What is it about?
Consumer ethnocentrism (CE) is one of the key factors explaining why some consumers purposely choose to buy domestic products because they believe purchase foreign goods damage the domestic economy, cause job losses and are simply unpatriotic behaviours. CE is also a good indicator of isolationism. My study finds CE is low in China, there is no particular appetite to support calls like imposing excessive tariffs or banning imports. It could be argued that there is no grassroots support for isolationism in China.
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Why is it important?
It provided evidence to clarify that CE does affect Chinese consumers' decision making, however, the overall level of CE is low which means it poses no serious threat to foreign businesses. More importantly, in the post-Brexit and Donald Trump era, it provided clear evidence to suggest that China is still open for business, ordinary Chinese consumers have no desire to support new trade barriers or move the country into a more inward-looking society.
Perspectives
This study has its obvious limitations, but I hope it will help people to understand Chinese consumers and China in a time of extreme uncertainty and change. From a personal point of view, I certainly hope China will continue to reject isolationism and embrace the world like what it has done for the past 40 years. Cooperation and mutual understanding make a better world, not ethnocentrism and trade wars.
Qing Shan Ding
University of Huddersfield
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Chinese products for Chinese people? Consumer ethnocentrism in China, Retail and Distribution Management, May 2017, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijrdm-11-2016-0212.
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