Although consumer consumption occurs globally, the value that consumers perceive
from buying and using a product or service likely differs across cultures. We
show that consumer perceptions of product/service value are determined not only
by intrinsic dispositions, but also by internalized cultural values and norms,
and external contextual factors. This article conceptually examines how and
where culture influences consumer value. Following a review of the literature on
consumer value and culture, we offer an integrative model that conceptualizes
culture as a metaphorical lens influencing the meaning and relative importance
of the content and structure of a consumer’s means-end value
hierarchy. We discuss the implications for a future research program.
Aaker, J.L.
(2000)
‘Accessibility or Diagnosticity? Disentangling the Influence of
Culture on Persuasion Processes and Attitudes’
, Journal of Consumer Research26 (March):
340-357
.
2.
Aaker, J.L.
and
Maheswaran, D.
(1997)
‘The Effect of Cultural Orientation on Persuasion’
, Journal of Consumer Research24 (December):
315-328
.
3.
Allen, M.W.
and
Ng, S.H.
(1999)
‘The Direct and Indirect Influences of Human Values on Product Ownership’
, Journal of Economic Psychology20(1):
5-39
.
4.
Bagozzi, R.P.
and
Dholakia, U.
(1999)
‘Goal Setting and Goal Striving in Consumer Behavior’
, Journal of Marketing63 (Special Issue):
19-32
.
5.
Bagozzi, R.P.
,
Wong, N.
,
Abe, S.
and
Bergami, M.
(2000)
‘Cultural and Situational Contingencies and the Theory of
Reasoned Action: Application to Fast Food Restaurant Consumption’
, Journal of Consumer Psychology9(2):
97-106
.
6.
Belk, R.W.
(1975)
‘Situational Variables and Consumer Behavior’
, Journal of Consumer Research2 (December):
157-164
.
7.
Berry, J.W.
(1993) ‘An Ecological Approach to Understanding
Cognition Across Cultures’, in
J. Altarribe
(ed.) Cognition and Culture: A Cross-Cultural Approach to
Psychology, pp. 361-375.
Amsterdam: North-Holland
.
8.
Berry, J.W.
,
Poortinga, Y.H.
,
Segall, M.H.
and
Dasen, P.R.
(1992) Cross-Cultural Psychology: Research and
Applications.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
9.
Birgelen, M.van, de Ruyter, K.
,
de Jong, A.
and
Wetzels, M.
(2002)
‘Customer Evaluations of After-Sales Service Contact Modes: An
Empirical Analysis of National Culture’s Consequences’
, International Journal of Research in Marketing19(1):
43-64
.
10.
Bock, P.K.
(1994) ‘Introduction: Universal and
Particular’, in
P.K. Bock
(ed.) Handbook of Psychological Anthropology, pp.
x-xix.
Westport, CT: Greenwood Press
.
11.
Botschen, G.
and
Hemetsberger, A.
(1998)
‘Diagnosing Means-End Structures to Determine the Degree of
Potential Marketing Program Standardization’
, Journal of Business Research42(2):
151-159
.
12.
Bourdieu, P.
(1977) Outline of a Theory of Practice.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
13.
Briley, D.A.
,
Morris, M.W.
and
Simonson, I.
(2000)
‘Reasons as Carriers of Culture: Dynamic Versus Dispositional
Models of Cultural Influence on Decision Making’
, Journal of Consumer Research27 (September):
157-178
.
14.
Briley, D.A.
and
Wyer, R.S., Jr.
(2002)
‘The Effect of Group Membership Salience on the Avoidance of
Negative Outcomes: Implications for Social and Consumer Decisions’
, Journal of Consumer Research29(3):
400-415
.
15.
Burton, D.
(2002)
‘Towards a Critical Multicultural Marketing Theory’
, Marketing Theory2(2):
207-236
.
16.
Choi, I.
and
Nisbett, R.E.
(1998)
‘Situational Salience and Cultural Differences in the
Correspondence Bias and Actor-Observer Differences’
, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin24:
949-960
.
17.
Cialdini, R.B.
,
Kallgren, C.A.
and
Reno, R.R.
