South African consumers' perceptions of and attitudes towards a Jamaican restaurant : country of origin effect

Abstract

This study is aimed to explore the perceptions and attitudes of South African towards products or services of foreign origin, in particular a Jamaican restaurant in Pretoria. The study objectives were to explore that perceptions and attitudes of South Africans toward products and services of foreign origin, investigating the various factors influencing the consumer buyer behaviour towards products including foreign products and services, and to make recommendations regarding the marketing of foreign products and services. A literature review was conducted which detailed the factors influencing consumer buyer behaviour and the various components of the country of origin effect that has consequences on the marketing of products of foreign origin.

The study was a quantitative study where a sample of 231 participants between 18 and 65 years of age were selected using availability sampling at a shopping mall in Pretoria. Questionnaires were given to selected participants who completed and returned the completed questionnaire to the researcher. All the selected participants completely filled the questionnaires. The data from the questionnaires was collated using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The data was then presented as pie and bar charts generated from the frequency tables. Data was analysed using simple descriptive statistics, interpreting the meaning of the data and discussing the data in line with the findings of the literature review.

The results showed that the participants’ responses displayed significant phenomena that relates to the perceptions and attitudes of citizens towards foreign products and services. The results demonstrated that many of the participants displayed a significant degree of animosity against foreign products, with ethnocentrism and patriotism. There was also a display of a degree of protectionism of the local industry from the influx of foreign products and services. A significant number of participants also stated that foreign goods must be regulated through higher taxation to protect the local manufacturing industry and prevent further unemployment. However, the results also showed that a significant number of participants do not display animosity towards foreign goods, and neither do they feel bound by ethnocentrism and patriotism, hence they perceive that buying foreign goods is an option. Participants also noted that they consider the country of origin of the products so as to determine the perceived quality, price and utility, often from the perceived country image.