Facing forward: A Study of the Pressure that Face Exerts on Chinese Consumer Decisions

详细信息   

• 作者：Easwar ; Karthikeya
• 学历：Doctor
• 年：2013
• 关键词：Social sciences ; Chinese consumer decisions ; Asian c
• 导师：Burnkrant,Robert E.
• 毕业院校：Ohio State University
• Department：Business Administration
• 专业：Marketing;Asian Studies;Economic theory
• ISBN：9781321508123
• CBH：3673144
• Country：USA
• 语种：English
• FileSize：2276829
• Pages：130

文摘

This dissertation improves our understanding of Asian consumers by providing a new perspective on the role of face in consumer decision-making. This dissertation develops a theory of face pressure which argues that consumers consider the effects of their decisions on their face (e.g. saving face) during the decision-making process and this exerts a pressure on conspicuous consumption intentions. This research contributes to the literature by fundamentally re-conceptualizing the role of face in the decision-making process to be a direct motivator of specific behavior. This conceptualization also incorporates important aspects of face that are critical to understanding its role in decision-making. The theory of face pressure considers face a direct motivator of behavior and,due to this novel perspective,identifies a pair of face pressure motivations- a motivation to gain face and a motivation to avoid the loss of face. It also captures the interdependence of face which theorizes that an individual's behavior impacts the face of others. Finally,the theory of face pressure hypothesizes that face is context specific and the influence of face pressure will depend on the consumption context. A scale to measure face pressure is developed and,over four studies,evidence is provided to support the theory of face pressure and the validity of this face pressure scale. Then,through multiple experiments,it is demonstrated that face pressure is moderated by the expectation of social evaluation of the consumption or purchase behavior. When there is an expectation of social evaluation,the motivations to gain face and avoid the loss of face exert a pressure on the decision is such a way that the most face-beneficial outcome is more likely to be chosen. However,this pressure significantly reduces when consumption occurs in a setting where there is no expectation of social evaluation. The results of these studies also have a managerial relevance. These experiments demonstrate that advertising the face-related value of a product can be an effective form of product marketing when social evaluation is likely. These studies also demonstrate that it is possible to create sensitivity to social evaluation in consumers within an advertisement itself,which in turn makes face-related messaging effective. In sum,this dissertation creates a new theoretical framework upon which further study of face and its role in Chinese (and other cultures) consumer behavior can be built,develops a scale with which to engage in such research,and provides managers with potential new forms of persuasive messaging when expanding or building their brand in Asia.