Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5805/SFTI.2020.22.3.335

A Qualitative Study on Consumer Complaint Behavior Based on Cross Cultural Differences -Focusing on the Formation Process of Complaint Behavior by Korea and British Millennial Consumers  

Lee, Areum (Dept. of Clothing and Textile, Pusan National University)
Lee, Jin Hwa (Dept. of Clothing and Textile, Pusan National University)
Publication Information
Fashion & Textile Research Journal / v.22, no.3, 2020 , pp. 335-348 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study examines the cultural differences in Korea and the United Kingdom, and how they affect consumer complaint behavior(CCB). Technological advances allow consumers to easily access information anywhere in the world using the internet thus they demand even higher expectations from the sellers. Consumers from different cultural backgrounds, especially the millennial generation, have different ways of expressing a dissatisfying shopping experience. For this comparative study, in-depth interviews were conducted based on the methodology set by grounded theory. The results of the axial coding produced by recombining the data from open coding were visualized as a paradigm model. The main phenomenon of attitude towards complaining was formed following the causal conditions of dissatisfaction that occurred after purchasing fashion products online. The contextual condition, which is the cultural factors, affects the formation of the attitude towards complaining; and the intervening conditions, which are personal value and amplifications of dissatisfaction, had a moderating effect between the causal condition and the main phenomenon. Complaining costs, the likelihood of successful complaint, attribution, and the importance of the product were the determinants of the complaining behavior after the attitude towards complaining was formed. As a result, there were three classifications of consumer complaining behavior: no action, private action, and public action. This research will serve as a guide for online companies that wish to enter the UK fashion industry with a competitive edge.
Keywords
consumer complaint behavior; Hofstede; cultural dimensions; ground theory; fashion products;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 7  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Cha, J. Y. (2005). Comparative analysis of consumer complaint behavior of e-commerce offline consumers. Unpublished master's thesis, Korea University, Seoul.
2 Singh, J. (1988). Customer complaint behavior: Definitional and taxonomical issues. Journal of Marketing, 52(1), 93-107.   DOI
3 Son, Y. H. (2019). 고객 불만족과 고객 불평행동 [Customer dissatis- faction and customer complaint behavior]. Seoul: Communication books.
4 Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (2001). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd Ed.). (K. Shin, Trans.). Seoul: Hyunmoon (Original work published in 1998)
5 Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage. doi:10.4135/9781452230153
6 Sung, T., & Lee, S. (2003). Fighting against white-collar crime informing and educating anti-fraud professionals worldwide. Seoul : Associated of Certified Fraud Examiners Korea Chapter.
7 Van Maanen, J. (1979). Reclaiming qualitative methods for organizational research: A preface. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24(4), 520- 526.   DOI
8 Yim, K. H. (2010). A study on design preference between Korea and China based on culture difference : Focus on food container. Unpublished master's thesis. Hongik University, Seoul.
9 Yoo, K. U., Jung, J. W., Kim, Y. S., & Kim, H. B. (2012). Under- standing qualitative research methods. Seoul: Parkyoungsa.
10 Yuksel, A., Kilinc, U. K., & Yuksel, F. (2006). Cross-national analysis of hotel customers’ attitudes toward complaining and their complaining behaviours. Tourism Management, 27(1), 11-24. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2004.07.007   DOI
11 Shin, E. J., Lee, S. Y., Kim, E. K., & Koh, A. (2019). An exploratory study on Hallyu product purchase decision making process of Iranian women in their 20s - Based on beauty products and fashion products -. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 43(1), 33-50. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2019.43.1.33   DOI
12 Baek, B. S., & Lee, Y. G. (2009). Determinants of consumer complaint behavior: A comparison of Korean and U.S. consumers. Journal of Consumer Studies, 20(3), 75-98.
13 Bearden, W. O., & Mason, J. B. (1984). An investigation of influences of consumer complaint reports. Advances in Consumer Issues Research, 11, 490-495.