(1991) ‘A Focus Theory of Normative Conduct: A
Theoretical Refinement and Reevaluation of the Role of Norms in Human
Behavior’, in
L. Berkowitz
(ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 24, pp.
201-214.
New York: Academic Press
.
18.
Clark, T.
(1990)
‘International Marketing and National Character: A Review and
Proposal for an Integrative Theory’
, Journal of Marketing54 (October):
66-79
.
19.
Cronin, J.J., Jr.
,
Brady, M.K.
and
Hult, G.T.M.
(2000)
‘Assessing the Effects of Quality, Value, and Customer
Satisfaction on Consumer Behavioral Intentions in Service Environments’
, Journal of Retailing76 (Summer):
193-218
.
20.
Cui, G.
and
Choudhury, P.
(1998)
‘Effective Strategies for Ethnic Segmentation and Marketing’
, in
J.-C. Chebat
and
B. Oumlil
(eds) Proceedings of the 1998 Multicultural Marketing
Conference, pp.
354-358
. Montreal: Academy of Marketing Science.
21.
Darpy, D.
(2002)
‘Le report d’achat expliqué par le trait de
procrastination et le potentiel de procrastination’
, Recherche et Applications en Marketing17(2):
1-21
.
22.
Dawar, N.
(1994)
‘Marketing Universals: Consumers’ Use of Brand Name,
Price, Physical Appearance, and Retailer Reputation as Signals of Product Quality’
, Journal of Marketing58(2):
81-96
.
23.
Desai, K.K.
and
Hoyer, W.D.
(2000)
‘Descriptive Characteristics of Memory-Based Consideration Sets:
Influence of Usage Occasion Frequency and Usage Location Familiarity’
, Journal of Consumer Research27 (December):
309-323
.
24.
Deshpandé, R.
,
Farley, J.U.
and
Webster, F.E., Jr.
(1993)
‘Corporate Culture, Customer Orientation, and Innovativeness in
Japanese Firms: A Quadrad Analysis’
, Journal of Marketing57 (January):
23-37
.
25.
Dibley, A.
and
Baker, S.
(2001)
‘Uncovering the Links between Brand Choice and Personal Values
among Young British and Spanish Girls’
, Journal of Consumer Behaviour1(1):
77-93
.
26.
DiMaggio, P.
(1997)
‘Culture and Cognition’
, Annual Review of Sociology23:
263-287
.
27.
Djursaa, M.
and
Kragh, S.U.
(1998)
‘Central and Peripheral Consumption Contexts: The Uneven
Globalization of Consumer Behavior’
, International Business Review7(1):
23-38
.
28.
Du Preez, J.P.
,
Diamantopoulos, A.
and
Schlegelmilch, B.B.
(1994)
‘Product Standardization and Attribute Saliency: A Three-Country
Empirical Comparison’
, Journal of International Marketing2(1):
7-28
.
29.
Erdem, O.
,
Oumlil, A.B.
and
Tuncalp, S.
(1999)
‘Consumer Values and the Importance of Store Attributes’
, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management27(4):
137-144
.
30.
Fishbein, M.
and
Ajzen, I.
(1975) Belief, Attitude and Behavior: An Introduction to
Theory and Research.
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley
.
31.
Fisher, G.
(1988) Mindsets: The Role of Culture and Perception in
International Relations.
Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc.
32.
Fisher, R.J.
and
Ackerman, D.
(1998)
‘The Effects of Recognition and Group Need on Volunteerism: A
Social Norm Perspective’
, Journal of Consumer Research25 (December):
262-275
.
33.
Flint, D.J.
,
Woodruff, R.B.
and
Gardial, S.F.
(2002)
‘Exploring the Phenomenon of Customers’ Desired Value
Change in a Business-to-Business Context’
, Journal of Marketing66 (October):
1-30
.
34.
Gardial, S.F.
,
Clemons, D.S.
,
Woodruff, R.B.
,
Schumann, D.W.
and
Burns, M. J.
(1994)
‘Comparing Consumers’ Recall of Prepurchase and
Postpurchase Product Evaluation Experiences’
, Journal of Consumer Research20 (March):
548-560
.
