Abstract
The primary objective of this research work is to investigate
the impact of cultural influences on buying behaviour, particularly on
consumers. Information and data used in this presentation were based on various
shades of opinion pooled from people of all work of life, since all of us are
consumers in one way or the other. The work is divided into five
sections/chapters. Chapter one comprises of introduction, which is further,
stratified into significance of the study, research questions, scope of the study
and definitions of terms used in the work. Chapter two deals with the review of
related literature. The chapter explains buyer behaviour, importance and
constraint in understanding consumer behaviour and model of consumer behaviour.
It further explained personal characteristic affecting consumer’s behaviour,
consumer buying decision-making process, as well as the summary of the
literature review. Chapter three deals with research methodology, emphasis is
on the area of study, research design, population of the study, sample size and
sampling techniques and the instrument used in collecting data. It also deals
with administration of the instrument and method o data analysis and
presentation.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
of the study
The effectiveness of any marketing activities does not
solely depend on the ability to offer competitive range of product and services
rather sack up extensive campaigns for success, knowledge of the influences
which affect buying preferences, is called for. Acknowledgement of how buyers
behave in the purchase of goods and services, either as consumers or producers
of good and services, is very important to marketers aimed with this knowledge,
the marketer can manage the marketing functions more effectively and more
profitably. This is because Marketers will be able to understand and predict
how the consumers or users of his product will react to marketing
stimuli. With this he would be able control within the limits of the
stimuli from the external environment which marketer does not control therefore
emphasis will be channeled toward consumer behaviour. The history of consumer
behaviour is as old as the hills although historically, it was not called
consumer behaviour. Adam was the first consumer when he ate the apple
offered to him by his wife Eve. Human being have always looked for food,
first as a hunter and later as a farmer. In past centuries, that nobility
and clergy may have had enough to eat but the ordinary people often went
hungry, as food was a scare resources. In this century, consumer behaviour has
become a subject of investigation. After consumer no longer had to
struggle to survive and when choice among different alternative become
possible. It became important for producers to investigate the criteria
of consumer needs or choices. If household income is more than needed for
basis rents, food and clothing, discretionary choice emerges, so discretionary
income is the income a household can spend freely, after covering these basic
needs. Discretionary income first developed in the “higher” social classes and
after that it become available to the working classes. However, there are
still household in Europe and the rest of the world with low income which in
practical terms do not have any discretionary income at their disposal. Several
stages of scientific research of consumer behaviour have been described.
In each of these stages, a particular approach, point of view, theory or model
prevail. The first stage is the pre-scientific stage in which consumer
behaviour is observed and discussed from a philosophical and socio – critical
point of view. Thorstein, V. (1899) view conspicuous consumption as “the
demonstration of affluence in clothing, housing, parties and insure of the
upper class”. Consumption is an expression of power and status. The
member of the “idle” class competes in this demonstration of richness and
extravagance.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is obvious that managers are always confronted with
cultural influences on consumer buying behaviour and choice of product
brands. Therefore, marketer face a lot of problems of identifying which
of these cultural factors/elements to apply to the overall marketing strategies
for the organization’s products offered to the market. Questions like these are
normally raised: What impact has religion on consumer choice of
product? Does family size influence consumer choice of product in the
market? How does belief affect consumer choice of product in the
market? Does norms and taboos have any influence on consumer buying
behaviour? The above questions and many more are what this study will treat in
the course of this research work.
1.3
OBJECTIVE
OF THE STUDY
This study is to
achieve the following objectives:-
1. To outline the position of cultural
trends in consumer buying decision process.
2. To analyze the impact of cultural
influence on consumer buying habit.
3. To outline the strategies needed by
marketers to market her goods and services.
4. To determine the effect of consumer
purchase behaviour on sales volume.
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
For
the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were
formulated by the researcher;
H0: there is no impact of cultural
influence on consumer buying habit
H1:there is impact of cultural
influence on consumer buying habit
H02:there is no effect of consumer
purchase behaviour on sales volume
H2:there is effect of consumer purchase
behaviour on sales volume
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is premised on the impact of cultural
influence as a determining, factor on consumer choice of product or
brand. It explains the marketers inefficiency in addressing cultural
problems which are needed to enhance market profitability and expansion. This
write – up would go a long way to provide information to the entire marketers
who have little or no knowledge on the study of cultural influences on consumer
buying behaviour. At the end of the day, it would promote efficient and
effective use of the right channel to market organization’s products It is hoped therefore, that this study would provide
information on the remote and immediate impact of culture influences on
consumer buying behaviour that will equipped marketers for the effective and efficient
process of carrying out their various activities of marketing
1.6
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study will cover all the areas or aspect of
behaviour determinant such as culture, social and psychological determinant of
consumer behaviour. The decision making process involved in buying product will
also be looked into alongside with the constraint.
The researcher encounters some constrain
which limited the scope of the study;
a)
AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL:
The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby
limiting the study
b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not
enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic
activities and examinations with the study.
c) Organizational privacy:
Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the
necessary and required information concerning the activities
1.7
DEFINITION OF TERMS
It is very necessary and important to define some key words
used in the chapter and words used in a different context rather than their
general meaning. Below are the key words used:-
1. Merit Goods: These are goods
providing short term individual benefit and long term societal disadvantage.
2. Demerit Goods: These are goods
providing both long term and short term individual benefits.
3. Schema: It is a network of
association with a product brand, shop or another object.
4. Cognitive Style: It is the
manner in which individuals make decision in order to solve problems
systematically.
5. Shaping: It is the process of
rewarding sequential approbation to desired behaviour. That encourages
the consumer to perform the desired behaviour.
6. Attribution Error: Estimate the
importance of personal factors relating to environmental influences on persons
behaviour, but not on one’s behaviour.
7. Behavioural Domain: It is a set
of behaviour frequently organized around a common goal.
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF
THE STUDY
This
research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter
one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the
study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study,
research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the
study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two
highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the
review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and
methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data
collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and
recommendations made of the study