14 Lee, J. (2017). The Phenomenological-Hermeneutic reflection on the methodological assumptions of the grounded theory. Phenomenology and Contemporary Philosophy, 75, 69-108   DOI
15 Lee, J. M., Hlee, S. Y., Chung, N. H., & Koo, C. M. (2016). A study of the difference on Korean wave trend and perception of Korean wave using Hofstede’s culture dimension theory - Focusing on East Asia counties. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, 18(2), 21-40.
16 Lee, J. (2006). 질적 연구방법론 [Qualitative research methodology]. Paju: Kyoyookbook.
17 Lee, M. S. (2018). Gender differences in the effects of fashion innovativeness and fashion involvement on attitudes toward apparel recycling. Fashion & Textile Research Journal, 20(6), 669-678. doi:10.5805/SFTI.2018.20.6.669   DOI
18 Lee, S. O. (2002). A study on consumer dissatisfaction and complaint behavior in internet shopping malls. Unpublished master's thesis, Kyonggi University, Suwon.
19 Liu, R., & McClure, P. (2001). Recognizing cross-cultural differences in consumer complaint behavior and intentions: An empirical examination. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(1), 54-75. doi:10. 1108/07363760110365813   DOI
20 Liu, R. R., Watkins, H. S., & Yi, Y. (1997). Taxonomy of consumer complaint behavior: Replication and extension. Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior, 10, 91-103.
21 Lee, H. K., & Jang, H. J. (2019). A study on costume jewelry design attributes and consumer purchasing behavior of millennial generation. Journal of the Korean Society Design Culture, 25(1), 367-379.   DOI
22 Chae, K. S., & Kim, J. H. (2017). A study on clothing behavior of world female political leaders -Based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory-. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles. 41(3) 433-445. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2017.41.3.433   DOI
23 Chau, P. Y. K., Cole, M., Massey, A., Montoya-Weiss, M., & O’keefe, R. M. (2002). Cultural differences in consumer’s online behaviors. Communications of the ACM, 45(10), 138-143. doi:10.1145/570907. 570911   DOI
24 Chenitz, W. C., & Swanson, J. M. (1986). From practice to grounded theory : Qualitative research in nursing. Menlo Park : Addison- Wesley.
25 Choi, Y. Y., Lee, J. Y., Oh, H. S., & Suh, Y. H. (2004). A study on characteristics of consumer complaining behavior on internet fashion shopping malls. Fashion & Textile Research Journal, 6(5), 595-604.
26 Chung, I. H., & Rhee, E. Y. (1999). The interaction between clothing- wearing motives and fashion phenomenon: A qualitative approach. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 23(1), 128- 139.
27 Day, R. L., Grabricke, T., Schaetzel, T., & Stavbach, F. (1981). The hidden agenda of customer complaining. Journal of Retailing, 57(3), 86-106.
28 Day, R. L., & Landon, E. L. (1977). Toward a theory of consumer complaining behavior. In A. G. Woodside, J. N. Sheth & P. D. Bennett (Eds.). Consumer and industrial buying behavior. New York: North Holland.
29 Moon, S. B. (2020). The fourth industrial revolution and the future of offline distribution. Startup today. Retrieved May 8, 2020, from https://www.startuptoday.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=29628
30 Park, C., & Jun, J. K. (2003). A cross?cultural comparison of internet buying behavior: Effects of internet usage, perceived risks, and innovativeness. International Marketing Review, 20(5), 534-553. doi:10.1108/02651330310498771   DOI
31 Park, K., & Choi, W. K. (2001). Effects of Individualism - Collectivism on clothing buying behavior. Journal of Consumer Studies, 12(1), 101-114.
32 Park, S. K., & Cho, N. H. (2010). Consumer post-purchasing behavior of internet shopping - Focusing on dissatisfaction and complaint behavior. The Research Journal of the Costume Culture, 18(2), 217- 228. doi:10.29049/rjcc.2010.18.2.217   DOI
33 Quelch, J. A., & Klein, L. R. (1996). The internet and international marketing. Sloan Management Review, 37(3), 65-75.
