Towards a framework for understanding ethnic consumers’ acculturation strategies in a multicultural environment

Abstract

Purpose While it is essential to further research the growing diversity in western metropolitan cities, little is currently known about how the members of various ethnic communities acculturate to multicultural societies. The purpose of this paper is to explore immigrants’ cosmopolitanism and acculturation strategies through an analysis of the food consumption behaviour of ethnic consumers in multicultural London. Design/methodology/approach The study was set within the socio-cultural context of London. A number of qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observation and photographs were used to assess consumers’ acculturation strategies in a multicultural environment and how that is influenced by consumer cosmopolitanism. Findings Ethnic consumers’ food consumption behaviour reflects their acculturation strategies, which can be classified into four groups: rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment. This classification demonstrates ethnic consumers’ multi-directional acculturation strategies, which are also determined by their level of cosmopolitanism. Research limitations/implications The taxonomy presented in this paper advances current acculturation scholarship by suggesting a multi-directional model for acculturation strategies as opposed to the existing uni-directional and bi-directional perspectives and explicates the role of consumer cosmopolitanism in consumer acculturation. The paper did not engage host communities and there is hence a need for future research on how and to what extent host communities are acculturated to the multicultural environment. Practical implications The findings have direct implications for the choice of standardisation vs adaptation as a marketing strategy within multicultural cities. Whilst the rebellion group are more likely to respond to standardisation, increasing adaptation of goods and service can ideally target members of the resistance and resonance groups and more fusion products should be exclusively earmarked for the resonance group. Originality/value The paper makes original contribution by introducing a multi-directional perspective to acculturation by delineating four-group taxonomy (rebellion, rarefaction, resonance and refrainment). This paper also presents a dynamic model that captures how consumer cosmopolitanism impinges upon the process and outcome of multi-directional acculturation strategies.

The impact of social media on consumer acculturation: Current challenges, opportunities, and an agenda for research and practice

“…Prior acculturation studies have shown that social networks are an integral part of the consumer acculturation process (Kizgin et al, 2017;Laroche and Jamal, 2015), impacting immigrants' product choices in the context of interaction between cultures (e.g. Dey et al, 2019;Jamal, 2003;Kizgin et al, 2017). With few exceptions, including language orientation (Kizgin et al, 2018a;Li and Tsai, 2015), voting intentions (Kizgin et al, 2018b), sustainable food consumption (Choudhury et al, 2019) and acculturation to global consumer culture (Cleveland et al, 2015), previous acculturation studies have focused primarily on the impact of acculturation in an offline context.…”

Minding the Gaps in British Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Commercial History: From the Genesis to the 21st Century

“…Additionally, it points to a prior historical development followed by the host country (European and Western culture). This interesting finding could be likened to the ethnic consumer acculturation phenomenon towards a host culture (see Dey et al, 2019), which can be termed as ‘entrepreneurial acculturation’. Authors exploring enterprise activities on the continent viewed product entry, accessing new markets, procuring raw materials, and various other logistical trading arrangements as major features of entrepreneurship and commerce (Chileshe 1992; Gray, Cooley, Lutabingwa, Mutai‐Kaimenyi, & Oyugi, 1996; Marsh & Mannari, 1986, pp.…”

“…Additionally, it points to a prior historical development followed by the host country (European and Western culture). This interesting finding could be likened to the ethnic consumer acculturation phenomenon towards a host culture (see Dey et al, 2019), which can be termed as 'entrepreneurial acculturation'.…”

Marketing of Cultural Services: Social and Cultural Challenges of the Region

“…This approach in the marketing of cultural services is gaining relevance in the regional aspect, as the tourist and recreational complex of southern Russia is actively developing. Besides the permanent population, which is a multinational community of cultures, there is a constant increase in the flow of foreign tourists, who need to be offered, including cultural leisure, taking into account national traditions and customs [3,4,5,6,7,8].…”