Customer engagement planning emerging from the individualist-collectivist’-framework: An empirical examination in China and UK.

Nguyen, BT; Chang, K; Simkin, L

Abstract

Purpose – Today marketers operate in globalised markets, planning new ways to engage with domestic
and foreign customers alike. While there is a greater need to understand these two customer groups,
few studies examine the impact of customer engagement tactics on the two customer groups, focusing on
their perceptual differences. Even less attention is given to customer engagement tactics in a crosscultural
framework. In this research, the authors investigate customers in China and UK, this paper
aims to compare their perceptual differences on the impact of multiple customer engagement tactics.
Design/methodology/approach – Using a quantitative approach with 286 usable responses from
China and the UK obtained through a combination of person-administered survey and computer-based
survey screening process, the authors test a series of hypotheses to distinguish across-cultural differences.
Findings – Findings show that the collectivists (Chinese customers) perceive customer engagement
tactics differently than the individualists (UK customers). The Chinese customers are more sensitive to
price and reputation, whereas the UK customers respond more strongly to service, communication and
customisation. Chinese customers’ concerns with extensive price and reputation comparisons may be
explained by their awareness towards face (status), increased self-expression and equality.
Practical implications – The findings challenge the conventional practice of using similar customer
engagement tactics for a specific market place with little concern for multiple cultural backgrounds.
The paper proposes strategies for marketers facing challenges in this globalised context.
Originality/value – Several contributions have been made to the literatures. First, the study showed
the effects of culture on the customers’ perceptual differences. Second, the study provided more
information to clarify customers’ different reactions towards customer engagement tactics, highlighted
by concerns towards face and status. Third, the study provided empirical evidence to support the use
of multiple customer engagement tactics to the across cultural studies.
Keywords Cross-cultural research, Retailing, Customer engagement, Marketing management,
Marketing segmentation

Citation

Nguyen, B., Chang, K., & Simkin, L. (2014). Customer engagement planning emerging from the individualist-collectivist’-framework: An empirical examination in China and UK. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 21(1), 41-65. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2012-0130

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 28, 2014
• Deposit Date: Apr 11, 2014
• Journal: Marketing Intelligence and Planning
• Print ISSN: 0263-4503
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 41-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2012-0130
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2012-0130
• Related Public URLs: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0263-4503