Practical implications – Examination of contextual factors provides a richer and deeper
understanding of which international markets to enter and which segments to target. Within-country
cultural diversity, dramatic economic and regional disparities and marked differences in the
infrastructure need to be assessed. In particular, examination of contextual factors helps to shed light
on heterogeneity within countries not only in customer behavior, but also in the nature of the market
infrastructure. This is a key element, not only in formulating entry and segmentation strategies, but
also in implementing those strategies.
Originality/value – The effect of context has received little attention to date. The current
paper highlights the importance of considering contextual factors and their impact on consumption
behavior – an issue which has largely been ignored in previous research