Aysen Bakir

A test of the validity of Hofstede's cultural framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the reliability and validity of Hofstedes cultural framework when applied at the individual consumer level.Design/methodology/approach – MBA students and faculty in the behavioral sciences were asked to review Hofstedes cultural instrument and to indicate which dimension (power distance, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity) each particular item was intended to reflect. Subjects were also asked to respond to each item, thus indicating their underlying values. The reliability of each dimension was computed, and the data were factor analyzed to determine whether the various items loaded in a manner that is consistent with Hofstedes framework, thus providing evidence as to discriminant and convergent validity.Findings – This study presents evidence that Hofstedes cultural instrument lacks sufficient construct validity when applied at an individual level of analysis. Overall, a majority of the items were lacking in face...

Ethical judgments and intentions: a multinational study of marketing professionals

A multinational study of marketing professionals was conducted in the US, England, Spain and Turkey. Respondents from these countries were compared on various ethics-related constructs such as idealism, relativism, moral intensity and corporate ethical values. Analyses of variance indicated that moral intensity had a signi ?cant impact on both ethical judgments and behavioral intentions. However, corporate ethical values, an idealistic ethical perspective and a relativistic ethical perspective only partially impacted ethical judgments and intentions. Country differences showed that the US was highest in terms of corporate ethical values while being the lowest in terms of relativism and signi?cantly lower than Spain and Turkey in terms of idealism. Turkey was the highest in terms of both idealism and relativism yet lowest in terms of corporate ethical values. Country differences in terms of moral intensity tended to be situation-speci?c. One managerial implication, for ?rms in all four countries, is that a clear set of corporate policies concerning ethics can positively in?uence the behavioral intentions of employees. It is important that employees do not misinterpret the desires of top management where ethical issues are involved.

Family Communication Patterns

Abstract Previous research has studied the influence of concept and socio oriented family communication on American adolescent purchase influence (Foxman, Tansuhaj, and Ekstrom 1989). This study extends this research by explicitly examining the perceived influence of four types of family communication patterns on family decision making among children between the ages of eight and twelve years for three types of products (durable, non-durable, and childrens products), examining these relationship in Israel, and beginning to explore communication differences between mothers and fathers. Perceived product importance had an impact on childs perceived influence among family communication patterns. Furthermore, gender differences among family communication patterns were also found and these observed differences fit traditional gender roles quite well.

How are Children's Attitudes Toward Ads and Brands Affected by Gender-Related Content in Advertising?

Past research of childrens television advertising shows that gender-related content is very prevalent, yet the potential impact of that content on childrens attitudes toward advertising messages and brands has received very little attention. To address this gap in the literature, this paper develops a conceptual framework, based on a synthesis of developmental psychology literature, to understand how children develop attitudes toward advertisements with gender-related content. Next, to examine the conceptual framework, the results of an experimental design study with eight- and nine-year-old children are reported, confirming the key relationships posited in the conceptual framework. Managerial and public policy implications based on this study are discussed.

Children's Responses to Gender-Role Stereotyped Advertisements

ABSTRACT Research indicates that adults gender-role perceptions can influence their responses toward different types of advertising appeals; however, it is not known whether the same is true for young children. Given that childrens gender-role stereotypes vary across both age and gender, it is possible that their responses toward different types of advertisements might also vary. Accordingly, this study examines whether preadolescent boys and girls differ in their attitudes toward advertisements that incorporate agentic or communal gender-role attributes. The results are managerially relevant. The findings suggest that marketers can target young boys and girls with a common set of advertisements. However, advertisements should convey agentic themes when targeted toward older preadolescent girls, and communal themes when targeted toward younger preadolescent girls. Considering that children represent a large and growing consumer segment this issue deserves greater attention.

Fantasy in Food Advertising Targeted at Children

This study examined the use and effects of fantasy in food advertising targeting children. A content analysis documented the prevalence of fantasy appeals, including fantasies that center on product ingredients, animals, and adventures. A qualitative analysis of 8- and 9-year-old childrens responses to food advertisements revealed substantial variability in their understanding of advertising, inference of manipulative intent, and use of persuasion knowledge. An experiment among 8- through 10-year-old children found that fantasy was associated with positive attitudes toward an advertisement when perceived manipulative intent was low and negative evaluations when perceived manipulative intent was high.

Consumption Communication and Parental Control of Children’s Television Viewing: A Multi-Rater Approach

The increasing influence and involvement of children and teenagers on various aspects of consumer behavior is well established. Past studies have examined consumer socialization primarily from the perspective of the mother (e.g., Carlson, Grossbart, and Walsh 1990; Rose, Bush, and Kahle 1998; see Palan 1998 for an exception). This study extends this research by examining the relationship between family communication and parental control over children’s television viewing among multiple family members (the mother, the father, and the child). The results generally support the convergent validity of the measures across raters. The criteria for discriminant validity (Campbell and Fiske 1959) were generally met, but some complexities were found, particularly for the ratings or perceptions of the child.

“Some Assembly Required”: Comparing Disclaimers in Children's TV Advertising in Turkey and the United States

ABSTRACT Disclaimers in advertisements might strongly influence how advertising is produced and presented to the public. Examining how marketers use such disclaimers in different countries is an important part of understanding how advertising reaches out to children. To date, studies of disclaimers with respect to children have only focused on U.S. advertising. This study examines differences in how disclaimers are used in both Turkish and U.S. childrens television commercials.

A Cross-National Analysis of Advertisement Content

ABSTRACT The childrens segment of the consumer marketplace has grown substantially in the last couple of decades. Advertisers have been allocating significant amounts of money to tap into this market. This study provides an in-depth analysis of television commercials shown during times and on television channels children watch in India and the U.S. The two countries are distinctly different in their level of industrialization, consumer culture, and advertising maturity. Empirical evidence is provided on execution-related concepts such as message structures and types of messages, among others. Significant differences as well as commonalities that might be related to economic environment, consumption culture, and advertising maturity are found between the two countries. Potential explanations for the findings are offered.

A Comparative Content Analysis of Advertising Practices to Children

The large and influential nature of the childrens market on purchasing behavior is manifest at the global level. This study addresses a gap in the advertising literature by content analyzing childrens commercials from three countries, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States, thereby providing a contemporary baseline for the practice of advertising in three distinctive global markets. Dimensions addressed include ad structure elements and ad message strategies, with comparisons made among the three countries. A comparative profile of the findings for each country reveals that the American ads, not surprisingly, relative to the commercials of both Mexico and Turkey, show evidence of more sophisticated advertising practices, such as use of more sophisticated execution techniques (e.g., animation). Both Mexican and Turkish ads appear to serve an instrumental purpose in providing information rather than the emotional and entertainment quality that emerged in the American ads. Potential explanations for the findings are offered, based primarily on cultural, economic, and regulatory perspectives. Finally, future research directions are offered.