Page 76 - DMGT408DMGT203_Marketing Management

Unit 3: Consumer Markets and Consumer Buying Behaviour

12. When an individual evaluates products based on his emotions, it is referred to as....................... Notes
evaluation.
(a) Affective (b) Cognitive

(c) Behavioural (d) Intense

3.4 Factors Influencing Consumer Behaviour

3.4.1 Cultural Factors

Culture is a complex amalgam of symbols (attitudes, beliefs, values, language, etc.) and artefacts
created by a society and handed down from generation to generation. The way people perform
their biological activities such as eating is culturally determined. Thus, a hungry Indian consumer
may like to eat rice and dal whereas a hungry American consumer may like to eat a hamburger,
followed by a Coke. Cultures do change over time; for example two-income nuclear families;
changing gender roles are the latest cultural trends. There is a diffusion of culture across countries
since we live in a global village.
1. Culture shapes behaviour
2. Culture is a social phenomenon
3. Culture is adopted

4. Culture sets values
5. Increase in the trend of cross-cultural activities
6. Culture is a strong determinant of marketing strategy

Example: American culture stresses achievement, success, efficiency, progress, material
comfort, etc., whereas Indian culture emphasizes peace, harmony, truth, forgiveness, service, etc.
Within a general culture there are smaller sub-cultures distinguished by the specific identification
and socialisation of their members, with their distinctive behavioural patterns. For example,
within the general Indian Culture there exist specific sub-cultures like Punjabi, Marwari, Bengali,
South Indian, etc., which have their own distinctive characteristics.

3.4.2 Social Factors

Consumers’ behaviours are determined to a great extend by social forces and groups such as
reference groups, family etc.:

1. Reference groups: Groups of people who interact formally or informally influencing (direct
or indirect) each others’ attitudes and behaviour. Membership groups are groups of people
having a direct influence on a person. There are two types of membership groups: primary
and secondary.
2. Primary groups: Interact regularly and informally, e.g., family, friends, neighbours and
co-workers.
3. Secondary groups: Interacts occasionally and formally, i.e. trade unions, professional
associations, members of socio-cultural societies.
People are significantly influenced by their reference groups both for product and brand choices;
sometimes mainly on choice of brand in such items as furniture and clothing, choice of product
in such items as beer and cigarettes, or both choices in such items as automobiles and colour

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