THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR 1

THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE FASHION

INDUSTRY

WORK IN PROGRESS
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The Influence of Culture on Consumer Behaviour in the Fashion Industry

Abstract 1pg
Introduction 1pg

Consumer behaviour entails the study of purchasing and disposing of services and goods,

experiences and ideas by individuals, organisations as well as groups with the intention of

satisfying their wants and needs (Kotler and Keller, 2011, p. 56). Purchase decisions are

influenced by an intricate combination of internal and external pressures (Armstrong and Kotler,

2015, p.112). This study seeks to investigate whether culture has a significant influence on the

buying behaviour of young women from two different cultures, and to what extent. It also seeks

to access how fashion consumption differs across the two different cultures.

According to studies carried out by Mooj and Hofstede (2011, p. 85), there has been

increased awareness concerning the influence of culture on consumer behaviour in recent years

especially in the fashion industry. While consumer behaviour holds strong universal elements, its

cultural variations are evident in regard to fashion consumption. Taking into consideration that

consumer behaviour entails a combination of consumers buying consciousness, as well as

external incentives which are liable to lead to behaviour remodelling, Joung (2014, p. 73) asserts

that understanding the influence of culture on consumer behaviour shapes branding, as well as

advertising strategies. A societys culture, for instance norms, customs religion, doctrine,

festivity, lifestyle, class, in addition to other subculture persuade how individual consumers

purchase and use commodities, and help in illustrating how different groups of customers

behave.

Culture is that multifaceted whole, which entails morals, belief, knowledge, customs, art,

law, and any other aptitudes and practices acquired by persons as members of society. It

influences living patterns, consumption patterns, as well as decision-making processes. Culture

may be acquired from family units, from the region or from the environment that a person lives
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in (Kotler, 2000, p. 59). The conventional perception about culture is that it embraces a set of

learned values, attitudes, beliefs, habits as well as forms of manners that are shared by a society

and are communicated across generations within that society. These are standards or principles

consequently direct peoples specific behaviours, including knowledge and opinion concerning

different commodities (Dandaneau, 2008, p. 101).

Literature Review

This chapter explores the theories and models that encompass the theoretical framework

of this study. The framework will form the foundation for examining, as well as discussing the

female consumer behaviour. The theories presented will be utilized partly or entirely depending

on the relevance they serve towards the rationale of the study. The theories presented include: the

marketing mix, market segmentation, consumer behaviour, as well as the female consumer

behaviour. The objective of this study as emphasized is to explore the extent to which culture

influences fashion consumption. There is a significant quantity of literature that investigates this

subject matter, with a focus on cultural consumer behaviour, as well as the aspects that persuade

buyer behaviour.

This literature review intends to examine the influence of culture on consumer behaviour

in the fashion industry. It will concentrate on major topics that have been identified in the course

of reviewing the literature. These themes entail culture, consumer behaviour, in addition to

fashion consumption of consumers in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. This literature review

also presents insight into the varied construal and concepts of culture, in addition to how culture

affects the individual. This literature review will explore the diverse influences on consumer

behaviour, for instance the 'self and body concepts, as well as the collectivism-individualism

concepts.

The Marketing Mix

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The marketing mix is considered to be one of the main concepts in contemporary

marketing. This mix entails a set of tools that a firm may blend in order to achieve the response it

needs in the market. The marketing mix involves everything that a firm can do to manipulate the

demand for its commodities or services. The diverse possibilities may be categorized into four

sets of variables that are referred to as the four Ps: product, place, price, and promotion. An

efficient marketing plan merges all of these factors into an integrated marketing plan that

delivers value to consumers and as a result fulfils the marketing objectives of the firm (Kotler,

2008, p. 58). The graphical representation below depicts the marketing mix concept.

Figure 1: Marketing Mix (Kotler, 2008, p. 58).

While several variables appear to be excluded from the model, they are included among the four

Ps. For example a service is also regarded to be product and as a result fits in the product square.

