Will the Real-World Citizen Please Stand Up! The Many Faces of Cosmopolitan Consumer Behavior

Abstract

The continuing globalization of marketing activities has given considerable impetus to the study of cosmopolitanism as a consumer construct. Most recent research has focused on the normative activities of cosmopolites, as consumers who seek to broaden their cultural horizons by immersing themselves in a breadth of local cultural experiences. Although this is true of some cosmopolites in some circumstances, it is not a general characteristic. The authors return to the original meaning of cosmopolitanism as presented (independently) by Merton and Gouldner in the late 1950s, examining the concept in light of subsequent research and the social forces that have tended to promote an increasingly cosmopolitan perspective. They then propose several patterns of cosmopolitan behavior, only one of which is a normative search for culturally broadening experiences. Finally, they suggest some managerial implications for marketing practitioners.