How does self-congruity foster customer engagement with global brands? Examining the roles of psychological ownership and global connectedness
International Marketing Review
ISSN: 0265-1335
Article publication date: 1 November 2023
Issue publication date: 12 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the self-congruity theory and customer engagement literature, this research accounts for the influence of the three dimensions of customer self-congruity on customer engagement with global brands by uncovering the mediating mechanism of brand psychological ownership and moderating mechanism of global connectedness. The research framework is tested across developed and developing country contexts to highlight any cultural differences in the drivers of customer engagement with global brands.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from developed (USA; n = 270) and developing (India; n = 273) countries through two online surveys and tested, employing structural equation modeling, across the two markets to investigate cross-cultural variations.
Findings
Social self-congruity has the strongest influence on customer engagement for USA consumers, while all three forms of self-congruity are equally important in India. Psychological ownership consistently works as the mediating mechanism across both contexts. While global connectedness accentuates the relationship between self-congruity and brand psychological ownership for Indian consumers, it attenuates the relationship amongst USA consumers.
Originality/value
While prior literature mainly establishes a direct link between self-congruity and customer engagement, this study provides a deeper understanding of the self-congruity–customer engagement relationship by: a) investigating the mediating role of psychological ownership; b) examining the moderating role of global connectedness and c) studying all three forms of self-congruity (i.e. actual, ideal and social) simultaneously. The study, testing the framework in developing and developed country settings, highlights cultural nuances in forming customer engagement with global brands.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Associate Editor - Dr. Mark Cleveland, and the three anonymous reviewers for their insightful and valuable feedback. The authors also acknowledge the support of XLRI Jamshedpur for this research.
Citation
Roy Bhattacharjee, D., Kuanr, A., Malhotra, N., Pradhan, D. and Moharana, T.R. (2023), "How does self-congruity foster customer engagement with global brands? Examining the roles of psychological ownership and global connectedness", International Marketing Review, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 1480-1508. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-09-2022-0206
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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