Baxter, Katherine Jane and Czarnecka, Barbara and Schivinski, Bruno (2026) Individualism and the desire for unique consumer products: the roles of need for uniqueness and global acculturation. Journal of Product and Brand Management. ISSN 1061-0421
Preview |
Text
jpbm-09-2025-6337en.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Abstract Purpose – To address the challenge of imprecise consumer segmentation in international markets, this study aims to investigate the psychological mechanisms that link microcultural backgrounds to specific product preferences. Specifically, a framework encompassing both mediation and moderation is developed to examine how the cultural values of horizontal and vertical individualism predict the desire for unique consumer products, focusing on the mediating role of the psychological need for uniqueness and the moderating role of acculturation to global consumer culture. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 662 non-British consumers living in the UK through an online survey and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – The results indicate that the cultural values of vertical and horizontal individualism positively influence the need for uniqueness, which subsequently drives the desire for unique consumer products. Notably, a suppressor effect emerged regarding horizontal individualism, wherein its indirect effect on product desire was greater than its total effect. Acculturation to global consumer culture acts as a behavioral enhancer, significantly amplifying the positive relationship between the internal need for uniqueness and the external desire for unique products. Originality/value – This research extends the cultural fit hypothesis into the domain of international product management by demonstrating that specific personality traits act as active transformers, rather than passive carriers, of cultural influence. It provides novel evidence that the desire for unique products is not universally driven by competitive status, but is a complex phenomenon shaped by the dimensional nuances of individualism and the consumer’s integration into the global marketplace. Keywords Desire for unique consumer products, Cultural fit, individualism, Need for uniqueness, Acculturation to global consumer culture, Uniqueness, Uniqueness motives, Self-congruity
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information and Comments: | This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact permissions@emerald.com |
| Keywords: | Desire for unique consumer products, Cultural fit, individualism, Need for uniqueness, Acculturation to global consumer culture, Uniqueness, Uniqueness motives, Self-congruity |
| Faculty / Department: | Faculty of Business, Law and Criminology > Liverpool Hope Business School |
| Depositing User: | Katherine Baxter |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Oct 2026 11:50 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Oct 2026 11:50 |
| URI: | https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/5008 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