The essential consideration may not be the number of Ps in the model, but the idea that the
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model ought to be utilized as a framework in planning integrated marketing

programmes (Kotler, 2008, p. 60).

Market Segmentation

Market segmentation denotes dividing the entire market into smaller fragments.

This is practiced in order to address each fragment more resourcefully with commodities and

services that complement the fragments needs. It is imperative to mention that the market may

be segmented in accordance with different variables, either in isolation or in combination

(Kotler, 2008, p. 61). While market segmentation may be employed as a means to cultivate a

sustainable competitive advantage, it denotes in a strategic perspective the categorization of

consumer clusters that respond in a different manner from other clusters to competitive offerings.

An effective segmentation policy holds the capacity to realize a leading position in the market

which rivals may find difficult deal with. It may however be complex to identify segments in

view of the diverse ways that are utilized in categorizing the market. The analysis typically takes

into consideration a broad range of diverse variables that are assessed to classify segments for

which different strategies should be employed. The segmentation variables exemplify market

segments in terms of common attributes, and those that are linked to the commodity (Aaker,

2008, p. 101).

The core segmentation variables include geographic considerations, demographic,

behavioural, and psychographic. Demographic aspects are the most prevalent basis for market

segmentation. In demographic segmentation the market may be segregated into groups on the

basis of variables such as gender, nationality, income, occupation, religion, education, and age.

The rationale as to why this is the most frequent form of segmentation is that, consumer needs

are frequently linked to demographic variables, and also because these variables are easily

determined. To segregate the market in relation to gender is widespread in the fashion industry
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owing to the gender construal of fashion. However persons in the same demographic cluster may

hold significantly different psychographic preferences. According to Solomon and Rabolt (2009,

p. 41), the psychographic segmentation segregates the market into clusters on the basis of social

class, personality, and lifestyle characteristics. In addition the behavioural segmentation

segregates the consumers on the basis of attitudes, knowledge, use of the commodity, as well as

response to the commodity. A number of marketers consequently hold the opinion that this is the

most appropriate launch pad in creating market segments. On the other hand, it is not

recommendable to constrain the segmentation to a small number of variables. The standard

procedure is to employ multiple segmentation bases so as to categorize smaller and more distinct

target groups (Kotler, 2008, p. 70). It is in this context that the young women-fashion market is

segmented in several diverse approaches. This market does not exist in a distinct manner, and

therefore dividing this market requires being done in accordance with the customers needs

(Easey, 2009, p. 123).

The Fashion Marketing Mix

According to Kotler and Armstrong (2010, p. 85), the marketing mix may be employed in

meeting the needs of consumer profitability, as well as incorporating a range of variables that the

fashion vendor can control. The starting point in developing the marketing mix is the positioning

of the fashion store. This entails a strategic decision where the marketing mix evolves that

decision into reality. In this component of the marketing mix, the fashion marketer requires to

create and incorporate appealing points of access in order to attract the contemporary fashion

consumer. Several fashion firms focus on the promotion component of the mix, while it is

imperative that every constituent of the marketing mix is synchronized towards attaining the

position objective. Fashion firms might present diverse mixes to different market segments given

that in the fashion pyramid a fashion company might offer a designer dress in an exclusive up-
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market department store at high price while seeking to appeal to affluent clientele. In other less-

lucrative market segments, the fashion firm may offer an almost similar designer dress. The dress

may be less stylish in terms of content and quality textile, offered at a lower price across popular

chain stores, and in the less developed economies overseas (Easey, 2009, p. 106).

The product component of the marketing mix is fundamentally critical to the fashion

industry. The practice of developing new products drives the entire industry and counters the

consumers demand. Besides the steady development of new products, fashion designer require

marketing strategies such as ingenious branding and brand names, packaging, designs, features,

and product varieties. Devoid of this steady introduction of fresh ideas the concept fashion may

cease to exist. The fashion consumer tends to perceive style as series of characteristics that may

relate to the consumers psychological, social or cultural needs. It is therefore vital for the

fashion marketer to be cognisant of both the conscious and subconscious attributes of the product

so as to offer the best value to the clientele (Easey, 2009, p. 110).

