Buyer Behavior in the Japanese Travel Trade: Advancements in Theoretical Frameworks

Summary

This paper offers insights on how social network activity operates in Japanese culture-as compared to the West-and why these differences must be appreciated for a Western tourism supplier to have any opportunity of achieving success in the Japanese market. More specifically, the influence of Japanese culture and location on social network activity and ultimately buyer behavior of both Japanese consumers and corporations is the focus of this paper. In addition, this paper puts forth a theoretical model that contends that social networks or ‘ties’ between individuals or between companies represent a basic unit of analysis in examining buyer-seller relationships in the international travel trade, particularly in vastly different national cultures such as Japan.

Key Words:

• Social network activity
• Japanese travel trade