Consumer Behaviour in Asia

Citation

Menon, M.K. (2001), "Consumer Behaviour in Asia", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 179-189. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.2001.18.2.179.1

The book’s title does not do justice to its contents. A more apt title could have been Consumer Psychology and Behavior in Asia. Besides capturing the essence of behaviors among Asian consumers, the book treats readers to a good discussion of the psychology and cultural fundamentals behind such behaviors. The handling of both the psychology and the resulting behaviors is far from shallow. This book is written by authors experienced in Asian cultures and thus provides a fair and balanced view of that part of the globe.

In this media‐driven world where everything and everybody is seen through Western‐tinted lenses, this book is refreshingly different. It teaches us that even in a world with a globalized view of societies, some cultural artifacts are different and hard to change.

I particularly like chapter 3, which delves deep into the Asian mindset. Most research studies tend to look at specific issues related to this aspect of consumer behavior in a superficial manner. As far as I know, there has been no effort, as is done in this book, to combine all these individual studies and summarize them as a coherent set of values.

Chapter 3, in conjunction with chapters 2 and 4, form the heart of this book. These three chapters provide excellent fundamentals of the Chinese/Far Eastern cultural fabric with religious underpinnings and their influence on social relationships. Add to that a good discussion of a set of tenets that distinguishes the Asian culture from Western ideas, and we have a solid foundation for this book. But, in Chapter 2, the section on the role of women is very limited, given what has happened in these countries in the recent past. As statistics reveal, women in this part of the world are entering the labor pool at a higher rate than in any other region. Companies and governments are also witnessing greater involvement of women in their ranks.

The leisure industry example in Chapter 5 is an excellent case study of the influence of the concepts discussed in earlier chapters on consumer decision making. Marketers targeting the Asian consumer will find the lessons learned here valuable in developing and implementing their strategies.

Chapters 6 and 7 also provide excellent insights into the marketing implications of Asian thinking and behavior. Even in these chapters, a Western reader can fathom the differences that have a profound impact on marketing to the Asians. If the earlier chapters did not do the job, these chapters, with their numerous examples and case studies that follow in the Appendix, will convince the reader that marketing is indeed culture specific!!

On the other hand, there are a few aspects that lessen the impact of this book. For instance, the book should have been titled, Consumer Psychology and Behavior in China and Other Far Eastern Countries. While trying to diminish Western stereotypes of Asian thinking and behaviors, the authors inadvertently propagate another – that is, only China and the Far East make up Asia. What about India and the other countries in Asia? Don’t they matter? Or are they too poor and underdeveloped to be included in the Western fantasy with rich Asia?

Another topic of interest to the reader might have been a discussion on how media globalization, trade, and political relationships are changing Asian culture at the core and around its fringes. In reading the book, one does come away with a feeling that Asian culture is so strong at the core that it is immune to change. But from experiences and media reports, one can tell how Asian youth, for instance, are becoming more similar to their Western counterparts than to those who preceded them in their cultures.

This book, being broad in scope and deep in examples, can be targeted at both the academics who teach courses such as International Marketing and Consumer Behavior, and practitioners who are looking toward the promise that Asia holds for their future. The academics will be able to integrate materials from Chapters 2, 3, and 4 into their discussion of the theory. They could also use the cases provided as pedagogical tools, while practitioners can use them to familiarize themselves with the nuances of business development in Asia. This book is also a great tool for marketers who would like to study and understand the psychology behind Asian behaviors. Finally, the book provides a wealth of information for anthropologists, sociologists, and other Asian researchers who will find varied concepts in this book that beg for further investigation.