Project Description
The knowledge of consumer behaviour is of great relevance from the economic and civic point of view. There must be a pool of knowledge in consumer behaviour that allows the firms and other associations and public organisms to take appropriate decisions regarding the market. Currently this knowledge is neither organized nor clearly disseminated. When dealing with cross-cultural consumer behaviour the issue is even more complicated, as there is not a general framework for consumer behaviour analysis, which prevents the comparison of local studies because of different methodologies.
Thus, when some data about consumer behaviour is needed, there are contradictions and a lack of a general pool of knowledge that allows us to have a general view of the market – something which is vital for economic decisions. Moreover a key point in this discipline is the analyses of the CULTURAL BASE of such similarities and differences of consumer behaviour in the different countries. Thus, there are not currently studies related to culture which:
– involve a representative sample,
– come up to as many countries as 31,
– and are regularly updated.
The reasons for this network are:
1. The development of a measure (as a reference in the discipline) to analyze culture, given the critics the measures applied have received.
2. Moreover this measure will be applied in 31 countries, generating a pool of updated data on culture which is priceless for the academic and business worlds.
3. Furthermore this cultural description will be analyzed with reference to the different consumer behaviours showed in each country, a complete framework essential to update teaching material, improve research and to take and implement economic and social decisions in the business and civic world.
In this project the efforts of two smaller networks are summarized: International Network on Consumer Behaviour Studies and CIRCLE.
The products will be:
– A data base where the data collected will be made accessible to all higher education and public organisms through a password sent once an online form has been completed.
– A CD providing a profile of culture in the different countries
– A book summarizing the results of the European Consumer Behavior Analysis
– A particular conference organized by COBEREN
– Seminars with students where to disseminate such knowledge also organized by COBEREN
– A workshop with business owners where to disseminate and try to develop specific future actions
– A website to disseminate this knowledge and as a way to contact the network for possible help or requests.
In the field of consumer behaviour, culture, and the linkage among both, it is necessary: a deep REVISION of the state of the situation, the development of an UPDATED, HOMOGENEOUS AND RIGOROUS MEASURE (considering the new context of Europe and cross-cultural analysis) to be implemented periodically to provide updated data, and AN UPDATED KNOWLEDGE on consumer behaviour and culture for teaching, research and taking strategic and tactical decisions.
This analysis is a key point for: – The academic field: there are very limited studies on cross-cultural consumer behaviour. Moreover, when dealing with culture, there are few studies, none of them updated, and limited. – The educational field: teaching in subjects related to this field will be enriched with this knowledge. – The firms: this information is crucial for taking decisions and trying to expand or surviving in local markets. – The country economy: at this level it is essential to have a perspective of the situation of each country. It is the purpose of this network to finish developing an INSTITUTE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR STUDY where all this knowledge can be gathered and disseminated to the different interested agents: academics, students, professionals and society.
