Xenocentrism, cosmopolitanism, and consumer behavior in emerging markets: important antecedents and consequences
Date
2020
Authors
Quaye, Emmanuel Ato Silva
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Abstract
Positive bias toward foreign brands in emerging consumer markets has been explained by the effects of value priorities, global (vs. local) consumer culture and ethnocentrism, which are assumed to be a consequence of contemporary factors such as globalization, international trade and cooperation, advances in communications and technology, globalized media, and international travel. The current research intends to advance our understanding of foreign brand preference with the goal of making conceptual, methodological, empirical, and practical contributions.Conceptually, this is the first study to include xenocentrism and cosmopolitanism as potentialmediators of the effects of value priorities on foreign (vs local) brand preference. Methodologically, a new consumer xenocentrism scale (ConXeno) is developed, assessed rigorously, and shown to have excellent measurement properties. Empirically, this study brings together variables not previously studied. Data are collected from 1,177 participants using validated instruments in three important African emerging markets: South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. Theorized relations are assessed simultaneously using structural equation modeling. Resultant self-enhancement has theorized effects on foreign brand preference, but resultant conservation is not related to local product preference. Results confirm the mediating effects of consumer xenocentrism, consumer cosmopolitanism and consumer ethnocentrism on foreign and local product preference for each country, although theorized mediated indirect effects of resultant self-enhancement on foreign product preference via consumer ethnocentrism are weak. Practically, the effect size estimates suggest that consumer xenocentrism, consumer cosmopolitanism, and consumer ethnocentrism have practical relevance for marketing strategies. Important theoretical and practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2020