Lalita A. Manrai

Global Perspectives in Cross-Cultural and Cross-National Consumer Research deals with several important issues crucial for greater understanding of international and cross-cultural consumer behavior. This understanding in turn can provide international marketers with valuable insights, such as conditions under which globalization may or may not work. The coverage in this book is interdisciplinary in nature, and the chapters discuss several constructs (intermediary variables, processes, and also other environmental influences) related to social, personal, and psychological components or consequences of culture.

The book begins with a conceptual model of the effect of culture on consumer behavior, with the components and consequences of the cultural influences clearly identified in terms of social, personal, and psychological factors. The following chapters discuss general issues related to globalization and standardization, present conceptual approaches to propositions relating to multicultural contexts, and address consumer complaining behavior and responses to advertising. There are five chapters on empirical and methodological studies conducted in specific pairs of countries, with data obtained from Canada, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Poland, Romania, and the United States.

In presenting readers with new information, Global Perspectives in Cross-Cultural and Cross-National Consumer Research spans these specific topics:

• the nature of cultural influence on consumer behavior

• globalization versus customization of international marketing strategy

• individualism versus collectivism

• right versus left symbolism

• product involvement

• consumer response to information technology

• interdependent versus independent cultures

The contributors are well-known scholars in the international/cross-cultural marketing field; their chapters present state-of-the-art developments in this area. The coverage of the material is interdisciplinary in nature and is likely to benefit a broad audience, especially academic researchers in international or cross-cultural consumer research and librarians of research-oriented schools, universities, or organizations.