A Cross-Cultural Study on Consumers' Sentiments of the Marketing Mix Variables and Consumers' Perceptions Toward Marketing Ethics

Marketing ethics continues to be viewed as tampered by unethical practices. This cross-cultural quantitative research surveys 186 consumers in the New Orleans Metropolitan area to gain insights into their perceptions of marketing ethics. The predictive ability of consumers' demographic variables, cultural dimensions, and sentiments toward marketing mix elements vis-a-vis their perceptions of marketing ethics are explored, as well as significant differences within these dominant constructs.

The study integrates a conceptual framework blended with Hofstede's cultural dimensions, McCarthy's marketing mix, and the Hunt-Vitell's general theory of marketing ethics. Psychometric characteristics of the instruments were confirmed through exploratory factor analyses. Results show that demographic variables such as nationality, place of residence, time in residence, and education produced significant differences among consumers while affecting their ethical perceptions. Within or inter-consumer groups comparisons commensurate with their cultural value classification indicate significant differences for collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation; and these differences were also significant in regard to their sentiments of marketing mix classification for product, promotion, and place. Multiple regression analyses confirmed the predictive ability of education, nationality/Caribbean, income, time in residence, long-term orientation, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, place, product, and promotion on the consumer perception of marketing ethics.

These findings add value to the extant literature, and are beneficial to future research. Additionally, practical implications, limitations, and recommendations are discussed.