Young Saudi adults and peer group purchase influence: a preliminary investigation

Robert Opoku

doi:10.1108/17473611211233549

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Young Saudi adults and peer group purchase influence: a preliminary investigation

Document Information:
Title:	Young Saudi adults and peer group purchase influence: a preliminary investigation
Author(s):	Robert Opoku, (Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing, College of Industrial Management, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
Citation:	Robert Opoku, (2012) "Young Saudi adults and peer group purchase influence: a preliminary investigation", Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers, Vol. 13 Iss: 2, pp.176 - 187
Keywords:	Consumer behaviour, Peer influence, Purchase decision, Reference group, Saudi Arabia, Students, Young adults
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/17473611211233549 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Acknowledgements:	The author gratefully acknowledges King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals for providing research grant and using its various facilities in the research and preparation of this paper.
Abstract:	Purpose – The role that peer influence plays in shaping young adult consumers' products purchase decision cannot be overemphasized. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of peer influence in shaping young adult male consumers' product purchase decisions in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach – To measure peer influence in this study, a survey of around 200 university students aged between 16 and 30 was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Constructs were measured using well-established scales. Hypotheses are tested by investigating and comparing mean levels of the susceptibility of these young adults to peer influence across four product categories. Findings – With the products studied, the overall preliminary results suggest that the levels of influence were greater in normative influence than in informational situations. The results further provide a sense of the degree to which peer influence on purchase decision could be dictated by culture. Practical implications – Based on the results of this study, practical implications for marketing strategies are suggested and future research directions proposed. Originality/value – The paper adds richness to the peer influence theory from a unique culture such as Saudi Arabia, which is also under-researched.