Understanding Consumer Behaviour

Mauritian consumers are being exposed more and more to foreign products and are now faced with a variety of buying choices. With the advent of globalisation, domestic and foreign firms need to investigate consumer behaviour in cross cultural/national settings. This study aimed at evaluating the degree of consumer ethnocentrism among Mauritian consumers and at understanding their perceptions towards imported products and domestic products. The CETSCALE instrument used to measure consumer ethnocentrism in the USA was examined in the Mauritian context to assess its validity. The study also investigated the influence of demographic and lifestyle variables on the level of consumer ethnocentrism, and the impact of country of origin on several dimensions of the product, such as quality, value for money, status and esteem among others. Data were collected through personal and telephone interviews. Findings revealed that the CETSCALE was applicable to Mauritius and that Mauritians were not highly ethnocentric.