In the Conflict Between the Heart and Mind: Involvement and Aspiration Matter: An Abstract

Abstract

Extant research on the drivers of consumer’s purchase behavior has focused either on the influence of consumers’ personal predispositions, brand-/product-related perceptions, or external factors, such as the prevailing business and social environment variables. There is a dearth of studies, which have considered the collective impact of influences that may drive the buying preferences of consumers, a more realistic scenario. The impact of these factors may also get differentiated across product category involvement (high vs. low) and/or by brand ownership (domestic vs. foreign), particularly in the context of global brands. Further, processes governing the mechanisms that transform individual predispositions and consumers’ brand perceptions into specific behavioral responses need to be further explored. This research is an effort to fill this research gap and shed some light on the drivers of consumer’s purchase behavior in a multidimensional perspective using two product categories, midsize sedans and sportswear, each involving a domestic and a foreign global brand. With four separate studies, using structural equation modeling (SEM), the findings reveal differences in the strength of relationships based on product involvement and ownership, leading to valuable insights for managerial practice, and contribution to enrich the existing global branding literature. Avenues for future research are also suggested.