| dc.description.abstract | Abstract The study analyses the effect of religion and culture on the consumer behaviour of young females in Saudi Arabia. There is considerable value in this case study, as it shows the importance of considering local and regional characteristics, as well as gender and other factors, when designing advertisements; this demographic (young female) is becoming increasingly influential and has not previously been adequately studied. The literature relating to this study is based on a concept of advertising as the means to convince the consumer to make purchase decisions – a form of communication designed to influence consumer behaviour towards purchasing a product or service. Using the theory of planned behaviour as its starting point, and based on extensive review of the literature, this study assesses the extent of direct links between advertising and consumer buying behaviour. Another major variable of the study is the role of religion in determining consumer assessment of, and response to, advertising. Saudi Arabian culture is heavily driven by religious considerations, making a fuller understanding of the relationship very valuable. A mixed data-collection approach is used, providing both quantitative and qualitative information. Students from different departments of Alqassim University in Saudi Arabia provide insights via a large questionnaire survey n = 275 and an in-depth interview element with selected participants n = 20. As well as demonstrating the value of this mixed approach through complementary statistical and thematic analyses, the study is able to provide some generalisable points about consumer behaviour in this demographic group (young female), as well as specific suggestions about how consumers respond to real-life cases of advertisements, and the justifications provided by young female Saudi Arabian consumers for their purchasing decisions. Multiple factors are assessed for their influence on this group’s behaviour, including family income, family size, their university department, age and general attitudes towards online shopping and advertising. This study provides new information about this group, strongly affected by the continuing modernisation and globalisation of Saudia Arabia, including the continuing importance of religion and cultural norms. It also provides a well-designed model for future research into specific consumer-group behaviours. | en_GB |
