| Author | Ghosh, Saqib Kumar |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.SM-06-77 |
| Subject(s) | Materialism--Asia
Materialism--Europe
Material culture--Asia
Material culture--Europe
|
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Business Administration |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Research studies project report ; no. SM-06-77
|
| Abstract | Markets gain worldwide dominance as models for social organization. Advertising grows
ever more pervasive, and children and adolescents increasingly take on the role of
consumers. Young professionals are motivated for highly ambitious material life. People
across cultures are becoming more materialistic. Assuming materialism as an emerging
consumer value, this research measured and compared materialism level across cultures.
The purpose of this study was to examine the prediction that materialism exists globally.
An assessment was made of the materialism and frugality of European and Asian young
professional. The results reveal no statistically significant difference in materialism and
frugality level among respondents from five countries. However, though nationality
appears not to have a significant effect on overall materialism level, it has significant
effect on two materialism components, centrality and happiness. More specifically,
irrespective of countries, all consumers attach equal importance on possession-defined
success but place different importance on the other two components. European and
Indians were found to have greater tendency to focus in acquiring resources comparing to
Chinese and Thais. On the other hand, acquiring resources does not make happy
European and Indian as much as it does Chinese. This suggests that acquisition tendency
in Chinese is more linked with well-being and happiness compared to the respondents
from other countries. It is interesting to note that Indians were found to be the least happy
with the acquisition centrality among the sampled nationalities. In addition, no
consistency was found in the relationship between respondents' demographic
characteristics and materialism across cultures. While females were found more
materialistic than males among Chinese, males were found more materialistic than female
in other four nationalities. Age is positively related with materialism among Chinese,
whereas it is inversely related among other nationalities. The relationship between TV
advertisements and materialism is not influential for Chinese and Indians. Finally, across
cultures the majority of people enjoys shopping and prefers to feel shopping as leisure
activity regardless of materialism.
|
| Year | 2006 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Management (SOM) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Publication code=SM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Swierczek, Fredric W.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Zimmermann, Willi ;Dimmitt, Nicholas J. ; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | AIT Fellowship; |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M. BA.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2006 |