Identification, uniqueness and art consumption among bicultural consumers
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how bicultural consumers differ from monocultural consumers in terms of personality traits and identity negotiation.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a multidisciplinary literature review, some anecdotally and qualitatively supported differences between biculturals and monoculturals are reviewed and formulated as hypotheses, and a survey is used to collect quantitative data from a mixed random‐purposeful sample.
Findings
Relative to monoculturals, biculturals exhibit greater concern about their acceptability within pertinent reference groups and society at large; have comparable levels of need for uniqueness and art enthusiasm; and consume more artwork as a means and in the process of their routine negotiation of (ethnic) identity. Ethnicity, need for social acceptability, need for group identification, and art enthusiasm are predictors of artwork consumption. Ethnicity, in particular, is a key precursor of artwork consumption.
Research limitations/implications
As a starting‐point for understanding the bicultural consumer, the study is subject to exploratory research limitations.
Originality/value
As partial manifestations of globalization, businesses are challenged today in several ways by the rise and proliferation of the bicultural neotribe. Businesses do not have to fall victim to these challenges; they can turn them around and strategically leverage them as marketplace opportunities. The study provides some early insights that can help businesses to leverage such opportunities.
Keywords
Citation
Zolfagharian, M.A. (2010), "Identification, uniqueness and art consumption among bicultural consumers", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 17-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363761011012912
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited