Title: Regional cross-cultural consumption differences within India

Authors: Devinder Pal Singh, Manoj K. Sharma

Addresses: Punjabi University Regional Centre, Phase-7, Mohali 160059, Punjab, India. ' DES, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India

Abstract: This study compares the consumption pattern of the four regions of India. On the basis of the arguments that India cannot be used as a surrogate for single culture, we postulated that the various regions within India differ culturally as they differ along geographic, climatic, economic, linguistic, and ethnic lines. So the consumption patterns in the four regions are also different. Further, the study compares the consumption patterns of four states namely Punjab in north, Tamil Nadu in south, Gujarat in west, and West Bengal in eastern India. The states were chosen taking into account their geographical distance, different historical backgrounds and contrasting social patterns in the regions.

Keywords: culture; India; regional cultures; cultural dimensions; cross-cultural management; consumption patterns; geographic differences; climatic differences; economic differences; linguistic differences; ethnic differences; geography; climate; economy; language; ethnicity; geographical distance; historical background; social patterns; emerging markets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2010.033379

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2010 Vol.2 No.3, pp.267 - 285

Published online: 01 Jun 2010 *

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