The moderating role of personal cultural values on consumer ethnocentrism in developing countries: The case of Brazil and Russia

• Published in: Journal of business research 2020-01, Vol.108, p.375-389
• Main Authors: Ma, Jieqiong, Yang, Jie, Yoo, Boonghee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Consumer ethnocentrism; Emerging markets; Personal values; Product evaluation
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.12.031

Based on the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory, this study explores the moderating role of personal cultural values in the effect of consumer ethnocentrism on perceived product quality and purchase intention of foreign products in developing countries. Based on 305 Brazilian and 307 Russian nonstudent adult participants, we confirm that the effect of consumer ethnocentrism is substantially strong among the local-minded consumers but very weak or nonexistent among global-minded consumers. This research raises a need to identify the personal values of the consumer, whether local or global, to interpret the effect of consumer ethnocentrism accurately. It recommends international marketers to focus on global-minded consumers to detour the negative impact of consumer ethnocentrism when marketing to developing countries. Especially, marketing campaigns emphasizing on distinctiveness through such personal values as openness to change (self-direction and stimulation) and self-enhancement (achievement, power, and hedonism) rather than conservation (conformity, tradition, and security) and self-transcendence (universalism and benevolence).