35.
Geistfeld, D.H.
,
Sproles, G.B.
and
Badenhop, S.B.
(1977) ‘The Concept and Measurement of a
Hierarchy of Product Characteristics’, in
W.D. Perreault, Jr.
(ed.) Advances in Consumer Research 4, pp.
302-307.
Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research
.
36.
Grunert, K.G.
and
Beckmann, S.C.
(1999)
‘A Comparative Analysis of the Influence of Economic Culture on
East and West Germany Consumers’ Subjective Product Meanings’
, Applied Psychology: An International Review48(3):
367-390
.
37.
Gundlach, G.
,
Achrol, R.S.
and
Mentzer, J.T.
(1995)
‘The Structure of Commitment in Exchange’
, Journal of Marketing59 (January):
78-92
.
38.
Gutman, J.
(1982)
‘A Means-End Chain Model Based on Consumer Categorization Processes’
, Journal of Marketing46 (Spring):
60-72
.
Hampden-Turner, C.M.
and
Trompenaars, F.
(1993) The Seven Cultures of Capitalism: Value Systems for
Creating Wealth in the United States, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Sweden
and the Netherlands.
New York: Doubleday
.
42.
Heide, J.B.
and
John, G.
(1992)
‘Do Norms Matter in Marketing Relationships?’
, Journal of Marketing56 (April):
32-44
.
43.
Hirschman, E.C.
and
LaBarbera, P.A.
(1990)
‘Dimensions of Possession Importance’
, Psychology & Marketing7(3):
215-233
.
44.
Hise, R.T.
,
Solano-Mendez, R.
and
Gresham, L.G.
(2003)
‘Doing Business in Mexico’
, Thunderbird International Business Review45(2):
211-224
.
45.
Hofstede, G.
(1980) Culture’s Consequences.
Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE
.
46.
Holbrook, M.B.
(1994) ‘The Nature of Customer Value: An
Axiology of Services in the Consumption Experience’, in
R. Rust
and
R.L. Oliver
(eds) Service Quality: New Directions in Theory and Practice, pp.
21-71.
Newbury Park, CA: SAGE
.
47.
Holland, D.
and
Quinn, N.
(1987) Cultural Models in Language and Thought.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
.
48.
Hoyer, W.D.
and
Deshpandé, R.
(1982) ‘Cross-Cultural Influences on Buyer
Behavior: The Impact of Hispanic Ethnicity’, in
B.J. Walkeret al.
(eds) An Assessment of Marketing Thought & Practice 48,
pp. 89-92.
Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association
.
49.
Jacobs, L.
,
Keown, C.
,
Worthley, R.
and
Ghymn, K.-I.
(1991)
‘Cross-Cultural Colour Comparisons: Global Marketers Beware!’
, International Marketing Review8(3):
21-30
.
50.
Januszewska, R.
,
Viaene, J.
and
Verbeke, W.
(2000)
‘Market Segmentation for Chocolate in Belgium and Poland’
, Journal of Euro-Marketing9(3):
1-27
.
51.
Johnson, M.D.
(1998) Customer Orientation and Market Action.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
.
52.
Kahle, L.
and
Timmer, S.G.
(1983) ‘A Theory and a Method for Studying
Values’, in
L.R. Kahle
(ed.) Social Values and Social Change: Adaptation to Life in
America, pp. 43-69.
New York: Praeger
.
53.
Kale, S.H.
(1995)
‘Grouping Euroconsumers: A Culture-Based Clustering Approach’
, Journal of International Marketing3(3):
35-48
.
54.
Kefalas, A.G.
(1998)
‘Think Globally, Act Locally’
, Thunderbird International Business Review40(6):
547-562
.
55.
Keller, K.
(1993)
‘Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity’
, Journal of Marketing57(1):
1-22
.
56.
Kim, U.
,
Park, Y.-S.
and
Park, D.
(2000)
‘The Challenge of Cross-Cultural Psychology’
, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology31 (January):
63-75
.
57.
Kitayama, S.
and
Markus, H.R.
