bodies' rooted in specific 'localness', can be seen as being increasingly catered within global cultural flows and transnational movements of tourists, with cultural commodities such as the 'Zulu dance' narratives and 'Zulu' bodies positioned to meet tourist expectations. Methodologically, the paper draws on ethnographic data generated from unstructured interviews and focus groups, and probes the production of locality and people through an analysis of the perceptions of a sample group of Black Africans towards the Zulu dance narrative that contrives to make African, in this case Zulu-ness as the emphatic specificity or condition for intercultural participation in tourism encounters (van Binsbergen 2003: 400). The paper examines local perception of the Zulu dance and the female dancers, probing how this category of local 'audience' perceives the positioning of dance and dancers, as items of local heritage and indigeneity consumption within global(ized) tourism. The paper shows that an analysis of the data from the sample group reveals that local Zulu-speaking individuals believe that a strong marketing matrix contrives to sell a product of Zulu, that is more about meeting a global demand, than about showcasing what and who the 'Zulu' is.

Anime tourism: discursive construction and reception of the Studio Ghibli Art Museum

Anime tourism has been an important phenomenon within Japanese culture for the past decade. The signs of this global tourism can be read in the growing number of museums and theme parks in Japan dedicated to the history, and contemporary global success, of anime culture. However, the reputed aims and forms of these entertainment venues varies wildly, with some anime companies choosing to venerate animators, as with the Osamu Tezuka Museums in Kyoto and Takarazuka, while, alternatively, others are adopting theme park aesthetics, as with Sanrio Puroland. A common denominator among these anime venues is, however, an attempt extend the life and value of their products. The article argues that the Studio Ghibli Art Museum is an attempt to rebrand their hit films as ‘art’ products, but that the responses of the museum's international users display a tendency to perform a resistant tourist and consumerist gaze within the museum space. This article is an attempt to delve into the complex relationship between anime producers and global consumers, viewing the museum space as one in which the cultural meanings of anime are put to the test.

Imagined Commodities: Video Game Localization and Mythologies of Cultural Difference

Broadly interested in the agents and institutions that structure social imaginations and subjectivities by mediating which images are available to what audiences to imagine through, this paper specifically considers the power at play when intermediaries—in this case, video game localizers—filter the images and narratives that are sold and marketed to global consumers, and the way these mediating processes in turn are both produced by, and productive of, (cultural) imaginings. This paper also discusses the way that localization practices—while often framed by a discourse that positions cultural differences as both incommensurable and easily and discretely bounded by the borders of nation-states—typically involve a nuanced negotiation of contradictions, dilemmas and interests.

Dietary intake of persistent organic pollutants and potential health risks via consumption of global aquatic products

The concentration levels of typical persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) including dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) and non-dioxin-like PCBs, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in global aquatic products from major producing countries were summarized. Daily intakes of these compounds via consumption of various aquatic products for global consumers were also estimated based on available literature data. Risk assessment based upon existing criteria for OCPs and PBDEs shows that there is minimal risk to global consumers from consumption of aquatic products, with the exception of products from specific regions located around known heavy-point sources. Exposure to dioxins through consumption of aquatic products, excluding marine fish, is also in the range of the acceptable level, lower than 4 pg World Health Organization toxic equivalent (WHO-TEQ)/kg bw/d; however, dioxin intake via marine fish may cause hazards to human health, especially for Europeans. Regarding PCBs, there is cancer risk for global consumers via consumption of aquatic products, especially marine fish, based on cancer and noncancer hazard ratio assessment. Generally, European consumers have higher exposure levels of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs, while Americans and Asians have relatively higher exposure levels of OCPs and PCBs. In contrast, all global populations are found to have lower exposure levels of PBDEs, which may be attributed to its relatively shorter history of use compared with PCBs and OCPs. Finally, the estimated total amounts of PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs stored in global aquatic products constitute only a small portion of the total amount that has been used, and the majority obviously occurs in other environmental media or even remains in commercial products.

The cause manifesto

PurposeThis paper seeks to encourage loyalty marketers to embrace cause‐related marketing.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explores companies which have used or are using cause‐related marketing, from McDonald's 1984‐established Ronald McDonald House to the newer LIVESTRONG campaign, and examines which programs’ successes, failures and consumer reactions.FindingsAccording to the 2008 Edelman goodpurpose study, 63 percent of consumers think companies spend too much on marketing and advertising and should set aside more for a “good cause”. Even during a recession, the study adds, 80 percent of global consumers think it is still important that brands and companies set aside money for a social purpose. A recent survey of 9,000 consumers worldwide by Boston Consulting Group indicates that, despite the economic downturn, buying green products remains a priority – a majority of respondents in all countries expressed a willingness to pay a premium of 5 percent or more for green products, and 73 percent considered it important that companies have good environmental records.Practical implicationsToday, cause marketing is more than just a trend – it is an imperative. What began as a simple way to build brand affinity has become a consumer expectation in an era in which sustainable and ethical consumer choices are more important than ever before. And within that framework, loyalty marketing tactics are at the heart of creative innovation.Originality/valueThe paper presents exclusive interviews with representatives from some of the largest marketing firms in the industry today and offers tangible tips and tools to utilize in the real world marketing plans.

