
Consumer Behavior and Cultural Factors in Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study
- 1 Faculty of Arts & Humanities, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In the digital age, social media has become a transformative force, reshaping consumer interactions with products, brands, and services. This essay delves into the intricate interplay between cultural factors and consumer behavior within the realm of social media, focusing on a cross-cultural comparative study between Japan and the United States. The study explores consumer behavior through the lens of psychological, social, and cultural influences. It investigates how psychological aspects like motivation and attitudes, as well as social factors such as family and reference groups, are intertwined with cultural dimensions to shape consumer preferences. This essay employs a comparative approach, focusing on Japan and the United States as distinct cultural contexts. By applying Hofstede's cultural dimensions model, it dissects differences in individualism, power distance, masculinity-femininity, long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence-restraint. The findings reveal significant disparities in consumer behavior on social media between these two nations. Cultural factors profoundly impact user engagement, content resonance, and purchasing decisions on social media platforms. This study underscores the indispensable role of cultural factors in molding consumer behavior in the digital age. Understanding and adapting to cultural nuances are imperative for marketers seeking to effectively engage and influence diverse global audiences through social media channels.
Keywords
social media, consumer behaviour, cultural preferences
[1]. Alsaleh, D.A., Elliott, M.T., Fu, F.Q. and Thakur, R. , 2019. Cross-cultural differences in the adoption of social media. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 13(1), pp. 119-140.
[2]. Isik, A. and Özcicek, D.C., 2023. The Effects of Social Media on Consumer Behavior: The Cross-National Comparison. Dogus University Journal, 24(2), pp. 59-79.
[3]. Martinez-Ruiz, M.P. and Moser, K.S. , 2019. StudyingConsumer Behavior in an Online Context: The Impact of the Evolution of the World Wide Web for New Avenues in Research. Frontiors in Psychology , 10(1).
[4]. Arenas-Gaitán, J., Ramírez-Correa, P.E. and Sanz-Altamira, B. , 2019. Complexity of Understanding Consumer Behavior from the Marketing Perspective. Complexity, Volume 3, pp. 1-3.
[5]. Kordestani, A., Oghazi, P., Peighambari, K. and Sattari, S. , 2016. Consumer Behavior Research: A Synthesis of the Recent Literature. Sage Open, 12(1), pp. 1-9.
[6]. Ristanović, V. and Sostar, M. , 2023. Assessment of Influencing Factors on Consumer Behavior Using the AHP Model. Sustainability, 15(13).
[7]. Goodrich, K. and Mooij, M. , 2013. How “Social” are Social Media? A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Online Purchase Decision Influences. Journal of Marketing Communications, 20(1-2), pp. 103-116.
[8]. Hu, S. and Zhu, Z. , 2022. Effects of Social Media Usage on Consumers’ Purchase Intention in Social Commerce: A Cross-Cultural Empirical Analysis. Frontiors in Psychology , Volume 13.
[9]. Akdogan, A., Durmaz, Y. and Durucu, A. , 2021. Cultural Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior: Social Class, Thesis: Hasan Kalyoncu University.
[10]. Cho, H. and Shavott, S. , 2016. Culture and Consumer Behavior: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Cultural Factors. Curriculum Opinions in Psychology, Volume 8, pp. 149-154.
[11]. Zimmu, F., 2023. Exploring the Impact of Cultural Factors on Consumer Behavior in E-Commerce: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. DREAM Journal, 2(3).
[12]. Kalyoncu, H., 2021. The Influence of Cultural Factors on Consumer Buying Behaviour and an Application in Turkey, s.l.: University Faculty of Economics Adminitrative and Social Sciences.
[13]. Chopra, C. and Gupta, S. , 2020. Impact Of Social Media On Consumer Behaviour. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts , 8(6), pp. 1943-1961.
[14]. [Tirpude, R., 2022. Imapct of Social Media Content on Consumer Buying Behavior and Purchase Intention. Mukt Shabd Journal, 1(2), pp. 637-649.
[15]. Singh, P.K. and Trehan, A. , 2022. Impact Of Social Media On Changing Consumer Behaviour In Daily Essentials During Post Covid Era: Influential Factors In Online Advertising. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(6).
[16]. Dangi, A., Prakash, C., Verma, S. and Yadav, K. , 2021. Exploring the Role of Social Media in Shaping Consumer Buying Behavior: A Factor Analysis Approach. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 25(1).
[17]. Achchuthan, S., Heidt, T. Mathura, G.K. and Sorwar, G. , 2023. The moderating role of Hofstede's cultural dimensions on consumer purchasing of organic food. Journal of International Consumer Marketing , Volume 3, pp. 1-20.
[18]. Hofstede Insights , 2023. Country Comparison. [Online] Available at: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/japan,the-usa/
[19]. Abdullahi, M.D. and Saglam, M. , 2021. The Impact of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions on Consumer Behaviour Intentions. International Journal of Commerce and Finance, 7(2), pp. 140-164.
[20]. Carey, L.D., Connell, C. and Marciniak, R. , 2022. The Effect of Cross-Cultural Dimensions on the Manifestation of Customer Engagement Behaviors. Journel of International Marketing, 31(1).
Cite this article
Shi,Y. (2023). Consumer Behavior and Cultural Factors in Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,63,271-277.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Financial Technology and Business Analysis
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).