(1995) ‘Culture and Self: Implications for
Internationalizing Psychology’, in
N.R. Goldberger
and
J.B. Veroff
(eds) The Culture and Psychology Reader, pp.
366-383.
New York: New York University Press
.
58.
Kluckhohn, F.
and
Strodtbeck, F.
(1961) Variations in Value Orientations.
Evanston, IL: Row, Peterson
.
59.
Knight, G.
(2000)
‘Entrepreneurship and Marketing Strategy: The SME under Globalization’
, Journal of International Marketing8(2):
12-32
.
60.
Kroonenberg, P.M.
and
Kashima, Y.
(1997)
‘Rules in Context: A Three-Mode Principal Component Analysis of
Mann et al.’s Data on Cross-Cultural Differences in Respect for Others’
, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology28(4):
463-480
.
61.
Lai, A.W.
(1991)
‘Consumption Situation and Product Knowledge in the Adoption of a
New Product’
, European Journal of Marketing25(10):
55-67
.
62.
Lai, A.W.
(1995) ‘Consumer Values, Product Benefits and
Customer Value: A Consumption Behavior Approach’, in
F.R. Kardes
and
M. Sujan
(eds) Advances in Consumer Research 22, pp.
381-387.
Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research
.
63.
Leung, K.
(1987)
‘Some Determinants of Reactions to Procedural Models for Conflict Resolution’
, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology53(5):
898-908
.
64.
Levitt, T.
(1983)
‘The Globalization of Markets’
, Harvard Business Review61 (May-June):
92-102
.
65.
McCort, D.J.
and
Malhotra, N.K.
(1993)
‘Culture and Consumer Behavior: Toward an Understanding of
Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior in International Marketing’
, Journal of International Consumer Marketing6(2):
91-127
.
66.
McCracken, G.
(1986)
‘Culture and Consumption: A Theoretical Account of the Structure
and Movement of the Cultural Meaning of Consumer Goods’
, Journal of Consumer Research13 (June):
71-84
.
67.
McCracken, G.
(1990)
‘Culture and Consumer Behavior: An Anthropological Perspective’
, Journal of the Market Research Society32(1):
3-11
.
68.
Madden, T.J.
,
Hewett, K.
and
Roth, M.S.
(2000)
‘Managing Images in Different Cultures: A Cross-National Study of
Color Meanings and Preferences’
, Journal of International Marketing8(4):
90-107
.
69.
Maheswaran, D.
(1994)
‘Country-of-Origin as a Stereotype: Effects of Consumer Expertise
and Attribute Strength of Product Evaluation’
, Journal of Consumer Research21 (September):
354-356
.
70.
Markus, H.R.
and
Kitayama, S.
(1991)
‘Culture and the Self: Implications for Cognition, Emotion and Motivation’
, Psychological Review98(2):
224-253
.
71.
Maslow, A.H.
(1959) New Knowledge in Human Values.
New York: Harper & Row
.
72.
Matsumoto, D.
(1996) Culture and Psychology.
New York: Brooks Cole
.
73.
Money, R.B.
,
Gilly, M.C.
and
Graham, J.L.
(1998)
‘Explorations of National Culture and Word-of-Mouth Referral
Behavior in the Purchase of Industrial Services in the United States and Japan’
, Journal of Marketing62(4):
76-87
.
74.
Myers, J.H.
and
Shocker, A.D.
(1981)
‘The Nature of Product-Related Attributes’
, Research in Marketing5:
211-236
.
75.
Nakata, C.
and
Sivakumar, K.
(1996)
‘National Culture and New Product Development: An Integrative Review’
, Journal of Marketing60 (January):
61-72
.
76.
Nicholls, J.A.F.
,
Roslow, S.
,
Dublish, S.
and
Comer, L.B.
(1996)
‘Relationship between Situational Variables and Purchasing in
India and the USA’
, International Marketing Review13(6):
6-21
.
77.
Olson, J.C.
and
Reynolds, T.J.
(1983) ‘Understanding Consumers’
Cognitive Structures: Implications for Advertising Strategy’,
in
L. Percy
and
A. Woodside
(eds) Advertising and Consumer Psychology, pp.
77-90.
Lexington, MA: Lexington Books
.
