Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Roxanne Hovland

Committee Members

Ronald Taylor, Michael Singletary

Abstract

The Asian Americans are a rapidly growing ethnic minority in the U.S. By and large, Asians are well educated, highly skilled and high income earners. Many marketers have succeeded in targeting Asians as consumers for various products. One of the difficulties in targeting this market is that it is too complex and heterogeneous, thus requiring a better understanding of all Asian subgroups. This work focuses on one such subgroup: the Asian Indians. The objective of this research was to study Asian Indians as consumers: specifically their demographic features, media habits and certain aspects of buyer behavior. A mail survey was conducted on Asian Indians living in the Knoxville area. The results of the survey showed that the respondents were well educated, had a high level of income as well as savings, and were predominantly employed in the engineering and science field. As far as media habits were concerned, the Indian respondents read newspapers and magazines (including Indian newspapers), were not avid television viewers, and watched English and Indian language movies. As consumers, the respondents showed a strong preference for foreign made brands and considered brand name and price to be very important. Past experiences with the manufacturer's product were important in making buying decisions. The respondents revealed that they did not buy on impulse, limited credit buying, were quality and cost conscious, and were careful consumers. This research shows that there are cultural differences that exist in Indians as consumers. It also shows that marketers and advertisers who wish to target Indians need to be aware of these differences while selecting media as well as planning strategies.

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