Abstract
This research report was aimed at either confirming or refuting the hypotheses that culture affects consumer perception on technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotion. It has been recorded by experts that culture has effects on the individual’s behaviour and on the general beliefs of a certain society. This research study was regarded to be very significant as it is in a position to assist the operators of consumer businesses to improve the consumer perception towards their products and thus be able to increase their sales. The researcher applied the survey method for data collection where questionnaires were issued to twenty respondents of whom ten were British citizens, one Italian, five were Greek Cypriot, and three were from Kosovo while only one was from Africa. The respondents were to answer some questions and hand them in to the researcher. The survey targeted those people who at least visit restaurant for their meals. The results were analysed qualitatively and the results revealed that it is indeed a fact that people culture affect customer’s perception.
Introduction
It is believed that every human being is part of a culture where he or she is in and in many cases are influenced by that culture in the making of decisions. The characteristics of that culture are so much embedded in their mind in a way that they may not be able to separate themselves from it. Culture affects how people dress, eat, walk, sing, and play among other day to day activities. It is important to have a study on whether culture affects consumers perceive towards technology, sustainability, brand power, and sales promotion.
Background of the Study
The consumer perception on products can influence how often they buy them. Should the consumers have a negative perception on any product, they may not buy it as regularly as they could have done before. On the other hand, if their perception is positive, they may tend to consume the product at a higher rate. This research will be very important as it will unveil whether culture affects consumer perception towards: technology, sustainability, brand power, and sales promotions. This may be very advantageous to the consumer businesses as the owners would plan on how they can put into implementation factors in technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotion that can improve consumer perception when producing and marketing their products. This would of course improve the consumers’ perception on those products and thus increase their sales.
Problem Statement
This research was aimed at exploring and understanding how culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power, and sales promotions. Negative perception on the product and its process of production can lower the consumer perception thus affects the sales.
Purpose and Objectives of the Study
The purpose of the study was to determine whether culture affects consumer perception and in the process answer the following questions.
- Does culture affect consumer perception?
- How does culture affect consumer perception towards technology?
- In what ways does culture affect consumer perception towards sustainability?
- How does culture affect consumer perception towards brand power?
- How does culture affect consumer perception towards sales promotion?
- Which area is largely affected by the consumer perception?
Rationale/significance of the Study
The perception of the consumers on products can influence the way they are ready to utilize them. If the consumers have a negative perception on a product they may not buy it as regularly as they could have done before. On the other hand, if their perception is positive, they may also tend to consume the product at a higher rate. This research will be very important as it will be able to unveil whether culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power, and sales promotions. This may be very important to the consumer businesses as they would plan on how they can put into implementation factors on technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotion when producing and marketing their products. This would of course improve the consumers’ perception on those products and thus increase their sales.
Definition of Terms
Culture
The term culture has been defined differently depending on the field that it has been used. For example, behavioural scientists define the term as the diverse human behaviour patterns. An English anthropologist, Edward Tylor stated that culture is “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” (O’Neil 2006, par. 1). The use of the word ‘man’ limits the meaning as women are also very instrumental in creating culture and also possess it. Since culture exists only in the mind, it is dynamic and can also be easily lost; this however does not take away the fact that it is a very important human tool for his survival. Governments buildings, written languages and other objects that are man made are basically the products of our culture. Culture has also been defined as the set of ideas, values, and attributes acceptable by a group of people that is homogeneous and then transmitted to the coming generation. Culture is what determines what one eats, wear, travel and reside. For example in the United States, cultural values are education, health, freedom and individualism (Brown 2008).
Consumer perception
The word ‘perceive’ is defined in the Webster Dictionary as “to obtain knowledge through the senses; to receive impressions by means of the bodily organs; to take
cognizance of the existence, character, or identity of, by means of the senses; to see, hear, or feel; as, to perceive a distant ship; to perceive a discord’ (Reid 2009). Consumer perceptions are what indicate if a consumer has achieved satisfaction or not. Perceptions are said to accumulate after a long period and lastly equate to dissatisfaction or satisfaction. Perception can be made up of fiction, fantasy, fact among others, however a perception is always real in the mind of the consumer (Cochran 2005). Some sequential factors have been attributed to influence people’s perception. These include; exposure which involves the extent to which people encounters stimuli. The other factor is attention, which may be low or high depending on the circumstances. Then there is interpretation which basically is making sense out of stimuli (Perner 2008).