78.
Osterhus, T.L.
(1997)
‘Pro-Social Consumer Influence Strategies: When and How Do They Work?’
, Journal of Marketing61(4):
16-29
.
79.
Paswan, A.K.
,
Pappu, M.
and
Young, J.A.
(2002)
‘Relational Norms and Goal Orientation in the Indian Market’
, Journal of International Consumer Marketing15(1):
53-74
.
80.
Patterson, P.G.
(2000)
‘A Contingency Approach to Modeling Satisfaction with Management
Consulting Services’
, Journal of Service Research3(2):
138-153
.
81.
Patterson, P.G.
,
Johnson, L.W.
and
Spreng, R.A.
(1997)
‘Modeling the Determinants of Customer Satisfaction for
Business-to-Business Professional Services’
, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science25 (Winter):
4-17
.
82.
Pavia, T.M.
and
Mason, M.
(2001)
‘Exploring Water Consumption Using a Gender Continuum: The Case
of the American West’
, Academy of Marketing Science Review [Online]
01(10). Available at:
http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/amsrev/theory/pavia10-01.html (accessed 28
February 2005).
83.
Pieters, R.
,
Baumgartner, H.
and
Allen, D.
(1995)
‘A Means-End Chain Approach to Consumer Goal Structures’
, International Journal of Research in Marketing12(3):
227-244
.
84.
Pitts, R.E.
,
Wong, J.K.
and
Whalen, D.J.
(1991)
‘Consumers’ Evaluative Structures in Two Ethical
Situations: A Means-End Approach’
, Journal of Business Research22(2):
119-130
.
85.
Reynolds, T.J.
and
Gutman, J.
(1988)
‘Laddering Theory, Method, Analysis, and Interpretation’
, Journal of Advertising Research28(1):
11-31
.
86.
Rokeach, M.
(1973) The Nature of Human Values.
New York: The Free Press
.
87.
Roth, M.S.
(1995)
‘The Effects of Culture and Socioeconomics on the Performance of
Global Brand Image Strategies’
, Journal of Marketing Research32 (May):
163-175
.
88.
Roth, M.S.
and
Moorman, C.
(1988) ‘The Cultural Content of Cognition and
the Cognitive Content of Culture: Implications for Consumer
Research’, in
M. J. Houston
(ed.) Advances in Consumer Research, pp.
403-410.
Boston, MA: Association for Consumer Research
.
89.
Schwartz, S.H.
(1992) ‘Universals in the Content and Structure
of Values: Theoretical Advances and Empirical Tests in 20
Countries’, in
M. Zanna
(ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 25, pp.
1-65.
Orlando, FL: Academic Press
.
90.
Schwartz, S.H.
(1997) ‘Values and Culture’,
in
J.F. Schumaker
,
D. Munro
and
S.C. Carr
(eds) Motivation and Culture, pp. 69-84.
New York: Routledge
.
91.
Schwartz, S.H.
and
Bilsky, W.
(1987)
‘Toward a Universal Psychological Structure of Human Values’
, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology53(3):
550-562
.
92.
Sheth, J.N.
,
Newman, B.I.
and
Gross, B.L.
(1991) Consumption Values and Market Choices - Theory and
Applications.
Cincinnati, OH: South-Western Publishing Co
.
93.
Sheth, J.N.
,
Sisodia, R.S.
and
Sharma, A.
(2000)
‘The Antecedents and Consequences of Customer-Centric Marketing’
, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science28 (Winter):
55-66
.
94.
Sojka, J.Z.
and
Tansuhaj, P.S.
(1995)
‘Cross-Cultural Consumer Research: A Twenty-Year Review’
, Advances in Consumer Research22:
461-474
.
95.
Steenkamp, J.-B.E.M.
,
ter Hofstede, F.
and
Wedel, M.
(1999)
‘A Cross-National Investigation into the Individual and National
Cultural Antecedents of Consumer Innovativeness’
, Journal of Marketing63 (April):
55-69
.
96.
Tai, S.H.C.
and
Wong, Y.H.
