NATIONALISTIC TENDENCY IN TEXTILE CONSUMPTION AMONG NIGERIANS: AN EXAMINATION OF TEXTILE CONSUMERS IN CENTRAL NIGERIA
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of consumer nationalistic tendency on consumer decision to purchase. The study hypothesized that in addition to the traditional cultural, social, psychological, and situational factors and the consumer’s self-concept and life style that influence consumers’ decision processes; the consumer’s nationalistic tendency also influences his decision process. In order to measure this factor among Nigerian textile consumers, a simple factorial design was developed. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase one was an experimental study where five pairs of domestic and foreign-made textile products were first presented to the participants to choose based on their preferences for such products. In phase two, the Nationalistic Tendency scale (NATSCALE) was administered to the respondents. Three hundred and seventy two people (234 males and 138 females) participated in the study. Ages of the participants ranged from 18- 51 years with a mean of 35.46 years (SD = 9.73). The result revealed a significant influence of nationalistic tendency on the choice preferences and purchase decisions of Nigerian textile consumers (X2 = 12.05, df = 1, P < 0.05 and F (1, 8668.30) = 53.09, P < 0.05). Nationalistic tendency or nationalism therefore, is a concept that marketers should be concerned about when establishing marketing strategies in Nigeria.