Culture-Laden Imports: International Market Entry and Cultural Taboos

Brice William David (), Chu Edward () and Jones Wayne ()
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Brice William David: California State University Dominguez Hills, USA
Chu Edward: California State University Dominguez Hills, USA
Jones Wayne: Hamdan Bin Mohammed University Academic City, Dubai, UAE

International Journal of Management and Economics, 2016, vol. 50, issue 1, 49-62

Abstract: This empirical study investigates American market responses to a Spanish product that is strongly culture-laden and may violate cultural taboos. Surveys were conducted in two contrasting US universities in Arkansas and California. Contrasting student majors were also chosen: Art and Business. The product is a life-sized baby doll, designed to be breast-fed rather than bottle-fed, which highlights the benefits and normality of breast-feeding babies. Although this product is popular in its original European market, US media accounts suggested strongly negative morality-based American reactions. This study found a strong overall non-acceptance of this product in all groups, but with significant differences between groups. Results quantify the market reaction and illuminate its cultural basis by comparing responses between two culturally different regions, two contrasting college majors, different genders, and different ethnicities. In doing so, this study helps to break new ground in the international marketing of culture-laden products.

Keywords: international marketing; market acceptance; consumer ethnocentrism; cultural taboos (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F29 M16 M31 Z10 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:ijomae:v:50:y:2016:i:1:p:49-62:n:4

DOI: 10.1515/ijme-2016-0011

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