In regard to the price aspect of the marketing mix, price decisions are critical in

determining who the consumer would be, and how much the consumer purchases of a particular

fashion item. The contemporary fashion consumer is increasingly flooded with different types of

incentives in diverse advertising and price offerings. In addition the modern fashion consumer is

more sophisticated, as well as conscious than the consumer of the earlier decades. In that context,

fashion marketing communications are obliged to present the modern consumer with the

motivation to purchase the particular products rather than other comparable products. This is

calls for innovative pricing strategies such as discounts, credit terms, and pleasant payment

terms. These strategies are highly significant in the competitive and flooded fashion market

where comparable products demand the consumers attention (Easey, 2009, p. 112).

Consumer Behaviour
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Attitude

Attitude is universally perceived to be the most essential variable that intertwines the

consumer behaviour and the marketing mix. Attitudes serve different functions for the individual

that hinge on the underlying motivation of the individual. This denotes that attitudes are

anchored in the motivational pattern that supports attitudes. The four core functions of attitudes

that also impact on consumer behaviour in the fashion industry include; value-expressive

utilitarian, ego-defensive, and knowledge function. The value-expressive function entails

attitudes that are formed by an individual as a result of the how the fashion item portrays the

individuals person construed personality. The utilitarian function depicts attitudes towards a

commodity on the basis of whether the consumption of the commodity exudes pain or pleasure.

The ego-defensive function entails the attitudes that an individual creates to shield

oneself from internal sensations or external threats. The knowledge function influences attitudes

that a person forms due to need or meaning. Attitude is a long-term approach that is developed

through experiences. The attitude is influenced by cognition, affection, and behaviour. These

three components of an attitude are essential and can be defined through a hierarchy of

consequences (Solomon and Rabolt, 2009, p. 67).

Values

Values entail fundamental beliefs that inspire or persuade consumer behaviour. Studies

conducted by Backstrom and Johansson (2006, p. 91) shows that a persons common values

influence explicit clothing decisions. The phrase consumer value is typically associated with

consumers experiences. In this context, value may be described as an interactive partiality

experience, and establishing an individuals interaction experience with an item or event. It is in

this backdrop that an individuals pleasurable experiences while shopping reflect several forms

of hedonic values. These values are described as consumer behaviour that hinges on the
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emotional and fancy aspects of consumers interactions with commodities. For example, it is

fairly widespread that fashion consumers shop for hedonic and utilitarian reasons. In addition,

fashion consumers may also go shopping with the intention of socializing with their friends. A

consumers set of values is important, given that consumers suppose that purchasing fashion

commodities will lead to the attainment of value-related objectives.

Motivations

Motivations entail the processes that begin, maintain and direct behaviour. Theories

concerning motivation may describe fashion consumer behaviour. There are four major

motivations for purchasing fashion in the present day. These motivations include adornment,

protection, modesty, and immodesty. The adornment theory addresses aesthetic expression and

personal beautification, and may be considered to be the most prevalent function of fashion.

Adornment influences an individuals identity and elevates the self-esteem. The protection theory

entails the function of protecting persons from elements such as weather where the fashion item

works as a cordon between the body and the environment. The modesty theory denotes that an

individual purchases fashion items such as apparel to cover their body in a decent manner. The

immodesty theory entails the motive to draw attention to various body parts, for instance when

womens fashion is intended to arouse attention. It is important to mention that fashion

consumers may not always be conscious about every motive that leads to the final choice.

Sometimes individuals may be ignorant or even reluctant to acknowledge the motives that lead

them to purchase or not purchase a fashion item. The graphical representation below depicts
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consumer behaviour in fashion (Weitz and Wensley, 2002, p.273).

