INTERPLAY BETWEEN SUBJECTIVE NORM, EMOTIONS, AND PURCHASE INTENTION TOWARDS FOREIGN BRANDS: EVIDENCE FROM VIETNAM

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms through which social groups impact consumers' purchase decisions is of particular interest to scholars and practitioners. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the cognitive-affective model by examining the roles of the subjective norm and its contingency factors in the cognitive-affective model and the indigenous consumers' purchase intention towards a foreign footwear brand. The validity of the model is tested using data collected from 257 Vietnamese consumers. The results of PLS-SEM and SPSS Macro PROCESS reveal that subjective norm positively influences the emotional value (β = 0.219, p = 0.002) and perceived quality (β = 0.239, p = 0.000) for the foreign brand. In addition, face consciousness positively moderates the indirect effects of subjective norm on purchase intention through emotional value (β = 0.08; LLCI = 0.02; ULCI = 0.13) while the moderating effect of perceived behavioral control is significantly negative (β = -0.1074; LLCI = -0.182; ULCI = -0.05). In conclusion, this study can offer insight into the roles of social groups and their contingency factors in the cognitive-affective model and purchase intention. On this ground, managers of foreign brands are advised to focus on the impacts of social groups in their marketing campaigns, together with underlining the social status and superbness of their offerings to attract new consumers.