How Global are Global Brands? An Empirical Brand Equity Analysis

The term has become widely used by the media and by consumers. Business week publishes annually its widely known ranking of the Best Global Brands (with Coca-Cola as number 1 in the past years) and consumers on summer vacations purchase such as Heineken or Marlboro they are familiar with from their home country. Although media and consumers call these and centralized marketing departments manage these globally – are these brands really global? Are they really perceived everywhere in the same way by the customers? Can we talk about truly global brand equity? And if there were brand image differences between countries, which factors causes them? The authors conducted an empirical research during May and June 2009 with similarly aged University students (bachelor students at business school) in Germany (n=426) and Mexico (n=296). The goal was to identify if brand awareness rates differ between Germans and Mexicans, if the brand image of Apple iPod is perceived in the same way in Germany and in Mexico and what influencing factors might have an impact on any brand image discrepancy between the countries. Results prove that brand recall rates differ between the two countries (with higher rates in Mexico) as well as brand image attributes vary significantly (28 out of 34 brand image attributes are significantly different between Germany and Mexico), with Mexico showing higher levels of favorable brand image attributes. Key influencing factors on the different brand image perceptions are perceived quality, satisfaction and the influence of reference groups (such as friends and family). The results suggest that so-called brands are not perceived the same way in Germany and Mexico. As a consequence, brand management using standardized marketing instruments for its presumable brands might be better off with a more differentiated approach that takes account a specific local brand image.

Digitization and Its Discontents: Future Shock in Predictive Oncology

Clinical cancer care is being transformed by a high-technology informatics revolution fought out between the forces of personalized (biomarker-guided) and depersonalized (bureaucracy-controlled) medicine. Factors triggering this conflict include the online proliferation of treatment algorithms, rising prices of biological drug therapies, increasing sophistication of genomic-based predictive tools, and the growing entrepreneurialism of offshore treatment facilities. The resulting Napster-like forces unleashed within the oncology marketplace will deliver incremental improvements in cost-efficacy to global healthcare consumers. There will also be a price to pay, however, as the rising wave of digitization encourages third-party payers to make more use of biomarkers for tightening reimbursement criteria. Hence, as in other digitally transformed industries, a new paradigm of professional service delivery-less centered on doctor-patient relationships than in the past, and more dependent on pricing and marketing for standardized biomarker-defined indications-seems set to emerge as the unpredicted deliverable from this brave new world of predictive oncology.

Guest editorial on cultural issues in global e-commerce diffusion, adoption and use

It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to this special issue of DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems, the focus of which is on "Cultural Issues in Global E-commerce Diffusion, Adoption and Use." Electronic (e)-commerce is expanding at a rapid rate, with the online population approaching almost one and a half billion, and global online revenues being measured in trillions of dollars. This global expansion of e-commerce represents growth opportunities for businesses worldwide. However, one of the obstacles for companies attempting to extend their e-business internationally is to understand global consumers and overcome cultural barriers and language differences on the web (Singh and Pereira, 20051; Violino, 20012). Many companies are realizing that building an e-commerce website to suit an international audience is a more complex endeavor than they expected (Sheldon and Strader, 20023). As companies set up their global e-businesses, it is important for them to understand, what global trends are facilitating the rise of the web, what cultural factors influence consumer use of international websites, what motivates global consumers to make purchases at international websites, and what cultural barriers exist to diffusion and adoption of e-commerce. This Special Issue of DATA BASE aims to advance the knowledge on the role of national culture in global e-commerce expansion. More specifically, it aims to address issues related to the impact of national culture on macro-level issues related to diffusion and adoption of ecommerce, and micro-level issues related to web site localization, international web site usage, and global online consumer behavior. The Special Issue has solicited theoretical, conceptual, and empirical studies that are inter-disciplinary in nature, as global e-commerce research is not just emerging as an important area of study in the information systems domain, but also in marketing, international business, linguistics and other disciplines.

The Impact of Accessible Identities on the Evaluation of Global versus Local Products

Through three studies, we investigated the impact of consumers’ global versus local identities on the evaluation of global products (products with the same specifications and packaging for consumers from around the world) versus local products (products with specifications and packaging tailored for local markets). The results show that consumers with an accessible global identity prefer a global (more than a local) product and consumers with an accessible local identity prefer a local (more than a global) product. Of note, this effect was reversed, either by an explicit instruction about accessible identities being nondiagnostic (study 1) or implicitly by inducing a differentiative (vs. integrative) processing mode (study 2).