A Study of the Relationship between Ethnocentrism and Purchase Intention for Japanese Products

Abstract

After Taiwan's entry to the WTO, the trade barrier between Taiwan and other countries has been reduced, resulting in the presence of more MIT (made in Taiwan) products on the market for customer choices. There are, nevertheless, a variety of factors affecting customers' purchase intention. This study aims to discuss whether, due to factors such as consumers' product knowledge and perceived product value, Taiwanese consumers' We-identities (ethnocentrism?) obstructs their purchase intention toward Japanese goods. Research result shows, based on their product knowledge and perceived product value, consumers' purchase intention of the tested product (digital camera) is far beyond their own we-identities. The weight of We-identities (ethnocentrism?) is relatively low in this study. Having been in existence for more than one hundred years, we-identities (ethnocentrism?) will still have its presence and remain an observable phenomenon.