Kenny K. Chan

How consumer ethnocentrism and animosity impair the economic recovery of emerging markets

ABSTRACT Many developed nations have reportedly turned to protectionism to speed up recovery from the recent global financial tsunami. Emerging economies that rely on exports and tourism have been particularly hard hit by these barriers. This study analyzes a conceptual framework that captures the effects of product image, country image, ethnocentrism, and animosity on consumers’ attitudes for imports and overseas travel. The results offer a fresh perspective, beyond that which has been explained by literature on product evaluation and country-of-origin. The findings imply that an export-dependent nation will need a linkage strategy to defend against protectionism. Strategic implications are discussed.

Exploring the Antecedents and Consequences of Míng Pái Kòng (Brand-Name Fanaticism) Among China's Generation Y

ABSTRACT The authors examine antecedents and consequences of míng pái kòng (MPK)–brand-name fanaticism, obsessive fandom, and purchases of global name brands―among a large number of Gen-Yers in China. This phenomenon is scrutinized because Confucian virtues discourage self-expressive, materialistic flaunting behaviors. A survey of 510 respondents finds that consumers’ need for uniqueness and peer influence affect brand consciousness, MPK, and willingness to pay a price premium for name-brand merchandise. Results indicate that relationships between brand consciousness and MPK are more evident in males and suggest that MPK may be marked by incongruity between projections of status and self. Managerial implications are discussed.