34 Rapaille, C. (2007). The culture code: An ingenious way to understand why people around the world live and buy as they do. New York : Broadway books.
35 EBS. (2009, October 06). The west and the east Episode 1: Westerners who see the world as nouns, Easterners who see the world with verbs.[Video file] Retrieved from https://www.ebs.co.kr/tv/show? lectId=3033845
36 Eshopworld. (2018). "Global ecommerce market ranking 2019". Retrieved Febuary, 20, 2020, from https://learning.eshopworld. com/제-content/uploads/2019/10/Global_ecommerce_Market_Ranking_2019_001.pdf
37 Glaser, B. (1978). Theoretical sensitivity: Advances in the methodology of grounded theory. Mill Valley: Sociology Press.
38 Hill, C. E., Thomson, B. J., & Williams, E. N. (1997). A guide to conducting consensual qualitative research. The Counseling Psychologist, 25(4), 517-572. doi:10.1177/0011000097254001   DOI
39 Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2016). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind, (3rd Eds.) (Cha, J & Na, E. Trans.). Seoul: Hakjisa. (Original work published in 2014)
40 Hong, K. H. (1999). A study on clothing complaining behavior: Taxonomy, cause, and type. Journal of Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 23(1), 90-98.
41 Rhie, S. J., & Lee, K. A. (2007). Grounded theory approach as qualitative inquiry in special education. Journal of Mental Retardation, 9(1), 123-147
42 Ritchins, M. L. (1983). Negative word-of-mouth by dissatisfied consumers: A pilot study. Journal of Marketing, 47(1), 68-78. doi:10. 2307/3203428   DOI
43 Rogers, J. C., Ross, S. C., & Williams, T. G. (1992). Personal values and purchase dissatisfaction response. Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction, and Complaining Behavior, 5, 81-92.
44 Jasper, C. R. (1989). Cross-national differences in satisfaction/dissatisfaction and complaint behaviour concerning apparel products. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 13(2), 151-159. doi: 10.1111/j.1470-6431.1989.tb00013   DOI
45 Kim, J. H. (2017). The study on the effect of cultural difference on overseas travel market: A comparison among Korea, China, U.S. and Japan. International Commerce and Information Review, 19(1), 213-234.
46 Kim, J. H., & Lee, J. H. (2015). Qualitative study on the response of consumers experiencing products’ being sold out on the internet shopping malls. Journal of the Korean Society of Costume, 65(5), 74-87. doi:10.7233/jksc.2015.65.5.074   DOI
47 Kim, J. Y., & Oh, H. J. (2019). A grounded theory study on the growth process as a fashion brand manager. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 43(5), 649-665. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2019. 43.5.649   DOI
48 Kim, S. W., & Lee, Y. R. (2012). What is beauty? - The aesthetic cognition of Korean women in their 20s and 30s -. Journal of Consumer Studies, 23(2), 351-382.
49 Kim, Y. W., & Yang, J. (2009). The effect of cultural predictors on perceived ethicality of negotiation behavior : A comparison of ‘Chemyon’ and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Korean Journal of Communication & Information, 46(2), 212-244.
50 Krishnan, S., & Valle, V. A. (1979). Dissatisfaction attributions and consumer complaint behavior. Advances in consumer research volume 06, eds. William L. Wilkie, Ann Abor, MI: Association for Consumer Research.
51 Lee, D. S. (2010). A comparative analysis of crisis communication between Korean and U.S companies : Focusing on Hofstede's cultural dimensions. Unpublished master's thesis, Hanyang University, Seoul.
52 Lee, G. H. (2005). A study on different communication style of Korea and the US reflected on TV commercials. Unpublished master's thesis, Sogang University, Seoul.
53 Lee, J. R., & Park, J. H. (2007). Convergence and divergence of cross- cultural e-CCB: An exploratory study on taxonomical issue. International Business Journal, 18(2), 83-111.