Examining Ethnocentrism in an Age of Hybrid Consumers and Hybrid Brands: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

Based on empirical data collected from 333 respondents from three distinct cultural groups of consumers: U.S. citizens by birth, naturalized U.S. citizens of Bangladeshi origin, and naturalized U.S. citizens of Turkish origin, this study proffers an expanded definition of consumer ethnocentrism and examines how bicultural consumers can differ from monocultural consumers with respect to their preference for purchasing goods based on the origin of its brand. It also shows how the attitude and preference of different types of bicultural consumers can vary based on their level of acculturation. The study concludes with a discussion on the implications of the findings and recommendations for further research to deepen our understanding of ethnocentrism in the tangled reality of the modern marketplace.

KEYWORDS:

• Acculturation
• biculturals
• consumer ethnocentrism
• lobal brands