Young consumers' perceptions of multinational firms and their acculturation channels towards western products in transition economies

Purpose – This research aims to focus on the understanding of how young consumers (generation Y) in transition economies perceive western multinational firms, what factors influence their consumption preferences of western products, and what are communication channels that affect their purchasing intensions of western products and brands. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected by interviews of consumer focus groups for qualitative implications, and survey questionnaires were developed to obtain quantitative data for statistical analyses to provide additional insights during the period from September to November 2004 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Findings – The findings suggest that due to the influence of increased contacts with western cultures, people, and products through mass media (mainly TV) and marketing campaigns by multinational companies, most of the young consumers in transition economies have favorable attitudes towards western products and things, and they have high appreciation especially for global brands. However, product attributes could mean different things in different cultures. Research limitations/implications – The results of this study are exploratory in nature and should be tested and reviewed with further studies. Because this study was conducted within a single segment, validation of these findings in other segments will require additional research. Different sample groups can be tested for validation purposes. Finally, this study was limited to the cogitative responses of consumers with limited investigation of actual consumer purchasing behavior. Practical implications – The researchers suggest that marketing managers should seek to communicate and promote their brands and products as symbols of global consumer culture, and if possible, utilizing celebrity advertisements as marketing communication tools, especially to young consumers in transition economies. The objective would be to have consumers identify their brand and product as a sign of membership in the status‐seeking, achievement‐oriented and hedonic segment markets. Originality/value – Few studies of generation Y consumers in transition economies have been carried out. In particular, the choice of Central Asia and the role of multinational companies are especially important.