A study of the influence of religiosity, materialism and animosity on consumer ethnocentric behaviour

Sandhu, MA

Abstract

The main focus of this thesis is to investigate consumer ethnocentric behaviour (indeed
morality, appropriateness to buy domestic products; Shimp and Sharma, 1987) and the effect
of different socio-cultural and psychological constructs namely religiosity, materialism and
animosity on consumer ethnocentrism in two different cultural perspectives. This research
extends ethnocentric studies to the level that has not been carried out this far and constructs of
this thesis are uniquely brought together for the first time in an academic study.
Based on a quantitative research approach & survey design using already validated scales,
two empirical studies were carried out to investigate Pakistani consumers residing in Pakistan
and UK. Study 1 was undertaken in Pakistan to explore the effect of religiosity and
materialism as antecedent/moderator on the levels of ethnocentrism and animosity causing
willingness to purchase home-country products among home country consumers. Study 2
repeated the same conceptual scheme to investigate the behaviours of UK based Pakistani
consumers. Representing two different cultural contexts, a total of 1050 responses were
obtained and subjected to data analysis involving descriptive analysis, scale reliability test,
regression analysis, t- test, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and analysis of
structural models.
The study results revealed that religiosity is a strong predictor of consumer ethnocentrism in
both cultures with moderating role of materialism in Pakistan. So higher the level of
religiosity, greater would be the consumer ethnocentrism and animosity favouring willingness
to buy home-country products. Moreover, there were significant differences in the levels of
consumer ethnocentrism, religiosity and willingness to buy home-country products between
the respondents in Pakistan and those in the UK with UK based consumers scoring lower. On
these grounds, the current research contributed to the literature of consumer ethnocentrism by
confirming unique causation and moderating factors affecting Pakistani consumer's
ethnocentric and animosity behaviour influencing their willingness to buy home-country
products.

Citation

Sandhu, M. A study of the influence of religiosity, materialism and animosity on consumer ethnocentric behaviour. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 30, 2021
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2012