The acculturation effects on immigrants’ engagement with a brand: An exploratory study of cultural transition, associated with geographic location change, and its influences on consumer purchase decision towards a branded alcoholic drink

Mesquita Carvalho de Sá, Mariana (2020) The acculturation effects on immigrants’ engagement with a brand: An exploratory study of cultural transition, associated with geographic location change, and its influences on consumer purchase decision towards a branded alcoholic drink. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The lack of consideration of cultural influences on a consumer purchase decision can lead to loss of sales for companies which are omni-present in different cultural backgrounds. Although global convergences in consumer behaviour are seen on certain levels across particular product categories, a cultural homogenization should not be taken by brands as the general ultimate dimension for successful global brand positioning.

This dissertation aims to shed light on cultural influences on consumers’ purchase decision of a brand. The research will investigate consumers engagement with a branded alcoholic drink which they used to purchase regularly and consume in their native country, keeping in consideration their cultural transition experience to Ireland, in order to explore if changes in their consumption behaviour have occurred or not and the justification factors. The research considers brands which were available in both market spaces, thus avoiding the lack of availability as justification for not buying the product, therefore narrowing the spectrum of investigation to the cultural impact on the immigrants’ purchase decisions.

Acculturation is commonly seen as a bi-directional flow where individuals’ heritage and host culture are constantly interacting, and this occurrence leads to changes in the original patterns of cultural behaviour of either or both groups (Kottak, 2007). However, although commonly understood as a bi-dimensional process (Berry, 1997), the current study will mainly focus on the host culture influences as they impact the acculturating individual and their purchase decision.

Through semi-structured interviews, the study addressed 9 participants from 3 different countries (Brazil, China and Mexico), who have engaged in the consumption of Budweiser, Tsingtao and Corona, respectively. The examination of the gathered data, through an interpretative philosophy and an inductive approach allowed for the generation of findings which highlighted a significant interaction between host cultural and its influence on immigrants’ consumer behaviour, highlighting product quality, price and trustworthiness evaluation, post-purchase dissonance, brand association and changes on rates of alcohol consumption as managerial research outcomes with significant relevance for the field of cross-cultural studies and consumer behaviour.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Branding H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Science in Marketing
Depositing User:	Dan English
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2021 14:50
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2021 14:50
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/4701

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