Limitations of the Study
The study is limited because it seeks to find out how culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotions. However it does not seek to explain the different types of cultures and what makes one culture different from another. Also during the collection of data, the researcher makes an assumption that the respondents have a habit of going to the restaurants and that all the information that they provide is truthful.
Theoretical Framework
Perception is one of the areas that have been covered in the theory of consumer behaviour. Perception is presented as a part of personal factors that determine consumer behaviour. Personal factors summarises the closest environment of a human being-everything in the soul and head that makes him a personality. Utilizing the sensory receptors and then with the influence of external factors, an individual is able to receive information, adapt it, create a personal attitude, opinion and then motive which then influences his next move of activity and behaviour. Perception in this context will be considered as a major personal factor that conditions the nature and directions of the other variables (Banyt et al 2007, pp 50-51). Consumer behaviour consist of the social and psychological processes that a society undergo in getting, using and disposing products, services, ideas, and practises (Bagozzi 2002, p.1).
Weber’s law brings the idea that the ability of the consumers to detect the changes in stimulus intensity’s is related in a way to the intensity of the stimulus. This means that if one is holding an object that is weighing one pound, then it is likely that he or she will notice if the weight is doubled. Nevertheless if one is holding an object weighing twenty pounds, he would rarely notice the addition of one pound to his object. This means that for the stimulus that brings consumer perception to be noticed, several factors must influence it. Such factors include relevance, prominence and repetition (Perner 2008).
Research Hypothesis
It is hypothesised that culture has an influence on the behavior of every individual in the society. How we perceive things is always determined by people’s cultural environment. Culture influences the buying behavior of the consumer and that is the reason why full attention should be given unto it by the marketing executives (Wiley 2009). Some of the cultural factors may include quality of life, changing the role of women, home and family life, attitudes towards work and pleasure, impulse buying and desire for convinience among others (Alexis 2009). Consumer behavior is described as the ‘acquisition, consumption and disposition of products, services, time and ideas by decision making units” (Jacoby 2002). There is a belief that culture influences consumers’ perception on technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotion.
Literature Review
Culture and customers’ perception
Of the many external influences that impact the consumer, one is culture. Culture is just a representation of the many influences that individuals impose on the consumers. From the definition of the term culture done earlier, the following observations can be made; one culture is comprehensive meaning that different parts must be fitted together in a fashion that is logical. Also culture as an aspect is learned and not born with. Thirdly, culture can only be manifested within the boundaries of the behaviour that is acceptable by the community. Another observation that can be made from culture is that it is there in limited conscious awareness of the standards of culture. The last fact about culture is that a culture can either be static or dynamic depending on how a particular society is ready to accept to change (Perner 2008).
Many marketers have agreed that culture becomes problematic as it is hard to understand it. Many may find themselves violating the cultural norms of other societies unintentionally. Some consumers may also have different perception on a certain product in the presence of one another. Perner (2008) states that there is a danger when traits are over generalized as people are observing a culture. It should be noted that even in a specific culture, there are individual differences. It may also be dangerous if ethnocentrism is exalted; where people of a certain culture may feel that its own culture is more superior to the other cultures. Different regions of the same society may have diversity in their cultural practises (Perner 2008).
How culture affects consumer perception towards technology
Sensory properties for example textures have a major role to play in the perception of the consumers towards the quality of several food stuffs. However there are some ingredients such as thickeners and emulsifiers that have increased a negative perception by the consumers. A research that was conducted has showed that the experiences of new food technology by the consumers can increase acceptability. The altitudes of the consumers are very important when technologies are developed and implemented into the food production. Negative perception may be portrayed on food production technologies such as the use of enzymes (Buchert, 2007 pp. 1-2).
