Cross-cultural differences in purchase decision-making criteria

Abstract

Purpose – The main purpose of this study is to draw implications about simultaneous consideration of demographics, preferences and attitudes in understanding travel behavior decision criteria. Design/methodology/approach – Convenience sampling was used to collect data. In 2006 university students in Turkey collected data from visitors at hotels. From distribution of 1,067 questionnaires, 906 usable questionnaires were collected. Data used are for Turkish (local), European and Asian tourists. Findings – One expects Turkish tourists, European tourists, and Asian tourists in Turkey will differ in demographics, preferences and attitudes. Oblique factors are determined to reduce the dimensions for attitudes. ANOVA and chi-square show variable specific differences between groups. However, considering multiple variables results in showing multiple variables are important in understanding behavior. Research limitations/implications – The research demonstrates the importance of joint consideration of demographics, preference and attitudes. This research does not apply to a particular population since convenience sampling was used. Practical implications – Understanding the complexity of the relationship between decision making and its possible determinants shows the value of having demographic, preference and attitude information. Originality/value – The research involves analysis across origin countries or regions, and focuses on one type of variable (e.g. attitude). This research uses univariate and multivariate results to show the importance of having and using multivariate data.