Figure 2. Consumer Behaviour in Fashion

Culture and Fashion

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For everybody working in the fashion industry, it is imperative to be able to identify and

to forecast cultural and social movements, so as to appreciate the fashion environment, in

addition to being able to function within the fast changing fashion trends. Dilworth-Anderson,

and Boswell (2005, p. 141) asserts that, persons adopt a fashion trend as long as it is consistent

with the culture of that region. This assertion is further validated by the fact that it is increasingly

difficult almost impossible to find Muslim women dressed in mini skirts in Saudi Arabia, or non-

Muslim women in wearing burqas in the U.S. Another example of the influence of culture on

fashion is demonstrated by the way Ancient Egyptian fashion was predominantly influenced by

Egyptian culture. Examples of how culture influences fashion can also be witnessed through how

Australian millinery is inspired by its Australian flora and fauna. Linking its natural and scenic

attractiveness with everything, including fashion continues to be a component of Australian

culture. Bhutanese are expected to dress in their traditional attire in public places. However,

culture in a particular region transforms gradually, as fashion trends also become influenced with

the shifting culture in that specific region.

Fashion, in regard to apparel, is constantly varying and it indirectly reflects the speedy

rate of transformation in popular culture, as well as its affect on young women. Recently, fashion

from the 1980s is also reappearing across Europe and Africa in a manner that defies

geographical differences. Culture and geography affect fashion in several different ways, and

understanding different cultures is important in generating a better understanding those cultural

influences. Cultural diversity has influenced several aspects of day to day living, for instance the

advertising of positive cultural diversity in the fashion industry. In many popular magazines, it is

common to come across a spectacular display of cultural influences, where Safari prints stir up

strong imagery of African landscape. Fashion in the present day is at the forefront of the cultural

diversity movement, as well as the promotion of other cultures (Kacea and Lee, 2002, p. 163).
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Methodology

The methodology segment will recapitulate how the researcher will accomplish the

research objective to explore the extent to which culture has a significant influence on the buying

behaviour of young women from two different cultures. The researcher executed primary

qualitative research by means of two focus groups. Each focus group studied one cultural

perspective under investigation. An interpretive and inductive view was engaged and respondents

were gathered through the use of snowballing and purposive sampling techniques.

Type of Research and Research Design

In this study, the researcher preferred to perform qualitative primary research to

examine the selected research topic. As a result of the employment of an interpretive viewpoint,

the researcher considered that a qualitative research design ought to be the most appropriate

approach, according to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2016, p. 165). A qualitative research

design facilitates researchers in making logic of the prejudiced and socially constructed

implications expressed in relation to the phenomenon under study. Qualitative research

investigates relationships and meanings linking the data, by means of a diversity of data

collection methods and analytical processes in developing a conceptual framework, as well as

theoretical contribution. Through the use of this research technique, the researcher was able to

effectively collect information concerning consumers motivations, as well as buying behaviour

from the two cultural perspectives under study. While the researcher was aware that there was a

likelihood of issues arising concerning the generalisation, as well as the objectivity of the

findings, employing a qualitative research technique was most suitable. It assisted the researcher

in gathering detailed data concerning the research

Data Collection Method

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In this study, focus groups were utilized in the collection of the data required to

accomplish the research objective. The researcher preferred to conduct two focus groups; one for

each cultural perspective, holding four to six respondents in these focus groups, participants

interacted with one another concerning the research topic. Employing his technique helped the

researcher to focus on a specific issue through encouraging debate between participants. This

approach also facilitated the sharing of viewpoints in an open and liberal environment.

According to Eriksson and Kovalainen, (2008, p. 91), focus groups are normally utilized in

studying consumer behaviour where themes such as preferences, choice, attitudes, needs, and

perceptions are explored through interaction among participants. The researcher found this

approach to be suitable in fulfilling the research objective.

