Chain Dorothy Z. Price
Many aspects of culture, such as values, eating habits, family structure, tastes and
preferences, and decision making patterns will vary between and even within countries.
Other general aspects, such as political and economic systems will also vary. Each of these
factors, and many others, play a role in the choices available to consumers, and the specific
choices eventually made by consumers.
Much information is available which deals with consumer decision making in
general, or in relation to a certain category of goods and/or services. A variety of models and
theories also exist which attempt to explain consumer behavior.
However, no model or theory currently exists which takes into account all of the
factors listed above in a way which may be compared between and among countries. Because
of an incomplete model of consumer decision making behavior, difficulties arise when
attempting to make comparisons between consumers in other countries. Thus, the development
and partial testing of an alternative model of consumer decision making is the focus of
this research.