(1998)
‘Advertising Decision Making in Asia:
“Glocal” versus “regcal” Approach’
, Journal of Managerial Issues10 (Fall):
318-339
.
97.
Taylor, S.E.
(1981) ‘The Interface of Cognitive and Social
Psychology’, in
J.H. Harvey
(ed.) Cognition, Social Behavior, and the Environment, pp.
189-211.
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
.
98.
ter Hofstede, F.
,
Audenaert, A.
,
Steenkamp, J.-B.E.M.
and
Wedel, M.
(1998)
‘An Investigation into the Association Pattern Technique as a
Quantitative Approach to Measuring Means-End Chains’
, International Journal of Research in Marketing15(1):
37-50
.
99.
ter Hofstede, F.
,
Steenkamp, J.-B.E.M.
and
Wedel, M.
(1999)
‘International Market Segmentation Based on Consumer-Product Relations’
, Journal of Marketing Research36(1):
1-17
.
100.
Thogersen, J.
(2002)
‘Direct Experience and the Strength of the Personal Norm’
, Psychology & Marketing19(10):
881-893
.
101.
Triandis, H.C.
(1972) The Analysis of Subjective Culture.
New York: John Wiley
.
102.
Triandis, H.C.
(1989)
‘The Self and Social Behavior in Differing Cultural Contexts’
, Psychological Review96(3):
506-520
.
103.
Triandis, H.C.
(1994) Culture and Social Behavior.
New York: McGraw-Hill
.
Triandis, H.C.
,
Bontempo, R.
,
Villareal, M.
,
Asai, M.
and
Lucca, N.
(1988)
‘Individualism-Collectivism: Cross-Cultural Studies On
Self-Ingroup Relationships’
, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology54(2):
323-338
.
106.
Tse, D.K.
,
Wong, J.K.
and
Tan, C.T.
(1988) ‘Towards some Standardized Cross-Cultural
Consumption Values’, in
M.J. Houston
(ed.) Advances in Consumer Research 15, pp.
387-395.
Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research
.
107.
Valette-Florence, P.
(1998)
‘A Causal Analysis of Means-End Hierarchies in a Cross-Cultural
Context: Methodological Refinements’
, Journal of Business Research42(2):
161-166
.
108.
Veroff, J.B.
and
Goldberger, N.R.
(1995) ‘What’s in a Name? The case for
“Inter-cultural” Psychology’, in
N.R. Goldberger
and
J.B. Veroff
(eds) The Culture and Psychology Reader, pp.
3-21.
New York: New York University Press
.
109.
Voss, T.
and
Abraham, M.
(2000) ‘Rational Choice Theory in Sociology: A
Survey’, in
S.R. Quah
and
A. Sales
(eds) The International Handbook of Sociology, pp.
50-83.
London: SAGE
.
110.
Webster, C.
(1996)
‘Hispanic and Anglo Interviewer and Respondent Ethnicity and
Gender: The Impact on Survey Response Quality’
, Journal of Marketing Research33 (February):
62-72
.
111.
Wetzels, M.
,
de Ruyter, K.
,
Lemmink, J.
and
Koelemeijer, K.
(1995)
‘Measuring Customer Service Quality in International Marketing
Channels: A Multimethod Approach’
, Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing10(5):
50-59
.
112.
Wilson, D.T.
(2003)
‘Value Exchange as the Foundation Stone of Relationship Marketing’
, Marketing Theory3(1):
175-178
.
113.
Woodruff, R.B.
(1997)
‘Customer Value: The Next Source for Competitive Advantage’
, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science25(2):
139-153
.
114.
Woodruff, R.B.
and
Gardial, S.F.
(1996) Know Your Customer: New Approaches to Customer Value
and Satisfaction.
Cambridge, MA: Blackwell
.
115.
Zaltman, G.
and
Coulter, R.H.
(1995)
‘Seeing the Voice of the Customer: Metaphor-Based Advertising Research’
, Journal of Advertising Research35(4):
35-51
.
116.
Zeithaml, V.A.
(1988)
‘Consumer Perceptions of Price, Quality, and Value: A Means-End
Model and Synthesis of Evidence’
, Journal of Marketing52 (July):
2-22
.
