PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically substantiate if the forces of globalization are impacting consumer culture and behavioral traits in a developing country (India).Design/methodology/approachFive hypotheses had been constructed to address the gaps in the literature with respect to the influence of globalization on prevalent consumer culture of a developing nation. Predisposition towards foreign brand among Indian consumers was taken as a proxy for global flows and its influence was studied on the existing materialistic values among the Indian consumers. The study covered a sample size of 557 respondents from five major cities in India. The raw data were collected with the help of structured questionnaire and analysis was done by using various relevant statistical techniques.FindingsThe results showed that predisposition towards foreign brands had a significant impact on materialistic values among the Indian consumers. The younger Indian consumers had significantly higher materialistic values than the older age groups. Lower income groups have showed significantly greater materialistic values than the higher income groups. Significant positive relationships were shown between materialistic values and the buyer behavior traits studied.Practical implicationsThe managers should concentrate on the younger consumers, as they are the ones who are showing a definitive change in their buying behavior and increasing materialistic values. Alternatively, managers could modify their products to suit the requirements of older consumers.Originality/valueThe study empirically showed that Indian consumers' predisposition towards foreign brands and their materialistic values had significant positive correlation among them. Also, predisposition towards foreign brands along with demographical variables like age and gender significantly impact the materialistic values prevalent among Indian consumers.

PurposeThis study investigates the role of consumer cosmopolitanism on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions (PIs) towards foreign and local brands.Design/methodology/approachThe responses were collected on a structured questionnaire through a consumer survey. The data were then analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe results depict the positive influence of consumer cosmopolitanism on consumer attitudes towards foreign brands, which positively influences PIs towards foreign brands and negatively influences the PIs of local brands. Further, the mediating role of perceived quality was observed in explaining the consumer preference towards foreign and domestic brands.Practical implicationsFinally, the study concludes by providing implications for marketing scholars and managers of global and local brands.Originality/valueThe paper examines the underlying mechanisms related to consumer cosmopolitanism and its role in influencing the foreign and local brand purchase.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to estimate the extent of susceptibility to interpersonal influence and price sensitivity prevalent among Indian youth, to test if there is a relationship between these two constructs and identify the reason for the same.Design/methodology/approachIn order to empirically test the given objectives, instruments to measure susceptibility to interpersonal influence as well as price sensitivity were developed by using inputs from the literature. Responses were elicited from a sample of Indian youth (between 16 to 25 years) residing in various Indian cities. Relevant statistical tools were used to analyze the data.FindingsIndian youth showed high scores on their traditional consumer behavioral traits of susceptibility to interpersonal influence and price sensitivity. It was shown that susceptibility to interpersonal influence had a significant impact on the level of price sensitivity among Indian youth. Gender played a significant role in this relationship.Practical implicationsThe results provide many interesting insights with respect to the consumer behavioral traits of Indian youth. These insights will enable managers to develop effective marketing‐mix strategies, which would cater to the requirements of the Indian youth population.Originality/valueThis is the only contemporary paper in the extant literature which measures the level of susceptibility to interpersonal influence and price sensitivity prevalent among Indian youth and which attempts to identify an empirical relationship among these important constructs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare some major National Quality Award/Business Excellence Models (NQA/BEM) in terms of the criteria employed and their relative weights. It shows that these models vary both in terms of criteria and their weights. Whereas some of them are changing weights frequently, others are almost static. It employs the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to allocate scores to 12 criteria identified in the model by Agrawal et al. (1998) to propose a modified quality award model similar to that. The six quality award models used in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan and India are compared with the proposed model using AHP and their relative rankings are obtained. Design/methodology/approach First, a literature review is done to identify various quality award models globally, with their features being compared. Furthermore, paired comparison technique is used to rationalize the relative weights of proposed 12 criteria, and then AHP is again used to rank this proposed model with six major award models. Findings This paper shows that the six NQA models vary substantially on parameter weights. They do not include some relevant criteria to evaluate the organizational performance holistically. It also reveals how some models have been revising criteria weights very frequently, whereas others are static. In some models, the results get much higher weightage than enablers, and hence the performance may not be sustainable. The modified Agrawal et al. (1998) model is taken as a base model, with weights rationalized in it using the AHP. The rankings obtained using AHP reveal that proposed model scores over the other six prominent quality award models. The result also reveals that for organizational excellence, the quality of people plays a major role in the successful implementation of quality processes. Hence, it is very important to focus on improving the quality of people before expecting improvement in the quality of products and services. Research limitations/implications The paired comparison results are based on the researchers’ own perception and do not consider interdependence among the criteria, which is a limitation of AHP. Analytic network process can be further explored to overcome the limitation. The proposed model has not been tested in a variety of real-world situations, which can constitute a scope for further work in the direction. Practical implications The proposed model framework and weightages evolved using AHP can provide a universally acceptable quality award model framework. The companies can adopt it with or without modifications to address their contextual adaptation. It can possibly become a standard model framework globally. This model does not capture the measurement of the softer aspects that impact the people quality. As people play an important role in the success of the implementation of any practice, hence measurement of people quality is another important aspect that can be further studied and researched. Originality/value This comparative study & analysis of National Quality Award/Business Excellence Models using AHP is presented for the first time. The authors have not come across any such studies in their literature review. This paper is an original conceptualization of the application of the AHP on the various Quality Award model parameters, and it has been submitted exclusively to JAMR for publishing.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to study the extent of behavioral acculturation of consumer culture (B-ACC) and attitudinal acculturation of consumer culture (A-ACC) among the urban, educated, middle class Indian consumers. It also aims to test if B-ACC and A-ACC among various demographic segments of Indian consumers differ on the basis of their ownership/usage of foreign brands vis-à -vis Indian brands. Design/methodology/approach -An empirical study has been conducted to address the above mentioned objectives. Data have been collected from urban, educated, middle class Indian consumers using structured questionnaire and following snowball and judgment sampling methods. Data analysis has been done using ANOVA and T-test. Findings -The results show that highly educated Indian consumers who fall under the age group of 16-25 years and belong to upper-middle class show greater levels of B-ACC as well as A-ACC vis-à -vis other demographic segments of Indian consumers. In the total sample as well as among all the demographic segments, it was observed that B-ACC is significantly higher than A-ACC. Indian consumers who own/use foreign brands show significantly higher B-ACC across most of demographic segments. Practical implications -The research clearly identifies the segment which would be most receptive to the globalized marketing strategies of various multinational corporations. Originality/value -The paper shows the extent of B-ACC and A-ACC among the Indian consumers. It provides empirical support to the contention in the extant literature that B-ACC would be greater than A-ACC among consumers in the emerging markets.