Comparative Analysis of Arab and Indian Consumer Attitude Towards Western Brands

 Comparative Analysis of Arab and Indian Consumer Attitude Towards Western Brands 1
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ARAB AND INDIAN CONSUMER ATTITUDE TOWARDS WESTERN BRANDS
By Student’s Name
Course code + name
Professor’s name
University name
City, State
Date of submission
Comparative Analysis of Arab and Indian Consumer Attitude Towards Western Brands 2
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
The chapter will embrace background of the study, aims and objectives of the study, research questions, hypothesis and significance of the study.
1.1: Background of the Study
Perhaps paradoxically, the political, social and economics stands of the western and American countries towards the Arabs and Indians plays an incongruous role in depicting the extent to which the Indians and Arabs assimilate western made products, ideas and lifestyles in their daily life (Elliott 2003). Currently, the Arabians observe the American and European Union products as one of the cultural assimilation tools that the westerners use to tame them into their culture. Others believe that the western countries target Islamic and other religious practices in the countries under discussion. Since the September 11th attacks and the culminating conquering of Iraq, the Arab states have ensured that advertising and marketing brands and products from western and American states are adequately filtered before accepted within the society (Dinnie 2004). It is an indication that Arab consumers have developed certain attitudes towards most of the American and European Union synthesized products. This can be substantiated by the fact that, on 3rd September 2005, a Danish newspaper published an article, ”The Face of Muhammad” along with a dozen of cartoons hence depicting the Islamic prophet as unflattering. Muslims in Arabian states were incensed and, in January 2006, the Arabian clerics called for Danish goods boycotting. As a result, the company lost the market because most consumers and retailers pulled themselves out of the company’s products; hence a revelation that they had developed certain negative attitudes towards the western products (De Mooij 2004).
Comparative Analysis of Arab and Indian Consumer Attitude Towards Western Brands 3
Many researchers have conducted several studies about the Arab and Indian consumer’s perceptions towards western brands. The Arabian states differ politically from Americans and western nations in their perceptions about terrorism and Iraq invasion (Gurhan-Canli & Maheswaran 2002). The studies aimed to reveal whether the political indifferences influence consumers’ attitudes to the brands, and if so, what can be done to improve the situation. However, the aim of this study will be to analyze the Arab and Indian consumer attitudes towards the western products. The eventual outcome will seal the gap existing in marketing strategies, whereby the Indians are perceived to be close allies of the western states and hence great western products consumers. On the other hand, the Arabs are depicted to deviate from western countries products after Iraq and Afghanistan invasion.
1.2: Research Aims & Objectives
Consumption of the western brands and products, as well as attitudes developed towards them both in India and Arabian states, not only manifests acceptance of the aforementioned products but also reveals some extent of accepting the culture of those countries producing them. Most of the products consumed by a given society not only pertain to basic needs, but they also reflect the symbolic values towards the origin. Once the consumers reveal that the products have symbolic value, for instance, cultural assimilation, there are high chances of them not being accepted, in the first place. Moreover, they would not be advertised to Arab consumers through the western-style marketing communication messages. The aim of the study will be to analyze, through comparison, the Arab and Indian consumer attitudes towards western brand and products (Meng et al 2007). Marketers and policy makers of the western synthesized products and brands need to understand the Arab and Indian consumers’ attitudes from different perspectives based
Comparative Analysis of Arab and Indian Consumer Attitude Towards Western Brands 4
on cultural, political and economic vulnerability existing between the Europeans and Arabs; hence, the study will objectively unveil the future prosperity of the western brands in the East.
1.3: Research Questions
To better understand the comparative analysis of the Arab and Indian consumer attitudes towards products and brands made in western and American countries, such as UK and USA respectively, the researcher will specifically investigate the following questions.
i. What is the relationship between Indian and Arab consumers’ attitudes and the American and western products and brands?
ii. What are the prevailing consumers’ attitudes towards America and western countries products among Indians and Arabs?
iii. Which American and