No abstract

No abstract

This study compares the current state of direct marketing in Japan and the U.S. Questionnaire responses (109 Japanese and 101 U.S.) were obtained from students of major Japanese and U.S. universities in order to test three hypotheses posed in this study: (a) general attitude toward direct marketing; (b) privacy issues; and (c) environmental concerns. The results show that (a) Japanese and U.S. respondents have similar levels of ambivalence toward direct marketing as well as concern toward environmental issues; and (b) contrary to expectations. Japanese respondents more strongly express a concern about privacy issues than do U.S. respondents. This article concludes with implications of these results for the practice of international direct marketing, followed by suggested directions for future studies. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, Inc.

The authors propose that the high-context nature of Japanese communication and the collectivistic nature of Japanese culture have an impact on attitudes toward direct marketing and its regulation. The results of a survey of Japanese and U.S. university students suggest that certain types of direct marketing messages are less effective in Japan than in the United States. The results also indicate a greater willingness by Japanese respondents to support regulation of direct marketing practices. The authors discuss managerial implications of the findings for multinational marketers and advertisers and suggest public policy implications for direct marketing in Japan.

No abstract