How culture affects consumer perception towards sustainability
Markets have been accused of working shifty towards technological change with the ability to mediate between household demand and consumer goods but on the other side being unable to solve environmental issues that they create (Matutinovic 2007, p.1). Sustainability has of late continued to influence the brand image as well as the consumer perception of consumer businesses. For example a certain retailer in the United Kingdom confessed of an increase in his sales by six percent when he implemented a sustainability program. This kind of increase was attributed to the improvement of the brand image. It has also been revealed that poor sustainability practises and corporate misbehaviours (perceived) destroys the perception of the consumer and this results into lowering of sales.
In the United States seventeen percent of the consumers being referred as LOHAs (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) or ‘green buyers’ have shown their intentions of shifting their loyalties to the so called ‘green’ companies. In addition, twenty one percent of the consumers in the United States (referred to as the “naturalists”), have placed their focus on organic products. Retailers of speciality products like whole foods have taken the advantage and capitalized on the sale of natural products. Due to the increase of environmental awareness and the availability of green products, sustainability will obviously become a major product attribute together with performance and price. This will definitely force the consumer businesses to balance the demand of sustainable products by the consumers that is on the increase and also price sensitivity and convenience (Capozucca Et al 2007, p.8).
How culture affects consumer perception towards brand power
Consumers’ origins and also the differences in the ability to classify between the knowledge levels of the consumers influence the consumer perception of brands. Culture of brand origin is stated to have replaced the country-of-origin which is the most significant origin influence that is regarded by the consumers in their perception to brands. The ‘culture of brand origin’ is used to show the heritage of a brand or simply the cultural origin. In a research entitled “Consumer brand classifications: an assessment of cultural-of-origin versus country-of-origin” by Kenny and Aron, four hundred and fifty nine respondents in Singapore were used to access their consumers’ ability to classify the cultural origins of fashion clothing brands and was used to compare their ability to classify the country of origins of the same brands. The researchers utilized six brands, three from Eastern Europe and there from the Western Europe. The results from the research revealed that the respondents were in a better position to identify the cultural origin of the brands than their country of origin. This was a clear indication that the ability of the consumer to make this differentiation is subjective to his or her perception of how well he or she knows the brand (Lim and O’Cass, 2001).
Methodology
To investigate how culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power, and sales promotions, the survey method was used whereby twenty respondents were issued with the questionnaires to fill and then submit to the researcher. This method was chosen as it is appropriate in studies seeking to determine and assess the characteristics and direction of influence of a variable or a number of variables to other variables intervening in the study. Of the twenty respondents, thirteen were female while seven were men. Ten of them were British citizens, one Italian, five were Greek Cypriot, and three were from Kosovo while only one was from Africa. Four of the participants were aged less than twenty one while sixteen were aged between the ages of twenty six. The educational background was as follows; with secondary school education or less were six, with a college certificate or diploma were eight were eight in number while those with bachelor degree were six.
Findings
After the submission of the questionnaires and the analysis was conducted the following findings were made. Those who agreed that they access internet from home and work were three, from home only were ten, from work only were two and from their laptops were five. None of them admitted that he accesses internet from public places.
Table1. Where the respondents access their internet
When asked on how often they eat out from a restaurant per month before the credit crunch, six respondents stated between three and five times; seven, three times and seven more than five times. After the credit crunch, nine respondents stated that they eat out in the restaurant for less than three times; six, three to four times and five for more than five times.
Table 2: On how regular respondents visit restaurants before and after the credit crunch
When asked on how often they use the internet to find out on which restaurant to go, five stated they never use internet, eight stated that they rarely, five admitted that they do so often while two stated that they do so very often.
Table 3: the response on whether participants use internet to find out the restaurant of their destination
In addition, six strongly agreed that they buy things that they had not intended to when they visit a restaurant with six agreeing, four being neutral and four disagreeing. In addition, five strongly agreed that they have the behaviour of making unplanned purchases with four agreeing, five somewhat agreed, two neural while four disagreed. When asked whether they buy something because they have seen it on the menu even without considering its price, two strongly agreed, two agreed, four were neutral, seven disagreed and five strongly disagreed. Also fifteen strongly agreed that they avoid purchasing things that they have not planned for, with four agreeing, and one somewhat agreeing. When asked whether they make the decision on the whole meal including dessert within the first five minutes of reading a menu, two agreed, three somewhat agreed, five were neutral, five somewhat disagreed and five disagreed. Twelve respondents agreed that they prefer visiting well known chain restaurants, with eight agreeing. Regarding whether the respondents rely on the word of mouth to go to a restaurant for the first time, five strongly agreed, seven agreed, and three somewhat agreed, four were neutral while one disagreed.