The major advantage of employing this technique was that it promotes involvement from

those who are hesitant towards being interviewed. Another advantage is that the group discussion

and interaction discloses the reasoning, as well as the essential logic of the participants

(Denscombe, 2014, P. 71). This presented the researcher with valuable insight into why

individuals hold particular views in regard to how culture influences fashion. While the

researcher selected to carry out focus groups as a means of data collection, there were several

potential drawbacks that the researcher required to be sensitive to. These entailed the risk of bias

on the part of the researcher in regard to comments made in the discussion, as well as the

potential propensity for participants to hold a middle view as a result of hesitation to render a

minority point of view. The focus groups success was mainly contingent on establishing an

atmosphere of trust within the groups. This implies that the researcher required fostering a

environment where individuals felt sufficiently comfortable in the company of the participants so

as to express themselves without restraint.

Sampling Methods
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Purposive sampling was employed in recruiting the focus groups participants. This

enabled the researcher to pick participants that would best respond the research questions on the

basis on their well-known attributes. While recruiting the research respondents, the researcher

required to make sure that the participants matched the research prerequisites without causing

undue inconvenience or offence. Since the researcher was primarily seeking U.K and Nigerian

students to partake in the study, it would have been easy to cause offence or undue inconvenience

by guessing a students cultural background or nationality.

To avert this situation, the researcher decided to utilize a snowballing sampling technique in

gathering the research participants. According to Saunders et al (2016, p. 180, the snowballing

sampling technique entails voluntary enrolment of participants to be part of the

study rather than being picked. The researcher employed available resources for instance,

university lecturers, as well as students in inquiring whether they knew

any person who would be interested in participating in the study. Utilizing this technique averted

any presumption by the researcher with reference to the cultural backgrounds or nationalities of

potential participants.

Data Analysis

Analysis of the data collected was performed through transcription of the audio

recordings, as well as generating transcript summaries that would help in analysis. According to

Saunders et al (2016, p. 185), through employing the inductive approach, researchers aim to seek

and distinguish meanings in the collected data, in addition to understanding the social

background and viewpoints of research participants. In this study, the researcher concluded that

thematic analysis presented a more appropriate method in comparison to the utilization of

narrative and content analysis. Thematic analysis entails coding qualitative data gathered in order

to identify emerging patterns or themes. In employing this technique, the researcher allowed the
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opinions and perceptions of the participants, in regard to the research topic to be systematically

analysed. It also facilitated the researcher to generate thematic description from the collected

data, as well as draw and authenticate conclusions.

Research Findings and Discussion

Overview

This section presents findings from the focus groups discussions, and will consequently

examine the themes that emerged from the two focus groups conducted by the

researcher. Themes from the focus groups will be discussed according to their relevance towards

fulfilling the research objectives. The researcher will evaluate the collected data with the

concepts initially introduced in the literature review. For easy understanding, themes and extracts

from the transcripts are in Appendix 5. These are coded as Focus Group One, Participant 3=

FG1-P3.

Culture

According to Hollensen (2014, p. 71), culture holds as a considerable impact on the way

individuals think, behave, and feel. Cultural values and manners significantly influence

consumer decision making, attitudes, as well as buying behaviour. In order to fulfil the first

argument, the researcher interpreted the data gathered on culture by examining whether any

participant exhibited any individualistic or collectivistic inclinations, in addition to investigating

the respondents cultural identity.

Collectivism

In regard to the concept of collectivism, the researcher searched for evidence of

collectivistic tendencies from the participants. This included the participants perceiving

themselves as an integral component of the group, and persons who have a tendency to be

prompted by the norms and duties required by a collective unit, for instance the family unit.
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According to Parker, Haytko, and Hermans (2009, p. 127), collectivists generally perceive

themselves as a central component of one or more groups. In this context, participants in Focus

Group 2 (Nigeria) demonstrated a tendency to talk about themselves as a homogeneous group,

consequently exhibiting collectivistic tendencies. During the discussion period of Focus Group 2,

the researcher identified a sense of consensus amongst the participants. This sustains the notion

that African nations such as Nigeria will display collectivistic tendencies.