Indian Consumer Animosity towards China: The Role of Consumer Ethnocentrism, National Identity and Consumer Cosmopolitanism.

Despite sharing a relationship full of strain and conflict since the 1950s, India and China, both have seen a striking improvement in bilateral trade. It has created many opportunities for international markets but simultaneously, many challenges for global marketers and native manufactures. The presence of Chinese goods in the Indian market has intensified and created an environment of extreme threat for inland manufactures of India. Therefore, it becomes meaningful to understand how Indian consumers distinguish between domestic and Chinese goods. The study examines the role of consumer ethnocentrism, national identity and consumer cosmopolitanism as antecedents to consumer animosity towards China and in turn product judgement and inclination to purchase Chinese product. Data were collected from 284 respondents through a structured questionnaire using non-probability convenience sampling technique in the South Gujarat region. The result indicates that all three antecedents have a positive association with consumer animosity. Apart from having an indirect impact on willingness to buy Chinese products through consumer animosity and product judgement, consumer ethnocentrism is also having a direct negative influence over willingness to buy Chinese products. The study delivers worthy inferences for marketing researchers, marketers, economists, policymakers and practitioners at national and international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]