Table 4: on whether respondents depend on the word of mouth to visit restaurants
On whether they rely on the word of mouth to go to a restraint that they have ever gone before, five agreed, six somewhat agreed, seven were neutral and two disagreed.
When asked on whether it is true they do not regard brand as important, three strongly disagreed with the other two disagreed. In addition, seventeen strongly agreed that they look out for special promotions and plan ahead before visiting a restaurant with three agreeing. Moreover four strongly agreed that green issues and environmental care were important issues to them with six agreeing, eight being neutral and two somewhat disagreeing.
Table 5: On whether green issues and environmental care are important to the respondents
Two agreed that they seek out for restaurants that have good environmental policy with four deciding to remain neutral and four disagreeing. The respondents were also required to rank in order of importance the top ten factors they believe are most important to them when eating out. The most popular factors were; value for money, brand, price, food quality and type of food. The second most popular factors were reputation, brand and service quality while the third most popular were internet information and location. The least popular factors that the respondents stated were green issues and friends’ advice.
Table 6: on the factors that respondents consider most important before visiting a restaurant
Discussion/Conclusions
This study sought to answer the research problem on whether culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power, sales promotions; and from the data collected it is clear that this problem has been solved. It is clear that people’s culture affect consumer perception. The results agree that many people are influenced by sales promotion methods such as the use of hotel menu to purchase products. Others visit restaurants because they have gotten internet information about these premises and the food sold. Some other consumers visit restaurants because they have gotten information from their neighbours by the word of mouth which perhaps is part of the culture in that place. It is also vivid that they are those that who only visit restaurants that are well known. The research also brings to the conclusion that brand power is a major factor that influences consumers’ perception as many of the respondents acknowledged it. It is also worth noting that sustainability is not a major factor that influences consumers’ perception and in fact many confessed that they had not thought about it before. It is also true that this society where the research was conducted has a culture that considers their finances more highly than any other factor. Many of them stated that what they consider mostly before they visit a restaurant is their value for money and price. Also the culture regards their health highly, that is why they have to consider the factor of food quality and food type. This culture is not more concerned on technology and that is the reason that internet information is not taken seriously. This culture affects the consumer perception towards sales promotion as many respondents consumed the products in the restaurants because of the information they had gotten from the friends and the menu. The culture is also not oriented to the idea of sustainability; green power and environmental care. To conclude the findings of the study it is clear that culture affects consumer perception towards technology, sustainability, brand power and sales promotions.
References
Alexis I 2009, Cultural influences in consumer buying behaviour, Helum. Web.
Bagozzi, R Et al 2002, “Overview of consumer behaviour,” The Psychology of Consumer Behaviour, Open University Press. Web.
Brown, A, What is consumer buying behaviour.
Banyte, J, et al 2007, Peculiarities of consumer perception in the aspect of marketing to Women, Kaumo University of Technology. Web.
Buchert, J, 2007, Consumer experience links to acceptance, University of Agriculture. Web.
Capozucca, P 2007, Sustainability: balancing opportunity and risk in the consumer Products industry. Web.
Cochran C 2005, Customer perception- customer satisfaction, Georgia Institute of Technology.
Lim and O’Cass, 2001, Consumer brand classification: an assessment of culture-of- origin versus country-of-origin. Web.
Jacoby, J ET all 1998, “Consumer behaviour: A Quandrennium,” Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 49, p 319. Web.
Matutinovic, I 2007, “An institutional approach to sustainability,” Journal of Economics Issues, Vol. 41, p.1109+. Web.
O’Neil, D, 2006, What is culture, Palomar College. Web.
Perner, L 2008, Consumer behaviour: the psychology of marketing, University of Southern California.
Tollington, T 2002, “Cognitive assumptions behind the accounting recognition of assets,”
Brand Assets, John Wesley & Sons publishers. Web.
Wiley, J 2009, Journal of consumer behavior, ISSN 1472-0817. Web.