International Referred Research Journal

ISSN- 0975-3486

VOL,I *ISSUE-9

RNI: RAJBIL /2009/30097

Research PaperMarketing Management

SOAPS A STUDY ON CROSS

CULTURAL CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
IN BANGALORE CITY
* H.S Adithya
June, 2010

* Sri Revana Siddeswara Institute of Technology Chokkanahalli, Chikkajala, Bangalore

Introduction: In the present situation of the world,
consumers make purchase decisions by considering
the countries-of-origin of the brands that they assess
which influences the consumers rate, quality and also
the brand they select because they are aware that a
particular firm or brand name is associated with a
particular country. Consumers in one culture secure
exposure to the goods of other people living in other
cultures by their travel, their living, working in foreign
countries and also immigration to a different country.
They obtain a taste of different cultures from contact
with foreign movies, theatre, art and exposures to
unfamiliar and different products. A number of variables
have been used to show how cultures could be compared
namely, individualism v/s collectivism, masculinity v/
s femininity, power distance, uncertainty avoidance,
abstract v/s associative thinking and the Confucian
Dynamic.
This research study helps to put into practice
the theoretical aspects of the study and provides the
marketers to understand the psychological, social and
cultural characteristics of the foreign consumers they
wish to target, so that they can design effective
marketing strategies for each of the specific national
marketsinvolved.
Review of Literature:
Foxman (1989) stated that recent changes in
demographic and household structure have increased
consumers impact on their decisions and their general
involvement in family decision-making. Moschis (1989)
dealt with an important type of inter personal
communication Orbany (1989) suggested that
traditionally, one reason buyers search for information
prior to purchase is to reduce their uncertainty about
the decision to lower levels. Hoyer and Brown (1990)
revealed the subtle difference between awareness and

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recognition.
Grover and Srinivasan (1992) determined the multiple
effects of retail promotions on brand loyalty and brand
switching segments of
Shergill and Kaur (1993) found that socio-economic
and cultural background of consumers influences their
buying behaviour.
Objectives of the Study: To find out the attitudes,
needs, tastes and preferences of consumers towards
soaps To find out which price slots are convenient
tobuy. To analyse the competitors activities To find
out the importance of retailers in the soaps market To
find out the factors for selling soaps in consumer market.
To study the cross-cultural behaviour of the consumers.
To find out which advertising media helps to know
buyers about the soaps.
Research Methodology:
Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve
the research problems allotting procedure, steps of
plan. It explains the various steps that are generally
adopted by the researcher in studying the research
problem along with logic behind them. It will brief the
cross-cultural behaviour of the consumers with respect
to the toilet soaps in the present market scenario with
specific reference to Bangalore City.
Primary Data
The primary data is collected through the questionnaire
and personal interviews with the ultimate consumers.
Secondary data
The Secondary data is collected from newspapers,
magazines, trade journals, brochures, catalogues etc.
Hypothesis:
H1) Changes effecting the Consumer Needs, Tastes
and Preferences that play a significant role in
Consumption Decisions.
H2) Changes affecting the Market Environment, which

RESEAR CH ANAL YSIS AND EVALU ATI ON

International Referred Research Journal ISSN- 0975-3486 VOL,I *ISSUE-9 RNI: RAJBIL /2009/30097
play a significant role in the behaviour of the Consumers. the strategies like favoring a World Brand wherein
H3) The Consumers Protection Act on Consumers the products are manufactured, packaged and
brings about some positive changes in the behaviour positioned in exactly the same way regardless of the
of the Consumers.
country in which they are sold. They can also adopt
Selection of Sample:
Global Marketing by adapting the advertising
a) Deciding Sample Unit Urban Consumers in messages to the specific values of particular cultures.
Bangalore City. b) Deciding Sample Size 400 Urban Product standardization can be most successful for
Consumers. c) Deciding about sampling Procedure - high involvement products that approach either end of
100 urban consumers each from the 4 zones/strata. The the high-tech. Advertising standardization can be
type of sample design used in the survey was that of helpful for developing markets like Bangalore. There
Quota Sampling and Stratified random sampling.
are many discriminating consumers in Bangalore City
a) Forming of Strata Here 4 stratums are formed & wherein promotional messages should be made
divided equally (Bangalore East, Bangalore West, consistent with the tastes of the particular market.
Bangalore North & Bangalore South). b) Selection of The marketers should go for developing and marketing
Items from each Stratum Here simple random tool is appropriate products and services that reflect culture
used for selection of items c) Allocation of sample size positions on the six values. Also standardizing the
of each Strata Here method of proportional allocation quality of the product and improving the marketing
is followed
communications program has to be done to do
Limitations of the Study:
business on a global basis. Through cross-cultural
a) Limited Time b) Non Feasibility. c) Casual Attitudes psychographic segmentation and research the cultural
d) Limited to Bangalore City Findings and differences can be revealed which is of great importance
Conclusions:
to the marketers. Therefore through cross-cultural
From the cross-cultural consumer analysis and analysis of the psychological, social and cultural
research it was found that culture which is the sum total characteristics of the consumers, the marketers can
of learned beliefs, values and customs serve to regulate identify more marketing opportunities that would
the consumer behaviour of members of a particular benefit both international marketers and their targeted
society. Beliefs and values are guides for consumer consumers.
behavior and the customs are the usual accepted ways
Based on the present study it can be concluded that
of behaving. In the Bangalore City there are different the soaps market in the Bangalore City, India is in the
kinds of people with different cultures along with booming stage. The current consumers in the Bangalore
differences in language, consumption patterns, market City are moderately satisfied; so as to get sustained
segmentation opportunities and market research they have to follow the suggestions. The toilet soap
conditions. There also exist differences in the perceived manufacturers have to take effective decisions based
benefits of products and services, criteria for evaluating on the suggestions. They should also take into
the products and services and also differences in the consideration the competitors point of view and move
economic and social conditions and family structure. carefully. As current and future market growth in India
Due to the cross-cultural differences among the is good there is scope for effective growth and
consumers, the marketers are facing problems in terms improvement for toilet soaps. There is a constant need
of product, promotion, pricing and distribution. In for research and development in this field.
order to solve these problems the marketers can adopt

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